Antifungal defenses of seagrasses from the Indian River Lagoon,Florida

We investigated the antifungal chemical defenses and physiological responses of five seagrasses collected from nearshore seagrass beds from the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, against a panel of co-occurring marine fungi isolated from nearby coastal communities. Whole plant tissues from Thalassia testudinum, Halodule wrightii and Syringodium filiforme prevented overgrowth by three of the seven fungi used in this study. Organic extracts from four of the five seagrasses inhibited the growth of at least one fungal strain. The extract from Ruppia maritima exhibited the highest antifungal activity, inhibiting the growth of three fungi including the pathogen Lindra thalassiae. Among the fungal panel, Fusarium sp. 2 was the most susceptible to seagrass extracts, whereas none of the extracts disrupted the growth of Dendryphiella salina and Fusarium sp. 3. Under laboratory conditions fungal inoculation elicited hydrogen peroxide production in all specimens within 25 min post-inoculation as measured with a redox sensitive dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay. The concentration of H₂O₂ released into the immediate vicinity of infected seagrasses varied between 0.10 and 0.85 μmol g⁻¹ FW min⁻¹ depending on seagrass species and pathogen combination. Longer term incubation (days) of T. testudinum with homogenates of D. salina or L. thallasiae resulted in the induction of caspase activity, a known proteolytic activator of apoptotic and inflammatory activities. The application of micromolar concentrations of H₂O₂ to blades of T. testudinum induced caspase activity suggesting that fungal detection, H₂O₂ production, and caspase activation occur in a consecutive order. The seagrasses examined in this study appear to use a combined strategy to combat fungal infection, including microbial chemical defenses and signaling pathways observed in terrestrial plants.     

Rehabilitation of impounded estuarine wetlands by hydrologic reconnection to the Indian River Lagoon, Florida (USA)

Salt marshes of the Indian River Lagoon, Florida (USA) were once prolific producers of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes lay their eggs on the infrequently-flooded high marsh surface when the soil surface is exposed. The eggs hatch when the high marsh is flooded by the infrequent high tides or summer rains. To control mosquito production, most of the salt marshes (over 16.200 ha) were impounded by the early 1970s. Flooding, usually by pumping water from the Lagoon, effectively controlled mosquitoes.However, impounding had a profoundly negative impact on the wetland plant, fish, and invertebrate communities. Isolation from the Lagoon cut off aquatic access by transient estuarine species that used the wetlands for feeding or as nursery area. In one study, the number of fish species dropped from 16 to 5 after impounding. Wetland vegetation within some impoundments was totally eliminated; other impoundments developed into freshwater systems.When tidal exchange is restored through hydrologic connection, usually by culverts installed through the perimeter dike, recovery to more natural conditions is often rapid. In one impoundment where wetland vegetation was totally eliminated, recovery of salt-tolerant plants began almost immediately. In another, cover of salt-tolerant plants increased 1,056% in less than 3 years. Fisheries species that benefitted the most were snook, ladyfish, and striped mullet. Over 1,500 juvenile snook were captured in a single 3-hr flood-tide culvert trap as they attempted to migrate into an impoundment. The zooplankton community rapidly returned to the more typical marsh-Lagoon community. Water quality and sediment sulfides returned to typical marsh values. Overall, reconnection enhances natural productivity and diversity, although water quality in the perimeter ditch, an artifact of dike construction, remains problematic.Earlier experiments demonstrated that flooding only during the summer mosquito breeding season provided as effective mosquito control as year-round flooding. In standard management, the impoundment is flooded in summer, then left open to the Lagoon through culverts the rest of the year. Culverts are typically opened when the fall sea level rise first floods the high marsh.Impoundment reconnection is being implemented by a multi-agency partnership. The total reconnected area is expected to reach 9,454 ha by the end of 1998, representing 60% of the impounded wetlands in the entire IRL system. One stumbling block is private ownership of many of the remaining isolated impoundments.University of Florida, IFAS, Journal Series No. R-05201.Harbor Branch Contribution Number 1152.Corresponding editor: R.E. Turner     

Spatial and temporal patterns of phytoplankton composition in subtropical coastal lagoon, the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, USA

