Syntaxonomic changes in the plant cover of meadow steppe in the «Mikhailovskaya Tselina» reserve (Sumy Region, Ukraine)

2006 ◽  
pp. 43-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. N. Lysenko ◽  
I. A. Korotchenko
Keyword(s):  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Meadow Steppe ◽  
Total Species

Changes in the set of syntaxa have been traced for the plant cover of the «Mikhaylovskaya Tselina» meadow-steppe (an isolated part of the Ukrainian Steppe Nature Reserve, Sumy Region, Ukraine) with the help of the Braun-Blanquet approach. The area vegetation syntaxa prodromus includes 2 classes, 2 rders, 3 alliances, 9 associations, and 6 subasso­ciations, 2 of the latter described anew. The plant cover is highly dynamic and undergoes expressed meso­phytization, especially within the area where strict protection has been maintained since 1961. Amplitudes of the principal ecological factors and also peculiarities of their shift under exogenic regulation are determined with the help of the method of synecological phyto­indication (i. e. not single species but total species sets of communities serve as indicators). The essential transformations of the reserve meadow steppes are probably caused by the «insular» character of the reserve, its small size, also by the poorness of the set of natural grazers and hence the inadequacy of regulation by means of mowing.

Marshland vegetation of the class Phragmito-Magnocaricetea in northwest Croatia (Krapina river valley)

Biologia ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zvjezdana Stančić
Keyword(s):  
Plant Cover ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
River Valley ◽  
Soil Reaction ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Invasive Alien Plant ◽  
Plant Life Forms

AbstractMarshland vegetation of the class Phragmito-Magnocaricetea in the Krapina river valley was investigated during 2006 and 2007, and some sporadic investigations were made earlier. Phytosociological studies were carried out in accordance with the standard Braun-Blanquet methodology. As a result of the field work, and a small amount of data from the literature, 120 relevés were collected and 18 communities were established. For the purposes of comparison, the relevés were also classified using numerical methods. The clusters obtained mostly correspond to specific associations, but do not confirm the division into traditional vegetation alliances and orders. In the analysis of the ecological factors it is established that separation of the relevés is influenced by nutrient content, soil reaction, soil moisture, depth of water, and type of management. Analysis of the plant life forms shows, in all marshland communities, a prevalence of hemicryptophytes, geophytes and hydrophytes. The most widespread marshland communities of the investigated area are: Phalaridetum arundinaceae, Phragmitetum australis and Galio palustris-Caricetum ripariae. Furthermore, Carex randalpina community is recorded for the first time in Croatia. The most threatened marshland communities could be considered to be: Carex randalpina community, Caricetum vesicariae, Leersietum oryzoidis and Oenantho-Rorippetum. They are selected because of their very small surfaces in the investigated area and the small number of known localities within the territory of Croatia. The most invasive alien plant species in the Krapina river valley is Solidago gigantea. It spreads in potential habitats of marshland vegetation, and it is recorded in the species composition of many marshland communities. For the preservation of marshland vegetation, and especially threatened types, it is necessary to maintain the water regime of the habitats, to not remove natural plant cover due to spreading of neophytes, and to provide occasional mowing and burning.

scholarly journals First year of the new Arctic AWIPEV-COSYNA cabled Underwater Observatory in Kongsfjorden, Spitsbergen

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Fischer ◽  
Max Schwanitz ◽  
Reiner Loth ◽  
Uwe Posner ◽  
Markus Brand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Power ◽  
Single Species ◽  
First Year ◽  
Total Abundance ◽  
Digital Sampling ◽  
Scientific Analysis ◽  
Data Density ◽  
Species Abundances ◽  
Sampling Procedures ◽  
Total Species

