WorldWideScience

Sample records for autecology

  1. Autecology of broadleaved species

    OpenAIRE

    Gonin, Pierre; Larrieu, Laurent; Coello, Jaime; Marty, Pauline; Lestrade , Marine; Becquey, Jacques; Claessens, Hugues

    2013-01-01

    Anyone involved in timber production needs some knowledge of autecology. With the renewed interest in hardwoods in the last 20 years, they are increasingly being introduced by planting or encouraged in natural stands. The results in terms of growth have not always met foresters’ expectations, due to technical problems and especially because the species are not always suited to the different sites. While the principle of establishing hardwoods is not in question, it is important to be aware of...

  2. The estimation of sample size required in chemical limnology and autecology of shelled invertebrates

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Delorme, L. D; El-Shaarawi, A. H

    1978-01-01

    .... The confidence coefficient is 1 - 2alpha. In the field of chemical limnology and autecology of shelled invertebrates, most chemical parameters must be transformed to obtain a normal distribution...

  3. Plant indicator values as a tool for land mollusc autecology assessment

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Horsák, M.; Hájek, Michal; Tichý, L.; Juřičková, L.

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 32, č. 2 (2007), s. 161-171 ISSN 1146-609X Grant - others:GA AV ČR(CZ) KJB601630501 Program:KJ Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : Ellenberg indicator values * animal autecology assessment * species response curve Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.306, year: 2007

  4. Autecology of shallow-water Octocorallia from Mediterranean rocky substrata, I. The Banyuls area

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weinberg, Steven

    1979-01-01

    The autecology of eleven mediterranean octocoral species (3 Stolonifera, 4 Alcyonacea, 4 Gorgonacea) was studied near Banyuls-sur-Mer (southern France). Field observations were carried out by means of SCUBA-diving in forty underwater stations. The ecological amplitude of each species was determined

  5. AUTECOLOGY OF INVASIVE SPECIES Cyperus rotundus L. IN FOREST EDGE OF POHEN MOUNTAIN, BATUKAHU NATURE RESERVE, BALI, INDONESIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sutomo Sutomo

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Anthropogenic-origin forest disturbance has been known to increase the risk of invasion to native habitat. Invasive species caused problems for local ecosystems and their native species. The  research on the dynamics and autecology of invasive species Cyperus rotundus was conducted on anthropogenic disturbed Pohen mountain forest in Bali, Indonesia. Results showed significant changes in microclimatic variables from forest edge to interior. C. rotundus in Pohen mountain forest can be found in a road edge and forest exterior where sunlight is abundant and decrease in a more shady sites and absent under thick forest canopies CCA ordination analysis showed that C. rotundus in Pohen mountain forest tends to co-occur together with Imperata cylindrica and Bidens biternata. To be able to control potentially troublesome exotic invasive species, firstly we have to understand what factors limit their growth and development. Therefore this study is has important value because the data which from  result in studying invasive species autecology will act as baseline data that will be useful to generate management program including rehabilitation and restoration program. Key words: species dynamics, autecology, Cyperus rotundus, Pohen mountain forest, Bali

  6. Autecology of crenarchaeotal and bacterial clades in marine sediments and microbial mats

    OpenAIRE

    Kubo, Kyoko

    2011-01-01

    The focus of this thesis was the autecology of the Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotal Group (MCG), a phylum-level clade of Archaea occurring mostly in marine sediments. Sequences of MCG 16S rRNA genes have been retrieved from a wide range of marine and terrestrial habitats, such as deep subsurface sediments, hydrothermal sediments, mud volcanoes, estuaries, hot springs and freshwater lake sediments. MCG members seem to have no general preferences for a particular temperature or salinity. So far, no...

  7. Autecology of Limnomysis benedeni Czerniavsky, 1882 (Crustacea: Mysida) in Lake Constance, Southwestern Germany

    OpenAIRE

    Gergs, René; Hanselmann, Almut J.; Eisele, Isabelle; Rothhaupt, Karl-Otto

    2008-01-01

    The Ponto-Caspian mysid Limnomysis benedeni was first recorded in Lake Constance in summer 2006, and a stable population developed at the site of discovery. Although this mysid is common in the Rhine and Danube rivers, little is known about its ecology and impact in systems of invasion. We investigated the autecology of L. benedeni in habitat-choice and food experiments. In the habitat-choice experiments, highly structured habitats, i.e., stones covered with zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorph...

  8. A Study on the Autecology of Reseda lutea L. (Resedaceae) Distributed in Western Anatolia

    OpenAIRE

    DOĞAN, Yunus

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the autecological characteristics of Reseda lutea L. (Resedaceae) distributed in Western Anatolia. The chemical and physical analysis was carried out on soil and plant samples collected from 54 different localities in Western Anatolia. The results show that the plant generally prefers sandy-loam and sandy-clayey-loam textural soils, with a slightly alkaline or medium alkaline pH. They prefer non-saline, calcareous soils which are poor in potassium and ph...

  9. AUTECOLOGY OF INVASIVE SPECIES Cyperus rotundus L. IN FOREST EDGE OF POHEN MOUNTAIN, BATUKAHU NATURE RESERVE, BALI, INDONESIA

    OpenAIRE

    Sutomo Sutomo; Dini Fardila

    2015-01-01

    Anthropogenic-origin forest disturbance has been known to increase the risk of invasion to native habitat. Invasive species caused problems for local ecosystems and their native species. The  research on the dynamics and autecology of invasive species Cyperus rotundus was conducted on anthropogenic disturbed Pohen mountain forest in Bali, Indonesia. Results showed significant changes in microclimatic variables from forest edge to interior. C. rotundus in Pohen mountain forest can be found in ...

  10. Reconstructing riverine mesohabitat unit composition using fish community data and an autecology matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suen, J P; Su, W C

    2010-09-01

    This research proposes a simplified method for estimating the mesohabitat composition that would favour members of a given set of aquatic species. The simulated composition of four types of mesohabitat units (deep pool, shallow pool, deep riffle and shallow riffle) could guide the design of in-stream structures in creating pool-riffle systems with ecological reference. Fish community data and an autecology matrix are used to support the development of a stream mesohabitat simulation based on regression models for reaches in mid to upper-order streams. The fish community-mesohabitat model results constitute a reference condition that can be used to guide stream restoration and ecological engineering decisions aimed at maintaining the natural ecological integrity and diversity of rivers. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  11. The use of autecological and environmental parameters for establishing the status of lichen vegetation in a baseline study for a long-term monitoring survey

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gombert, S.; Asta, J.; Seaward, M.R.D.

    2005-01-01

    In 1997 the ecological characteristics of the epiphytic species (83 lichens and two algae) of an urban area (Grenoble, France) were determined. Seven autecological indices were used to characterize the lichen ecology: illumination index, humidity index, pH of bark, nutrient status of substratum, ecological index of IAP and frequency. Six clusters (A1-A6) were defined using cluster analysis and principal component analysis. Seven environmental parameters characterizing the stations and the lichen releves were also used: elevation, parameters of artificiality (urbanization, traffic and local land use), IAP, and the percentage of nitrophytic and acidophytic species. Six clusters (B1-B6) were defined using cluster analysis and canonical correspondence analysis. Four clusters (C1-C4) were finally defined using an empirical integrated method combining the autecological and environmental parameters. This final clustering which established the status of the lichen vegetation in 1997 can be reliably used as a baseline study to effectively monitor environmental changes in this urban area. - Ecological clustering which establishes the status of lichen vegetation can be reliably used as a baseline study to monitor environmental changes

  12. Autecology of a symbiont-containing temperate soft coral Capnella gaboensis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Farrant, P.A.

    1985-01-01

    Capnella gaboensis Verseveldt is the most abundant and widely distributed octocoral growing in temperate Australian waters. This study of the autecology of C. gaboensis pays specific attention to its reproduction growth, population dynamics nutrition. Several populations of Capnella gaboensis were studied in the Sydney area. Colonies in the field populations were mapped and measured at regular intervals for growth and population data. The species is relatively long-lived, and large colonies are likely to be about 20 years of age. Following damage by predation or other causes, the larger colonies are able to heal rapidly. Reproduction and development of Capnella gaboensis was studied by microscopic examination of colony branches collected at regular intervals from colonies in the mapped populations. C. gaboensis is dioecious. Recruitment into Capnella gaboensis populations is mainly by larval production, rather than by asexual means. Only a very low percentage of larvae survive and settle. The survival of recruits is also low, and mortality declines as the colonies grow larger. Nutrition of Capnella gaboensis was investigated by /sup 14/C fixation and oxygen exchange methods in the laboratory. Although the numbers of zooxanthellae and chlorophyll content of C. gaboensis do not vary seasonally, photosynthesis by the zooxanthellae does. Photosynthesis of C. gaboensis appears to be adapted to the temperate habitat in which the species lives. Photosynthetic products, translocated form the zooxanthellae to the animal tissues, provided an important source of nutrition for C. gaboensis.

  13. Plant indicator values as a tool for land mollusc autecology assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horsák, Michal; Hájek, Michal; Tichý, Lubomír; Juřičková, Lucie

    2007-09-01

    The aim of this paper was to utilize Ellenberg's plant indicator system for assessing mollusc autecology and to highlight possibilities and advantages of that approach in the case of fen mollusc communities. Molluscs and plants from 137 fen sites in the Western Carpathian Mountains were recorded quantitatively from homogeneous areas of 16 m 2. Water conductivity and pH were measured in the field. Values of Ellenberg's "light, temperature, continentality, moisture, soil reaction, and nutrients" were estimated for each site. The whole data set was processed using ordinations (PCA, DCA, and CCA) and generalized additive models (GAMs). We observed a strong correlation between water pH and Ellenberg soil reaction estimated by plant indicator values ( r = 0.72, P < 0.001). Ellenberg soil reaction was found to be the best predictor of mollusc species composition, which expressed the main mineral-richness gradient. We found the existence of a second important gradient, the gradient of "light", expressing site and canopy openness. A tight correspondence between the results of species response curve modelling based on water conductivity and Ellenberg soil reaction confirmed that "soil reaction" does not express merely pH, but rather the total amount of calcium. We conclude that the Ellenberg's indicator system can be used to study the ecology of land molluscs, an important group of invertebrates in bioindication and nature conservation. Our data and approach could help design appropriate conservation management regimes for threatened snail species. We propose that our approach will be useful also in ecological studies of other animal groups.

  14. Distribution, autecology and biogeography of Dryopidae and Elmidae (Coleoptera, Dryopoidea in the Balearic Islands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rico, E.

    1998-12-01

    Full Text Available The distribution of the Dryopidae and Elmidae in the Balearic Islands was studied. Three species of Dryopidae —Dryops algiricus (Lucas, 1949, D. gracilis (Karsch, 1881 and D. sulcipennis (Costa, 1883— and one of Elmidae —Oulimnius echinatus Berthélemy, 1979— were found. Bibliographical data of other three species of Dryopidae exist, but their presence is either refuted —Dryops lutulentus (Erichson, 1847— or requires confirmation —Dryops luridus (Erichson, 1847 and D. rufipes (Krynicki, 1832—. Dryops gracilis and D. sulcipennis are recorded for first time in the archipelago. The first autecological data of the different species in the archipelago and a biogeographical analysis are provided.

    Se realiza un estudio sobre la distribución de los Dryopidae y Elmidae en las islas Baleares. Tres especies de Dryopidae —Dryops algiricus (Lucas, 1949, D. gracilis (Karsch, 1881 y D. sulcipennis (Costa, 1883— y una de Elmidae —Oulimnius echinatus Berthélemy, 1979— han sido halladas. Existen datos bibliográficos de otras tres especies de Dryopidae, pero su presencia es excluida —Dryops lutulentus (Erichson, 1847— o se considera que debe ser confirmada —Dryops luridus (Erichson, 1847 y D. rufipes (Krynicki, 1832—. Dryops gracilis y D. sulcipennis se citan por primera vez en el archipiélago. Se aportan los primeros datos sobre la autoecología de las diferentes especies en las islas y se realiza un análisis biogeográfico.

  15. Short Communication: Autelogical studies on grass species in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A literature survey of autecological studies on southern African grass species was undertaken. Results revealed that there is a comparative lack of autecological versus community studies. Where autecological studies have been conducted, most of the attention was focused on 'pasture' or 'desirable' species with ...

  16. Morphology, ultrastructure, molecular phylogeny, and autecology of Euplotes elegans Kahl, 1932 (Hypotrichida; Euplotidae) isolated from the anoxic Mariager Fjord, Denmark.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Julian Schwarz, M V; Zuendorf, Alexandra; Stoeck, Thorsten

    2007-01-01

    The morphology, autecology, and molecular phylogeny of an euryhaline Euplotes isolate collected from the anoxic water column of the Mariager Fjord in Denmark were investigated. The isolate matches the original description of Euplotes elegans Kahl, 1932 very well. However, its dorsal silverline system is clearly distinct from the redescription of this species by Tuffrau. Thus, a neotypification is proposed for E. elegans Kahl, 1932. The oval-shaped cell has a mean size of 107 x 51 microm and is characterized by 9.4 dorsolateral kineties, seven prominent dorsal ridges, large elongated ampullae, which encircle the dorsal kinetids, 18 kinetids in the middorsal row, nine frontoventral cirri, five transversal cirri, and three caudal cirri (two right caudal cirri and one left marginal cirrus). The dorsal silverline system is of the double type with the narrow polygons located on the right side of the dorsal kinetids. The ecological tolerances of this species to pH, salinity, temperature, and oxygen match the ambient environmental conditions of the sampling site. Molecular phylogeny was studied using small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene sequences. The molecular data cluster E. elegans with Euplotes raikovi, a member of the Euplotopsis group. The data suggest that the E. elegans-E. raikovi clade represents an isolated and deep branch at the base of the Euplotes tree.

  17. Autecology of Astragalus arpilobus Kar. & Kir, a promised species for restoration of the winter rangelands in the northeast of Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Jankju

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Studying the autecology of range plants provides the basic information on their ecological requirements, cultivation methods and the interactions with the prevailing environment. Such information is necessary for a proper range management. Some ecological characteristics of Astragalus arpilobus Kar. & Kir., were studied in the winter rangelands of Northern Khorasan province. It was naturally growing in Jargalan, Bojnourd, where the altitudinal range varied 500-600 a.s.l, slope 20-100%, and the average annual rainfall 236.85 mm. Soil properties were: loamy texture, average organic matter, low fertility, pH 7.32 and EC 2.30 ds.m-1. A. aripilobus started vegetative growth at the early March, flowering during early May, seed production during June, and terminated its yearly growth at early July. The highest nutritive values and forage quality were at the beginning of growth, which was gradually decreased towards the end of growth season. Crude protein (CP, and ash were decreased whereas acid detergent fiber (ADF, natural detergent fiber (NDF, and dry matter (DM increased by the growing season. Seeds were easily established within pots; however, seed germination rate was low (24%, which by sand paper scarification was increased up to 51%. In conclusion, feasibility of seedling establishment, high nutritive value, and concurrence of plant phenology with the time of maximum need to fodder, by livestocks, propose A. arpilobus as a promising forage plant species for restoration of the winter rangelands in Northern Khorasan province.

  18. ASSESSMENT OF ISOLATED WETLAND CONDITION IN FLORIDA USING EPIPHYTIC DIATOMS AT GENUS, SPECIES, AND SUBSPECIES TAXONOMIC RESOLUTION

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diatoms are useful indicators of aquatic conditions, and metrics based on published autecological indicator values have been developed utilizing their sensitivities to various ambient physical and chemical conditions. The autecological values often differ within genera, and indee...

  19. The use of ecological theory and autecological datasets in studies of endangered plant and animal species and communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hodgson, John G.

    1991-12-01

    Full Text Available Few, if any, European habitats have been unaffected by modern land-use and the problems of conserving the diversity of the European flora and fauna are both urgent and immense. This paper describes a simple method for analyzing floristic change that is hoped will prove useful for assessing the nature and severity of these threats. The method involves the use of ecological theory and the collection of simple autecological data. Examples are given to illustrate how this approach can be used both to identify reasons for floristic change and to provide functional analyses of phytosociological data. Also, as a result of analyses of reasons for commonness and rarity in butterflies and birds, it is argued that similar functional interpretations of zoological datasets may soon be possible.

    [es] Considerando que prácticamente todos los hábitats de Europa han sido afectados por los usos de la tierra modernos, la conservación de la diversidad de su flora y fauna se presenta como un problema muy grave y urgente. En este artículo se describe un método simple para analizar cambios florísticos, contemplando el uso de la teoría ecológica y la colección de datos autoecológicos sencillos. Dicho método constituye una herramienta para evaluar la naturaleza y severidad de procesos de pérdida de la diversidad biológica. Se dan ejemplos ilustrando el uso de este enfoque en la identificación de las causas de cambios florísticos y en el análisis funcional de datos fitosociológicos. Se presentan, además, las razones que explican la presencia de especies raras o muy comunes de mariposas y aves. A partir de estos últimos resultados, se concluye que en breve será posible realizar una interpretación funcional similar de datos zoológicos.
    [de] Nur wenige, wenn überhaupt, der Lebensrame in Europa sind unberührt von moderner Landnutzung und die Probleme der Erhaltung der Vielfalt in der Flora und Fauna sind sowohl dringend als auch immens

  20. La répartition écologique des Amphipodes de la familie des Gammaridés dans les départements français de l’Hérault et des Bouches-du-Rhône

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maren, van Marion J.

