A 300,000 year record of cold-water coral mound build-up at the East Melilla Coral Province (SE Alboran Sea, western Mediterranean)

This study provides a detailed reconstruction of cold-water coral mound build-up within the East Melilla Coral Province (Southeast Alboran Sea) over the last 300 ky. Based on benthic foraminiferal assemblages, macrofaunal quantification, grain size analysis, sediment geochemistry, and foraminiferal stable isotope compositions, a reconstruction of environmental conditions having prevailed in the region is proposed. The variations in planktonic and benthic δ18O values indicate that cold-water coral mound build-up follows and records global climate variability. In contrast to northeast Atlantic counterparts, coral mound build-up in the southeast Alboran Sea occurs during glacial as well as during interglacial periods and at very low aggradation rates (between 1 and 10 cm.ky−1). Environmental conditions during glacial periods, particularly during the Last Glacial Maximum, appear to better suit the ecological requirements of the erect cheilostome bryozoan Buskea dichotoma. We propose that Buskea dichotoma has an important role in the build-up of cold-water coral mounds at the East Melilla Coral Province during glacial periods. Benthic foraminiferal assemblages suggest that important terrestrial input favoured cold-water coral proliferation during interglacial periods. The existence of strong Alboran Gyres during interglacial periods, promoting mixing between surface and intermediate water masses and bottom water turbulence, was possibly beneficial for cold-water coral development. Conversely, benthic foraminiferal assemblages indicate that the seafloor received less organic matter during glacial periods. Overall, the arid continental conditions combined to more stratified water masses resulted in limited coral proliferation during glacial times.

Abundance of the Resplendent Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno (Trogoniformes, Trogonidae) in the tourist sector of a cloud forest reserve

The Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) exhibits characteristics that are common to species prone to extinction, such as occurring at low densities, presenting strict ecological requirements, and inhabiting locations with high rates of degradation. The lack of data on the abundance of threatened species makes it difficult to make management decisions and does not allow to know trends over time, which is essential for conservation in their distribution areas. The abundance and density of the Resplendent Quetzal was estimated from audio/visual detections analyzed with distance sampling techniques. Data was collected in the public use sector of La Tigra National Park, a reserve of virgin and secondary growth cloud forest in Honduras, Central America. A population N = 136 was found with a density of 40 quetzals per km2. There are no systematic studies on the population size and density of the species for this site since 1979, in which a population of 145 quetzals was reported. The estimation of the Resplendent Quetzal population for the total area of the park is a main research priority, which will make it possible to evaluate the viability of the species and the establishment of a new baseline for conservation policies and environmental education efforts in the area of influence.

Aquatic Macrophyte Vegetation Promotes Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Odonata Assemblages in Intermittent Karst Rivers in the Mediterranean

Assemblages of adult Odonata were studied in four intermittent karst rivers encompassing macrophyte-rich (MRH) and macrophyte-poor habitats (MPH) in southern Europe, where temporary lotic habitats are the predominant freshwater type but are still understudied. With a total of 25 recorded species, the studied habitats support species-rich Odonata assemblages, as already shown for intermittent rivers in the Mediterranean. Aquatic macrophyte abundance, conductivity, and water velocity are the most significant determinants of Odonata assemblages in the studied IRES. MRH promote higher Odonata abundance and the taxonomic and functional diversity of their assemblages compared to the MPH. Odonata assemblages in MRH are characterized by higher values of body size and a higher share of species preferring lentic and temporary hydrological conditions. Moreover, their assemblages are characterized by various patterns of nymphal development and drought resilience strategies. In contrast, MPH are preferred by lotic species, with nymphal development all year round and with no specific drought-resisting strategies. Our results contribute to the knowledge of diversity and ecological requirements of dragonflies and damselflies in IRES habitats, which could provide scientific background for future conservation activities and bioassessment protocols of such habitats and their biota.

