Water clearance efficiency indicates potential filter-feeding interactions between invasive <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sinanodonta woodiana</Emphasis> and native freshwater mussels

The Chinese pond mussel (Sinanodonta woodiana Lea, 1834) is a benthic filter-feeder that prefers soft-bottomed freshwater habitats and has successfully spread into both tropical and temperate water bodies outside its natural Southeast Asian range. Due to its preference for nutrient-rich waters with high levels of suspended food particles, the capacity of S. woodiana to influence natural seston concentrations is thought to be relatively low in comparison to that of other invasive bivalves. The experimental quantification of seston removal efficiency reported here demonstrates that S. woodiana is able to reduce seston loads to levels comparable to those by the control native freshwater mussel species Unio tumidus Philipsson, 1788. Moreover, increasing food depletion did not cause detectable changes in the filtration regime of S. woodiana, although the activity of native U. tumidus was significantly reduced. The seston clearance rate (volume of water cleared of particles per unit time) of S. woodiana averaged 9.3 ± 4.0 mL g^?1 wet mass h^?1, which corresponds to the total daily volume of water filtered being up to several hundreds to thousands L m^?2 at the maximal S. woodiana population densities reported in the literature. The observed filtration capacity of S. woodiana and its current invasional spread into areas inhabited by endangered freshwater mussels call for more careful consideration of filter-feeding interactions with native mussels. The potential impacts of S. woodiana should be studied in more detail with respect to available food resources and long-term nutritional needs of native species and reflected in management strategies in the invaded range.     

Stability,oviposition attraction,and larvicidal activity of binary toxin from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus sphaericus</Emphasis> expressed in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Bacillus sphaericus produces a two-chain binary toxin composed of BinA (42 kDa) and BinB (51 kDa), which are deposited as parasporal crystals during sporulation. The toxin is highly active against Culex larvae and Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes, which are the principal vectors for the transmission of malaria, yellow fever, encephalitis, and dengue. The use of B. sphaericus and Bacillus thuringiensis in mosquito control programs is limited by their sedimentation in still water. In this study, the binA and binB genes were cloned and the recombinant BinAB protein was expressed in three strains of Escherichia coli. These recombinant strains were used in a toxicity assay against Culex quinquefasciatus larvae. The highest expression level was achieved when both proteins were expressed in a single operon construct. The BinAB protein expressed in the E. coli Arctic strain showed higher larvicidal activity than either of the recombinant proteins from the E. coli Ril or pLysS strains. Furthermore, it had the highest oviposition attraction (49.1%, P?相似文献   

Short-term effects of crop rotation,residue management,and soil water on carbon mineralization in a tropical cropping system

The purpose of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of maize (Zea mays)-fallow rotation, residue management, and soil water on carbon mineralization in a tropical cropping system in Ghana. After 15 months of the trial, maize–legume rotation treatments had significantly (P?C ₀ (μg CO₂–C g^?1) than maize–elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) rotations. The C ₀ for maize–grass rotation treatments was significantly related to the biomass input (r?=?0.95; P?=?0.05), but that for the maize–legume rotation was not. The soil carbon mineralization rate constant, k (per day), was also significantly related to the rotation treatments (P?k values for maize–grass and maize–legume rotation treatments were 0.025 and 0.036 day^?1 respectively. The initial carbon mineralization rate, m ₀ (μg CO₂–C g^?1 day ^?1), was significantly (P?θ. The m ₀ ranged from 3.88 to 18.67 and from 2.30 to 15.35 μg CO₂–C g^?1 day^?1 for maize–legume and maize–grass rotation treatments, respectively, when the soil water varied from 28% to 95% field capacity (FC). A simple soil water content (θ)-based factor, f _w, formulated as: \(f_{\text{w}} = \left[ {\frac{{\theta - \theta _{\text{d}} }}{{\theta _{{\text{FC}}} - \theta _{\text{d}} }}} \right]\), where θ _d and θ _FC were the air-dry and field capacity soil water content, respectively, adequately described the variation of the m ₀ with respect to soil water (R ²?=?0.91; RMSE?=?1.6). Such a simple relationship could be useful for SOC modeling under variable soil water conditions.     

