Multifractal and joint multifractal analysis of soil invertebrate fauna, altitude, and organic carbon

ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to evaluate the degree of multifractality of the spatial distribution of altitude, organic carbon concentration, and invertebrate fauna diversity, and to characterize the degree of joint multifractal association among these variables. Soil sampling was performed every 20 m across a 2,540 m transect, with a total of 128 sampling points in a sugarcane area in Goiana municipality, Pernambuco State. For each sampling point, the altitude, organic carbon concentration, and macrofauna diversity (diversity indices and functional groups) were evaluated. Spatial distributions of altitude, organic carbon concentration, and macrofauna diversity were characterized by the generalized dimension spectrum (Dq) and singularity spectrums [f(α) versus α], which presented multifractal behavior with different degrees of heterogeneity in scales. Joint multifractal analysis was useful for revealing the relationships at multiple scales between the studied variables, as demonstrated by the non-detected associations using traditional statistical methods. To quantify the spatial variability of edaphic fauna based on the multiple scales and association sets in the joint dimension, the impact of agricultural production systems on biological diversity can be described. All of the studied variables displayed a multifractal behavior with greater or lower heterogeneity degree depending on the variable, with altitude and organic carbon being the most homogeneous attributes.

Crustaceans (Malacostraca and Thecostraca) from the International Minho River, Iberian Peninsula

Crustaceans (Arthropoda) are a diverse and abundant group with chitinous exoskeleton, living on coastal/estuarine environments, at community invertebrate fauna. A survey on the species of some crustacean groups found on the Minho River estuary (international section) in the Iberian Peninsula, is presented with specimens collected through glass eel fishing bycatch, grab sampler, trammel net, beam trawl and fyke net sampling methods. A total of 98 specimens were examined belonging to 7 orders, 21 genera and 23 species (17 new records from Minho River, including one for Portugal). Brief diagnosis, ecological notes, species distributions and figures are provided intending to present taxonomic support on future projects in this region.

FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES OF LAKE ZAISAN

In this article, freshwater invertebrates are studied. Lake Zaisan is considered as an object. The article updates the list of invertebrate fauna of Lake Zaisan, which is currently relevant. The article presents steps for collecting invertebrates and determining their species composition. According to the results of the study, the species composition of thirty-nine invertebrates was determined. The author notes that the species composition of invertebrates is higher on the coast than in the lake environment, that is, the number of planktonic invertebrates is higher than that of benthos invertebrates. The author notes that the Reed thickets and kelp areas along the Lake Shore are a favorable environment for the growth of benthos organisms, that is, the predominance of benthos invertebrates, and on the sandy shores of the lake there are no invertebrates. In the course of the study, it was found that the lake is dominated by OAR-footed Scorpions, oligochetes, chironomid larvae, ashamurt Scorpions, slug worms. High-altitude Scorpions, leeches, leeches, and water mites are rare. The article considers the problem of reducing the water level of Lake Zaisan from one hundred to five hundred meters over the past year. It is worth noting that the number of benthos organisms has also decreased, as the areas of coastal reeds and algae have dried up. In addition, it is concluded that the ichthyofauna of the lake has also decreased. The result of this research work can be applied to the standard curriculum of the discipline zoology. The information contained in the article can be used by students studying at biological faculties of higher educational institutions, biology teachers in secondary schools. It will be interesting for secondary schools near Lake zaisan to use the identified invertebrates and their photos as a local component.

A functional analysis reveals extremely low redundancy in global mangrove invertebrate fauna

Deforestation results in habitat fragmentation, decreasing diversity, and functional degradation. For mangroves, no data are available on the impact of deforestation on the diversity and functionality of the specialized invertebrate fauna, critical for their functioning. We compiled a global dataset of mangrove invertebrate fauna comprising 364 species from 16 locations, classified into 64 functional entities (FEs). For each location, we calculated taxonomic distinctness (Δ+), functional richness (FRi), functional redundancy (FRe), and functional vulnerability (FVu) to assess functional integrity. Δ+ and FRi were significantly related to air temperature but not to geomorphic characteristics, mirroring the global biodiversity anomaly of mangrove trees. Neither of those two indices was linked to forest area, but both sharply decreased in human-impacted mangroves. About 60% of the locations showed an average FRe < 2, indicating that most of the FEs comprised one species only. Notable exceptions were the Eastern Indian Ocean and west Pacific Ocean locations, but also in this region, 57% of the FEs had no redundancy, placing mangroves among the most vulnerable ecosystems on the planet. Our study shows that despite low redundancy, even small mangrove patches host truly multifunctional faunal assemblages, ultimately underpinning their services. However, our analyses also suggest that even a modest local loss of invertebrate diversity could have significant negative consequences for many mangroves and cascading effects for adjacent ecosystems. This pattern of faunal-mediated ecosystem functionality is crucial for assessing the vulnerability of mangrove forests to anthropogenic impact and provides an approach to planning their effective conservation and restoration.