Poecilocampa alpina (Frey & Wullschlegel, 1874) (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae), first record for Romania

Poecilocampa alpina (Frey & Wullschlegel, 1874) is reported for the first time in the Romanian fauna. The specimen was collected from Porumbenii Mari, Harghita County, Romania. According to the distribution area, respectively to the ecological requirements, Romanian population belongs to the subspecies P. alpina canensis. This reported population is currently the easternmost known population of this species.

Dinaric karst intermittent rivers harbour some rare mayflies (Insecta, Ephemeroptera)

While investigating the aquatic macroinvertebrate fauna of four intermittent Dinaric karst rivers in Croatia, we confirmed or recorded new distribution data and ecological features for several mayfly species rare in Croatian freshwater habitats: Nigrobaetis niger (Linnaeus, 1761), Procloeon pennulatum (Eaton, 1870) and Paraleptophlebia werneri Ulmer, 1920. To our knowledge, this is the first record of N. niger in intermittent lotic habitats. We discuss their substrate preferences in the studied habitats as well as their relationships with measured physico-chemical water parameters. The newly obtained results confirm that our knowledge about Croatian mayfly fauna and species ecological requirements in intermittent Mediterranean rivers is still incomplete and is increasing with systematic studies.

The vascular flora ecological diversity in the mid-field woodlots situated on the agricultural outskirts of Wrocław

The paper presents an analysis of the ecological requirements and sociological-ecological relations of 403 species of vascular plants recorded in 82 mid-field woodlots located among crop fields in the agricultural outskirts of Wrocław. The aim of the research and analyses was to determine what is the species composition of these woodlots and whether they are ecologically more similar to those situated in environment of farmlands or urban wastelands. The authors assumed the latter. It was found that the mid-­ -field woodlots occupied less than 1% of arable land and were located exclusively in close proximity to the city’s administrative borders, and more than half of them were related to the hydrographic network of the area. Their flora, in general assessment, shows a great variety in terms of water requirements and has the features of woodlots described from typically agricultural areas. This applies to the dominance of forest, shrub and meadow species with a constant, usually not exceeding 20%, share of ruderal plants and a small number of weeds in crops. Thus, the assumption that the flora of the studied woodlots will show signs of ruderalization to a large extent has not been confirmed. 72% of species occurred in no more than 10 objects, which shows that the described ecological diversity of the flora studied is based on single or few locations. The most frequent species were nitrophilic and in over 50% they represented a group of shrub communities. The list of the species recorded with estimation of their frequency is provided.

Investigation of the co-firing of natural gas and RDF in a model combustion chamber**

The production and utilization of fuel derived from municipal solid waste (RDF/SFR) is an effective method for saving organic fuel and decreasing emissions of harmful substances and greenhouse gases at landfill and refuse dumps. Ukraine has a potential for the production of 1.5–2 million tons of RDF/SFR with a calorific value of 10–25 MJ/kg annually. In the case of involving these fuels to power sector, about 2500 GW-h of electricity and 4500 GW-h of heat can be produced annually. One of the promising variants to involve RDF/SFR to power sector is their combustion, including co-firing with natural gas, aimed at the production of heat and electricity, in particular, using the existing boilers of small and middle steam capacity in compliance with stringent ecological requirements (Directive 2010/75/EU etc.). For performing this investigation, we chose a GMP-16 gas-and-oil-fired burner, mounted into a cylindrical combustion chamber. The gas-and-oil-fired hot-water boilers of KVGM grade, designed for heating and hot water supply, are equipped with burners of this type. In computer modeling, we determined the influence of RDF additions on the co-firing with natural gas for a given geometry of the combustion chamber components (with a burner of 18.6 MW heat output). We obtained calculated dependences of temperatures, velocities, distributions of gas component concentrations, carbon remained in the solid phase, as well as the concentrations of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide over the combustion chamber. According to preliminary assessments, we established that additions of up to 20% RDF/SFR (by heat at input) in their co-firing with natural gas will not change substantially the technical and ecological parameters in operation of the combustion chamber.

