Intertidal ecosystems of the seas of the USSR

Composition and distribution of intertidal ecosystem of rocky and unconsolidated facies were quantitatively studied from 1951 to 1975 in about 40 regions of the White, Barents, Bering, Okchotsk and Japan Seas. According to the degree of similarity (or to the degree of relationship), the investigated intertidal communities can be divided into the following 4 groups: (1) Uniform communities with identical forms as dominant species. A series of uniform communities constitutes a single association. (2) Parallel or vicarious communities with closely related vicarious forms as dominant species. A series of parallel communities constitutes a single formation. (3) Convergent or isomorphic communities with dominant species of the same, although not closely related life forms. A series of convergent communities constitutes a single formation type, or biome. (4) Anisomorphic, yet functionally analogous communities. Parallel communities ofFucus disticbus (northern Atlantic Ocean) andF. evanescens (northern Pacific Ocean), and uniform communities ofF. evanescens from various biogeographic provinces (southern Kuriles and eastern Kamchatka) are used for demonstrating the structure of intertidal biocenoses. In parallel communities, vicarious species are shown to dominate in number of species and, especially, in biomass. In uniform communities, common species are found to be leading forms.     

Anthropogenic disturbance changes the structure of arboreal tropical ant communities

We investigated the influence of anthropogenic disturbance on the structure of arboreal Formicidae communities in SE Asian lowland forests. Included were a primary forest and three disturbed forests which had been cut for crop planting and abandoned 5. 15, and 40 yr after agricultural use for natural regeneration. Ant communities of at least 10 individuals of one tree species were sampled from each forest type by fogging. Diversity and community structure differed clearly among forest types. During the course of forest regeneration ant communities became more and more similar to those of the primary forest. A surrogate analysis shows that ant communities of the primary forest cannot be distinguished from randomly composed communities. This is in contrast to the theoretical expectations according to which ant communities should be structured by interspecific competition that lead to a large degree of predictability. However, a deterministic pattern of ant communities is found in the disturbed forest. This indicates that human disturbance not only changes the faunistic composition of ant communities but could also change the dynamics of the whole system. The transition from stochastic to deterministic communities might be of general importance for understanding the mechanisms structuring communities in disturbed habitats.     

Macrozoobenthic Communities of the Piedmont and Lowland Watercourses of the Lower Amur Region

On the basis of 120 original stations, macrozoobenthic communities of rivers from two adjacent areas of the Lower Amur Region (Khabarovsk krai) have been described. Rivers basins are characterized by contrasting landscape conditions: the Anyuy River basin in the piedmonts of the Sikhote-Alin mountain range and the Simmi River basin on the Amur Lowland. About 250 taxa of macroinvertebrates have been found; 16 types of communities have been described. The principal differences in both benthic fauna and macrozoobenthic communities in the basins of the Anyuy River (cold-water rheophilic fauna as well as ritral and crenal communities predominate) and the Simmi River (warm-water limnophilic fauna and phytal communities predominate) are shown. We discuss the reasons for these differences, specific features of the fauna and communities of the whole region, and the biogeographical position of the region.     

Structure of component parasite communities in the grayling, Thymallus thymallus L. (Salmoniformes, Thymallidae), and minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus L. (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), from the upper reaches of the Pechora River

A comparative analysis of parasite communities in the grayling and minnow has been performed. These communities differ in the number of constituent species and in the fact that the community of the minnow is dominated by one allogenic species, whereas that of the grayling usually has two dominants, both being autogenic species. The values of species diversity indices characterizing these communities are also different. Differences between the parasite communities of these fish species reflect the position of their hosts in the hydrobiocenosis. Species prevailing in both communities are classified as specialists, which is characteristic of parasite communities of the boreal-piedmont faunal complex. Both these communities consist of three species groups distinguished by their proportions in the total biomass, which indicates that parasitic communities are structured in a certain way and that the distribution of species in them is not random.     