Determination of mosquito Larvicidal potential of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis> Cry11Ba fusion protein through molecular docking

Mosquitoes spread deadly infections around the world. Since decades Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) δ-endotoxins have been used successfully as a biopesticide for controlling mosquito larvae. However, over a few years, mosquito larvae have evolved tolerance against Bt δ-endotoxins, rendering them ineffective for mosquito control. Such a problem entails the development of improved toxins with enhanced toxicity, affinity towards a wide range of mosquito receptors and ability to overcome or delay the resistance buildup. In this study, using in silico tools, we aimed to design a fusion protein by fusing active region of Bt subsp. jegathesan Cry11Ba protein with Aedes aegypti TMOF (trypsin modulating oostatic factor). Using computational study, the fusion protein was validated and its mosquitocidal potential was determined through molecular docking against cadherin and aminopeptidase N midgut receptors of Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus. Molecular docking revealed that from Cry11Ba-TMOF fusion protein, domain II amino acids of Cry11Ba protein showed hydrogen bond interactions with cadherin and aminopeptidase N receptors of the targeted mosquitoes. These results conclude that Cry11Ba-TMOF fusion protein has a strong affinity for the receptors of Ae.aegypti, An.gambiae and Cx.quinquefasciatus. Thus the designed fusion protein can be used as a potent mosquitocidal agent for the control of targeted mosquitoes.     

Adaptations in phytoplankton life strategies to imposed change in a shallow urban tropical eutrophic reservoir,Garças Reservoir,over 8 years

This study aimed at evaluating the phytoplankton adaptive strategies of phytoplankton in a shallow urban eutrophic tropical reservoir, Garças Reservoir, over temporal and vertical scales. Samples were taken monthly for eight consecutive years (1997–2004) at a fixed set of depths in the water column. At the beginning, the reservoir was eutrophic with 20% of its surface covered by water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes (phase I). Then, in phase II, water hyacinth grew to cover up to 40–70% of the surface. In phase III it was mechanically removed. After macrophyte removal the limnology changed, drastically. This removal modified nutrient dynamics, drastically reduced water transparency, and increased both primary production and phytoplankton biomass, the latter impeding light penetration. Phytoplankton life strategies during water hyacinth dominance (phase II) responded promptly to this environmental disturbance in conditions of low dissolved oxygen (DO) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and high free CO₂ values. After macrophyte removal, a permanent cyanobacterial monoculture was established. Phase I was dominated basically by Sphaerocavum brasiliense, mainly during the stratified months, represented by non-flagellate colonies, the M functional group, S-strategists, and greater biomass of species with high maximal axial linear dimension (MLD) and cell volumes. Phase II was dominated by Cryptomonas curvata, C. erosa, C. marssonii, Trachelomonas sculpta, T. volvocinopsis, T. kelloggii, T. hispida, Peridinium spp., Aphanocapsa spp., and Aphanothece spp., and was represented by unicellular flagellate species, Y, W2, K, L_O functional groups, and C-strategists, greater biomass of species with intermediate MLD and cell volumes. Phase III was dominated by Microcystis aeruginosa, M. panniformis, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, Planktothrix agardhii, and Aphanizomenon gracile, represented by non-flagellate colonies, M, S, H1, S functional groups, and S and R-strategists, greater biomass of species with high MLD and cell volumes (>50 μm and >10⁴ μm³, respectively).     

Response of performance and bacterial community to oligotrophic stress in biofilm systems for raw water pretreatment

Understanding the dynamics of performance and bacterial community of biofilm under oligotrophic stress is necessary for the process optimization and risk management in biofilm systems for raw water pretreatment. In this study, biofilm obtained from a pilot-scale biofilm reactor was inoculated into a pilot-scale experimental tank for the treatment of oligotrophic raw water. Results showed that the removal of NH₄ ⁺–N was impaired in biofilm systems when influent NH₄ ⁺–N was less than 0.35 mg L^?1 or NH₄ ⁺–N loading rate of less than 7.51 mg L^?1 day^?1. The dominant bacteria detected in biofilm of different carrier were obvious distinct from phylum to genus level under oligotrophic stress. The dominant bacteria in elastic stereo media carrier changed from Proteobacteria (51.1%) to Firmicutes (32.7%), while Proteobacteria was always dominant in suspended ball carrier after long-term operation under oligotrophic conditions. Oligotrophic stress largely decreased the functional bacteria for the removal of nitrogen and organics including many genera in Proteobacteria and Nitrospirae, but increased several genera with spore forming organisms or potential bacterial pathogens in ESM carrier mainly including Bacillus, Mycobacterium, Pseudomonas, etc.     

