Species richness and diversity of a fish community in a temporal water body at Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica

We evaluated fish community, species richness and diversity in a temporal water body of Rio Frio, Ca?o Negro National Wildlife Refuge. These evaluations were done for three categories of water levels: low (below 1.5 m), intermediate (between 1.5 and 3.0 m) and high (deeper than 3 m). A total of 10,264 individuals were collected (nine families, 18 genera and 21 species). The most abundant species were Poecilia gillii (37%) and Astyanax aeneus (19%) and the least abundant were Ophisternon aenigmaticum (0.06%) and Rhamdia nicaraguensis (0.05%). The highest values in diversity (H' = 2.07), in the inverse of the Simpson index (1/D = 6.2) and of the Berger-Parker (1/d = 4.2), were recorded in the deepest water category. Diversity differed clearly among water levels (p < 0.001). The high and intermediate categories were the most similar (conglomerate analysis: 72.9%). Out of the 21 species captured, only O. aenigmaticum constitutes a new record for the ichthyofauna of Rio Frio in the Ca?o Negro National Wildlife Refuge. The temporal water body of the Rio Frio, considered in this study in the Playuela sector of Ca?o Negro National Wildlife Refuge is a nonhomogeneous ichthyological system.     

Intraspecific life history variation in the threatened Louisiana pearlshell mussel, Margaritifera hembeli

1. Margaritifera hembeli is a threatened mussel limited to twenty-two headwater streams in the Red River drainage in central Louisiana, USA. This study evaluated intraspecific variation in density, growth, size and age structure and shell morphology among several isolated populations. This study also identified the host fish and considered the role that host fish distribution played in determining mussel recruitment. 2. Mussels were aggregated in beds and average densities differed among streams. However, maximum mussel densities in beds were similar in all streams; the observed maxima were among the largest for monospecific mussel beds in North America, often exceeding 300 individuals m^–2. 3. The maximum size reached by individuals differed among streams, but all size distributions were skewed towards larger individuals. A repeated measures analysis of tagged mussels in four populations, over a 2-year period, indicated 2-fold differences in growth rates among streams, and significant variation among years. Growth rates were not affected by local population density. Maximum ages reached, determined indirectly by comparing growth rates, varied from 45 to 75 years. A canonical discriminant analysis also revealed significant differences in shell morphology across populations. 4. Half of the populations showed evidence of recent recruitment, and these sites had fish assemblages dominated by the host fish Noturus phaeus (Taylor). Host fish abundance appeared more important than adult mussel density in explaining recruitment patterns. 5. Considerable intraspecific life history variation suggests that management strategies for this species should be stream-specific, with emphasis on ensuring long-term habitat stability.     

Temperature-dependent growth and life cycle of Deleatidium (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) in two high-country streams in New Zealand

1. Measurements of larval growth rates were used to produce an empirical model for examining factors influencing patterns of size structure and emergence period for populations of the leptophlebiid mayfly Deleatidium ( lillii group) in two high-country streams (South Island, New Zealand). Growth rates were measured in situ by enclosing groups of larvae and natural stream substrata in growth chambers.
2. Multiple regression analysis showed that temperature explained most variation among growth rates in both streams. Growth rates were also significantly related to larval size, although the effect was minor compared with temperature. A significant relationship between larval biomass per chamber and growth rate was shown at only one site.
3. Growth models based on multiple regression equations ( R ² = 0.70–0.84) simulated the extended emergence period and complex size structure observed for populations of Deleatidium in the field. Larvae hatching from eggs deposited before mid-February (austral summer) probably emerge as adults before May (minimum cohort duration ≈ 3 months). Larvae hatching after mid-February probably do not emerge as adults until the following summer because of low growth rates during winter (maximum cohort duration ≈ 11 months).
4. On average, there are probably two generations of Deleatidium per year (bivoltine) at the study sites. The presence of numerous overlapping cohorts throughout summer, however, results in an extended emergence period and complex size structure.     

