Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in terrestrial habitats of Antarctica

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 523-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
DIANA H. WALL
Keyword(s):  
Global Change ◽  
Ecosystem Functioning ◽  
Ecosystem Processes ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Biodiversity And Ecosystem Functioning ◽  
Soil Ecosystems ◽  
Terrestrial Habitats ◽  
Terrestrial Biodiversity ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Continental Interior

Are we failing to acknowledge the impact of global changes (e.g. UVB, invasive species, climate, land use, atmosphere) on the terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem processes of Antarctica? Antarctica is considered a pristine environment and has low terrestrial species diversity and trophic complexity, and yet while scientifically possible, we still do not know the number of species, where they are, or how their influence on ecosystem processes (e.g. nutrient cycling, carbon flux, decomposition, feedbacks to climate, hydrology) will be affected by multiple global changes. Increased recognition of human dependence on services provided by biodiversity and ecosystem functioning combined with documented impacts of global change already occurring on Antarctic soil ecosystems, increases the urgency to expand investigations regionally in Antarctica. We cannot measure the effects of global change or sustainably manage Antarctica's future if we underestimate the contribution of soil communities. Evidence indicates habitats of rocky moraines, soils and cyroconite holes of glaciers in the continental interior may host not only microbes, but also a complexity of algae and invertebrates. Scientists of many disciplines, together, need to assess the benefits humans derive from Antarctic terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem processes, how these will be affected by global change, and link their findings to the rest of the world.

scholarly journals Globally Abundant “Candidatus Udaeobacter” Benefits from Release of Antibiotics in Soil and Potentially Performs Trace Gas Scavenging

mSphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Inka M. Willms ◽  
Anina Y. Rudolph ◽  
Isabell Göschel ◽  
Simon H. Bolz ◽  
Dominik Schneider ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multidrug Resistance ◽  
Environmental Pollution ◽  
Soil Bacteria ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Genomic Analysis ◽  
Trace Gas ◽  
Dominant Soil ◽  
Soil Ecosystems ◽  
Terrestrial Habitats ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Verrucomicrobia affiliated with “Candidatus Udaeobacter” belong to the most abundant soil bacteria worldwide. Although the synthesis of antibiotics presumably evolved in soil, and environmental pollution with antimicrobials increases, the impact of these complex molecules on “Ca. Udaeobacter” remains to be elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that “Ca. Udaeobacter” representatives residing in grassland as well as forest soil ecosystems show multidrug resistance and even take advantage of antibiotics release. Soils treated with up to six different antibiotics exhibited a higher “Ca. Udaeobacter” abundance than corresponding controls after 3, 8, and 20 days of incubation. In this context, we provide evidence that “Ca. Udaeobacter” representatives may utilize nutrients which are released due to antibiotic-driven lysis of other soil microbes and thereby reduce energetically expensive synthesis of required biomolecules. Moreover, genomic analysis revealed the presence of genes conferring resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics and indicated that “Ca. Udaeobacter” representatives most likely oxidize the trace gas H2 to generate energy. This energy might be required for long-term persistence in terrestrial habitats, as already suggested for other dominant soil bacteria. Our study illustrates, for the first time, that globally abundant “Ca. Udaeobacter” benefits from release of antibiotics, which confers advantages over other soil bacteria and represents a so-far overlooked fundamental lifestyle feature of this poorly characterized verrucomicrobial genus. Furthermore, our study suggests that “Ca. Udaeobacter” representatives can utilize H2 as an alternative electron donor. IMPORTANCE Soil bacteria have been investigated for more than a century, but one of the most dominant terrestrial groups on Earth, “Candidatus Udaeobacter,” remains elusive and largely unexplored. Its natural habitat is considered a major reservoir of antibiotics, which directly or indirectly impact phylogenetically diverse microorganisms. Here, we found that “Ca. Udaeobacter” representatives exhibit multidrug resistance and not only evade harmful effects of antimicrobials but even benefit from antibiotic pressure in soil. Therefore, “Ca. Udaeobacter” evidently affects the composition of soil resistomes worldwide and might represent a winner of rising environmental pollution with antimicrobials. In addition, our study indicates that “Ca. Udaeobacter” representatives utilize H2 and thereby contribute to global hydrogen cycling. The here-reported findings provide insights into elementary lifestyle features of “Ca. Udaeobacter,” potentially contributing to its successful global dissemination.

