scholarly journals Patterns of genetic connectivity in invertebrates of temperate MPA networks

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Marti-Puig ◽  
Federica Costantini ◽  
Luca Rugiu ◽  
Massimo Ponti ◽  
Marco Abbiati
Keyword(s):  
Benthic Invertebrates ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Genetic Connectivity ◽  
Environment Design ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Temperate Reefs ◽  
Marine Habitats ◽  
Key Species

Temperate reefs are among the most threatened marine habitats due to impacts caused by high density of human settlements, coastal development, pollution, fisheries and tourism. Networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) are an important tool for ensuring long-term health and conservation of ecological processes in the marine environment. Design of the MPA network has to be based on deep understanding of spatial patterns of species distribution, and on the make-up of connectivity among populations. Most benthic invertebrates are sessile and/or sedentary in the adult phase, and their dispersal relies mainly on the gametes and/or larval behaviours. Genetic markers allow us to quantify gene flow and structuring among populations, and to infer patterns of genetic connectivity. Based on the information available in the peer reviewed literature on genetic connectivity in benthic invertebrates of temperate MPAs, we provide a comment about the gaps and the needs. Moreover, we propose a rationale to plan and optimise future studies on this topic. A conceptual framework for planning effective studies on genetic connectivity in an MPAs network is provided, including general recommendations on sampling design, key species and molecular markers to use.

Dendrochronological analysis of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) responses to climate and contrasting flood regimes

2012 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 423-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard F. Keim ◽  
J. Blake Amos
Keyword(s):  
Mississippi River ◽  
Taxodium Distichum ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Ecosystem Responses ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Dendrochronological Analysis ◽  
Key Species ◽  
Climatic History

Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.) has been used extensively for dendrochronological reconstruction of climate and is a key species in globally important wetlands with complex, poorly understood relationships between hydrological and ecological processes. To better understand ecosystem responses to changing climate and hydrology and to test whether hydrological or climatological variables are most reflected in chronologies, we developed tree-ring chronologies for six stagnant or riverine swamps in the Mississippi River deltaic plain and modeled growth responses to historical hydrology (51 years of data) and climate (111 years of data). Decoupled flooding and local climate in this deltaic setting allowed for relatively independent assessments of the roles of hydrology and climate in baldcypress growth. Depth of annual flooding was positively correlated with growth that year but negatively correlated with growth in the ensuing year for both riverine and stagnant swamps. Depth of 10-year mean flooding was positively correlated with growth in riverine swamps but negatively correlated with growth in stagnant swamps. Results corroborate previous findings that long-term, stagnant flooding reduces productivity, but growth at these deltaic sites was less correlated with climatic variables than elsewhere. At least in these frequently flooded sites, baldcypress tree rings appear to be a better long term record of hydrological history than of climatic history.

scholarly journals Musical Chairs on Temperate Reefs: Species Turnover and Replacement Within Functional Groups Explain Regional Diversity Variation in Assemblages Associated With Honeycomb Worms

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Muller ◽  
Camille Poitrimol ◽  
Flávia L. D. Nunes ◽  
Aurélien Boyé ◽  
Amelia Curd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Groups ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Temperate Reefs ◽  
Marine Habitats ◽  
Local Patterns ◽  
Biogeographic Regions ◽  
Study Sites

Reef-building species are recognized as having an important ecological role and as generally enhancing the diversity of benthic organisms in marine habitats. However, although these ecosystem engineers have a facilitating role for some species, they may exclude or compete with others. The honeycomb worm Sabellaria alveolata (Linnaeus, 1767) is an important foundation species, commonly found from northwest Ireland to northern Mauritania, whose reef structures increase the physical complexity of the marine benthos, supporting high levels of biodiversity. Local patterns and regional differences in taxonomic and functional diversity were examined in honeycomb worm reefs from 10 sites along the northeastern Atlantic to explore variation in diversity across biogeographic regions and the potential effects of environmental drivers. While taxonomic composition varied across the study sites, levels of diversity remained relatively constant along the European coast. Assemblages showed high levels of species turnover compared to differences in richness, which varied primarily in response to sea surface temperatures and sediment content, the latter suggesting that local characteristics of the reef had a greater effect on community composition than the density of the engineering species. In contrast, the functional composition of assemblages was similar regardless of taxonomic composition or biogeography, with five functional groups being observed in all sites and only small differences in abundance in these groups being detected. Functional groups represented primarily filter-feeders and deposit-feeders, with the notable absence of herbivores, indicating that the reefs may act as biological filters for some species from the local pool of organisms. Redundancy was observed within functional groups that may indicate that honeycomb worm reefs can offer similar niche properties to its associated assemblages across varying environmental conditions. These results highlight the advantages of comparing taxonomic and functional metrics, which allow identification of a number of ecological processes that structure marine communities.