Temperature-dependent growth and life cycle of Deleatidium (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) in two high-country streams in New Zealand

1. Measurements of larval growth rates were used to produce an empirical model for examining factors influencing patterns of size structure and emergence period for populations of the leptophlebiid mayfly Deleatidium ( lillii group) in two high-country streams (South Island, New Zealand). Growth rates were measured in situ by enclosing groups of larvae and natural stream substrata in growth chambers.
2. Multiple regression analysis showed that temperature explained most variation among growth rates in both streams. Growth rates were also significantly related to larval size, although the effect was minor compared with temperature. A significant relationship between larval biomass per chamber and growth rate was shown at only one site.
3. Growth models based on multiple regression equations ( R ² = 0.70–0.84) simulated the extended emergence period and complex size structure observed for populations of Deleatidium in the field. Larvae hatching from eggs deposited before mid-February (austral summer) probably emerge as adults before May (minimum cohort duration ≈ 3 months). Larvae hatching after mid-February probably do not emerge as adults until the following summer because of low growth rates during winter (maximum cohort duration ≈ 11 months).
4. On average, there are probably two generations of Deleatidium per year (bivoltine) at the study sites. The presence of numerous overlapping cohorts throughout summer, however, results in an extended emergence period and complex size structure.     

Phylogeography of Rhinichthys cataractae (Teleostei: Cyprinidae): pre‐glacial colonization across the Continental Divide and Pleistocene diversification within the Rio Grande drainage

The longnose dace, Rhinichthys cataractae, is a primary freshwater fish inhabiting riffle habitats in small headwater rivers and streams across the North American continent, including drainages east and west of the Continental Divide. The mitochondrially encoded cytochrome b gene (1140 bp) and 2298–2346 bp of the nuclear‐encoded genes S7 and RAG1 were obtained from 87 individuals of R. cataractae (collected from 17 sites throughout its range) and from several close relatives. Phylogenetic analyses recovered a monophyletic R. cataractae species‐group that contained Rhinichthys evermanni, Rhinichthys sp. ‘Millicoma dace’, and a non‐exclusive R. cataractae. Within the R. cataractae species‐group, two well‐supported lineages were identified, including a western lineage (containing R. evermanni, R. sp. ‘Millicoma dace’ and individuals of R. cataractae from Pacific slope drainages) and an eastern lineage (containing individuals of R. cataractae from Arctic, Atlantic, and Gulf slope drainages). Within the eastern lineage of R. cataractae, two well‐supported groups were recovered: a south‐eastern group, containing individuals from the Atlantic slope, southern tributaries to the Mississippi River, and the Rio Grande drainage; and a north‐eastern group, containing individuals from the Arctic slope and northern tributaries to the Mississippi River. Estimates of the timing of divergence within the R. cataractae species‐group, combined with ancestral area‐reconstruction methods, indicate a separation between the eastern and western lineages during the Pliocene to early‐Pleistocene, with a direction of colonization from the west of the Continental Divide eastward. Within the southern portion of its range, R. cataractae likely entered the Rio Grande drainage during the Pleistocene via stream capture events between the Arkansas River (Mississippi River drainage) and headwaters of the Rio Grande. A close relationship between populations of R. cataractae in the Rio Grande drainage and the adjacent Canadian River (Mississippi River drainage) is consistent with hypothesized stream capture events between the Pecos (Rio Grande drainage) and Canadian rivers during the late‐Pleistocene. The population of R. cataractae in the lower Rio Grande may have become separated from other populations in the Rio Grande drainage (upper Rio Grande and Pecos River) and Canadian River during the late‐Pleistocene, well before initiation of recent and significant anthropogenic disturbance within the Rio Grande drainage. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 111 , 317–333.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pilea carautae</Emphasis> (Urticaceae), a new and endemic species from South-eastern Brazil

Pilea carautae M. D. M. Vianna & R. J. V. Alves (Urticaceae) is described and illustrated. This new species is endemic to the Cabo Frio region in Rio de Janeiro State, Southeastern Brazil. P. carautae is considered threatened by IUCN standards due to its extremely restricted geographic area of occurrence.     