    1972-01-01

    The distribution and the autecology of 10 species of the amphipod family Gammaridae in fresh and brackish waters in south-eastern France (départements Hérault and Bouches-du-Rhône) are briefly described.

  1. Global change: Ecology of Greenlandish and Siberian shelf areas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-01-01

    This work aimed to study the distribution and structure of pelagic and benthal biocoenoses in two areas, the continental shelf of eastern Greenland and the northern Barents Sea, and to compare them in relation to their ecological boundary conditions. Furthermore, aspects of ontogenetic and ecophysiological adaptations of key species were investigated. The programme followed a fourfold approach: 1) Inventory of fauna, 2) analysis of the distribution and composition of communities, 3) autecological studies of selected key species, 4) description of associations between community structures, autecological adaptations, and special environmental conditions. In this way an inventory of pelagic and benthal biocoenoses in the two areas of investigation was prepared also with a view to further studies. Different modern sampling and data acquisition methods were used to ensure covering a broad spectrum of forms and sizes of fauna. (orig./KW) [de

  2. Tools for assessing European streams with macroinvertebrates: major results and conclusions from the STAR project

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verdonschot, P.F.M.; Moog, O.

    2006-01-01

    This short paper summarises the information developed in the EU funded research project STAR on autecology databases, metrics, multimetrics and community approaches. For Europe the WFD implementation gave an important stimulus for the development of ecology based assessment techniques. Along with

  3. PRODUCTION ECOLOGY OF THE NON-INDIGENOUS SEAGRASS, DWARF EELGRASS (ZOSTERA JAPONICA ASCHER. & GRAEB.), IN A PACIFIC NORTHWEST ESTUARY, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    The non-indigenous seagrass Zostera japonica Ascher. & Graeb. (dwarf eelgrass) was first identified in central Oregon (USA) estuaries about 30 years ago. The autecology of this species is poorly described at the southern end of its non-native range although several process orien...

  4. Polyphasic characterization of Westiellopsis prolifica (Hapalosiphonaceae, Cyanobacteria) from the El-Farafra Oasis (Western Desert, Egypt)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Saber, A. A.; Cantonati, M.; Mareš, Jan; Anesi, A.; Guella, G.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 56, č. 6 (2017), s. 697-709 ISSN 0031-8884 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : 16S rRNA * autecology * bio-organic screening * Egypt * polyphasic study Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 1.826, year: 2016

  5. De larven der Nederlandse Chironomidae (Diptera) Deel C: Autoekologie en verspreiding

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Moller Pillot, H.K.M.; Buskens, R.F.M.

    1990-01-01

    Chironomid larvae occur in nearly all kinds of fresh and brackish waters as well as in semiterrestrial environments. The authors treat the autecology and the distribution of more than 200 taxa in the Netherlands. Except for the tribe Tanytarsini (Chironominae) all the subfamilies occurring in the

  6. Source pool geometry and the assembly of continental avifaunas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Graves, Gary R; Rahbek, Carsten

    2005-01-01

    Classical niche-assembly models propose that the composition of biotic communities in continental landscapes is determined chiefly by the autecology of species, interspecific competition, and the diversity of resources and habitats within a region. In contrast, stochastic models propose that simu......Classical niche-assembly models propose that the composition of biotic communities in continental landscapes is determined chiefly by the autecology of species, interspecific competition, and the diversity of resources and habitats within a region. In contrast, stochastic models propose...... on the assembly of avian communities with an analysis of assemblage dispersion fields, which can be visualized by overlaying the geographic ranges of all species that occur in an assemblage. Contours of species richness surrounding focal quadrats illustrate the decay rate of assemblage similarity with distance...... and exhibited complex geographical patterns that were associated with the distribution of biomes. These results are broadly consistent with the predictions of niche-assembly models but offer little support for stochastic assembly models....

  7. Key to the South African Leporidae (Mammalia: Lagomorpha)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A taxonomic and autecological study of the genus Pronolagus in southern Africa. M.Sc. thesis, University of. Rhodesia, Salisbury. PETTER, F. 1972. Order Lagomorpha, Part 5. In: The mammals of. South Africa: an identification manual. Eds. Meester, J. &. Setzer, H. W. Smithsonian Inst. Press, Washington, D.C.. ROBERTS ...

  8. The role of the genus Ceanofhus in western forest ecosystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annabelle E. Jaramillo; Kermit Cromack; Sharon Rose

    1985-01-01

    This report was developed from discussions on the role of Ceanothus in western forests that took place at a workshop held November 22-24, 1982, at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. The workshop provided a forum for discussing research relevant to Ceanothus management. Major topics were autecology and synecology;...

  9. Les Amphipodes du genre Gammarus dans le Bassin d’Arcachon

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Labourg, P.J.; Pinkster, S.; Stock, J.H.

    1971-01-01

    Five species of the genus Gammarus have been found in and around the Basin of Arcachon (southwestern France). Short notes on the autecology of these species are given. Literature records of G. duebeni and of G. aequicauda from the Basin rest on confusion with other species, as is proved by

  10. A preliminary account of growth characteristics and seed ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    An autecological study of Cassia mimosoides L., which invades mismanaged Dohne Sourveld, was initiated at the Agricultural Research Institute, Dohne. A study of growth characteristics revealed that the nature of the root distribution enabled the plant to take up moisture from superficial as well as deeper soil layers, while ...

  11. Download this PDF file

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    the autecological hypothesis, p. 119-128 in: Dubinsky, Z. & Steinberger Y. (eds) Environmental quality and .ecosystem stability. Vol. III A/B,. Bar-llan University Press. Ramat-Gan. Israel. BOUSKILA A. 1986b: Programming of biological study seminars, p. 127-134 in: Zoler U. &. Keini S. Environmental education in Isroe'L.

  12. Isolation and cultivation of planktonic freshwater microbes is essential for a comprehensive understanding of their ecology.

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Salcher, Michaela M.; Šimek, Karel

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 77, č. 3 (2016), s. 183-196 ISSN 0948-3055 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA13-00243S Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : autecology * axenic cultures * dilution to extinction * ecophysiology * genomics * isolation of freshwater microbes * targeted enrichment Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 1.633, year: 2016

  13. A century of fish research in South African estuaries | Whitfield ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The estuarine surveys of the 1950s and 1960s were superseded by autecological and synecological studies in the 1970s and 1980s which yielded descriptive and process-orientated information on a wide variety of fish species, including the larval stages of many taxa. This approach continued during the 1990s with ...

  14. Habitat use of age 0 Alabama shad in the Pascagoula River drainage, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    P. F. Mickle; J.F. Schaefer; S.B. Adams; B.R. Kreiser

    2010-01-01

    Alabama shad (Alosa alabamae) is an anadromous species that spawns in Gulf of Mexico drainages and is a NOAA Fisheries Species of Concern. Habitat degradation and barriers to migration are considered contributing factors to range contraction that has left just the Pascagoula River drainage population in Mississippi. We studied juvenile life history and autecology in...

  15. Autecology of microorganisms of typical Ecuador biotopes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tashyrev, O B; Pidgorskyi, V S; Toro, Miguel Naranjo; Gualoto, Miguel; Gladka, G V; Tashyreva, H O; Rokitko, P V; Romanovskaya, V A

    2014-01-01

    34 strains of aerobic chemoorganotrophic microorganisms were isolated from 23 soil and plant samples selected from highland biotopes of Ecuador-Andes massif (Papallacta, 4020 m), ash at the foot of the volcano Tungurahua, mountainous jungle (La Favorita, 1600 m), as well as in humid tropic botanical garden (state Puyo, 950 m). In mountain jungle samples the high number of bacteria--10(5)-10(7) CFU/g of sample were represented by 2-5 morphotypes. In highland (4020 m) samples the bacterial counts made from 10(2) to 10(7) CFU/g of sample. The current study describes resistance of isolated strains to high salinity, UV radiation and toxic metal ions. The majority of isolated strains were halotolerant. Isolates from volcanic ash showed high resistance level to UV radiation--LD99,99 made 1000-1440 J/m2; resistance level for isolates from the soil of Puyo Botanical Garden and isolates from rock lichen (Papallacta) LD99,99 made 1160 and 800 J/m2 respectively. Strains isolated from mountain jungle (La Favorita) showed lower UV-resistance. In highland biotopes of Ecuador occurred bacteria resistant to toxic metal ions. The highest resistance to Hg2+ was shown by isolate of lichen from mountain jungle, the maximal growth concentration was 0.025 g/L; to Cr(VI)--by isolate from lichen rock massif--3,0 g/L. Correlation between metal-resistance, halotolerace and UV resistance for studied strains was not detected, probably because of different microbial cell damage/repair mechanisms under the action of these factors.

  16. Wildland fire in ecosystems: effects of fire on flora

    Science.gov (United States)

    James K. Brown; Jane Kapler Smith

    2000-01-01

    VOLUME 2: This state-of-knowledge review about the effects of fire on flora and fuels can assist land managers with ecosystem and fire management planning and in their efforts to inform others about the ecological role of fire. Chapter topics include fire regime classification, autecological effects of fire, fire regime characteristics and postfire plant community...

  17. Ist das Zeigerwertsystem Ellenbergs zur autökologischen Charakterisierung von Spinnenarten geeignet? Beispielhafte Darstellung an der Bodenspinne Comaroma simoni (Arachnida, Araneae, Anapidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kropf, Christian

    1993-06-01

    Full Text Available A new method for autoecological characterization of spider species is presented. It is based on the indicator value system of ELLENBERG and provides preliminary information, especially for rarely found species by comparing several different habitats. The use of this method is exemplified for the soil-spider Comaroma simoni BERTKAU, 1889 and the autecology of this species is discussed.

  18. Pacific Hake, Merluccius productus, Autecology: A Timely Review

    OpenAIRE

    Ressler, Patrck H.; Holmes, John A.; Fleischer, Guy W.; Thomas, Rebecca E.; Cooke , Kenneth C.

    2007-01-01

    Pacific hake, Merluccius productus, the most abundant groundfish in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME), is a species of both commercial significance, supporting a large international fishery, and ecological importance, connecting other species as both predator and prey. Coastal Pacific hake migrations are characterized by movements between northern summer feeding areas and southern winter spawning areas, with variations in annual abundance, distribution, and the extent o...

  19. Carboniferous Psammichnites: Systematic re-evaluation, taphonomy and autecology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mángano, M. Gabriela; Rindsberg, Andrew K.

    2002-01-01

    The ichnogenus Psammichnites Torell 1870 includes a wide variety of predominantly horizontal, sinuous to looped, backfilled traces, characterized by a distinctive median dorsal structure. Though commonly preserved in full relief on upper bedding surfaces, some ichnospecies of Psammichnites may be preserved in negative hyporelief. Psammichnites records the feeding activities of a subsurface animal using a siphon-like device. Several ichnogenera reflect this general behavioral pattern, including Plagiogmus Roedel 1929 and the Carboniferous ichnogenera Olivellites Fenton and Fenton 1937a and Aulichnites Fenton and Fenton 1937b. Based on analysis of specimens from the United States, Spain, and the United Kingdom, three Carboniferous ichnospecies of Psammichnites are reviewed in this paper: P. plummeri (Fenton and Fenton, 1937a), P. grumula(Romano and Meléndez 1979), and P. implexus (Rindsberg 1994). Psammichnites plummeri is the most common Carboniferous ichnospecies and is characterized by a relatively straight, continuous dorsal ridge/groove, fine transverse ridges, larger size range, and non-looping geometric pattern. It represents a grazing trace of deposit feeders. Psammichnites grumula differs from the other ichnospecies of Psammichnitesby having median dorsal holes or protruding mounds. The presence of mounds or holes in P. grumulasuggests a siphon that was regularly connected to the sediment-water interface. This ichnospecies is interpreted as produced by a deposit feeder using the siphon for respiration or as a device for a chemosymbiotic strategy. Psammichnites implexus is characterized by its consistently smaller size range, subtle backfill structure, and tendency to scribble. Although displaying similarities with Dictyodora scotica, P. implexus is a very shallow-tier, grazing trace. Changes in behavioral pattern, preservational style, and bedform morphology suggest a complex interplay of ecological and taphonomic controls in Carboniferous tidal-flat Psammichnites. A first distributional pattern consists of guided meandering specimens preserved in ripple troughs, probably reflecting food-searching of buried organic matter concentrated in troughs. A second is recorded by concentration of Psammichnites on ripple crests and slopes. In some cases, the course is almost straight to slightly sinuous and closely follows topographic highs, suggesting a direct control of bedform morphology on trace pattern. Occurrences of Carboniferous Psammichnites most likely represent an opportunistic strategy in marginal-marine settings. Analysis of Carboniferous Psammichnites indicates the presence of a siphon-like device in the producer and reestablishes the possibility of a molluscan tracemaker.

  20. The Ecological Profiles Technique applied to data from Lichtenburg, South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. W. Morris

    1974-12-01

    Full Text Available The method of ecological profiles and information shared between species and ecological variables, developed in France, is described for the first time in English. Preliminary results, using the technique on Bankenveld quadrat data from Lichtenburg, Western Transvaal, are given. It is concluded that the method has great potential value for the understanding of the autecology of South African species provided that the sampling method is appropriate.

  1. Spawning marks in spined loaches (Cobitis taenia; Cobitidae; Teleostei)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bohlen, Jörg

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 57, 1-2 (2008), s. 168-171 ISSN 0139-7893. [International Conference Loaches of the genus Cobitis and related genera. Šibenik, 24.09.2006-29.09.2006] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/05/2556; GA AV ČR IAA600450508 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50450515 Keywords : freshwater fish * reproduction * autecology Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 0.522, year: 2008

  2. Trogulus martensi Chemini, 1983 im Raum Basel (Arachnida, Opiliones, Trogulidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weiss, Ingmar

    1998-12-01

    Full Text Available Trogulus martensi Chemini, 1983, formerly thought to be endemic in northern Italy, is recorded from several places near Basle (first records in Switzerland and France. The species is close to T. galasensis Avram, 1971. Important differences to the syntopic T. closanicus Avram, 1971 (first published record in Fance and the sympatric T. nepaeformis (Scopoli, 1763 are shown and discussed. Additional biometric, autecological and phenological data of Trogulus martensi are presented.

  3. STUDY AUTEKOLOGI PRANAJIWA (Euchresta horsfieldii (Lesch. Benn. DI BUKIT PENGELENGAN, DESA PANCASARI, KECAMATAN SUKASADA, KABUPATEN BULELENG, BALI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I Dewa Putu Darma

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Pranajiwa (Euchresta horsfieldii (Lesch. Benn is a medicinal plant, which is growing wild and it is regarded as a rare plant. Currently, its existence in the wild increasingly threatened. Pengelengan Hill is one of the natural habitats of E. horsfieldii in Bali. Study of autecology aims to describe the ecology of E. horsfieldii in their natural habitat. E. horsfieldii was found abundant in plots II with 16.02% relative density, 9.68% of relative frequency and 25.69 of Important Value, grow clumped together with other plants (Idk 2.72.

  4. Autecology of the tailed jay butterfly Graphium agamemnon (Lepidoptera : Rhopalocera : Papilionidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramana, S P Venkata; Atluri, J B; Reddi, C Subba

    2003-07-01

    The Tailed Jay Graphium agamemnon is one of the attractive papilionid butterflies that enliven the environment of Visakhapatnam. It occurs throughout the year. It lays eggs singly on young leaves of the mast tree Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula (Annonaceae). The eggs take 3-4 days to hatch. The larvae go through 5 instars over a period of 15-16 days. The pupal period is 13-14 days. The total period from egg to adult emergence spans over 33-36 days. Based on this short life cycle, and larval and pupal development success studied every month, this butterfly can be multivoltine with a minimum of 7-8 broods in a year. Both CI and GR decreased with the age of larva, their average figures being 3.78 and 0.43 respectively. AD values are high (average 92%) and decreased through successive instars. Both ECD and ECI followed a similar pattern with an increase from instar I up to II, then a decrease up to IV and again an increase in instar V and the highest value is with fifth instar. Adults frequently visited flowers (12-35 flowers in a min) spending 1.0 to 3.2 seconds on a flower. The nectar concentration ranged between 16 and 58%. Peak foraging activity mostly fell between 0900-1000 h. The proboscis received pollen in most of the floral species visited, thus satisfying one of the characteristics of butterfly pollination. Being a fast and strong flier it is treated as "high energy" pollinator promoting cross-pollination.

  5. Charophytes (Characeae, Charophyta) in the Czech Republic: taxonomy, autecology and distribution

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Caisová, Lenka; Gabka, M.