scholarly journals Urban Ecological Restoration

2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul H. Gobster
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Reference Sites ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Fixed Set ◽  
Natural Diversity ◽  
Urban Ecological Restoration

What does ecological restoration mean in an urban context? More than half of the world’s population now lives in cities, and in response to the dynamic patterns of urbanization, a growing number of ecologists, land managers, and volunteers are focusing their efforts in and around cities to restore remnants of natural diversity (Ingram 2008). Ecological restoration is still a quite youthful field, yet many scientists and practitioners hold a relatively fixed set of criteria for what defines a successful restoration project, irrespective of where sites are located. Among the criteria commonly stated, sites should be composed of indigenous species, have a structure and diversity characteristic of currently undisturbed or historically documented “reference” sites, and be maintained through ecological processes such as fire that ensure long-term sustainability with minimal human assistance (Ruiz-Jaén and Aide 2005; SER International 2004). Application of these criteria has led to many ecologically successful restorations, but some ecologists in the field have begun to question whether the same standards can be realistically applied to sites such as those within urban areas that have been radically altered by past human activity (e.g., Martínez and López-Barerra 2008) or are being influenced by novel conditions that result in unpredictable trajectories (Choi 2007). Perhaps more significantly, it is becoming increasingly recognized that the broader viability of restoration projects, especially those in urban areas, hinges on how socially successful they are in gaining public acceptance for restoration activities and practices, building constituencies to assist with implementation and maintenance, and addressing a broader set of sustainability goals that reach beyond the protection of native biodiversity (e.g., Choi et al. 2008; Hobbs 2007; Rosenzweig 2003).

scholarly journals Long-term UVB exposure promotes predator-inspection behaviour in a fish

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 20170497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Vitt ◽  
Janina E. Zierul ◽  
Theo C. M. Bakker ◽  
Ingolf P. Rick
Keyword(s):  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Ultraviolet B ◽  
Antipredator Behaviour ◽  
Uvb Radiation ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Natural Sunlight ◽  
Predator Inspection

Ultraviolet-B radiation (UVB) reaching the earth's surface has increased due to human-caused stratospheric ozone depletion. Whereas the harmful effects of UVB on aquatic organisms are well studied at the molecular and cellular level, recent studies have also begun to address behavioural changes caused by sublethal amounts of UVB. However, the behavioural consequences of long-term exposure to ecologically relevant UVB levels over several life stages are virtually unknown, particularly with regard to predator–prey behaviour. We found increased predator-inspection behaviour together with a smaller body length in three-spined sticklebacks ( Gasterosteus aculeatus ) after fish were exposed for about seven months to natural sunlight conditions with enhanced UVB, compared with full siblings exposed to natural sunlight only. The observed change in antipredator behaviour may reflect a direct behavioural response mediated through UVB-induced oxidative stress during development. Alternatively, the smaller body size in UVB-exposed fish may result in an increased inspection effort allowing them to spend more time foraging. Our findings suggest that, within the scope of environmental change, UVB radiation constitutes an important stress factor by eliciting behavioural responses that influence crucial ecological processes, such as predator–prey interactions.

scholarly journals A floristic description of the Afromontane fynbos communities on Platberg, Eastern Free State, South Africa

Koedoe ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert F. Brand ◽  
Pieter J. Du Preez ◽  
Leslie R. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Conservation Management ◽  
Alien Invasive Species ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
The North ◽  
Shrub Community ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Twinspan Classification

Within the Platberg area and the wider Drakensberg region, the shrinking natural resources and the threat posed to biodiversity are of concern to conservation management and require an understanding of long-term ecological processes. The vegetation of Platberg was investigated as part of an ecological survey to establish Afromontane floristic links to the Drakensberg as well as for the management of natural resources. From a TWINSPAN classification, refined by the Braun-Blanquet method, four main plant communities were identified, which were subdivided into fynbos, wetland, a woody/shrub community and grassland. A classification and description of the fynbos are presented in this article.The analysis showed the fynbos divided into two communities comprising four sub-communities and seven variants. The fynbos community had an average of 28.34 species per relevé, ranging from 14 to 54 species per sample plot. Twenty-four endemic or near-endemic Drakensberg Alpine Centre (DAC) species and 22 exotic (alien-invasive) species were recorded. Numerous floristic links with the DAC, Cape flora fynbos and grassland bioregions to the north and west were also found. The description of the fynbos plant communities can serve as a basis for the formulation of management plans for the area.

