Polychaetes associated with the sciaphilic alga community in the northern Aegean Sea: spatial and temporal variability

Polychaete biodiversity has received little attention despite its importance in biomonitoring. This study describes polychaete diversity, and its spatial and temporal variability in infralittoral, hard substrate assemblages. Seven stations were chosen in the central area of the northern Aegean Sea. At each station, one to three depth levels were set (15, 30 and 40 m). Five replicates were collected by scuba diving with a quadrat sampler (400 cm²) from each station and depth level during summer for the spatial analysis, and seasonally for the study of temporal changes. Common biocoenotic methods were employed (estimation of numerical abundance, mean dominance, frequency, Margalefs richness, Shannon-Weaver index and Pielous evenness). A total of 5,494 individuals, belonging to 79 species, were counted and classified. Diversity indices were always high. Clustering and multidimensional scaling techniques indicated a high heterogeneity of the stations, although these were all characterized by the sciaphilic alga community. A clear seasonal pattern was not detectable. Summer and autumn samples discriminate, while winter and spring form an even group. The abundance/biomass comparison indicated a dominance of k-strategy patterns, characteristic of stable communities.Communicated by H.-D. Franke     

Top-down response to spatial variation in productivity and bottom-up response to temporal variation in productivity in a long-term study of desert ants

Under the Ecosystem Exploitation Hypothesis ecosystem productivity predicts trophic complexity, but it is unclear if spatial and temporal drivers of productivity have similar impacts. Long-term studies are necessary to capture temporal impacts on trophic structure in variable ecosystems such as deserts. We sampled ants and measured plant resources in the Simpson Desert, central Australia over a 22-year period, during which rainfall varied 10-fold. We sampled dune swales (higher nutrient) and crests (lower nutrient) to account for spatial variation in productivity. We asked how temporal and spatial variation in productivity affects the abundance of ant trophic guilds. Precipitation increased vegetation cover, with the difference more pronounced on dune crests; seeding and flowering also increased with precipitation. Generalist activity increased over time, irrespective of productivity. Predators were more active in more productive (swale) habitat, i.e. spatial impacts of productivity were greatest at the highest trophic level. By contrast, herbivores (seed harvesters and sugar feeders) increased with long-term rainfall; seed harvesters also increased as seeding increased. Temporal impacts of productivity were therefore greatest for low trophic levels. Whether productivity variation leads to top-down or bottom-up structured ecosystems thus depends on the scale and dimension (spatial or temporal) of productivity.     

荒漠区植被对地下水埋深响应研究进展

荒漠区植被包括以旱生植物为主的荒漠植被和以中生植物为主的荒漠河岸林。综述了荒漠区植被对地下水埋深在个体、种群、群落以及斑块尺度上响应的研究成果,指出:荒漠区植物对地下水埋深的响应并不是简单的线性关系,而是植物适应气候、土壤、地下水等环境因素综合作用的结果,应在地下水与植被达到平衡态的基础上充分考虑生境土壤异质性、植被可塑性并采用长期定位和控制试验相结合的方法进行综合研究。强调在今后的研究中,加强同位素示踪技术和高光谱遥感技术的应用,开展植物水力提升及其机理研究;加强荒漠区植被对地下水响应机理研究特别是微观尺度(分子水平)和响应过程长期定位研究;重视植被响应地下水位波动和水质变化的研究;强化在景观尺度和生态系统尺度集成研究,以便为管理包括地下水在内的荒漠生态系统提供依据。     

Behavioral flexibility of vervet monkeys in response to climatic and social variability

