scholarly journals Ancient Burial Mounds Provide Safe Havens for Grassland Specialist Plants in Transformed Landscapes—A Trait-Based Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Balázs Deák ◽  
Zoltán Rádai ◽  
Zoltán Bátori ◽  
András Kelemen ◽  
Katalin Lukács ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Mass ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Plant Functional Groups ◽  
Tall Stature ◽  
Human Disturbances ◽  
Grassland Species ◽  
Self Compatibility ◽  
Burial Mounds ◽  
Functional Dispersion ◽  
Roadside Verges

Due to the intensified land use in transformed landscapes, grassland biodiversity is often restricted to habitat fragments inadequate for arable use or for urban development. In continental parts of Eurasia, the ~600,000 ancient burial mounds (called “kurgans”) built by nomadic tribes of the steppes are amongst the most widespread landmarks providing refuge for dry grassland species. In our study by using plant functional groups and functional traits, we aimed at gaining insight into the ecological and evolutionary processes shaping the structure and the composition of assemblages of grassland specialist plant species on kurgans embedded in the agricultural landscapes of East-Hungary. As a comparison, we also studied roadside verges and pristine extensive grasslands in the same region. We found that despite their small size, due to the lack of human disturbances and high microhabitat diversity kurgans can maintain a high species richness and percentage cover of specialists, especially when compared to verges. We revealed that assemblages of specialist plants on kurgans are characterized by traits typical to terrestrial habitat islands such as self-compatibility, large seed mass and tall stature. Kurgans and extensive grasslands were characterized by higher functional diversity (both at the level of single traits and multi-trait based functional dispersion) which is probably due to the higher level of environmental heterogeneity compared to the homogeneous environment in verges.

scholarly journals Insectivorous bats are less active near freeways

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0247400
Author(s):  
Manisha Bhardwaj ◽  
Kylie Soanes ◽  
José J. Lahoz-Monfort ◽  
Linda F. Lumsden ◽  
Rodney van der Ree
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Insectivorous Bats ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
The Road ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessments ◽  
Wildlife Populations ◽  
Roadside Verges ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Plant Pollinator

Traffic disturbances (i.e. pollution, light, noise, and vibrations) often extend into the area surrounding a road creating a ‘road-effect zone’. Habitat within the road-effect zone is degraded or, in severe cases, completely unsuitable for wildlife, resulting in indirect habitat loss. This can have a disproportionate impact on wildlife in highly modified landscapes, where remaining habitat is scarce or occurs predominantly along roadside reserves. In this study, we investigated the road-effect zone for insectivorous bats in highly cleared agricultural landscapes by quantifying the change in call activity with proximity to three major freeways. The activity of seven out of 10 species of bat significantly decreased with proximity to the freeway. We defined the road-effect zone to be the proximity at which call activity declined by at least 20% relative to the maximum detected activity. The overall road-effect zone for bats in this region was 307 m, varying between 123 and 890 m for individual species. Given that this road-effect zone exceeds the typical width of the roadside verges (<50 m), it is possible that much of the vegetation adjacent to freeways in this and similar landscapes provides low-quality habitat for bats. Without accounting for the road-effect zone, the amount of habitat lost or degraded due to roads is underestimated, potentially resulting in the loss of wildlife, ecosystem services and key ecosystem processes (e.g. predator-prey or plant-pollinator interactions) from the landscape. We suggest all future environmental impact assessments include quantifying the road-effect zone for sensitive wildlife, in order to best plan and mitigate the impact of roads on the environment. Mitigating the effects of new and existing roads on wildlife is essential to ensure enough high-quality habitat persists to maintain wildlife populations.

scholarly journals Multi-Allelic Haplotype-Based Association Analysis Identifies Genomic Regions Controlling Domestication Traits in Intermediate Wheatgrass

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 667
Author(s):  
Prabin Bajgain ◽  
James A. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Association Analysis ◽  
Seed Mass ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Snp Markers ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Chromosome 8 ◽  
Seed Length ◽  
Intermediate Wheatgrass ◽  
Haplotype Blocks ◽  
Grain Crop

Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG) is a perennial forage grass undergoing a rigorous domestication as a grain crop. As a young grain crop, several agronomic and domestication traits need improvement for IWG to be relevant in current agricultural landscapes. This study genetically maps six domestication traits in the fourth cycle IWG breeding population at the University of Minnesota: height, seed length, seed width, shattering, threshability, and seed mass. A weak population structure was observed and linkage disequilibrium (r2) declined rapidly: 0.23 mega base pairs at conventional r2 value of 0.2. Broad-sense heritabilities were overall high and ranged from 0.71–0.92. Association analysis was carried out using 25,909 single SNP markers and 5379 haplotype blocks. Thirty-one SNP markers and 17 haplotype blocks were significantly associated with the domestication traits. These associations were of moderate effect as they explained 4–6% of the observed phenotypic variation. Ten SNP markers were also detected by the haplotype association analysis. One SNP marker on Chromosome 8, also discovered in haplotype block analysis, was common between seed length and seed mass. Increasing the frequency of favorable alleles in IWG populations via marker-assisted selection and genomic selection is an effective approach to improve IWG’s domestication traits.

Contribution of the Cerrado as Habitat for Sunflower Pollinating Bees

Sociobiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 281
Author(s):  
Mayra Layra Santos Almeida ◽  
Gabriel Santos Carvalho ◽  
Júlia Rodrigues Novais ◽  
Danielle Storck Tonon ◽  
Márcio Luiz Oliveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Food Source ◽  
Seed Mass ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Sunflower Crop ◽  
Bee Diversity ◽  
Floral Visitors ◽  
Pan Traps

Agricultural landscapes sometimes include natural habitats which can support the ecosystem by enhancing the pollination of crops, thus boosting the productivity. This research was conducted between May and July 2017, in the municipality of Tangará da Serra, Mato Grosso, Brazil, to assess the Cerrado from the perspective of it being a crucial habitat to sustain the sunflower-pollinating bees (Helianthus annuus L.). The bees were sampled using entomological nets and pan traps, in specifically marked out plots (20 m x 150 m), in the Cerrado, and in a sunflower crop, at different distances from the Cerrado border. The assessment was done in terms of the composion and species richness, abundance of individuals and the mass (g) of the sunflower chapters exposed and isolated from the floral visitors. While species richness showed no differences between the Cerrado and sunflower crop, a difference was observed for abundance, with more numbers of individuals in the sunflower crop, most likely because of the food source supply. In the sunflower crop, the bee diversity decreased proportionally as the distance from the border increased. The seed mass of the sunfl ower chapters was significantly higher in the flowers open to visitors than in those of the isolated chapters open for visitation. From the results, it was evident that the bees presente in the Cerrado visit the sunflower crop to gather pollen and nectar, and thus assist in cross-pollinating them and raising the productivity.

scholarly journals Evidence of Qualitative Differences between Soil-Occupancy Effects of Invasive vs. Native Grassland Plant Species

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas R. Jordan ◽  
Diane L. Larson ◽  
Sheri C. Huerd
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Legacy Effects ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Soil Conditioning ◽  
Grassland Species ◽  
Native Grassland

AbstractDiversified grasslands that contain native plant species are being recognized as important elements of agricultural landscapes and for production of biofuel feedstocks as well as a variety of other ecosystem services. Unfortunately, establishment of such grasslands is often difficult, unpredictable, and highly vulnerable to interference and invasion by weeds. Evidence suggests that soil-microbial “legacies” of invasive perennial species can inhibit growth of native grassland species. However, previous assessments of legacy effects of soil occupancy by invasive species that invade grasslands have focused on single invasive species and on responses to invasive soil occupancy in only a few species. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that legacy effects of invasive species differ qualitatively from those of native grassland species. In a glasshouse, three invasive and three native grassland perennials and a native perennial mixture were grown separately through three cycles of growth and soil conditioning in soils with and without arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), after which we assessed seedling growth in these soils. Native species differed categorically from invasives in their response to soil conditioning by native or invasive species, but these differences depended on the presence of AMF. When AMF were present, native species largely had facilitative effects on invasive species, relative to effects of invasives on other invasives. Invasive species did not facilitate native growth; neutral effects were predominant, but strong soil-mediated inhibitory effects on certain native species occurred. Our results support the hypothesis that successful plant invaders create biological legacies in soil that inhibit native growth, but suggest also this mechanism of invasion will have nuanced effects on community dynamics, as some natives may be unaffected by such legacies. Such native species may be valuable as nurse plants that provide cost-effective restoration of soil conditions needed for efficient establishment of diversified grasslands.

scholarly journals Functional Ecology of Forest, Heath, and Shrub Savannah Alternate States in Eastern Canada

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 93
Author(s):  
Colin St. James ◽  
Azim U. Mallik
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Seed Mass ◽  
Functional Ecology ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Functional Richness ◽  
Alternate States ◽  
Functional Dispersion

