A method for quantifying conservation value in lentic freshwater habitats using desmids as indicator organisms

A method is presented for quantification of aquatic nature conservation value based on desmid assemblages present. Species richness (indicative of internal structural and functional differentiation of the ecosystem), the occurrence of rare taxa (often indicative of particular environmental conditions) and the presence of species indicative of ecosystem maturity are the parameters chosen to determine conservation value. For the sake of utility, schemes have been developed to transform the values scored for the various parameters to a simple scale ranging from 0 to 10, relative to regional and historical standards. By way of illustration, two examples are presented. The first shows the decline of desmid-related conservation value along a gradient of increasing eutrophication in a series of interconnected shallow lakes, the other illustrates the course of this value through time in a polluted and subsequently restored moorland pool.     

Nutrient translocation from green algal symbionts to the freshwater sponge Ephydatia fluviatilis

The symbiosis between the freshwater sponge Ephydatia fluviatilis and a chlorella-like green alga is not obligate and only occurs when the sponge grows in the light. The algae accumulate intracellular pools of sucrose and glucose and translocate between 9 and 17% of the total photosynthate to the host. The principal product translocated is glucose which is fed directly into the sponge metabolic pool. White sponges transplanted back into the river in the shade grew logarithmically with a mean doubling time of 12 days. Sponges transplanted into illuminated habitats did not grow. It is unknown how the sponge acquires its algal symbiont.     

The distribution of seaweed floras in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Ocean: a quantitative approach

Records of nearly 1500 species of marine algae present in over 80 countries, states, and islands of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic were analyzed to ascertain the relationships between their floras. Association analysis was unsatisfactory, cluster analysis was better, but, of the classificatory methods, indicator species analysis was best. However, the most meaningful results were obtained by ordination using reciprocal averaging. This method demonstrates that after the separation of the marine flora of South-West Africa (Namibia), two clearly defined groupings representing the eastern Atlantic and the western Atlantic are apparent. On the western side, the floras, apart from that of Uruguay, are a relatively close-knit group, except that the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico together with the southern Atlantic States of the U.S.A. are distinct from the southern Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean groups. On the eastern side of the Atlantic the floras are less closely related. A well-marked tropical group extends from Gambia to Cameroun but does not include the Gulf of Guinea islands which form another group with Angola. This latter group is transitional to the colder water floras lying northwards of Senegal and south of Angola.     

白水江自然保护区藻类名录初报

白水江国家级自然保护区是甘肃省生物多样性最为丰富的地区,但是境内的藻类资源状况未见报道过。在实地调查取样的基础上,初步鉴定出白水江国家级自然保护区境内的藻类共4个门60属161种:硅藻门种类最多,有91种,占总种数的56.5%;绿藻门次之,有41种,占25.5%,其次是蓝藻门,有26种,占16.1%;裸藻门最少,共3种,占1.9%。从分布上看,铁楼的种类最多,有81种,然后依次是刘家坪有73种,邱家坝61种,石林谷48种,碧口47种。我们的名录对于了解该保护区的生物多样性提供了基础材料。     

苯胺、苯酚对淡水藻类生长的影响

用生物检验法研究了苯胺、苯酚对蛋白核小球藻、斜生栅藻生长的影响,测定了两种藻类在5 d内对不同浓度苯胺、苯酚的降解或在藻细胞内的富集情况.结果表明,苯胺、苯酚对两种淡水藻类的致毒作用有所不同,对于同一种藻类,苯胺毒性大于苯酚;在同一毒物浓度下,栅藻表现更为敏感.在较低浓度下,两种淡水藻类均能降解或吸收一部分有机毒物,其中对苯酚的降解能力较强.     

An outline of the distribution patterns of the freshwater Copepoda of Israel and surroundings

The distribution of the freshwater Copepoda in the Levantine province is analyzed. The characteristics of the five subprovinces of the freshwater fauna in the area are briefly presented and the representative species of Copepoda, mainly of the Harpacticoida, are mentioned. The presence of a palearctic enclave in the mountains of South Sinai and the presence of Ethiopian species in the Jordan-Dead Sea valley, is emphasized.     