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 9, č. 1 (2009), s. 1-43 ISSN 1802-5439 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/09/0697 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : Charophytes * distribution * taxonomy Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.762, year: 2009

  6. PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS AND AUTECOLOGY OF SPORE-FORMING BACTERIA FROM HYPERSALINE ENVIRONMENTS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gladka, G V; Romanovskaya, V A; Tashyreva, H O; Tashyrev, O B

    2015-01-01

    Multi-resistant to extreme factors spore-forming bacteria of Bacillus genus are isolated from hypersaline environments of the Crimea (Ukraine) and the Dead Sea (Israel). Phylogenetic analysis showed distinction of dominating extremophilic culturable species in studied regions. In Crimean environments they are B. mojavensis and B. simplex, in the Dead Sea ecosystem--B. subtilis subsp. spizizenii, B. subtilis subsp. subtilis, B. licheniformis and B. simplex. Isolates are simultaneously halotolerant and resistant to UV radiation. Strains isolated from the Dead Sea and the Crimea environments were resistant to UV: LD90 and LD99.99 made 100-170 J/m2 and 750-1500 J/m2 respectively. Spores showed higher UV-resistance (LD99.99-2500 J/m2) than the vegetative cells. However the number of spores made 0.02-0.007% of the whole cell population, and should not significantly affect the UV LD99.99 value. Isolates of both environments were halotolerant in the range of 0.1-10% NaCl and thermotolerant in the range of 20-50 °C, and didn't grow at 15 °C. Survival strategy of spore-forming bacteria from hypersaline environments under high UV radiation level can be performed by spore formation which minimize cell damage as well as efficient DNA-repair systems that remove damages.

  7. Autecology of the common mormon butterfly, Papilio polytes (Lepidoptera : Rhopalocera : Papilionidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atluri, J B; Ramana, S P Venkata; Reddi, C Subba

    2002-04-01

    The adults of the common mormon butterfly Papilio polytes Linn. feed on a variety of floral species. The larval food plants in the study area included Citrus limon and Murraya koenigii both of the family Rutaceae. The eggs are laid singly, and the hatching time is three days. The larvae pass through five instars. The larval growth is directly correlated with the quantity of food consumed. The AD (approximate digestibility) values decreased from first instar to the last, whereas the ECD (efficiency of conversion of digested food) and ECI (efficiency of conversion of ingested food) values increased, thus bearing an inverse relationship with AD. The development time from egg to adult is 28-30, giving 11-12 generations in a year, but with better breeding during August-February. Thus P. polytes is multivoltine.

  8. Arabis soyeri Reuter ex Huet subsp. soyeri (Brassicaceae en el Pirineo aragonés [Arabis soyeri Reuter & Huet subsp. soyeri (Brassicaceae, in the Aragonese Pyrenees

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Vicente FERRÁNDEZ PALACIO

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available RESUMEN: En esta nota confirmamos la presencia de Arabis soyeri subsp. soyeri en el Pirineo aragonés (provincia de Huesca. Esta cita oscense se sitúa en el límite SW de su área de distribución endémica. Además, comentamos algunos aspectos sobre su autoecología y conservación.SUMMARY: Arabis soyeri Reuter & Huet subsp. soyeri is confirmed for the flora of the Aragonese Pyrenees (Huesca province, Spain. Moreower, this new station is located on the south-western border of its endemic range. Some aspects on its autecology and conservation are discussed as well.

  9. Artificial soil microcosms: a tool for studying microbial autecology under controlled conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellis, Richard J

    2004-02-01

    A novel artificial microcosm containing all the essential chemical components of soil, but with reduced heterogeneity and biological complexity, has been developed. Its utility for supporting realistic microbial populations was demonstrated and an example of how competing bacteria can be studied is illustrated.

  10. Autecology of Scleroconidioma sphagnicola particularly in Šumava National Park (Czech Republic)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Koukol, Ondřej; Kovářová, Marcela

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 59, č. 1 (2007), s. 111-123 ISSN 1211-0981 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/05/0269; GA ČR(CZ) GD206/03/H137 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : microsclerotia * coniferous litter * Sphagnum Subject RIV: EF - Botanics

  11. The brackish-water bivalve Waagenoperna from the Lower Jurassic Badaowan Formation of the Junggar Basin and its palaeoenvironmental and palaeogeographic significance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanhong Pan

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The brackish-water bivalve Waagenoperna Tokuyama, 1959 is reported from the Lower Jurassic Badaowan Formation at four localities, along the southern margin and western margin of the Junggar Basin. Taphonomic features recorded in the field indicate that it occurs in autochthonous or parautochthonous assemblages. The autecology of Waagenoperna therefore yields information on the palaeoenvironment of the area. The restriction of Waagenoperna to marine and brackish-water settings suggests that the sea water once reached these areas during the Sinemurian. This paper discusses the palaeogeographic implications and suggests an ingression of the sea water from the west to the western and southern part of the Junggar Basin. Additionally, the two Waagenoperna species collected from the Haojiagou section in the Junggar Basin are taxonomically documented.

  12. Science.gov (United States)

    Remmert, Hermann

    1969-08-01

    Synchrony of diurnal activity patterns seems to have evolved entirely between groups of species. No well established case of synchrony is known which involves only two species. The interdependence of activity patterns based on diurnal rhythms is a phenomenon well known in autecology, e.g. between flowers and their pollinators, parasites and their hosts, predators and their prey.At different daytimes there are completely different food chains in one and the same biotope.The few existing quantitative investigations reveal that 1. strong selective pressure can limit the diurnal activity of a species; 2. the productivity in a biotope may reach a maximum when the daily feeding time of its predators is restricted. This seems to hold, e.g., for the marine plancton.

  13. New and interesting records of Plecoptera (Insecta) from Slovakia and several autecology notes:

    OpenAIRE

    Krno, Il'ja; Žiak, Matej

    2014-01-01

    During the last five years several important discoveries of stoneflies from Slovakia were recorded, including Leuctra dalmoni Vincon & Murányi 2007, a recently described species and Rhabdiopteryx hamulata (Klapálek 1902), an uncommon Balkan species. We also recorded a curious find of the imago of the endangered species, Capnopsis schilleri (Rostock 1892), after 60 years.

  14. Role of nitrogen fixation in the autecology of Polaromonas naphthalenivorans in contaminated sediments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanson, Buck T; Yagi, Jane M; Jeon, Che Ok; Madsen, Eugene M

    2012-06-01

    Polaromonas naphthalenivorans strain CJ2 is a Gram-negative betaproteobacterium that was identified, using stable isotope probing in 2003, as a dominant in situ degrader of naphthalene in coal tar-contaminated sediments. The sequenced genome of strain CJ2 revealed several genes conferring nitrogen fixation within a 65.6 kb region of strain CJ2's chromosome that is absent in the genome of its closest sequenced relative Polaromonas sp. strain JS666. Laboratory growth and nitrogenase assays verified that these genes are functional, providing an alternative source of nitrogen in N-free media when using naphthalene or pyruvate as carbon sources. Knowing this, we investigated if nitrogen-fixation activity could be detected in microcosms containing sediments from the field site where strain CJ2 was isolated. Inducing nitrogen limitation with the addition of glucose or naphthalene stimulated nitrogenase activity in amended sediments, as detected using the acetylene reduction assay. With the use of fluorescence microscopy, we screened the microcosm sediments for the presence of active strain CJ2 cells using a dual-labelling approach. When we examined the carbon-amended microcosm sediments stained with both a strain CJ2-specific fluorescent in situ hybridization probe and a polyclonal fluorescently tagged antibody, we were able to detect dual-labelled active cells. In contrast, in sediments that received no carbon addition (showing no nitrogenase activity), no dual-labelled cells were detected. Furthermore, the naphthalene amendment enhanced the proportion of active strain CJ2 cells in the sediment relative to a glucose amendment. Field experiments performed in sediments where strain CJ2 was isolated showed nitrogenase activity in response to dosing with naphthalene. Dual-label fluorescence staining of these sediments showed a fivefold increase in active strain CJ2 in the sediments dosed with naphthalene over those dosed with deionized water. These experiments show that nitrogen fixation may play an important role in naphthalene biodegradation by strain CJ2 and contribute to its ecological success. © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  15. Salt Marsh development studies at Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts: Influence of geomorphology on long-term plant community structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orson, Richard A.; Howes, Brian L.

    1992-11-01

    Stochastic events relating to beach formation and inlet dynamics have been the major factors influencing the development of the Waquoit Bay tidal marshes. This results from the physical structure of the Waquoit Bay system where tidal exchange is limited to one or two small inlets and is in contrast to marsh development in nearby Barnstable Marsh where direct unrestricted exchange with Cape Cod Bay has smoothed the effects of stochastic events on vegetation development. We contend that vegetation development in salt marshes where connections to adjacent waters are restricted will be dominated by abiotic factors (e.g. storms, sedimentation rates, etc.) while those marshes directly linked to open bodies of water and where alterations to hydrodynamic factors are gradual, autecological processes (e.g. interspecific competition) will dominate long-term plant community development. The results from the five marsh systems within the Waquoit Bay complex suggest that once a vegetation change occurs the new community tended to persist for long periods of time (100's-1000's years). Stability of the 'new' community appeared to depend upon the stability of the physical structure of the system and/or time between perturbations necessary to allow the slower autecological processes to have a discernable effect. In order for the plant community to persist as long as observed, the vegetation must also be exerting an influence on the processes of development. Increased production of roots and rhizomes and growth characteristics (density of culms) are some of the factors which help to maintain long-term species dominance. It is clear from this investigation that the structure of the plant community at any one point in time is dependent upon numerous factors including historical developmental influences. To properly assess changes to the present plant community or determine recent rates of accretion, historic developmental trends must be considered. The factors that have influenced the

  16. The woody vegetation communities of the Hluhluwe-Corridor- Umfolozi Game Reserve Complex

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Whateley

    1983-11-01

    Full Text Available Land units for the 900 km- Hluhluwe-Corridor-Umfolozi Game Reserve Complex in north eastern Natal were identified on aerial photographs. The physiognomy, dominants and description of the woody vegetation for each unit were identified during ground inspections and. where necessary, the point-centred quarter method was applied. Two forest, two riverine forest, ten woodland and two thicket communities were recognized. These communities are described according to their distribution, height and percentage frequency of the components in the different canopy strata. A map at a scale of 1:25 000 was also compiled. Some of these communities are compared with other similar woodlands previously described for Natal. In some communities the frequency of certain dominant canopy species in the under tree strata was extremely low and autecological research has been suggested.

  17. Prokaryotic communities differ along a geothermal soil photic gradient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meadow, James F; Zabinski, Catherine A

    2013-01-01

    Geothermal influenced soils exert unique physical and chemical limitations on resident microbial communities but have received little attention in microbial ecology research. These environments offer a model system in which to investigate microbial community heterogeneity and a range of soil ecological concepts. We conducted a 16S bar-coded pyrosequencing survey of the prokaryotic communities in a diatomaceous geothermal soil system and compared communities across soil types and along a conspicuous photic depth gradient. We found significant differences between the communities of the two different soils and also predictable differences between samples taken at different depths. Additionally, we targeted three ecologically relevant bacterial phyla, Cyanobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Verrucomicrobia, for clade-wise comparisons with these variables and found strong differences in their abundances, consistent with the autecology of these groups.

  18. Further contribution to the diatom flora of sewage enriched waters in southern Africa

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Schoeman, FR

    1972-01-01

    Full Text Available PHYCOLOGI A 11(3/4 ) 1972 . A furthe r contributio n t o th e diato m flor a o f sewag e enriche d water s i n souther n Afric a F . R . ScH0EMA N Counci l fo r Scientifi c an d industria l Research , Nationa l institut e fo r Wate r Research , Pretoria... , Republi c o f Sout h Afric a Accepte d Jun e 12 , 197 2 Th e systematic s an d autecolog y o f th e diatom s observe d i n a n alga l sampl e fro m a maturatio n pon d o f th e Walvi s Ba y (Sout h Wes t Africa n coast ) sewag e work s ar e discussed...

  19. Energy and carbon balances in cheatgrass, an essay in autecology. [Shortwave radiation, radiowave radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hinds, W.T.

    1975-01-01

    An experiment to determine the fates of energy and carbon in cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) was carried out on steep (40/sup 0/) north- and south-facing slopes on a small earth mound, using many small lysimeters to emulate swards of cheatgrass. Meteorological conditions and energy fluxes that were measured included air and soil temperatures, relative humidity, wind speed, incoming shortwave radiation, net all-wave radiation, heat flux to the soil, and evaporation and transpiration separately. The fate of photosynthetically fixed carbon during spring growth was determined by analysis of the plant tissues into mineral nutrients, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) for roots, shoots, and seeds separately. (auth)

  20. An Autecological Study on the Vitex agnus-castus L. (Verbenaceae) Distributed in West Anatolia

    OpenAIRE

    DOĞAN, Yunus; MERT, Hasan Hüseyin

    1998-01-01

    This study covers the investigation of the soil-plant relations of Vitex agnus-castus L. (Verbenaceae), a typical element of Mediteranean macchia vegetation. Soils collected from 38 different localitis in West Anatolia were analysed together with the V. agnus-castus plants from the same localities. This plant was observed to generally prefer loamy-textured, neutral and slightly alka-line soils, poor in calcium carbonate, containing varying amounts of organic matter, being rich or very rich...

  1. Species interactions reverse grassland responses to changing climate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suttle, K B; Thomsen, Meredith A; Power, Mary E

    2007-02-02

    Predictions of ecological response to climate change are based largely on direct climatic effects on species. We show that, in a California grassland, species interactions strongly influence responses to changing climate, overturning direct climatic effects within 5 years. We manipulated the seasonality and intensity of rainfall over large, replicate plots in accordance with projections of leading climate models and examined responses across several trophic levels. Changes in seasonal water availability had pronounced effects on individual species, but as precipitation regimes were sustained across years, feedbacks and species interactions overrode autecological responses to water and reversed community trajectories. Conditions that sharply increased production and diversity through 2 years caused simplification of the food web and deep reductions in consumer abundance after 5 years. Changes in these natural grassland communities suggest a prominent role for species interactions in ecosystem response to climate change.

  2. Ecological profiles of caddisfly larvae in Mediterranean streams: implications for bioassessment methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonada, N.; Zamora-Munoz, C.; Rieradevall, M.; Prat, N.

    2004-01-01

    Caddisflies are a well represented group with high species diversity in Mediterranean climate rivers. Although they are widely used in water quality assessment, little is known of the ecological profiles of families or species. We present a simple score for ecological profiles which measures intolerance to water quality. The ecological profiles of caddisflies are diverse and the degree of tolerance at the family level is related to species diversity and the tolerance of individual species to water quality. Comparisons with the scores used in the biotic index IBMWP show general agreement between the degree of intolerance of a family and its score in the IBMWP, with few exceptions. Studies on tolerance are required to elucidate the autecology of taxa, and to develop biological indices, especially in areas with high species diversity. - Capsule: Ecological profiles of caddisfly larvae in Mediterranean streams using water quality variables

  3. Relationships between diatoms and tidal environments in Oregon and Washington, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawai, Yuki; Horton, Benjamin P.; Kemp, Andrew C.; Hawkes, Andrea D.; Nagumo, Tamostsu; Nelson, Alan R.

    2016-01-01

    A new regional dataset comprising 425 intertidal diatom taxa from 175 samples from 11 ecologically diverse Oregon and Washington estuaries illustrates the importance of compiling a large modern dataset from a range of sites. Cluster analyses and detrended correspondence analysis of the diatom assemblages identify distinct vertical zones within supratidal, intertidal and subtidal environments at six of the 11 study sites, but the abundance of some of the most common species varies widely among and within sites. Canonical correspondence analysis of the regional dataset shows relationships between diatom species and tidal exposure, salinity and substratum (grain size and organic content). Correspondence analyses of local datasets show higher values of explained variation than the analysis of the combined regional dataset. Our results emphasize that studies of the autecology of diatom species require many samples from a range of modern environments to adequately characterize species–environment relationships.

  4. Mononchoides composticola n. sp. (Nematoda:Diplogastridae) associated with composting processes: morphological, molecular and autecological characterisation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steel, H.; Moens, T.; Scholaert, A.; Boshoff, M.; Houthoofd, W.; Bert, W.

    2011-01-01

    Mononchoides composticola n. sp. was isolated from compost and is described based on light and scanning electron microscopy, supplemented with SSU rDNA sequence data. It is characterised by the following features: a denticulate ridge in addition to the dorsal claw-like tooth, a small tooth-like

  5. Autecology of an Arsenite Chemolithotroph: Sulfide Constraints on Function and Distribution in a Geothermal Spring▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Imperio, Seth; Lehr, Corinne R.; Breary, Michele; McDermott, Timothy R.

