Species Richness and Distribution of Copepods and Cladocerans and their Relation to Hydroperiod and Other Environmental Variables in Doñana, South-west Spain

Twenty-five sites located in five wetland zones within Doñana, south-west Spain were studied for copepod and cladoceran species richness and composition in relation to habitat characteristics from January to March 2004. The γ-diversity of copepods and cladocerans combined varied between wetland zones, which differed significantly in conductivity, surface area and abundance of vegetation. However, there were no significant differences between zones in local species richness of either copepods or cladocerans or the two combined. Species richness was significantly higher in sites with intermediate hydroperiods (duration between 3 and 5 months) than in sites with shorter or longer hydroperiods. CCA analyses performed separately for copepods and cladocerans extracted conductivity, surface area, and vegetation cover as the main factors structuring species composition of both groups. Ours is one of the first studies of zooplankton in the natural marshes of the Doñana World Heritage Site, and we recorded five species new to the Doñana area.     

Effects of Landscape and Riparian Condition on a Fish Index of Biotic Integrity in a Large Southeastern Brazil River

Environmental conditions of a large river in southeastern Brazil were assessed by evaluating fish assemblage structure (index of biotic integrity, IBI), landscape use (forest, pasture, urban area, and tributary water) and riparian condition. A survey of the 338 km-long middle reach of the Rio Paraiba do Sul, containing a large urban-industrial complex, was conducted in two seasons: summer/wet and winter/dry. Fish were sampled with a standardized level of effort twice at seven sites, between March 2001 and April 2002, by gill nets, cast nets, sieves and seines. Riparian condition was evaluated by direct observations, and land use maps were used to assess landscape condition of an 8 km² buffer surrounding each site. IBI scores ranged from 5 to 36 (out of a possible range of 4–40), with lowest values at an urban-industrial landscape, and highest scores upstream and downstream, indicating the river’s recovery capacity. The most appropriate time to assess IBI was during the winter/dry period, when sampling was more effective and the IBI was more sensitive to changes in environmental quality. Landscape use and riparian condition were correlated, and IBI was positively correlated with % pasture, % tributary area, and riparian condition, but negatively correlated with % urban area. In some cases urban areas eliminated riparian woody vegetation, destabilizing site physical habitat structure.     

Effects of Introduced Groundwater on Water Chemistry and Fish Assemblages in Central Florida Lakes

We assessed effects of groundwater pumping to elevate lake levels on lake water chemistry and fish population metrics at seven Florida lakes. Following groundwater pumping, lake level fluctuation was reduced and lake water samples increased in mean pH, total alkalinity, total phosphorus, chloride and Secchi depth compared to historical means, indicating a close resemblance to the chemistry of aquifer water in the region. Fish community metrics from the augmented lakes were compared to 36 non-augmented lakes in Florida. The mean values for catch per unit effort, species richness and biomass of harvestable fishes, determined by electrofishing, were lower in augmented lakes compared to non-augmented lakes. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated a high probability of a low abundance of individual species in augmented lakes compared to a majority of non-augmented lakes. The augmented lake with the lowest pumping rate exhibited less of a shift in limnological variables from historical values, and had fish population characteristics more closely resembling those of non-augmented lakes. Thus, reduced volumes of groundwater introduction could lower impacts to limnological and fish population characteristics. Augmentation allows for lakes to be utilized for recreational activities, and without augmentation some lakes in central Florida would likely go dry due to groundwater withdrawals for water supply. Therefore, allowing more natural water level fluctuations and possible reductions in total pumpage are recommended to reduce impacts to limnological and fish population characteristics, while still allowing sufficient groundwater pumping to preserve lake habitats.     

Evolution of Eastern Pacific Warm Pool and upwelling processes since the middle Miocene based on analysis of radiolarian assemblages: Response to Indonesian and Central American Seaways

