scholarly journals Functional trophic groups and spatial variation of aquatic insects in a hydrographic basin of Southern Brazil

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
Mario Arthur Favretto ◽  
Elton Orlandin ◽  
Emili Bortolon Dos Santos ◽  
Osvaldo Onghero-Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variation ◽  
Aquatic Insects ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Trophic Group ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Trophic Groups ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Heterogeneous Distribution ◽  
Environmental Evaluation ◽  
Hydrographic Basin

In Brazil hydrographic basins are geographical unities used to environmental and hydric resources management, but few studies focus in the biodiversity variation within these unities. Here we present the results of spatial variation of aquatic insects in streams of a hydrographic basin in Southern Brazil. The insect composition was analyzed in relation to abundance of the families, functional trophic group and environmental evaluation indexes proposed by literature. The insects had a heterogeneous distribution in the sampling areas of the hydrographic basin. The most abundant families were Hydropsychidae, Philopotamidae and Leptophlebiidae, which demonstrate a good oxygenation of the water in the sampling streams. The most abundant functional trophic groups were gatherer-collector (20%) and scraper (18.92%). The indexes demonstrated the riverbeds of the streams are stable, with a high presence of fine particulate organic matter and they were considered heterotrophic. However, they also indicated a low abundance of shredders, which may be related to poor environmental conditions in the riparian forests. Therefore, here we found spatial variation of aquatic insects and indexes performed indicated the main human impacts as deforestation and inadequate land use. The data obtained also contributed to reinforce the importance of hydrographic basin as geographical unities for environmental conservation.

Arthropods in the nests of lesser spotted eagle (Aquila pomarina)

Biologia ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ján Krištofík ◽  
Peter Mašán ◽  
Zbyšek Šustek ◽  
Dušan Karaska
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Group ◽  
Trophic Groups ◽  
Significant Component ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Parasitic Species ◽  
Number Of Species ◽  
Aquila Pomarina ◽  
Investigation Period ◽  
First Time

AbstractIn 2001–2007, altogether 57 nests of lesser spotted eagle were collected in the Orava region in northwestern Slovakia and four groups of arthropods were extracted from them. Richest in number of species and individuals were mites (23 species, 17,500 ind.), followed by beetles (12 species, 725 ind.), whereas pseudoscorpions were represented only by Pselaphochernes scorpioides (39 ind.) and fleas by Ceratophyllus garei (3 ind.). Unlike nests of other birds, free-living mites predominated in the nests fauna (83% of individuals), followed by nidicolous species with more or less free relationship to the nests, while parasitic species represented only a negligible part of the fauna. For the first time we observed phoresy of Nenteria pandioni, a specific and abundant mite in the eagles’ nests, on the nidicolous staphylinid Haploglossa puncticollis. The beetle fauna in the nests was much poorer than in nests of other birds. The predatory H. puncticollis was dominant in the nests (83%) and occurred continuously during the whole investigation period. Other beetles, even the widely distributed nidicols such as the histerid Gnathoncus buyssoni, were found rarely in nests. Predators were also the only abundant trophic group of beetles in the nests, while other trophic groups of beetles abundantly co-occur in nests of majority of other birds. The occurrence of all beetles was very unevenly distributed during the investigation period, but was positively correlated with occurrence of mites. The relatively low number of species and individuals of mites and beetles in the lesser spotted eagle nests resulted from their position on tree tops, at a height of 20–30 m and their quick drying out by sun and wind. It was also indicated by an enormously low number of species and individuals of mycetophagous beetles, which represent a significant component of the fauna in nests of other birds.