    2007-01-01

    Previous studies in an acid-sulfate-chloride spring in Yellowstone National Park found that microbial arsenite [As(III)] oxidation is absent in regions of the spring outflow channel where H2S exceeds ∼5 μM and served as a backdrop for continued efforts in the present study. Ex situ assays with microbial mat samples demonstrated immediate As(III) oxidation activity when H2S was absent or at low concentrations, suggesting the presence of As(III) oxidase enzymes that could be reactivated if H2S is removed. Cultivation experiments initiated with mat samples taken from along the H2S gradient in the outflow channel resulted in the isolation of an As(III)-oxidizing chemolithotroph from the low-H2S region of the gradient. The isolate was phylogenetically related to Acidicaldus and was characterized in vitro for spring-relevant properties, which were then compared to its distribution pattern in the spring as determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and quantitative PCR. While neither temperature nor oxygen requirements appeared to be related to the occurrence of this organism within the outflow channel, H2S concentration appeared to be an important constraint. This was verified by in vitro pure-culture modeling and kinetic experiments, which suggested that H2S inhibition of As(III) oxidation is uncompetitive in nature. In summary, the studies reported herein illustrate that H2S is a potent inhibitor of As(III) oxidation and will influence the niche opportunities and population distribution of As(III) chemolithotrophs. PMID:17827309

  6. Autecology of an arsenite chemolithotroph: sulfide constraints on function and distribution in a geothermal spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Imperio, Seth; Lehr, Corinne R; Breary, Michele; McDermott, Timothy R

    2007-11-01

    Previous studies in an acid-sulfate-chloride spring in Yellowstone National Park found that microbial arsenite [As(III)] oxidation is absent in regions of the spring outflow channel where H(2)S exceeds approximately 5 microM and served as a backdrop for continued efforts in the present study. Ex situ assays with microbial mat samples demonstrated immediate As(III) oxidation activity when H(2)S was absent or at low concentrations, suggesting the presence of As(III) oxidase enzymes that could be reactivated if H(2)S is removed. Cultivation experiments initiated with mat samples taken from along the H(2)S gradient in the outflow channel resulted in the isolation of an As(III)-oxidizing chemolithotroph from the low-H(2)S region of the gradient. The isolate was phylogenetically related to Acidicaldus and was characterized in vitro for spring-relevant properties, which were then compared to its distribution pattern in the spring as determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and quantitative PCR. While neither temperature nor oxygen requirements appeared to be related to the occurrence of this organism within the outflow channel, H(2)S concentration appeared to be an important constraint. This was verified by in vitro pure-culture modeling and kinetic experiments, which suggested that H(2)S inhibition of As(III) oxidation is uncompetitive in nature. In summary, the studies reported herein illustrate that H(2)S is a potent inhibitor of As(III) oxidation and will influence the niche opportunities and population distribution of As(III) chemolithotrophs.

  7. Xanthophyceaen assemblages during winter - spring flood: autecology and ecophysiology of Tribonema fonticolum and T. monochloron

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Machová, K.; Elster, Josef; Adamec, Lubomír

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 600, č. 1 (2008), s. 155-168 ISSN 0018-8158 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA526/00/1442; GA MŠk ME 576 Grant - others:EU(XE) QLRT-2000-01645(COBRA) Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : Tribonema, growth conditions, temperature * temperature, inorganic carbon * desiccation, freezing Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.449, year: 2008

  8. Comparison of the autoecology of Quercus robur L. and Q. petraea (Mattuschka Liebl. stands in the Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Rodriguez-Campos

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the present work is to characterize the functioning of the ecosystems of semideciduous and deciduous Atlantic oaks in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The studied species were: Quercus robur L. and Quercus petraea (Mattuschka Liebl. To advance in the knowledge of the autecology of these species it is necessary to descend at the regional level and describe in detail the variability of the environment to determine their potential, and to decide the silvicultural treatments to be applied to preserve them and to analyze future actuations in order to a possible expansion. The analysis of the results allows knowing differences in continentality and site conditions, with more precipitation, soil variability and humidification in Q. petraea forests respect to Q. robur. These information represent appropriate measures for the sustainable and multifunctional management of these forests, useful as indicators environmental and forestry parameters as well as the conservation status of these formations.

  9. Comparison of the autoecology of Quercus robur L. and Q. petraea (Mattuschka Liebl. stands in the Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Rodriguez-Campos

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the present work is to characterize the functioning of the ecosystems of semideciduous and deciduous Atlantic oaks in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The studied species were: Quercus robur L. and Quercus petraea (Mattuschka Liebl. To advance in the knowledge of the autecology of these species it is necessary to descend at the regional level and describe in detail the variability of the environment to determine their potential, and to decide the silvicultural treatments to be applied to preserve them and to analyze future actuations in order to a possible expansion. The analysis of the results allows knowing differences in continentalityand site conditions, with more precipitation, soil variability and humidification in Q. petraea forests respect to Q. robur. These information represent appropriate measures for the sustainable and multifunctional management of these forests, useful as indicators environmental and forestry parameters as well as the conservationstatus of these formations.

  10. Scaling Hydrologic Processes in Boreal Forest Stands: New Eco-hydrological Perspectives or Deja vu?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silins, U.; Lieffers, V. J.; Landhausser, S. M.; Mendoza, C. A.; Devito, K. J.; Petrone, R. M.; Gan, T. Y.

    2006-12-01

    The leaf area of forest canopies is both main attribute of stands controlling water balance through transpiration and interception, and "engine" driving stand growth, stand dynamics, and forest succession. While transpiration and interception dynamics are classic themes in forest hydrology, we present results from our eco-hydrological research on boreal trees to highlight how more recent eco-physiological insights into species specific controls over water use and leaf area such as hydraulic architecture, cavitation, sapwood-leaf area relationships, and root system controls over water uptake are providing new insights into integrated atmospheric-autecological controls over these hydrologic processes. These results are discussed in the context of newer eco-hydrological frameworks which may serve to aid in exploring how forest disturbance and subsequent trajectories of hydrologic recovery are likely to affect both forest growth dynamics and hydrology of forested landscapes in response to forest management, severe forest pest epidemics such as the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic in Western Canada, and climate change.

  11. Recent findings regarding non-native or poorly known diatom taxa in north-western Italian rivers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisa Falasco

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Diatoms of the major rivers of North-Western Italy were investigated to highlight the presence of species of particular ecological interest but not as yet recorded. The survey area included streams belonging to seven different hydroecoregions (HERs with a wide range of physical characteristics. Between 2008 and 2010, 200 samples were taken for the study of the diatom community composition, while a larger set of samples was examined to determine the presence or absence of the nuisance diatom species Didymosphenia geminata (Lyngbye Schmidt. A specific field study was performed in two rivers characterized by persistent blooms of this species to evaluate the effects of its proliferation on the benthic communities. D. geminata was present in almost 20% of the samples. From a comparison with published data, we can confirm that D. geminata has recently been expanding its ecological range, as it has been found also in mesotrophic lowlands water. In some instances the formation of massive proliferation has been recorded. The calculation of autecological values confirmed its preference for oligotrophic waters with low mineral content and organic loading, although with a wider ecological amplitude than recorded in the first studies on this species. Another four taxa of particular interest were detected: Achnanthidium subhudsonis (Hustedt Kobayasi (in 15 sites, Cymbella tropica Krammer (11 sites, Mayamaea cahabaensis Morales and Manoylov (2 sites and Reimeria uniseriata Sala, Guerrero and Ferrario (18 sites. The first three species must be considered new records for Northern Italy. A. subhudsonis and C. tropica reached up to 20% relative abundance. From the analysis of their distribution and autecological values, we can assert that A. subhudsonis and M. cahabaensis show a preference for high values of nitrogen, this latter preferring also quite high values of total phosphorus. C. tropica prefers intermediate values of nitrogen nutrients and R. uniseriata is

  12. Autecology, feeding preferences and reproductive biology of Chorthippus (Glyptobothrus) vagans (Eversmann, 1848) (Orthoptera: Gomphocerinae) in Mediterranean ecosystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cárdenas, A M; Gallardo, P; Moyano, L; Presa, J J

    2017-02-01

    Chorthippus vagans is a common species of Gomphocerinae (Orthoptera) on the Iberian Peninsula. It is endangered in Central Europe where information about its ecological requirements is available; however, aspects of its biology are almost unknown in Mediterranean ecosystems, where it is widespread and common. The focus of this study was to determine how C. vagans adjusts its biology to environmental features of this ecosystem and to interpret how it may be affected by the ecological changes related to the re-vegetation programme linked to the construction of the Breña dam (SW Spain). The research parameters included the autoecology, feeding response and some aspects of reproduction of this species in the Southern Iberian Peninsula. To determine the local distribution and phenology of C. vagans, monthly samplings were conducted (2007-2010) in 12 sampling plots. For the food selection tests, ten nymphs and ten adults were placed individually in insectaries under controlled conditions. Grasses (Lolium sp.) and shrubs (Cistus sp.) were supplied ad libitum in two types of tests, monospecific and mixed diet. The reproductive biology was analysed by both observations of anatomical structures (integument, bristles, tibial spines, tarsal claws and mandibles) and ovarian dissections of 29 females and in laboratory rearing experiments with 15 pairs of adults. The results indicate that C. vagans shows an extended activity period which peaks at the end of summer. It is a polyphagous grasshopper, although adults show a slight preference for grasses. In addition, it is a univoltine species with spring-summer breeding activity.

  13. Autecology of shallow-water Octocorallia from Mediterranean rocky substrata, II. Marseille, Côte d’Azur and Corsica

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weinberg, Steven

    1980-01-01

    Qualitative sampling of Octocorallia in 226 underwater stations at 23 localities between Marseille and Sardinia yielded information about their tolerances with respect to depth, slope, sediment and relative irradiance. The results are confronted with those previously obtained for the Banyuls area,

  14. Seasonal variation of radionuclides in Fucus vesiculosus L. from the Oresund, Southern Sweden

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, L.; Erlandsson, B.

    1991-01-01

    The activity concentrations of radionuclides ( 60 Co, 54 Mn, 137 Cs, 40 K) in whole plants of Fucus vesiculosus of different ages, and also in tissues of different ages from the same plant were investigated in the vicinity of the Barseback nuclear power plant in southern Sweden. Activity concentration differed between the tissues of different age of the plants, depending on the radionuclide as well as the time of year. The highest concentrations of 60 Co and 54 Mn were measured in the older parts of the plants in spring and summer, while the activity concentrations of 137 Cs and 40 K were highest in receptacles and new vegetative fronds. The discharge of radionuclides from the nuclear power plants was reflected in the measured activity concentration in the algae. For 60 Co, the response seemed to be smoothed out when considering the whole plant, while the new vegetative tissue better reflected the discharge during the autumn. Thus it is important to have knowledge about the autecology of the organism when it is used as an indicator for radionuclides. (author)

  15. Morphology and function in the Cambrian Burgess Shale megacheiran arthropod Leanchoilia superlata and the application of a descriptive matrix

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haug Joachim T

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Leanchoilia superlata is one of the best known arthropods from the middle Cambrian Burgess Shale of British Columbia. Here we re-describe the morphology of L. superlata and discuss its possible autecology. The re-description follows a standardized scheme, the descriptive matrix approach, designed to provide a template for descriptions of other megacheiran species. Results Our findings differ in several respects from previous interpretations. Examples include a more slender body; a possible hypostome; a small specialised second appendage, bringing the number of pairs of head appendages to four; a further sub-division of the great appendage, making it more similar to that of other megacheirans; and a complex joint of the exopod reflecting the arthropod’s swimming capabilities. Conclusions Different aspects of the morphology, for example, the morphology of the great appendage and the presence of a basipod with strong median armature on the biramous appendages indicate that L. superlata was an active and agile necto-benthic predator (not a scavenger or deposit feeder as previously interpreted.

  16. Seasonal variation of radionuclides in Fucus vesiculosus L. from the Oeresund, southern Sweden

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, Lena; Erlandsson, Bengt

    1990-01-01

    The activity concentrations of radionuclides ( 60 Co, 54 Mn, 137 Cs, 40 K) in whole plants of Fucus vesiculosus of different ages and also in tissues of different ages from the same plants were investigated in the vicinity of the Barsebaeck nuclear power plant in southern Sweden. Activity concentration differed between the tissues of different age of the plants, depending on the radionuclide as well as the time of year. The highest concentration of 60 Co and 54 Mn was measured in the older parts of the plants in spring and summer, while the activity concentration of 137 Cs and 40 K was highest in receptacles and new vegetative fronds. The discharge of radionuclides from the nuclear power plant was reflected in the measured activity concentration in the algae. For 60 Co the response seemed to be smoothed out when considering the whole plant, while the new vegetative tissue better reflected the discharge during the autumn. Thus, it is important to have knowledge about the autecology of the organism when it is used as an indicator for radionuclides. (authors)

  17. Ecological plasticity of Trichoderma fungi in leached chernozem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svistova, I. D.; Senchakova, T. Yu.

    2010-03-01

    The autecological properties of Trichoderma fungi ecotypes isolated from the leached chernozem of the forest-steppe zone of the European part of Russia have been studied. We were the first who carried out the complex study of the synecological relations of micromycetes of such kinds in a system including the soil, microbial community, and plants, i.e., their relations with soil saprotrophic fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes, plants, and pathogenic fungi. It was shown that the ecological plasticity of the Trichoderma genus in the soil of this zone is determined by its growth rate, the optimum pH and temperature, the biosynthesis of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes, the biological action of mycotoxins, and the ability for parasitism. The efficiency of the introduction of Trichoderma species typical and atypical for the leached chernozem into this soil and their influence on the structure of the microbial community were evaluated. The T. pseudokoningii ecotype, which produces cellulolytic enzymes, is very promising for industrial biotechnology, and the T. harzianum ecotype can be used in soil biotechnology for the biocontrol of chernozem. The addition of a commercial trichodermin preparation into the chernozem damages the structure of its microbial community.

  18. The assessment of the habitat and water quality requirements of the stone crayfish (Austropotamobius torrentium and noble crayfish (Astacus astacus species in the rivers from the Anina Mountains (SW Romania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pârvulescu L.

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available The species Austropotamobius torrentium and Astacus astacus are two species known in the EU directives to require deeper understanding of their autecologic requirements before any sustainable conservation effort could be successfully applied. Therefore, the paper aims to analyze the occurrence of these two species of crayfish in the Anina Mountains (Romania in relation to several physical-chemical indicators measured on site. The results suggest that the anthropogenic impacts registered in some of the sampling sites (e.g. organic pollution and river bed modification might have triggered the disappearance of both species from the areas of the water sheds situated downstream villages and towns, deforestation sites and sewage treatment plants. The analysis suggest that both species might have similar ecologic requirements, with a BMWP score of 8 (out of a possible 10, therefore good indicators of pristine aquatic environments and with a possible toleration to pollution but only up to a moderate level. Nevertheless, the lack of cohabitation of the populations of both species at a local scale was discussed along with two possible explaining hypotheses: behavioral exclusion or different times and/or modalities of dispersal history.

  19. The ecology of intertidal oyster reefs of the South Atlantic Coast: A community profile

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahr, Leonard M.; Lanier, William P.

    1981-01-01

    The functional role of the intertidal oyster reef community in the southeastern Atlantic coastal zone is described. This description is based on a compilation of published data, as well as some unpublished information presented as hypotheses. The profile is organized in a hierarchical manner, such that relevant details of reef oyster biology (autecology) are presented, followed by a description of the reef community level of organization. Then the reef community is described as a subsystem of the coastal marsh-ecosystem (synecoloqy). This information is also synthesized in a series of nested conceptual models of oyster reefs at the regional level, the drainage basin level, and the individual reef level. The final chapter includes a summary overview and a section on management implications and guidelines. Intertidal oyster reefs are relatively persistent features of the salt marsh estuarine ecosystem in the southeastern Atlantic coastal zone. The average areal extent of the oyster reef subsystem in this larger ecosystem is relatively small (about 0.05%). This proportion does not reflect, however, the functional importance of the reef subsystem in stablizing the marsh, providing food for estuarine consumers, mineralizing organic matter, and providing firm substrates in this otherwise soft environment.

  20. Genomics and ecophysiology of heterotrophic nitrogen fixing bacteria isolated from estuarine surface water

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bentzon-Tilia, Mikkel; Severin, Ina; Hansen, Lars H.

    2015-01-01

    The ability to reduce atmospheric nitrogen (N2) to ammonia, known as N2 fixation, is a widely distributed trait among prokaryotes that accounts for an essential input of new N to a multitude of environments. Nitrogenase reductase gene (nifH) composition suggests that putative N2-fixing heterotrop......The ability to reduce atmospheric nitrogen (N2) to ammonia, known as N2 fixation, is a widely distributed trait among prokaryotes that accounts for an essential input of new N to a multitude of environments. Nitrogenase reductase gene (nifH) composition suggests that putative N2-fixing...... heterotrophic organisms are widespread in marine bacterioplankton, but their autecology and ecological significance are unknown. Here, we report genomic and ecophysiology data in relation to N2 fixation by three environmentally relevant heterotrophic bacteria isolated from Baltic Sea surface water: Pseudomonas...... liter-1, presumably accommodated through aggregate formation. Glucose stimulated N2 fixation in general, and reactive N repressed N2 fixation, except that ammonium (NH4 ) stimulated N2 fixation in R. palustris BAL398, indicating the use of nitrogenase as an electron sink. The lack of correlations...

  1. Autecology and ex situ growth of Onobrychis pindicola Hausskn. subsp. urumovii Deg. & Dren. (Fabaceae) – endemic with medicinal potential

    OpenAIRE

    Kozuharova, Ekaterina; Nash, Robert

    2017-01-01

    Onobrychis pindicola subsp. urumovii Degen & Dren. is an endemic with very restricted distribution on just two mountains Pirin Mts. and Slavjanka Mts. SW Bulgaria. The taxon is evaluated as least concerned by the IUCN criteria but it is an element in several Natura 2000 habitats with conservation significance. The aim of this study is to investigate the microhabitat specifics of O. pindicola subsp. urumovii, namely slope, exposure, bed rock, soils, and vegetation as well as spatia...

  2. Autecology and ex situ growth of Onobrychis pindicola Hausskn. subsp. urumovii Deg. & Dren. (Fabaceae – endemic with medicinal potential

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kozuharova, E.

