scholarly journals Role of macrophyte life forms in driving periphytic microalgal assemblages in a Brazilian reservoir

Author(s):  
Ubirajara L. Fernandes ◽  
Elaine C.C. De Oliveira ◽  
Sírleis R. Lacerda

Macrophytes play several roles in aquatic ecosystems, including the provision of habitat for many aquatic organisms, especially the periphyton. The aims of this study were to characterize the structure of periphytic microalgal assemblages on different aquatic macrophyte life forms in order to establish similarities between assemblages from nearby sampling sites. We hypothesized that i) aquatic macrophytes with different life forms and morphological characteristics could differently influence the structure of the periphyton and that ii) the greatest similarity in periphyton composition should be observed among macrophytes that occupy the same sampling site. The study was conducted from 2006 to 2008 in the Thomaz Osterne de Alencar reservoir (Crato City, Ceará State, Brazil) and involved the taxonomic surveying of microalgae attached to five different macrophytes with the application of structural descriptors (richness, abundance, frequency, diversity and equitability). A total of 127 taxa, of which 44% belonged to the Chlorophyta, were identified. The microalgae assemblages showed high species richness on <em>Salvinia auriculata </em>Aubl., a free-floating macrophyte, and large abundance on <em>Apalanthe granatensis</em> (Humb. &amp; Bonpl.) Planch., a submerged anchored macrophyte. ANOVA indicated that periphyton significantly varied among the macrophytes investigated, and nearby sampling sites showed no structural similarities in microalgal assemblages. In general, we can conclude that the structure of periphyton assemblages is influenced by the substrate (<em>i.e.</em>, macrophyte organ), as this can not only promote high diversity and equitability but can also be a predictor of dissimilarity in the distribution and frequency of occurrence of microalgae. These results reinforce the findings of other studies that have shown that macrophytes play an important role in structuring the periphyton assemblages.

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kateřina Skácelová ◽  
Miloš Barták

The aim of presented study is to contribute to species list of algae, cyanobacteria and diatoms from moist localities of James Ross Island, Solorina Valley (63° 53' S, 57° 48' W) in particular. In 2012, samples of microbiological mats were taken from a bottom of shallow depression close to a seashore line. The sampling site has been filled with melt-ing water from glacier for some weeks preceding the collection. On collection date, however it was dried out. The samples were analysed using optical microscopy approach after the transport of samples to Czech Republic (Masaryk University, Brno). Algal and cyanobacterial taxa forming the microbiological mats were determined according to their morphological characteristics and the frequencies of individual taxa occurrence evalu-ated. Species richness differed between individual sampling sites located across a shallow depression suggesting an ecological role of duration of stagnant water for bio-diversity in temporary freshwater ponds. Altogether, 37 algal and cyanobacterial taxa were found. While 23 taxa present in the centre of the depression, only 10 taxa were found close to the margin where the dry period was the longest.


Check List ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edson Gomes de Moura-Júnior ◽  
Liliane Ferreira Lima ◽  
Simone Santos Lira Silva ◽  
Raíssa Maria Sampaio de Paiva ◽  
Fernando Alves Ferreira ◽  
...  

Aquatic plants have great influence on the structure and dynamics of aquatic ecosystems, thereby contributing considerably to biodiversity. In Brazil, knowledge of the biodiversity of aquatic macroflora is still limited. We present a checklist of aquatic macrophytes occurring in the northeastern region of Brazil through a bibliographic search. We recorded a total of 412 species, 217 genera and 72 families. The most representative families were Cyperaceae (70 species), Poaceae (38), Fabaceae (27) and Asteraceae (20). The States with highest number of species were Pernambuco (370), Bahia (360), Ceará (267) and Paraíba (261). The best-represented life forms were amphibious (193 species) and emergent (100). The aquatic flora of Northeastern Brazil exhibits high species richness; however, there is a scarcity of records of aquatic macrophytes for the States of Alagoas, Rio Grande do Norte, Maranhão, Sergipe and Piauí.


