scholarly journals Horse ranching increases biodiversity in a foothills parkland prairie in northern Kananaskis Country, western Alberta

2015 ◽  
Vol 129 (1) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Paul M. Catling ◽  
Brenda Kostiuk ◽  
Don Thompson

Vascular plant biodiversity was evaluated in two adjacent sections of a continuous prairie glade. One section has been subject to moderate grazing by feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) in late summer and fall for the past 25 years, while the other has been protected. From 28 June to 2 July 2009, we recorded cover for all vascular plants present in ten 1-m2 quadrats along five transects in each section. We calculated biodiversity measures, including species richness, evenness, and Shannon-Wiener and Simpson’s diversity indexes. Horse grazing did not affect richness but significantly increased evenness. Grazing increased the Shannon-Wiener index, but did not affect the Simpson’s index. Cover and frequency values for most species differed significantly between the two sites. Mountain Rough Fescue (Festuca campestris Rydberg) dominated the non-grazed site but several shorter grasses and different forbs dominated the grazed site. The plant community in the grazed areas can be seen as an earlier seral stage of the fescue community with a different contingent of plant species. Light grazing in part of the prairie glade increased overall plant diversity so that it provided more diverse animal habitat.

Mycorrhiza ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace A. Hoysted ◽  
Jill Kowal ◽  
Silvia Pressel ◽  
Jeffrey G. Duckett ◽  
Martin I. Bidartondo ◽  
...  

AbstractNon-vascular plants associating with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AMF) and Mucoromycotina ‘fine root endophyte’ (MFRE) fungi derive greater benefits from their fungal associates under higher atmospheric [CO2] (a[CO2]) than ambient; however, nothing is known about how changes in a[CO2] affect MFRE function in vascular plants. We measured movement of phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) between the lycophyte Lycopodiella inundata and Mucoromycotina fine root endophyte fungi using 33P-orthophosphate, 15 N-ammonium chloride and 14CO2 isotope tracers under ambient and elevated a[CO2] concentrations of 440 and 800 ppm, respectively. Transfers of 33P and 15 N from MFRE to plants were unaffected by changes in a[CO2]. There was a slight increase in C transfer from plants to MFRE under elevated a[CO2]. Our results demonstrate that the exchange of C-for-nutrients between a vascular plant and Mucoromycotina FRE is largely unaffected by changes in a[CO2]. Unravelling the role of MFRE in host plant nutrition and potential C-for-N trade changes between symbionts under different abiotic conditions is imperative to further our understanding of the past, present and future roles of plant-fungal symbioses in ecosystems.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-82
Author(s):  
Lyubov Aleksandrovna Novikova ◽  
Vladimir Mikhailovich Vasjukov ◽  
Tatiana Viktorovna Gorbushina

15 sites with saline soils have been identified and described in the Penza Region. Only 2 of them have a status of a nature sanctuary. They are the Solontsovaya Steppe in the Luninsky District and the Danilovskaya Solontsovaya Polyana in the Maloserdobinsky District. The other 13 sites are proposed to be included in the existing system of specially protected natural territories of the Penza Region as nature sanctuaries. They are Zhmakinsky Solonetz, Kaysarovsky Solonetz (Kolyshley District); Litvinovsky Solonetz (Lopatinsky District); Chunak Solontsovaya Glade, Korzovaya Hollow (Maloserdobinsky District); Kellerovsky Solonetz, Mansurovsky Solonetz, Karnovarsky Solonetz (Neverkinsky District); Olshansky Solonetz, Andreevsky Solonetz, Vasilyevsky Solonetz (Penza District); Serdobsky Solonetz, Krasny Solonetz (Serdobsky District). We provide the following data for each site. This is the history of discovery (dates, researches), location, belonging to the basins of large rivers, approximate area, information about economic use in the past and the degree of anthropogenic disturbances, the characteristics of the relief and soil. The main attention is paid to the description of the nature of the distribution of halophilic vegetation, depending on the degree of salinity and soil moisture. Data on the steppes vegetation, meadows and swamps found in the described sites are also given. Dominant and rare species of vascular plants (in The Red Book of the Penza Region) are listed.


Author(s):  
Victor Sukristik ◽  
Olga Sumina ◽  
Irina Sorokina

Herbarium collections are a valuable information source for a comprehensive analysis of regional plant biodiversity including dynamics of red-listed species. With the use of records in the Leningrad region (herbarium collections since the 18th century and scientific publications over the period from 2000 to 2014) a database of red-listed vascular plants was created. The database consists of 6745 unique records dating from 1779 to 2014. The changes in collection effort and distribution of floristic observations of the Leningrad region which have occurred over the last 200 years are demonstrated. The South-West districts of the region remain the most observed, and Eastern areas are still less studied during the whole period. The other biases caused by and limitations in using the records are discussed. Refs 27. Figs 3.


PhytoKeys ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 160 ◽  
pp. 7-43
Author(s):  
Jamilah Mohd Salim ◽  
Gaik Ee Lee ◽  
Muhamad Razali Salam ◽  
Salwa Shahimi ◽  
Elizabeth Pesiu ◽  
...  