Vegetation of the woodland‐steppe transition at the southeastern edge of the Inner Mongolian Plateau

Abstract. The vegetation of the woodland‐steppe transition in southeastern Inner Mongolia, where the East Asian monsoon climate reaches its northwestern edge, is described and analysed in this paper. The communities are classified in a phytocoenological way. 12 major types of woodland, shrubland, meadow, fen, open woodland and steppe are differentiated and described on the basis of 133 phytosociological relevés. Detrended Correspondence Analysis shows that precipitation plays a crucial role in the distribution of grassland communities while woodland and shrubland communities are controlled by both warmth and humidity conditions. Four vegetation zones can be distinguished. From the woodland to the woodland‐grassland zone, the temperature decreases and the precipitation increases with increasing altitude, which leads to the conditions suitable for the meadow and fen communities. In the direction of the woodland‐steppe zone the temperature increases while the precipitation decreases with the gradual lowering of the altitude; the steppe communities form a matrix while the woodlands have a patchy distribution. From the woodland‐steppe to the steppe zone, the precipitation rather than temperature decreases; as a result the woodland communities disappear gradually. On a local scale, geomorphologic conditions determine the vegetation pattern of the study area. Due to the existence of a sandy substrate different woodland types occur together in the woodland‐steppe transition. The local distribution of woodland and steppe communities is dependent on slope conditions. In addition, human disturbance has also influenced the composition of plant communities.     

Contributions to the sociology and chorology of contrasting plant communities in the southern part of the ‘Wienerwald’ (Austria)

Five plant communities contrasting in successional status and human impact from the southern part of the ‘Wienerwald’ (Austria) are analyzed using vegetation relevés, spectra of area types and a newly proposed disjunction quotient. A climax community (Asperulo-Fagetum), a subclimax community (Querco-Carpinetum s.l.), an anthropogenous substitute community (Mesobromion) and two natural, non-climax permanent communities (Euphorbio saxatilis-Pinetum nigrae and Fumano-Stipetum eriocaulis) are recognized. The disjunction quotient is defined as the number of partial (discontinous) areas divided by the size of the total area of distribution of a species. In particular, the average disjunction quotients of the species in the first two communities reflect relatively table environments only slightly influenced by man, with many ancient, stable taxa. These communities are characterized by species with well-delimited, stable distribution areas. The species in the Mesobromion community have very low average disjunction quotients as its component species are widely and continuously distributed and are often promoted by man. In contrast to these communities, the species linked to the natural permanent, non-climax communities of extreme habitats, have high distribution quotients i.e. small, disconinuous areas; this illustrates the relic character of these plant communities and of the eastern edge of the Alps is a whole. Using the highly variable disjunction quotient of all species and communities examined, the concepts of climax and permanent communities (of different origin) are discussed with regard to European conditions.     

Climate and Species Richness Predict the Phylogenetic Structure of African Mammal Communities

We have little knowledge of how climatic variation (and by proxy, habitat variation) influences the phylogenetic structure of tropical communities. Here, we quantified the phylogenetic structure of mammal communities in Africa to investigate how community structure varies with respect to climate and species richness variation across the continent. In addition, we investigated how phylogenetic patterns vary across carnivores, primates, and ungulates. We predicted that climate would differentially affect the structure of communities from different clades due to between-clade biological variation. We examined 203 communities using two metrics, the net relatedness (NRI) and nearest taxon (NTI) indices. We used simultaneous autoregressive models to predict community phylogenetic structure from climate variables and species richness. We found that most individual communities exhibited a phylogenetic structure consistent with a null model, but both climate and species richness significantly predicted variation in community phylogenetic metrics. Using NTI, species rich communities were composed of more distantly related taxa for all mammal communities, as well as for communities of carnivorans or ungulates. Temperature seasonality predicted the phylogenetic structure of mammal, carnivoran, and ungulate communities, and annual rainfall predicted primate community structure. Additional climate variables related to temperature and rainfall also predicted the phylogenetic structure of ungulate communities. We suggest that both past interspecific competition and habitat filtering have shaped variation in tropical mammal communities. The significant effect of climatic factors on community structure has important implications for the diversity of mammal communities given current models of future climate change.     

