scholarly journals Composition and structure of the flora in intra-urban railway areas

2016 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzta Wrzesień ◽  
Bożena Denisow ◽  
Zvenyslava Mamchur ◽  
Maria Chuba ◽  
Ija Resler
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Life Strategy ◽  
Ecological Indicator ◽  
Se Poland ◽  
Composition And Structure ◽  
Ordination Techniques ◽  
Pollination Mode ◽  
Form Type

Railway areas are considered as large greenspaces and are recognized important in improving the biodiversity and dynamic of urban flora. In this study, we examined the flora composition and diversity along intra-city railway lines in Lublin, SE Poland and Lviv, W Ukraine. The flora has been analyzed in terms of species composition (multivariate ordination techniques), life span, life form, type of pollination mode, seed dispersal, life strategy sensu Grime, hemerophoby, urbanity degree, and in terms of habitat preferences using ecological indicator values. The multivariate analysis (CCA) clearly revealed that abiotic factors (topographical), weather elements (annual precipitation and air temperature), and soil attributes (moisture, trophy, pH, salinity) differed between two cities and impacted on the differences in railway flora composition. Plants growing on the intra-urban railway areas are mainly hemicryptophytes/perennials, C, CR, CRS-strategists, insect-, self-, or wind-pollinated, reproducing by seeds and mainly dispersed by wind. Intra-urban railway areas are predominated by native species, however the participation of invasive alien species is higher than their proportion in domestic floras. The share of invasive species is greater in railway areas of Lviv, ca. 12% (45 species) compared to 8% in Lublin (36 species). Spontaneous flora in intra-urban railway areas represent distinct adaptations to unique urban-industrial ecosystems with different degree of anthropogenic disturbance.

scholarly journals Anuran larvae diet from agroecosystem’s ponds: environmental quality and implications for their populations

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selene Babini ◽  
Luciana Cibils Martina ◽  
Elisa Luque ◽  
Noemi Gari ◽  
Nancy Salas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Morphometric Parameters ◽  
Diet Analysis ◽  
Temporary Ponds ◽  
Nitzschia Palea ◽  
Composition And Structure ◽  
Structural Variables ◽  
Algal Abundance

<p>Agriculture is considered an important factor for the decline of amphibians recorded in the last decades. Intensive agriculture requires the application of great amounts of pesticides and fertilizers, consequently many aquatic habitats have been altered. The over-enrichment of waters with nutrients from agriculture causes growth of algae and cyanobacteria and the shift of the community composition toward the dominance of tolerant taxa. The aim of this study was to analyze the diet of tadpoles and the size of larvae and metamorphs of the native species <em>Rhinella arenarum </em>in agroecosystems of central Argentina. Four sampling sites with different degree of human disturbance were selected, three temporary ponds from agroecosystems (A1, A2, A3), and a pond in a semi-modified landscape, not affected by agriculture or cattle. The sites were visited once a week from October 2013 to January 2014. Tadpoles and metamorphs were captured, anesthetize and preserved. Morphometric parameters were measured on tadpoles and metamorphs and for 20 tadpoles the complete intestine was removed and their contents analyzed. Phosphate values were higher in agroecosystem ponds. Body size and mass of tadpoles and metamorphs were different between sites, being smaller in agricultural ponds. Diet analysis revealed that all larvae mainly consumed microalgae. Larval diets allowed differentiating the sites, larvae from A1 and A3 sites showed a diet with a similar composition and structure (with a predominance of <em>Nitzschia palea</em>), meanwhile larvae from A2 and SM showed different diets. In SM, the larvae mainly consumed <em>Trachelomonas </em>sp. Analysis of structural variables revealed a higher algal abundance in the diet of larvae from A3, a lower richness in SM and that there were no differences between sites in diversity and evenness of diets. Our hypothesis was support in part, given that resistant algae taxa were found in agroecosystem ponds and tadpoles and metamorphs were smaller, but larval diets showed higher abundance and richness. The analysis of the diet of aquatic stages of <em>R. arenarum</em> allowed us to know the trophic availability and environmental quality of temporary ponds from agroecosystems. </p>

scholarly journals Water Birds as Indicators of Ecological Conditions in a Ramsar Wetland (Sebkhet Bazer, East of Algeria)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina Djerboua ◽  
Sofia Djerdali ◽  
José Guerrero-Casado ◽  
Abdelkrim Si Bachir ◽  
Ali Guendouz
Keyword(s):  
Water Body ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Bird Community ◽  
Ecological Indicator ◽  
Bird Abundance ◽  
Seasonal Differences ◽  
Water Bird ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
Water Birds