The Setiu Wetlands, a unique area with nine interconnected habitats, comprises a considerable fraction of the total Peninsular Malaysia’s wetland flora. Although botanical collecting in the area has been active in the past 10 years, only a few studies dealing with the wetland flora have been published. Thus, a detailed checklist of this area is urgently needed to ensure the continuity of its inter-relating flora and fauna, as well as the livelihood of the local people. In this work we conducted a survey of the vascular plant flora of Setiu Wetlands and investigated the most important plants used by the local communities. Our checklist accounts for 406 taxa from 277 genera and 106 families, including 24 (6%) species of ferns and lycophytes, three gymnosperms, 257 (64%) dicotyledons and 122 (30%) monocotyledons. This comprehensive plant checklist will be a primary reference for the management of the newly gazetted Setiu Wetlands State Park covering more than 400 hectares of lands and water bodies.


Author(s):  
K. T. Tokuyasu

During the past investigations of immunoferritin localization of intracellular antigens in ultrathin frozen sections, we found that the degree of negative staining required to delineate u1trastructural details was often too dense for the recognition of ferritin particles. The quality of positive staining of ultrathin frozen sections, on the other hand, has generally been far inferior to that attainable in conventional plastic embedded sections, particularly in the definition of membranes. As we discussed before, a main cause of this difficulty seemed to be the vulnerability of frozen sections to the damaging effects of air-water surface tension at the time of drying of the sections.Indeed, we found that the quality of positive staining is greatly improved when positively stained frozen sections are protected against the effects of surface tension by embedding them in thin layers of mechanically stable materials at the time of drying (unpublished).


Author(s):  
Prakash Rao

Image shifts in out-of-focus dark field images have been used in the past to determine, for example, epitaxial relationships in thin films. A recent extension of the use of dark field image shifts has been to out-of-focus images in conjunction with stereoviewing to produce an artificial stereo image effect. The technique, called through-focus dark field electron microscopy or 2-1/2D microscopy, basically involves obtaining two beam-tilted dark field images such that one is slightly over-focus and the other slightly under-focus, followed by examination of the two images through a conventional stereoviewer. The elevation differences so produced are usually unrelated to object positions in the thin foil and no specimen tilting is required.In order to produce this artificial stereo effect for the purpose of phase separation and identification, it is first necessary to select a region of the diffraction pattern containing more than just one discrete spot, with the objective aperture.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 28-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. A. Baranovski

Nowadays, bioecological characteristics of species are the basis for flora and vegetation studying on the different levels. Bioecological characteristics of species is required in process of flora studying on the different levels such as biotopes or phytocenoses, floras of particular areas (floras of ecologically homogeneous habitats), and floras of certain territories. Ramensky scale is the one of first detailed ecological scales on plant species ordination in relation to various environmental factors; it developed in 1938 (Ramensky, 1971). A little later (1941), Pogrebnyak’s scale of forest stands was proposed. Ellenberg’s system developed in 1950 (Ellenberg, 1979) and Tsyganov’s system (Tsyganov, 1975) are best known as the systems of ecological scales on vascular plant species; these systems represent of habitat detection by ecotopic ecomorphs of plant species (phytoindication). Basically, the system proposed by Alexander Lyutsianovich Belgard was the one of first system of plant species that identiified ectomorphs in relation to environmental factors. As early as 1950, Belgard developed the tabulated system of ecomorphs using the Latin ecomorphs abbreviation; he also used the terminology proposed in the late 19th century by Dekandol (1956) and Warming (1903), as well as terminology of other authors. The article analyzes the features of Belgard’s system of ecomorphs on vascular plants. It has certain significance and advantages over other systems of ecomorphs. The use of abbreviated Latin names of ecomorphs in tabular form enables the use shortened form of ones. In the working scheme of Belgard’s system of ecomorphs relation of species to environmental factors are represented in the abbreviated Latin alphabetic version (Belgard, 1950). Combined into table, the ecomorphic analysis of plant species within association (ecological certification of species), biotope or area site (water area) gives an explicit pattern on ecological structure of flora within surveyed community, biotope or landscape, and on environmental conditions. Development and application by Belgrard the cenomorphs as «species’ adaptation to phytocenosis as a whole» were completely new in the development of systems of ecomorphs and, in this connection, different coenomorphs were distinguished. Like any concept, the system of ecomorphs by Belgard has the possibility and necessity to be developed and added. Long-time researches and analysis of literature sources allow to propose a new coenomorph in the context of Belgard’s system of ecomorphs development: silvomargoant (species of forest margin, from the Latin words margo – edge, boundary (Dvoretsky, 1976), margo – margin, ad margins silvarum – along the deciduous forest margins). As an example of ecomorphic characterization of species according to the system of ecomorphs by Belgard (when the abbreviated Latin ecomorph names are used in tabular form and the proposed cenomorph is used), it was given the part of the table on vascular plants ecomorphs in the National Nature Park «Orelsky» (Baranovsky et al). The Belgard’s system of ecomorphs is particularly convenient and can be successfully applied to data processing in the ecological analysis of the flora on wide areas with significant species richness, and the proposed ecomorph will be another necessary element in the Belgard’s system of ecomorphs. 