Testing the standard neutral model of biodiversity in lake communities

Hubbell's (2001) neutral model describes how local communities are structured if population dynamics are statistically identical among species in a constant, possibly patchy, environment with random speciation. Tests of this model have been restricted largely to terrestrial communities. Here we tested the fit of this neutral model to fish, zooplankton and phytoplankton species–abundance distributions from 30 well-studied lake communities varying widely in lake size and productivity. We measured the fit of the communities to the neutral model in three ways. All but two zooplankton (7 of 9) and all but three fish (9 of 12) communities were consistent with all three measures of fit. However, all nine phytoplankton communities did not fit the neutral model by at least one measure. This result for phytoplankton communities represents to date the most consistent failure of the standard neutral model to predict the shape of species-abundance distributions.     

Nestedness of hoopoes' bacterial communities: symbionts from the uropygial gland to the eggshell

How microbial symbionts are established and maintain on their hosts is a leading question with important consequences for the understanding of the evolution and functioning of mutualistic relationships. The acquisition by hosts of mutualistic microbial symbionts can be considered as colonization processes of environments (i.e., host) by symbionts. Colonization processes can be explored by characterizing the nestedness of communities, but this approach has rarely been applied to communities of microbial symbionts. We used this approach here, and estimated the nestedness of bacterial communities of hoopoes (Upupa epops), a species with symbiotic bacteria in their uropygial gland that are expected to colonize eggshells where they protect embryos from pathogens. Bacterial communities were characterized by ARISA (Automated rRNA Intergenetic Spacer Region) and studied the nestedness characteristics of bacterial communities living in the uropygial secretion, bill, belly and eggshells of each sampled female hoopoes. We detected a consistent nested pattern of bacterial communities of hoopoes; from the uropygial gland to the eggshell. We also found evidence of study year and reproductive events influencing the level of nestedness of bacterial communities of hoopoes. These results indicate that bacterial communities of eggshells and body parts of female hoopoes are at least partially conditioned by the symbiotic community in the uropygial gland. We discuss the importance of these results for understanding this host–microbial mutualism functioning and evolution.     

The halophilous vegetation of the Orumieh lake salt marshes,NW. Iran

The halophilous vegetation of the Orumieh lake salt marshes has been studied, using the Braun-Blanquet method. Vegetation types have been defined by physiognomic-floristic system. The following six main groups of communities are recognized: (1) Semi-woody shrub and perennial halophytic communities (Class Halocnemetea strobilacei) including 6 associations and 5 subassociations, (2) Annual halophytic communities (Class Thero-Salicornietea) including 5 associations and 1 subassociation, (3) Salt marsh brushwood communities (Class Tamaricetea) including 4 associations, (4) Rush and herbaceous perennial halophytic communities (Class Juncetea maritimi) including 7 associations and 1 subassociation, (5) Rush and herbaceous perennial halotolerant communities (Class Agrostietea stoloniferae) including 5 associations, (6) Hydrophilous halotolerant communities (Class Phragmitetea) including 3 associations and 2 subassociations. The soil of these communities has been analysed and their habitats are described and discussed.     

元江干热河谷植被数量分类及其多样性分析

基于43个代表性样地调查资料,用系统聚类方法中的离差平方和法将元江干热河谷的主要植被分为7个群落类型, 并采用Gleason物种丰富度指数、Simpson多样性指数和 Shannon Weiner多样性指数以及Pielou均匀度指数比较了各群落的物种多样性特征。结果表明:不同群落之间的物种多样性存在着明显的差异,这些差异与群落的分布地点、小生境有密切关系。     

Examining differences in phylogenetic composition enhances understanding of the phylogenetic structure of the shrub community in the northeastern Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau

Periodic climatic oscillations and species dispersal during the postglacial period are two important causes of plant assemblage and distribution on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP). To improve our understanding of the bio‐geological histories of shrub communities on the QTP, we tested two hypotheses. First, the intensity of climatic oscillations played a filtering role during community structuring. Second, species dispersal during the postglacial period contributed to the recovery of species and phylogenetic diversity and the emergence of phylogenetic overdispersion. To test these hypotheses, we investigated and compared the shrub communities in the alpine and desert habitats of the northeastern QTP. Notably, we observed higher levels of species and phylogenetic diversity in the alpine habitat than in the desert habitat, leading to phylogenetic overdispersion in the alpine shrub communities versus phylogenetic clustering in the desert shrub communities. This phylogenetic overdispersion increased with greater climate anomalies. These results suggest that (a) although climate anomalies strongly affect shrub communities, these phenomena do not act as a filter for shrub community structuring, and (b) species dispersal increases phylogenetic diversity and overdispersion in a community. Moreover, our investigation of the phylogenetic community composition revealed a larger number of plant clades in the alpine shrub communities than in the desert shrub communities, which provided insights into plant clade‐level differences in the phylogenetic structures of alpine and desert shrub communities in the northeastern QTP.     

Tales from the tomb: the microbial ecology of exposed rock surfaces

Although a broad diversity of eukaryotic and bacterial taxa reside on rock surfaces where they can influence the weathering of rocks and minerals, these communities and their contributions to mineral weathering remain poorly resolved. To build a more comprehensive understanding of the diversity, ecology and potential functional attributes of microbial communities living on rock, we sampled 149 tombstones across three continents and analysed their bacterial and eukaryotic communities via marker gene and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. We found that geographic location and climate were important factors structuring the composition of these communities. Moreover, the tombstone‐associated microbial communities varied as a function of rock type, with granite and limestone tombstones from the same cemeteries harbouring taxonomically distinct microbial communities. The granite and limestone‐associated communities also had distinct functional attributes, with granite‐associated bacteria having more genes linked to acid tolerance and chemotaxis, while bacteria on limestone were more likely to be lichen associated and have genes involved in photosynthesis and radiation resistance. Together these results indicate that rock‐dwelling microbes exhibit adaptations to survive the stresses of the rock surface, differ based on location, climate and rock type, and seem pre‐disposed to different ecological strategies (symbiotic versus free‐living lifestyles) depending on the rock type.     

Characterizing the spatial structures of riparian plant communities in the lower reaches of the Heihe River in China using geostatistical techniques

Geostatistical techniques are used to evaluate spatial characteristics of riparian plant communities that were mapped within a portion of the lower reaches of the Heihe River. The spatial structures of different plant communities were characterized using nugget, range and sill parameters of spherical or exponential model variograms. Model variograms revealed different plant communities with distinctive spatial properties that were quantified effectively by the parameters used in these models. Model variograms were fit to experimental variograms calculated from diameter at breast height and plant cover data collected for three 2,000 m × 5 m, nine 500 m × 5 m, and three 200 m × 2 m transects. The 2,000 m × 5 m transects were oriented perpendicular to the river and the other transects were located in such a way as to sample communities dominated by different plants. Riparian plant communities in the lower reaches of the Heihe River show patterns of patchiness, and the plant communities are mainly dominated by mature Populus euphratica, young P. euphratica, Tamarix chinensis, and Sophora alopecuroides. The maximum model variogram range for all communities was 55 m, suggesting that transects must be at least this long in order to be able to classify them unambiguously into recognizable communities. Experimental variograms were calculated for all plants in each of four mapped plant communities. The results show that the T. chinensis and S. alopecuroides dominated plant communities have distinctively large ranges, and the spatial structures of P. euphratica dominated plant communities show multiscale change. In the 2,000 m × 5 m transects, the spatial structures of riparian plant communities show a distinct change at the scale of 430 m, because this scale also is the scale of vegetation patchiness turnover, and at scales of more than 430 m the spatial structure of the community increases significantly. These findings confirm the potential of using high-resolution remote sensing data and geostatistics for determining the vegetation community structures of riparian plant communities.     