Background: Wetlands are the highly complex ecosystems due to various interactions between the components, where, the most iconic of ecological changes are the water birds. The current study was aimed to examine the interactions between the water birds diversity, abundance and the abiotic factors in Sebkhet Bazer. Methods: The investigation was conducted between March 2013 and December 2014 in Sebkhet Bazer (Sétif, Algeria, 36°05'N and 5°45'E), by monitoring water birds abundance (grouped into 4: Anatidae, Rallidae, Phoenicopteridae and Shorebirds) and measuring the physico-chemical water parameters (depth, temperature, pH, salinity and vegetation cover). All statistical analysis was performed using the InfoStat software (2017), it was carried out in two steps, by testing of fixed linear models; first of the seasonal differences in water body variables and second of the seasonal differences in bird abundance for the 4 water bird groups. Result: The results showed that the physico-chemical parameters of water varied considerably from season to season. The four groups of birds reached their lowest abundance in summer, with Rallidae and Phonicopteridae being more abundant in spring, Anatidae in winter and Shorebirds in autumn, suggesting that this variation is attributed to changes in water body characteristics between the four seasons. Therefore, the abundance of the different water bird group could be used as an ecological indicator of this wetland’s characteristics. If these features are altered by climate change, the water bird community would be also affected.

scholarly journals The occurence of rare and protected plant species on the peat bog near Lake Bikcze (Łęczyńsko-Włodawskie Lakeland)

2012 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Pogorzelec ◽  
Barbara Banach
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Peat Bog ◽  
Habitat Conditions ◽  
Drosera Rotundifolia ◽  
Western Shore ◽  
Betula Humilis ◽  
Menyanthes Trifoliata

This paper presents the results of a pilot field study, conducted in July 2007, designed to make floristic evaluation of the peat bog area adjacent to the western shore of Lake Bikcze (Łęczyńsko-Włodawskie Lakeland). The main aim of the study was to confirm the occurrence of populations of rare and legally protected plant species in this area and to identify, on a preliminary basis, habitat conditions in their stands. The occurrence of populations of the following strictly protected plant species: <i>Betula humilis</i>, <i>Salix lapponum</i>, <i>Salix myrtilloides</i>, <i>Carex limosa</i>, <i>Drosera intermedia</i>, <i>Drosera rotundifolia</i>, <i>Dactylorhiza incarnata</i>; and partially protected species: <i>Menyanthes trifoliata</i>, has been confirmed in the studied peat bog. Both an investigation of abiotic factors, conducted <i>in situ</i>, and an analysis of the species composition of the flora in terms of habitat preferences of particular groups of taxa have shown that the described rare plant species find suitable conditions for their growth and development in the studied peat bog.

Competition between native and non-native plants.

2020 ◽  
pp. 291-307
Author(s):  
Elizabeth M. Wandrag ◽  
◽  
Jane A. Catford ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Invasion Biology ◽  
Competitive Interactions ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
New Locations ◽  
Strength Of Competition

The introduction of species to new locations leads to novel competitive interactions between resident native and newly-arriving non-native species. The nature of these competitive interactions can influence the suitability of the environment for the survival, reproduction and spread of non-native plant species, and the impact those species have on native plant communities. Indeed, the large literature on competition among plants reflects its importance in shaping the composition of plant communities, including the invasion success of non-native species. While competition and invasion theory have historically developed in parallel, the increasing recognition of the synergism between the two themes has led to new insights into how non-native plant species invade native plant communities, and the impacts they have on those plant communities. This chapter provides an entry point into the aspects of competition theory that can help explain the success, dominance and impacts of invasive species. It focuses on resource competition, which arises wherever the resources necessary for establishment, survival, reproduction and spread are in limited supply. It highlights key hypotheses developed in invasion biology that relate to ideas of competition, outlines biotic and abiotic factors that influence the strength of competition and species' relative competitive abilities, and describes when and how competition between non-native and native plant species can influence invasion outcomes. Understanding the processes that influence the strength of competition between non-native and native plant species is a necessary step towards understanding the causes and consequences of biological invasions.

Biological, Ecological, and Distributional Aspects of Two Native Species of Lucilia Genus (Diptera: Calliphoridae) of Forensic Interest in Yungas Environments of Argentina

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 1700-1711
Author(s):  
X Acosta ◽  
A X González-Reyes ◽  
N D Centeno ◽  
J A Corronca
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Sun Exposure ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Cold Season ◽  
Tree Cover ◽  
Native Habitats