Effect of entomopathogenic fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metarhizium robertsii</Emphasis> on non-target organisms,water bugs (Heteroptera: Corixidae,Naucoridae, Notonectidae)

The influence of the fungus Metarhizium robertsii Bischoff, Rehner and Humber on the mortality of four water bug species, Cymatia coleoptrata (Fabricius), Sigara assimilis (Fieber), Ilyocoris cimicoides cimicoides (Linnaeus), and Notonecta reuteri Hungerford, and bloodsucking mosquito Anopheles messeae Falleroni, was investigated under various concentrations of conidia and different treatment types. We found that the mortality of adults of the water bug species was similar or higher than that of A. messeae, with C. coleoptrata and S. assimilis being more susceptible to M. robertsii than N. reuteri, I. c. cimicoides, and the mosquito A. messeae. Treatment with dry conidia at concentrations of 5 × 10⁴ and 5 × 10⁵ conidia/ml caused higher mortality of the water bug species than did treatment at the same concentrations with conidia in an aqueous suspension. In contrast, higher concentrations (5 × 10⁶ conidia/ml) led to higher mortality after treatment with the aqueous suspension, relative to treatment with dry conidia. Our studies showed that water bugs exhibited the classical development of a mycosis with hemocoel colonization, mummification, and conidia formation on cadavers directly on the surface of the water. Possible changes in invertebrate communities in aquatic ecosystems after treatment with Metarhizium are discussed.     

On distribution and ecology of some species of cleonines (Coleoptera,Curculionidae): IV. Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lixus</Emphasis> F., subgenus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eulixus</Emphasis> Reitt.

Data on habitats, food plants of larvae and adults, feeding, mating, oviposition, larval and pupal development, natural enemies, and distribution of seven weevil species (Lixus canescens F.-W., L. iridis Ol., L. myagri Ol., L. punctirostris Boh., L. subtilis Boh., L. incanescens Boh., and L. brevipes Bris.) are given. New host plants of L. canescens and L. iridis are revealed. Gall induction by L. brevipes is reported for the first time. Distribution of all the species in Ukraine and Russia (the latter based on the literature) are given in more detail. Information on the known and potential economic importance of every species is provided.     

Diversity and distribution of lepidopteran stemborer species and their host plants in Botswana

Lepidopteran stemborers are amongst the most important insect pests of maize, sorghum and sugarcane in sub-Saharan Africa. With the exception of Chilo partellus (Swinhoe), which was accidentally introduced into Africa, the other stemborer pests are indigenous to the continent and have co-evolved with native grasses and sedges. In addition to pest species, wild habitats harbour diverse non-economic stemborer species, some of which are new to science. However, the diversity and distribution of both non-economic and pest species of stemborer are currently mostly unknown in Botswana. Accordingly, country-wide surveys were conducted during 2014/15 and 2015/16 austral summer to determine species diversity and distribution in cultivated and wild host plants of stemborers in Botswana. A total of 1597 stemborer larvae and 228 pupae were collected, constituting 63.1 and 36.9 larvae and 84.8 and 15.2% pupae from cultivated versus wild habitats, respectively. In addition to C. partellus, Sesamia calamistis Hampson and Eldana saccharina Walker which were previously reported, 12 more stemborer species were recorded for the first time in Botswana, including nine undescribed species. These species were from the Sciomesa, Sesamia and Conicofrontia genera and Tortricidae and Pyralidae families. Fourteen wild host and two cultivated host plant species of stemborers were recorded. Chilo partellus was most abundant (89.5%) in cultivated habitats whilst E. saccharina (33.6%) was most abundant in wild habitats. Stemborer species diversity was higher in wild habitats than cultivated. Current results highlight the significance of wild, especially wetland habitats for ecological functions and conservation of lepidopteran stemborer biodiversity.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis> Cry11Ba works synergistically with Cry4Aa but not with Cry11Aa for toxicity against mosquito <Emphasis Type="Italic">Culex pipiens</Emphasis> (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae

A 2,175-bp modified gene (cry11Ba-S1) encoding Cry11Ba from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan was designed and the recombinant protein was expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase in Escherichia coli. The recombinant Cry11Ba was highly toxic against Culex pipiens mosquito larvae, being nine and 17 times more toxic than mosquitocidal Cry4Aa and Cry11Aa from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, respectively. Interestingly, a further increase in the toxicity of the recombinant Cry11Ba was achieved by mixing with Cry4Aa, but not with Cry11Aa. These findings suggested that Cry11Ba worked synergistically with Cry4Aa, but not with Cry11Aa, in exhibiting toxicity against C. pipiens larvae. On the other hand, the amount of Cry toxin bound to brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) did not significantly change between individual toxins and the toxin mixtures, suggesting that the increase in toxins binding to BBMVs was not a reason for the observed synergistic effect. It is generally accepted that synergism of toxins is a potentially powerful tool for enhancing insecticidal activity and managing Cry toxin resistance in mosquitoes. The mixture of Cry4Aa and Cry11Ba in order to increase toxicity would be very valuable in terms of mosquito control.     

Percentage cover,biomass, distribution,and potential habitat mapping of natural macroalgae,based on high-resolution satellite data and in situ monitoring,at Libukang Island,Malasoro Bay,Indonesia

In this study, we combined remote sensing data and in situ observations to explore the potential habitats of macroalgae at Libukang Island, Indonesia. High-resolution satellite images from the GeoEye-1 were used to estimate and to map the geomorphological structures together with macroalgal species in the study area. Seasonal variations of percentage cover and biomass of macroalgae associated with substrates were investigated in May and November 2014, and June 2015, using quadrats as sampling unit. A total of nine common genera were found in the study area with three dominant genera: Sargassum, Padina, and Turbinaria. Most of macroalgae was observed in the eastern part of the Island, on several substrate types and particular oceanographic conditions (wave and current). Mean biomasses of Sargassum and Padina were high in May (1189.6 ± 455 and 166.7 ± 15.4 g DW.m^?2, respectively), while the biomass of Turbinaria was high in November (3245 ± 599.8 g DW.m^?2). The map accuracy of image classification for all typology substrates was 74.19%. Overall, approximately 62.3% of the total study area can be considered as potential for natural macroalgae habitats. Spectral response characteristic of shallow water substrates at study area based on GeoEye-1 is also presented. The results of this study exhibit a potential utilization of natural macroalgae in the study area, and provide information for a possible diversification of the use of macroalgae in Indonesia. The method could be useful for habitat management and future biomonitoring in the study area or other similar areas in Indonesia.     

Effects of macrophyte-specific olfactory cues on fish preference patterns

Vegetated habitats provide numerous benefits to nekton, including structural refuge from predators and food sources. However, the sensory mechanisms by which fishes locate these habitats remain unclear for many species, especially when environmental conditions (such as increased turbidity) are unfavorable for visual identification of habitats. Here, a series of laboratory experiments test whether three species of adult fish (golden topminnow Fundulus chrysotus Günther 1866, sailfin molly Poecilia latipinna Lesueur 1821, and western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis Baird and Girard 1853) use plant chemical cues to orient to one of two habitats [hydrilla Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle or water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms]. First, experiments in aquaria were conducted offering fish a choice of the two habitats to determine preference patterns. Next, a two-channel flume, with each side containing flow originating in one of the two habitats, was used to determine whether preferences were still exhibited when fish could only detect habitats through olfactory means. While patterns among the three fish species tested here were variable, results did indicate consistent habitat preferences despite the lack of cues other than olfactory, suggesting that these organisms are capable of discriminating habitats via chemical exudates from plants. As such, olfactory mechanisms likely provide vital information about the surrounding environment and future work should be directed at determining how anthropogenic inputs such as eutrophication and sediment runoff affect the physiology of these sensory capabilities.     

