Search

Accurate and up‐to‐date biodiversity forecasts enable robust planning for environmental management and conservation of landscapes under a wide range of uses. Future predictions of the species composition of ecological communities complement more frequently reported species richness estimates to better characterize the different dimensions of biodiversity. The models that make community composition forecasts are calibrated with data on species' geographic patterns for the present, which may not be good proxies for future patterns. The future establishment of novel communities represents data on species interactions unaccounted for by these models. However, detecting them in a systematic way presents challenges due to the lack of monitoring data for landscapes with high environmental turnover, where such communities are likely to establish. Here, we propose lightweight monitoring over both ecological and anthropogenic disturbance gradients using passive sensors (i.e., those that operate continuously without much human input) to detect novel communities with the aim of updating models that make community composition forecasts. Monitoring over these two gradients should maximize detection of novel communities and improve understanding of relationships between community composition and environmental change. Further, barriers regarding cost and effort are reduced by using relatively few sensors requiring minimal upkeep. Ongoing updates to community composition forecasts based on novel community data and better understanding of the associated uncertainty should improve future decision‐making for both resource management and conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This article takes the opportunity of the recent establishment of two large and remote marine protected areas (MPAs) in Brazilian jurisdictional waters to discuss the role played by large-scale MPAs and their impacts to achieve international goals. After the launching of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in 2010, especially Target 11, which concerns marine areas, some coastal states have created large-scale MPAs as a way of attaining a numerical target, though not necessarily fulfilling other ecosystem commitments. Brazil is the most recent example of this strategy through the establishment of MPAs that seem primarily concerned with international goals rather than effective biodiversity protection. Since the management of these protected areas will be shared between a technical body (Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation) and the Navy, and only a small portion of which will have similar status to "no-take" zone, the new MPAs can hardly be identified as being strongly committed to the marine environment protection. The article ends with some suggestions for improving biodiversity conservation in the Brazilian large-scale MPAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The data paper, an emerging scholarly genre, describes research data sets and is intended to bridge the gap between the publication of research data and scientific articles. Research examining how data papers report data events, such as data transactions and manipulations, is limited. The research reported on in this article addresses this limitation and investigated how data events are inscribed in data papers. A content analysis was conducted examining the full texts of 82 data papers, drawn from the curated list of data papers connected to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Data events recorded for each paper were organized into a set of 17 categories. Many of these categories are described together in the same sentence, which indicates the messiness of data events in the laboratory space. The findings challenge the degrees to which data papers are a distinct genre compared to research articles and they describe data‐centric research processes in a through way. This article also discusses how our results could inform a better data publication ecosystem in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ANIMAL TRAFFIC: Lively Capital in the Global Exotic Pet Trade: By Rosemary-Claire Collard. First is the erasure of social relations that occurs in the commodity fetishism explained by traditional Marxian analyses, and second is Collard's assertion of the erasure of the animals' socio-ecological relations in their (former) biotic communities. These traits are what provide "use value" for humans, and Collard explains that for the commodity transformation to happen, exotic animals "are subject to a double fetishism" (p. 18). [Extracted from the article]