A new Brazilian species of Stenochironomus Kieffer mining decayed leaves in bromeliads (Diptera: Chironomidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 1046 (1) ◽  
pp. 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
LUIZ CARLOS DE PINHO ◽  
HUMBERTO FONSECA MENDES ◽  
CARLOS BRISOLA MARCONDES
Keyword(s):  
Rain Forest ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Atlantic Rain Forest ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Conservation Unit ◽  
Santa Catarina ◽  
Brazilian Species

All life stages of Stenochironomus atlanticus Pinho & Mendes sp. n. are described and figured. The larva mines decaying leaves held in the water of several bromeliad species (Canistrum lindenii (Regel) Mez, Neoregelia laevis (Mez) L.B. Smith, Nidularium innocentii Lemaire, Vriesea philippocoburgii Wawra, and Vriesea vagans (L.B. Smith) L.B. Smith.) in the Atlantic Rain Forest in southern Brazil [Desterro Environmental Conservation Unit (Unidade de Conservação Ambiental Desterro – UCAD), Santa Catarina Island]. Stenochironomus atlanticus is the only species in the genus found in the phytotelmata habitat, and it apparently is restricted to this environment.

scholarly journals Religion, Polity, and the Natural Environment in the Anthropocene Age

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peyman Hekmatpour
Keyword(s):  
Natural Environment ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Political Organizations ◽  
Central Concept ◽  
The Earth ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Level Of Analysis

The Anthropocene age is marked by increased human impacts on the natural environment. As social beings, humans interact with each other, and with their surrounding environments, often through organizations and institutions. Religion and the polity are among the most influential human institutions, and they tend to impact the natural environment in several ways. For instance, several thinkers have claimed that some of the central ideas of the Abrahamic traditions, such as the concept of “Domination of men over the earth,” are among the causes of several anthropogenic environmental problems. By contrast, some of the ideas of non-Abrahamic, particularly animistic, religions are found to be associated with environmental conservation and stewardship. The polity can also contribute to environmental problems. The relationship between political organizations and environmental degradation, at any level of analysis from local to global, is well studied and established in the literature. Politicizing the natural environment, however, is not without tradeoffs. Environmentalism, by certain groups of people, is considered as a “stigma,” while it is a central concept in the political ideology of another part of the population. This antagonism is harmful to the environmental protection cause. I make the case that religion, or at least a number of religious ideas, can be conducive to the process of depoliticizing the natural environment. In this paper, I strive to draw a theoretical framework to explain how religion and the polity can mutually impact the natural environment.

scholarly journals POLLUTION EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT, MACROPHYTES AND FISHES IN THE SAPUCAIA STREAM, GUAiBA HYDROGRAPHIC BASIN, RS, BRAZIL

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 27-43
Author(s):  
Tania R. Prochnow ◽  
Bernardo Liberman ◽  
Nadia T. S. Pfeifer ◽  
Marilene G. Porawski ◽  
Norma Marroni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Metal Accumulation ◽  
Sediment Quality ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Pollution Effects ◽  
Hydrographic Basin ◽  
Water And Sediment ◽  
Water And Sediment Quality

This paper shows the results of air, water and sediment quality of Sapucaia stream, which belongs to Guafba Hydrographic Basin, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil. The correlations among the concentrations of Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn, present in the atmosphere, water and sediments, and their bioaccumulation in macrophytes are determined. Different degrees of pollution is characterized through the study of oxidative damage in fishes. The results indicate metal accumulation in macrophytes and fishes.

Impact of biochar amendment on soil nematode communities in a West African rain-fed rice cropland

Nematology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Segun O. Oladele ◽  
Adebayo Adeyemo ◽  
Moses Awodun ◽  
Ajoke Adegaye ◽  
Mariko Ingold
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Group ◽  
West African ◽  
Nematode Population ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Soil Nematode ◽  
Trophic Groups ◽  
Nematode Communities ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Inorganic Fertiliser ◽  
Plant Parasitic

