scholarly journals Metagenome Sequencing to Explore Phylogenomics of Terrestrial Cyanobacteria

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan D. Ward ◽  
Jason E. Stajich ◽  
Jeffrey R. Johansen ◽  
Marcel Huntemann ◽  
Alicia Clum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Content ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Evolutionary Relationships ◽  
Terrestrial Cyanobacteria ◽  
Metagenome Sequencing

Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous microorganisms with crucial ecosystem functions, yet most knowledge of their biology is from aquatic taxa. We have constructed metagenomes for 50 taxonomically well-characterized terrestrial cyanobacterial cultures. These data will support phylogenomic studies of evolutionary relationships and gene content among these unique algae and their aquatic relatives.

scholarly journals The Origin, Succession, and Predicted Metabolism of Bacterial Communities Associated with Leaf Decomposition

mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara L. Jackrel ◽  
Jack A. Gilbert ◽  
J. Timothy Wootton
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Community ◽  
Nutrient Cycling ◽  
Intraspecific Variation ◽  
Bacterial Communities ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Gene Content ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Species Variation ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
Home Field Advantage

ABSTRACT Intraspecific variation in plant nutrient and defensive traits can regulate ecosystem-level processes, such as decomposition and transformation of plant carbon and nutrients. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of ecosystem functions at local scales may facilitate predictions of the resistance and resilience of these functions to change. We evaluated how riverine bacterial community assembly and predicted gene content corresponded to decomposition rates of green leaf inputs from red alder trees into rivers of Washington State, USA. Previously, we documented accelerated decomposition rates for leaves originating from trees growing adjacent to the site of decomposition versus more distant locales, suggesting that microbes have a “home-field advantage” in decomposing local leaves. Here, we identified repeatable stages of bacterial succession, each defined by dominant taxa with predicted gene content associated with metabolic pathways relevant to the leaf characteristics and course of decomposition. “Home” leaves contained bacterial communities with distinct functional capacities to degrade aromatic compounds. Given known spatial variation of alder aromatics, this finding helps explain locally accelerated decomposition. Bacterial decomposer communities adjust to intraspecific variation in leaves at spatial scales of less than a kilometer, providing a mechanism for rapid response to changes in resources such as range shifts among plant genotypes. Such rapid responses among bacterial communities in turn may maintain high rates of carbon and nutrient cycling through aquatic ecosystems. IMPORTANCE Community ecologists have traditionally treated individuals within a species as uniform, with individual-level biodiversity rarely considered as a regulator of community and ecosystem function. In our study system, we have documented clear evidence of within-species variation causing local ecosystem adaptation to fluxes across ecosystem boundaries. In this striking pattern of a “home-field advantage,” leaves from individual trees tend to decompose most rapidly when immediately adjacent to their parent tree. Here, we merge community ecology experiments with microbiome approaches to describe how bacterial communities adjust to within-species variation in leaves over spatial scales of less than a kilometer. The results show that bacterial community compositional changes facilitate rapid ecosystem responses to environmental change, effectively maintaining high rates of carbon and nutrient cycling through ecosystems.

Phylogeny and reclassification of Carpophilinae (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), with insights into the origins of anthophily

2020 ◽  
Vol 189 (4) ◽  
pp. 1359-1369
Author(s):  
Gareth S Powell ◽  
Andrew R Cline ◽  
Alexandra G Duffy ◽  
Jennifer M Zaspel
Keyword(s):  
Life Histories ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Evolutionary Relationships ◽  
Ancestral State ◽  
Multiple Origins ◽  
The Family ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
Sequencing Platforms ◽  
Generation Sequencing ◽  
High Support

Abstract The family Nitidulidae is known for its diverse life histories, with some species considered economically detrimental pests, while others perform critical ecosystem functions. Despite this, their evolutionary relationships still lack support and understanding. A robust phylogenetic hypothesis and revised taxonomic classification for this group, particularly the subfamily Carpophilinae, could help delineate key lineages for assessing the evolution of both beneficial and pestiferous traits. The most complete molecular phylogeny of Carpophilinae to date, based on 37 ingroup taxa, covering four of the six recognized genera, is presented. Six genetic loci were used (16S, 18S, 28S, COI, H3 and ITS2), providing a total of 3500 bp of data. These data were generated using a novel method discussed here: wide-seq. Wide-seq utilizes next-generation sequencing platforms to generate data for specific loci that overlap with traditional Sanger sequences for the group. Carpophilinae recover as a well-supported clade with respect to the outgroup taxa. The genera Nitops, Urophorus and Caplothorax stat. nov. recover as monophyletic with high support. Caplothorax is formally given generic rank with a redescription and diagnosis. Anthophilous behaviour is coded for all taxa and an ancestral state reconstruction is performed, predicting multiple origins of this behaviour within Carpophilinae.

