scholarly journals Sponge-Associated Amphipod Communities as Bioindicators for Pollution

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Ronja Hauke
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Life Cycle Stage ◽  
Sponge Species ◽  
Pollution Level ◽  
Sponge Tissue ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Significant Difference

<p>Pollution negatively impacts organisms across all marine ecosystems. Coastal areas are particularly vulnerable to pollution due to their proximity to human settlements. Amphipods are commonly used as bioindicators to monitor pollution burdens, due to their high sensitivities and their ubiquity. Pollution can reduce amphipod abundance, species richness, evenness and diversity. Community structure, proportionality of adults to juveniles and sex ratios may also be affected. Sponges often harbour high densities of amphipods, offering food, refuge and nurseries to their symbionts. Sponge-associated amphipods differ in their level of specialization on their host. This study provides first insights into the usefulness of sponge-associated amphipod communities as bioindicators. For this, it hypothesized that amphipod densities, species diversity, community structure, sex ratio and age proportionality will differ according to pollution levels.  To test this, sponges were collected from three sites with varying degrees of pollution in Wellington Harbour. The sponges were weighed, and their volume was measured. They were dissected and their amphipods were identified to species level, counted, measured (length) and their sex and life cycle stage (adult or juvenile) were recorded. From this data, amphipod densities, species richness, evenness and Shannon-Wiener diversity indices were calculated and compared among pollution levels. Community structure was also compared between sites and sponge species. Pollution level significantly affected species richness, evenness, diversity and community structure. The highest values for species richness, evenness and diversity were found in sponges from the least polluted. The lowest levels of these factors were found in sponges from the most polluted site. Sponges from the intermediate site generally harboured moderate richness, evenness and diversity compared to the other sites. Community composition was significantly affected by pollution, although effect sizes differed between sponge species. Higher pollution levels seemed to favour dominance of species that are better adapted to living in sponges. Generalists seemed to thrive in low to intermediate pollution levels. The majority of sex ratios measured had a female bias, which appeared to increase with increasing pollution although the difference was not statistically significant. The proportion of adults also showed a non-significant increase with pollution level. There was no significant difference in amphipod abundance per litre of sponge tissue between pollution levels, possibly because pollution levels may have been too low to cause a reduction in amphipod density. These results show that sponge-associated amphipod communities are useful as bioindicators, as amphipod diversity, richness and evenness were significantly reduced by pollution and the sponge association allows for these community-scale comparisons to be made within an easily measurable framework. Species evenness in particular provided an accurate indication of different pollution levels.</p>

scholarly journals Sponge-Associated Amphipod Communities as Bioindicators for Pollution

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Ronja Hauke
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Life Cycle Stage ◽  
Sponge Species ◽  
Pollution Level ◽  
Sponge Tissue ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Significant Difference

