Pollen as a chronometer and sediment tracer,Burrinjuck Reservoir,Australia

Pollen analysis is widely used to reconstruct vegetation and land use histories, but can also provide sedimentological information. At Burrinjuck Reservoir, in south-eastern Australia, annual grass pollen peaks are used to distinguish each year's sediment, even when there are no visible laminations. In conjunction with other dating methods, this allows the determination of year by year influxes of all sediment components. Pollen grains in the Burrinjuck sediments are shown to be predominantly waterborne so that they can be used to trace sediment to its source in particular vegetation stands. Pollen concentration and the proportion of damaged pollen might also distinguish sediment eroded from topsoils and that from subsoils. Pollen analysis can thus be used to locate specific erosion events in both time and space.     

Zooplankton composition of ten reservoirs in southern Brazil

The zooplankton of ten reservoirs of Sao Paulo State was analyzed as part of a larger project, Typology of Reservoirs of São Paulo State.Twenty-four genera of Rotifera, six species of Copepoda and at least nine species of Cladocera were found in samples collected on four occasions in 1979. In general, Rotifera dominated in most reservoirs, although fluctuations occurred during the year.The reservoirs were arranged in four groups, according to zooplankton density, whose range was 10 to 500 i 1^–1.The average composition of Crustacea, in number of species at any one time is comparable to those of other water bodies, being a little higher than that of Colorado lakes.The number of species of limnetic Cladocera in Brazil is between those of Holarctic Region and Tropical Asia. Ceriodaphnia cornuta and Bosminopsis deitersi, and a few species of Daphnia are typical of Brazilian zooplankton. Thermocyclops crassus is common in the southern reservoirs but T. minutus seems to be more widely distributed in Brazil. Calanoida occurred in relatively few reservoirs in São Paulo and usually one species at one time. Brachionus and Keratella were more abundant closer to the Equator then to the Tropics, where other genera seem to be more abundant.The range in size of the planktonic Crustacea is relatively small when compared to temperate lakes, being similar to that of other tropical lakes.     

Patterns in the composition and richness of helminth communities in brown trout, Salmo trutta, in a group of reservoirs

Helminth community composition and richness were studied in brown trout, Salmo trutta , in 10 reservoirs of broadly similar age and characteristics situated close to each other in a well-defined region of south-west England. Communities were compared using cluster and ordination analyses, and possible correlations between helminth richness and a number of environmental variables were investigated. The hypothesis that the helminth communities should show high degrees of similarity and that large differences between reservoirs and a high degree of clustering would be unrecognizable was refuted. Levels of community similarity were low and comparable to those determined for helminths in salmonids in natural lakes. Trout in some reservoirs exhibited very distinctive helminth faunas and clustering of reservoirs was apparent. No single factor, including reservoir size and presence of piscivorous birds, had a predominant influence on community richness or composition but rather a multiplicity of local factors was believed to influence these parameters. The results indicate that local factors promoting distinctiveness have a greater influence on the composition and richness of fish helminth communities in lakes and reservoirs than do regional factors promoting similarity.     

The consequences of habitat occupation and habitat overlap of the introduced tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus and indigenous fish species for fishery management in a Sri Lankan reservoir

Habitat occupation and habitat overlap of the introduced tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus and co-occurring indigenous fish species were studied in a shallow lowland reservoir in Sri Lanka. Results were used to discuss the possible existence of empty habitats in reservoirs and the position of the introduced O. mossambicus in the fish community. Predictions were made of the effects of a subsidiary small-meshed gillnet fishery for indigenous minor cyprinids on the yield of tilapia. The zooplanktivorous halfbeak Hyporamphus gaimardi, an indigenous invader from brackish water estuaries and lagoons, has successfully colonized the pelagic habitat in this reservoir. The habitat of the introduced O. mossambicus overlapped significantly with those of the indigenous minor cyprinids. Only the smallest size classes of O. mossambicus (below 45 mm) arc spatially segregated from these cyprinids. Spatial distribution patterns are influenced by the rainy seasons which trigger an inshore movement of O. mossambicus and several other species around November and May. Barbus spp, (Cyprinidae) need riverine habitats for spawning, but for all other species the available habitats within the reservoir are suitable to complete their full life cycle. Exploitation of Barbus spp. with gillnets with a mesh size of 30-mm stretched mesh is predicted to have considerable detrimental effects on the existing fishery for O. mossambicus. However, a gillnet fishery with 15-mm stretched mesh to exploit Amblypharyngodon melettinus, Rasbora daniconius and H. gaimardi in the open water zone is expected to be successful without harming the existing fishery for O, mossambicus or the populations of Barbus spp.     

Examination of thirteen petroliferous formations for hydrocarbon-utilizing sulfate-reducing microorganisms

Virgin cores and production fluids were obtained from seven wells, ranging in depth from 805 ft to 14 492 ft, and examined for the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) using Rosenfeld's sulfate-reducing medium modified by using crude oil in place of lactate. Cores from an additional six wells, ranging in depth from 1160 ft to 13 337 ft were tested for SRB using the modified Rosenfeld medium and API-sulfate-reducing medium. Produced waters from five of the six wells were tested also. All of the eleven produced water samples were positive for SRB while H₂S production was not detected from the core samples.     