The rock-paper-scissors game is a model example of the ongoing cyclic turnover typical of many ecosystems, ranging from the terrestrial and aquatic to the microbial. Here we explore the evolution of a rock-paper-scissors system where three species compete for space. The species are allowed to mutate and change the speed by which they invade one another. In the case when all species have similar mutation rates, we observe a perpetual arms race where no single species prevails. When only two species mutate, their aggressions increase indefinitely until the ecosystem collapses and only the nonmutating species survives. Finally we show that when only one species mutates, group selection removes individual predators with the fastest growth rates, causing the growth rate of the species to stabilize. We explain this group selection quantitatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion from steep slopes, bare soil, or construction sites is a problem that can create on-site gullies, make revegetation difficult, and adversely affect downstream water bodies and aquatic ecosystems. Mulches have been widely used to mitigate the effects of erosion. One common type of mulch, hydro-mulch, uses shredded wood or paper that is mixed with water and applied with an applicator gun. In this study, conventional wood and paper hydro-mulches were compared with cottonseed hulls and three types of processed cotton gin by-products. The mulches were applied at two rates, 1121 and 2242 kg/ha (1000 and 2000 lb/acre). Comparisons were made on the time to runoff, sediment loss, mulch loss, and mulch coverage (C-Factor). The cottonbased mulches (cottonseed hulls and cotton gin by-products) performed equal to or better than conventional wood and paper mulches in reducing soil loss during a simulated 6.35-cm/h (2.5-in/h) rainfall intensity event. Likewise, a lower percentage of the cotton-based mulches were washed-off during the rain event than with the conventional wood and paper hydro-mulches. The coverage factor and the time to runoff associated with the wood and paper mulches were higher than for any of the cotton-based mulches. Overall, the cotton-based mulches showed promise in erosion control applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WINNER OF THE 2019 BEST PAPER AWARD: Detecting amphibians in agricultural landscapes using environmental DNA reveals the importance of wetland condition I Gabrielle E. Ruso, Christy A. Morrissey, Natacha S. Hogan, Claudia Sheedy, Melanie J. Gallant, and Timothy D. Jardine i https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4598 The greatest challenge facing contemporary ecotoxicology is how to reliably assess ecosystem impacts of chemical pollutants and distinguish it from many other environmental factors. Hitting reset on sediment toxicity: Sediment homogenization alters the toxicity of metal-amended sediments. Comparative lethality of in ovo exposure to PCB 126, PCB 77, and 2 environmentally relevant PCB mixtures in Japanese quail ( I Coturnix japonica i ). [Extracted from the article]

Driven by digital technologies, urban forest development is at its height in China. Guided by the theories of nature- approximating forestry, potential natural vegetation and new succession, and by the Miyawaki Method, this paper explores the digital design of nature-approximating urban forest by innovatively applying widely-accepted theories with digital technologies. The paper reviews the evolution of nature-approximating urban forest and discusses why it is essential to introduce digital technologies into this type of forest's development. Based on the Miyawaki Method, this study proposes a three-step digital design approach to creating nature-approximating urban forest: cognition, simulation, and construction. Also, an empirical study on Xingtai Forest in a Hebei Green Expo Garden is conducted to analyze the digital design methods of nature-approximating urban forest. Steps include 1) cognition of plants to investigate characteristics of natural communities by collecting their key parameters; 2) construction of target communities by simulating natural communities, analyzing and classifying target habitats of designed communities by relevant software, and developing type and pattern designs of target communities; and 3) production of detailed construction schemes by utilizing Grasshopper and Python to generate digital generation clusters, after which planting design drawings and seedling information can be obtained by inputting values of key parameters. This method provides a new perspective on the digital design of nature- approximating urban forest, which helps facilitate urban forest development in an efficient way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowing what the highest-level mammalian carnivores and intermediate levels eat throughout the geography and how human activities may affect their community dynamics is relevant information to focusing and deciding on conservation efforts within a territory. In this review, we characterize geographically the accumulated knowledge about the trophic niche of terrestrial mammalian carnivore species and evaluate the spatial relationship between the species richness distribution and the geographical distribution of their trophic knowledge in Chile. We found 88 peer-reviewed papers that include trophic studies per se, theses, and short notes carried out in Chile, where at least one trophic element was reported for terrestrial mammalian carnivore species. We found a positive relationship between the species richness distribution pattern and the spatial distribution of accumulated trophic knowledge, i.e., most of the papers have been conducted in Central-southern Chile (Central Chile and Temperate Forest ecoregions) responding to the highest co-occurrence of carnivore species within the limits of the biodiversity hotspot, the most threatened area in the country. Despite this general relationship, we recognize gaps in knowledge regarding regions of the country that