scholarly journals Distributional Patterns of Aquatic Empididae (Diptera) along an Elevational Diversity Gradient in a Low Mountain Range: An Example from Central Europe

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 165
Author(s):  
Iwona Słowińska ◽  
Radomir Jaskuła
Keyword(s):  
Central Europe ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Diversity Pattern ◽  
Diversity Gradient ◽  
Mean Width ◽  
Low Mountain Range ◽  
Predatory Insects

The two subfamilies Hemerodromiinae and Clinocerinae, also known as aquatic dance flies, are a group of small predatory insects occurring mainly in mountainous areas and the northern temperate. However, very little is known about distribution patterns for most of the species. Habitat preferences for 40 aquatic empidid species were analysed in the Pieniny Mts., Poland. Forty-six sampling sites from a major part of this relatively low mountain massif (400–770 m) were chosen, for which 17 micro and macrohabitat environmental variables were measured including both abiotic (altitude, stream mean width and depth, and shading) and biotic factors (13 dominant plant communities). Here we show that numerous studied aquatic Empididae were characterized by unique habitat preferences and were restricted to the foothills or the lower montane zone with only a few species characterized by wider elevational distribution. Chelifera pectinicauda, C. flavella, C. subangusta and Phyllodromia melanocephala (Hemerodromiinae), and Clinocera appendiculata, C. fontinalis, C. wesmaeli, Dolichocephala guttata, D. oblongoguttata, Kowarzia plectrum, Wiedemannia jazdzewskii, and W. thienemanni (Clinocerinae) were clearly associated with the highest altitudes and shaded areas while W. bistigma, W. lamellata, W. phantasma, and W. tricuspidata (Clinocerinae) were clearly associated with the lower elevated, wider stream valleys overgrown by willow brakes. Species richness and diversity decreased along elevational gradient with the hump-shaped diversity pattern noted for the subfamily Clinocerinae. The altitude, size of river/stream as well as the type of plant community were found as the most important factors in the distribution of the studied aquatic empidid species. The present study is the first one focused on elevational diversity gradient and habitat preferences of Hemerodromiinae and Clinocerinae of central Europe, and one of only a few in the world.

scholarly journals Role of ploidy in colonization of alpine habitats in natural populations of Arabidopsis arenosa

2019 ◽  
Vol 124 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Wos ◽  
Jana Mořkovská ◽  
Magdalena Bohutínská ◽  
Gabriela Šrámková ◽  
Adam Knotek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Niche ◽  
Demographic History ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Niche Differentiation ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Genome Doubling ◽  
Arabidopsis Arenosa

Abstract Background and Aims Polyploidy is an important driver of plant diversification and adaptation to novel environments. As a consequence of genome doubling, polyploids often exhibit greater colonizing ability or occupy a wider ecological niche than diploids. Although elevation has been traditionally considered as a key driver structuring ploidy variation, we do not know if environmental and phenotypic differentiation among ploidy cytotypes varies along an elevational gradient. Here, we tested for the consequences of genome duplication on genetic diversity, phenotypic variation and habitat preferences on closely related diploid and tetraploid populations that coexist along approx. 2300 m of varying elevation. Methods We sampled and phenotyped 45 natural diploid and tetraploid populations of Arabidopsis arenosa in one mountain range in Central Europe (Western Carpathians) and recorded abiotic and biotic variables at each collection site. We inferred genetic variation, population structure and demographic history in a sub-set of 29 populations genotyped for approx. 36 000 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Key Results We found minor effects of polyploidy on colonization of alpine stands and low genetic differentiation between the two cytotypes, mirroring recent divergence of the polyploids from the local diploid lineage and repeated reticulation events among the cytotypes. This pattern was corroborated by the absence of ecological niche differentiation between the two cytotypes and overall phenotypic similarity at a given elevation. Conclusions The case of A. arenosa contrasts with previous studies that frequently showed clear niche differentiation between cytotypes. Our work stresses the importance of considering genetic structure and past demographic processes when interpreting the patterns of ploidy distributions, especially in species that underwent recent polyploidization events.

A Revision of Corded Ware Settlement Pattern –New Results from the Central European Low Mountain Range

2009 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 125-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Müller ◽  
Timo Seregély ◽  
Cornelia Becker ◽  
Anne-Mette Christensen ◽  
Markus Fuchs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Settlement Pattern ◽  
Social Organisation ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Research Strategies ◽  
Central European ◽  
New Information ◽  
The Social ◽  
Low Mountain Range

The excavation of the Wattendorf-Motzenstein Corded Ware settlement in Franconia (Germany) has yielded new information with regard to the architecture, economy, and ritual activities, as well as the social organisation of Final Neolithic groups in Central Europe. The settlement is dated to 2660–2470 cal BC and was an agrarian community. Detailed analyses of the material culture combined with biological and pedological parameters allowed new interpretations regarding Corded Ware economies as well as domestic and ritual spheres. The settlement contained about 35 individuals at most, who were organised in fewer than eight households. The exceptional results obtained call for further research strategies to be developed.