Compatibility and efficacy of the lady beetle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thalassa montezumae</Emphasis> and the entomopathogenic fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Isaria fumosorosea</Emphasis> for biological control of the green croton scale: laboratory and greenhouse investigations

The lady beetle Thalassa montezumae and the entomopathogenic fungus Isaria fumosorosea (Ifr) were assessed alone and in combination to suppress green croton scale, Phalacrococcus howertoni, populations on croton plants using laboratory bioassays and greenhouse cage studies. The acquisition of Ifr blastospores by beetle larvae (3rd instar) and adults during contamination in well plates was used to simulate exposure to direct spraying and subsequent possible fungal infection was assessed. Spore dispersal by the insects was determined after the blastospore-contaminated T. montezumae life stages roamed on agar plates for 24 h by counting the number of colony-forming units (CFUs) produced in the plates. There were no significant differences in survival times at 14 days post-treatment between beetle larvae and adults exposed to Ifr and those exposed to water only. Mean survival time of larvae exposed to Ifr was 14 days and water 12 days, whereas for adults it was 13 days compared to 13 days, respectively. Plates with Ifr blastospore-contaminated T. montezumae adults roaming on the agar surface displayed significantly more fungal trails as CFUs compared to plates with larvae. In greenhouse cage studies, the mean mortality rates of the scale exposed to beetle larvae, either alone (80.8%) or in combination with Ifr (89.1%), were not significantly different. Scale mortality rates in the fungus-only (60.5%) and beetle larvae-only treatments were statistically similar. The treatment with both biocontrol agents had a significantly higher scale mortality rate compared to the treatment with Ifr only. Therefore, spraying Ifr prior to releasing T. montezumae is an effective and compatible biological control strategy for management of the green croton scale on croton plants.     

Type of rheoreaction in the early ontogenesis of roach <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rutilus rutilus</Emphasis> (L.) as a factor determining its biotopic distribution

The specific features of rheoreaction in roach Rutilus rutilus (L.) larvae from open and protected shallows of the Rybinsk Reservoir have been studied. Data on length and weight of roach sampled at various habitats at B–E developmental stages are presented. It has been revealed that the type of roach larvae rheoreaction is a behavioral mechanism of their distribution over different types of habitats, not only in rivers but also in the waterbodies with slow water turnover rates—lakes and reservoirs. By the time of developmental stage E, this mechanism provides the sustainable spatial separation of juvenile fish, which in the future may lead to intrapopulation differentiation in roach.     

Maternal care,larviparous and oviparous reproduction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hypoaspis larvicolus</Emphasis> (Acari: Laelapidae) feeding on astigmatid mites

Hypoaspis larvicolus (Acari: Laelapidae) (first report from Turkey) occurred together with Sancassania polyphyllae (Acari: Acaridae) on the larvae of the scarab beetle, Polyphylla fullo (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), that were feeding on the roots of strawberry in Aydin, Turkey. Laboratory studies were conducted to (1) observe whether H. larvicolus feeds and completes its life cycle on the various stages of S. polyphyllae or other astigmatid mites, such as Acarus siro, Carpoglyphus lactis and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acaridae), and to determine its population growth when feeding on these prey, and (2) to determine development periods, longevity and fecundity of H. larvicolus feeding on C. lactis. Hypoaspis larvicolus females did not feed on S. polyphyllae, but fed, developed and reproduced when A. siro, C. lactis or T. putrescentiae were provided as prey. Hypoaspis larvicolus is larviparous as well as oviparous. The female lays eggs or gives birth to larvae. If a female gives birth to a larva, it is attached under the female’s venter for 1–2 days, a phenomenon recorded for the first time in Hypoaspis; in fact, for the first time in mites. The results of the population growth experiments revealed that H. larvicolus feeding on C. lactis produced the highest number of eggs, juveniles and adults. The developmental periods of H. larvicolus feeding on C. lactis at life-cycle path I (larva to adult) and II (egg to adult) were 12.2?±?0.3 and 15.6?±?0.6 days (females) and 19.5?±?0.2 and 20.9?±?0.4 days (males), respectively. Longevity of females versus males of H. larvicolus was 120.6?±?7.2 versus 91.6?±?13.1 days (life cycle I) and 110.0?±?27.7 versus 118.3?±?10.9 days (life cycle II), respectively.     