require more research effort, such as O'Higgins, Maule, and Ñuble regions, as well as focus efforts on certain species with no or almost no knowledge of their trophic ecology, such as Leopardus colocola, Lyncodon patagonicus and Conepatus chinga. Except for the northern Chilean ecosystems, there is a generalized report of high consumption of exotic mammals in the diet of carnivores in the center and south of the country. However, of the 98 localities recognized in the 88 papers, 20.4% correspond to an anthropized environment, while most (79.6%) correspond to a "non-anthropized" environment or protected area. We hope this review allows researchers and decision-makers to consider the knowledge and lack thereof of carnivore trophic interactions as an opportunity to conserve entire natural communities throughout the Chilean territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of the mechanisms which permit ecological communities to maintain high levels of biodiversity is of both theoretical interest and practical importance. Intransitive competition, in which there is no single superior competitor, is known to play an important role in this problem. In this study, we undertake a systematic comparative analysis of how different competition modes and ranges affect community stability in paper–rock–scissors games. We confirm that short-ranged interactions, in combination with cyclic competition, permits relatively stable coexistence. However, in contrast to previous studies, we show that long-range interactions can also produce stable communities. This stability emerges when competition interactions create asymmetries in the opportunities for population growth depending on the abundance of the species. Our findings demonstrate that small differences in the way species compete can qualitatively change dynamic behaviours of the system, and therefore emphasize the importance of correctly identifying these competition modes when designing conservation actions. • We compare system stability among four interaction modes in cyclic competition. • We find that long-ranged competition can also produce stable coexistence. • Small differences in interaction modes qualitatively change dynamic behaviours. • We emphasize the importance of correctly identifying species competition modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The editors of I Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management i and the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) are pleased to announce the selection of Best Papers Published in 2022. BEST PAPER OF THE YEAR 2022 Design, production, and validation of the biological and structural performance of an ecologically engineered concrete block mattress: A nature-inclusive design for shoreline and offshore construction. In their article, Sella and colleagues developed and tested novel concrete blocks for their capabilities as habitat and as coastal structures. [Extracted from the article]

Predator non‐consumptive effects (NCE) are a suite of phenotypic responses of prey to avoid predation that cascade down food webs and can have a stronger impact than predation itself. However, the role of NCE in intraguild interactions remains understudied. Thus, multi‐species experiments based on species traits are needed to improve our understanding of the impact of NCE on community structure.We investigated NCE of ants on 17 spider species as intraguild prey (8 cursorial and 9 sedentary) to test the influence of spider hunting mode on the strength of NCE. Sedentary spiders select a habitat patch and wait for prey, whereas cursorial spiders roam around searching for prey. Because actively foraging organisms have higher encounter rates with predators, cursorial spiders should show stronger reactions to ant presence.We collected cues (footprint hydrocarbons) of the black garden ant Lasius niger on filter papers. Then, we placed spiders individually on the papers and filmed their behaviour once on a paper with cues and once on a cue‐free one. We used the increase in walking activity in the presence of cues as an indicator of avoidance behaviour towards ants.Cursorial spiders spent a longer time moving and being mobile, and had a higher overall mean mobility when exposed to ant cues compared with blank filter papers, whereas sedentary spider species did not react to ant cues at all.The avoidance of ant cues by cursorial spiders corresponds to their higher risk of encountering ants compared with sedentary species, in accordance with the threat‐sensitivity hypothesis. Our multi‐species study shows the relevance of NCE for intraguild interactions and highlights the importance of experimental trait‐based approaches to improve predictability of species interactions and the role of NCE in ecological communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We respond to comments made in the opinion paper by Ainley et al. (Hydrobiologia, 10.1007/s10750-015-2607-4, ) regarding our recent publication on the biology, ecology and life history of Antarctic toothfish ( Dissostichus mawsoni) in the Ross Sea region. We focus in particular on the spatial and temporal extent of data collected from the fishery; results of research to date on changes in abundance and size of Antarctic toothfish at McMurdo Sound; and the subject of neutral buoyancy and