Intertidal meiofaunal biodiversity with respect to different algal habitats: a test using phytal ostracodes from Southern California

Rocky intertidal algae harbor a diverse invertebrate meiofauna of arthropods, nematodes and other invertebrates. Despite its ecological importance, relatively little is known about the diversity and composition of this important component of intertidal biodiversity. In this study, we quantified species composition, abundance and distribution of ostracodes, an important group of phytal meiofauna, at two different intertidal areas in southern California. In total, we recovered 22 ostracode species from three different orders (16 podocopids, five myodocopids and one platycopid), nearly a quarter of which could not be assigned to existing taxa. The abundance of ostracodes differed significantly among algal types, with structurally complex algae bearing many more ostracodes per gram of algae than simple forms (blade-like algae and the surfgrass Phyllospadix). Although most ostracode species were recovered from multiple kinds of algae, different algae harbored distinct assemblages that could be discriminated statistically on the basis of relative abundances of ostracode species. This segregation of the ostracode fauna according to algal species is evident even over very short spatial scales (<1 m). Finally, ostracode samples from turf-forming algae were more species rich than samples from other kinds of macroalgae. Since turf-forming algae are easily damaged by human trampling, this component of ostracode biodiversity may be particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts on the intertidal habitat. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Handling editor: K. Martens     

Diversity and geographic distribution of desmids and other coccoid green algae

Taxonomic diversity of desmids and other coccoid green algae is discussed in relation to different species concepts. For want of unambiguous criteria about species delimitation, no reliable estimations of global species richness can be given. Application of the biological species concept is seriously hampered by lack of sexual reproduction in many species. Molecular analyses demonstrated cases of close affiliation between morphologically highly different taxa and, contrary, examples of little relationship between morphologically similar taxa. Despite the fact that desmids and chlorococcal algae, because of their microbial nature, can be readily distributed, cosmopolitan species are relatively scarce. The geographic distribution of some well-recognizable morphospecies is discussed in detail. Of some species a recent extension of their area could be established, e.g., in the desmids Micrasterias americana and Euastrum germanicum, and in the chlorococcaleans Desmodesmus perforatus and Pediastrum simplex. Special Issue: Protist diversity and geographic distribution. Guest editor: W. Foissner.     

The pteridophytes of Mauritius (Indian Ocean): ecology and distribution

A survey of the pteridophytes of Mauritius is presented, including a summary of their habitats, ecology, and phytogeographical affinities. Of the 186 infrageneric taxa recorded from the island, 8 are adventive or naturalized, and 27 are presumed rare or extinct. Major ecological groupings are presented and species are listed for both indigenous and secondary plant communities.     

山西省的淡水红藻

报道山西省的淡水红藻植物,共计有15种,隶属于6目,7科,9属,即紫球藻Porphyridium purpureum (Bory) Drew et Ross,暗紫红毛菜Bangia atropurpurea (Roth) Agardh,细弱弯枝藻Compsopogon tenellus Ling et Xie,弯枝藻C．coeruleus (Balbis ex C．Agardh)Momagne,灌木状拟弯枝藻Copsopogonopsis fruticosa (Jao) Seto,异孢奥杜藻Audouinella heterospora Xie et Ling,硬枝奥杜藻A．chalybea (Roth) Bory,矮小奥杜藻A．pygmaea (Ktitzing) Weber-van Bosse,棘刺红索藻Thorea hispida (Thore) Desvaux,鸭形串珠藻Batrachospermum anatinum Sirodot,胶串珠藻B．gelatinosum (Linnaeus) De Candolle,弧形串珠藻B．arcuatum Kylin,绞扭串珠藻B．intortum Jao,细连珠藻Sirodotia tenuissima (Collins) Skuja ex Flint和胭脂藻Hildenbrandia rivularis (Leibmann)Agardh．     