2010 ◽  
Vol 51 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 215-224
Author(s):  
Alexander Carpenter

This paper explores Arnold Schoenberg’s curious ambivalence towards Haydn. Schoenberg recognized Haydn as an important figure in the German serious music tradition, but never closely examined or clearly articulated Haydn’s influence and import on his own musical style and ethos, as he did with many other major composers. This paper argues that Schoenberg failed to explicitly recognize Haydn as a major influence because he saw Haydn as he saw himself, namely as a somewhat ungainly, paradoxical figure, with one foot in the past and one in the future. In his voluminous writings on music, Haydn is mentioned by Schoenberg far less frequently than Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven, and his music appears rarely as examples in Schoenberg’s theoretical texts. When Schoenberg does talk about Haydn’s music, he invokes — with tacit negativity — its accessibility, counterpoising it with more recondite music, such as Beethoven’s, or his own. On the other hand, Schoenberg also praises Haydn for his complex, irregular phrasing and harmonic exploration. Haydn thus appears in Schoenberg’s writings as a figure invested with ambivalence: a key member of the First Viennese triumvirate, but at the same time he is curiously phantasmal, and is accorded a peripheral place in Schoenberg’s version of the canon and his own musical genealogy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kempe Ronald Hope

Countries with positive per capita real growth are characterised by positive national savings—including government savings, increases in government investment, and strong increases in private savings and investment. On the other hand, countries with negative per capita real growth tend to be characterised by declines in savings and investment. During the past several decades, Kenya’s emerging economy has undergone many changes and economic performance has been epitomised by periods of stability, decline, or unevenness. This article discusses and analyses the record of economic performance and public finance in Kenya during the period 1960‒2010, as well as policies and other factors that have influenced that record in this emerging economy. 


2018 ◽  
pp. 149-154

Vera Antonovna Martynenko (17.02.1936–06.01.2018) — famous specialist in the field of studying vascular plant flora and vegetation of the Far North, the Honored worker of the Komi Republic (2006), The Komi Republic State Scientific Award winner (2000). She was born in the town Likhoslavl of the Kali­nin (Tver) region. In 1959, Vera Antonovna graduated from the faculty of soil and biology of the Leningrad State University and then moved to the Komi Branch of USSR Academy of Science (Syktyvkar). From 1969 to 1973 she passed correspondence postgraduate courses of the Komi Branch of USSR Academy of ­Science. In 1974, she received the degree of candidate of biology (PhD) by the theme «Comparative analysis of the boreal flora at the Northeast European USSR» in the Botanical Institute (St. Petersburg). In 1996, Vera Antonovna received the degree of doctor of biology in the Institute of plant and animal ecology (Ekaterinburg) «Flora of the northern and mid subzones of the taiga of the European North-East». The study and conservation of species and coenotical diversity of the plant world, namely the vascular plants flora of the Komi Republic and revealing its transformation under the anthropogenic influence, was in the field of V. A. Martynenko’ scientific interests. She made great contribution to the study of the Komi Republic meadow flora and the pool of medi­cinal plants. She performed inventorying and mapping the meadows of several agricultural enterprises of the Republic, revealed the species composition and places for harvesting medicinal plants and studied their productivity in the natural flora of the boreal zone. The results of her long-term studies were used for making the NPA system and the Red Book of the Komi Republic (1998 and 2009). Vera Antonovna participated in the research of the influence of placer gold mining and oil development on the natural ecosystems of the North, and developed the method of long-term monitoring of plant cover. Results of these works are of high practical value. V. A. Martynenko is an author and coauthor of more than 130 scientific publications. The most important jnes are «Flora of Northeast European USSR» (1974, 1976, and 1977), «Floristic composition of fodder lands of the Northeast Europe» (1989), «The forests of the Komi Republic» (1999), «Forestry of forest resources of the Komi Republic» (2000), «The list of flora of the Yugyd va national park» (2003), «The guide for vascular plants of the Syktyvkar and its vicinities» (2005), «Vascular plants of the Komi Republic» (2008), and «Resources of the natural flora of the Komi Republic» (2014). She also was an author of «Encyclopedia of the Komi Republic» (1997, 1999, and 2000), «Historical and cultural atlas of the Komi Republic» (1997), «Atlas of the Komi Republic» (2001, 2011). V. A. Martynenko made a great contribution to the development of the botanical investigations in the North. Since 1982, during more than 10 years, she was the head of the Department of the Institute of Biology. Three Ph. D. theses have been completed under her leadership. Many years, she worked actively in the Dissertation Council of the Institute of biology Komi Scientific Centre UrB RAS.  The death of Vera Antonovna Martynenko is a heavy and irretrievable loss for the staff of the Institute of Biology. The memory of Vera Antonovna will live in her numerous scientific works, the hearts of students and colleagues.


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