scholarly journals Fluctuating Asymmetry in Morphological Characteristics of Betula Pendula Roth Leaf under Conditions of Urban Ecosystems: Evaluation of the Multi-Factor Negative Impact

Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 1317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Shadrina ◽  
Nina Turmukhametova ◽  
Victoria Soldatova ◽  
Yakov Vol'pert ◽  
Irina Korotchenko ◽  
...  

The fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in Betula pendula Roth was estimated as an integrated measure of five morphometric characteristics of a lamina. Samples were collected in seven cities that differ both in climatic conditions, moderately to sharply continental. In total, 33 ecotopes were distinguished with various level of anthropogenic load. The statistical data processing involved correlation, one-way and factorial ANOVA, regression analyses, and principal component analysis (PCA). The impact of 25 climatic and anthropogenic factors on the FA value was considered. In most urban ecotopes, the integrated fluctuating asymmetry (IFA) value was higher than in natural biotopes of the same region. No significant inter-annual differences in IFA values were found. FA dependence on traffic load is noted to be statistically significant. The covariation analysis of IFA, climatic, and anthropogenic variables in various urban ecotopes revealed the impact of three groups of factors that together explain 93% of the variance in environmental parameters. The complex analysis clearly arranged the studied ecotopes by pollution gradient and climatic patterns. The primary effect of the total anthropogenic load on the developmental stability of B. pendula results in an IFA increase. IFA can play a key role in bioindication assessment of environmental quality. The climatic factors have no significant effect on the developmental stability of B. pendula in urban conditions.

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 116-123
Author(s):  
A. P. Korzh ◽  
T. V. Zahovalko

Recently, the number of published works devoted to the processes of synanthropization of fauna, is growing like an avalanche, which indicates the extreme urgency of this theme. In our view, the process of forming devices to coexist with human and the results of his life reflects the general tandency of the modern nature evolution. Urbanization is characteristic for such a specific group of animals like amphibians, the evidence of which are numerous literature data. Many researchers use this group to assess the bioindicative quality of the environment. For this aim a variety of indicators are used: from the cellular level of life of organization up to the species composition of the group in different territories. At the same time, the interpretation of the results is not always comparable for different areas and often have significantly different interpretations by experts. Urban environment, primarily due to the contamination is extremely aggressive to amphibians. As a consequence, the urban populations of amphibians may be a change in the demographic structure, affecting the reproductive ability of the population, the disappearance of the most sensitive species or individuals, resizing animals, the appearance of abnormalities in the development, etc. At the same time play an important amphibians in the ecosystems of cities, and some species in these conditions even feel relatively comfortable. Therefore, it is interesting to understand the mechanisms of self-sustaining populations of amphibians in urban environments. To assess the impact of natural and anthropogenic factors on the development of amphibian populations were used cognitive modeling using the program Vensim PLE. Cognitive map of the model for urban and suburban habitat conditions were the same. The differences concerned the strength of connections between individual factors (migration, fertility, pollution) and their orientation. In general, factors like pollution, parasites, predators had negative impact on the population, reducing its number. The birth rate, food and migration contributed to raising number of individuals. Some of the factors affected on the strength to of each other as well: the majority of the factors affected the structure of the population, had an influence on the fertility. Thanks to it the model reflects the additive effect of complex of factors on the subsequent status of the population. Proposed and analyzed four scenarios differing strength and duration of exposure. In the first scenario, a one-time contamination occurs and not subsequently repeated. The second and third scenario assumes half board contamination, 1 year (2 scenario) and two years (scenario 3). In the fourth scenario, the pollution affected the population of amphibians constantly. In accordance with the results of simulation, much weaker than the natural populations respond to pollution - have them as an intensive population growth and its disappearance at constant pollution is slow. Changes to other parameters of the model showed that this pollution is the decisive factor -only the constant action leads to a lethal outcome for the populations. All other components of the model have a corrective effect on the population dynamics, without changing its underlying trand. In urban areas due to the heavy impact of pollution maintaining the population is only possible thanks to the migration process – the constant replenishment of diminishing micropopulations of natural reserves. This confirms the assumption that the form of existence metapopulations lake frog in the city. In order to maintain the number of amphibians in urban areas at a high level it is necessary to maintain existing migration routes and the creation of new ones. Insular nature of the placement of suitable habitats in urban areas causes the metapopulation structure of the types of urbanists. Therefore, the process of urbanization is much easier for those species whicht are capable of migration in conditions of city. In the initial stages of settling the city micropopulationis formed by selective mortality of the most susceptible individuals to adverse effects. In future, maintaining the categories of individuals is provided mainly due to migration processes metapopulisation form of the species of existence is supported). It should be noted that the changes in the previous levels are always saved in future. In the case of reorganizations of individuals we of morphology can assume the existence of extremely adverse environmental conditions that threaten the extinction of the micropopulations. 


Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1970
Author(s):  
Nina Turmukhametova ◽  
Elena Shadrina

We have estimated the reproductive capacity of Betulapendula Roth and its relationship with an integrated measure of developmental stability, i.e., fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of the leaf. On the territory of a city with moderate anthropogenic pollution, a change has been detected in the integrated fluctuating asymmetry (IFA) of the morphology of the female reproductive sphere and reproductive capacity of Betula pendula. In conditions of anthropogenic stress, the birch is observed to produce a large yield of fruits annually, which is not subject to year-to-year fluctuations. Morphological variety of size and shape of fruit-producing organs increases along the gradient of industrial and transport pollution; part of morphotypes of infructescences and seeds is characterized by lowered or zero capacity for reproduction determined by seed quality (germination energy and germination capacity). The statistical data processing involved correlation, Shapiro–Wilk test, Levene’s test, factorial ANOVA, Scheffe test, Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA, Mann–Whitney test, χ2 method. Analysis of IFA has allowed us to reasonably well assess the state of the plant organism and to characterize environmental quality. A negative correlation between IFA and quantitative parameters of the functions of the reproductive sphere of B. pendula (infructescence diameter, seed quality) has been found, and positive correlation with qualitative parameters (the number of morphs of infructescences and seeds, the share of rare morphs of infructescences). Pessimization of urban environment creates the conditions for an increase in the share of defective infructescences and non-germinating seeds; a compensatory mechanism for this is an increase in reproductive effort of B. pendula. The consistency of responses in the vegetative and reproductive spheres reflects the disturbances in developmental stability of plants in urban communities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Freire ◽  
Melanie Massaro ◽  
Simon McDonald ◽  
Philip Trathan ◽  
Christine J. Nicol

Wild penguins are facing increased threats to their populations and their welfare as a consequence of human activities. Understanding the perception of animal welfare is essential to identify ethical concerns related to the negative impact of anthropogenic factors on wild species and to guide conservation efforts that reflect societal values. Since penguin conservation is of general interest, we examined the human dimension of welfare assessment across a range of interest groups concerned with penguins, seabird biology and wildlife conservation. We provided participants with a Penguin Welfare Assessment Tool (PWAT) based on the five domains model. The PWAT supports consideration of the impact of four physical aspects on welfare-relevant mental states. Bibliometric analysis of keywords from 347 scientific articles indicated that penguins around the world face five main types (themes) of anthropogenic factors and we then developed five hypothetical scenarios, each related to one theme. Seventy-five participants scored the overall impact of the events described in the scenarios on penguin welfare as negative using the PWAT. Participants rated short-duration, high-intensity events (i.e., being trapped in a ghost fishing net) as having a significantly more severe impact on penguin welfare than low-intensity, long-duration events (P < 0.0001). Scores provided by participants for each domain for each scenario were largely as expected and we found good correlation (all P < 0.0001) between the physical domains and “mental state” for all scenarios, indicating that the tool was facilitating the participants' assessment of welfare. No evidence was found that experience of working or studying penguins, or indeed any other demographic factor investigated, influenced the assessments of welfare. We found little agreement between participants in the scores provided (unalike scores mostly between 0.7 and 0.8), and agreement between participants with experience of working with penguins was no better than between participants without such experience. We discuss the possibility that low agreement within different interest groups may be improved by providing more scientific information to support the evaluation of penguin welfare. We conclude that scientific knowledge of penguin biological responses to anthropogenic factors is vital to support the evaluation of wild penguin welfare by the public and other stakeholders.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominika Dąbrowska ◽  
Marek Sołtysiak

Abstract Many plant and animal species are closely related to the aquatic environment. Small reservoirs are a place of the biodiversity concentration. Reservoirs are especially important for amphibian species as a place of feeding, shelter and wintering. Many anthropogenic factors has a significant impact on the natural values of water reservoirs (surroundings of the water reservoirs, the shore`s type, distance from roads and buildings, the role of the object and the chemical status). They can eliminate or change amphibian population. The effect of three such factors was determined for one of the cities in the Upper Silesian Agglomeration - Sosnowiec (91 km2). The paper presents an assessment of the impact of the type of surroundings, the percentage share of the open space around water reservoirs and the distance from roads and buildings on the number of amphibian species present in the reservoir. In the analysis were taken into account 20 reservoirs, in which amphibian species were found. This analysis indicates the influence urban factors on the number of amphibian species in water reservoirs based on positive correlations in the case of Spearman Rank correlation and the Fisher’s exact test. Results of these calculations highlight the negative impact of the anthropopressure (the changes in the environment) on the amphibian breeding places and the biodiversity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 58-65
Author(s):  
Tatyana Valerievna Zhuikova ◽  
Anastasia Sergeevna Popova ◽  
Eleonora Vasilievna Meling