Effect of light and temperature on the daily rhythm of adult eclosion in the blood-sucking mosquitoes <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aedes communis</Emphasis> De Geer and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Culex pipiens</Emphasis> L. (Diptera,Culicidae)

A comparative study on the effect of light and temperature on the daily rhythm of adult eclosion was carried out on the blood-sucking mosquitoes Aedes (Ochlerotatus) communis De Geer and Culex pipiens pipiens L. Two forms of C. p. pipiens were investigated: the autogenous form molestus occurring in the underground habitats (the urban mosquito), and the anautogenous form pipiens inhabiting mostly the above-ground biotopes. The study included both field observations and laboratory experiments. Under natural conditions (southern Karelia, 62°N) at optimal temperatures A. communis and C. p. p. f. pipiens demonstrated a bimodal eclosion rhythm with morning and evening peaks, whereas in C. p. p. f. molestus only an evening maximum was observed. The fraction of adults eclosing in the middle of the day increased at lower temperatures. In all the mosquitoes studied, the daily eclosion dynamics in the nature did not differ significantly between the variants with different levels of illumination, suggesting that temperature was the main factor regulating the eclosion rhythm. However, experiments with constant temperature showed that light also could influence the timing of eclosion. The responsiveness to light was different in two studied forms of C. p. pipiens. Under a constant temperature and light-dark cycles the rhythm became weak or disappeared completely in the mosquitoes from above-ground biotopes (A. communis and C. p. p. f. pipiens) but persisted in the urban mosquito. The effect of gradual twilight transitions was more prominent than that of switching the light on or off abruptly. The observed differences in the light and temperature dependence of the eclosion rhythm are discussed in relation to the ecological conditions in different habitats.     

Physiological and biochemical responses of photomorphogenic tomato mutants (cv. Micro-Tom) under water withholding

In addition to mediating photomorphogenesis, phytochromes are responsible for many abiotic stress responses, acting upon biochemical and molecular mechanisms of cell signaling. In this work, we measured the physiological and biochemical responses of phytochrome-mutant plants under water stress. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), the aurea mutant (au) is phytochrome-deficient and the high-pigment-1 mutant (hp1) has exaggerated light responses. We examined the effects of water withholding on water potential, leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, chloroplast pigment content and antioxidant enzyme activity in au and hp1 and their wild-type cultivar Micro-Tom (MT). Initial fluorescence and potential quantum efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry were not affected by the treatment, but effective quantum yield of PSII, electron transport rate decreased and non-photochemical quenching increased significantly in MT. Under water withholding conditions, MT had higher malondialdehyde concentration than the mutants, but au had higher activities of catalase and ascorbate peroxidase compared to the other genotypes. The tolerance of mutants to the effects of water withholding may be explained by the higher activity of antioxidant enzymes in au and by a higher concentration of antioxidant compounds, such as carotenoids, in hp1.     

Photosynthesis and primary production in Lake Kasumigaura (Japan) monitored monthly since 1981

This study reports the primary production of phytoplankton determined with a ¹³C tracer, and their related variables, in Lake Kasumigaura, a shallow, hyper-eutrophic lake, and the second largest lake in Japan. Measurements were conducted monthly from August 1981 to December 2013 at four stations within the lake. Monitoring was a component of the Lake Kasumigaura Long-term Environmental Monitoring program, conducted by the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) since 1977. The program collects data on water quality, and plankton and benthic communities. Lake Kasumigaura is registered as a core site of the Japan Long-term Ecological Research Network (JaLTER), which is a member of the International Long-term Ecological Research Network (ILTER). This dataset includes daily primary production (Pzd gC m^?2 d^?1) and the six parameters required to calculate Pzd: maximum photosynthesis rate (P _max gC gC^?1 h^?1); light irradiance at the junction of the initial slope (α (gC gC^?1 h^?1) (μmol photon m^?2 s^?1)^?1) and P _max of the photosynthesis vs. irradiance (P vs. E) curve (E _k μmol photon m^?2 s^?1); attenuation coefficient of photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) (K _PAR m^?1); water depth at each sampling station (Z _b , m); dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC mgC L^?1) and particulate organic carbon concentrations (POC gC m^?3); and chlorophyll a amounts (Chl.a μg L^?1). Daily primary production was calculated by obtaining a P vs. E curve over a short-term incubation (approximately 1 h) in a water tank using in situ water temperature in the laboratory, based on the field conditions of the sampling date. The dataset has been used for ecological studies as well as for management studies on water quality and ecosystems. This dataset is unique among the available published papers concerning lakes or primary production in various ecosystems, collected over a long period of time and freely available.     