Land/water ecotone effects in reservoirs on the fish fauna

The morphology and function of one tropical and 25 temperate reservoirs are examined in relation to their effect upon the nature of the land/water interface and, further, to what extent the features of these ecotones satisfy the ecological requirements of the reservoir fish species throughout their life cycle during spawning, larval, juvenile and adult stages. The two main conclusions are that (1) reservoir fish species are especially dependent upon land/water ecotones during their early life history and (2) there exists a strong relationship between the extent of the littoral area and the nature of the fish stocks. Several examples are given to show that manipulation of the land/water ecotone is a major tool for the management of reservoirs advantageously for their major functions.     

Examination through a principal component analysis of the phosphorus exchanges between sediments and water in trophically different reservoirs

Phosphorus exchange at the sediment-water interface coupled with several parameters were assessed in several reservoirs with geologically different catchment basins and different trophic status in Morocco and France.The results showed that these exchanges were regulated by a combination of factors: physical chemical variability of the environment, the geological composition of catchment basins and the trophic status of the lake.In the hypereutrophic Villerest, iron-bound phosphorus is the major form of phosphorus trapped by the sediment whereas, in Moroccan reservoirs, calcium-bound phosphorus prevailed.We suggest that a drastic control of phosphorus inputs into the waters must be done through a large program of dephosphatization of tributaries to avoid Microcystis aeruginosa bloom formation in Villerest (Aleya et al., 1993) and calcium-bound phosphorus dissociation in Moroccan reservoirs with upward release of bioavailable phosphorus.

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Résumé Les échanges de phosphore au niveau de l'interface eau-sédiment couplés á la distribution temporelle de divers éléments chimiques et biologiques ont été étudiés dans divers réservoirs de niveaux trophiques différents, au Maroc et en France.Nos résultats mettent clairement en évidence une influence directe de l'environnement physico-chimique, de la nature géologique des bassins versants et de l'état trophique du lac sur la dynamique du phosphore au sein de cette interface.De plus, il apparait que dans le lac hypereutrophe de Villerest (Roanne, France), le phosphore est majoritairement complexé au fer alors que dans les retenues marocaines, ce sont les complexes phosphore-calcium qui prédominent.Nous préconisons un contrôle drastique des apports en phosphore á travers l'installation et la multiplication d'unités de déphosphatation afin d'éviter d'une part, la prolifération massive de la Cyanobactérie Microcystis aeruginosa á Villetest (Aleya et al., 1994) et d'autre part la dissociation des complexes phhosphore-calcium au sein des retenues marocaines avec libération de phosphore biodisponible.

     

The use of simultaneous sampling bottle and vertical net collections to describe the dynamics of a zooplankton population

Simultaneous collections of zooplankton were made at four stations in the Plover Clove Reservoir using Friedinger sampling bottles and vertical Nakai plankton net hauls. Comparison of the results obtained revealed certain obvious numerical and spatial anomalies, and it is suggested that these result from inherent characteristics of the two types of apparatus together with behavioural responses and physical attributes of the individual zooplankton species. Statistical correlation between these two methods was generally good in terms of the seasonal patterns of distribution of the population, but in terms of depth distribution and the relative abundance of the individual species of the population few significant correlations resulted. It is therefore suggested that unless merely seasonal trends are required, it is advisable to use more than one sampling apparatus to obtain valid data concerning the overall dynamics of such a zooplankton population.Department of Botany, University of Hong Kong     

The effectiveness of flower strips and hedgerows on pest control,pollination services and crop yield: a quantitative synthesis

Floral plantings are promoted to foster ecological intensification of agriculture through provisioning of ecosystem services. However, a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of different floral plantings, their characteristics and consequences for crop yield is lacking. Here we quantified the impacts of flower strips and hedgerows on pest control (18 studies) and pollination services (17 studies) in adjacent crops in North America, Europe and New Zealand. Flower strips, but not hedgerows, enhanced pest control services in adjacent fields by 16% on average. However, effects on crop pollination and yield were more variable. Our synthesis identifies several important drivers of variability in effectiveness of plantings: pollination services declined exponentially with distance from plantings, and perennial and older flower strips with higher flowering plant diversity enhanced pollination more effectively. These findings provide promising pathways to optimise floral plantings to more effectively contribute to ecosystem service delivery and ecological intensification of agriculture in the future.     

The ecology of chronic wasting disease in wildlife

Prions are misfolded infectious proteins responsible for a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases termed transmissible spongiform encephalopathy or prion diseases. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is the prion disease with the highest spillover potential, affecting at least seven Cervidae (deer) species. The zoonotic potential of CWD is inconclusive and cannot be ruled out. A risk of infection for other domestic and wildlife species is also plausible. Here, we review the current status of the knowledge with respect to CWD ecology in wildlife. Our current understanding of the geographic distribution of CWD lacks spatial and temporal detail, does not consider the biogeography of infectious diseases, and is largely biased by sampling based on hunters' cooperation and funding available for each region. Limitations of the methods used for data collection suggest that the extent and prevalence of CWD in wildlife is underestimated. If the zoonotic potential of CWD is confirmed in the short term, as suggested by recent results obtained in experimental animal models, there will be limited accurate epidemiological data to inform public health. Research gaps in CWD prion ecology include the need to identify specific biological characteristics of potential CWD reservoir species that better explain susceptibility to spillover, landscape and climate configurations that are suitable for CWD transmission, and the magnitude of sampling bias in our current understanding of CWD distribution and risk. Addressing these research gaps will help anticipate novel areas and species where CWD spillover is expected, which will inform control strategies. From an ecological perspective, control strategies could include assessing restoration of natural predators of CWD reservoirs, ultrasensitive CWD detection in biotic and abiotic reservoirs, and deer density and landscape modification to reduce CWD spread and prevalence.