Comparison of Southern Appalachian high-elevation outcrop plant communities with their Northern Appalachian counterparts

Abstract. Southern Appalachian high-elevation outcrops harbour six regionally rare Northern Appalachian taxa usually considered relicts of a Pleistocene alpine flora. For five of the six taxa, minimum elevation in the south was 367–1113 m higher than in the north. While habitats compared between the two regions share only 9% of their total flora, individual plots had up to 70% of their species occurring in the opposite region. The northern affinity of southern outcrops increased with elevation, slope steepness, soil Cu, B and SO₄ and decreased with potential solar radiation and soil Na. As a result, communities above 1600 m on felsic bedrock, and above 1350 m on mafic bedrock, were most northern in composition. Northern affinity of southern outcrops also increased with latitude, which may partly result from closer geographic proximity to past communities that provided progenitors for the current northern flora. Northern treeless habitats increased in southern affinity with increased slope steepness, perennial seepage, vegetation height, shade, soil pH, Al, Mn, Na and decreased elevation and organic matter. As a result, northern outcrop communities below treeline were most similar to those on southern outcrops. This suggests that southern outcrop vegetation may be more similar to Pleistocene outcrop vegetation than to Pleistocene alpine vegetation. Partial constrained ordination showed that while compositional differences between the Northern and Southern Appalachian habitats were largely explained by environmental differences, there was a significant component of residual variation explained by north or south position that was unrelated to environment. These residual compositional differences may result from historical influences on community structure involving stochastic extinction and colonization processes.     

Population and community-level compositional patterns shape the realized niche of the rare arctic-alpine species Carex lachenalii Schkuhr

The ability for vegetative growth and development of generative organs often reflects an adaptation to the environment and may be a suitable proxy for understanding population dynamics of rare relict species. An example of such a plant is Carex lachenalii Schkuhr, an arctic-alpine species, in the temperate zone of Europe only occurring in isolated localities of high-elevation mountain ranges. We aimed to assess whether there were relationships between flower production and clonal growth of C. lachenalii, both at the tuft and plot level, and how co-occurring vegetation could modify this relationship. In the study we focused on population-level traits of C. lachenalii, vegetation traits and components of functional diversity. At the tuft level we found that the proportion of flowering ramets of C. lachenalii decreased with increasing diameter of the tuft. At the plot level, in snowbed vegetation C. lachenalii produced more flowering ramets. We suggest this is due to higher environmental stress, expressed by high importance of habitat filtering (low functional dispersion) in shaping species composition of co-occurring vegetation. In granite grasslands and milder environment (expressed by higher functional dispersion), C. lachenalii produced more vegetative ramets, which we suggest is a result of a more competitive environment. While in snowbeds investment in flowering ramets could promote successful persistence of C. lachenalii, survival of subpopulations occurring in the highly competitive conditions of granite grasslands may be uncertain due to potentially weak adaptation to competition with graminoids and dwarf shrubs.     

Dissolved helium distribution in deep groundwaters from the Tono area,central Japan: a tool for tracing groundwater flow in fractured granite

The helium isotopic composition of groundwater collected from boreholes was measured in the Tono area from up to 840m underground. The ³He/⁴He and ⁴He/²⁰Ne ratios ranged from 9.1 × 10^–8 to 1.48 × 10^–6 and from 0.22 to 190, respectively, implying that the groundwater accumulates significant amounts of radiogenic ⁴He as it flows. In groundwater from sedimentary rocks, the levels of accumulated helium increase with depth, whereas those in the samples from fractured granite vary from borehole to borehole. Considering the hydrogeological and topographical model together, dissolved He concentrations in groundwater indicate the groundwater flow direction. Although the groundwater flow in fractured granite is generally thought to be controlled by the fracture pattern, the overall flow of the Tono area inferred from helium isotopes is also controlled by topography.     

Structure,function and floristic relationships of plant communities in stressful habitats marginal to the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest

The Brazilian Atlantic rainforest consists of a typical tropical rainforest on mountain slopes, and stands out as a biodiversity hotspot for its high species richness and high level of species endemism. This forest is bordered by plant communities with lower species diversity, due mostly to more extreme environmental conditions than those found in the mesic rainforest. Between the mountain slopes and the sea, the coastal plains have swamp forests, dry semi-deciduous forests and open thicket vegetation on marine sand deposits. At the other extreme, on top of the mountains (>2000 m a.s.l.), the rainforest is substituted by high altitude fields and open thicket vegetation on rocky outcrops. Thus, the plant communities that are marginal to the rainforest are subjected either to flooding, drought, oceanicity or cold winter temperatures. It was found that positive interactions among plants play an important role in the structuring and functioning of a swamp forest, a coastal sandy vegetation and a cold, high altitude vegetation in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Moreover, only a few species seem to adopt this positive role and, therefore, the functioning of these entire systems may rely on them. Curiously, these nurse plants are often epiphytes in the rainforest, and at the study sites are typically terrestrial. Many exhibit crassulacean acid metabolism. Conservation initiatives must treat the Atlantic coastal vegetation as a complex rather than a rainforest alone.     

