Rarity and threat relationships in the conservation planning of Iberian flora

We analysed the threatened flora of Iberia (including the Balearic Islands) in order to define and explain factors related to levels of rarity and threat. Conservation measures were derived from the relationships observed. We used a random sample of 59 narrowly distributed plant species from the pool (588 species) of potentially endangered flora. Twelve variables were used to classify species into groups based on a multivariate technique: non-parametric principal component analysis. Our results do not indicate a single management model driven by a single mechanism of rarity. Four classes of rare plants were produced from the statistical algorithm: agamospermic species, plants associated with water, endemics, and range-margin (geographical-limit) plants. Some specific strategies for each of these groups are proposed, allowing further discussion and assessment. The overall pattern in conservation practice of threatened Iberian plants seems to be defined by three of the variables in use: ecological specificity, geographical rarity and rate of threat. None of the biological variables in the sample show particularly strong trends in the data.     

Peninsula effect and species richness gradient in terrestrial mammals on the Korean Peninsula and other peninsulas

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Geographic expansion of the invasive red crayfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Procambarus clarkii</Emphasis> (Girard, 1852) (Crustacea: Decapoda) in Mexico

The red crayfish Procambarus clarkii, which is native to southcentral USA and northeastern Mexico, has been successfully introduced into several countries around the world. This study documents the geographic expansion of the exotic red crayfish in Mexico and discusses the consequence of a greater propagation of this species in Mexican inland waters. New state records of this crayfish in the Baja California peninsula and in the states of Durango and Sinaloa indicate its progressive dispersion. The propagation of P. clarkii in Mexico has been caused mainly by human introduction, but it is also facilitated because of the species’ tolerance to an ample range of environmental conditions. Because of the invasive capability of P. clarkii, we suspect that this exotic species is competing for habitat and food with native freshwater shrimp of the genus Macrobrachium in many sites of northern Mexico.     

History of Late Holocene vegetation at Quintana Roo,Caribbean coast of Mexico

A pollen record of a Late Holocene sediment core from the Mexican Caribbean coast (Quintana Roo) shows the development and changes of a mangrove system. Humid conditions seem to have persisted for the period approximately 2500–1500 ¹⁴C yr BP (pollen zone I), and mangrove Rhizophora mangle dominated with a good representation of elements from the nearby semi-evergreen tropical forest. During the period approximately 1500–1200 ¹⁴C yr BP (pollen zone II) the mangrove Conocarpus erecta dominated. R. mangle almost disappeared and other taxa appeared, suggesting drier climatic conditions and generally more open vegetation. This dry period coincided with the period of the Maya cultural decline. The following period (pollen zone III, approximately 1200–1000 ¹⁴C yr BP) was characterized by the recovery of R. mangle, indicating more humid conditions than in the preceding pollen zone. Pollen zone IV (approximately 1000 ¹⁴C yr BP till present) suggests a drier period reoccuring with C. erecta; this marks the transition to present day conditions.     

Upper Pleistocene and Holocene lakes in the An Nafud,Saudi Arabia

Summary Two major lake periods were discovered in the sand sea of An Nafud and the surrounding areas. In Upper Pleistocene large lakes occurred around the dune area and in the interior of the sand sea. Their deposits were formed between 34 000 and 24 000 BP. The lakes were not conformous to the present dune relief. They had an extension of several km² and a depth of ca. 10 m. Holocene lakes (8 400–5 400 BP) were of minor extension and restricted to the interdune depressions. Lake sediments consist of cemented sand, calcareous crusts and diatomites. Upper Pleistocene lakes were fresh water lakes, the Halocene lakes were mostly swamps depending on rising and falling aquifers in the dunes. Plant remains as pollen and macro rests show that the environmental changes didn't exceed the system of semidesert comparable to the modern plant cover. However, the Upper Pleistocene lake deposits contain some more soudanian elements as the Holocene sediments in the pollen spectra. Climatically the lake formations are interpreted as depending on a stronger influence of the mediterranean cyclones or an interaction of them with monsoonal air masses.     