A primer to metabarcoding surveys of Antarctic terrestrial biodiversity

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Czechowski ◽  
Laurence J. Clarke ◽  
Alan Cooper ◽  
Mark I. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Terrestrial Habitats ◽  
Cryptic Taxa ◽  
Terrestrial Biodiversity ◽  
Non Indigenous Species ◽  
Changes Over Time ◽  
Continental Interior ◽  
Highly Uniform

AbstractIce-free regions of Antarctica are concentrated along the coastal margins but are scarce throughout the continental interior. Environmental changes, including the introduction of non-indigenous species, increasingly threaten these unique habitats. At the same time, the unique biotic communities subsisting in isolation across the continent are difficult to survey due to logistical constraints, sampling challenges and problems related to the identification of small and cryptic taxa. Baseline biodiversity data from remote Antarctic habitats are still missing for many parts of the continent but are critical to the detection of community changes over time, including newly introduced species. Here we review the potential of standardized (non-specialist) sampling in the field (e.g. from soil, vegetation or water) combined with high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of bulk DNA as a possible solution to overcome some of these problems. In particular, HTS metabarcoding approaches benefit from being able to process many samples in parallel, while workflow and data structure can stay highly uniform. Such approaches have quickly gained recognition and we show that HTS metabarcoding surveys are likely to play an important role in continent-wide biomonitoring of all Antarctic terrestrial habitats.

Non-linear response of Mediterranean ecosystem to interaction of drought and plant invasion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Haberstroh ◽  
Maria C. Caldeira ◽  
Raquel Lobo-do-Vale ◽  
Joana I. Martins ◽  
Julia Moemken ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Change ◽  
Ecosystem Functioning ◽  
Linear Response ◽  
Plant Invasion ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Cork Oak ◽  
Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽  
Tree Transpiration ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
The Impact

<p>The impact of interacting global change stressors on terrestrial ecosystems is hard to predict due to non-linear, amplifying, neutral or even buffering interaction effects. We investigated the effects of drought and plant invasion on Mediterranean cork oak (<em>Quercus suber</em> L.) ecosystem functioning and recovery with a combined rain exclusion (30-45 % reduction) and shrub (<em>Cistus ladanifer</em> L.) invasion experiment. As key parameter, we determined tree, shrub and ecosystem transpiration in four treatments: 1) cork oak control stands, 2) cork oaks with rain exclusion, 3) cork oaks invaded by shrubs and 4) cork oaks with rain exclusion and shrub invasion. Rain exclusion and plant invasion led to moderate, but neutral reductions of tree transpiration of 18 % (compared to control) during the mild summer drought in 2018. In 2019, the rain exclusion simulated the second driest year since 1950 for Southwestern (SW) Iberia. The interaction effect of drought and plant invasion was strongly amplifying, reducing tree transpiration by 47 %. Legacy effects on shrubs under the rain exclusion treatment led to a non-linear response during recovery from the severe drought in 2019. Invaded trees showed a delayed transpiration recovery (-51 % vs. control) due to strong competition with shrubs, while invaded trees with rain exclusion recovered to 75 % of the control. This buffering interaction response was caused by a weaker competition from drought-stressed shrubs. Given the projected increase in the frequency, intensity and duration of drought, an increasing non-linear impact on Mediterranean cork oak ecosystems is expected. Our results demonstrate that abiotic stressors modulate biotic interactions thereby impacting ecosystem functioning in a highly dynamic manner. Further efforts are thus needed to model and manage the impact of interacting global change stressors on terrestrial ecosystems.</p>

scholarly journals Perception and Realities of the Impact of Global Changes on Water Resources and Agricultural Practices - Preliminary Findings of AGloCAP Project in Indrawati Basin, Nepal