Responses to environmental variability sheds light on how individuals are able to survive in a particular habitat and provides an indication of the scope and limits of its niche. To understand whether climate has a direct impact on activity, and determine whether vervet monkeys have the behavioral flexibility to respond to environmental change, we examined whether the amount of time spent resting and feeding in the nonmating and mating seasons were predicted by the thermal and energetic constraints of ambient temperature. Our results show that high temperatures during the nonmating season were associated with an increase in time spent resting, at the expense of feeding. Cold temperatures during the nonmating season were associated with an increase in time spent feeding, at the expense of resting. In contrast, both feeding and resting time during the mating season were independent of temperature, suggesting that animals were not adjusting their activity in relation to temperature during this period. Our data indicate that climate has a direct effect on animal activity, and that animals may be thermally and energetically compromised in the mating season. Our study animals appear to have the behavioral flexibility to tolerate current environmental variability. However, future climate change scenarios predict that the time an animal has available for behaviors critical for survival will be constrained by temperature. Further investigations, aimed at determining the degree of behavioral and physiological flexibility displayed by primates, are needed if we are to fully understand the consequences of environmental change on their distribution and survival. Am J Phys Anthropol 154:357–364, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Quantifying spatial and temporal variability of macroinvertebrate metrics

Since the introductions of the Habitat Directive and the European Water Framework Directive, water authorities are now obliged to monitor changes in conservation value/ecological quality on larger spatial scales (opposed to site scale), as well as to indicate the level of confidence and precision of the results provided by the monitoring programs in their river basin management plans (European Commission, 2000). To meet these requirements, analyses of the statistical power of the monitoring programs should be implemented. Currently, the statistical properties associated with aquatic monitoring programs are often unknown. We collected macroinvertebrate samples from 25 meso-eutrophic drainage ditches in the Netherlands and selected 7 taxonomic richness metrics for the evaluation of spatial and temporal variability. Simulations were performed to investigate the effects of changes in (1) the total number of species included in a taxonomic richness metric and (2) the relative number of rare species included in a taxonomic richness metric. Of the 7 metrics evaluated, the number of common species required the smallest number of monitoring sites, followed by the number of Gastropoda species, and the number of species. Also, results showed that metric variability will decrease when the proportion of rare species included in a taxonomic richness metric is reduced or the total number of species included is increased. Irrespective of the metric applied a large effort will be required to detect change within drainage ditches in the Wieden, due to high spatial variability. Therefore, we need to explore the possibilities of applying alternative more cost-effective methods for sampling and sample processing in biomonitoring programs.     

Integrated crop pollination to buffer spatial and temporal variability in pollinator activity

Insect pollination improves the yield and quality of many crops, yet there is increasing evidence of insufficient insect pollinators limiting crop production. Effective Integrated Crop Pollination (ICP) involves adaptable, targeted and cost-effective management of crop pollination and encourages the use of both wild and managed pollinators where appropriate. In this study we investigate how the addition of honeybee hives affects the community of insects visiting oilseed rape, and if hive number and location affect pollinator foraging and oilseed rape pollination in order to provide evidence for effective ICP. We found that introducing hives increased overall flower visitor numbers and altered the pollinator community, which became dominated by honeybees. Furthermore a greater number of hives did not increase bee numbers significantly but did result in honeybees foraging further into fields. The timing of surveys and proximity to the field edge influenced different pollinators in different ways and represents an example of spatial and temporal complementarity. For example dipteran flower visitor numbers declined away from the field edge whereas honeybees peaked at intermediate distances into the field. Furthermore, no significant effects of survey round on wild bees overall was observed but honeybee numbers were relatively lower during peak flowering and dipteran abundance was greater in later survey rounds. Thus combining diverse wild pollinators and managed species for crop pollination buffers spatial and temporal variation in flower visitation. However we found no effect of insect pollination on seed set or yield of oilseed rape in our trial, highlighting the critical need to understand crop demand for insect pollination before investments are made in managing pollination services.     