Chromosomal comparisons among and within populations of Simulium (Chirostilbia) pertinax (Diptera, Simuliidae)

Chromosomal studies were carried on six larval populations of Simulium (Chirostilbia) pertinax from different locations in Brazil. Larvae were collected in the states of Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro and S?o Paulo. Polytene chromosome map comparisons within and among populations showed no differences in banding pattern, except for some limited polymorphism (secondary NOR and four band polymorphisms). There were no chromosomal variations associated with the resistance or susceptibility of the larvae to temephos. The chromosomal homosequentiality found among the six populations suggests that S. pertinax may be a monomorphic species.     

Chromosomal evidence of downstream dispersal of Astyanax fasciatus (Characiformes, Characidae) associated with river shed interconnection

In the 1960s, as a part of the construction of the Furnas Hydroelectric Power Dam, Minas Gerais, Brazil, the Rio Piumhi was diverted from the Rio Grande drainage to the S?o Francisco River basin, with the resulting introduction of species from one basin to the other. Chromosomal characteristics of various populations of Astyanax fasciatus sensu Eigenmann from the transect region were studied using cytogenetic techniques, with the goal to identify and map the dispersal of invasive species in the Rio S?o Francisco. Populations of the Rio Grande and Rio Piumhi are distinct from those of the S?o Francisco basin based on chromosome markers associated to the heterochromatin, Ag-NORs, 18S rDNA, 5S rDNA, and As-51 satellite DNA sites. Individuals with karyomorph originally present in the Piumhi drainage are now present in the S?o Francisco basin, downstream from the transposition channel. This expansion of the distribution corroborates a hypothesis of progressive substitution of native populations by the invasive Piumhi form.     

Metal accumulation by Halodule wrightii populations

Metal concentrations and population parameters of the seagrass Halodule wrightii were determined at three locations at Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The possible increase of metal availability in one of these areas, Sepetiba Bay, as a result of dredging of contaminated bottom sediments which ocurred, was evaluated by analyses of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn in root, rhizome and shoots. In addition, analyses were carried out in H. wrightii populations from non-contaminated areas located at northwestern (Cabo Frio) and southeastern (Angra do Reis) regions of Rio de Janeiro State. Concurrently, abundance and density data of the seagrass populations were obtained. It was found that concentration from Sepetiba Bay samples up to 1.6 ± 0.4 μg g⁻¹ of Cd, 12 ± 1.0 μg g⁻¹ of Cr, 27 ± 2.4 μg g⁻¹ of Pb, 291 ± 47 μg g⁻¹ of Mn, 128 ± 23 μg g⁻¹ of Zn were significantly higher than that from two other collection sites. An increase in Cd and Zn concentration was observed in H. wrightii from Sepetiba Bay indicating that metal mobilization from contaminated sediments through dredging activities were, at least in part, transferred to the biotic compartment via accumulation by the seagrass. The populations of seagrass within the region demonstrated quite substantial changes in biomass data but not in shoot or rhizome density during the study. Such changes in biomass are to be expected, as these dynamics are typical of the small, isolated monospecific populations of H. wrightii along the Rio de Janeiro coast.     

Modeling competition between Laurencia obtusa (Ceramiales,Rhodophyta) and Hypnea spinella (Gigartinales,Rhodophyta) at Cabo Frio Island,Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

The Lotka-Volterra competition model was used to represent the interaction between Laurencia obtusa and Hypnea spinella. A new model that considers effects of competition on algal carrying capacity is suggested. To test the models, data from field experiments conducted in an intertidal region at Cabo Frio Island, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were used. Both models showed that Hypnea was a stronger competitor than Laurencia. The model of interaction through the carrying capacity showed a stable coexistence between the algal populations and better represented the experimental data.     

Site specific differentiation in metal tolerance in the midge Chironomus riparius (Diptera,Chironomidae)

Metal tolerance in Chironomus riparius (Diptera) populations from contaminated streams was studied by comparing the effects of cadmium, zinc and iron on first generation laboratory reared midges. First instar larvae were exposed for four days, after which surviving larvae were counted and their length measured. Larvae from two highly polluted sites, kept under control conditions, grew substantially slower than those from other populations. All populations showed the same growth responses to increased zinc concentrations, but differences were found in the responses to both cadmium and iron. Since population differentiation was demonstrated in first generation laboratory animals, it is suggested that the differences between populations of C. riparius have a genetic basis.     