A 2 year study of the phytoplankton community was carried outin the Indian River Lagoon, USA. In terms of biovolume, thephytoplankton community was generally dominated by dinoflagellates,diatoms or cyanobacteria. Mean phytoplankton standing cropswere highest in the most flow-restricted regions of the lagoon,which had the lowest mean salinity values and comparativelyhigh total nitrogen:total phosphorus ratios. In this region,blooms of dinoflagellates were common in the first year of thestudy, which was characterized by an El Niño event thatyielded exceptionally high rainfall levels and freshwater outflow.Picoplanktonic cyanobacteria blooms became more prominent inthe second year of the study, which was characterized by belowaverage rainfall conditions. In unrestricted flow regions ofthe lagoon, located near inlets to the Atlantic Ocean, diatomswere most often the dominant taxa. Regions of intermediate waterturnover rates and high external loading of phosphorus had aprevalence of diatom blooms. However, the average phytoplanktonstanding crops in the latter regions did not reach the levelsexperienced in the flow-restricted parts of the lagoon. In termsof individual phytoplankton taxa, the most common bloom-formingdiatoms in the Indian River Lagoon system included: Skeletonemacostatum, Dactyliosolen fragilissimus, Skeletonema menzelii,Cerataulina pelagica, Odontella regia, Chaetoceros lorenzianus,Rhizosolenia setigera and Thalassionema nitzschioides. The majorbloom-forming dinoflagellate species included: Pheopolykrikoshartmannii, Akashiwo sanguinea, Prorocentrum micans, the potentiallytoxic species Pyrodinium bahamense var. bahamense and Prorocentrumminimum. Several picoplanktonic cyanobacteria were also prominentmembers of the phytoplankton community, including Synechococcuselongates. The spatial and temporal patterns observed in someof these dominant species were attributable to patterns in keyenvironmental variables, including salinity, temperature andnutrient concentrations.     

Environmental control of harmful dinoflagellates and diatoms in a fjordic system

Fjordic coastlines provide an ideal protected environment for both finfish and shellfish aquaculture operations. This study reports the results of a cruise to the Scottish Clyde Sea, and associated fjordic sea lochs, that coincided with blooms of the diarrhetic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellate Dinophysis acuta and the diatom genus Chaetoceros, that can generate finfish mortalities. Unusually, D. acuta reached one order of magnitude higher cell abundance in the water column (2840 cells L⁻¹) than the more common Dinophysis acuminata (200 cells L⁻¹) and was linked with elevated shellfish toxicity (maximum 601 ± 237 μg OA eq/kg shellfish flesh) which caused shellfish harvesting closures in the region. Significant correlations between D. acuta abundance and that of Mesodinium rubrum were also observed across the cruise transect potentially supporting bloom formation of the mixotrophic D. acuta. Significant spatial variability in phytoplankton that was related to physical characteristics of the water column was observed, with a temperature-driven frontal region at the mouth of Loch Fyne being important in the development of the D. acuta, but not the Chaetoceros bloom. The front also provided important protection to the aquaculture located within the loch, with neither of the blooms encroaching within it. Analysis based on a particle-tracking model confirms the importance of the front to cell transport and shows significant inter-annual differences in advection within the region, that are important to the harmful algal bloom risk therein.     

Linear skin markings in common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Indian River Lagoon,Florida

A previously undescribed skin abnormality, referred to as “linear skin markings” (LSM), has been identified in free-ranging common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida (IRL). The lesions were identified during photo-identification surveys conducted from 2002 and 2015. LSM presented as distinct, parallel lines running dorso-ventrally on the torso and varied in length and width. The goals of this study were to determine (1) prevalence of the condition in IRL dolphins, (2) age and sex distribution of affected animals, (3) spatial and temporal distribution patterns, (4) duration of the condition, and (5) development of hypotheses regarding the etiology of the condition. Among 1,357 individual dolphins identified during the study period, 96 (7.0%) showed evidence of LSM. Nearly all (98.8%) cases with an established home range occurred in the northern and central regions of the IRL. The majority of cases of known sex were female (85%), of which 100% had given birth to one or more calves. The mean age of animals with LSM when first observed was 7.3 with a range of 1–20 years. The maximum observed duration of LSM was 15 years. Once observed, the condition persisted indefinitely. The etiology of LSM has not been established.     