Syntaxonomic diversity as an indicator of ecological diversity — case study Vranica Mts in the Central Bosnia

Syntaxonomic diversity (SD) represents the number of plant communities (phytocoenoses) in certain area. Plant communities as organized systems of populations of various coexisting plant species inhabiting same or similar habitat in the function of time. SD is one of the best indicators of the state and potential carrying capacity of every ecosystem and an attribute of total ecological diversity. In general, level of syntaxonomic diversity indicates habitat heterogeneity and diversity. This could have significant importance in the categorization of habitat values in accordance with European Nature Information System (EUNIS) criteria. The results presented in this paper indicate without any doubt high natural values of mountain range Vranica in Bosnia and Herzegovina. One of the best proofs is an extremely high level of syntaxonomic diversity. In this area covering just 288 km², vegetation is differentiated into 9 formations, 28 classes, 44 orders, 73 alliances and 165 associations. This represents 85% of all classes, 73% of all orders, 65% of all alliances, and 53% of all associations of vegetation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or 35% of all classes in vegetation diversity in Europe. Going from the level of class to the level of order, the number of syntaxa increases for 61%, from order to alliance for 60%, and from alliance to association for 44.24% (average 55%). SD index is very high and it is 0.5729. This means that on each km² contains 0.5729 syntaxa.     

Taxonomic review of genus Sejanus Distant (Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae) from Korea,with a new species

Four species of Sejanus Distant, 1910 recognized from the Korean Peninsula including the first record of S. komabanus (Yasunaga et al., 2013), S. vivaricolus (Yasunaga et al., 2013) and a new species herein described, S. yasunagai Oh, Duwal & Lee sp. nov. Each species is diagnosed with images of dorsal habitus, male and female genitalic structures. A key to the Korean Sejanus species also presented.urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CE49D679-AE73-4FE2-83D4-C4191F1D9954.     

New alien insect pests to Portugal on urban ornamental plants and additional data on recently introduced species

The spread of invasive pests is an important topic in pest control and early detection is crucial for containment of invasive aliens. In this study the results of recent surveys on alien insects of ornamental urban plants in Portugal are reported. Overall, 13 alien species associated with allochthonous ornamental plants were recorded. Seven of these pests are new to the Portuguese fauna: Tinocallis kahawaluokalani (Kirkaldy); Illinoia liriodendri (Monell); Appendiseta robiniae (Gillette) (Hemiptera: Aphididae); Acizzia jamatonica (Kuwayama) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae); Dasineura gleditchiae (Osten Sacken); Obolodiplosis robiniae (Haldeman) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae); and Phytoliriomyza jacarandae Steyskal & Spencer (Diptera: Agromyzidae). Additional distribution data are also provided for other recently introduced alien pests in Portugal: Myzocallis (Lineomyzocallis) walshii (Monell) (Hemiptera: Aphididae); Platycorypha nigrivirga Burckhardt; Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore (Hemiptera: Psyllidae); Calophya schini Tuthill (Hemiptera: Calophyidae); Corythucha ciliata (Say) (Hemiptera: Tingidae); and Lantanophaga pusillidactylus (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae). Three species in particular (Illinoia liriodendri, Obolodiplosis robiniae and Phytoliriomyza jacarandae) were not previously found in the Iberian Peninsula. Details on current distribution, host plants and biological remarks are given for each species. Possible origin areas, pathways and impacts are also discussed.     

Un difficile problème de taxonomie : les Micrasema (Trichoptera : Brachycentridae) des eaux courantes de la Péninsule Ibérique et des Pyrénées

Un des problèmes taxonomiques les plus compliqués concernant les Trichoptères européens est celui de la plupart des espèces ibériques et pyrénéennes du genre Micrasema, habitants caractéristiques du Rhitral, ces espèces restant à ce jour imparfaitement connues et difficiles à déterminer. L´étude d’un grand nombre d´exemplaires (mâles) a permis de trouver une solution pour la plupart des problèmes. M. servatum (Navás 1918), distribuée dans les parties N.O. de la Péninsule; M. cenerentola Schmid 1952, connue du Centre et du N.O. de l´Espagne; et M. salardum Schmid 1952, connue des Pyrénées Orientales espagnoles, sont des espèces distinctes. M. gabusi Schmid 1952 décrite de la Sierra Nevada, est un synonyme de M. longulum McLachlan 1876, une espèce largement distribuée en Espagne. M. difficile Mosely 1933, décrite des Pyrénées françaises, est un synonyme de M. vestitum Navás 1918, espèce endémique des Pyrénées Centrales et Occidentales (France et Espagne). L´identité de M. moestum (Hagen 1868) pose un problème particulier : il est possible que sous ce nom on désigne actuellement une paire d´espèces cryptiques à l´état adulte, qu´il est pratiquement impossible de distinguer par leurs genitalia, mais dont les larves sont bien distinctes.