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Onobrychis pindicola subsp. urumovii Degen & Dren. is an endemic with very restricted distribution on just two mountains Pirin Mts. and Slavjanka Mts. SW Bulgaria. The taxon is evaluated as least concerned by the IUCN criteria but it is an element in several Natura 2000 habitats with conservation significance. The aim of this study is to investigate the microhabitat specifics of O. pindicola subsp. urumovii, namely slope, exposure, bed rock, soils, and vegetation as well as spatial distribution and phenology regarding the possible future cultivation. Basically O. pindicola subsp. urumovii demonstrates high tolerance to its environment although it is a calciphilous species. It grows successfully ex situ in experimental plots in the foothills of the mountains, which indicates prospects for successful cultivation. This will be important in case of future industrial necessity of the plant substance for medicinal purposes.

  3. Learning from Traditional Knowledge of Non-timber Forest Products: Penan Benalui and the Autecology of Aquilaria in Indonesian Borneo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. G. Donovan

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Traditional knowledge, promoted to make conservation and development more relevant and socially acceptable, is shown to have an important role in identifying critical research needs in tropical ecology. Botanists, foresters, and phytochemists, among others, from many countries have sought for decades to understand the process of resin formation in the genus Aquilaria, a tropical forest tree of South and Southeast Asia. Not every tree develops the resin and, despite extensive scientific research, this process remains poorly understood. Attempts at cultivating the valuable aromatic resin, gaharu, have been uneven at best. Thus, gaharu remains largely a natural forest product, increasingly under threat as the trees are overexploited and forest is cleared. In this paper, we compare scientific knowledge and traditional knowledge of the Penan Benalui and other forest product collectors of Indonesian Borneo. Although limited management of wildlings failed to bring the resin-producing species under cultivation, we found that the Penan recognize the complex ecology of resin formation involving two, or maybe three, living organisms - the tree, one or more fungi, and possibly an insect intermediary. Developing a sustainable production system for this resource will require a clear understanding of how these various natural elements function, separately and synergistically. Traditional knowledge can help fill gaps in our information base and identify promising areas for future research. Both correspondence and gaps in knowledge support the call for a greater role for ethnobiological research and interdisciplinary cooperation, especially between ethnobiologists and foresters, in developing sustainable management systems for this traditional resource and its natural habitat.

  4. Biofacies and habitats of Brereton Limestone member (Carbondale Formation, Middle Pennsylvanian), Southwestern Illinois

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    O' Connell, D.B.; Utgaard, J.

    1983-09-01

    The Brereton Limestone is a shallow-water, open-marine carbonate deposited over peat or delta-plain muds after delta abandonment and a marine transgression. Data on autecology, lithology, insoluble residue content, and thickness were used to interpret the habitats of each biofacies. Biofacies V, a low-diversity biofacies dominated by brachiopods and ostracods, occupied turbid-water, mud- or shelly mud-bottom areas during influxes of detrital clays late in the abandonment of the Herrin delta and, also, early in the construction of the Jamestown delta. Low-relief carbonate mud mounds accumulated within and around baffles provided by thickets of phylloid algae and foraminifers, are capped locally by biofacies VI, a low-diversity biofacies dominated by ostracods. Biofacies VI, occupied the high subtidal to supratidal crests of algal mud mounds which had a stressed (possibly hypersaline) environment. Deeper water mud mounds were occupied by either Biofacies III, a crinoid-mixed fossil biofacies, or by Biofacies IV, which is dominated by fusulinids, strophomenids, and trilobites. Biofacies II, dominated by sponges, mollusks, and impunctate brachiopods, generally occurred on the flanks of the shallow-water mounds. Biofacies I, III, and IV also occurred in broad, muddy intermound areas and Biofacies III in narrow, winnowed intermound areas.

  5. Differential parasitism of seed-feeding Cydia (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) by native and alien wasp species relative to elevation in subalpine Sophora (Fabaceae) forests on Mauna Kea, Hawaii

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oboyski, P.T.; Slotterback, J.W.; Banko, P.C.

    2004-01-01

    Alien parasitic wasps, including accidental introductions and purposefully released biological control agents, have been implicated in the decline of native Hawaiian Lepidoptera. Understanding the potential impacts of alien wasps requires knowledge of ecological parameters that influence parasitism rates for species in their new environment. Sophora seed-feeding Cydia spp. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) were surveyed for larval parasitoids to determine how native and alien wasps are partitioned over an elevation gradient (2200-2800 m) on Hawaii Island, Hawaii. Parasitism rate of native Euderus metallicus (Eulophidae) increased with increased elevation, while parasitism rate by immigrant Calliephialtes grapholithae (Ichneumonidae) decreased. Parasitism by Pristomerus hawaiiensis (Ichneumonidae), origins uncertain, also decreased with increased elevation. Two other species, Diadegma blackburni (Ichneumonidae), origins uncertain, and Brasema cushmani (Eupelmidae), a purposefully introduced biological control agent for pepper weevil, did not vary significantly with elevation. Results are contrasted with a previous study of this system with implications for the conservation of an endangered bird species that feed on Cydia larvae. Interpretation of results is hindered by lack of knowledge of autecology of moths and wasps, origins, phylogeny, systematics, competitive ability, and physiological limitations of each wasp species. These factors should be incorporated into risk analysis for biological control introductions and invasive species programs. ?? 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

  6. Suggestions for diatom-based monitoring in intermittent streams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Falasco Elisa

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Over the last decades, river lentification processes and droughts have been dramatically spreading worldwide, due to global and local drastic changes due to human activities. Under this scenario, the evaluation of physical disturbance caused by intermittency and droughts has become more and more relevant. In this research, we compare samples collected in Mediterranean streams following both traditional and experimental approaches with the aim of understanding if diatom indices calculated from a new sampling strategy could provide additional information for the physical disturbance assessment. Moreover, we also evaluated the response of functional metrics. Our results demonstrated that even though an enhanced sampling method better reflects hydrological disturbance than the traditional one, diatom indices do not detect it. Conversely, functional traits proved to be important metrics for the hydrological disturbance assessment. In particular, benthic diatom chlorophyll a showed significantly lower values in sections more subject to droughts. With respect to ecological guilds, the motile taxa proved to be linked to depositional areas, which resulted important microhabitats (MHs to be explored in rivers affected by lentification. Including different MHs in the sampling process improves the information we can obtain from the analysis of the diatom community and presents important implications in documenting species distribution and autecology.

  7. Network of interactions between ciliates and phytoplankton during spring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas ePosch

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The annually recurrent spring phytoplankton blooms in freshwater lakes initiate pronounced successions of planktonic ciliate species. Although there is considerable knowledge on the taxonomic diversity of these ciliates, their species-specific interactions with other microorganisms are still not well understood. Here we present the succession patterns of 20 morphotypes of ciliates during spring in Lake Zurich, Switzerland, and we relate their abundances to phytoplankton genera, flagellates, heterotrophic bacteria, and abiotic parameters. Interspecific relationships were analyzed by contemporaneous correlations and time-lagged co-occurrence and visualized as association networks. The contemporaneous network pointed to the pivotal role of distinct ciliate species (e.g., Balanion planctonicum, Rimostrombidium humile as primary consumers of cryptomonads, revealed a clear overclustering of mixotrophic / omnivorous species, and highlighted the role of Halteria / Pelagohalteria as important bacterivores. By contrast, time-lagged statistical approaches (like local similarity analyses, LSA proved to be inadequate for the evaluation of high-frequency sampling data. LSA led to a conspicuous inflation of significant associations, making it difficult to establish ecologically plausible interactions between ciliates and other microorganisms. Nevertheless, if adequate statistical procedures are selected, association networks can be powerful tools to formulate testable hypotheses about the autecology of only recently described ciliate species.

  8. Evaluating the Intraspecific Interactions of Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. Trees in Indian Rosewood Reserveof Khuzestan Province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Erfanifard

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Positive and negative (facilitative and competitive interactions of plants are important issues in autecology and can be evaluated by the spatial pattern analysis in plant ecosystems. This study investigates the intraspecific interactions of Indian rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. trees in Indian rosewood Reserve of Khuzestan province. Three 150 m × 200 m plots were selected and the spatial locations of all Indian rosewoods (239 trees were specified. Structurally different summary statistics (nearest neighbour distribution function D(r, K2-index K2(r, pair correlation function g(r, and O-ring O(r were also implemented to analyze the spatial pattern of the trees. The distribution of Indian rosewood trees significantly followed inhomogeneous Poisson process (α=0.05. The results of D(r and K2(r showed that the maximum distance to nearest tree was 12 m and density was decreased to this scale. The results of g(r and O(r also revealed the significant aggregation of Indian rosewood trees at scales of 1.5 to 4 m (α=0.05. In general, it was concluded that Indian rosewood trees had positive intraspecific interactions in Indian rosewood Reserve of Khuzestan province and their aggregation showed their facilitative effects on one another.

  9. On the myths of indicator species: issues and further consideration in the use of static concepts for ecological applications.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael L Zettler

    Full Text Available The use of static indicator species, in which species are expected to have a similar sensitivity or tolerance to either natural or human-induced stressors, does not account for possible shifts in tolerance along natural environmental gradients and between biogeographic regions. Their indicative value may therefore be considered at least questionable. In this paper we demonstrate how species responses (i.e. abundance to changes in sediment grain size and organic matter (OM alter along a salinity gradient and conclude with a plea for prudency when interpreting static indicator-based quality indices. Six model species (three polychaetes, one amphipod and two bivalves from the North Sea, Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea region were selected. Our study demonstrated that there were no generic relationships between environment and biota and half of the studied species showed different responses in different seas. Consequently, the following points have to be carefully considered when applying static indicator-based quality indices: (1 species tolerances and preferences may change along environmental gradients and between different biogeographic regions, (2 as environment modifies species autecology, there is a need to adjust indicator species lists along major environmental gradients and (3 there is a risk of including sibling or cryptic species in calculating the index value of a species.

  10. Life cycle as a stable trait in the evaluation of diversity of Nostoc from biofilms in rivers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mateo, Pilar; Perona, Elvira; Berrendero, Esther; Leganés, Francisco; Martín, Marta; Golubić, Stjepko

    2011-05-01

    The diversity within the genus Nostoc is still controversial and more studies are needed to clarify its heterogeneity. Macroscopic species have been extensively studied and discussed; however, the microscopic forms of the genus, especially those from running waters, are poorly known and likely represented by many more species than currently described. Nostoc isolates from biofilms of two Spanish calcareous rivers were characterized comparing the morphology and life cycle in two culture media with different levels of nutrients and also comparing the 16S rRNA gene sequences. The results showed that trichome shape and cellular dimensions varied considerably depending on the culture media used, whereas the characteristics expressed in the course of the life cycle remained stable for each strain independent of the culture conditions. Molecular phylogenetic analysis confirmed the distinction between the studied strains established on morphological grounds. A balanced approach to the evaluation of diversity of Nostoc in the service of autecological studies requires both genotypic information and the evaluation of stable traits. The results of this study show that 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity serves as an important criterion for characterizing Nostoc strains and is consistent with stable attributes, such as the life cycle. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Common carp disrupt ecosystem structure and function through middle-out effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaemingk, Mark A.; Jolley, Jeffrey C.; Paukert, Craig P.; Willis, David W.; Henderson, Kjetil R.; Holland, Richard S.; Wanner, Greg A.; Lindvall, Mark L.

    2016-01-01

    Middle-out effects or a combination of top-down and bottom-up processes create many theoretical and empirical challenges in the realm of trophic ecology. We propose using specific autecology or species trait (i.e. behavioural) information to help explain and understand trophic dynamics that may involve complicated and non-unidirectional trophic interactions. The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) served as our model species for whole-lake observational and experimental studies; four trophic levels were measured to assess common carp-mediated middle-out effects across multiple lakes. We hypothesised that common carp could influence aquatic ecosystems through multiple pathways (i.e. abiotic and biotic foraging, early life feeding, nutrient). Both studies revealed most trophic levels were affected by common carp, highlighting strong middle-out effects likely caused by common carp foraging activities and abiotic influence (i.e. sediment resuspension). The loss of water transparency, submersed vegetation and a shift in zooplankton dynamics were the strongest effects. Trophic levels furthest from direct pathway effects were also affected (fish life history traits). The present study demonstrates that common carp can exert substantial effects on ecosystem structure and function. Species capable of middle-out effects can greatly modify communities through a variety of available pathways and are not confined to traditional top-down or bottom-up processes.

  12. In situ study of the autecology of the closely related, co-occurring sandy beach amphipods Bathyporeia pilosa and Bathyporeia sarsi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Speybroeck, Jeroen; van Tomme, Joke; Vincx, Magda; Degraer, Steven

    2008-09-01

    Population dynamics and zonation of the amphipods Bathyporeia pilosa and B. sarsi, co-occurring on some beaches, were studied through monthly sampling of eight cross-shore transects along the Belgian coast (October 2003-October 2004). Their biomass and production were assessed for the first time. Abundance and biomass of B. pilosa were ten times higher along western ultra-dissipative transects than along slightly more reflective, eastern transects. For B. sarsi (less prominent), differences between the two westernmost transects (2-5× higher) and all others were observed, whereas P/B ratio was comparable for all. B. pilosa could reach two times higher abundance and biomass and higher levels of production (max B. sarsi = 7,580 g m-2 y-1; max B. pilosa = 16,040 g m-2 y-1), while the species was nearly absent from the eastern transects. Continuous reproduction and recruitment with three relative peaks of the latter (February, July, October) were observed. Fecundity showed parallel temporal variation for both species, peaking in February and September-October. Interestingly, the July relative “recruitment” peak could not be explained by relative abundance of gravid females or fecundity, but was probably caused by adult mortality. Both species displayed comparable gonad production ( B. pilosa: P g = 0.73 mg/ind year; B. sarsi: P g = 0.71 mg/ind year), but B. pilosa produced fewer yet larger embryos. Peak abundances were found at 436 ± 25 SD cm ( B. pilosa) and 357 ± 40 SD cm ( B. sarsi) above MLLWS, corresponding to a 40-62 m cross-shore distance between the peaks of both species. The occupied cross-shore range was larger for B. sarsi than for B. pilosa (35-54 m), for females than for males (15-23 m), and for adults than for juveniles of B. pilosa (5-8 m). Both species displayed many comparable life history features. Differences in abundance and biomass may be related to beach morphodynamics and zonation.

  13. Comparative study of autecological, morphological, anatomical and karyological characteristics of Acanthophyllum ejtehadii Mahmoudi & Vaezi (Caryophyllaceae: a rare endemic in Iran

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    Zahra Maleki Sadabadi

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Characterizing traits of a species in its habitat is substantial for planning a practical conservation program. Acanthophyllum ejtehadii Mahmoudi & Vaezi (Caryophyllaceae is a recently established endemic species for flora of Iran and has a narrow non-conserved natural habitat in Radkan region of Chenaran, Razavi Khorasan Province. The soil and climate of Radkan was studied and the ecological, morphological, anatomical, and karyological aspects of A. ejtehadii were investigated to obtain a comprehensive knowledge about this species and its natural growth conditions. Field observations were performed during the growing seasons in 2014‒2015 and 29 vegetation samples were collected as data. Results showed that this plant grows in mound-like sites on clay-loam soils at mean elevation 1279 m.a.s.l. in arid climate. Acanthophyllum ejtehadii is a thorn-cushion form chamaephyte plant. This Plant grow gradually in early-January, the flower unfolds in early-June and the matured seeds are produced in mid-July. A. ejtehadii is a diploid (2n=2x =30 species and has homogenous karyotype. Having unique morphological and anatomical adaptations such as expanded surface roots, reduced leaf area and thickened cuticle, this plant grows successfully in harsh environments. These mechanisms are specific to this specific kind of Acanthophyllum species. The Speciation time of this plant was estimated not more than 200 thousand years ago and if Radkan is preserved from anthropogenic disturbance, this species could expand its distribution area.

  14. River food web response to large-scale riparian zone manipulations.

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    J Timothy Wootton

    Full Text Available Conservation programs often focus on select species, leading to management plans based on the autecology of the focal species, but multiple ecosystem components can be affected both by the environmental factors impacting, and the management targeting, focal species. These broader effects can have indirect impacts on target species through the web of interactions within ecosystems. For example, human activity can strongly alter riparian vegetation, potentially impacting both economically-important salmonids and their associated river food web. In an Olympic Peninsula river, Washington state, USA, replicated large-scale riparian vegetation manipulations implemented with the long-term (>40 yr goal of improving salmon habitat did not affect water temperature, nutrient limitation or habitat characteristics, but reduced canopy cover, causing reduced energy input via leaf litter, increased incident solar radiation (UV and PAR and increased algal production compared to controls. In response, benthic algae, most insect taxa, and juvenile salmonids increased in manipulated areas. Stable isotope analysis revealed a predominant contribution of algal-derived energy to salmonid diets in manipulated reaches. The experiment demonstrates that riparian management targeting salmonids strongly affects river food webs via changes in the energy base, illustrates how species-based management strategies can have unanticipated indirect effects on the target species via the associated food web, and supports ecosystem-based management approaches for restoring depleted salmonid stocks.