2009 ◽  
Vol 69 (2 suppl) ◽  
pp. 617-625 ◽  
Author(s):  
SM. Thomaz ◽  
P. Carvalho ◽  
AA. Padial ◽  
JT. Kobayashi

Although the importance of long-term data has been emphasized by ecologists in recent years, little is known about how communities may change over time. In this study, we describe the general patterns of aquatic macrophyte diversity in the Paraná River floodplain observed during six years of study. Temporal changes in community composition were also evaluated. Data on the presence or absence of aquatic macrophytes were collected between March 2002 and March 2008, in six lakes associated with three rivers. Different analytical strategies were used to evaluate the dynamics of aquatic macrophyte communities between the different systems in the floodplain. The composition of aquatic macrophytes differed among the rivers, mainly with respect to the different vegetation life forms (floating, submersed, emergent and rooted with floating stems). The temporal similarity of species composition during the six years and the beta-diversity index indicated that the month-to-month species turnover was, in general, lower in the connected lakes, which are directly influenced by the river. Probably the water level fluctuation is a selective force that contributes to maintaining diversity or richness. Our findings indicated the importance of abiotic characteristics and connectivity of the lakes in determining macrophyte composition and community stability over a long time frame.


Check List ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Otávio Dias Pivari ◽  
Pedro Lage Viana ◽  
Felipe Sá Fortes Leite

The São Francisco River forms one of the main Brazilian hydrographic basins of ca. 645,000 km2. The Pandeiros River is a tributary situated on the left margin of the São Francisco and is considered a strategic component for conservation of biodiversity of that hydrographic basin. An inventory of the aquatic macrophyte flora of the Pandeiros River Wildlife Sanctuary was carried out, using collections of botanical samples and examination of specimens at the BHCB Herbarium. Aquatic environments in the study area were classified as follows: the Pandeiros riverbed, floodplains, oxbow lakes, and swamps. A total of 101 species was inventoried, distributed in 37 families (1 charophytes, 1 liverworts, 3 ferns and 32 angiosperms) and 71 genera. The species were classified into seven life forms, with the amphibian and rafted plants the more representative. The area shows a high diversity in its aquatic macrophytes and has an important role in the conservation of biodiversity of the region.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milton Omar Cordova Neyra ◽  
Josiane Fernandes Keffer ◽  
Dienefe Rafaela Giacoppini ◽  
Vali Joana Pott ◽  
Arnildo Pott ◽  
...  

Abstract Southern Amazonia potentially harbors a wide diversity of aquatic macrophyte species because of its diverse wetland habitats and location in the Amazon-Cerrado transition zone, the two largest biogeographic domains in South America. We inventoried the taxonomic diversity of aquatic macrophytes in the region, including endemism, habitats, species life forms, and floristic comparisons with other Brazilian regions. We found a high number of species of aquatic macrophytes for the southern Amazon region, comparable to extensive inventories in larger areas in southern, northeastern, and northern regions of Brazil. We recorded 688 species of aquatic macrophytes in 299 genera and 95 families, of which 66 species are new records, 89 endemic, and 5 exclusive to Brazilian Amazonia. We present new records of aquatic macrophyte species, together with their degree of endemism and occurrence restricted to the region. The macrophyte species list of southern Amazonia showed 60% similarity to inventories in the Xingu basin and in northern Brazil. This high diversity of aquatic macrophytes in the Southern Amazonia, with endemic species and others with restricted ranges, emphasizes the importance of conserving wetlands and vegetation types where they grow in the region.


1999 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Perdomo ◽  
C. Bangueses ◽  
J. Fuentes

In several urban and suburban areas, the problem of the disposal and treatment of septic tank liquids has not been solved yet. This paper deals with the primary operational evaluation of a conventional system of ponds used at Tarariras, in the Department of Colonia, Uruguay, as well as the potential use of aquatic macrophytes to enhance such treatment. The conventional system was sampled over a period of approximately one month at the end of the summer in order to determine the main parameters. Groups of up to 20 samples were studied to determine the normal distributions. Correlation coefficients were obtained for the normal probability plot between 0.84 and 0.99. The most relevant statistical characteristics were calculated for each parameter. The removal efficiency was 80.0% of BOD5, 58.5% of COD, 75.8% of NH4+-N, 9.5% of PO4−3-P and 38.5% of TSS. At the same time, batch and semi-continuous trials were carried out at bench scale with Eichhornia crassipes (floating macrophyte) and Typha latifolia (emergent macrophyte). The best efficiencies were obtained for the latter, with values of 96.6% of BOD5, 93.0% of COD, 99.6% of NH4+-N, 95.2% of PO4−3-P and 95.5% of TSS. It was concluded that constructed wetlands could be the answer to a more complete treatment process.


Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 239
Author(s):  
Maria Flavia Gravina ◽  
Cataldo Pierri ◽  
Maria Mercurio ◽  
Carlotta Nonnis Marzano ◽  
Adriana Giangrande

In the different mesophotic bioconstructions recently found along the Southeastern Italian coast, polychaetes have been proved to show high species richness and diversity, hitherto never investigated. In the present study, the species composition and functional role of polychaete assemblages were analysed; the updated key to identification of the Mediterranean species of genus Eunice was presented and some taxonomic issues were also discussed. On the total of 70 species Serpulidae and Eunicida were the dominant polychaetes. Facing similar levels of α-diversity, the polychaete assemblages showed a high turnover of species along the north-south gradient, clearly according to the current circulation pattern, as well as to the different bioconstructors as biological determinants. Indeed, Serpulidae were dominant on the mesophotic bioconstructions primarily formed by the deep-sea oyster Neopycnodonte cochlear, while the Eunicida prevailed on the mesophotic bioconstructions mainly built by scleractinians. Lastly, the record of Eunice dubitata was the first for the Mediterranean and Italian fauna and proved this species to be characteristic of mesophotic bioconstructions.


2012 ◽  
Vol 279 (1742) ◽  
pp. 3520-3526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Tilston Smith ◽  
Amei Amei ◽  
John Klicka

Climatic and geological changes across time are presumed to have shaped the rich biodiversity of tropical regions. However, the impact climatic drying and subsequent tropical rainforest contraction had on speciation has been controversial because of inconsistent palaeoecological and genetic data. Despite the strong interest in examining the role of climatic change on speciation in the Neotropics there has been few comparative studies, particularly, those that include non-rainforest taxa. We used bird species that inhabit humid or dry habitats that dispersed across the Panamanian Isthmus to characterize temporal and spatial patterns of speciation across this barrier. Here, we show that these two assemblages of birds exhibit temporally different speciation time patterns that supports multiple cycles of speciation. Evidence for these cycles is further corroborated by the finding that both assemblages consist of ‘young’ and ‘old’ species, despite dry habitat species pairs being geographically more distant than pairs of humid habitat species. The matrix of humid and dry habitats in the tropics not only allows for the maintenance of high species richness, but additionally this study suggests that these environments may have promoted speciation. We conclude that differentially expanding and contracting distributions of dry and humid habitats was probably an important contributor to speciation in the tropics.


1990 ◽  
Vol 258 (2) ◽  
pp. L1-L12 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. E. Warner ◽  
J. D. Brain

Pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) are an extensive population of mature phagocytic cells adherent to the pulmonary capillary endothelium in selected species. They are not prevalent in lungs of commonly studied laboratory animals, such as rodents, and thus have only been recently appreciated. However, their potential role in host defense and acute lung injury has attracted interest, since a number of studies have demonstrated pulmonary localization of circulating particles, microbes, and endotoxin by PIMs. Those animal species, such as ruminants, that provide useful models of pathogen (or endotoxin)-induced acute lung injury demonstrate rapid pulmonary uptake of bacteria by PIMs. Inflammatory mediators released by activated PIMs may initiate the process and provoke accumulation of neutrophils and platelets. This review summarizes the morphological characteristics of PIMs and their species distribution. The role of these members of the mononuclear phagocyte system, both beneficial and potentially pathogenic, is reviewed. The question of whether PIMs have a role in acute lung injury in humans is also discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-92
Author(s):  
Celio M. Lopes ◽  
Flora Misaki ◽  
Karina Santos ◽  
Carlos A. P. Evangelista ◽  
Tatiana T. Carrijo ◽  
...  

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