淡水藻类在监测水质和净化污水中的应用

淡水藻类作为水体中的初级生产者,分布广泛,适应性强,在水生生态系统食物链中占据着十分重要的地位,在水质监测中起着关键的作用。通过对藻类生长与水环境之间的相互关系进行简要的概述,探讨了pH值和氮磷对淡水藻类的生长的影响,以及淡水藻类的生长对外界环境的影响。藻类不但应用于水质监测,而且还能去除水体中的氮、磷等营养物质和其它有机物,对自然水域中的污水有良好的净化作用。重点论述淡水藻类在水质监测和污水净化中的作用以及利用淡水藻类来处理污水的方法。并提出了保护水资源的相关建议,为综合监测和治理水环境提供一定的理论依据和支持。     

Putting the meio- into stream ecology: current findings and future directions for lotic meiofaunal research

• 1 There is a paucity of research on epigean freshwater lotic meiofauna. This may result from a previous emphasis on interstitial (groundwater and hyporheic) meiofauna and/or a reliance on sampling methodologies in lotic systems which are inappropriate for meiofauna.
• 2 Meiofauna contribute much to the diversity of lotic ecosystems. Species lists for seven streams reveal that meiofauna contribute 58–82% of total species numbers, with rotifers and chironomids dominating most systems. The absence of taxonomic keys for most meiofaunal taxa in large areas of the world precludes a wider analysis of their contribution to lotic diversity and an assessment of biogeographical patterns and processes.
• 3 The trophic and functional role of meiofauna in lotic ecosystems is unclear. There are few estimates of meiofaunal production in freshwaters and biomass spectra have produced conflicting results for lotic meiofauna. Present static estimates suggest that the contribution of meiofauna to lotic productivity and biomass is small to moderate, but further studies incorporating a temporal component may provide a more realistic picture of the total contribution of meiofauna to biomass size spectra.
• 4 Meiofauna differ from macroinvertebrates in several respects apart from size and conceptual models for lotic ecosystems should include all metazoans if they are to be truly representative.
• 5 Information on the basic ecology of certain lotic meiofauna (i.e. nematodes, tardigrades, microturbellarians) is urgently required. For those groups whose distributional patterns are better understood (e.g. microcrustaceans), the mechanisms underpinning these patterns should be explored. It is essential that the importance of meiofauna is recognised by lotic ecologists; the only realistic way forward is for greater collaboration among meiofaunal ecologists and taxonomists and other lotic scientists.

     

The ecology of the Turbellaria with special reference to the freshwater triclads

To attempt a complete review of turbellarian ecology in the time and space available would result in superficiality. Therefore, I have restricted this account to the four basic ecological processes which have and continue to determine flatworm distribution and abundance. These are: (1) historical or zoogeographical events which permit or prevent a species from reaching a habitat; (2) physiological limitations of the species vis à vis the habitat; (3) access to suitable energy sources and (4) the effects of competition, predation and parasitism, referred to collectively as bionomic processes.     

Freshwater biota and rising pCO2?

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) has caused a suite of environmental issues, however, little is known about how the partial pressure of CO₂ (pCO₂) in freshwater will be affected by climate change. Freshwater pCO₂ varies across systems and is controlled by a diverse array of factors, making it difficult to make predictions about future levels of pCO₂. Recent evidence suggests that increasing levels of atmospheric CO₂ may directly increase freshwater pCO₂ levels in lakes, but rising atmospheric CO₂ may also indirectly impact freshwater pCO₂ levels in a variety of systems by affecting other contributing factors such as soil respiration, terrestrial productivity and climate regimes. Although future freshwater pCO₂ levels remain uncertain, studies have considered the potential impacts of changes to pCO₂ levels on freshwater biota. Studies to date have focused on impacts of elevated pCO₂ on plankton and macrophytes, and have shown that phytoplankton nutritional quality is reduced, plankton community structure is altered, photosynthesis rates increase and macrophyte distribution shifts with increasing pCO₂. However, a number of key knowledge gaps remain and gaining a better understanding of how freshwater pCO₂ levels are regulated and how these levels may impact biota, will be important for predicting future responses to climate change.