Distribution and seasonal biomass of drift macroalgae in the Indian River Lagoon (Florida, USA) estimated with acoustic seafloor classification (QTCView, Echoplus)

Three areas of the Indian River Lagoon, Florida (USA) were surveyed to show seasonal changes in the distribution and biomass of macroalgae and seagrass. Acoustic seafloor discrimination based on first and second echo returns of a 50 kHz and 200 kHz signal, and two different survey systems (QTCView and ECHOplus) were used. System verification in both the field and a controlled environment showed it was possible to distinguish acoustically between seagrass, sparse algae, and dense algae. Accuracy of distinction of three classes (algae, seagrass, bare substratum) was around 60%. Maps were produced by regridding the survey area to a regular grid and using a nearest-neighbor interpolation to provide filled polygons. Biomass was calculated by counting pixels assigned to substratum classes with known wet-weight biomass values (sparse algae 250 g m^− 2, dense algae 2000 g m^− 2, seagrass 100 g m^− 2) that were measured in the field. In three study areas (Melbourne, Sebastian Inlet, and Cocoa Beach), a dependence of algal biomass on depth and season was observed. Seagrass most frequently occurred in water less than 1 m deep, and in November, seagrass beds tended to be covered by dense algae that also extended up- and downstream of shoals in the Lagoon. In March, the pattern was similar, with the exception that some areas of previously dense algae had started thinning into sparse algae. Macrophyte biomass was lowest in May in the Melbourne and Cocoa Beach study areas, with the opposite situation in the Sebastian Inlet study area. In May, seagrass areas were largely devoid of dense algae and most algae accumulations were sparse. In August, dense algae covered large areas of the deep Lagoon floor while shoals were largely free of algae or had only sparse cover. We suggest this summer pattern to reflect moribund algae being washed from the shallows to deeper channels and from there being removed from the lagoonal ecosystem either through tidal passages into the open ocean or by degradation and breakdown in situ. The differences between the study areas indicate high spatial and temporal variability in biomass and distribution of macrophyte biomass in the Indian River Lagoon.     

A revised checklist of planktonic diatoms and dinoflagellates from Helgoland (North Sea,German Bight)

A checklist based on net samples taken twice weekly from 2001 until May 2003 is presented. Identification is based on observations under direct light microscopy and after taking some organisms in culture. The checklist includes 227 taxa observed at the Helgoland Reede sampling station. One hundred and thirty-two species of diatoms from 53 genera and 95 species of dinoflagellates from 35 genera have been recorded from net samples and cultures. Thirty-five diatom and 28 dinoflagellate taxa were documented in the Helgoland phytoplankton for the first time. The list does not claim to be complete, but provides an updated list of the taxa found at Helgoland and, for convenience, also includes data published for different adjacent areas.Communicated by K. Wiltshire     

Home Ranges of Bottlenose Dolphins (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Tursiops truncatus</Emphasis>) in the Indian River Lagoon,Florida: Environmental Correlates and Implications for Management Strategies

Photo-identification surveys conducted between 2002 and 2005 were used to determine dolphin home ranges and site fidelity within the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida. The IRL was divided into six segments based on hydrodynamics and geographic features for purposes of characterization. Among the 615 dolphins with identifiable dorsal fins, 339 had ≥6 sightings and were used in segment and linear range analyses. The majority (98%) of dolphins were seen in ≤3 consecutive segments (331/339); of these, 44% (144/331) occurred in two segments, and 33% (109/331) in one segment. No dolphins were observed in all six segments. The largest number of dolphins was sighted in segment 1C (North Indian River). However, the highest density of dolphins was found in segment 2 (North-Central Indian River). Re-sighting rates for dolphins with ≥6 sightings ranged from 2.8 to 8.7 times observed. The mean linear home range varied from 22 to 54 km. Distributional analyses indicated that at least three different dolphin communities exist within the IRL: Mosquito Lagoon, and the North and South Indian River. No statistically significant correlations were found between the total number or density per km² of dolphins and surface water area, salinity, or contaminant loads within segments of the lagoon. These results suggest that dolphins do not selectively avoid areas with relatively unfavorable water quality. IRL dolphins should be studied on smaller spatial scales than currently practiced, and potential anthropogenic impacts should be evaluated based on geographic partitioning.     