Long‐term successional forest dynamics: species and community responses to climatic variability

Question: Are trees sensitive to climatic variability, and do tree species differ in their responses to climatic variability? Does sensitivity of forest communities to climatic variability depend on stand composition? Location: Mixed young forest at Walker Branch Watershed near Oak Ridge, East Tennessee, USA. Methods: Using a long‐term dataset (1967–2006), we analyzed temporal forest dynamics at the tree and species level, and community dynamics for forest stands that differed in initial species composition (i.e., chestnut oak, oak–hickory, pine, and yellow poplar stands). Using summer drought and growing season temperature as defined climate drivers, we evaluated relationships between forest dynamics and climate across levels of organization. Results: Over the four‐decade study period, forest communities underwent successional change and substantially increased in biomass. Variation in summer drought and growing season temperature contributed to temporal biomass dynamics for some tree species, but not for others. Stand‐level responses to climatic variability were related to the responses of component species, except in pine stands. Pinus echinata, the dominant species in pine stands, decreased over time due to periodic outbreaks of pine bark beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis). These outbreaks at Walker Branch could not be directly related to climatic conditions. Conclusions: The results indicate that sensitivity of developing forests to climatic variability is stand type‐dependent, and hence is a function of species composition. However, in the long term, direct effects of climatic variability on forest dynamics may be small relative to autogenic successional processes or climate‐related insect outbreaks. Empirical studies testing for interactions between forest succession and climatic variability are needed.     

Rapid changes in bird community composition at multiple temporal and spatial scales in response to recent climate change

Although climate change is acknowledged to affect population dynamics and species distribution, details of how community composition is affected are still lacking. We investigate whether ongoing changes in bird community composition can be explained by contemporary changes in summer temperatures, using four independent long‐term bird census schemes from Sweden (up to 57 yr); two at the national scale and two at local scales. The change in bird community composition was represented by a community temperature index (CTI) that reflects the balance in abundance between low‐ and high‐temperature dwelling species. In all schemes, CTI tracked patterns of temperature increase, stability or decrease remarkably well, with a lag period of 1–3 yr. This response was similar at both the national and local scale. However, the communities did not respond fast enough to cope with temperature increase, suggesting that community composition lags behind changes in temperature. The change in CTI was caused mainly by changes in species’ relative abundances, and less so by changes in species composition. We conclude that ongoing changes in bird community structure are driven to a large extent by contemporary changes in climate and that CTI can be used as a simple indicator for how bird communities respond.     

黑河流域植被水分利用效率时空分异及其对降水和气温的响应

植被水分利用效率(WUE)是衡量植被生态系统碳水耦合关系的重要指标,研究其时空分异特征对区域水资源合理利用及配置有重要意义。基于改进的光能利用率模型CASA,模拟估算了黑河流域2000—2013年植被净初级生产力(NPP),结合ETWatch模型估算的黑河流域2000—2013年蒸散数据ET,进一步估算了黑河流域植被水分利用效率WUE。分析了黑河流域NPP、ET和WUE空间格局和时间变化特征,探讨了WUE变化对降水和气温的相关性。结果表明:1)黑河流域空间上植被NPP在2000—2013年多年平均值为81.05 gC m^-2 a^-1,ET平均值为133.38 mm,植被WUE平均值为0.448 gC mm^-1 m^-2。植被NPP、ET与WUE的空间格局基本上类似,均呈现出自上游至下游逐渐减少的分布格局。2)黑河流域2000—2013年间植被平均NPP与平均WUE均呈现显著上升趋势(P<0.05),而ET平均值变化不显著。WUE年际变化斜率与其平均值在空间分布上存在一定的对应关系,空间上植被WU...     