A quantitative radiolarian study at Ocean Drilling Program Site 1241 in the eastern tropical Pacific enables us to reconstruct paleoceanographic changes that occurred since the latest middle Miocene. Today, this site is located just under the Eastern Pacific Warm Pool (EPWP). Based on the abundance variations of radiolarian characteristic species which are indicators of upwelling and thermocline changes, it is suggested that three notable changes occurred at 10.6, 9.8, and 4.2 Ma in the region. Four distinct periods of oceanographic conditions bounded by these notable changes were characterized on the basis of the following: (1) stratified seawater (12.0 to 10.6 Ma); (2) a shallowing of the thermocline and an increasing of upwelling (10.6 to 9.8 Ma); (3) significant inflow of warm water to the eastern tropical Pacific caused by an intensified Northern Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC), resulting in the formation of EPWP (9.8 to 4.2 Ma); and (4) the reduction of the EPWP and the NECC, and an increase in upwelling (4.2 to 0 Ma). The timing of these paleoceanographic events indicated the strong relations with the opening and closing of the Indonesian and Central American (Panama) Seaways. The reduction of the EPWP (this study) and the deepening of the thermocline in western Pacific at about 4.2 Ma (Cannariato and Ravelo, 1997; Chaisson and Ravelo, 2000) indicated a change from a state resembling El Niño in the late Miocene and the early Pliocene time to a state resembling La Niña by the late Pliocene.     

Diatoms as a proxy in reconstructing the Holocene environmental changes in the south-western Baltic Sea: the lower Rega River Valley sedimentary record

This study focuses on diatom assemblages occurring in cores of Late-glacial and Holocene deposits retrieved from the mouth of the lower Rega River valley, of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. Sediment samples from four cores were the subject of the present study. Diatom-inferred environmental characteristics, e.g., water level; water salinity (conductivity), trophic status and pH, within each core are presented. Diatom assemblage zones (DAZ) were distinguished, based on differences in the distribution of particular ecological groups. Each DAZ appears to be related to environmental changes during the deposition of a given sediment interval. The Late-glacial (Allerød) sediments originated in a shallow lake with increasing concentrations of solutes and nutrients. The Holocene record begins in the early Atlantic Chronozone and the diatoms point to weakly brackish-water sediments deposited in a shallow water environment. During the period of 8,500–5,800 cal year BP sedimentation took place in a shallow embayment and/or lagoon. From ca. 5,800 cal year BP onwards sedimentation took place in a peat bog environment alternating with Aeolian deposition. Changes in diatom community structure imply a close relationship with the climate-controlled eustatic rise of the ocean level and its consequence Littorina transgression. As with other southern Baltic Sea localities, brackish-water diatoms appear in the sediments, signaling the onset of marine transgression somewhat earlier than previously accepted. Differences and similarities in diatom assemblages and the palaeogeographic development of nearby regions within the Baltic Sea basin and lagoons (coastal areas) from different geographic regions, are also discussed.     

Artinskian–Wordian antitropical rugose coral associations: A palaeogeographical approach

Recent investigations in the Urals and East-European Platform as well as study of corals collections from South Primorye (Russian Far East) and South-Eastern Pamirs have been undertaken. Antitropical rugose associations include taxa that are bounded in their distribution by the temperate zones of the Boreal and Perigondwanan realms. They occur sporadically in tropical latitudes but never form abundant and diverse communities. Antitropical associations are represented by the so-called ‘Cyathaxonia fauna’ (sensu lato), predominating in two selected stratigraphic intervals. The abrupt change of taxonomic composition from colonial to ‘Cyathaxonia fauna’ allows the separation of two assemblages: (i) mid Artinskian–Kungurian and (ii) Roadian–Wordian. The key regions for comparison are the Urals (mid Artinskian–Kungurian), Spitsbergen (Kungurian–Wordian), East-European Platform (Roadian), Texas (mid Artinskian–Kungurian), South Primorye (Wordian–Capitanian), South-Eastern Pamirs (Upper Artinskian), and the Sverdrup Basin (Wordian). The Late Artinskian fauna of the South-Eastern Pamirs and Wordian faunas of South Primorye bear features of mixed assemblages. A few models of the origination of antitropical assemblages are acceptable: (i) the convergent parallel evolution of Lophophyllidium in the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere, (ii) a similar evolution trend developed in parallel in three geographically distant regions: Verbeekiella, Pseudowannerophyllum, and “Pseudoverbeekiella”, and (iii) immigration of some species within temperate zones caused by current circulation changes both in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, as well as northward spreading of terranes in the Perigondwanan Realm.     

