Predictors of Rare and Specialist Plant Occurrence in Midwestern Calcareous Fens

Abstract. Numerous studies have dealt with carbon (C) contents in Histosols, but there are no studies quantifying the relative importance of the individual C components in pore waters. For this study, measurements were taken of all the carbon components (particulate organic carbon, POC; dissolved organic carbon, DOC; dissolved inorganic carbon, DIC; dissolved methane, CH4) in the soil pore water of calcareous fens under three different water management regimes (re-wetted, deeply and moderately drained). Pore water was collected weekly or biweekly (April 2004 to April 2006) at depths between 10 and 150 cm. The main results obtained were: (1) DIC (94–280 mg C l−1) was the main C-component. (2) POC and DOC concentrations in the pore water (14–125 mg C l−1 vs. 41–95 mg C l−1) were pari passu. (3) Dissolved CH4 was the smallest C component (0.005–0.9 mg C l−1). Interestingly, about 30% of the POM particles were colonized by microbes indicating that they are active in the internal C turnover. Certainly, both POC and DOC fractions are essential components of the C budget of peatlands. Furthermore, dissolved CO2 in all forms of DIC appears to be an important part of peatland C-balance.

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Detection of urease and carbonic anhydrase activity using a rapid and economical field test to assess microbially-induced carbonate precipitation

10.1101/2020.01.10.902379 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Fernando Medina Ferrer ◽

Kathryn Hobart ◽

Jake V. Bailey

Keyword(s):

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Carbonic Anhydrase ◽

Marker Gene ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Carbonic Anhydrase Activity ◽

Soil Restoration ◽

Reaction Products ◽

Calcareous Fens ◽

Molecular Approaches

ABSTRACTMicrobial precipitation of calcium carbonate has diverse engineering applications, from building and soil restoration, to carbon sequestration. Urease-mediated ureolysis and CO2 (de)hydration by carbonic anhydrase (CA) are known for their potential to precipitate carbonate minerals, yet many microbial community studies rely on marker gene or metagenomic approaches that are unable to determine in situ activity. Here, we developed fast and cost-effective tests for the field detection of urease and CA activity using pH-sensitive strips inside microcentrifuge tubes that change color in response to the reaction products of urease (NH3) and CA (CO2). Samples from a saline lake, a series of calcareous fens, and ferrous springs were assayed in the field, finding relatively high urease activity in lake samples, whereas CA activity was only detected in a ferrous spring. Incubations of lake microbes with urea resulted in significantly higher CaCO3 precipitation compared to incubations with a urease inhibitor. Therefore, the rapid assay indicated an on-site active metabolism potentially mediating carbonate mineralization. Field urease and CA activity assays complement molecular approaches and facilitate the search for carbonate-precipitating microbes and their in situ activity, which could be applied toward agriculture, engineering and carbon sequestration technologies.

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Revision of the calcareous fen arachnofauna: habitat affinities of the fen-inhabiting spiders

ZooKeys ◽

10.3897/zookeys.802.26449 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 802 ◽

pp. 67-108 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Maija Štokmane ◽

Inese Cera

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Northern Hemisphere ◽

Ecological Groups ◽

Pitfall Traps ◽

Calcareous Fens ◽

Spider Species ◽

Calcareous Fen ◽

Alkaline Environments ◽

Habitat Affinities ◽

Sweep Net

Calcareous fens are one of the most species-rich habitats of the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. In spite of this species richness, however, calcareous fens are still rather poorly investigated. Consequently, the data of the fen-associated spider fauna are also largely lacking. The aim of the research was to study the spider fauna of the calcareous fens of Latvia and to draw conclusions about what kind of spider species and ecological groups typically inhabit calcareous fen habitats. Spiders were sampled in the summer months of 2010, 2011, and 2012 at nine different calcareous fens of the coastal lowland of Latvia. The spider collection was performed by pitfall traps and a sweep net. The examined material comprised 6631 adult spider individuals representing 21 families and 149 species. The main spider ecological groups that dominated in the studied calcareous fens were hygrophilous and photophilous species which largely reflect the main properties of our studied habitats, all of which were wet, open mire habitats. Nevertheless, the fen arachnofauna consisted also of spider groups which are less typical for moist, sun-exposed, and alkaline environments, like xerophilous, sciophilous, and sphagnophilous species, respectively. Finally, several spider species collected in this study have not been previously reported for the spider fauna of Latvia, and many more might still be undiscovered in these unique and poorly investigated habitats. Therefore, it is suggested that calcareous fens deserve special attention and they should definitely be investigated further.