Global vegetation productivity response to climatic oscillations during the satellite era

Climate control on global vegetation productivity patterns has intensified in response to recent global warming. Yet, the contributions of the leading internal climatic variations to global vegetation productivity are poorly understood. Here, we use 30 years of global satellite observations to study climatic variations controls on continental and global vegetation productivity patterns. El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases (La Niña, neutral, and El Niño years) appear to be a weaker control on global‐scale vegetation productivity than previously thought, although continental‐scale responses are substantial. There is also clear evidence that other non‐ENSO climatic variations have a strong control on spatial patterns of vegetation productivity mainly through their influence on temperature. Among the eight leading internal climatic variations, the East Atlantic/West Russia Pattern extensively controls the ensuing year vegetation productivity of the most productive tropical and temperate forest ecosystems of the Earth's vegetated surface through directionally consistent influence on vegetation greenness. The Community Climate System Model (CCSM4) simulations do not capture the observed patterns of vegetation productivity responses to internal climatic variations. Our analyses show the ubiquitous control of climatic variations on vegetation productivity and can further guide CCSM and other Earth system models developments to represent vegetation response patterns to unforced variability. Several winter time internal climatic variation indices show strong potentials on predicting growing season vegetation productivity two to six seasons ahead which enables national governments and farmers forecast crop yield to ensure supplies of affordable food, famine early warning, and plan management options to minimize yield losses ahead of time.     

Grasshopper community response to climatic change: variation along an elevational gradient

Background

The impacts of climate change on phenological responses of species and communities are well-documented; however, many such studies are correlational and so less effective at assessing the causal links between changes in climate and changes in phenology. Using grasshopper communities found along an elevational gradient, we present an ideal system along the Front Range of Colorado USA that provides a mechanistic link between climate and phenology.

Methodology/Principal Findings

This study utilizes past (1959–1960) and present (2006–2008) surveys of grasshopper communities and daily temperature records to quantify the relationship between amount and timing of warming across years and elevations, and grasshopper timing to adulthood. Grasshopper communities were surveyed at four sites, Chautauqua Mesa (1752 m), A1 (2195 m), B1 (2591 m), and C1 (3048 m), located in prairie, lower montane, upper montane, and subalpine life zones, respectively. Changes to earlier first appearance of adults depended on the degree to which a site warmed. The lowest site showed little warming and little phenological advancement. The next highest site (A1) warmed a small, but significant, amount and grasshopper species there showed inconsistent phenological advancements. The two highest sites warmed the most, and at these sites grasshoppers showed significant phenological advancements. At these sites, late-developing species showed the greatest advancements, a pattern that correlated with an increase in rate of late-season warming. The number of growing degree days (GDDs) associated with the time to adulthood for a species was unchanged across the past and present surveys, suggesting that phenological advancement depended on when a set number of GDDs is reached during a season.

Conclusions

Our analyses provide clear evidence that variation in amount and timing of warming over the growing season explains the vast majority of phenological variation in this system. Our results move past simple correlation and provide a stronger process-oriented and predictive framework for understanding community level phenological responses to climate change.     

Biofilm diatom community structure: Influence of temporal and substratum variability

Abstract

Diatoms, which are early autotrophic colonisers, are an important constituent of the biofouling community in the marine environment. The effects of substratum and temporal variations on the fouling diatom community structure in a monsoon-influenced tropical estuary were studied. Fibreglass and glass coupons were exposed every month for a period of 4 days and the diatom population sampled at 24 h intervals, over a period of 14 months. The planktonic diatom community structure differed from the biofilm community. Pennate diatoms dominated the biofilms whilst centric diatoms were dominant in the water column. Among the biofilm diatoms, species belonging to the genera Navicula, Amphora, Nitzschia, Pleurosigma and Thalassionema were dominant. On certain occasions, the influence of planktonic blooms was also seen on the biofilm community. A comparative study of biofilms formed on the two substrata revealed significant differences in density and diversity. However species composition was almost constant. In addition to substratum variations, the biofilm diatom community structure also showed significant seasonal variations, which were attributed to physico-chemical and biological changes in both the water and substratum. Temporal variations in the tychopelagic diatoms of the water were also observed to exert an influence on the biofilm diatom community. Variations in diatom communities may determine the functional ecosystem of the benthic environment.     