  15. Eco-distribution Mapping of Invasive Weed Limnocharis flava (L. Buchenau Using Geographical Information System: Implications for Containment and Integrated Weed Management for Ecosystem Conservation

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    P. C. Abhilash

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Exotic weed invasion has been identified as one of the serious environmental problem impacting the structure, composition and function of biological diversity. They are aggressive colonizers, which have flexible habitat requirement and ability to outcompete native species. The present paper describes the distribution and autecology of an exotic weed Limnocharis flava (L. Buchenau (an emergent aquatic weed of ‘Limnocharitaceae’ in Kumarakom Grama Panchayat, one of the well known tourist spot of South India famous for its vast stretches of paddy fields, wetlands and backwaters. The mapping of L. flava in the entire study area has been done using Geographical Information System (Arc-info 8.3 version. The growth and distribution pattern of L. flava were studied quantitatively. Data on distribution, abundance, biomass, ecological associations and root zone nutrient quality of water and sediment samples were collected from different sampling points of Kumarakom. The study reflected that nutrients, water depth and land use patterns were the major factors responsible for the growth and proliferation of this exotic weed. The strategies for controlling L. flava invasion are discussed in detail. If early steps are not taken to eradicate this weed, it will become a problematic weed in the same way as other noxious aquatic weeds like Salvinia molesta D. Mitch and Eichhornia crassipes (C. Martius Solms-Laub.

  16. Carving out turf in a biodiversity hotspot: multiple, previously unrecognized shrew species co-occur on Java Island, Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esselstyn, Jacob A; Maharadatunkamsi; Achmadi, Anang S; Siler, Cameron D; Evans, Ben J

    2013-10-01

    In theory, competition among species in a shared habitat results in niche separation. In the case of small recondite mammals such as shrews, little is known about their autecologies, leaving open questions regarding the degree to which closely related species co-occur and how or whether ecological niches are partitioned. The extent to which species are able to coexist may depend on the degree to which they exploit different features of their habitat, which may in turn influence our ability to recognize them as species. We explored these issues in a biodiversity hotspot, by surveying shrew (genus Crocidura) diversity on the Indonesian island of Java. We sequenced portions of nine unlinked genes in 100-117 specimens of Javan shrews and incorporated homologous data from most known Crocidura species from other parts of island South-East Asia. Current taxonomy recognizes four Crocidura species on Java, including two endemics. However, our phylogenetic, population genetic and species delimitation analyses identify five species on the island, and all are endemic to Java. While the individual ranges of these species may not overlap in their entirety, we found up to four species living syntopically and all five species co-occurring on one mountain. Differences in species' body size, use of above ground-level habitats by one species and habitat partitioning along ecological gradients may have facilitated species diversification and coexistence. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Diversity and Distribution of Myrmecophytes in Bengkulu Province

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    Safniyeti Safniyeti

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Myrmecophyte is a common medicinal plant used by local people in Indonesia for treating various diseases especially in Papua. Bengkulu province is one of the Myrmecophyte habitats, but there has no report on its identity and distribution. The objectives of this research were to identify the diversity and analyze the Myrmecophytes distribution as well as factor affecting its presence. This study used purposive sampling method by exploring the area where Myrmecophytes commonly found. The Myrmecophyte distribution based on host tree was analyzed using Morishita index and the autecological analysis of abiotic factors was performed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA generated from Minitab 16. The results of this research showed that there were two species of Myrmecophytes in Bengkulu province, namely Hydnophytum formicarum and Myrmecodia tuberosa, as well as two variants of M. tuberosa i.e. M. tuberosa ‘armata’ and M. tuberosa ‘siberutensis’. The distribution of Myrmecophytes based on host tree was mostly randomly scattered in Central Bengkulu regency, Seluma, North Bengkulu, South Bengkulu, and Kaur. Their distributions were affected by light intensity and temperature. The data of this research can be used as basic information for carried out conservation efforts in Bengkulu province. The abundance of Myrmecophytes is also used as a source of additional income for local people in Bengkulu province.     

  18. Spatial and temporal distribution of two diazotrophic bacteria in the Chesapeake Bay.

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    Short, Steven M; Jenkins, Bethany D; Zehr, Jonathan P

    2004-04-01

    The aim of this study was to initiate autecological studies on uncultivated natural populations of diazotrophic bacteria by examining the distribution of specific diazotrophs in the Chesapeake Bay. By use of quantitative PCR, the abundance of two nifH sequences (907h22 and 912h4) was quantified in water samples collected along a transect from the head to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay during cruises in April and October 2001 and 2002. Standard curves for the quantitative PCR assays demonstrated that the relationship between gene copies and cycle threshold was linear and highly reproducible from 1 to 10(7) gene copies. The maximum number of 907h22 gene copies detected was approximately 140 ml(-1) and the maximum number of 912h4 gene copies detected was approximately 340 ml(-1). Sequence 912h4 was most abundant at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, and in general, its abundance increased with increasing salinity, with the highest abundances observed in April 2002. Overall, the 907h22 phylotype was most abundant at the mid-bay station. Additionally, 907h22 was most abundant in the April samples from the mid-bay and mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Despite the fact that the Chesapeake Bay is rarely nitrogen limited, our results show that individual nitrogen-fixing bacteria have distinct nonrandom spatial and seasonal distributions in the Chesapeake Bay and are either distributed by specific physical processes or adapted to different environmental niches.

  19. Superficial ecosystem similarities vs autecological stripping: the "twin species" Mesocyclops leuckarti (Claus and Thermocyclops oithonoides (Sars - seasonal habitat utilisation and life history traits

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    Svein Birger WÆRVÅGEN

    2000-08-01

    Full Text Available Mesocyclops leuckarti and Thermocyclops oithonoides, among the most common European species of cyclopoid copepods, immigrated to central Europe from eastern refuges after the last glaciation. M. leuckarti arrived prior to T. oithonoides. In a border region of T. oithonoides in southern Norway, the species was found exclusively below the highest postglacial marine limit, whereas it had spread to other neighbouring lakes above the former marine limit close to its more central region of distribution in eastern Norway. The habitat of M. leuckarti is characteristically both littoral/profundal and planktonic, whereas T. oithonoides is a true planktonic species. The egg sacs of the larger species M. leuckarti protrude from its genital segment, likely increasing water friction. M. leuckarti has probably developed strategies to reduce predation on eggbearing females, such as staying in littoral, profundal or oxygen boundary regions where fish are either absent or experience hunting difficulties. We hypothesise that the numerical suppression of M. leuckarti, its sex ratio, the habitat distribution of adult females, and its life cycles in many eutrophic lakes, is strongly affected by fish predation. M. leuckarti is considerably larger than T. oithonoides; total body length: 1.0-1.3 mm vs 0.7-1.0, respectively. The negligibly coloured and smaller adult T. oithonoides may be outside the prey range for many fish species. In the lowland region, both species completed several numbers of reproductive cycles annually. There were various patterns of diannual and triannual life cycles. Some populations exhibited a conspicuously delayed revival from sediment diapause, others in eutrophic lakes developed slowly during the summer (probably due to naupliar competition from cladocerans, or stayed in the plankton during prolonged periods during autumn. At higher altitudes and in large cold lakes, one generation a year was recorded. In its northern range, M. leuckarti showed sediment diapause in all types of localities, even the deepest lakes, usually in the upper littoral region. In more shallow lakes, deeper diapause sites were observed. T. oithonoides diapaused in either the lower littoral, or the profundal regions. M. leuckarti showed different life cycles in localities within the same geographical region, especially in its southern range. In the shallow part of Bodensee in Germany it entered sediment diapause, whereas in the much deeper main basin it showed plankton diapause (also called "active diapause". The period of diapause for M. leuckarti (especially in the sediment decreased from north to south. At about 45º N, sediment and plankton diapause were non-existent, and the species exhibited continuous development, even with relatively low winter temperatures (in Lago Maggiore. T. oithonoides, whose southern distribution in western Europe extends to about 50º N, showed winter sediment diapause throughout its distribution, but frequently with a fraction of the local population in plankton diapause. The combined effects of these different abiotic and biotic parameters help explain the variations of life histories observed in the field.

  20. Effects of projected climate change on vegetation in the Blue Mountains ecoregion, USA

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    Becky K. Kerns

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available We used autecological, paleoecological, and modeling information to explore the potential effects of climate change on vegetation in the Blue Mountains ecoregion, Oregon (USA. Although uncertainty exists about the exact nature of future vegetation change, we infer that the following are likely to occur by the end of the century: (1 dominance of ponderosa pine and sagebrush will increase in many locations, (2 the forest-steppe ecotone will move upward in latitude and elevation, (3 ponderosa pine will be distributed at higher elevations, (4 subalpine and alpine systems will be replaced by grass species, pine, and Douglas-fir, (5 moist forest types may increase under wetter scenarios, (6 the distribution and abundance of juniper woodlands may decrease if the frequency and extent of wildfire increase, and (7 grasslands and shrublands will increase at lower elevations. Tree growth in energy-limited landscapes (high elevations, north aspects will increase as the climate warms and snowpack decreases, whereas tree growth in water-limited landscapes (low elevations, south aspects will decrease. Ecological disturbances, including wildfire, insect outbreaks, and non-native species, which are expected to increase in a warmer climate, will affect species distribution, tree age, and vegetation structure, facilitating transitions to new combinations of species and vegetation patterns. In dry forests where fire has not occurred for several decades, crown fires may result in high tree mortality, and the interaction of multiple disturbances and stressors will probably exacerbate stress complexes. Increased disturbance will favor species with physiological and phenological traits that allow them to tolerate frequent disturbance. Keywords: Climate change, Disturbance, Vegetation, Wildfire

  1. Stomach emptiness in fishes: Sources of variation and study design implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinson, M.R.; Angradi, T.R.

    2011-01-01

    This study summarizes fish stomach content data from 369,000 fish from 402 species in 1,096 collections and reports on the percentage of individuals with empty stomachs. The mean percentage of individuals with empty stomachs among all species, locations, habitats, seasons, regions, and collection methods was 26.4%. Mean percentage of individuals with empty stomachs varied significantly among fish collection gear types, taxonomic orders, trophic groups, feeding behaviors, and habitats, and with species length at maturity. Most of the variation in percentage of individuals with empty stomachs was explained by species length at maturity, fish collection gear type, and two autecological factors: trophic group (piscivore percentage of individuals with empty stomachs > non-piscivore percentage of individuals with empty stomachs) and feeding habitat (water column feeder percentage of individuals with empty stomachs > benthic feeder percentage of individuals with empty stomachs). After accounting for variation with fish length, the percentage of individuals with empty stomachs did not vary with the stomach removal collection method (dissection vs. gastric lavage), feeding time (diurnal or nocturnal), or time of collection (day or night). The percentage of individuals with empty stomachs was similar between fresh and saltwater fish, but differed within finer habitat classifications and appeared to follow a general prey availability or productivity gradient: percentage of individuals with empty stomachs of open ocean collections > estuary collections, lentic > lotic, and pelagic > littoral. Gear type (active or passive) was the most influential factor affecting the occurrence of empty stomachs that can be readily controlled by researchers.

  2. Symplasmic and apoplasmic transport inside feather moss stems of Pleurozium schreberi and Hylocomium splendens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sokolowska, K; Turzanska, M; Nilsson, M-C

    2017-11-10

    The ubiquitous feather mosses Pleurozium schreberi and Hylocomium splendens form a thick, continuous boundary layer between the soil and the atmosphere, and play important roles in hydrology and nutrient cycling in tundra and boreal ecosystems. The water fluxes among these mosses and environmental factors controlling them are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether feather mosses are capable of internal transport and to provide a better understanding of species-specific morphological traits underlying this function. The impacts of environmental conditions on their internal transport rates were also investigated. Cells involved in water and food conduction in P. schreberi and H. splendens were identified by transmission electron microscopy. Symplasmic and apoplasmic fluorescent tracers were applied to the moss stems to determine the routes of internal short- and long-distance transport and the impact of air humidity on the transport rates. Symplasmic transport over short distances occurs via food-conducting cells in both mosses. Pleurozium schreberi is also capable of apoplasmic internal long-distance transport via a central strand of hydroids. These are absent in H. splendens. Reduced air humidity significantly increased the internal transport of both species, and the increase was significantly faster for P. schreberi than for H. splendens. Pleurozium schreberi and Hylocomium splendens are capable of internal transport but the pathway and conductivity differ due to differences in stem anatomy. These results help explain their varying desiccation tolerance and possibly their differing physiology and autecology and, ultimately, their impact on ecosystem functioning. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  3. Effects of biotic and abiotic factors on the accumulation of radionuclides in Fucus vesiculosus L

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, Lena.

    1990-01-01

    Fucus vesiculosus has been used as an indicator for the occurrence of radionuclides in the marine environment. A prerequisite in using biological organisms as indicators is that the autecology of the organisms in question be well known. Growth, reproduction and individual biomass changes of tissues of different ages were studied in a Fucus vesiculosus population from the Oeresund, southern Sweden. The new vegetative fronds grown during the year accounted for about 80% of the total plant biomass in the autumn and this could affect the total activity concentration of long-lived radionuclides measured in whole plants of F. vesiculosus. Thus, a discharge of long-lived radionuclides during winter or spring gives a higher increase than a discharge during autumn. Differences in uptake and release of 54 Mn and 60 Co were observed between F. vesiculosus and its epiphytes but also between different tissues within the Fucus plant. Highest uptake and release were measured for the filamentous epiphyte Pilayella littoralis followed by the new vegetative fronds of F. vesiculosus after transplantation in situ from an area outside Barsebaeck nuclear power station, southern Sweden, to an area with low concentration of the radionuclides studied and vice versa. Salinity effects on the accumulation of radionuclides in F. vesiculosus were studied experimentally. Accumulation of 137 Cs, 54 Mn, 65 Zn and 60 Co was significantly higher in algae grown at 8 permille than at 15 and 24 permille, respectively. Most pronounced salinity effects were observed for 137 Cs. The impact of the Chernobyl accident was investigated in the Baltic Sea using F. vesiculosus. The Chernobyl accident contributed to the radioactivity in the Baltic Sea primarily concerning radiocaesium. (author)

  4. Quaternary paleoecology of aquatic Diptera in tropical and Southern Hemisphere regions, with special reference to the Chironomidae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verschuren, Dirk; Eggermont, Hilde

    2006-08-01

    Chironomid paleoecology in north-temperate regions has made tremendous progress over the past decade, but studies in tropical and Southern Hemisphere regions remain relatively scarce. Reasons for this imbalance are (1) incomplete taxonomic knowledge of chironomid faunas outside Europe and North America, (2) a scarcity of ecological data on local species and genera that might confer bio-indicator value to them, and (3) logistic difficulties hampering the lake surveying necessary to develop paleoenvironmental calibration data sets. Thus far, most chironomid paleoecology in tropical and Southern Hemisphere regions has relied on an indicator-species approach, combining autecological information on local species of which larval morphology is known with the traditional ecological typology of chironomid genera transferred from the Holarctic region. This paper reviews work accomplished to date in tropical and temperate South America, Australia, Africa, and New Zealand, including studies on various families of non-chironomid Diptera with diagnostic fossils. Research has focused mostly on late-Glacial and Holocene climate reconstruction, less on tracing past human disturbance of aquatic ecosystems and their drainage basins. Quantitative chironomid-based paleoenvironmental reconstruction has so far been done only in Australia and Africa. These studies compensated for the lack of traditional surface-sediment calibration data sets, nowadays often the main source of quantitative information on species ecological optima and tolerances, by maximally exploiting archival species-distribution data based on live collections of adult and/or larval midges. This stimulated efforts to achieve trustworthy species-level identification of fossil chironomid remains, and, as a result, the taxonomic resolution of paleoecological studies in Australia and Africa is higher on average than that achieved in European and North American studies.

  5. Resilience: Concepts and Measures. Chapter 2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westman, Walter E.

    1986-01-01

    Inertia, the resistance of an ecosystem property to change under stress, is distinguished from resilience, which refers to the degree, manner. and pace of change or recovery in ecosystem properties following disturbance. In turn, these two terms are differentiated from 'stability'. which is used here to refer to the pattern of natural fluctuation in ecosystem properties in the absence of major exogenous disturbance. Four component attributes of resilience are reviewed in the context of Mediterranean-climate examples. The elasticity component concerns the rate of recovery of an ecosystem property following disturbance; amplitude, the threshold of stress beyond which recovery to the initial state does not occur; hysteresis, the degree to which the pattern of recovery after stress differs from that of deterioration under chronic stress, and malleability the ease with which the ecosystem can become permanently altered. Each ecosystem property will typically reveal a different level of resilience to a given stress and stressor. The degree of recovery should not be expected to be complete in any event, due to sample variability and stochastic events. In cyclicallystable ecosystems, the pattern of recovery should be measured in light of this periodicity, and short-term (within-cycle) recovery distinguished from long-term (between-cycle) recovery. The prediction of resilience properties of ecosystems can be approached through a knowledge of the modular structure of foodwebs, through knowledge of the autecological adaptations of key species to the stressor, or through cumulative experience of the response to disturbance at the community level. At present there is much room for investigation of each of these approaches in Mediterranean-climate ecosystems.