Abstract This study determined the spatial and temporal dynamics of two native neotropical species flies of forensic interest, belonging to the Lucilia (Robineau-Desvoidy) genus. The study focused on their abundance and reproductive behaviors associated with different habitats and phenological parameters. In the Province of Salta, Argentina, monthly samplings were performed over 1 yr in urban, rural, and native habitats, at morning, mid-day, and afternoon periods, controlling the oviposition of captured specimens. Environmental variables were also assessed: cloudiness, precipitation, relative humidity, temperature, and tree cover. Lucilia purpurascens (Walker) appeared to be associated with native habitats, whereas Lucilia ochricornis (Wiedemann) was mainly associated with rural habitats, exhibiting distinct habitat preferences. Two ecotones were also identified: rural–urban and rural–native, suggesting rural habitats promoted habitable conditions at its margins. Both species were recorded at the end of winter to the middle of autumn, with an initial peak in early spring, and a second peak at late summer. These peaks were associated with the highest numbers of laid eggs. Lucilia purpurascens preferred high tree coverings, whereas L. ochricornis resisted areas with intermediate sun, suggesting limited sun exposure was important. The latter was also associated with daily flight activities; during the warm season, the densest catches occurred at morning and afternoon periods, whereas during the cold season, they occurred at mid-day. Climatic variables explained 77% of variability in terms of abundance and oviposition. Synergistic effects were observed between these variables, suggesting that these variables conditioned insect distribution and reproduction, and not just temperature per se.

scholarly journals Effects of abiotic variables on the distribution of fish assemblages in streams with different anthropogenic activities in southern Brazil

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 643-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Salete Daga ◽  
Éder André Gubiani ◽  
Almir Manoel Cunico ◽  
Gilmar Baumgartner
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Urbanization Gradient ◽  
Composition And Structure ◽  
Matrix Correlation ◽  
Abiotic Variables ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Distribution Of Fish

Studies on fish assemblages in streams point out, that understanding the relationship between species and their environment is crucial for conservation. The present study aimed at evaluating the effects of changes in abiotic variables on the composition and structure of fish assemblages in Neotropical urban streams from southern Brazil with different levels of urbanization. The composition and structure of fish assemblages showed significant differences along the urbanization gradient observed in the streams. Tolerant and non-native species were found in more urbanized sites. A matrix correlation revealed a relationship between abiotic variables and the spatial pattern of structure and composition of fish assemblages. Abiotic variables, such as total phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity, determined the distribution of fish assemblages. Streams without urban influence exhibited intrinsically low species richness, suggesting that they are highly susceptible to species loss and diversity reduction. Thus, changes in water quality or hydrological conditions induced by urbanization may intensify these impacts.

Native plant species richness on Eastern Polynesia’s remote atolls

2015 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sébastien Larrue ◽  
Jean-François Butaud ◽  
Pascal Dumas ◽  
Stéphane Ballet
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Volcanic Island ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
Native Species Richness

Which abiotic factors influence the number of native plant species on remote atolls is an important question to understand better the spatial pattern of the species observed on these low and vulnerable coral islands. However, this issue is still very poorly documented, often due to human degradation, partial botanical surveys or the difficult geographic access of remote atolls for researchers. The remote atolls of Eastern Polynesia, which are among the most isolated in the world, are of great interest for studies of native species’ distribution due to their isolation, low human density and urbanisation. In this study, we selected 49 remote atolls of Eastern Polynesia with complete botanical surveys to test the relative influence of eight abiotic factors on native plant species richness (i.e. indigenous and endemic species). Abiotic factors used as potential predictors included atoll area (km2), shoreline length (km), atoll elevation (m) and index of isolation (UNEP), but also the coastal index of the atoll ( Ic), the distance to the nearest similar atoll (km), the distance to the nearest large volcanic island ≥ 1000 km2 (here, Tahiti as a potential stepping-stone island) and the distance to the nearest raised atoll ≥ 15 m a.s.l. (here, Makatea or Henderson as a potential refugium during sea-level highstands). Spearman’s rank correlation, linear regression analysis and frequency diagrams were used to assess the relative influence of these factors on native species richness. No relationship was found between the species richness and the index of isolation or the distance to the nearest similar atoll. Atoll area and distance to the nearest raised atoll of Makatea explained 47.1% and 40%, respectively, of the native species richness variation observed on the remote atolls. The distance to the volcanic island of Tahiti and the coastal index explained 36.9% and 27.3% of the variation, while elevation and shoreline length explained 23.3% and 18.4% of the variation, respectively. Native species richness on the atolls surveyed increased with the increasing atoll area, elevation and shoreline length, but decreased with the increasing distance to the nearest raised atoll of Makatea and the large volcanic island of Tahiti. This supports the view that the spatial pattern of native species richness observed on the remote atolls was strongly influenced by (i) atoll area but also by (ii) the distance to the raised atoll of Makatea, and (iii) the distance to the volcanic island of Tahiti. This finding suggests that the raised atoll may be viewed as a refugium during sea-level highstands while the large volcanic island played the role of stepping-stone island, both islands influencing the dispersal of native species on remote atolls and attenuating the isolation effect in the study area.