2012 ◽  
pp. 35-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suman Sijapati ◽  
Dinesh Bhatt
Keyword(s):  
Global Change ◽  
Climatic Condition ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Farming Communities ◽  
Socio Economic Variables ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Institutional Drivers

This paper presents the trends of precipitation and temperature in the Indrawati basin, Nepal and tries to compare it with the experiences and perceptions of the local farming communities. It forms part of the preliminary findings from the AGloCAP (Adaptation to Global Change in Agricultural Practices) project under which field data is being collected from selected sample sites in the basin. The impact of global changes on agricultural practices and underlying socio-economic variables has been analysed by characterizing the basin into different agro-ecological zones.The preliminary analysis of field data reveal that global changes is having diverse impact on agriculture ranging from change in agro-climatic condition, shifting of cropping areas, change in timing of agricultural activities, change in input levels, outbreak of disease and pests. The farmers’ perceptions of these changes, although sometime found to be a bit exaggerated and possessing their own interpretations, were observed to be very much in line with the identified trends of climatic factors. Similarly, it was also observed that in addition to the changing climatic condition, the underlying social, economical and institutional drivers have a remarkable influence on agricultural production in the region and that global change is first impacting those who are already marginal.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/hn.v11i1.7201 Hydro Nepal Special Issue: Conference Proceedings 2012 pp.35-41

scholarly journals Global change tipping points: above- and below-ground biotic interactions in a low diversity ecosystem

2007 ◽  
Vol 362 (1488) ◽  
pp. 2291-2306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana H Wall
Keyword(s):  
Global Change ◽  
Biotic Interactions ◽  
Ecosystem Processes ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Tipping Points ◽  
Low Diversity ◽  
Dry Valley ◽  
Below Ground ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
High Diversity

Low diversity ecosystems are expected to be more vulnerable to global changes although they have received less attention than high diversity ecosystems. Addressing the present state of the Antarctic Dry Valley region by focusing on the potential global changes that may alter the coupling of above- and below-ground species and ecosystem processes is a realistic and critical need that has value beyond the Antarctic community. Presented here are suggested implications of global change on the Dry Valley terrestrial systems and how these effects might be manifested in the future.

scholarly journals An updated checklist to the biodiversity data of ladybeetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Azores Archipelago (Portugal)

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
António Soares ◽  
Isabel Borges ◽  
Hugo Calado ◽  
Paulo Borges
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Number Of Species ◽  
Terrestrial Biodiversity ◽  
Available Information ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Native Host

A recently-published review from 2021 presents a comprehensive checklist of ladybeetles of Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira Archipelagos. Until then, the available information was very scattered and based on a single revision dating back to 1986, a few international catalogues and databases, individual records and studies on communities of agroecosystems. However, no information was available on faunal composition across the Azorean islands and their habitats, using standardised inventories. Here, we present data about the biodiversity of ladybeetles and their distribution and abundance in five Islands of the Azores (Faial, Graciosa, Pico, São Jorge and São Miguel). Surveys included herbaceous and arboreal habitats from native to anthropogenic-managed habitats: ruderal road vegetation, vegetable garden, mixed forest of endemic and non-native host plants, coastal prairies, coastal mixed vegetation, cornfields and urban areas. We aimed to contribute to the ongoing effort to document the terrestrial biodiversity of Portugal, including the Archipelago of the Azores, within the research project AZORESBIOPORTAL–PORBIOTA (ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000072). In this study, a total of 1,487 specimens of Coccinellidae belonging to 19 species are reported for several habitats. The listed species are from one single sub-familiy (Coccinellinae) and six tribes; Chilocorini (one species), Coccidulini (three species), Coccinellini (six species), Noviini (one species), Scymnini (seven species), Stethorini (one species). The number of species collected per island differed; Faial (10 species), Graciosa (four species), Pico (seven species), São Jorge (seven species) and São Miguel (12 species). For six species, new island records are given. Currently, the number of species known to occur in the Azores are 32, including two doubtful records. The majority of species are Scymnini, being Scymnus (Scymnus) interruptus (Goeze, 1777) and Scymnus (Scymnus) nubilus Mulsant, 1850, the most abundant species (relative abundance 71.1%). This database will be the baseline of a long-term monitoring project allowing assessment of the impact of ongoing global changes in the distribution and abundance of ladybeetles.

