The distribution pattern of mire specialist butterflies in raised bogs of the northern lowlands of Central Europe

Raised bogs are extreme and azonal ecosystems with a characteristic hydrological balance, microclimatic conditions and a specific flora and fauna. Recently, these ecosystems have increasingly become the focus of scientific and general attention because of their important ecosystem roles in the face of global warming and providing biodiversity refuges. From a biogeographical and evolutionary context, the peat bogs of the European Lowlands serve as palaeorefugia, acting as cold, edaphic island habitats for arcto-alpine or boreo-montane insect species in temperate biomes. Analysing 105 peat bog sites in the northern lowlands of Central Europe, we compare the diversity and geographic distribution pattern of a subset of six butterfly species, which appear to be tyrphobiontic or tyrphophile mire specialists. We demonstrate a decrease in mean species number in the European Lowlands on a gradient from the east (Northern Belarus, about 4 species) to the west (Northern Germany, about 1 species), and suggest that the decreasing species number may be mainly caused by human impact in the past. The individual distribution pattern shows a nearly complete gap in occurrence of the sensitive bog specialist species Colias palaeno and Boloria eunomia in Northern Germany and an increasing presence of those species in peat bogs of eastern Europe. Boloria aquilonaris shows a different pattern, which, in contrast to C. palaeno, is continuously distributed in all sampled regions and seems to be the more tolerant of tyrphobiontic butterflies in the face of human impact on peat bogs. In the light of other recent findings our results also suggest that Boloria aquilonaris and Plebejus optilete may serve as target species reflecting success in ecological restoration of peat bog ecosystems.

Somatochlora arctica (Odonata: Corduliidae) oviposing at “lower than usual” altitude for Italy and the Mediterranean Region and first observation for the Varese Province (Northern Italy)

Somatochlora arctica is an endangered dragonfly with populations characterized by low density and scattered distribution. The presence of the species in the Varese Province, recorded during the specific monitoring operations for Nehalennia speciosa, is reported for the first time. The observation of an oviposing female was carried out in a peat bog placed at 550 m a.s.l., the lowest altitude for the species in Italy and one of the most unusual for the Mediterranean Region. The peculiarities of this record are shown.

BRIQUETAGE AND BRINE: LIVING AND WORKING AT THE CLASSIC MAYA SALT WORKS OF EK WAY NAL, BELIZE

Systematic flotation survey and spatial analysis of artifacts at the submerged salt work of Ek Way Nal reveal evidence of a residence, salt kitchens, and additional activities. Ek Way Nal is one of 110 salt works associated with a Late to Terminal Classic (A.D. 600–900) salt industry known as the Paynes Creek Salt Works. Wooden posts that form the walls of 10 buildings are remarkably preserved in a peat bog below the sea floor providing an opportunity to examine surface artifacts in relation to buildings. Numerous salt kitchens have been located at the Paynes Creek Salt Works by evidence of abundant briquetage—pottery associated with boiling brine over fires to make salt. As one of the largest salt works with 10 buildings, there is an opportunity to examine variability in building use. Systematic flotation survey over the site and flagging and mapping individual artifacts and posts provide evidence that the Ek Way Nal salt makers had a residence near the salt kitchens, along with evidence of salting fish for subsistence or surplus household production. The results are compared with ethnographic evidence from Sacapulas and other salt works.

Leptospermum repo (Myrtaceae), a new species from northern Aotearoa / New Zealand peat bog habitats, segregated from Leptospermum scoparium s. l.

Leptospermum repo de Lange & L.M.H.Schmid sp. nov. (Myrtaceae) is segregated from L. scoparium J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. (sensu lato). The new species is endemic to the peat bogs of the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and adjacent eastern ranges of the northern portion of Te Ika a Maui / North Island, Aotearoa / New Zealand. The new species belongs to the northern Te Ika a Maui / North Island clade of L. scoparium s. l., from whose other members it is morphologically distinguished by its gracile, spindly, open-branched growth habit; widely divergent, longer, linear, linear-lanceolate (rarely filiform), shortly cuspidate leaves; flowers with white petals, stamens mostly with white filaments (very rarely tinged pink near base), and by the style and stigma which are usually green (very rarely pink). Leptospermum repo now occupies ca. 10% of its former peat bog habitat, where aside from a few protected peat bogs the species is still in decline through loss of its habitat. A more recent potential threat to L. repo is myrtle rust disease, caused by Austropuccinia psidii, an exotic rust first detected in Aotearoa / New Zealand in May 2017. This rust poses a serious threat to the Myrtaceae of Aotearoa / New Zealand, for which there is at present no known effective treatment to prevent the death of infected hosts. Therefore, due to the historic loss of habitat, a threat which is still ongoing, causing the decline of many L. repo populations; and the potential threat of Austropuccinia psidii to this species, the listing proposed for the species (as Leptospermum aff. scoparium (c) (AK191319; "Waikato peat bog") by the New Zealand Indigenous Vascular Plant Threat Listing Panel of "Threatened / Nationally Critical DP, De" is here upheld.

Using Paleoecological Data to Inform the Conservation Strategy for Floristic Diversity and Isoetes taiwanensis in Northern Taiwan

Paleoecological data can be used to inform nature conservation practice. Dream Lake (DL) is the best-preserved peat bog in the Tatun Volcanic Group of northern Taiwan. We analyzed continuous pollen and charcoal data from a well-dated sediment core from DL to reconstruct the changes in climate, lacustrine condition, and floristic diversity during the last 4500 cal BP. An absence of volcanic ash from all sediments indicates weak volcanic activity. Significant changes in lithology and pollen composition show that DL changed from a deep lake to a shallow peat bog from 3000 cal BP onwards. The palynological diversity index was negatively correlated with fire frequency. A substantial decline in Isoetes (quillwort) spores suggests increased vulnerability during the peat bog period. Natural terrestrialization will lower the mean water depth of DL below the minimum required for Isoetes taiwanensis survival within 300 years. Our findings indicate that winter precipitation driven by intense East Asian winter monsoons is the critical force determining the long-term variation in floristic diversity and abundance of I. taiwanensis. This long-term ecological history of DL, derived using paleoecological techniques, will be used to inform conservation practice in the Tatun Volcanic Group.