  6. Occurrence and dynamics of Impatiens parviflora depending on various environmental conditions in the protected areas in Slovakia

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    Bobuľská Lenka

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Biological invasion as one of the main threats to natural ecosystems has big economic impact on conservation of nature. Studies of the population biology of invasive species may allow more precise focus on specific plant and soil characteristics involved in invasiveness. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between selected biological population characteristics of Impatiens parviflora and a few chosen chemical and physical soil features. Sites were selected because of the poor mapping of invasive plants in the protected natural areas and their interactions with specific soil characteristics. Research on I. parviflora was realised during a vegetation season in three forest nature reserves in Prešov district, Slovakia. Some population biological characteristics of I. parviflora as one of the most invasive plant species in Slovakia and Central Europe were surveyed. The correlation between the numbers of plants was analysed, as well as select population biological characteristics of I. parviflora (plant height, width of the largest leaf and the number of flowers/fruits on some select chemical and physical soil attributes (soil pH, bulk density, porosity and soil moisture were analysed. The results suggest that biological characteristics of I. parviflora in three different microhabitats – a meadow (a habitat without tree vegetation, a habitat close to the stumps and a habitat under dense tree vegetation seemed to influence the selected soil parameters. Our results showed that I. parviflora prefers acidic and non-compacted soil conditions. Sunlight and soil moisture do not show statistically significant differences on any biological characteristic of the population. The results also suggest that the autecology of I. parviflora in Western and Central Europe is not very well known and deserves further study.

  7. A Kinetic and Factorial Approach to Study the Effects of Temperature and Salinity on Growth and Toxin Production by the Dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii from the Baltic Sea.

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    Pablo Salgado

    Full Text Available Alexandrium ostenfeldii is present in a wide variety of environments in coastal areas worldwide and is the only dinoflagellate known species that produces paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP toxins and two types of cyclic imines, spirolides (SPXs and gymnodimines (GYMs. The increasing frequency of A. ostenfeldii blooms in the Baltic Sea has been attributed to the warming water in this region. To learn more about the optimal environmental conditions favoring the proliferation of A. ostenfeldii and its complex toxicity, the effects of temperature and salinity on the kinetics of both the growth and the net toxin production of this species were examined using a factorial design and a response-surface analysis (RSA. The results showed that the growth of Baltic A. ostenfeldii occurs over a wide range of temperatures and salinities (12.5-25.5°C and 5-21, respectively, with optimal growth conditions achieved at a temperature of 25.5°C and a salinity of 11.2. Together with the finding that a salinity > 21 was the only growth-limiting factor detected for this strain, this study provides important insights into the autecology and population distribution of this species in the Baltic Sea. The presence of PSP toxins, including gonyautoxin (GTX-3, GTX-2, and saxitoxin (STX, and GYMs (GYM-A and GYM-B/-C analogues was detected under all temperature and salinity conditions tested and in the majority of the cases was concomitant with both the exponential growth and stationary phases of the dinoflagellate's growth cycle. Toxin concentrations were maximal at temperatures and salinities of 20.9°C and 17 for the GYM-A analogue and > 19°C and 15 for PSP toxins, respectively. The ecological implications of the optimal conditions for growth and toxin production of A. ostenfeldii in the Baltic Sea are discussed.

  8. Holocene paleoclimate inferred from salinity histories of adjacent lakes in southwestern Sicily (Italy)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curry, B Brandon; Henne, Paul; Mezquita-Joanes, Francesc; Marrone, Federico; Pieri, Valentina; La Mantia, Tommaso; Calo, Camilla; Tinner, Willy

    2016-01-01

    Marked uncertainties persist regarding the climatic evolution of the Mediterranean region during the Holocene. For instance, whether moisture availability gradually decreased, remained relatively constant, or increased during the last 7000 years remains a matter of debate. To assess Holocene limnology, hydrology and moisture dynamics, the coastal lakes Lago Preola and Gorgo Basso, located in southwestern Sicily, were investigated through several stratigraphic analyses of ostracodes, including multivariate analyses of assemblages, transfer functions of salinity, and biochemical analyses of valves (Sr/Ca, δ18O and δ13C). During the early Holocene, the Gorgo Basso and Lago Preola ostracode records are similar. After an initial period of moderate salinity (1690–6100 mg/l from ca. 10,000–8190 cal yr BP), syndepositional or diagenetic dissolution of ostracode valves suggests that salinity declined to Greek civilization took root in Sicily (2600 cal yr BP), and it completely dominates the record during Roman occupation (roughly 2100 to 1700 cal yr BP). These freshwater conditions at Gorgo Basso suggest high effective moisture when evergreen olive-oak forests collapsed in response to increased Greco-Roman land use and fire. Ostracode valve geochemistry (Sr/Ca, δ18O) suggests significant changes in early vs. late Holocene hydrochemistry, either as changes in salinity or in the seasonality of precipitation. Harmonizing the autecological and geochemical data from Gorgo Basso suggests the latter was more likely, with relatively more late Holocene precipitation falling during the spring, summer, and fall, than winter compared to the early Holocene. Our ostracode-inferred paleosalinity data indicate that moisture availability did not decline during the late Holocene in the central Mediterranean region. Instead, moisture availability was lowest during the early Holocene, and most abundant during the late Holocene.

  9. Climate change and Southern Ocean ecosystems I: how changes in physical habitats directly affect marine biota.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Constable, Andrew J; Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica; Corney, Stuart P; Arrigo, Kevin R; Barbraud, Christophe; Barnes, David K A; Bindoff, Nathaniel L; Boyd, Philip W; Brandt, Angelika; Costa, Daniel P; Davidson, Andrew T; Ducklow, Hugh W; Emmerson, Louise; Fukuchi, Mitsuo; Gutt, Julian; Hindell, Mark A; Hofmann, Eileen E; Hosie, Graham W; Iida, Takahiro; Jacob, Sarah; Johnston, Nadine M; Kawaguchi, So; Kokubun, Nobuo; Koubbi, Philippe; Lea, Mary-Anne; Makhado, Azwianewi; Massom, Rob A; Meiners, Klaus; Meredith, Michael P; Murphy, Eugene J; Nicol, Stephen; Reid, Keith; Richerson, Kate; Riddle, Martin J; Rintoul, Stephen R; Smith, Walker O; Southwell, Colin; Stark, Jonathon S; Sumner, Michael; Swadling, Kerrie M; Takahashi, Kunio T; Trathan, Phil N; Welsford, Dirk C; Weimerskirch, Henri; Westwood, Karen J; Wienecke, Barbara C; Wolf-Gladrow, Dieter; Wright, Simon W; Xavier, Jose C; Ziegler, Philippe

    2014-10-01

    Antarctic and Southern Ocean (ASO) marine ecosystems have been changing for at least the last 30 years, including in response to increasing ocean temperatures and changes in the extent and seasonality of sea ice; the magnitude and direction of these changes differ between regions around Antarctica that could see populations of the same species changing differently in different regions. This article reviews current and expected changes in ASO physical habitats in response to climate change. It then reviews how these changes may impact the autecology of marine biota of this polar region: microbes, zooplankton, salps, Antarctic krill, fish, cephalopods, marine mammals, seabirds, and benthos. The general prognosis for ASO marine habitats is for an overall warming and freshening, strengthening of westerly winds, with a potential pole-ward movement of those winds and the frontal systems, and an increase in ocean eddy activity. Many habitat parameters will have regionally specific changes, particularly relating to sea ice characteristics and seasonal dynamics. Lower trophic levels are expected to move south as the ocean conditions in which they are currently found move pole-ward. For Antarctic krill and finfish, the latitudinal breadth of their range will depend on their tolerance of warming oceans and changes to productivity. Ocean acidification is a concern not only for calcifying organisms but also for crustaceans such as Antarctic krill; it is also likely to be the most important change in benthic habitats over the coming century. For marine mammals and birds, the expected changes primarily relate to their flexibility in moving to alternative locations for food and the energetic cost of longer or more complex foraging trips for those that are bound to breeding colonies. Few species are sufficiently well studied to make comprehensive species-specific vulnerability assessments possible. Priorities for future work are discussed. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. The diversity and distribution of fungi on residential surfaces.

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    Rachel I Adams

    Full Text Available The predominant hypothesis regarding the composition of microbial assemblages in indoor environments is that fungal assemblages are structured by outdoor air with a moderate contribution by surface growth, whereas indoor bacterial assemblages represent a mixture of bacteria entered from outdoor air, shed by building inhabitants, and grown on surfaces. To test the fungal aspect of this hypothesis, we sampled fungi from three surface types likely to support growth and therefore possible contributors of fungi to indoor air: drains in kitchens and bathrooms, sills beneath condensation-prone windows, and skin of human inhabitants. Sampling was done in replicated units of a university-housing complex without reported mold problems, and sequences were analyzed using both QIIME and the new UPARSE approach to OTU-binning, to the same result. Surfaces demonstrated a mycological profile similar to that of outdoor air from the same locality, and assemblages clustered by surface type. "Weedy" genera typical of indoor air, such as Cladosporium and Cryptococcus, were abundant on sills, as were a diverse set of fungi of likely outdoor origin. Drains supported more depauperate assemblages than the other surfaces and contained thermotolerant genera such as Exophiala, Candida, and Fusarium. Most surprising was the composition detected on residents' foreheads. In addition to harboring Malassezia, a known human commensal, skin also possessed a surprising richness of non-resident fungi, including plant pathogens such as ergot (Claviceps purperea. Overall, fungal richness across indoor surfaces was high, but based on known autecologies, most of these fungi were unlikely to be growing on surfaces. We conclude that while some endogenous fungal growth on typical household surfaces does occur, particularly on drains and skin, all residential surfaces appear - to varying degrees - to be passive collectors of airborne fungi of putative outdoor origin, a view of the origins

  11. Ecophysiology of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lüttge, Ulrich

    2004-06-01

    Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) as an ecophysiological modification of photosynthetic carbon acquisition has been reviewed extensively before. Cell biology, enzymology and the flow of carbon along various pathways and through various cellular compartments have been well documented and discussed. The present attempt at reviewing CAM once again tries to use a different approach, considering a wide range of inputs, receivers and outputs. Input is given by a network of environmental parameters. Six major ones, CO(2), H(2)O, light, temperature, nutrients and salinity, are considered in detail, which allows discussion of the effects of these factors, and combinations thereof, at the individual plant level ('physiological aut-ecology'). Receivers of the environmental cues are the plant types genotypes and phenotypes, the latter including morphotypes and physiotypes. CAM genotypes largely remain 'black boxes', and research endeavours of genomics, producing mutants and following molecular phylogeny, are just beginning. There is no special development of CAM morphotypes except for a strong tendency for leaf or stem succulence with large cells with big vacuoles and often, but not always, special water storage tissues. Various CAM physiotypes with differing degrees of CAM expression are well characterized. Output is the shaping of habitats, ecosystems and communities by CAM. A number of systems are briefly surveyed, namely aquatic systems, deserts, salinas, savannas, restingas, various types of forests, inselbergs and paramós. While quantitative census data for CAM diversity and biomass are largely missing, intuition suggests that the larger CAM domains are those systems which are governed by a network of interacting stress factors requiring versatile responses and not systems where a single stress factor strongly prevails. CAM is noted to be a strategy for variable, flexible and plastic niche occupation rather than lush productivity. 'Physiological syn-ecology' reveals

  12. Autecology and phylogeny of Coolia tropicalis and Coolia malayensis (Dinophyceae), with emphasis on taxonomy of C. tropicalis based on light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and LSU rDNA(1).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammad-Noor, Normawaty; Moestrup, Øjvind; Lundholm, Nina; Fraga, Santiago; Adam, Aimimualiani; Holmes, Michael J; Saleh, Ejria

    2013-06-01

    Coolia is a widespread and ecologically important genus of benthic marine dinoflagellates found in tropical regions. Historically, there has been taxonomic confusion about the taxonomy and toxicity of this group. The goal of this study was to resolve morphological questions concerning Coolia tropicalis and determine the taxonomic identity of the Australian Coolia isolate which has been reported to produce cooliatoxins. To accomplish this, the morphology of tropical strains from Belize (the type locality of C. tropicalis), Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia were examined and compared to published reports. The morphological analysis showed that C. tropicalis differs from the original description in that it has a slightly larger size (35-47 μm long by 30-45 μm wide versus 23-40 μm long by 25-39 μm wide), and the shape of fourth apical plate, and the length of Po plate (7.4-12 μm versus 7 μm). Based on both morphology and phylogenetic analysis using LSU D1- D3 rDNA sequences, the clones of C. tropicalis from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Belize were found to form a monophyletic clade within the genus. The strain producing cooliatoxin was found to be C. tropicalis, not Coolia monotis as originally assumed. To explore the factors influencing the growth of Coolia species, the growth rates of C. tropicalis and Coolia malayensis were determined at different temperatures and salinities. Both species tolerated a wide range of temperatures, but cannot survive at temperatures 35°C. C. monotis, the dominant species reported in the literature, probably does not produce toxins. © 2013 Phycological Society of America.

  13. A natural resource condition assessment for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: Appendix 11a: giant sequoias

    Science.gov (United States)

    York, Robert A.; Stephenson, Nathan L.; Meyer, Marc; Hanna, Steve; Tadashi, Moody; Caprio, Anthony C.; Battles, John J.

    2013-01-01

    For natural resource managers in the southern Sierra Nevada, giant sequoia requires very little introduction. It receives great attention as an icon of western forests and as a common namesake with the areas where it occurs. While it is a single component of a very complex system, its attention in this assessment and in general is well deserved. Giant sequoia is one of the few "destination species" that attracts a wide swath of the public by nature of it simply being present. It draws people, who otherwise may not travel, to a natural environment. The result is an expansion of the public’s sense of natural resource stewardship. Because park managers could not achieve their mission without public support, this fostering role of giant sequoia is critical for park natural resources and is important for natural resources in general. Despite its social relevance and physical size, we re-emphasize here that the giant sequoia resource is a relatively small component of the ecosystems of the southern Sierra Nevada. As is the case with all of the resources assessed in the NRCA, we focus on giant sequoia with the understanding that other resources will be considered simultaneously when evaluating management decisions that impact giant sequoia. While we attempt to explicitly address the interaction of giant sequoia with other resources and stressors, we also realize that ultimately managers will integrate much more information than is presented here when making decisions that influence giant sequoia. The autecology and management issues surrounding giant sequoia have been thoroughly reviewed elsewhere (Harvey et al. 1980, Aune 1994, Stephenson 1996). Stephenson (1996), in particular, should be reviewed when considering any management decisions that potentially impact giant sequoia. For those who may not be familiar with giant sequoia ecology, a summary of basic information is provided in a table below. In some parts of this assessment, we reproduce text from Stephenson

  14. The future of Arctic benthos: Expansion, invasion, and biodiversity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renaud, Paul E.; Sejr, Mikael K.; Bluhm, Bodil A.; Sirenko, Boris; Ellingsen, Ingrid H.

    2015-12-01

    One of the logical predictions for a future Arctic characterized by warmer waters and reduced sea-ice is that new taxa will expand or invade Arctic seafloor habitats. Specific predictions regarding where this will occur and which taxa are most likely to become established or excluded are lacking, however. We synthesize recent studies and conduct new analyses in the context of climate forecasts and a paleontological perspective to make concrete predictions as to relevant mechanisms, regions, and functional traits contributing to future biodiversity changes. Historically, a warmer Arctic is more readily invaded or transited by boreal taxa than it is during cold periods. Oceanography of an ice-free Arctic Ocean, combined with life-history traits of invading taxa and availability of suitable habitat, determine expansion success. It is difficult to generalize as to which taxonomic groups or locations are likely to experience expansion, however, since species-specific, and perhaps population-specific autecologies, will determine success or failure. Several examples of expansion into the Arctic have been noted, and along with the results from the relatively few Arctic biological time-series suggest inflow shelves (Barents and Chukchi Seas), as well as West Greenland and the western Kara Sea, are most likely locations for expansion. Apparent temperature thresholds were identified for characteristic Arctic and boreal benthic fauna suggesting strong potential for range constrictions of Arctic, and expansions of boreal, fauna in the near future. Increasing human activities in the region could speed introductions of boreal fauna and reduce the value of a planktonic dispersal stage. Finally, shelf regions are likely to experience a greater impact, and also one with greater potential consequences, than the deep Arctic basin. Future research strategies should focus on monitoring as well as compiling basic physiological and life-history information of Arctic and boreal taxa, and

  15. Seasonal dynamics and life histories of pelagic cladocerans (Crustacea; Cladocera in an acid boreal lake

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    Jens Petter NILSSEN

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available In the surveyed anthropogenic acidified Lake Gjerstadvann with pH ≈ 5.2 situated in southern Norway, spatial and temporal distribution of three characteristic planktonic cladocerans inhabiting acidified boreal biotopes, Bosmina longispina, Holopedium gibberum, and Diaphanosoma brachyurum, were studied over a period of one year. The major pelagic predator was Eurasian perch, Perca fluviatilis. The local perch probably balanced the cladoceran community and facilitated co-existence of all three species of cladocerans by removing significant portions of B. longispina, which could also be the case in similar types of boreal lakes. Invertebrate predators such as the dipteran larvae Chaoborus flavicans and carnivorous copepods did not seem to influence the cladoceran community. B. longispina was perennial, whereas both H. gibberum and D. brachyurum were recorded only during the ice-free period. The life cycle of these free-living pelagic species ranged from 2-3 in D. brachyurum, 3 in H. gibberum to approximately 6 annual generations in B. longispina. Wintering took place as resting eggs in D. brachyurum and H. gibberum, while B. longispina produced resting eggs in addition to an active planktonic stay. The warm water tolerant D. brachyurum was mainly distributed above the thermocline, whereas H. gibberum also inhabited deeper strata, and B. longispina most vertical strata of the lake. Maximum seasonal clutch volume of B. longispina coincided in time with peak in food abundance and may be a useful parameter to identify planktonic food availability in such lakes. Knowledge of the autecology and life history of species is fundamental for understanding ecosystem stress, such as anthropogenic acidification and recovery through liming or by natural causes. Seasonal depth isoplots combined with life history studies of commonly co-occurring cladoceran species from natural acid and anthropogenic acidified lakes on the Northern Hemisphere seem to be uncommon