Abstract. A combined year round assessment of selected oceanographic data and a macrobiotic community assessment was performed from October 2013 to November 2014 in the littoral zone of the polar fjord systems Kongsfjorden on the west coast of Svalbard (Norway). A state of the art remote controlled cabled underwater observatory technology was used for daily vertical profiles of temperature, salinity and turbidity together with a stereo-optical assessment of the macrobiotic community, including fish. The results reveal a distinct seasonal cycle in total species abundances with a significantly higher total abundance and species richness during the polar winter when no light is available under water compared to the summer months when 24-h light is available. During the winter months, a temporally highly segmented community was observed with respect to species occurrence with single species dominating the winter community for restricted times. In contrast, the summer community showed an overall lower total abundance, as well as a significantly lower number of species. The study clearly demonstrates the high potential of cable connected remote controlled digital sampling devices, especially in remote areas, such as the polar fjord systems, with harsh environmental conditions and limited accessibility. A smart combination of such new digital “sampling” methods with classic sampling procedures can provide a possibility to significantly extend the sampling time and frequency especially in remote and difficult to access areas. This can help to provide a sufficient data density and therefore statistical power for a sound scientific analysis without increasing the invasive sampling pressure in ecologically sensitive environments.

scholarly journals Seasonal Fluctuations of the Numbers of leaf beetles of the subfamily Alticinae (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) in lowland steppe of Tigireksky strict nature Reserve (Northern-Western Altai, Russia)

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 322-325
Author(s):  
T. M. Krugova ◽  
E. V. Guskova
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Meadow Steppe ◽  
Seasonal Fluctuations ◽  
Leaf Beetles ◽  
In The Beginning

<p>Seasonal fluctuations of the numbers of leaf beetles of the subfamily Alticinae (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) in lowland steppe of Tigirekskiy reserve in 2012 was studied in stipa and in meadow steppe. The maximal species diversity was noted in the beginning - in the middle of summer. The dominant species is Longitarsus luridus (Scopoli, 1763) with the peak of activity in the end of summer.</p>

scholarly journals Megadiversity in the Ant Genus Melophorus: The M. rufoniger Heterick, Castalanelli and Shattuck Species Group in the Top End of Australia’s Northern Territory

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 386
Author(s):  
Alan N. Andersen ◽  
Benjamin D. Hoffmann ◽  
Stefanie K. Oberprieler
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Differentiation ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Distributional Analysis ◽  
Additional Species ◽  
Sympatric Distribution ◽  
Total Species ◽  
Eleven Species

This study contributes to an understanding of megadiversity in the arid-adapted ant genus Melophorus by presenting an integrated genetic, morphological and distributional analysis of diversity within the M. rufoniger group in the 400,000 km2 Top End (northern region) of Australia’s Northern Territory. An earlier study of the Top End’s ant fauna lists eleven species from the M. rufoniger group, but a recent revision of Melophorus described the taxon as a single species occurring throughout most of the Australian mainland. CO1 sequences were obtained for 120 Top End specimens of the M. rufoniger group, along with a specimen from just outside the Top End. We recognize a total of 30 species among the sequenced specimens from the Top End, based on marked CO1 divergence (mean > 9%) in association with morphological differentiation and/or sympatric distribution. The sequenced specimen from just outside the Top End represents an additional species. Our unpublished CO1 data from other specimens from elsewhere in monsoonal Australia indicate that all but two of the 30 sequenced Top End species are endemic to the region, and that such diversity and endemism are similar in both the Kimberley region of far northern Western Australia and in North Queensland. The total number of species in the M. rufoniger group is potentially more than the 93 total species of Melophorus recognized in the recent revision. It has previously been estimated that Melophorus contains at least 1000 species, but our findings suggest that this is a conservative estimate.

scholarly journals Zmienność runa leśnego w grądzie wysokim rezerwatu Las Bielański pod wpływem ruchu turystycznego

2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-106
Author(s):  
Anita Grutkowska
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variability ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Nonparametric Statistics ◽  
Plant Abundance ◽  
Carpinus Betulus ◽  
Whitney Test ◽  
Tourist Path ◽  
Wallis Anova ◽  
Heavy Mortality