Common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) social structure and distribution changes following the 2008 Unusual Mortality Event in the Indian River Lagoon,Florida

In animal societies with fission-fusion dynamics, demographic disturbances can influence the social and spatial structure of the population. Within the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida, common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) have experienced recurrent unusual mortality events (UMEs) providing an opportunity to examine postdisturbance population and social cluster restructuring. This study investigates the impact of the potentially nonepizootic 2008 UME on the IRL dolphin population. Photo-identification surveys conducted from August 2006 to May 2010 were stratified into pre- (August 2006–April 2008) and post-UME (September 2008–May 2010) time periods. Social network and spatial (univariate kernel density) analyses were limited to individuals sighted 5+ times per period (pre-UME = 183, post-UME = 134), and indicated a change from 11 to ten social clusters, although individuals did not always reassociate with pre-UME cluster associates. Despite the social and spatial disconnect between IRL proper and Mosquito Lagoon clusters, both network density and core area spatial overlap increased post-UME allowing for increased intercluster interactions. However, intracluster associations increased as well, allowing the population to maintain multiple social clusters within a loosely connected network. This study shows the important role sociality may play in the adaptability of cetaceans to environmental and demographic changes.     

Reproduction of Blackchin Tilapia, Sarotherodon melanotheron, Within an Impounded Mangrove Ecosystem in East-central Florida

I investigated the reproductive biology of introduced blackchin tilapia, Sarotherodon melanotheron, over a twelve month period within a seasonally impounded mangrove ecosystem in east-central Florida, and compared the data to published accounts from native African habitats. Eggs and free embryos were collected from the buccal cavity of adult males from April to October indicating a protracted spawning season, however gonadosomatic indices suggested that most spawning occurred in April and May. The timing of reproduction was adjusted to occur immediately before temperatures reached optimal levels for juvenile growth and when increasing rainfall produced abundant food and shelter for the young. Temperatures below 24°C inhibited reproduction from November to March. The overall sex ratio was essentially 1:1. The minimum and maximum size at maturity were much larger in this study than those reported from Africa; the smallest mature male was 128mm standard length and 0.47 of the maximum size, while the smallest mature female was 145mm standard length and 0.54 the maximum size. However, because of the difficulty in aging this species and a lack of published information, it could not be determined whether the population in this study possessed a relatively early or delayed maturation compared to African populations.     

Rehabilitation of impounded estuarine wetlands by hydrologic reconnection to the Indian River Lagoon,Florida (USA)

Salt marshes of the Indian River Lagoon, Florida (USA) were once prolific producers of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes lay their eggs on the infrequently-flooded high marsh surface when the soil surface is exposed. The eggs hatch when the high marsh is flooded by the infrequent high tides or summer rains. To control mosquito production, most of the salt marshes (over 16.200 ha) were impounded by the early 1970s. Flooding, usually by pumping water from the Lagoon, effectively controlled mosquitoes. However, impounding had a profoundly negative impact on the wetland plant, fish, and invertebrate communities. Isolation from the Lagoon cut off aquatic access by transient estuarine species that used the wetlands for feeding or as nursery area. In one study, the number of fish species dropped from 16 to 5 after impounding. Wetland vegetation within some impoundments was totally eliminated; other impoundments developed into freshwater systems. When tidal exchange is restored through hydrologic connection, usually by culverts installed through the perimeter dike, recovery to more natural conditions is often rapid. In one impoundment where wetland vegetation was totally eliminated, recovery of salt-tolerant plants began almost immediately. In another, cover of salt-tolerant plants increased 1,056% in less than 3 years. Fisheries species that benefitted the most were snook, ladyfish, and striped mullet. Over 1,500 juvenile snook were captured in a single 3-hr flood-tide culvert trap as they attempted to migrate into an impoundment. The zooplankton community rapidly returned to the more typical marsh-Lagoon community. Water quality and sediment sulfides returned to typical marsh values. Overall, reconnection enhances natural productivity and diversity, although water quality in the perimeter ditch, an artifact of dike construction, remains problematic. Earlier experiments demonstrated that flooding only during the summer mosquito breeding season provided as effective mosquito control as year-round flooding. In standard management, the impoundment is flooded in summer, then left open to the Lagoon through culverts the rest of the year. Culverts are typically opened when the fall sea level rise first floods the high marsh. Impoundment reconnection is being implemented by a multi-agency partnership. The total reconnected area is expected to reach 9,454 ha by the end of 1998, representing 60% of the impounded wetlands in the entire IRL system. One stumbling block is private ownership of many of the remaining isolated impoundments.     

