Human impacts on minimum subsets of species critical for maintaining ecosystem structure

Humans have indirectly influenced species at lower trophic levels by driving losses of apex consumers. Furthermore, humans have indirectly influenced species at higher trophic levels by driving losses of primary producers. Beyond these broad classes of apex consumers and primary producers, it remains challenging to identify minimum subsets of species that are particularly important for maintaining ecosystem structure and functioning. Here we use a novel method at the intersection of control theory and network theory to identify a minimum set of driver node species upon which ecosystem structure strongly depends. Specifically, humans could unintentionally completely restructure ecosystems (i.e., change species abundances from any initial values to any final values, including zero) by altering the abundances of these few critical driver node species. We then quantify the proportion of these driver nodes that are influenced by humans, top predators, and primary producers in several marine food webs. We find that humans could unintentionally completely restructure marine food webs while only directly influencing less than one in four species. Additionally, humans directly influence: (1) most or all of the species necessary to completely restructure each network, (2) more driver nodes than top predators, and at least as many driver nodes as primary producers, and (3) an increasing proportion of driver nodes over time in the Adriatic Sea. We conclude that humans have potentially huge impacts on marine ecosystems while directly influencing only the relatively small subset of species that are currently fished. It may be possible to reduce unintentional and undesirable cascading human influences by decreasing human impacts on driver node species in these and other food webs.     

LIMNOLOGICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR AFRICA SOUTH OF THE SAHARA

SUMMARY

Before inundation in September 1976 Barbus holubi and Labeo capensis were the dominant species each making up 46% of the total catch. Immediately after impoundment the relative density of B. holubi increased to 75% while that of L. capensis dropped to 18%. With minor changes the relative densities remained roughly constant until April 1978 when the turbidity of the dam increased. After this date the relative density of B. holubi rapidly declined, probably due to environmental changes, while that of L. capensis increased due to post-impoundment recruitment. The catches of other species remained low. Changes in catch per unit effort, which were determined from April 1978 onwards substantiate these findings.     

Calmodulin Inhibitors from Aspergillus stromatoides

An organic extract was prepared from the culture medium and mycelia of the marine fungus Aspergillus stromatoides Raper & Fennell . The extract was fractionated via column chromatography, and the resulting fractions were tested for their abilities to quench the fluorescence of the calmodulin (CaM) biosensor hCaM M124C‐mBBr. From the active fraction, emodin ( 1 ) and ω‐hydroxyemodin ( 2 ) were isolated as CaM inhibitors. Anthraquinones 1 and 2 quenched the fluorescence of the hCaM M124C‐mBBr biosensor in a concentration‐dependent manner with K_d values of 0.33 and 0.76 μM , respectively. The results were compared with those of chlorpromazine (CPZ), a classical inhibitor of CaM, with a K_d value of 1.25 μM . Docking analysis revealed that 1 and 2 bind to the same pocket of CPZ. The CaM inhibitor properties of 1 and 2 were correlated with some of their reported biological properties. Citrinin ( 3 ), methyl 8‐hydroxy‐6‐methyl‐9‐oxo‐9H‐xanthene‐1‐carboxylate ( 4 ), and coniochaetone A ( 5 ) were also isolated in the present study. The X‐ray structure of 5 is reported for the first time.     

Changes to the scientific and common names of southern African freshwater fishes

Additions and changes to the scientific and common names of southern African freshwater fishes made since 1993, are recorded and explained. Nineteen new scientific names are listed including five new species, three genus-name changes, three species-name changes and four new records from the area. Recommended common names for nineteen species are listed.     

一株海洋放线菌的鉴定及其促生作用机理

【背景】海洋放线菌BM-2是本实验室从连云港海域分离得到的一株具有抗菌和促生作用的优良菌株,具有良好的开发应用前景。【目的】明确海洋放线菌BM-2的分类地位,揭示该菌株的促生作用机理,为菌株的开发应用提供理论依据。【方法】通过形态观察、生理生化特性和16S rRNA基因序列分析,对海洋放线菌BM-2菌株进行种属鉴定;采用透明圈法、平板划线法测定BM-2菌株解磷、解钾作用、固氮作用和产植酸酶、1-氨基环丙烷-1-羧基(1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate,ACC)脱氨酶的能力;运用沙尔科夫斯基反应(Salkowski法)和铬天青(chromeazurol S,CAS)法分别测定菌株产吲哚乙酸(indole acetic acid,IAA)和产铁载体的能力。【结果】培养特征、菌落形态观察及生理生化试验结果表明,BM-2菌株符合链霉菌属(Streptomyces)的特征,16S rRNA基因序列与GenBank中栗褐链霉菌(Streptomyces badius)的序列相似性为99.72%;BM-2菌株具有固氮和解有机磷活性,能够产生ACC脱氨酶、铁载体和IAA。【结论】BM-2菌株为栗褐连霉菌(Streptomyces badius),固氮、解有机磷作用以及产生ACC脱氨酶、IAA可能是该菌株的促生作用机制。     

A molecular assessment of species diversity in Tympanopleura and Ageneiosus catfishes (Auchenipteridae: Siluriformes)

In order to test the congruence of genetic data to the morphologically defined Neotropical catfish genera Tympanopleura and Ageneiosus and explore species diversity, we generated 17 DNA barcodes from five of six species of Tympanopleura and 12 of 13 species of Ageneiosus. To discriminate limits between species, an automatic barcode gap discovery (ABGD), a generalised mixed yule-coalescent model (GYMC) and fixed distance thresholds Kimura two-parameter (K2P; 3%) were used to discriminate putative species limits from the DNA barcodes. The ABGD, GMYC and K2P methods agreed by each generating 13 clusters: six in Tympanopleura (five nominal plus one undescribed species) and seven in Ageneiosus. These clusters corresponded broadly to the described species, except in the case of the Ageneiosus ucayalensis group (A. akamai, A. dentatus, A. intrusus, A. ucayalensis, A. uranophthalmus and A. vittatus). Haplotype sharing and low divergences may have prevented molecular methods from distinguishing these species. We hypothesise that this is the result of a recent radiation of a sympatric species group distributed throughout the Amazon Basin. One putative new species of Tympanopleura was also supported by the molecular data. These results taken together highlight the utility of molecular methods such as DNA barcoding in understanding patterns of diversification across large geographic areas and in recognising overlooked diversity.     

Environmental niche patterns of native and non-native fishes within an invaded African river system

To test ecological niche theory, this study investigated the spatial patterns and the environmental niches of native and non-native fishes within the invaded Great Fish River system, South Africa. For the native fishes, there were contrasting environmental niche breadths that varied from being small to being large and overlapped for most species, except minnows that were restricted to headwater tributaries. In addition, there was high niche overlap in habitat association among fishes with similar distribution. It was therefore inferred that habitat filtering-driven spatial organisation was important in explaining native species distribution patterns. In comparison, most non-native fishes were found to have broad environmental niches and these fishes showed high tolerance to environmental conditions, which generally supported the niche opportunity hypothesis. The proliferation of multiple non-native fishes in the mainstem section suggest that they form a functional assemblage that is probably facilitated by the anthropogenic modification of flow regimes through inter-basin water transfer. Based on the distribution patterns observed in the study, it was inferred that there was a likelihood of negative interactions between native and non-native fishes. Such effects are likely to be exacerbated by altered flow regime that was likely to have negative implications for native ichthyofauna.     

First chemical study of the sacoglossan Elysia patagonica: Isolation of a γ-pyrone propionate hydroperoxide

1. Download : Download full-size image