In eastern Canada, alternation of wildfire regime due to fire suppression creates alternate vegetation states converting black spruce forest to heath and shrub savannah (SS). We compared the taxonomic diversity (TD) and functional diversity (FD) of post-fire forest, heath, and SS alternate states to determine if community FD can explain their persistence. We hypothesized that (i) species diversity (TD and FD) would be the highest in forest followed by SS and heath due to decreased interspecific competition and niche differentiation, (ii) differences between TD and FD indices would be greater in communities with high TD in forest due to high trait differentiation and richness, and (iii) changes in community trait values would indicate niche limitations and resource availability. We conducted this study in Terra Nova National Park, Newfoundland, Canada. We calculated functional dispersion (alpha FD), functional pairwise dissimilarity (beta FD), Shannon’s diversity (alpha TD), and Bray–Curtis dissimilarity (beta TD) from species cover. We used five functional traits (specific root length, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, height, and seed mass) related to nutrient acquisition, productivity, and growth. We found lower beta diversity in forest than heath and SS; forest also had higher species diversity and greater breadth in niche space utilization. SS was functionally similar to heath but lower than forest in functional dispersion and functional divergence. It had the highest functional richness and evenness. There was no difference in functional evenness between forest and heath. Functional beta diversity was the highest in forest, and did not differ between heath and SS. Resource acquisition and availability was the greatest in forest and the lowest in heath. We suspect that this might be due to forest having the highest functional trait turnover and niche utilization. We conclude that alternate vegetation states originating from alterations to the natural fire regime negatively impact ecosystem function.

Biodiversity of Grasslands

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian J. Wilsey
Keyword(s):  
Soil Ph ◽  
Conceptual Models ◽  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Seed Mass ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Acidic Soils ◽  
Grassland Species ◽  
Mammalian Herbivores ◽  
Foregut Fermentation

Grasslands can be surprisingly diverse and contain many charismatic flora and fauna. Plant species are often combined into functional groups. Three major conceptual models: competitors-stress tolerants-ruderals (CSR); the leaf traits, plant height, seed mass (LHS); and R*, used to classify grassland species are described by the author. There are three distinct groups of mammalian herbivores based on the ways that herbivores harbor cellulose degrading microbes: hindgut fermentation, foregut fermentation, and foregut fermentation with rumination. Grasslands have a smaller number of bird species than forested systems, and the bird species that are endemic to grasslands tend to be specialized to open habitat (e.g., large flightless birds). Abundant insects can gathered into feeding groups. Single-celled organisms are important in grassland nutrient cycling and as mutualists and pathogens and are extremely abundant in soil. Soil pH is a strong predictor of bacterial diversity (as in plants), with diversity higher in neutral than in acidic soils.

Breeding of self-compatible parent lines of high-productive red clover

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
О. Старшинова
Keyword(s):  
Seed Mass ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Parent Material ◽  
Breeding Program ◽  
Wild Genotype ◽  
Seed Productivity ◽  
Seed Formation ◽  
Self Compatibility ◽  
High Heritability ◽  
Total Plant