The global distributional patterns of toxic, bloom dinoflagellates recorded from the Eurasian Arctic

The global distributional patterns are presented for 14 toxic and potentially toxic dinoflagellate species (PSP, DSP, yessotoxin, azaspiracid and their analogues, ichthyotoxic and haemolytic compound producers) recorded from the Eurasian Arctic and which have caused harmful blooms elsewhere. The distributional patterns are based on materials collected during 28 expeditions to the Eurasian Arctic during the period from 1976 to 1999 (1810 samples from 539 stations) and about 500 literary sources. All Russian literature on the occurrences of dinoflagellates in the Eurasian Arctic was analyzed and relevant references are given.     

Structure and diversity of fishes in a freshwater and coastal subtropical lagoon

This study examined the fish communities of Peri Lagoon in southern Brazil to aid in the development of an effective management plan because the area is under threat from human activities. Sampling of fish fauna, ichthyoplankton and limnological data were compared between sites, differing by habitat type and characteristics such as depth, substratum composition and vegetation type. Results were significantly related to site, with the highest diversity and abundance recorded at shallow vegetated sites. A total of 14 fish species were recorded throughout the lagoon, with the most abundant being Hyphessobrycon luetkenii. Of the 14 species, half were sampled at their larval stage, suggesting a healthy and protected system. Significantly more larvae and eggs were collected during colder months (autumn to winter) and at sites closer to stream flow, possibly owing to increased food sources and habitat protection. This study highlights the importance of Peri Lagoon as a nursery ground for a wide range of fish species, providing essential information for incorporation into the future protection of fish stocks throughout Brazil.     

Bloom dynamics and chemical defenses of benthic cyanobacteria in the Indian River Lagoon,Florida

Cyanobacterial blooms are predicted to become more prominent in the future as a result of increasing seawater temperatures and the continued addition of nutrients to coastal waters. Many benthic marine cyanobacteria have potent chemical defenses that protect them from top down pressures and contribute to the persistence of blooms. Blooms of benthic cyanobacteria have been observed along the coast of Florida and within the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), a biodiverse estuary system that spans 250 km along Florida’s east coast. In this study, the cyanobacterial bloom progression at three sites within the central IRL was monitored over the course of two summers. The blooms consisted of four unique cyanobacterial species, including the recently described Okeania erythroflocculosa. The cyanobacteria produced a range of known bioactive compounds including malyngolide, lyngbyoic acid, microcolins A–B, and desacetylmicrocolin B. Ecologically-relevant assays showed that malyngolide inhibited the growth of marine fungi (Dendryphiella salina and Lindra thalassiae); microcolins A–B and desacetylmicrocolin B inhibited feeding by a generalist herbivore, the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus; and lyngbyoic acid inhibited fungal growth and herbivore feeding. These chemical defenses likely contribute to the persistence of cyanobacterial blooms in the IRL during the summer growing period.     

Environmental drivers of habitat use by common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon,Florida, USA

Anthropogenic impacts in estuarine systems can influence marine mammal habitat use, population dynamics, fitness, and mortality events. The objective was to examine habitat use among the resident common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) population inhabiting the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, and the influences of variation in environmental factors and prey availability in 2003–2015. We utilized photo-identification surveys, stratified random samples of prey, and environmental variables collected monthly. Kernel density estimation was used to determine the magnitude-per-unit area of dolphins across the IRL by wet and dry seasons each year, the values were used as a response variable in classification and regression tree analyses with fish community and environmental variables as predictors. Spatial patterns in dolphin density in the IRL were associated with salinity and dissolved oxygen levels, which are in part associated with freshwater discharges of nutrient and algae laden waters from the region's storm water management system. These findings isolate locations of concern for management of dolphin habitat, and anthropogenic drivers of dolphin distributions requiring further research.     

Nitrogen limitation of growth and nutrient dynamics in a disturbed mangrove forest,Indian River Lagoon,Florida