Environmental and ecological factors influencing the spillover of the non-native kelp, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Undaria pinnatifida</Emphasis>, from marinas into natural rocky reef communities

The non-native kelp, Undaria pinnatifida, is considered one of the world’s worst invasive species. The northeast Atlantic is a hotspot of Undaria invasion, yet there is limited knowledge on its invasion dynamics. In the UK its distribution is strongly associated with artificial structures, primarily marina and harbour pontoons, with relatively few records of Undaria on natural substrates. Here, the southwest UK is used as a case region, to explicitly link Undaria distribution-abundance patterns in artificial marina habitats with those in natural rocky reef habitats. Using a mixture of in situ recording and video survey techniques, Undaria was found at all thirteen marina sites surveyed; but in only 17 of 35 rocky reef sites, all of which were in 2 of the 5 larger systems surveyed (Plymouth Sound and Torbay). The distribution-abundance patterns of Undaria at reef sites were analysed using zero-inflated models. The probability of finding Undaria on rocky reef increased with increasing proximity to marinas with high abundances of Undaria. Total propagule pressure from marinas also increased the probability of occurrence, and was positively related to Undaria abundance and cover at reef sites. Increases in the cover of native kelps, Laminaria spp., and wave exposure at reef sites were linked to a reduced probability of Undaria occurrence, and lower abundance and cover. Identifying high risk areas, natural boundaries and factors affecting the spread and abundance of non-native species in natural habitats is key to future management prioritisation. Where Undaria is confined to artificial substrates management may be deemed a low priority. However, the results of this study suggest that controlling the abundance and propagule pressure in artificial habitats may limit, to some extent, the spillover of Undaria into natural rocky reef habitats, where it has the potential to interact with and influence native communities.     

High-throughput sequencing of the mitochondrial genomes from archived fish scales: an example of the endangered putative species flock of Sevan trout <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmo ischchan</Emphasis>

Burrowing benthic animals belonging to the same functional group may produce species-specific effects on microbially mediated nitrogen (N) processes depending upon different ecological traits. We investigated the effects of two tube-dwelling organisms, amphipods (Corophium insidiosum) and chironomid larvae (Chironomus plumosus), on benthic N cycling in bioturbated estuarine sediments. Aims of this work were to analyze the interactions among burrowers and N-related microbial processes in two distinct sedimentary environments colonized by benthic animals with different ecological traits. We hypothesized higher rates of nitrification and higher coupled nitrification–denitrification in sediments with C. insidiosum due to continuous ventilation rates. We expected higher denitrification of water column nitrate in sediments with C. plumosus due to lower and intermittent ventilation activity and lower oxygen levels in burrows. To this purpose, we combined process–specific (nitrification and denitrification) with net N flux measurements in intact and reconstructed sediments. Sediments with C. insidiosum had higher rates of oxygen demand and of potential nitrification and higher concentration of pore water NH₄⁺ as compared to sediments with C. plumosus. Sediments with both species displayed comparable net N₂ fluxes, mostly sustained by respiration of water column NO₃^? in sediments with chironomid larvae and by NO₃^? produced within sediments in sediments with corophiid amphipods. Corophium insidiosum stimulated nitrification nearly 15-fold more as compared to C. plumosus. Overall, our results demonstrate that sediments with burrowing fauna may display similar rates of denitrification, but underlying mechanisms may deeply vary and be species-specific.