Age structure and growth of Semotilus atromaculatus(Mitchill) in PCB‐contaminated streams

Creek chub Semotilus atromaculatus from two PCB contaminated streams (Clear Creek and Richland Creek) at three locations and a reference stream (Little Indian Creek), Indiana, U.S.A., were examined to determine if age class structure and growth variables were correlated with in‐situ PCB exposure. Approximately five to 15 fish were captured weekly during the spring spawning season and monthly thereafter for a 12 month period. Fish collected ranged from 25 to 267 mm total length (L_T). Throughout the course of this study, no spawning activity was observed at either location in Clear Creek, although some very small young‐of‐the‐year (YOY) creek chub fry were observed at the downstream location by late summer. Creek chub nests were observed in both Richland Creek and Little Indian Creek but YOY were common only in Little Indian Creek. Exposure to PCBs was shown to both enhance and decrease growth in varied laboratory tests; subtle but significant gender‐specific differences in the growth of creek chub populations between the sites were observed. Creek chub up to 24 months in age from Clear Creek and Richland Creek were significantly larger (both L_T and mass for males and L_T for females) than reference site creek chub. This trend was reversed for creek chub aged ≥24 months as the reference site fish were consistently larger with reference males weighing significantly more. Older age classes of creek chub were missing in areas of higher PCB contamination. Female population growth rates and individual instantaneous growth rates were consistently higher at the reference site in comparison to the PCB‐contaminated sites. Calculation of ‘functional b’(as a condition factor) did indicate that growth enhancement in young males did occur at the most contaminated site and reductions in growth (mass relative to L_T) occurred in females from all contaminated sites. Furthermore, long‐term survivorship for females was reduced in the PCB‐contaminated streams. All of these subtle alterations in growth would not have been observed if males and females had not been analysed separately.     

Age ratio and survival of Common Rosefinch (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Carpodacus erythrinus</Emphasis>, Passeriformes,Fringillidae) in a local population based on ringing data

The ringing data on Common Rosefinch obtained during thirteen field seasons (2002–2014) at the National Park “Russky Sever” (Vologda region) are analyzed. Birds were trapped in two sites 59 km apart. The age of the birds (yearlings or first breeders and adults) was determined according to the plumage color in every male captured with mist nets. The apparent survival rate of adult individuals was determined using two methods: according to the ratio of males’ age and the CJS model (Lebreton et al., 1992; Bursky, 2011). A total of 713 captures of 657 individuals were analyzed. The ratios of ages in the males from the sites studied did not differ; yearlings amounted to 56% of all males. The rate of survival in the males based on the age ratios was estimated at 44 ± 2%. The apparent survival rate obtained using the CJS model was significantly higher (61 ± 6%). The survival rate of adult rosefinches in two sites did not differ and did not depend on sex. Literature materials on the age ratio and survival of rosefinches in local populations are analyzed. There is a suggestion that the mismatch of the survival rates obtained by two methods and the high proportion of yearling males in the banding captures can be explained by the fact that the majority of individuals of that age category did not participate in nesting.     

Adaptation of redband trout in desert and montane environments

Natural populations that evolve under extreme climates are likely to diverge because of selection in local environments. To explore whether local adaptation has occurred in redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri) occupying differing climate regimes, we used a limited genome scan approach to test for candidate markers under selection in populations occurring in desert and montane streams. An environmental approach to identifying outlier loci, spatial analysis method and linear regression of minor allele frequency with environmental variables revealed six candidate markers (P < 0.01). Putatively neutral markers identified high genetic differentiation among desert populations relative to montane sites, likely due to intermittent flows in desert streams. Additionally, populations exhibited a highly significant pattern of isolation by temperature (P< 0.0001) and those adapted to the same environment had similar allele frequencies across candidate markers, indicating selection for differing climates. These results imply that many genes are involved in the adaptation of redband trout to differing environments, and selection acts to reinforce localization. The potential to predict genetic adaptability of individuals and populations to changing environmental conditions may have profound implications for species that face extensive anthropogenic disturbances.     

