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.

Selective top-down control of epiphytic biomass by amphipods from Posidonia oceanica meadows: implications for ecosystem functioning

Mediterranean Posidonia oceanica meadows shelter an important biomass and biodiversity of amphipod crustaceans that graze on epiphytes. However, their actual significance for ecosystem functional processes is hard to estimate, due to the lack of adequate data. Here, a field microcosm-based inclusion experiment was used to test if three of the dominant taxa of the amphipod community (Apherusa chiereghinii, Dexamine spiniventris and Gammarus spp.) could exert top-down control on seagrass leaf epiphytes. Influence of amphipod activity on nutrient availability for the host species was also investigated. All grazer taxa significantly reduced biomasses of erect macroalgae and erect sessile animals present on leaves. None of them consumed encrusting epiflora or epifauna. This selective top-down control could have important implications for the structure of the epiphytic community on leaves of P. oceanica, which is one of the most diverse and abundant of all seagrass species. Grazing activity of all taxa caused higher N content of seagrass leaves, likely through amphipod excretion and/or sloppy feeding. Since P. oceanica meadows often grow in oligotrophic zones where plant growth can be nutrient-limited, this N enrichment could enhance seagrass production. Overall, the ecological interaction between P. oceanica and amphipods could be seen as a facultative mutualistic relationship. Our results suggest that amphipod mesograzers are key-elements in some of the functional processes regulating these complex and yet endangered ecosystems, which are essential components of Mediterranean coastal zones.

Increasing Ecological Capacity by Designing Ecological High Rise Buildings

This study provides insight into using ecological design principles in designing high-rise buildings for increasing the ecological capacity of a region. It is a descriptive-analytical survey, which starts with the literacy of the subject, and continues by analyzing successful ecologically designed case studies around the world and notes that by using ecological design principles in designing high-rise buildings, can increase the ecological capacity of a region in order to meet its occupant needs. It indicates that by the industrialization of cities, due to population growth, the value of the land and lack of it for growing population to be settled in, designing high-rise buildings may be the best solution to solve the problem. Moreover, the importance of designing high-rise buildings based on ecological principles has been highlighted by environmental pollution, natural hazards and endangered ecosystems. The ecological design for high-rise buildings is becoming more and more important considering environmental issues. This approach is routed in remaking the natural relationships in ecosystems. The most important feature of nature which can be used in ecological design is its power of reconstruction and rehabilitation. So we can reach an ecosystem in scale of a high-rise building which imitates nature in all its aspects.

Relationships between contemporary and subfossil macrophyte assemblages in Mediterranean ponds

Mediterranean ponds have been historically far less studied than temperate lakes of northern Europe and, for this reason, the availability of historical data is limited for these endangered ecosystems. In the absence of such data, macrofossils from surface sediment may provide highly relevant information concerning modern and past assemblages. Herein we explore the correspondence between contemporary macrophyte assemblages and their sedimentary remains from surface sediment in 35 ponds located in the North Iberian Plateau. The results show that plant macrofossils reflect both the contemporary communities from which they are derived and the environmental forces controlling their assemblage composition (primarily total phosphorous and chlorophyll-a). Overall, macrofossils may represent a useful tool for reconstructing the historical evolution of macrophyte communities, as well as the driving environmental variables, in the poorly investigated Mediterranean ponds. However, the absence of some littoral and helophytic remains in the surface sediment samples may indicate that caution should be exercised to avoid potential biases when reconstructing past macrophyte communities. Hence, we suggest that addressing the effects of coring location and the complex patterns of production and distribution of subfossils in relation to their source vegetation may provide intriguing insights for future research in Mediterranean paleolimnology.

The Białowieża Forest controversy in the light of the world dispute in conservation biology

The controversy between naturalists and foresters on the management of the Białowieża Forest is one of numerous disputes in conservation biology. Cause of the dispute is a difference in stand-point on the purpose of nature conservation. Biocentrists (Soulé 1985) argue that the only goal should be to preserve natural processes as well as endangered ecosystems and species. Anthropocentrists on the other hand (Kareiva, Marvier 2012) support conservation as a need of mankind, that is, the sustainable support of ecosystem services with the protection of species and ecosystems simply being a side effect. Another important factor in the dispute is the management of bark beetle mass outbreaks. Foresters try to control this by removing the infested trees, but naturalists protest against this practice. However, in 2013, the European Commission clearly presented its statement in this regard (EU Guidelines on Wilderness in Natura 2000); and thus, the dispute has only shown that none of the debating parties are familiar with the EU guidelines. According to the author, the more serious problem of messy organization of the Białowieża Forest conservation is rarely raised in the dispute. Multiple protected areas were established in the forest based on six different law forms for nature conservation and two forms of international origin. Such surplus of forms and areas leads to chaos and hinders the management of this valuable area.

Threatened Biodiversity, the NEMA EIA Regulations and Cultivation of Virgin Land: More of the Sorry Same?

The environmental impact assessment (EIA) regulations published in terms of the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA) have extended an unprecedented degree of environmental oversight into the domain of agricultural decision-making. However, threatened Cape flora occurring in remnants of less than three hectares in extent will be denied such protection pending their incorporation in a national list of threatened ecosystems. Until such listing, unresolved legal questions that inhibited the effective consideration of biodiversity in agricultural decision-making prior to the promulgation of the NEMA EIA regulations are likely to persist—to the detriment of a globally imperilled biodiversity. This contribution sets out to identify some of the key issues that inhibited mainstreaming of biodiversity in agri-environmental decision-making in the Western Cape. It also attempts to show that the NEMA EIA dispensation has inherited some problems in respect of cultivation that would result in the transformation or removal of less than three hectares of vegetation in Critically Endangered and Endangered ecosystems—which, until listed in terms of biodiversity law, will have no legal protection. Lastly, the contribution provides an analysis of, and suggest a number of options for ensuring that biodiversity is given its appropriate due in the issuing of cultivation permits that otherwise may contribute to the further degradation and loss of some of the most threatened elements of the globally unique Cape flora.

Ecology of moss-dwelling rotifers in a raised bog: Differentiation of rotifer communities in microhabitats

Peat bogs play key roles in preserving the stability of ecological relationships, but are some of the fastest disappearing and most endangered ecosystems in Europe. The aims of this study were: (1) to compare the distribution, species richness, diversity, and density of rotifers in microhabitats of a raised bog; and (2) to verify the hypothesis that rotifer density and species composition are dependent on seasonal factors, moss moisture content, and the dominant species of mosses in the microhabitats. Sampling was done monthly from April to November in 2013–2014 in the bog Moszne in eastern Poland (51°27′28.7″ N, 23°07′15.8″ E). The microhabitats sampled included hummocks, slopes, and hollows. A total of 40 rotifer taxa were identified. The highest species richness occurred in the hollows (40), dominated by