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Germination requirements of the subordinate fen meadow species Valeriana dioica L

Folia Geobotanica ◽

10.1007/s12224-019-09354-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 (1-2) ◽

pp. 125-138 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Leonid Rasran ◽

Cornelia Eisenmann ◽

Regina Wagentristl ◽

Karl-Georg Bernhardt

Keyword(s):

Morphological Variability ◽

Regeneration Niche ◽

Life Strategy ◽

Cold Stratification ◽

Calcareous Fens ◽

High Germination ◽

Germination Success ◽

Pre Treatment ◽

Early Establishment ◽

Fen Meadow

AbstractPlant species of the intermediate life strategy type are characteristic for species-rich grasslands, which are sensitive to changes in the level of disturbance. Germination and early establishment of seedlings is expected to be the most crucial stage, limiting the successful colonization of appropriate sites. Valeriana dioica is a typical plant of calcareous fens, which are dependent on regular suppression of strong competitors by means of moderate land use. It is endangered in many parts of Central Europe, including Lower Austria. We studied the effects of light, temperature and pre-treatment (cold stratification) on the germination success of V. dioica seeds and the role of litter produced by different competitors on the early establishment of seedlings. We tested seeds from five populations differing in the level of competition for light and considered also the morphological variability of propagules and maternal plants. We found that V. dioica is able to germinate without light. It showed high germination percentages both under high summer temperatures independent of cold stratification and at low temperatures, but only after the stratification. Litter produced by dicotyledonous forbs was less hampering for the seedlings than that of small sedges or grasses. Valeriana dioica possesses a broad regeneration niche and is able to use gaps for germination and establishment both in spring and in summer. It reproduces successfully in herb-dominated fen meadow vegetation but disappears from reed communities. This study demonstrates the significant plasticity of the regeneration niche for a species with an intermediate life strategy and also stresses the importance of gaps for its reproduction.

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Germination characteristics of some plant species from calcareous fens in southern Germany and their implications for the seed bank

Ecography ◽

10.1111/j.1600-0587.1989.tb00908.x ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 337-344 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

D. Maas

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Seed Bank ◽

Calcareous Fens ◽

Southern Germany ◽

Germination Characteristics

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Recent changes in the frequency of plant species and vegetation types in Scania, S Sweden, compared to changes during the twentieth century

Biodiversity and Conservation ◽

10.1007/s10531-019-01906-5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 709-728 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Torbjörn Tyler ◽

Stefan Andersson ◽

Lars Fröberg ◽

Kjell-Arne Olsson ◽

Åke Svensson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Twentieth Century ◽

Plant Species ◽

Human Activities ◽

Individual Species ◽

Vegetation Types ◽

Forest Species ◽

Calcareous Fens ◽

Grassland Species ◽

Arable Weeds ◽

Seminatural Grasslands

AbstractBased on data from three surveys of the vascular flora of the province of Scania, southernmost Sweden, conducted 1938–1971, 1987–2006 and 2008–2015, we analyse the change in frequency of individual species and groups of species associated with particular vegetation types. A majority of all species have experienced a change in frequency since 1938, and this turnover has continued in recent decades. The species showing the most dramatic declines since 1987 represent a mixture of arable weeds, grassland species and ruderals, but excludes forest species. In contrast, a majority of the most increasing species are escapes from cultivation that thrive under shaded conditions. The vegetation types showing the largest decreases since 1987 are all open seminatural grasslands and wetlands, while the vegetation types performing best are wooded. All vegetation types increasing since 1987 also increased during the 1900s; however, species of wooded types performed relatively better in recent decades, as opposed to the minimal increase observed for species of vegetation strongly influenced by human activities. Among decreasing vegetation types, those that have received much attention from conservationists, e.g. sand-steppe and calcareous fens tend to perform relatively better now than during the 1900s, while those that have received less attention, e.g. poor fens, oligotrophic waters and heaths, now comprise the most rapidly declining vegetation types. A majority of the species that decreased 1938–1996 also decreased 1987–2015, but, in general, species shown to have increased during the 1900s have not continued to increase.

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