<p>Pollution negatively impacts organisms across all marine ecosystems. Coastal areas are particularly vulnerable to pollution due to their proximity to human settlements. Amphipods are commonly used as bioindicators to monitor pollution burdens, due to their high sensitivities and their ubiquity. Pollution can reduce amphipod abundance, species richness, evenness and diversity. Community structure, proportionality of adults to juveniles and sex ratios may also be affected. Sponges often harbour high densities of amphipods, offering food, refuge and nurseries to their symbionts. Sponge-associated amphipods differ in their level of specialization on their host. This study provides first insights into the usefulness of sponge-associated amphipod communities as bioindicators. For this, it hypothesized that amphipod densities, species diversity, community structure, sex ratio and age proportionality will differ according to pollution levels.  To test this, sponges were collected from three sites with varying degrees of pollution in Wellington Harbour. The sponges were weighed, and their volume was measured. They were dissected and their amphipods were identified to species level, counted, measured (length) and their sex and life cycle stage (adult or juvenile) were recorded. From this data, amphipod densities, species richness, evenness and Shannon-Wiener diversity indices were calculated and compared among pollution levels. Community structure was also compared between sites and sponge species. Pollution level significantly affected species richness, evenness, diversity and community structure. The highest values for species richness, evenness and diversity were found in sponges from the least polluted. The lowest levels of these factors were found in sponges from the most polluted site. Sponges from the intermediate site generally harboured moderate richness, evenness and diversity compared to the other sites. Community composition was significantly affected by pollution, although effect sizes differed between sponge species. Higher pollution levels seemed to favour dominance of species that are better adapted to living in sponges. Generalists seemed to thrive in low to intermediate pollution levels. The majority of sex ratios measured had a female bias, which appeared to increase with increasing pollution although the difference was not statistically significant. The proportion of adults also showed a non-significant increase with pollution level. There was no significant difference in amphipod abundance per litre of sponge tissue between pollution levels, possibly because pollution levels may have been too low to cause a reduction in amphipod density. These results show that sponge-associated amphipod communities are useful as bioindicators, as amphipod diversity, richness and evenness were significantly reduced by pollution and the sponge association allows for these community-scale comparisons to be made within an easily measurable framework. Species evenness in particular provided an accurate indication of different pollution levels.</p>

scholarly journals Community structure of Echinoderms in seagrass beds of Pacitan beaches, East Java, Indonesia

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
FARID KAMAL MUZAKI ◽  
EDWIN SETIAWAN ◽  
GHULAM FATHIR AUTHAR INSANY ◽  
NURUL KUSUMA DEWI ◽  
IWENDA BELLA SUBAGIO
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Sea Urchins ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Seagrass Beds ◽  
Sea Star ◽  
Echinometra Mathaei ◽  
Belt Transect ◽  
Diadema Setosum

Abstract. Muzaki FK, Setiawan E, Insany GFA, Dewi NK, Subagio IB. 2019. Community structure of Echinoderms in seagrass beds of Pacitan beaches, East Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 1787-1793. In this study, we attempt to access diversity and community structure of Echinoderms on seagrass beds in each three belt transect (width 2 m, length 100 m) in Tawang and Pidakan beaches, Pacitan, East Java, Java. Observed parameters were species richness, composition, and abundance, as well as diversity indices: Shannon-Wiener's diversity index (H'), Simpson's dominance index (D) and Pielou's evenness index (J). At the end of the study, we identified one species of sea star (Asteroidea), seven species of brittle stars (Ophiuroidea), ten species of sea cucumbers (Holothuroidea) andnine species of sea urchins (Echinoidea). The most dominant species were Ophiocoma dentata (F. Ophiocomidae), Diadema setosum (F. Diadematiidae), Ophiomastix annulosa (F. Ophiocomidae) and Echinometra mathaei (F. Echinometridae). Value of H’ ranged from 0.538 to 1.252 in Tawang and 1.041 to 1.704 in Pidakan; which showing higher species richness and diversity in Pidakan. Echinoderm in the study area was not evenly distributed; D. setosum was very dominant in Tawang beach, while those three other species were more common in Pidakan. Furthermore, most of Holothuroid and Ophiuroid were found only in Pidakan which have relatively more complex habitat.

Comparison of fungal endophyte communities in the invasive panicoid grass Hyparrhenia hirta and the native grass Bothriochloa macra

2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian R. White ◽  
David Backhouse
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Fungal Endophytes ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Fungal Endophyte ◽  
Plant Interactions ◽  
Similar Frequency ◽  
Degree Of Dominance ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Stems And Leaves