Acidophilic microbial communities associated with a natural, biodegraded hydrocarbon seepage

Characterization of microbial communities present in a surface petroleum seep in which hydrocarbons have been biodegraded for thousands of years in order to improve the understanding on natural petroleum biodegradation. DNA was extracted from a natural, surface petroleum seep and subjected to culture independent analysis (rRNA gene-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and phylogenetic analysis of clone libraries). Molecular analysis suggested dominance by acidophilic bacteria, especially Alphaproteobacteria (mainly bacteria related to Acidiphilium and Acidocella). Archaea were not detected, but fungi were present. pH of the samples was around 3.5. Acidophilic microbial communities are associated with an acidic petroleum seep. Microbial community structure analysis gives information on the environmental conditions under which petroleum biodegradation occurs. This knowledge could be applied to define conditions for specific cultivation or activity measurements. The activity of acidophilic micro-organisms deserves more attention with respect to their involvement in natural petroleum degradation. This knowledge will contribute to the design of oil bioremediation strategies for polluted acidic settings.     

Fire frequency and time‐since‐fire effects on the open‐forest and woodland flora of Girraween National Park,south‐east Queensland,Australia

Abstract The effects of recent fire frequency and time‐since‐fire on plant community composition and species abundance in open‐forest and woodland vegetation in Girraween National Park, south‐east Queensland, Australia, were examined. Cover‐abundance data were collected for shrub and vine species in at least 10 400‐m² plots in each of four study areas. Study areas were within one community type and had burnt most recently either 4 or 9 years previously. Variations in fire frequency allowed us to compare areas that had burnt at least three times in the previous 25 years with less frequently burnt areas, and also woodlands that had experienced a 28‐year interfire interval with more frequently burnt areas. Although species richness did not differ significantly with either time‐since‐fire or fire frequency, both these factors affected community composition, fire frequency being the more powerful. Moisture availability also influenced floristics. Of the 67 species found in five or more plots, six were significantly associated with time‐since‐fire, whereas 11 showed a significant difference between more and less frequently burnt plots in each of the two fire‐frequency variables. Most species, however, did not vary in cover‐abundance with the fire regime parameters examined. Even those species that showed a marked drop in cover‐abundance when exposed to a particular fire regime generally maintained some presence in the community. Five species with the capacity to resprout after fire were considered potentially at risk of local extinction under regimes of frequent fire, whereas two species were relatively uncommon in long‐unburnt areas. Variable fire regimes, which include interfire intervals of at least 15 years, could be necessary for the continuity of all species in the community.     

Edaphic patchiness influences grassland regeneration from the soil seed‐bank in mountain grasslands of central Argentina

The soil seed‐banks in the main natural vegetation patches that make up mountain grasslands on granite substrates in central Argentina were studied. The main natural vegetation types are moist swards, tall‐tussock grasslands and stony grasslands. Ten compound soil samples from each community at two soil depths (0–5 and 5–10 cm) were taken. The density of soil seed‐banks was highest in moist swards, intermediate in stony grasslands and lowest in tall‐tussock grasslands. Low levels of similarity were found between the established vegetation and total soil seed‐bank in tall‐tussock grasslands and stony grasslands, but the similarity was higher in swards. In all three communities the seed‐bank was most frequently transient in nature. Short‐term persistent and long‐term persistent seed‐banks were less frequent. Regeneration from the seed‐banks after disturbance is expected to differ among communities on different edaphic patches. On the basis of the density and longevity of the soil seed‐banks and the similarity to the established vegetation, potential for in situ regeneration should be lower in tall‐tussock grasslands, intermediate in stony grasslands and higher in moist swards.     

Sievoides kocyigiti n. gen., n. sp., Mesoendothyra altineriana n. sp. and Kurnubia feleensis n. sp. from Kimmeridgian shallow water limestones intercalated with alkaline igneous rocks, Western Taurus, Turkey

In the framework of the palaeogeographical reconstruction of the Western Taurus during Jurassic, the study of northern and eastern boundary of the Taurids started. Detailed facies analysis evidenced the position of the Barla Dag ramp between two elevated areas: the southern rimmed shelf extension of the platform system and the northern neritic-beach-land plain. In the basal biostratigraphical and ecological characteristics of the Balcikhisar volcano-sedimentary sequence, correlated with the Fele outcrop, one genus and three new species of foraminifers have been found: Sievoides kocyigiti n. gen., n. sp. and Mesoendothyra altineriana n. sp. from neritic environment, and Kurnubia feleensis n. sp. from rimmed shelf lagoon. Both carbonate sedimentary deposits are intercalated with spilitic-basalt pillow lava flows. The age of the new three species is Kimmeridgian, controlled by some foraminifer golden hooks.     

Weathering of Granite from the Damma Glacier Area: The Contribution of Cyanogenic Bacteria

The dissolution potential of five cyanogenic bacteria was studied at 25°C during 32 days using granite material from the Damma glacier (Central Alps, Switzerland) as the sole source of nutrients. The bacterial species Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas sp. CCOS 191 were the most effective to exudate various organic acids and consequently mobilized Fe. The molecular mechanisms include both, proton-promoted and ligand-promoted dissolution, preferentially at pH below 5 and in the pH range between 5.0 and 5.8, respectively. In addition, bacterially produced cyanide plays a minor role through the formation of soluble hexacyanoferrate complexes. To our knowledge, this study is the first that reveals the direct measurement of metal-cyanide complexes formed during biotic granite weathering.