Las Bielański covers 150 hectares, it is a unique remnant of the ancient Mazowiecka Forest. At present 130 hectares out of 150 hectares are a nature reserve, where the influence of humans is limited only to tourist paths. The aim of this research was to estimate a possible impact of use the path by humans on the development of nearby plants. Namely, whether the presence of the path induces any changes, and if so, what sort and scope of the changes is seen. A 125 m long section of a tourist path, located in an oak-hornbeam association was chosen. Three sampling lines parallel to the path were traced: line A – 15-30 cm distant from the path’s edge, line B – 5 m away, and line C – about 10 m away from the path’s edge (Fig. 1). Plants were collected using sample squares of 0.1 m2 in area, distributed evenly along each line (25 samples per line, i.e., 75 samples altogether). The data collected in the field were analyzed statistically. Most of the species exhibit a clumped distribution of the number of sprouts (Tab. 1). This phenomenon is seen in each line. In order to demonstrate the differences in the abundance of sprouts, as well as differences in plant cover between the samples taken along the three lines, nonparametric statistics were applied – the Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA. The results of those analyses show for restricted plant cover in the line closest to the path: the percentage of the coverage and the number of sprouts per sample in line A are lower than those estimated for lines B and C (Fig. 3). The species occurring most frequently are those typical of the oak-hornbeam association. The estimate of frequency is the lowest for all the species directly in the closest vicinity of the path (Fig. 2). Seasonal variability is evident, too. No presence of animals was noticed within the distance of 5 m from the path’s edge. The majority of animal traces occurred around line C, about 10 m distance from the path. Particular attention was paid to the distribution of hornbeams (Carpinus betulus) – the species in the oak-hornbeam association. No significant differences were found between the three lines as far as the number of hornbeam sprouts and frequency is concerned (Fig. 4 and 5). The number of sprouts of this species is the highest in spring, and it decreases gradually, due to heavy mortality of seedlings and juvenile specimens, with the progressive light shortage. It means the tourist traffic is not the only factor affecting plant abundance.

scholarly journals Comparison of commonly used ecological scales with the Belgard Plant Ecomorph System

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 286-291
Author(s):  
B. Baranovski ◽  
N. Roschina ◽  
L. Karmyzova ◽  
I. Ivanko
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Doctoral Dissertation ◽  
Plant Ecology ◽  
Meadow Steppe ◽  
Ecological Features ◽  
Ecological Scales ◽  
Ecological Scale ◽  
Wide Range

There are several ecological scales developed both for phytoindication of ecological factors and plant ecomorphs. Among them, the scales of Ellenberg and Tsyganov are the most commonly used. L. G. Ramensky and P. S. Pogrebnyak had developed a phytoindication method; they also were founders of first ecological scale of plant species in relation to various environmental factors. One of first ecomorph systems was developed by Alexander Lyutsianovich Belgard. In 1947, Belgard presented a tabular ecomorph system in his doctoral dissertation, and later in monograph “Forest vegetation of the South-East of Ukraine”. In the system he used abbreviated Latin names applying terminology proposed in the late 19th century by Dekandol, Warmin and other authors. He considered ecomorphs as adaptations of plants to environmental conditions in forests of the steppe zone of Ukraine where forest cenoses are exposed to processes of steppization, prairification, swamping, salinization, and thus clarification of relationships between forest, meadow, steppe, marsh and weed plant species was essential. Therefore, development and introduction of cenomorph terms as “adaptation of plant species to phytocenosis as a whole” were an absolutely new contribution to the concept of ecomorph system. In environmental factor scales of Ellenberg and other authors, environment characteristics based on phytoindication were underlined; in the Belgard Plant Ecomorph System, ecomorphs reflect ability of plant species to grow within certain ranges of a given factor. These approaches are quite comparable, and ecomorphs of the Belgard system correspond to certain grades of the Ellenberg and Tsyganov scales. The Belgard ecomorph system has been applied in a number of fundamental and applied works on plant ecology and phytocenology. It is convenient for characterizing ecological features of plant species growing in the steppe zone with a wide range of environment factors such as lighting, humidity, and soil richness. Other authors have expanded and supplemented the Belgard Plant Ecomorph System based on its strategy. A number of ecomorphs was introduced; they reflect intermediate or extreme gradations of factors. A new cenomorph – silvomargoant – has been proposed by the authors of this paper.

scholarly journals The Alien Fraction of the Woody Flora of Yelanetskyi Step Nature Reserve, Southern Ukraine

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 322-332
Author(s):  
Valeriia O. Konaikova ◽  
Olena V. Vakarenko
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Robinia Pseudoacacia ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Carbonate Content ◽  
Steppe Communities ◽  
Trees And Shrubs ◽  
Southern Ukraine