The objectives of this study were to determine effects of nutrient enrichment on plant growth, nutrient dynamics, and photosynthesis in a disturbed mangrove forest in an abandoned mosquito impoundment in Florida. Impounding altered the hydrology and soil chemistry of the site. In 1997, we established a factorial experiment along a tree-height gradient with three zones, i.e., fringe, transition, dwarf, and three fertilizer treatment levels, i.e., nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), control, in Mosquito Impoundment 23 on the eastern side of Indian River. Transects traversed the forest perpendicular to the shoreline, from a Rhizophora mangle-dominated fringe through an Avicennia germinans stand of intermediate height, and into a scrub or dwarf stand of A. germinans in the hinterland. Growth rates increased significantly in response to N fertilization. Our growth data indicated that this site is N-limited along the tree-height gradient. After 2 years of N addition, dwarf trees resembled vigorously growing saplings. Addition of N also affected internal dynamics of N and P and caused increases in rates of photosynthesis. These findings contrast with results for a R. mangle-dominated forest in Belize where the fringe is N-limited, but the dwarf zone is P-limited and the transition zone is co-limited by N and P. This study demonstrated that patterns of nutrient limitation in mangrove ecosystems are complex, that not all processes respond similarly to the same nutrient, and that similar habitats are not limited by the same nutrient when different mangrove forests are compared.     

Habitat use by fishes after tidal reconnection of an impounded estuarine wetland in the Indian River Lagoon,Florida (USA)

Most of the wetlands located along the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) ineast-central Florida (USA) have been impounded since the 1950's and1960's to reduce mosquito reproduction. Impounded marsh (i.e.,impoundment) dikes physically separate the wetlands from the estuary toallow artificial flooding of the impoundments during the mosquito breedingperiod (May to October). Presently, Rotational ImpoundmentManagement (RIM) is the preferred impoundment management techniquein the IRL. Impoundments maintained under RIM have culverts installedthrough the dikes which are kept closed during the mosquito breedingseason (to control mosquitos) and are allowed to remain open for theremainder of the year (to allow tidal flow). A 24.3 ha impoundment8 km north of Sebastian Inlet that had been isolated from the IRL for over39 years was studied for 12 months to determine habitat use by fishes aftertidal reconnection and the implementation of RIM. Fish sampling wasconducted with a seine in the perimeter ditch and with clover and minnowtraps in the upper marsh and tidal creek areas of the impoundment. Waterlevel, impoundment bottom topography, and the seasonal nursery functionof the impoundment were factors that contributed to observed patterns offish habitat use during the study. Within the first 15 weeks of perimeterditch sampling, an increase from 9 to 40 species was observed. Transientspecies used the perimeter ditch almost exclusively and entered theimpoundment primarily during the spring open period. Juvenile Pogonias cromis (Linnaeus), Elops saurus Linnaeus, Centropomusundecimalis (Bloch), and Megalops atlanticus Valenciennes were themost abundant recreationally important species, respectively. Habitat useby the most abundant resident species (Gambusia holbrooki Girard,Poecilia latipinna (Lesueur), Cyprinodon variegatus Lacepède, andFundulus confluentus Goode & Bean) was influenced primarily bywater level fluctuations. Resident species used the upper marsh and tidalcreek habitats during summer flooded periods and the cyprinodontids leftthe interior surface of the impoundment last as water levels decreased. Thisstudy is the first to document the recovery of fish populations in areconnected impoundment north of Sebastian Inlet using both active andpassive sampling techniques.     

Northern range extension of the seagrasses Halophila johnsonii and Halophila decipiens along the east coast of Florida,USA

The northern geographic limit for Halophila johnsonii and Halophila decipiens has been reported as Sebastian Inlet, within the Indian River Lagoon, Florida. Surveys conducted in August 2007 determined the new northern limit to be 21.5 km north of the previously known limit. This new northern limit is a 10% range extension for H. johnsonii, a federally threatened species. We conclude that these range extensions are recent, based on (1) the small size of patches; (2) unusually good water clarity conditions due to a recent drought; (3) recent mild/warmer winters; and (4) a recent mechanism for transporting propagules, the numerous hurricanes of 2004. Although this recent range extension is considered ephemeral, similar range extensions may have occurred in the past and may occur again in the future under favorable conditions given the high capacity of these two species for dispersal to favorable sites. The northern limits of these species should not be viewed as static locations; rather, they must be considered dynamic features.     

An ecological study of three freshwater ponds of hyderabad-India IV. the phytoplankton (diatoms,euglenineae and myxophyceae)

Data on the ecology of Diatoms, Euglenineae and Myxophyceae in three freshwater ponds, differing in chemical composition and algal flora, situated in the vicinity of Hyderabad-India are presented. An attempt has been made to isolate various genera into groups, as their multiplication depended on particular ranges of a single chemical factor or set of factors. Several species could be separated into seasonal forms as they occur in particular periods of the year. Others could be grouped under indifferent forms as these are neither influenced by fluctuations in chemical factors nor by seasonal changes.