  16. An Experimental Insight into Extracellular Phosphatases – Differential Induction of Cell-Specific Activity in Green Algae Cultured under Various Phosphorus Conditions

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    Jaroslav Vrba

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Extracellular phosphatase activity (PA has been used as an overall indicator of P depletion in lake phytoplankton. However, detailed insights into the mechanisms of PA regulation are still limited, especially in the case of acid phosphatases. The novel substrate ELF97 phosphate allows for tagging PA on single cells in an epifluorescence microscope. This fluorescence-labeled enzyme activity (FLEA assay enables for autecological studies in natural phytoplankton and algal cultures. We combined the FLEA assay with image analysis to measure cell-specific acid PA in two closely related species of the genus Coccomyxa (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta isolated from two acidic lakes with distinct P availability. The strains were cultured in a mineral medium supplied with organic (beta-glycerol phosphate or inorganic (orthophosphate P at three concentrations. Both strains responded to experimental conditions in a similar way, suggesting that acid extracellular phosphatases were regulated irrespectively of the origin and history of the strains. We found an increase in cell-specific PA at low P concentration and the cultures grown with organic P produced significantly higher (ca. 10-fold PA than those cultured with the same concentrations of inorganic P. The cell-specific PA measured in the cultures grown with the lowest organic P concentration roughly corresponded to those of the original Coccomyxa population from an acidic lake with impaired P availability. The ability of Coccomyxa strains to produce extracellular phosphatases, together with tolerance for both low pH and metals can be one of the factors enabling the dominance of the genus in extreme conditions of acidic lakes. The analysis of frequency distribution of the single-cell PA documented that simple visual counting of ‘active’ (labeled and ‘non-active’ (non-labeled cells can lead to biased conclusions regarding algal P status because the actual PA of the ‘active’ cells can vary from

  17. KRILLBASE: a circumpolar database of Antarctic krill and salp numerical densities, 1926-2016

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atkinson, Angus; Hill, Simeon L.; Pakhomov, Evgeny A.; Siegel, Volker; Anadon, Ricardo; Chiba, Sanae; Daly, Kendra L.; Downie, Rod; Fielding, Sophie; Fretwell, Peter; Gerrish, Laura; Hosie, Graham W.; Jessopp, Mark J.; Kawaguchi, So; Krafft, Bjørn A.; Loeb, Valerie; Nishikawa, Jun; Peat, Helen J.; Reiss, Christian S.; Ross, Robin M.; Quetin, Langdon B.; Schmidt, Katrin; Steinberg, Deborah K.; Subramaniam, Roshni C.; Tarling, Geraint A.; Ward, Peter

    2017-03-01

    Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and salps are major macroplankton contributors to Southern Ocean food webs and krill are also fished commercially. Managing this fishery sustainably, against a backdrop of rapid regional climate change, requires information on distribution and time trends. Many data on the abundance of both taxa have been obtained from net sampling surveys since 1926, but much of this is stored in national archives, sometimes only in notebooks. In order to make these important data accessible we have collated available abundance data (numerical density, no. m-2) of postlarval E. superba and salp individual (multiple species, and whether singly or in chains). These were combined into a central database, KRILLBASE, together with environmental information, standardisation and metadata. The aim is to provide a temporal-spatial data resource to support a variety of research such as biogeochemistry, autecology, higher predator foraging and food web modelling in addition to fisheries management and conservation. Previous versions of KRILLBASE have led to a series of papers since 2004 which illustrate some of the potential uses of this database. With increasing numbers of requests for these data we here provide an updated version of KRILLBASE that contains data from 15 194 net hauls, including 12 758 with krill abundance data and 9726 with salp abundance data. These data were collected by 10 nations and span 56 seasons in two epochs (1926-1939 and 1976-2016). Here, we illustrate the seasonal, inter-annual, regional and depth coverage of sampling, and provide both circumpolar- and regional-scale distribution maps. Krill abundance data have been standardised to accommodate variation in sampling methods, and we have presented these as well as the raw data. Information is provided on how to screen, interpret and use KRILLBASE to reduce artefacts in interpretation, with contact points for the main data providers. The DOI for the published data set is doi:10

  18. Dissimilar responses of larch stands in northern Siberia to increasing temperatures-a field and simulation based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wieczorek, Mareike; Kruse, Stefan; Epp, Laura S; Kolmogorov, Alexei; Nikolaev, Anatoly N; Heinrich, Ingo; Jeltsch, Florian; Pestryakova, Lyudmila A; Zibulski, Romy; Herzschuh, Ulrike

    2017-09-01

    Arctic and alpine treelines worldwide differ in their reactions to climate change. A northward advance of or densification within the treeline ecotone will likely influence climate-vegetation feedback mechanisms. In our study, which was conducted in the Taimyr Depression in the North Siberian Lowlands, w present a combined field- and model-based approach helping us to better understand the population processes involved in the responses of the whole treeline ecotone, spanning from closed forest to single-tree tundra, to climate warming. Using information on stand structure, tree age, and seed quality and quantity from seven sites, we investigate effects of intra-specific competition and seed availability on the specific impact of recent climate warming on larch stands. Field data show that tree density is highest in the forest-tundra, and average tree size decreases from closed forest to single-tree tundra. Age-structure analyses indicate that the trees in the closed forest and forest-tundra have been present for at least ~240 yr. At all sites except the most southerly ones, past establishment is positively correlated with regional temperature increase. In the single-tree tundra, however, a change in growth form from krummholz to erect trees, beginning ~130 yr ago, rather than establishment date has been recorded. Seed mass decreases from south to north, while seed quantity increases. Simulations with LAVESI (Larix Vegetation Simulator) further suggest that relative density changes strongly in response to a warming signal in the forest-tundra while intra-specific competition limits densification in the closed forest and seed limitation hinders densification in the single-tree tundra. We find striking differences in strength and timing of responses to recent climate warming. While forest-tundra stands recently densified, recruitment is almost non-existent at the southern and northern end of the ecotone due to autecological processes. Palaeo-treelines may therefore

  19. Flora e aspectos auto-ecológicos de um encrave de cerrado na chapada do Araripe, Nordeste do Brasil Flora and autecology's aspects of a disjunction cerrado at Araripe plateau, Northeastern Brazil

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    Itayguara Ribeiro da Costa

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Este trabalho visa conhecer a composição e riqueza florística, os padrões fenológicos reprodutivos, as síndromes de dispersão e as formas de vida das espécies de uma disjunção de cerrado em clima semi-árido, na chapada do Araripe, Estado do Ceará. Foram encontradas 107 espécies e 41 famílias. Fabaceae, Myrtaceae, Poaceae, Apocynaceae, Euphorbiaceae e Malpighiaceae foram as mais ricas em espécies. Foi feita a distribuição geográfica de 47 espécies arbustivas e arbóreas em 27 listagens de cerrados brasileiros. Doze espécies apresentaram ampla distribuição geográfica e 13 foram registradas apenas neste trabalho. Cerca de 76% das espécies floresceram e frutificaram no período chuvoso. As síndromes de dispersão predominantes foram: zoocoria, autocoria e anemocoria. O espectro biológico foi predominantemente constituído por fanerófitos (50,7%, hemicriptófitos (14,9% e caméfitos (13,1%. O cerrado estudado apresentou menor riqueza taxonômica que os cerrados contínuos e comportamento das fenofases reprodutivas, percentagem de síndromes de dispersão e formas de vida similares.This study subject to investigate the floristic composition and richness, the reproductive phenological patterns, the dispersal syndromes and life forms of species of a disjunt cerrado in semiarid climate at Araripe plateau during a one year period. We found 107 species and 41 families. Fabaceae, Myrtaceae, Poaceae, Apocynaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Malpighiaceae showed the largest number of species. For 47 of the woody species found, we studied the geographical distribution based on 27 papers of the Brazilian cerrados. Twelve species are of widespread occurence in the cerrado, and 13 are restricted to the Araripe plateau. Zoocory, autocory, and anemocory are the predominant syndromes of dispersal. The predominant life forms were phanerophytes (50.7%, hemicriptophytes (14.9% and camephytes (13.1%. The cerrado of Araripe have lower species richness than continous cerrados, but a similar pattern of reproductive phenology, dispersal syndromes and life forms in more humid zones.

  20. ESTRUTURA POPULACIONAL E REGENERAÇÃO DE ESPÉCIES ARBÓREAS NA FLORESTA NACIONAL DE SÃO FRANCISCO DE PAULA, RIO GRANDE DO SUL

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    Angela Luciana de Avila

    2016-01-01

    disturbance levels. Therefore, the results suggest the importance of taking into account the different vegetation groups, the species autecology and to apply possible interventions that aim to improve regeneration and balance the population dynamics of these species.

  1. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) pollination in California's Central Valley is limited by native bee nest site location.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sardiñas, Hillary S; Tom, Kathleen; Ponisio, Lauren Catherine; Rominger, Andrew; Kremen, Claire

    2016-03-01

    within sunflower fields, with edges receiving higher coverage than field centers. To generate more accurate maps of services, we advocate directly measuring the autecology of ecosystem service providers, which vary by crop system, pollinator species, and region. Improving estimates of the factors affecting pollinator populations can increase the accuracy of pollination service maps and help clarify the influence of farming practices on wild bees occurring in agricultural landscapes.

  2. Autecology Essential Oil Composition, Antibacterial, Anti Candidacies and Ethnopharmacological Survey of Ferula Gummosa L. As Anti Infection to Treat Of Vaginal Infections in Traditional Medicine of Razavi Khorasan Province (North East of Iran

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    Mazandarani Masoumeh

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Ferula gummosa Boiss. (Apiaceae family, which has been used in traditional medicine of Iran as anti vaginal infection, anti-sinusitis, sedative, and anti-inflammation. Materials and Methods: In this research, the gums of plant root were collected from the Heidary nature reserve in Razavi Khorasan Province (Iran in August 2012. The ethnopharmacological data about traditional uses of plant were obtained from the rural healers (women 67-75 year of this region. Essential oil of the plant root gum was obtained by hydrodistillation (Clevenger apparatus and was analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Antibacterial activity of plant ethanolic extract was studied in vitro against Candida albicans and 9 Gram-positive and negative bacteria using well method and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC assay. Results: Results showed that a total of 39 components have been identified in the plant sampl oil, representing 81% of the total oil and β-pinene (19.88%, guaiol (8%, shyobunone (6.96%, delta-cadinene (4.65%, α-pinene (3.16 %, β-phellandrene (3.28% and myrtenol (2.8%, were the main essential oil composition, respectively. The results from antibacterial screening (Table 2, were showed that C. albicans (25.2 ± 1.6, Staphylococcus epidermidis (23.6 ± 0.7 mm, Staphylococcus aureus (21.3 ± 0.2 mm, Escherichia coli (16.5 ± 0.8 mm, Bacillus cereus (19.5 ± 0.1 mm, Enterococcus faecalis (17.2 ± 0.8 mm and Pseudomonas aeroginosa ( 17.8 ± 0.2 mm inhibition zone and MIC (35.4-112 μg/ml were the most sensitive pathogenes to the plant extract respectively, which followed Shigella (12.3 ± 0.3 mm and Klebsiella pneumonia (12.5 ± 0.2 mm were found to be moderate sensitive bacteria and then the Salmonella typhymorium which completely was resistant to plant root extract. Conclusion: According to these results, it can be concluded that the extract of F. gummosa L. have suitable antimicrobial and anti-Candidacies activity, which can be used as natural anti-infection to treat of many infection diseases, especially in vaginal infection.

  3. Assessment of Nonnative Invasive Plants in the DOE Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Drake, S.J.

    2002-11-05

    forms. Results of this research can be used to prioritize management and research activities related to these invasive taxa on the Research Park as a whole and for specific Natural or Reference Areas. Additional research on the autecology and synecology of each species surveyed is suggested. In particular, research should focus on assessing the impacts of these species on the invaded plant and animal communities and ecosystems. Finally, this ranking system could be used to similarly rank the many other nonnative, invasive species present on the Research Park not included in this study.

  4. DICKINSARTELLA FAUNA FROM THE SAIWAN FORMATION (OMAN: A BIVALVE FAUNA TESTIFYING TO THE LATE SAKMARIAN (EARLY PERMIAN CLIMATIC AMELIORATION ALONG THE NORTH-EASTERN GONDWANAN FRINGE.

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    CRISTIANO LARGHI

    2005-11-01

    Dickinsartella Fauna and confirms the correlation between Arabian and Australian series already remarked by previous authors. The "Dickinsartella fauna" is the first bivalve fauna testifying to the climatic amelioration gradually affecting the North-Eastern Gondwanan fringe at the end of the Early Permian glacial events. This pioneer fauna spread out, probably in a cool-temperate climate, on the substrate provided by the mid-Sakmarian (basal Sterlitamakian transgression, connected with the final stages of the Gondwanan deglaciation and/or with initial sea-floor spreading in the Neotethys. In the present paper some remarks on the autecology of the new species from the "Pachycyrtella bed" are also discussed.

  5. Population dynamics and bioenergetics of a fossorial herbivore, Thomomys talpoides (Rodentia: Geomyidae), in a spruce-fir sere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersen, Douglas C.; MacMahon, James A.

    1981-01-01

    through the first year was comparable to adult annual rates. The fertility rate was 3.75 young • female-1 • yr-1. The energy supply and demand analyses indicate that the growth of Thomomys talpoides populations in the early seral stages is seldom directly limited by the amount of food present. From our demographic, environmental, and autecological studies we conclude that stochastic events associated with weather affect energy acquisition (burrowing) rates, and thus survivorship. In montane environments, such events may prevent populations from attaining sizes at which territorial behavior would hypothetically limit further increases. The energy flow through the meadow population at moderate to high )1976-1977) densities (at least 1100 MJ • ha-1 • yr-1) indicates that pocket gophers are proficient energy movers relative to non-fossorial small mammals. Subalpine T. talpoides populations appear commonly to attain such densities. More than 30% of the annual primary productivity allocated to belowground parts of meadow forbs may be consumed by gophers.

  6. The early to mid-Miocene environment of Antarctica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashworth, A. C.; Lewis, A.

    2012-12-01

    assemblage is at treeline and higher on Isla Navarino (55°S) at the southern tip of South America. By mid-Miocene, the upland tundra biota was less diverse, most notably in the number of angiosperm taxa. Based on the autecology and geographic distributions of the descendants of the fossil biota which survive in the subantarctic islands, South America and Tasmania, there was a decline of mean summer temperatures from c. 6°C to c. 4°C from the early to the mid-Miocene. During the early Miocene, the MST of the TAM was c.19°C warmer than today. A paleotemperature estimate based on leaf waxes from a Ross Sea core is for a MST 11°C warmer than today which seems low considering it is based on a near sea-level vegetation. A recent paper utilizing a salt-hydration process to provide adequate moisture to support a Miocene tundra biota is based on erroneous data. The Miocene climate was wet with an annual precipitation of at least 3000 mm. A recent report of the possible survival of vegetation in the Taylor Valley until the Pliocene, based on the discovery of 5 Ma wood-like forms in a DVDP core, is improbable. Even if wood can be definitively identified from the Pliocene deposits it is likely to be reworked Miocene wood from uplands in the TAM (e.g. Friis Hills). Research supported by NSF OPP 0739693.

  7. Feeding behavior of Frontonia leucas (Ehrenberg (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Hymenostomatida under different environmental conditions in a lotic system Comportamento alimentar de Frontonia leucas (Ehrenberg (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Hymenostomatida sob diferentes condições ambientais em um sistema lótico

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    Roberto Júnio P. Dias

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to record and describe the morphological changes and the ingestion mechanisms of Frontonia leucas (Ehrenberg, 1833 according to the food type and to relate the food ingested with the different environmental conditions in a lotic system, namely São Pedro stream, located in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We sampled three points on a monthly basis from August 2002 to June 2003, each of which receiving different levels of untreated sewage. We prepared culture media for the ciliate specimens containing filtered water from each point and the types of food observed inside F. leucas (cyanobacteria, diatoms, desmids and testate amoebas. We observed the ingestion mechanisms of F. leucas in vivo, under a phase contrast optical microscope, using instantaneous sampling and sequence sampling as behavior observation methods, noting the following parameters: dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, conductivity and water temperature. We noted the F. leucas ciliates ingesting diatoms and desmids at collection point 1 and filamentous cyanobacteria, testate amoebas (Arcella and Centropyxis and rotifers at points 2 and 3. The present work records for the first time the ingestion of testate amoebas of the genus Centropyxis by F. leucas. We noted five ingestion mechanisms by F. leucas while feeding on cyanobacteria and testate amoebas of the genus Centropyxis, three of these related to the ciliary action and two involving physical changes in the cytoplasm. For ingestion of diatoms, desmid (Closterium and Arcella, the mechanisms involving ciliary action alone were sufficient for ingestion, since these preys are smaller than the ciliate under study. The autecological data registered for F. leucas were 1.98-8.01 mg l-1 O2, pH 6.9-8.73, 58-390 µS/cm and 19.5-26.2ºC, confirming its ample ecological valence.O objetivo do presente trabalho foi registrar e descrever as alterações morfológicas e os mecanismos de ingest