Summary Nematode population and diversity in a West African rain-fed rice cropland amended with biochar (B), biochar plus inorganic fertiliser (B + NPK), inorganic fertiliser (NPK) and control (CK) without amendments were investigated in a 3-year field study. Results demonstrated that significant differences exist between treatments and years of study for total nematode population and nematode trophic groups. Total nematode density, nematode trophic group (bacterivore and plant-parasitic) density were increased and dominant in B + NPK compared with CK after 3 years. Relative abundance of nematode genera according to trophic group across treatments showed Hirschmanniella (23%) as the dominant plant parasites in NPK, and Heterocephalobus (27%), Aphelenchoides (22%) and Eudorylaimus (9%) as dominant bacterivores, fungivores and omnivores-predators, respectively, in B + NPK. Trophic group indicators showed that the fungivore plus bacterivore to plant-parasitic ratio (73%) was significantly increased by B + NPK treatment in comparison to CK. Conversely, treatments exerted no significant effect on the fungivore to bacterivore ratio (F/B) throughout the period of study, which implies less disturbance and adverse impact of biochar on nematode communities. Apart from treatments and environmental factors, changes in nematode trophic groups were strongly related to soil chemical properties, such as soil pH, total nitrogen and available phosphorus, which shows their influence on soil nematode community. Our result shows the positive effect of integrated addition of biochar and inorganic fertiliser in balancing nematode diversity and building a resilient soil ecosystem in a low input rain-fed rice cropping system.

Marine Debris and Human Impacts on Sea Turtles in Southern Brazil

2001 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 1330-1334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leandro Bugoni ◽  
Lı́gia Krause ◽  
Maria Virgı́nia Petry
Keyword(s):  
Human Impacts ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Marine Debris ◽  
Southern Brazil

scholarly journals Relating trophic resources to community structure: a predictive index of food availability

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 160515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerio Zupo ◽  
Timothy J. Alexander ◽  
Graham J. Edgar
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Group ◽  
Food Abundance ◽  
Trophic Groups ◽  
Predictive Index ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Natural Factors ◽  
Trophic Resources ◽  
Ecological Theories ◽  
Resource Conditions ◽  
Natural Communities

The abundance and the distribution of trophic resources available for consumers influence the productivity and the diversity of natural communities. Nevertheless, assessment of the actual abundance of food items available for individual trophic groups has been constrained by differences in methods and metrics used by various authors. Here we develop an index of food abundance, the framework of which can be adapted for different ecosystems. The relative available food index (RAFI) is computed by considering standard resource conditions of a habitat and the influence of various generalized anthropogenic and natural factors. RAFI was developed using published literature on food abundance and validated by comparison of predictions versus observed trophic resources across various marine sites. RAFI tables here proposed can be applied to a range of marine ecosystems for predictions of the potential abundance of food available for each trophic group, hence permitting exploration of ecological theories by focusing on the deviation from the observed to the expected.

scholarly journals Predicting the sign of trophic effects: individual-based simulation versus loop analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-451
Author(s):  
Virág Fábián
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Interaction Strength ◽  
Trophic Group ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Trophic Groups ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Loop Analysis ◽  
Simple Loop

AbstractFood web research needs to be predictive in order to support decisions system-based conservation. In order to increase predictability and applicability, complexity needs to be managed in such a way that we are able to provide simple and clear results. One question emerging frequently is whether certain perturbations (environmental effects or human impact) have positive or negative effects on natural ecosystems or their particular components. Yet, most of food web studies do not consider the sign of effects. Here, we study 6 versions of the Kelian River (Borneo) food web, representing six study sites along the river. For each network, we study the signs of the effects of a perturbed trophic group i on each other j groups. We compare the outcome of the relatively complicated dynamical simulation model and the relatively simple loop analysis model. We compare these results for the 6 sites and also the 14 trophic groups. Finally, we see if sign-agreement and sign-determinacy depend on certain structural features (node centrality, interaction strength). We found major differences between different modelling scenarios, with herbivore-detritivore fish behaving in the most consistent, while algae and particulate organic matter behaving in the least consistent way. We also found higher agreement between the signs of predictions for trophic groups at higher trophic levels in sites 1–3 and at lower trophic levels in site 4–6. This means that the behaviour of predators in the more natural sections of the river and that of producers at the more human-impacted sections are more consistently predicted. This suggests to be more careful with the less consistently predictable trophic groups in conservation management.

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