Glacier caves: a globally threatened subterranean biome

Caves and cave-like voids are common features within and beneath glaciers. The physical environment is harsh and extreme, and often considered barren and devoid of life. However, accumulating evidence indicates that these caves may support a diverse invertebrate fauna with species endemic to each region. As glaciers continue to disappear at an alarming rate due to global warming, they take their largely unknown fauna with them. Thus, glacier caves may harbor one of the most endangered ecosystems globally, and yet their biodiversity is among the least studied or known. Faunal surveys and ecological studies are urgently needed before all examples are lost.

Epigeal invertebrate fauna in monoculture and integrated systems in the cerrado biome Piauí

Epigeal fauna are considered key biological indicators of soil quality, which can be used as parameters for determining sustainable agricultural production systems. This study aimed to evaluate the epigeal fauna under different monoculture and integrated production systems in a Yellow Latosol in the Cerrado biome. The epigeal fauna was sampled using pitfall traps in areas of no-tillage, pasture, exclusive eucalyptus cultivation, integrated livestock-forest system and in a native cerrado. The following variables were determined: number of individuals trap-1 day-1, total richness and the indices of Shannon and Pielou. The number of individuals trap-1 day-1 and richness were higher in native cerrado, while the no-tillage area presented the lowest values. For the Shannon and Pielou indices, native cerrado and integrated livestock-forest system presented the highest values while exclusive eucalyptus cultivation and no-tillage presented the lowest values. The pasture, exclusive eucalyptus cultivation and integrated livestock-forest system favored the ecological indexes of the epigeal fauna, while no-tillage was the system that least contributed to the establishment of these organisms. In areas explored with pasture, exclusive eucalyptus cultivation and integrated livestock-forest system, the community and the diversity of groups of fauna tend to increase. The association with different groups of fauna is more expressive in environments of native cerrado and exclusive eucalyptus cultivation.

Annelids of the eastern Australian abyss collected by the 2017 RV ‘Investigator’ voyage

In Australia, the deep-water (bathyal and abyssal) benthic invertebrate fauna is poorly known in comparison with that of shallow (subtidal and shelf) habitats. Benthic fauna from the deep eastern Australian margin was sampled systematically for the first time during 2017 RV ‘Investigator’ voyage ‘Sampling the Abyss’. Box core, Brenke sledge, and beam trawl samples were collected at one-degree intervals from Tasmania, 42°S, to southern Queensland, 24°S, from 900 to 4800 m depth. Annelids collected were identified by taxonomic experts on individual families around the world. A complete list of all identified species is presented, accompanied with brief morphological diagnoses, taxonomic remarks, and colour images. A total of more than 6000 annelid specimens consisting of 50 families (47 Polychaeta, one Echiura, two Sipuncula) and 214 species were recovered. Twenty-seven species were given valid names, 45 were assigned the qualifier cf., 87 the qualifier sp., and 55 species were considered new to science. Geographical ranges of 16 morphospecies extended along the eastern Australian margin to the Great Australian Bight, South Australia; however, these ranges need to be confirmed with genetic data. This work providing critical baseline biodiversity data on an important group of benthic invertebrates from a virtually unknown region of the world’s ocean will act as a springboard for future taxonomic and biogeographic studies in the area.

The biomass, survival, reproductive and biomarker responses of Helix pomatia to soil contaminated with treated and untreated wastewater.

Wastewater treatment facilities in developing countries like South Africa are major sources of contaminants via effluent into the environment, which could portend high toxicity risks for non-target flora and fauna. To this end, a study was conducted to determine the ecotoxicological responses of selected organism to treated and untreated wastewater from the wastewater treatment plants in an industrial town. The snail Helix pomatia was exposed to OECD artificial soil spiked with untreated or treated wastewater at the following concentrations: 0, 25, 50, 75, 100%. The ecotoxicological responses of Helix pomatia to wastewater were determined by assessing the biomass, survival, reproduction and biomarker responses (Catalase ‒ CAT and Acetylcholinesterase ‒ AChE activities). The overall results showed significant effects on the survival, reproduction and biomass of H. pomatia. Similar results were observed for juvenile emergence. An EC50 of 5.751% for egg production and an EC50 of 6.233% for juvenile emergence were determined in the untreated wastewater. Such indices could not be computed for the treated wastewater, indicating a decreased in toxicity between the untreated and the treated samples. For both the AChE and CAT activities, there was no statistical difference between treated and untreated wastewater treatments. The results from this study highlight the toxic effects of untreated wastewater and indicate that treated wastewater (effluent) released from the wastewater treatment plant in Phuthaditjhaba remains suitable for invertebrate fauna such as H. pomatia.