Biofilm diatom community structure: influence of temporal and substratum variability

Diatoms, which are early autotrophic colonisers, are an important constituent of the biofouling community in the marine environment. The effects of substratum and temporal variations on the fouling diatom community structure in a monsoon-influenced tropical estuary were studied. Fibreglass and glass coupons were exposed every month for a period of 4 days and the diatom population sampled at 24 h intervals, over a period of 14 months. The planktonic diatom community structure differed from the biofilm community. Pennate diatoms dominated the biofilms whilst centric diatoms were dominant in the water column. Among the biofilm diatoms, species belonging to the genera Navicula, Amphora, Nitzschia, Pleurosigma and Thalassionema were dominant. On certain occasions, the influence of planktonic blooms was also seen on the biofilm community. A comparative study of biofilms formed on the two substrata revealed significant differences in density and diversity. However species composition was almost constant. In addition to substratum variations, the biofilm diatom community structure also showed significant seasonal variations, which were attributed to physico-chemical and biological changes in both the water and substratum. Temporal variations in the tychopelagic diatoms of the water were also observed to exert an influence on the biofilm diatom community. Variations in diatom communities may determine the functional ecosystem of the benthic environment.     

Herbaceous vegetation change in variable rangeland environments: The relative contribution of grazing and climatic variability

Abstract. A 44‐yr record of herbaceous vegetation change was analysed for three contrasting grazing regimes within a semi‐arid savanna to evaluate the relative contribution of confined livestock grazing and climatic variability as agents of vegetation change. Grazing intensity had a significant, directional effect on the relative composition of short‐ and mid‐grass response groups; their composition was significantly correlated with time since the grazing regimes were established. Interannual precipitation was not significantly correlated with response group composition. However, interannual precipitation was significantly correlated with total plant basal area while time since imposition of grazing regimes was not, but both interannual precipitation and time since the grazing regimes were established were significantly correlated with total plant density. Vegetation change was reversible even though the herbaceous community had been maintained in an altered state for ca. 60 yr by intensive livestock grazing. However, ca. 25 yr were required for the mid‐grass response group to recover following the elimination of grazing and recovery occurred intermittently. The increase in mid‐grass composition was associated with a significant decrease in total plant density and an increase in mean individual plant basal area. Therefore, we failed to reject the hypotheses based on the proportional change in relative response group composition with grazing intensity and the distinct effects of grazing and climatic variability on response group composition, total basal area and plant density. Long‐term vegetation change indicates that grazing intensity established the long‐term directional change in response group composition, but that episodic climate events defined the short‐term rate and trajectory of this change and determines the upper limit on total basal area. The occurrence of both directional and non‐directional vegetation responses were largely a function of (1) the unique responses of the various community attributes monitored and (2) the distinct temporal responses of these community attributes to grazing and climatic variation. This interpretation supports previous conclusions that individual ecosystems may exist in equilibrial and non‐equilibrial states at various temporal and spatial scales.     

Causes and consequences of long-term climatic variability on the Australian continent

Summary 1. Ice-volume forced glacial–interglacial cyclicity is the major cause of global climate variation within the late Quaternary period. Within the Australian region, this variation is expressed predominantly as oscillations in moisture availability. Glacial periods were substantially drier than today with restricted distribution of mesic plant communities, shallow or ephemeral water bodies and extensive aeolian dune activity.
2. Superimposed on this cyclicity in Australia is a trend towards drier and/or more variable climates within the last 350 000 years. This trend may have been initiated by changes in atmospheric and ocean circulation resulting from Australia's continued movement into the Southeast Asian region and involving the onset or intensification of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation system and a reduction in summer monsoon activity.
3. Increased biomass burning, stemming originally from increased climatic variability and later enhanced by activities of indigenous people, resulted in a more open and sclerophyllous vegetation, increased salinity and a further reduction in water availability.
4. Past records combined with recent observations suggest that the degree of environmental variability will increase and the drying trend will be enhanced in the foreseeable future, regardless of the extent or nature of human intervention.     