Diversity, spatiotemporal distribution, abundance, species composition and habitat preferences of Ostracoda in Akbük and Akdeniz coastal mesosaline lagoons (Muğla, the South Aegean Region, Turkey)

2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Selçuk Altınsaçlı ◽  
Ferda Perçin-Paçal ◽  
Songül Altınsaçlı
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Aegean Region ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Ordination Techniques ◽  
Ecological Importance ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Ostracod Species

AbstractAkdeniz and Akbuk lagoons are part of a shallow coastal ecosystem of great aesthetic and ecological importance, located in Muğla Province in the southern Aegean region of Turkey. In the present study, four expeditions to collect ostracods from these lagoons were conducted in May, July, October, and November of 2008. Benthic samples were obtained monthly and several environmental factors were recorded simultaneously in situ. The ecological preferences of the ostracods were monitored, and qualitative and quantitative samples were collected from three sites in Akdeniz lagoon and two sites in Akbuk lagoon. Three ostracod taxa (Cyprideis torosa, Loxoconcha elliptica and Cytherois fischeri) were identified from the Akdeniz lagoon sampling sites and one species (Cyprideis torosa) from the Akbuk lagoon sampling sites. We present and analyze the dominance and distribution of ostracod assemblages and their relationships to environmental factors: temperature, dissolved oxygen, percentage oxygen saturation, pH, redox potential, salinity, and electrical conductivity) using classification and ordination techniques. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) is used to characterize the relationship between ostracods and the environmental variables. Approximately 82% of the correlation between the community composition and environmental variables was explained by the first axis of the CCA ordination for the Akdeniz lagoon. The study revealed that the distribution and population density of ostracod species depends on the physicochemical properties of the environment. The reason for this is that Cyprideis torosa and Loxoconcha elliptica are euryhaline species.

Grazing and fire in two subalpine peatlands

2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith L. McDougall
Keyword(s):  
Exotic Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
High Plains ◽  
Composition And Structure ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Salix Cinerea ◽  
Burnt Areas

The floristic composition and structure of peatland vegetation in adjoining subalpine catchments of the Bogong High Plains (north-eastern Victoria) were monitored between 1979 and 2006. Grazing by cattle had been excluded from one catchment since 1946, when it was fenced. Peatland vegetation in both catchments was partially burnt in a wildfire in 2003. Between 1979 and 1999, in the ungrazed peatland, the cover of Sphagnum cristatum Hampe and Baeckea gunniana Schauer increased and the cover of pools decreased, whereas in the grazed peatland the cover of B. gunniana and Epacris paludosa R.Br. decreased and the cover of Empodisma minus (Hook.f.) L.A.S.Johnson & D.F.Cutler increased. The cover of all recorded species decreased following a fire in 2003. Between 2004 and 2006, a significant increase in cover was detected in two of eight species measured in burnt areas. In burnt areas, the number of native species per quadrat increased in the grazed peatland and the numbers of exotic species per quadrat increased in both peatlands over that period. By 2006, the peatlands had largely recovered floristically from the 2003 fires but it is likely to be decades before the cover of S. cristatum and Richea continentis B.L.Burtt. reaches pre-fire levels. Control of several exotic species that established after the fire (especially Salix cinerea L. and Juncus spp.) may be required.

scholarly journals Comparison of Behavior and Space Use of the European Bullhead Cottus gobio and the Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus in a Simulated Natural Habitat

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 821
Author(s):  
Sara Roje ◽  
Bořek Drozd ◽  
Luise Richter ◽  
Jan Kubec ◽  
Zdeněk Polívka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Round Goby ◽  
Space Use ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Cottus Gobio

The round goby is an invasive fish in Europe and North America that threatens native species by predation and competition. Its habitat preferences are similar to those of the European bullhead, which it displaces from shelters and out-competes for available resources. We assessed the microhabitat preferences, shelter use, and activity of the round goby and European bullhead in single-species experiments in habitat simulator systems to investigate their behavior in a novel environment. Fish were video-recorded for 28 h in the presence of shelter and feed with water velocity ranging from 0.00 to 0.96 m s−1. The two species showed similar behavior under given conditions. A primary difference was in stress-induced behavior in the initial phases of observation. The round goby spent more time in movement when outside the shelter and a longer time in the escape zone in the exploration period during light. Our results confirmed a significant preference of round goby for low velocity areas and a preference for higher velocities in the European bullhead. Both species were able to cope with velocities > 0.7 m s−1. Therefore, the reported invasion success of round goby is probably not driven by space use or activity patterns, but rather by higher adaptability.

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