Communities of fungal endophytes from roots, stems and leaves of the introduced grass Hyparrhenia hirta (Coolatai grass) and the native species Bothriochloa macra (redgrass) were compared at two sites to identify characteristics that may be associated with invasiveness of H. hirta. The most frequently isolated fungi from both hosts were species of Nigrospora, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Phoma, Epicoccum, Fusarium and Periconia. Most of these occurred at a similar frequency in the two hosts, although Nigrospora sphaerica was much more frequently isolated from H. hirta at both sites. There was little support for the hypothesis that the introduced species (H. hirta) would have a less diverse endophyte community than the native species. There was a greater degree of dominance by the most frequent species in communities from H. hirta than from B. macra, leading to lower diversity indices, but no significant difference in species richness. Cluster analysis of the endophyte communities suggested that host had a greater influence than site on community structure, and that this was expressed mostly in the relative frequency of fungi isolated from stems and leaves, with very similar fungal communities present in the roots of both species at both sites. Analysis of co-occurrence showed no evidence that competition among fungi affected community structure within individual plants. The dominance of N. sphaerica in H. hirta was therefore due to fungus–plant interactions rather than fungus–fungus interactions. Interactions with N. sphaerica could potentially affect the population ecology of H. hirta.

scholarly journals Community composition and species richness of parasitoids infesting Yponomeuta species in the Netherlands

2004 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 255-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel F.R. Cleary
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Host Species ◽  
Community Similarity ◽  
Parasitoid Species ◽  
Temporal And Spatial Variation ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Temporal And Spatial

Parasitoid assemblages infesting Yponomeuta species in the Netherlands were investigated. Parasitoid species richness and community composition were related to host species, habitat, temporal and spatial variation. Both community structure and species richness did not differ among habitats. There was no significant difference in species richness between years (1994 and 1995) but there was a significant difference in community composition. Community composition and species richness both differed among host species, although this latter result was solely due to the host species Y. evonymellus. There was no significant relationship between community similarity and distance. These results indicate that the parasitoids of the moth genus Yponomeuta in the Netherlands appear to form a spatially stable, but temporally variable community. Most of the variation in community structure was, however, related to the host species. The marked difference in parasitoid species richness and community composition of Y. evonymellus when compared to the other species warrants further study.

scholarly journals Intercontinental comparison of ferns community assemblages in Malaysian and Nigerian tropical forests

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gbenga Festus Akomolafe ◽  
Rusly Binti Rosazlina ◽  
Zakaria Rahmad ◽  
Fatai Oloyede
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Shannon Index ◽  
The Other ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Fern Species ◽  
Community Assemblages

Research on ferns ecology has gained attention in the last decade, yet there is paucity of information on the intercontinental comparison of ferns community across two continents. This study focused on comparing the ferns community assemblages in tropical forests of Malaysia and Nigeria, thereby assessing the patterns of the species richness and diversity across the two continents. The diversity and taxonomic compositions of ferns were assessed using 180 plots of size 10 m x 10 m in each country. The species richness and other diversity indices were determined using the combined forests data for each country and for the individual forests. The observed and rarefied–extrapolated fern species richness are significantly higher in Malaysian forests than Nigerian forests. Also, the other diversity indices (Simpson index, Margalef index, and Fisher’s alpha) are significantly higher in Malaysian forests except Shannon index which showed no significant difference between the two biogeographic regions. There is a very low similarity in the taxonomic composition of ferns between the two biogeographic areas, although the similarity in composition increased with increasing taxonomic levels (genus and family levels). Terrestrial and epiphytic ferns are more dominant than the other life forms in the two countries. Since the two countries receive varying degrees of environmental factors, we then hypothesize that these observed differences are due to climatic differences as well as historical and evolutionary processes.

scholarly journals Microbial Community Structure Drives Predatory Myxobacteria Distribution Under Different Compost Manures

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Dai ◽  
Ning Wang ◽  
Wenhui Wang ◽  
Xianfeng Ye ◽  
Zhongli Cui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Soil Microbial Communities ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Microbial World ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Compost Manure