Black Sigatoka disease of banana: spatial and temporal variability in disease development

Field observations of black Sigatoka disease symptom development were made on banana plants from four sites (30 m apart) within an unsprayed plantation of dimensions 100 m × 200 m in Costa Rica during two field visits: October 1993-February 1994 (wet to dry season) and April-September 1995 (dry to wet season). From these observations, estimates of the symptom-free period and the average rate of symptom development (during the symptomatic phase) were made for each leaf. No significant differences were found between sites in rates of symptom development in either 1993/94 or 1995, or in symptom-free period for 1993/94 (data were not suitable to test for between-site differences in symptom-free period for 1995). This suggests that forecasts would not have to take into account differences in location within this small plantation. Symptom-free time decreased over the 1995 observation period, was less than in 1993/94 and correlated with increases in hours per day at a relative humidity (r.h.) of 100%. Because plantations may be sprayed many times per year, forecasts have to be sensitive to short-term changes in disease severity. Seasonal trends in some more rapidly-and easily-assessed characters (number of disease-free leaves, disease scores of specific leaves and average disease scores of entire plants) accurately reflected trends in the more detailed observations of symptom severity, hours per day at 100% r.h. and numbers of leaves unfurling per unit time. This suggests that these could be used as indicators of changes in disease severity in a forecasting scheme.     

湖北省地区植被覆盖变化及其对气候因子的响应

归一化植被指数(NDVI)作为一个重要的遥感参数,能够准确地反映植被覆盖程度和植被生长状况、生物物理化学性质及生态系统参数的变化,其时序数据也已成为基于生物气候特征开展大区域植被和土地覆盖分类的基本手段。基于2001—2012年MODIS-NDVI数据,利用趋势分析法以及线性相关分析等方法对湖北省植被年际变化趋势、月变化趋势进行详细分析;并且研究该区植被覆盖时空变化及其与气温和降水的关系。结果表明近12年来,研究区大部分区域植被覆盖度良好,其中鄂西北及鄂南地区NDVI值较高为0.82,鄂中东部城市NDVI值较低为0.13;2001—2012年间年均NDVI整体呈增加趋势,增速1%/10a;植被覆盖度基本不变区域占研究区总面积的92.8%,大致符合我国中部地区植被覆盖变化趋势;分析NDVI与气候因子的相关关系可知,降水量对湖北植被NDVI年变化起有重要影响;逐月NDVI与月平均气温及月降水量的回归分析表明,降水和气温对生长季不同月份的植被NDVI影响明显不同,同时呈现一定的滞后性。     

土壤线虫群落对闽北森林植被恢复的响应

为了考察地上植物群落的演替与土壤线虫群落的相互关系, 作者对闽北退化常绿阔叶林不同恢复阶段的土壤线虫群落进行了为期一年的定位研究。研究表明, 线虫群落对植被不同恢复阶段有不同的响应, 各恢复阶段线虫数量差异显著(P<0.01), 从大到小依次为: 荒地(Wj)、天然阔叶林(Cc)、针阔混交林(Clc )、针叶林(Pm); 土壤线虫数量的季节波动明显, 属数与个体密度均体现为春季＞冬季＞秋季＞夏季, 而夏季极显著少于其他季节(P<0.01); 土壤线虫群落DG指数与丰富度指数从大到小依次为天然阔叶林、荒地、针阔混交林和针叶林。而多样性顺序却表现为: 荒地>天然阔叶林>针阔混交林>针叶林; 不同恢复阶段土壤根系生物量、土壤理化特征存在明显的空间变异, 并且线虫数量与根系生物量、土壤含水率、土壤孔隙度、土壤有机质、全氮以及速效磷具有显著正相关关系。因此, 植被恢复过程中土壤线虫群落结构分异及其动态是一个重要的生态响应过程, 能为进一步研究土壤生物在植被演替中的地位和作用以及土壤生物多样性保护提供基础数据。