scholarly journals Monitoring Forest Phenology in a Changing World

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 297
Author(s):  
Ross E. J. Gray ◽  
Robert M. Ewers
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Change ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Ecosystem Functioning ◽  
Ecosystem Processes ◽  
Plant Phenology ◽  
Robust Methods ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Changing World

Plant phenology is strongly interlinked with ecosystem processes and biodiversity. Like many other aspects of ecosystem functioning, it is affected by habitat and climate change, with both global change drivers altering the timings and frequency of phenological events. As such, there has been an increased focus in recent years to monitor phenology in different biomes. A range of approaches for monitoring phenology have been developed to increase our understanding on its role in ecosystems, ranging from the use of satellites and drones to collection traps, each with their own merits and limitations. Here, we outline the trade-offs between methods (spatial resolution, temporal resolution, cost, data processing), and discuss how their use can be optimised in different environments and for different goals. We also emphasise emerging technologies that will be the focus of monitoring in the years to follow and the challenges of monitoring phenology that still need to be addressed. We conclude that there is a need to integrate studies that incorporate multiple monitoring methods, allowing the strengths of one to compensate for the weaknesses of another, with a view to developing robust methods for upscaling phenological observations from point locations to biome and global scales and reconciling data from varied sources and environments. Such developments are needed if we are to accurately quantify the impacts of a changing world on plant phenology.

Elevated CO2 and warming impacts on flowering phenology in a southern Australian grassland are related to flowering time but not growth form, origin or longevity

2008 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark J. Hovenden ◽  
Amity L. Williams ◽  
Jane Kongstad Pedersen ◽  
Jacqueline K. Vander Schoor ◽  
Karen E. Wills
Keyword(s):  
Global Change ◽  
Flowering Time ◽  
Elevated Co2 ◽  
Growth Form ◽  
Flowering Phenology ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Species Response ◽  
Managed Ecosystems ◽  
The Impact

Flowering is a critical stage in plant life cycles, and changes in phenology might alter processes at the species, community and ecosystem levels. Therefore, likely flowering-time responses to global-change drivers are needed for predictions of global-change impacts on natural and managed ecosystems. Predicting responses of species to global changes would be simplified if functional, phylogenetic or biogeographical traits contributed substantially to a species’ response. Here we investigate the role of growth form (grass, graminoid, forb, subshrub), longevity (annual, perennial), origin (native, exotic) and flowering time in determining the impact of elevated [CO2] (550 μmol mol−1) and infrared warming (mean warming of +2°C) on flowering times of 31 co-occurring species of a range of species-types in a temperate grassland in 2004, 2005 and 2007. Warming reduced time to first flowering by an average of 20.3 days in 2004, 2.1 days in 2005 and 7.6 days in 2007; however, the response varied among species and was unrelated to growth form, origin or longevity. Elevated [CO2] did not alter flowering times; neither was there any [CO2] by species-type interaction. However, both warming and elevated [CO2] tended to have a greater effect on later-flowering species, with time to first flowering of later-flowering species being reduced by both elevated [CO2] (P < 0.001) and warming (P < 0.001) to a greater extent than that of earlier-flowering species. These results have ramifications for our predictions of community and ecosystem interactions in native grasslands in response to global change.

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