The influence of plant material fixation methods on the index of fluctuating asymmetry of Betula pendula Roth leaves is determined. The methods used were herbarization under pressure and leaves fixation in a solution of ethyl alcohol (45%). Biological material was collected in natural phytocenoses of the Pritalskaya zone of the Middle Urals and in technogenically formed territories, including soil contamination with heavy metals. The FA level of Betula pendula Roth leaf blades obtained on freshly harvested material increases in the gradient of toxic load and reflects a natural increase in soil contamination with heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, etc.). The smallest deviation from the actual FA values obtained on freshly harvested material is given by a method of herbarization of leaves. The correlation coefficients are 0,940,99. Plant material fixation in an alcohol solution leads to more than 10-fold deviation of FA values from the real ones. The correlation between the studied morphological parameters of fresh and alcoholic leaf blades is 0,170,70. The signs distance between the bases of the first and second veins of the second order from the base of the leaf and angle between the main vein and the second vein of the second order from the base of the leaf are more distorted. Correction coefficients are proposed that allow to level out the differences in the FA level between the results obtained on freshly collected material and recorded by different methods. For the herbarization method, regardless of where the plant material is collected, the correction factor to be entered for the FA values of the fixed leaf blades is () 0,0004. For the method of leaves fixation in an alcohol solution, the coefficient value is () 0,00075 for material collected in undisturbed communities, and (+) 0,0045 for technogenically disturbed communities.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 113-123
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Bielczyńska

Abstract The aim of the work was to analyze the influence of wave activity on invertebrate fauna living in the littoral zone. For this purpose, an algorithm was developed to analyze spatial and meteorological data, calculating the values of fetch and wind exposure. The taxonomic composition of the fauna and the values of selected water quality indicators were analyzed against the background of varied wind exposure, trophy, and various habitats. A significant negative impact of wind exposure on the taxonomic variety of the macrozoobenthic community, the number of Coenagrionidae damselflies and Baetidae mayflies was found. It is difficult to separate the impact of waves on the fauna from the impact of other natural and anthropogenic factors, because those factors may also be affected by water movements. The tool produced as part of this work can also be used to further investigate the issue of impact of waves on all the communities living in the littoral zone.


2019 ◽  
Vol 945 ◽  
pp. 718-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
V.Y. Chukhlanov ◽  
O.G. Selivanov ◽  
N.V. Chukhlanova

The paper considers the problems of creating new protective coatings based on organosilicon polymer – polymethylphenylsiloxane, modified with tetraisopropyltitanate. The mechanisms of siloxane polymer nanostructuring have been suggested. The coating surface nanostructure and the impact of material components content and nature on its properties have been studied. To research protective surface nanostructure, the method of atomic-force probe microscopy applying IntegraAura device has been used. Nanoparticles formations with 10-20 nm effective scale have been revealed. Adhesive properties of the protective coating have been studied. Glass and metal adhesion was determined applying the method of detachment from the steel discs substrate using adhesive meter PSO-MG4. The modification was stated not to cause any substantial loss of coating adhesive properties. Simultaneously modification process was accompanied with the increase of relative coating firmness.The developed compounds and corresponding coatings are aimed at protecting buildings and constructions against negative impact of natural and anthropogenic factors.


1991 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 91 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Sarre ◽  
JM Dearn

Morphological characteristics of island populations of the sleepy lizard, Trachydosaurus rugosus, were compared with those of three adjacent mainland populations in South Australia. An analysis of 21 morphological characters revealed greater divergence among the island populations than among those on the mainland. However, in contrast with the findings of an earlier study using allozyme electrophoresis, morphological relationships among populations showed little congruence with the relationships expected from their geographic proximity. Two measures of developmental stability (fluctuating asymmetry and percentage gross abnormalities) varied significantly among the populations. High levels of developmental instability were observed in three of the island populations. It is not possible to rule out environmental causes of the increased developmental instability but it appears more likely that it is caused by genetic drift and inbreeding resulting from small population size. These results suggest that developmental stability may be more useful in monitoring genetic changes in wildlife populations than the conventional method of allozyme electrophoresis.


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