Espeletia ocetana (Millerieae, Asteraceae), a New Tall Caulirosula from Colombia

Abstract— A new species, Espeletia ocetana (Asteraceae), from about 3500 m a. s. l. in Páramo de Ocetá, Mongua, Boyacá department, Colombia, is described and illustrated. The new species exhibits a caulescent rosette habit (0.7‐1.8 m tall), sessile leaves, elliptic leaf laminae with greyish indumentum, robust bracteate thyrsoid capitulescences spreading laterally from rosette, each holding 16‐37(‐69) capitula, external phyllaries 14.2‐31.1 mm long, and ray florets 13.9‐21.3 mm long arranged in 2.0‐2.9 series. It is markedly different from the majority of other members of the genus, and only slightly similar to E. jaramilloi, from which it can be easily distinguished by its taller stems, wider leaves with a smaller length/width ratio, and longer sheaths. Furthermore, E. ocetana has capitula with ray florets arranged in fewer series, and with longer phyllaries, ray corollas, ray corolla limbs, ray styles, ray style branches, disc florets, and disc styles. In addition, E. ocetana is distributed allopatrically in regard to E. jaramilloi, and differs as well in its ecological preference for humid to very humid shrubby páramos. Espeletia ocetana is rather abundant in its type locality, which is a relatively well-conserved páramo located within the limits of Parque Natural Regional Siscunsí-Ocetá. However, it is absent from road margins, abandoned agriculture fields, and other areas impacted by human activities. Further studies will be necessary to know appropriately the extent of the geographic distribution of E. ocetana, its ecological requirements and its phylogenetic affinities with other species.

Découverte d’une nouvelle population de Rhithrogena delphinensis Sowa & Degrange, 1987, dans le massif des Arves, et compléments à la description de la larve (Ephemeroptera, Heptageniidae)

Discovery of a new population of Rhithrogena delphinensis Sowa & Degrange, 1987, in the Arves Massif, and additions to the morphological description of the larva (Ephemeroptera, Heptageniidae). Rhithrogena delphinensis, described originally on the basis of four larvae from the Western Alps, south of the Arves Massif and from the northern flank of the Ecrins Massif, had not been captured again since 1986. Here, we report the discovery of a new population from river Arvan, whose drainage basin is located between the Grandes Rousses Massif and the northern flank of the Arves Massif. This newly discovered population seems abundant in numbers, and reveals the particular ecological requirements of the species as well as its dependence on glacier fed or nival streams. The morphological characteristics of the larvae are described in detail, and illustrated by photographs. The variability of some of the proposed identification criteria is discussed, and a key to the identification of the Rhithrogena species from the alpestris group of the Western Alps, to which R. delphinensis belongs, is provided. Finally, a portion of 658 base pairs of the COI gene of R. delphinensis is sequenced for the first time and compared to already existing data on the alpestris group in the Western Alps.

Disentangling direct and indirect effects of local temperature on abundance of mountain birds and implications for understanding global change impacts

Unravelling the environmental factors driving species distribution and abundance is crucial in ecology and conservation. Both climatic and land cover factors are often used to describe species distribution/abundance, but their interrelations have been scarcely investigated. Climatic factors may indeed affect species both directly and indirectly, e.g., by influencing vegetation structure and composition. We aimed to disentangle the direct and indirect effects (via vegetation) of local temperature on bird abundance across a wide elevational gradient in the European Alps, ranging from montane forests to high-elevation open areas. In 2018, we surveyed birds by using point counts and collected fine-scale land cover and temperature data from 109 sampling points. We used structural equation modelling to estimate direct and indirect effects of local climate on bird abundance. We obtained a sufficient sample for 15 species, characterized by a broad variety of ecological requirements. For all species we found a significant indirect effect of local temperatures via vegetation on bird abundance. Direct effects of temperature were less common and were observed in seven woodland/shrubland species, including only mountain generalists; in these cases, local temperatures showed a positive effect, suggesting that on average our study area is likely colder than the thermal optimum of those species. The generalized occurrence of indirect temperature effects within our species set demonstrates the importance of considering both climate and land cover changes to obtain more reliable predictions of future species distribution/abundance. In fact, many species may be largely tracking suitable habitat rather than thermal niches, especially among homeotherm organisms like birds.