Higher genetic variation estimated by microsatellites compared to isoenzyme markers in Aedes aegypti from Rio de Janeiro

Aedes aegypti populations from five districts in Rio de Janeiro were analyzed using five microsatellites and six isoenzyme markers, to assess the amount of variation and patterns of gene flow at local levels. Microsatellite loci were polymorphic enough to detect genetic differentiation of populations collected at small geographic scales (e.g. within a city). Ae. aegypti populations were highly differentiated as well in the city center as in the outskirt. Thus, dengue virus propagation by mosquitoes could be as efficient in the urban area as in the outskirt of Rio de Janeiro, the main entry point of dengue in Brazil.     

The North Atlantic Oscillation forcing through the last 2000 years: Spatial variability as revealed by high-resolution marine diatom records from N and SW Europe

The Tagus pro-delta (Portuguese Margin) and the Skagerrak (NE of the North Sea) are two marine systems controlled by atmospheric changes, which at present are mainly determined by fluctuations of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). On the basis of diatom records from marine sediment cores, environmental changes (primary productivity and salinity) are reconstructed for the last 2000 years for both regions. These sites are investigated focusing on the regional response to changing NAO forcing.Both studied sites are characterized by sedimentation rates in the order of 0.12 cm/year and 0.47 cm/year for the most recent deposits off the Tagus pro-delta, allowing high-resolution paleoceanographic reconstructions (8.3 and 2.1 years represented per sample). The last 2000 years are a period covering in Europe the historical climatic periods known as the Dark Ages (DA), the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) and the Little Ice Age (LIA). In the Skagerrak, the cold periods of the DA and LIA are marked by diatom dissolution stages, whereas at the Tagus pro-delta, the DA were associated with increased diatom production and possible upwelling and the onset of the LIA corresponded to enhanced flow of the Tagus River. During the MWP, better diatom preservation in the Skagerrak, related to stronger advection of salty Atlantic waters, is paralleled by dominant upwelling conditions at the Tagus pro-delta. The two most intense upwelling periods at the Tagus pro-delta, at ∼ AD 600 and ∼ AD 900, correspond to a dissolution stage and a slight change in salinity in the Skagerrak, respectively.Although the comparison of the two study sites suggests a common forcing such as the NAO, the different inferred behaviors for each main climatic period in each region demonstrate that the NAO by its own is not sufficient to explain the climatic variability at a regional scale.     

Population structure and genetic management of Rio Grande cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis)

The Rio Grande cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis, has declined precipitously over the past century, and currently exhibits a highly fragmented distribution within the Canadian, Pecos and Rio Grande river systems of the western United States. The relationships between populations in the three river drainages, and between O. c. virginalis and the closely related taxa O. c. pleuriticus and O. c. stomias, are not well understood. In order to guide management decisions for the subspecies, we investigated the distribution of variation at 12 microsatellite loci and two regions of the mitochondrial genome. We observed a high level of genetic differentiation between O. c. virginalis populations occupying different headwater streams (global F_st = 0.41). However, we found evidence for previous gene flow within the Rio Grande drainage, indicating that inter-population differentiation may have been exacerbated by the recent effects of population fragmentation. Despite large-scale anthropogenic movement of individuals from the Rio Grande into the Canadian and Pecos, the genetic signature of long-term evolutionary independence between the three drainages has been retained.     

First-year survival of brown trout in three Norwegian streams

Monthly survival rates during the first year of life were estimated for the 1999 cohort of stream-resident brown trout Salmo trutta in three Norwegian streams, using capture-mark-recapture methods and the Cormack–Jolly–Seber model. It was hypothesized that reduced survival would occur during the winter. For one of the study populations, the data did support seasonal variation in survival, with monthly survival rates being lower during winter than during summer (0·65 v . 0·99). For the remaining two populations, there was no evidence for seasonal variations in monthly survival rates, but monthly survival rates were significantly different (0·87 v . 0·99). No evidence was found for size-dependent winter survival. Some marked individuals emigrated from the study sites, suggesting that survival rates were underestimated and that different survival rates among populations were partly due to different emigration rates. Net immigration of brown trout was evident at all three study sites.     