В статье изложены результаты исследований по созданию исходного материала клевера лугового на базе генетического источника самосовместимости. Целью данной работы было создание нового селекционного материала клевера лугового с высокой семенной продуктивностью на основе генетического источника самосовместимости и разработка селекционной программы. Исследования проводили в условиях селекционного тепличного комплекса (СТК) и в камерах искусственного климата с контролируемыми условиями среды. В качестве исходного материала использовали сорт отечественной селекции Ранний 2, селекционный образец 226 Бц с маркером белоцветковости соцветий и дикорастущий образец 3000 I2 с признаком самосовместимости. В процессе исследований применяли ручное перекрёстное, самоопыление цветков с использованием дополнительной изоляции и свободное опыление в естественных условиях. На основе дикорастущего генотипа с признаком самосовместимости сформирован образец 3000 I1, характеризующийся высокой завязываемостью семян при самоопылении (77). Установлена высокая наследуемость данного признака уже в F1-поколении: количество генотипов с уровнем завязываемости более 50 колебалось в пределах 5070. Созданы гибридные комбинации Ранний 2 3000 I2 и 226 Бц 3000 I2 в поколениях I1I3. Оценка инцухт-потомства I1I3 показала увеличение количества высокосамосовместимых генотипов: у гибрида Ранний 2 3000 I2 на 60, у гибрида 226 Бц 3000 I2 на 50 от общего числа растений. К I4-поколению процент средне- и высокосамосовместимых генотипов достигал 100 при полном отсутствии несовместимых и слабосовместимых генотипов. На основе линейного материала (Ранний 2 3000 I2) I4 сформированы многолинейные популяции F1 и оценены по семенной продуктивности. Установлено, что самосовместимые гибриды по количеству соцветий превосходили сорт Ранний 2 на 19, по завязываемости семян на 2531, по массе семян с одного растения на 1824. Разработана селекционная программа по созданию исходного материала клевера лугового (Trifolium prаtense L.) с высокой семенной продуктивностью с использованием генетического источника самосовместимости. The paper reports on breeding of self-compatible parent lines of red clover. The aim of the research was obtaining of new breeding material of red clover with high seed productivity using self-compatibility and development of the breeding program. Plants were grown in growth chambers. Ranniy 2 variety, white-flowered line No. 226 Bts and self-compatible wild genotype No. 3000 I2 performed as parent material. Self-compatibility of the wild genotype was introduced into the new line No. 3000 I1, showing intensive seed formation when self-pollinating (77). F1 showed high heritability of that trait. Ranniy 2 No. 3000 I2 and No. 226 Bts No. 3000 I2 hybrids were obtained in I1I3 generations. I1I3 lines had higher number of self-compatible genotypes: Ranniy 2 No. 3000 I2 hybrid by 60, No. 226 Bts No. 3000 I2 by 50 of the total plant number. By the I4 generation proportion of genotypes with medium or high self-compatibility reached 100. Ranniy 2 No. 3000 I2 was used to obtain multiline populations. Self-compatible hybrids exceeded Ranniy 2 in inflorescence number by 19, in seed formation by 2531, in seed mass from one plant by 1824. The breeding program was developed.

scholarly journals Dormancy and endosperm presence influence the ex situ conservation potential in central European calcareous grassland plants

AoB Plants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Tausch ◽  
Martin Leipold ◽  
Christoph Reisch ◽  
Peter Poschlod
Keyword(s):  
Seed Mass ◽  
Seed Longevity ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Calcareous Grassland ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Physical Dormancy ◽  
Central European ◽  
Grassland Species ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Grassland Plants

Abstract The preservation of plant species under ex situ conditions in seed banks strongly depends on seed longevity. However, detailed knowledge on this seed ecological aspect is limited and comparative studies from central European habitats are scarce. Therefore, we investigated the seed longevity of 39 calcareous grassland species in order to assess the prospects of ex situ storage of seeds originating from a single, strongly threatened habitat. Seed longevity (p50) was determined by artificially ageing the seeds under rapid ageing conditions (45 °C and 60 % eRH (equilibrium relative humidity)), testing for germination and calculating survival curves. We consulted seed and germination traits that are expected to be related to seed longevity. P50 values strongly varied within calcareous grassland species. The p50 values ranged between 3.4 and 282.2 days. We discovered significantly positive effects of physical dormancy and endosperm absence on p50. Physiological dormancy was associated to comparatively short longevity. These relationships remained significant when accounting for phylogenetic effects. Seed mass, seed shape, and seed coat thickness were not associated with longevity. We therefore recommend more frequent viability assessments of stored endospermic, non-physically and physiologically dormant seeds.

To the issue of water treatment by hydrocyclone on the systems of the combined irrigation

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-25
Author(s):  
Nikolay Dubenok ◽  
Andrey Novikov ◽  
Sergei Borodychev ◽  
Maria Lamskova
Keyword(s):  
Water Treatment ◽  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Cylindrical Part ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Treatment Unit ◽  
Drain Pipe ◽  
Irrigation Network

At the stage of water treatment for irrigation systems, the efficiency capture coarse and fine mechanical impurities, as well as oil products and organic compounds affects the reliability of the equipment of the irrigation network and the safety of energy exchange processes in irrigated agricultural landscapes. The violation of work irrigation system can cause disruptions in irrigation schedules of agricultural crops, crop shortages, degradation phenomena on the soil and ecological tension. For the combined irrigation system, a water treatment unit has been developed, representing a hydrocyclone apparatus with a pipe filter in the case. For the capacity of 250 m3/h the main geometrical dimensions of hydrocyclone have been calculated. To organize the capture petroleum products and organic compounds, it has been proposed a modernization of a hydrocyclone unit, consisting in dividing the cylindrical part of the apparatus into two section. The first is section is for input irrigation water, the second one is for additional drainage of clarified irrigation water after sorption purification by the filter, placed on the disk and installed coaxially with the drain pipe and the pipe filter.

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