AbstractResults of investigations on the patterns of distribution and dispersal of alien species of trees and shrubs in the territory of a steppe protected area, Yelanetskyi Step Nature Reserve (Mykolaiv Region, southern Ukraine), are presented. We registered within this protected area 10 alien woody species. For the most widespread ones (Ulmus pumila L., Gleditsia triacanthos L., Elaeagnus angustifolia L., Robinia pseudoacacia L.), we carried out ecological analyses. In order to establish the scope of impact of ecological factors upon these species, their specificity, and interdependence between ecological factors, the phytoindication method was applied (Didukh, 2012). The results of our analysis conducted on 12 main ecological factors (as outlined by Didukh, 2011), such as soil water regime (Hd), variability of damping (Fh), soil aeration (Ae), soil acidity (Rc), nitrogen content (Nt), salt regime (Sl), carbonate content in soil (Ca), thermoregime (Tm), climate humidity (Om), continentality (Kn), cryoregime (Cr), and light intensity (Lc), show that dispersal of model alien species does not have ecological limitation. However, E.angustifolia and R.pseudoacacia have the strongest capacity to penetrate the steppe communities, especially disturbed ones. Further dispersal of these alien species in the studied area and adjacent territories is hampered only by the integrity of the structure of steppe communities.

scholarly journals Determinants of differences in the activity budgets of Rhinopithecus bieti by age/sex class at Xiangguqing in the Baimaxueshan nature reserve, China

2015 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 675-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanhong Li ◽  
Dayong Li ◽  
Baoping Ren ◽  
Jie Hu ◽  
Baoguo Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Reproductive Investment ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Developmental Differences ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Activity Budgets ◽  
Rhinopithecus Bieti ◽  
Adult Females ◽  
Class 1 ◽  
In The Wild

Ecological factors are known to influence the activity budgets of Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti). However, little is known about how activity budgets vary between age/sex classes, because the species is difficult to observe in the wild. This study provides the first detailed activity budgets subdivided by age/sex classes based on observations of the largest habituated group at Xiangguqing in Baimaxueshan Nature Reserve. This study was conducted from June 2008 to May 2009. We found that adult females spent more time feeding (44.8%) than adult males (39.5%), juveniles (39.1%), and infants (14.2%). Adult males allocated more time to miscellaneous activities (12.5%) than did adult females (3.8%). Infants were being groomed 6.9% of the time, which was the highest proportion among all age/sex classes. Adults spent more time feeding, while immature individuals allocated more time to moving and other activities. There are several reasons activity budgets may vary by age/sex class: 1) differential reproductive investment between males and females; 2) developmental differences among the age categories; 3) social relationships between members of different age/sex classes, particularly dominance. In addition, group size and adult sex ratio may also impact activity budgets. These variations in activity budgets among the different age/sex classes may become a selective pressure that shapes the development and growth pattern in this species. <br><br><font color="red"><b> This article has been retracted. Link to the retraction <u><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2298/ABS160112009E">10.2298/ABS160112009E</a><u></b></font>

scholarly journals HABITAT USE STRATEGY OF VERTEBRATES IN AN EMERGING NATURE RESERVE

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-80
Author(s):  
A. L.A. SHOTUYO ◽  
O. A. JAYEOLA ◽  
I. A. AYODELE
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Stock Assessment ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Line Transect ◽  
The Family ◽  
And Control

The habitat use strategy of vertebrates in Alabata Strict Nature Reserve was studied. Twenty (20) sample plots of 25m x 25m (0.062ha) were laid at random over the total area of the study site for data collection. King Census and Line Transect methods were modified for this study using direct and indirect modes of wildlife stock assessment for an accurate collection of data due to the dense nature of the vegetation in some areas. One hundred and twenty-one vertebrate species, belonging to fifty-six families were recorded. Twenty-seven families were represented by just a single species each, while thirteen families had two species each. The family Colubridae was represented by ten species, while Rattudae and  Sciuridae had a single species respectively. Birds were the most encountered (more than 60%) followed by mammals (more than 20%) while the Order Reptalia constitutes the remaining (less than 20%). Food and cover requirements abound in the study area, which explains the availability of a variety of fauna species. There is a strong association between the environmental variables and animal species thus; distribution, performance and survival of the species are directly influenced by these variables. The Principal component analysis and Ordination shows that the ecosystem of the study site is not stable yet. This can be observed from the clustering of the animal species together in an attempt to make the best use of the environment. The maintenance of a healthy ecosystem is largely dependent on its management and control of activities of man and animals.  

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