inferences about vertical distribution. We conclude by re-iterating the need for well-designed, standardised research programmes to address remaining uncertainties in its life history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term changes in the quantitative and structural characteristics of bacterio-, phyto-, zooplankton, and macrozoobenthos are studied in a water body subject to pollution by effluents of pulp and paper production. The key effect on the state of biocenoses is shown to be due to anthropogenic load and the qualitative changes in the composition of industrial wastes after nature protection measures taken at the plant. Differences are revealed in the character, stages, and direction of transformations in planktonic and benthic communities. The most significant changes in biota have taken place after the commissioning of biological treatment facilities and diffusing wastewater discharge, resulting in accelerated eutrophication of the basin and redistribution of transformed biocenoses over areas within the water body. A decrease in the load during production decline demonstrated the possible deeutrophication of the ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The rock–paper–scissors game–which is characterized by three strategies , satisfying the non-transitive relations excludes , excludes , and excludes –serves as a simple prototype for studying more complex non-transitive systems. For well-mixed systems where interactions result in fitness reductions of the losers exceeding fitness gains of the winners, classical theory predicts that two strategies go extinct. The effects of spatial heterogeneity and dispersal rates on this outcome are analyzed using a general framework for evolutionary games in patchy landscapes. The analysis reveals that coexistence is determined by the rates at which dominant strategies invade a landscape occupied by the subordinate strategy (e.g. rock invades a landscape occupied by scissors) and the rates at which subordinate strategies get excluded in a landscape occupied by the dominant strategy (e.g. scissors gets excluded in a landscape occupied by rock). These invasion and exclusion rates correspond to eigenvalues of the linearized dynamics near single strategy equilibria. Coexistence occurs when the product of the invasion rates exceeds the product of the exclusion rates. Provided there is sufficient spatial variation in payoffs, the analysis identifies a critical dispersal rate required for regional persistence. For dispersal rates below , the product of the invasion rates exceeds the product of the exclusion rates and the rock–paper–scissors metacommunities persist regionally despite being extinction prone locally. For dispersal rates above , the product of the exclusion rates exceeds the product of the invasion rates and the strategies are extinction prone. These results highlight the delicate interplay between spatial heterogeneity and dispersal in mediating long-term outcomes for evolutionary games. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper considers the work that attentiveness can and can't do in generating more ethical relations with non‐humans. How to build better relations with non‐humans has been a central debate in geography and cognate disciplines. These concerns include ethical relations with non‐humans who both pervade and create liveable environments, such as soil biota. Scholars have specifically identified attentiveness as key in generating more‐than‐human ethics. However, how attentiveness may arise, and what work attentiveness may be able to do in generating ethical relations, has not been sufficiently explored. Additionally, soils as relational materialities remain underexplored in social sciences. In this paper, I address these two important gaps in scholarship. Investigating the rising concern with soil biota in conventional English farming, I propose the care network as a way of conceptualising and investigating the ethical potential of attentiveness. As concerns grow about soil degradation, and the dangers this is posing to food production and to human survival, land managers are attending to soil ecosystems as part of caring for their farm businesses. While this attentiveness is producing some transformative effects, its potential is limited by the configuration of the soil care network. As long as soil care is configured primarily as farmers' concern, the potential of attentiveness in generating ethical regard to the needs of soil biota will be limited. In the Conclusions, I suggest ways of expanding attentiveness to soils and of building a wider and practical relational ethic of soil care. I also argue we need more attention in geographic research to attentiveness and care as systemic, unequally distributed, and operating at multiple scales. Human life depends on the life of soil ecosystems. This paper draws attention to soils as underexplored in social sciences, and asks how we may form better ethical and practical relations with soil biota. In doing this, it shows the need for a more nuanced understanding of the work that attentiveness can do in generating more‐than‐human care ethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restoration ecology is a deepening and diversifying field with current research incorporating multiple disciplines