Abstract Myxobacteria are unique predatory microorganisms with a distinct social lifestyle. The associated taxa play key roles in the microbial food webs in different ecosystems and regulate the community structures of soil microbial communities. Compared with conditions under conventional management, under organic conditions, myxobacteria abundance increases in the soil, which could be related to the presence of abundant myxobacteria in the applied compost manure. In the present study, high-throughput sequencing technologies were used to investigate the distribution patterns and drivers of predatory myxobacteria community distribution patterns in four common compost manures. According to the results, there was a significant difference in predatory myxobacteria community structure among different compost manure treatments (P < 0.05). The alpha-diversity indices of myxobacteria community under swine manure compost were the lowest (Observed OTU richness = 13.25, Chao1 = 14.83, Shannon = 0.61), and those under wormcast were the highest (Observed OTU richness = 30.25, Chao1 = 31.65, Shannon = 2.62). Bacterial community diversity and Mg2+ and Ca2+ concentrations were the major factors influencing myxobacteria distribution patterns under different compost manure treatments. In addition, pH, total nitrogen, and organic carbon influenced myxobacteria distribution in compost manure. The predator–prey relationship between prey bacteria and myxobacteria and the interaction between myxobacteria and specific bacterial taxa (Micrococcales) in compost manure could explain the influence of bacteria on myxobacteria community structure. Further investigations on the in-situ distribution patterns of predatory myxobacteria and the key bacteria influencing their distribution are would advance our understanding of the ecological distribution patterns and functions of predatory microorganisms in the microbial world.

scholarly journals Mineral Fertilizers Influence the Macrofauna of Soils Under Cocoa Trees in the South-Western Côte d’Ivoire

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
Hypolith K. Kouadio ◽  
Alain Jacques A. Kotaix ◽  
Sydiki Bakayoko ◽  
Emmanuel K. Kassin ◽  
Aïdara Sékou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Functional Groups ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
First Year ◽  
Mineral Fertilization ◽  
Soil Macrofauna ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Soil Monolith

A study on mineral fertilization of soils was carried out for two years in three cocoa farms in the Nawa region of south-western C&ocirc;te d&rsquo;Ivoire. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of mineral fertilizers on soil macrofauna. The experimental design was Fisher block with four treatment with three repetitions. The treatments were control without fertilizer (T0), NPK 0-23-19 fertilizer (T1), NPK 0-15-15 + 17 CaO + 5 MgO + 1 B2O3 + 0.5 Zn (T2) and NPK 4-10-10 + 19 CaO + 4 MgO + 0.8 B2O3 + 0.3 Zn (T3). Twelve soil monoliths were made per treatment and per site, to count the macrofauna of the soil. Each soil monolith was subdivided into three strata 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm. The organisms were counted and classified into functional groups. The abundance, species richness and diversity indices of Shannon-weaver and Pi&eacute;lou were determined. The analysis of variance of the numbers of individuals in the macrofauna did not show a significant difference between the treatments on different strata of the monoliths during the second year of the trial. However, during the first year, all the treatments with fertilizer in the 0-10 cm stratum had a more abundant macrofauna than that of the control without fertilizer at Soubr&eacute; and Mayo. Multivariate analyses (AFC) showed links between functional groups of organisms and treatments. Myriapods and earthworms were linked to the T2 and T3 treatments, microarthropods to T1 and other organisms to T0. As for macrofauna diversity, the highest value of species richness (7 species), Shannon-weaver (2) and Pi&eacute;lou (1) indices were found in the fertilized treatments. Mineral fertilizers thus presented better conditions for the expansion of macrofauna. A reasoned application of mineral fertilizers creates a favourable living environment for certain soil organisms.