Dominance determines fish community biomass in a temperate seagrass ecosystem

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Matthius Eger ◽  
Rebecca J. Best ◽  
Julia Kathleen Baum
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Ecosystem Function ◽  
Fish Community ◽  
Prey Capture ◽  
Fish Communities ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Community Biomass ◽  
Ecosystem Valuation ◽  
Species Abundances

Biodiversity and ecosystem function are often correlated, but there are multiple hypotheses about the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Ecosystem functions such as primary or secondary production may be maximized by species richness, evenness in species abundances, or the presence or dominance of species with certain traits. Here, we combined surveys of natural fish communities (conducted in July and August, 2016) with morphological trait data to examine relationships between diversity and ecosystem function (quantified as fish community biomass) across 14 subtidal eelgrass meadows in the Northeast Pacific (54° N 130° W). We employed both taxonomic and functional trait measures of diversity to investigate if ecosystem function is driven by species diversity (complementarity hypothesis) or by the presence or dominance of species with particular trait values (selection or dominance hypotheses). After controlling for environmental variation, we found that fish community biomass is maximized when taxonomic richness and functional evenness is low, and in communities dominated by species with particular trait values – those associated with benthic habitats and prey capture. While previous work on fish communities has found that species richness is positively correlated with ecosystem function, our results instead highlight the capacity for regionally prevalent and locally dominant species to drive ecosystem function in moderately diverse communities. We discuss these alternate links between community composition and ecosystem function and consider their divergent implications for ecosystem valuation and conservation prioritization.

SIGNIFICANCE OF ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS OF SPECIAL GREENING TERRITORIES

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.N. Krupina ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Ecosystem Approach ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Situational Analysis ◽  
Ecological Situation ◽  
Barrier Potential ◽  
Industrial Cities ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Industrial Zones

Based on the analysis of the tense ecological situation in the industrial zones of industrial cities, the role and place of special landscaping areas in the implementation of national projects is substantiated. From the perspective of the ecosystem approach, a set of requirements and a list of priority optimization decisions regarding the planning organization of environmental protection landscaping are proposed. The matrix of situational analysis of the state and the composition of indicators for assessing the barrier potential of a territory with a special land use regime are presented.

Forest Management In Mongolia – A Review Of Challenges And Lessons Learned With Special Reference To Degradation And Deforestation

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Gradel ◽  
Gerelbaatar Sukhbaatar ◽  
Daniel Karthe ◽  
Hoduck Kang
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Forest Health ◽  
Hydrological Regime ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Driven System ◽  
The Status

The natural conditions, climate change and socio-economic challenges related to the transformation from a socialistic society towards a market-driven system make the implementation of sustainable land management practices in Mongolia especially complicated. Forests play an important role in land management. In addition to providing resources and ecosystem functions, Mongolian forests protect against land degradation.We conducted a literature review of the status of forest management in Mongolia and lessons learned, with special consideration to halting deforestation and degradation. We grouped our review into seven challenges relevant to developing regionally adapted forest management systems that both safeguard forest health and consider socio-economic needs. In our review, we found that current forest management in Mongolia is not always sustainable, and that some practices lack scientific grounding. An overwhelming number of sources noticed a decrease in forest area and quality during the last decades, although afforestation initiatives are reported to have increased. We found that they have had, with few exceptions, only limited success. During our review, however, we found a number of case studies that presented or proposed promising approaches to (re-)establishing and managing forests. These studies are further supported by a body of literature that examines how forest administration, and local participation can be modified to better support sustainable forestry. Based on our review, we conclude that it is necessary to integrate capacity development and forest research into holistic initiatives. A special focus should be given to the linkages between vegetation cover and the hydrological regime.

Old-growth forest reserves in Slovenia: the past, present, and future

2012 ◽  
Vol 163 (6) ◽  
pp. 240-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Nagel ◽  
Jurij Diaci ◽  
Dusan Rozenbergar ◽  
Tihomir Rugani ◽  
Dejan Firm
Keyword(s):  
Stand Structure ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Forest Reserves ◽  
The Past ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Forest Remnants ◽  
Basic Characteristics

Old-growth forest reserves in Slovenia: the past, present, and future Slovenia has a small number of old-growth forest remnants, as well as many forest reserves approaching old-growth conditions. In this paper, we describe some of the basic characteristics of these old-growth remnants and the history of their protection in Slovenia. We then trace the long-term development of research in these old-growth remnants, with a focus on methodological changes. We also review some of the recent findings from old-growth research in Slovenia and discuss future research needs. The conceptual understanding of how these forests work has slowly evolved, from thinking of them in terms of stable systems to more dynamic and unpredictable ones due to the influence of natural disturbances and indirect human influences. In accordance with this thinking, the methods used to study old-growth forests have changed from descriptions of stand structure to studies that address natural processes and ecosystem functions.

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