and infusing long-standing ideas with fresh perspectives. We present a list of 10 recent pivotal papers exemplifying new directions in ecological restoration that were selected by students in a cross-disciplinary graduate seminar at the University of California, Berkeley. We highlight research that applies ecological theory to improve restoration practice in the context of global change (e.g. climate modeling, evaluation of novel ecosystems) and discuss remaining knowledge gaps. We also discuss papers that recognize the social context of restoration and the coupled nature of social and ecological systems, ranging from the incorporation of cultural values and Traditional Ecological Knowledge into restoration, to the consideration of the broader impacts of markets on restoration practices. In addition, we include perspectives that focus on improving communication between social and natural scientists as well as between scientists and practitioners, developing effective ecological monitoring, and applying more integrated, whole-landscape approaches to restoration. We conclude with insights on recurrent themes in the papers regarding planning restoration in human-modified landscapes, application of ecological theory, improvements to restoration practice, and the social contexts of restoration. We share lessons from our cross-disciplinary endeavor, and invite further discussion on the future directions of restoration ecology through contributions to our seminar blog site . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many ecosystems have been transformed, or degraded by human use, and restoration offers an opportunity to recover services and benefits, not to mention intrinsic values. We assessed whether restoration scientists and practitioners use their projects to demonstrate the benefits restoration can provide in their peer-reviewed publications. We evaluated a sample of the academic literature to determine whether links are made explicit between ecological restoration, society, and public policy related to natural capital. We analyzed 1,582 peer-reviewed papers dealing with ecological restoration published between 1 January 2000 and 30 September 2008 in 13 leading scientific journals. As selection criterion, we considered papers that contained either “restoration” or “rehabilitation” in their title, abstract, or keywords. Furthermore, as one-third of the papers were published in Restoration Ecology, we used that journal as a reference for comparison with all the other journals. We readily acknowledge that aquatic ecosystems are under-represented, and that the largely inaccessible gray literature was ignored. Within these constraints, we found clear evidence that restoration practitioners are failing to signal links between ecological restoration, society, and policy, and are underselling the evidence of benefits of restoration as a worthwhile investment for society. We discuss this assertion and illustrate it with samples of our findings—with regards to (1) the geographical and institutional affiliations of authors; (2) the choice of ecosystems studied, methods employed, monitoring schemes applied, and the spatial scale of studies; and (3) weak links to payments for ecosystem service setups, agriculture, and ramifications for public policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity is essential to the viability of ecological systems. Species diversity in ecosystems is promoted by cyclic, non-hierarchical interactions among competing populations. Central features of such non-transitive relations are represented by the ‘rock–paper–scissors’ game, in which rock crushes scissors, scissors cut paper, and paper wraps rock. In combination with spatial dispersal of static populations, this type of competition results in the stable coexistence of all species and the long-term maintenance of biodiversity. However, population mobility is a central feature of real ecosystems: animals migrate, bacteria run and tumble. Here, we observe a critical influence of mobility on species diversity. When mobility exceeds a certain value, biodiversity is jeopardized and lost. In contrast, below this critical threshold all subpopulations coexist and an entanglement of travelling spiral waves forms in the course of time. We establish that this phenomenon is robust; it does not depend on the details of cyclic competition or spatial environment. These findings have important implications for maintenance and temporal development of ecological systems and are relevant for the formation and propagation of patterns in microbial populations or excitable media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Archives and libraries all over the world suffer from biodeterioration of writings caused by microorganisms, especially fungi. With traditionally used culture-dependent methods, only a small amount of effectively colonising organisms is detected. Restoration and maintenance of written cultural heritage is therefore problematic due to incomplete knowledge of the deterioration agents. In the present study, culture-independent molecular methods were applied to identify fungal communities colonising paper samples of different composition and age. Nucleic-acid-based strategies targeting the internally transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, which