Bacterial and archaeal assemblages in sediments of a large shallow freshwater lake, Lake Taihu, as revealed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis

Aims:  To explore the association of microbial community structure with the development of eutrophication in a large shallow freshwater lake, Lake Taihu.
Methods and Results:  The bacterial and archaeal assemblages in sediments of different lake areas were analysed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of amplified 16S rDNA fragments. The bacterial DGGE profiles showed that eutrophied sites, grass-bottom areas and relatively clean sites with a eutrophic (albeit dredged) site are three respective clusters. Fifty-one dominant bacterial DGGE bands were detected and 92 corresponding clones were sequenced, most of which were affiliated with bacterial phylotypes commonly found in freshwater ecosystems. Actinobacteria were detected in the centre of the lake and not at eutrophied sites whereas the opposite was found with respect to Verrucomicrobiales . Twenty-five dominant archaeal DGGE bands were detected and 31 corresponding clones were sequenced, most of which were affiliated with freshwater archaeal phylotypes.
Conclusions:  The bacterial community structures in the sediments of different areas with similar water quality and situation tend to be similar in Taihu Lake.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  This study may expand our knowledge on the relationship between the overall microbial assemblages and the development of eutrophication in the shallow freshwater lake.     

长白山针阔叶混交林带花粉通量及垂直散布年际对比

长白山针阔叶混交林一号样地2005和2006年气象塔不同高度捕捉器样品花粉分析对比表明:连续两年花粉组成都足以乔木花粉为主,但存在差异,06年乔木花粉百分比较高,灌木、草本较低,同时06年花粉通量也较高,可能与05年花期降水较多,温度较低,花粉产量低有关.连续两年花粉通量在垂直高度上具有较高的一致性,特别是主要乔木花粉类型(白蜡属、桦、栎、松属花粉).这一结果有助于更好理解表土花粉对植被的指示性,森林表土样品中的草本、低矮灌木花粉类型,应主要来自样品点附近的植物;样品中的乔木、较高灌丛花粉类型,可能来自样品点附近或更大范围植物;区域性植物对花粉组合也有一定影响.     

A weak upward elevational shift in the distributions of breeding birds in the Italian Alps

Aim To test whether bird assemblages are shifting upwards in their elevational distribution in synchrony with current climate warming and/or habitat changes. Location A gradient of elevation in the Italian Alps (Alta Valsessera, Piedmont). Methods We used data from two recent atlas surveys performed on a 1 × 1 km grid at an 11‐year interval (1992–94 and 2003–05). We modelled the elevational gradient of avifaunal composition, using a sample‐based approach, in an effort to detect evidence for an upward elevational shift of bird zonation. Changes in species richness were controlled for. The results from this analysis were compared with those obtained using a species‐based approach. Changes in climate and landscape between the two surveys were assessed using local meteorological data and Corine Land Cover maps, respectively. Results We detected small avifaunal changes between the two surveys: (1) mean elevations increased for the majority of species, but the average change was not significantly different from zero; (2) the species richness increased, but this was mainly due to an increase in sampling effort; and (3) a change in species composition was detected, which was at the limit of significance and corresponded on average to a 29‐m upward elevational shift in the distribution of the avifauna. The shift was the same for open land and forest bird communities. During the same period, the mean temperature increased by c. 1 °C in the area, and a slight trend towards vegetation closure by woody plants was detected. Main conclusions The use of fine‐scale breeding bird atlases in mountainous regions, together with ordination methods, provides a sensitive tool to test and measure elevational shifts in species ranges, but the results have to be interpreted carefully. In our case, the observed elevational shift in the distributions of the avifauna cannot unambiguously be attributed to climate warming. This shift is smaller than expected from the regional increase in temperature, which raises the question of how closely bird distributions match climate change.     

宁夏六盘山盆地海参1井上侏罗统—上白垩统微体化石组合

六盘山盆地海原凹陷肖家湾构造的海参1井钻遇中生代地层。其中安定组见孢粉化石Pinuspollenites-Ali-sporites-Araucariacites组合,时代定为晚侏罗世。和尚铺组含介形类和孢粉化石Cypridea(Cypridea)unicosta-ta-Cypridea(Ulwellia)koskulensis组合、Pinuspollenites-Classopollis-Schizaeoisporites组合和大量Peckisphaera paragranulifera,李洼峡组含轮藻和孢粉化石Aclistochara huihuibaoensis-Mesochara cf. voluta-Sphaerochara组合、Classopollis-Cicatricosisporites-Granudiscus组合和介形类Damonella cf. mediocris,Cypridea(Yumenia) sp.等,和尚铺组和李洼峡组的时代可归于早白垩世早中期(Hauterivian—Barremian)。乃家河组产轮藻化石Raskyae-chara sp.,Obtusochara cf. subcylindrica等,时代可能是晚白垩世。