Component communities of parasites in the grayling Thymallus thymallus (L.) (Salmoniformes, Thymallidae) and the minnow Phoxinus phoxinus (L.) (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae) from the Pechora River

Component communities of parasites of Thymallus thymallus and Phoxinus phoxinus are described. The communities differ in the number of species and in the number of dominate species, which is one in P. phoxinus and usually two in T. thymallus. In the first case the dominate species is allogenic, while in the second case dominate species are autogenic. Values of the species diversity indexes are also different for these communities. The differences between parasite communities of T. thymallus and P. phoxinus underline positions of these hosts in hydrobiocenose. Species specialists take first place in the parasite communities both of the hosts, that is characteristic for the parasite communities of the fishes from the boreal submountain faunistic complex. Parasite communities in both of the hosts consist of three groups of species discriminated by the ratio of their biomasses, that suggests forming of the groups by a coordination of the species biomasses.     

Macroscale ecotone effects for the stream macrobenthic fauna and communities of the eastern Novosibirsk region

It is suggested that the eastern Novosibirsk region appeared as a margin between the Western and the Eastern Palaearctic zones in regard to the faunas of stream communities of rheophilic invertebrates. The western (European) elements of the fauna prevail in the lowland areas; but both faunas, eastern and western, combine at Salairsky Ridge. In addition, some differences between these two faunas are observed, when the species of the western origin dominate in the soft-bottom and phytophylic communities and refer to the European fauna. On the other hand, the eastern Siberian species are the key elements in the rhithral (hard-bottom) communities and somehow in krenal communities. Seventeen regional types of rheophilic communities are described.     

Dynamics of macrozoobenthos productivity characteristics on shelves of the Far Eastern seas in the 2000s

The trophic structure of benthic communities in the Sea of Okhotsk and Bering Sea was analyzed based on the results of macrobenthic survey catches conducted in the Far Eastern seas in the 2000s. The production of trophic levels and entire communities was determined. It was shown that production of benthic communities is still at a high level and has almost not changed since the 1980s. The arrangement of the communities of some shelf areas by productivity characteristics was made.     

Temporal variability in the diversity and composition of stream bacterioplankton communities

Bacterioplankton in freshwater streams play a critical role in stream nutrient cycling. Despite their ecological importance, the temporal variability in the structure of stream bacterioplankton communities remains understudied. We investigated the composition and temporal variability of stream bacterial communities and the influence of physicochemical parameters on these communities. We used barcoded pyrosequencing to survey bacterial communities in 107 streamwater samples collected from four locations in the Colorado Rocky Mountains from September 2008 to November 2009. The four sampled locations harboured distinct communities yet, at each sampling location, there was pronounced temporal variability in both community composition and alpha diversity levels. These temporal shifts in bacterioplankton community structure were not seasonal; rather, their diversity and composition appeared to be driven by intermittent changes in various streamwater biogeochemical conditions. Bacterial communities varied independently of time, as indicated by the observation that communities in samples collected close together in time were no more similar than those collected months apart. The temporal turnover in community composition was higher than observed in most previously studied microbial, plant or animal communities, highlighting the importance of stochastic processes and disturbance events in structuring these communities over time. Detailed temporal sampling is important if the objective is to monitor microbial community dynamics in pulsed ecosystems like streams.     

The plant cover of Russia in the area of the Braun-Blanquet syntaxonomy: the development of an approach and the results

Theoretical basis of ecologo-floristic classification according to Braun-Blanquet approach is discussed with the special attention to the contribution of Russian scientists. Principal results concern presentation of vegetation continuum in discrete classification units: polymodal conception of plant communities, principle of plural syntaxonomic decisions, pragmatic approach to classification, method of homological rows of plant communities, etc. Current ecologo-floristic classification of vegetation in Russia consists of 77 classes. This system is a good basement for estimation of rarity of plant communities and biodiversity protection. The first variant of "Red Book" of plant communities of Russia and other eastern European countries is discussed.