SWAT-G, a version of SWAT99.2 modified for application to low mountain range catchments

2002 ◽  
Vol 27 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 641-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Eckhardt ◽  
S Haverkamp ◽  
N Fohrer ◽  
H.-G Frede
Keyword(s):  
Mountain Range ◽  
Low Mountain Range

Quantification of Hortonian overland flow generation and soil erosion in a Central European low mountain range using rainfall experiments

CATENA ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 113 ◽  
pp. 202-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Butzen ◽  
M. Seeger ◽  
S. Wirtz ◽  
M. Huemann ◽  
C. Mueller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Overland Flow ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Central European ◽  
Flow Generation ◽  
Low Mountain Range

scholarly journals Genetic diversity and dispersal potential of the stonefly Dinocras cephalotes in a central European low mountain range

2014 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasco Elbrecht ◽  
Christian K. Feld ◽  
Maria Gies ◽  
Daniel Hering ◽  
Martin Sondermann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Central European ◽  
Dispersal Potential ◽  
Low Mountain Range

scholarly journals Species Richness, Abundance and Functional Diversity of a Bat Community along an Elevational Gradient in the Espinhaço Mountain Range, Southeastern Brazil

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo De Rodrigues Coelho ◽  
Adriano Pereira Paglia ◽  
Arleu Barbosa Viana-Junior ◽  
Luiz A. Dolabela Falcão ◽  
Guilherme B. Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Mountain Range

Diversity, distribution and changes in communities of fleas on small mammals along the elevational gradient from the Pannonian Plain to the Carpathian Mountains

Parasitology ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Ivan Baláž ◽  
Michal Ševčík ◽  
Filip Tulis ◽  
Martina Zigová ◽  
Alexander Dudich
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Causal Chain ◽  
Flea Species ◽  
High Altitudes ◽  
Spatial Change ◽  
Diversity Gradient ◽  
Pannonian Plain ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Unimodal Pattern

Abstract The causal chain of parasite–host–environment interactions, the so-called ‘dual parasite environment’, makes studying parasites more complicated than other wild organisms. A sample of 65 282 fleas taken from 336 different locations were analysed for changes in the distribution, diversity and compensation of flea communities found on small mammals along an elevational diversity gradient ranging from the Pannonian Plain to the base of the Carpathian summits. The fleas were divided into four groups, which were derived from changes in abundance and occurrence determined from cluster analysis. They are (1) flea species whose range seems unrelated to any change in elevation; (2) species that avoid high altitudes; (3) a group that can be subdivided into two types: (i) host-specific fleas and (ii) mountains species and (4) species opting for high altitudes on the gradient or preferring lower to middle elevations below 1000 m. Our study showed a unimodal pattern of flea diversity along the elevational gradient. It indicated that seasonality significantly conditions changes in biodiversity and patterns of spatial change along the elevational gradient, with specific flea species influenced by their host, while the impact of environmental conditions is more pronounced in opportunistic flea species.

Fire–vegetation relationships during the last glacial cycle in a low mountain range (Eifel, Germany)

2021 ◽  
Vol 562 ◽  
pp. 110140
Author(s):  
Arne Kappenberg ◽  
Wulf Amelung ◽  
Nadine Conze ◽  
Frank Sirocko ◽  
Eva Lehndorff
Keyword(s):  
Mountain Range ◽  
Glacial Cycle ◽  
Last Glacial ◽  
Low Mountain Range ◽  
The Last Glacial

Exploring high-mountain limnic faunas: discovery of a novel endemic bivalve species (Sphaeriidae : Pisidium) in the Nepal Himalayas

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrich Bößneck ◽  
Catharina Clewing ◽  
Christian Albrecht
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetics ◽  
Nuclear Data ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Shell Morphology ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Field Surveys ◽  
The Past ◽  
A New Species

High-mountain regions are known to harbour considerable biodiversity, although it is not all well known. The terrestrial fauna of the world’s largest mountain range, the Himalayas, has been moderately well studied, but this is not the case with the limnic fauna, and especially molluscs. During intensive malacozoological field surveys conducted over the past 20 years, the bivalve family Sphaeriidae has been studied in Nepal along an elevational gradient from 100 to 4010 m above sea level (a.s.l.). Here we describe a new species of Sphaeriidae, Pisidium alexeii, sp. nov., based on comprehensive molecular phylogenetics, anatomy and shell morphology. The species can be clearly distinguished from all other sphaeriid species occurring in Nepal. A molecular phylogeny based on mitochondrial and nuclear data inferred the oriental biogeographical affinity of the new species. The species is ecologically restricted and only occurs at a few sites between 1010 and 1700 m a.s.l. A review and updated checklist of the sphaeriid fauna of Nepal is provided and biodiversity and biogeographical patterns are discussed.

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