scholarly journals A vegetation description and floristic analyses of the springs on the Kammanassie Mountain, Western Cape

Koedoe ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Cleaver ◽  
L.R. Brown ◽  
G.J. Bredenkamp
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Mountain Catchment ◽  
Habitat Factors ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Twinspan Classification ◽  
Geological Origin ◽  
The Difference

The Kammanassie Mountain is a declared mountain catchment area and a Cape mountain zebra Equus zebra zebra population is preserved on the mountain. The high number of springs on the mountain not only provides water for the animal species but also contributes to overall ecosystem functioning. Long-term conservation of viable ecosystems requires a broader understanding of the ecological processes involved. It was therefore decided that a classification, description and mapping of the spring vegetation of the Kammanassie Mountain be undertaken. A TWINSPAN classification, refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures, revealed 11 major plant communities that could be related to geological origin. Habitat factors associated with differences in vegetation include topography, soil type and grazing. Descriptions of the plant communities include diagnostic species as well as prominent and less conspicuous species of the tree, shrub and herbaceous layers. The results also indicate a high species richness compared to similar regions and the difference between plant communities of wet and dry springs. This data is important for long-term monitoring of the spring ecosystems as well as for the compilation of management plans.

Computational Driver Model in Transport Engineering: COSMODRIVE

1996 ◽  
Vol 1550 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hέlène Tattegrain-Veste ◽  
Thierry Bellet ◽  
Annie Pauziέ ◽  
Andrέ Chapon
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Modeling ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Object Oriented ◽  
General System ◽  
Driver Model ◽  
Computational Aspect ◽  
Functional Abilities ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Contextual Elements

With regard to road safety issues, a deep understanding of the driver as a logic system is crucial to predict the most probable behavior according to the contextual elements. Knowledge and data about human functional abilities exist. But the problem is to organize and structure them. The development of a computational approach in driver modelization is addressed. In the first part, a brief historical overview is presented of available driver models in ergonomics and psychological areas, and the distinction between predictive and explicative models in an implementation perspective is the focus. In the second part, the computational aspect of the work is described, along with the software concepts, the cognitive modeling needs, and the implementation choices. Object-oriented techniques were chosen because they provide a modular overview of the general system and offer a convenient representation of cognitive processes. Object-oriented formalism, in particular object modeling technique diagrams, acts as a bridge between the two domains of computer science and the human sciences. The objective is to determine whether it is possible to implement reliably a driver model using the techniques from artificial intelligence and based on the theoretical knowledge from cognitive sciences research. This attempt to establish links between different scientific domains, requiring a common tool, is a challenge. A first step of a work that will have to be developed in a long-term time scale, taking into account its quite ambitious objective, is described.

scholarly journals Benthos from Baffin Bay Area: a photo catalogue

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy Grant ◽  
Laure de Montety ◽  
Lisa Tréau de Coeli ◽  
Nanette Hammeken ◽  
Philippe Archambault ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Benthic Invertebrates ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Sample Processing ◽  
Baffin Bay ◽  
Bay Area ◽  
Survey Sample ◽  
Southwest Greenland

Many teams studying benthic biodiversity have faced the challenge of identifying collected specimens while they are at sea. The use of pictures is an efficient way to increase samples processing, while limiting wrong or incorrect identifications that can be done when many people are working on the same project at different times. This catalogue presents a non-exhaustive inventory of more than 750 taxa, most of them named to the species level, of benthic invertebrates recorded in Baffin Bay (Arctic) with a special attention paid to species recorded along the Southwest Greenland coast. It is designed to be an accurate tool for biologists to identify benthic invertebrates occurring in trawl/dredge samples, with the objective to decrease number of preserved samples and time spent on post-survey sample processing. It has proven particularly useful during the implementation of benthos monitoring on national fisheries assessment surveys as recently recommended by CAFF-CBMP (CAFF 2017) as a way to increase our knowledge of long-term and large-scale trends in Arctic benthos communities. The catalogue proposes original photos and drawings. A must for biologist studying benthos from Arctic waters!

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