Revealing the relationship between microbial community structure in natural biofilms and the pollution level in urban rivers: a case study in the Qinhuai River basin, Yangtze River Delta

2016 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. 1163-1176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Cai ◽  
Yi Li ◽  
Peifang Wang ◽  
Lihua Niu ◽  
Wenlong Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Pollution ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
River Basin ◽  
River Pollution ◽  
Ammonia Nitrogen ◽  
Pollution Level ◽  
Urban Rivers ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Alpha Beta ◽  
Qinhuai River

River pollution is one of the most challenging environmental issues, but the effect of river pollution levels on the biofilm communities has not been well-studied. Spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of environmental parameters and the biofilm communities were investigated in the Qinhuai River basin, Nanjing, China. Water samples were grouped into three clusters reflecting their varying pollution levels of relatively slight pollution, moderated pollution, and high pollution by hierarchical cluster analysis. In different clusters, the biofilm communities mainly differed in the proportion of Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. As the dominant classes of Proteobacteria, Alpha-, Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria seemed to show an upward trend followed by a small fluctuation in the abundance with the escalation of water pollution level. Results of redundancy analysis demonstrated that temperature, total nitrogen to total phosphorus ratios (TN/TP) and concentrations of ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and TN were mainly responsible for the variation in bacterial community structure. The occurrences of Alpha-, Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria were closely associated with higher temperature, higher concentrations of NH3-N and TN and a lower TN/TP ratio. This study may provide a theoretical basis for the water pollution control and ecological restoration in urban rivers under different pollution levels.

scholarly journals Plant communities on the islands of two Altiplanic salt lakes in the Andean region of Bolivia

Check List ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Coca-Salazar ◽  
Huber Villca ◽  
Mauricio Torrico ◽  
Fernando D. Alfaro
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Salt Lakes ◽  
Andean Region ◽  
Α Diversity ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance ◽  
Floral Assemblage

This paper reports a quantitative survey of the composition, diversity and structure of the plant communities on six islands of Uyuni and Coipasa salt lakes (Bolivia). Plant communities on each island were examined via the use of 10 transects, along which species richness and abundance were recorded. Seventy-one species were found in total, representing pteridophytes (6%), gymnosperms (1%), monocotyledons (14%) and dicotyledons (79%). About 21% of the species were endemic or faced some degree of threat. The calculation of Shannon-Wiener α-diversity indices and comparisons of community structure revealed similarities between the islands. Indeed these analyses suggest the existence of a single floral assemblage; however, small differences in the plant communities were visually identified during fieldwork. These islands are home to a considerable subset of the Altiplano’s flora and appear to have been little disturbed. They should therefore be the subject of surveillance/conservation programs. 

Avian monitoring – comparing structured and unstructured citizen science

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corey T. Callaghan ◽  
John M. Martin ◽  
Richard E. Major ◽  
Richard T. Kingsford
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Urban Greenspace ◽  
Shannon Diversity ◽  
Spatial Coverage ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Urban Greenspaces

Context Citizen science is increasingly used to collect biodiversity data to inform conservation management, but its validity within urban greenspaces remains largely unresolved. Aims To assess the validity of eBird data for generating biodiversity estimates within an urban greenspace. Methods We compared data from structured avian surveys with eBird data at an urban greenspace in Sydney during 2012–16, using species richness and Shannon diversity indices. We also compared community composition, using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and dissimilarities using non-parametric MANOVA. Key results Structured surveys had a lower overall species richness (80 versus 116) and Shannon diversity (3.64 versus 3.94) than eBird data, but we found no significant differences when using years as replicates. After standardising the richness and diversity indices by time spent surveying in a given year, structured surveys produced significantly higher biodiversity estimates. Further, when grouped into species occupying different broad habitats, there were no significant differences in waterbird or landbird species richness, or in Shannon diversity between data sources. Conclusions The most likely explanation for the larger magnitudes of the biodiversity indices from the eBird data is the increase in effort manifested in the number of observers, time spent surveying and spatial coverage. This resulted in increased detection of uncommon species, which in turn accounted for a significant difference (R2 = 0.21, P = 0.015) in overall community composition measured by the two methods. Implications Our results highlight the opportunities provided by eBird data as a useful tool for land managers for monitoring avian communities in urban areas.

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