scholarly journals Bioclimatology, Structure, and Conservation Perspectives of Quercus pyrenaica, Acer opalus subsp. Granatensis, and Corylus avellana Deciduous Forests on Mediterranean Bioclimate in the South-Central Part of the Iberian Peninsula

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 6500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piñar Fuentes ◽  
Cano-Ortiz ◽  
Musarella ◽  
Canas ◽  
Gomes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Corylus Avellana ◽  
Deciduous Forests ◽  
Quercus Pyrenaica ◽  
The South ◽  
South Central ◽  
Bioclimatic Variables ◽  
Ecological Importance

The plant variability in the southern Iberian Peninsula consists of around 3500 different taxa due to its high bioclimatic, geographic, and geological diversity. The deciduous forests in the southern Iberian Peninsula are located in regions with topographies and specific bioclimatic conditions that allow for the survival of taxa that are typical of cooler and wetter bioclimatic regions and therefore represent the relict evidence of colder and more humid paleoclimatic conditions. The floristic composition of 421 samples of deciduous forests in the south-central part of the Iberian Peninsula were analyzed. The ecological importance index (IVI) was calculated, where the most important tree species were Quercus pyrenaica, Acer opalus subsp. Granatensis, and Corylus avellana. These species are uncommon in the south-central part of the Iberian Peninsula, forming forests of little extension. An analysis of the vertical distribution of the species (stratum) shows that the majority of the species of stratum 3 (hemicriptophics, camephytes, geophites, and nanophanerophytes) are characteristic of deciduous forests, and their presence is positively correlated with high values of bioclimatic variables related to humidity and presence of water in the soil (nemoral environments), while they are negatively correlated with high values ​​of bioclimatic variables related to high temperatures, evapotranspiration, and aridity. This work demonstrates that several characteristic deciduous forest taxa are more vulnerable to disappearance due to the loss of their nemoral conditions caused by gaps in the tree or shrub canopy. These gaps lead to an increase in evapotranspiration, excess insolation, and a consequent loss of water and humidity in the microclimatic conditions.

scholarly journals Sea-ice crossings by caribou in the south-central Canadian Arctic Archipelago and their ecological importance

Rangifer ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank L. Miller ◽  
Samuel J. Barry ◽  
Wndy A. Calvert
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Canadian Arctic ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Canadian Arctic Archipelago ◽  
The South ◽  
South Central ◽  
Straight Line ◽  
Straight Line Distance ◽  
Ecological Importance

The islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago lie immediately north of mainland North America in the Arctic Ocean. They are surrounded by ice for most of each year. Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) cross the sea ice in seasonal migrations among the islands and between the mainland and Arctic Islands. We compiled observations of 1272 discrete caribou crossings on the sea ice of northeastern Franklin Strait, Bellot Strait, Peel Sound and Baring Channel in the south-central Canadian Arctic Archipelago during four May—June search periods from 1977 to 1980. We clustered the 850 caribou trails found on the sea ice of northeastern Franklin Strait and on outer Peel Sound as 73 sea-ice crossing sites. We investigated whether caribou at the origin of a sea-ice crossing site could see land on the opposite side at the potential terminus. We measured the straight-line distance from where the caribou first came onto the ice (origin) to the first possible landfall (potential terminus). Potential termini were geodetically visible to caribou from elevated terrain near 96% of the origins of the 73 sea-ice crossing sites and still visible at sea-level at the origins on 68%. Caribou are able to take advantage of seasonal use of all of the islands and the peninsula by making sea-ice crossings, thereby helping to increase the magnitudes and durations of population highs and reduce their lows. Knowledge of these alternative pat¬terns of use made possible by sea-ice crossings is necessary to fully understand the population dynamics of these caribou and the importance of possible future changes in ice cover.

Aulacomnium heterostichoides sp.nov., an Eocene moss from south central British Columbia

1979 ◽  
Vol 57 (20) ◽  
pp. 2150-2161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan A. P. Janssens ◽  
Diana G. Horton ◽  
James F. Basinger
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Deciduous Forests ◽  
Eastern North America ◽  
Eastern Asia ◽  
Temperate Deciduous Forest ◽  
Fossil Specimen ◽  
South Central ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Temperate Deciduous

Aulacomnium heterostichoides Janssens, Horton, and Basinger is described as new from Eocene sediments located near Horsefly, B.C. It is characterized by spirally arranged, oblong leaves, which are slightly asymmetric by the unequal laminae in the lower one-third; irregularly, coarsely toothed upper margins with the teeth both multicellular and multiseriate; a strong costa, which ends near the apex; upper and basal laminal cells which are more or less isodiametric. These character states indicate a very close relationship to Aulacomnium heterostichum.Palynological studies indicate that Aulacomnium heterostichoides grew in a temperate, deciduous forest with species of Alnus, Carya, Pinns, Quercus, Taxodium, and Tilia, as well as other deciduous and coniferous trees. Extant populations of A. heterostichum commonly occur in a similar habitat along streams in the mesic, deciduous forests of eastern Asia and eastern United States.There is considerable fossil evidence which shows that vascular plants currently restricted to eastern Asia and eastern North America, occurred in the intervening areas across continental North America in Tertiary times. Our report of A. heterostichoides is the first indication, based on a fossil specimen, that bryophytes presently associated with the disjunct deciduous forests of eastern Asia and eastern North America were earlier associated with some elements of these forests in localities beyond the present range of such taxa.

scholarly journals Faunal survey, endemism and possible species loss of Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in the western slopes of the moist South Western Ghats, South India

Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2830 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
THOMAS K. SABU ◽  
S. NITHYA ◽  
K. V. VINOD
Keyword(s):  
Western Ghats ◽  
South India ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Deciduous Forests ◽  
Habitat Modification ◽  
Beetle Species ◽  
Rain Forests ◽  
The South ◽  
Malabar Coast

Species composition, distribution patterns and endemism are outlined for the dung beetles in the ecoregions of the western slopes of the moist South Western Ghats, South India. Among the 142 dung beetle species known, 35 are endemic to the Western Ghats; 29 are endemic to the moist South Western Ghats; 25 are regionally endemic to the South Western Ghats montane rain forests ecoregion; and one each to the Malabar Coast moist deciduous forest ecoregion and the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests ecoregion. Five species, including the 3 flightless species, are local endemics to the upper montane tropical montane cloud forests. The montane rain forests ecoregion has the highest number of endemics in the moist south Western Ghats and the moist deciduous forests ecoregion and Malabar Coast moist deciduous forest ecoregion have the lowest levels of endemism. Of the 137 dung beetle species known prior to the deforestation and habitat modification of the region, only 87 have been collected recently.

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