The effects of low pH and palliative liming on beech litter decomposition in acid-sensitive streams

The decomposition of allochthonous leaf litter is retarded by stream acidification, but few studies have evaluated whether this effect can be offset by liming – the palliative addition of calcium carbonate either to streams or their catchments. We assessed the response of litter decomposition to pH and experimental liming in Welsh upland streams. Small-mesh (<335 μm) litter-bags containing common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) were submerged in main river sites along the River Wye, and in replicate acid, circumneutral and experimentally limed tributaries (all n = 3) for 20 days. Beech decomposition was inhibited in acid tributaries and main river sites compared to circumneutral tributaries. Despite having only moderately increased pH relative to acid streams, limed sites had increased decomposition rates that were indistinguishable from naturally circumneutral streams. Decomposition rates increased highly significantly with pH across all 12 sites studied, and values were near identical to those in more prolonged experiments elsewhere. There were no significant variations in shredder numbers with decomposition rate, and no evidence that sites with faster decomposition had smaller shredder proportions. Although based on short-term observations and leaves from just one tree species, these results are consistent with the well-known retardation at low pH of some aspect microbial decomposition (e.g. by hyphomycete fungi). They are among the first to suggest that stream liming to combat acidification might reverse such impacts of low pH. Further data are required on the microbiological causes and ecological consequences of altered detrital processing in acid-sensitive and limed streams.     

Seasonal and inter-stream variations in the population dynamics, growth and secondary production of an algivorous fish (Pseudogastromyzon myersi: Balitoridae) in monsoonal Hong Kong

1. Balitorid loaches are widespread and highly diverse in Asian streams, yet their life history and ecology have received little attention. We investigated seasonal (wet versus dry season) and spatial variation in populations of algivorous Pseudogastromyzon myersi in Hong Kong, and estimated the magnitude of secondary production by this fish in pools in four streams (two shaded and two unshaded) over a 15‐month period. 2. Mean population densities of P. myersi ranged from 6.0 to 23.2 individuals m⁻², constituting more than half (and typically >70%) of benthic fishes censused. Abundance was c. 25% greater in the wet season, when recruitment occurred. Significant density differences among streams were not related to shading conditions and were evident despite small‐scale variations in P. myersi abundance among pools. Mean biomass varied among streams from 0.85 to 3.87 g ash‐free dry weight (AFDW) m⁻². Spatial and seasonal patterns in biomass and density were similar, apart from some minor disparities attributable to differences in mean body size among populations. 3. All four P. myersi populations bred once a year in June and July, and life spans varied from 24 to 26 months. Populations consisted of three cohorts immediately after recruitment but, for most of the study period, only two cohorts were evident. Cohort‐specific growth rates did not differ significantly among streams but, in all streams, younger cohorts had higher cohort‐specific growth rates. 4. Secondary production of P. myersi estimated by the size‐frequency (SF) method was 2.7–11.5 g AFDW m⁻² year⁻¹ and almost twice that calculated by the increment‐summation (IS) method (1.2–6.6 g AFDW m⁻² year⁻¹). Annual P/B ratios were 1.17 – 2.16 year⁻¹ (IS) and 2.73 – 3.22 year⁻¹ (SF). Highest production was recorded in an unshaded stream and the lowest in a shaded stream, but site rankings by production did not otherwise match shading conditions. Wet‐season production was six times greater than dry‐season production, and daily production fell to almost zero during January and February. Cool temperatures (<17 °C) may have limited fish activity and influenced detectability during some dry‐season censuses. Estimates of abundance and annual production by P. myersi are therefore conservative. 5. Comparisons with the literature indicate that the abundance and production of P. myersi in Hong Kong was high relative to other benthic fishes in tropical Asia, or their temperate counterparts in small streams. Manipulative experiments are needed to determine the influence of P. myersi, and algivorous balitorids in general, on periphyton dynamics and energy flow in Asian streams.