are nested in the nuclear rDNA repeats, were selected to investigate the fungal diversity on paper. The ITS regions possess a high variation among taxonomically distinct fungal species and even within the species. With this aim, several molecular biological methods were optimised for working with paper materials. Here, we introduce a DNA extraction protocol, which allowed the direct extraction of PCR-amplifiable DNA from samples derived from different kinds of paper. The DNA extracts were used to amplify either the ITS1 or ITS2 region by using different fungi-specific primer sets. The ITS-amplified regions were subsequently analysed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Conditions for DGGE analysis, gradient, voltage, and running time, were established to accurately discriminate different fungal species in complex communities. Pure fungal strains were used to constitute a marker for further comparative investigations of historic papers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The National Cancer Institute Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR) program provides a series of funding mechanisms to create an ecosystem of open-source software (OSS) that serves the needs of cancer research. As the ITCR ecosystem substantially grows, it faces the challenge of the long-term sustainability of the software being developed by ITCR grantees. To address this challenge, the ITCR sustainability and industry partnership working group (SIP-WG) was convened in 2019.Objective: The charter of the SIP-WG is to investigate options to enhance the long-term sustainability of the OSS being developed by ITCR, in part by developing a collection of business model archetypes that can serve as sustainability plans for ITCR OSS development initiatives. The working group assembled models from the ITCR program, from other studies, and from the engagement of its extensive network of relationships with other organizations (eg, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Open Source Initiative, and Software Sustainability Institute) in support of this objective.Methods: This paper reviews the existing sustainability models and describes 10 OSS use cases disseminated by the SIP-WG and others, including 3D Slicer, Bioconductor, Cytoscape, Globus, i2b2 (Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside) and tranSMART, Insight Toolkit, Linux, Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics tools, R, and REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture), in 10 sustainability aspects: governance, documentation, code quality, support, ecosystem collaboration, security, legal, finance, marketing, and dependency hygiene.Results: Information available to the public reveals that all 10 OSS have effective governance, comprehensive documentation, high code quality, reliable dependency hygiene, strong user and developer support, and active marketing. These OSS include a variety of licensing models (eg, general public license version 2, general public license version 3, Berkeley Software Distribution, and Apache 3) and financial models (eg, federal research funding, industry and membership support, and commercial support). However, detailed information on ecosystem collaboration and security is not publicly provided by most OSS.Conclusions: We recommend 6 essential attributes for research software: alignment with unmet scientific needs, a dedicated development team, a vibrant user community, a feasible licensing model, a sustainable financial model, and effective product management. We also stress important actions to be considered in future ITCR activities that involve the discussion of the sustainability and licensing models for ITCR OSS, the establishment of a central library, the allocation of consulting resources to code quality control, ecosystem collaboration, security, and dependency hygiene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial rock-paper-scissors ecosystem, where three species interact cyclically, is a model example of how spatial structure can maintain biodiversity. We here consider such a system for a broad range of interaction rates. When one species grows very slowly, this species and its prey dominate the system by self-organizing into a labyrinthine configuration in which the third species propagates. The cluster size distributions of the two dominating species have heavy tails and the configuration is stabilized through a complex spatial feedback loop. » We introduce a statistical measure that quantifies the amount of clustering in the spatial system by comparison with its mean-field approximation. Hereby, we are able to quantitatively explain how the labyrinthine configuration slows down the dynamics and stabilizes the system [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric changes could strongly influence how terrestrial ecosystems function by altering nutrient cycling. We examined how the dynamics of nutrient release from leaf litter responded to two important atmospheric changes: rising atmospheric CO2 and tropospheric O3. We evaluated the independent and combined effects of these gases on foliar litter nutrient dynamics in aspen ( Populus tremuloides Michx) and birch ( Betula papyrifera Marsh)/aspen communities at the Aspen FACE Project in Rhinelander, WI. Naturally senesced leaf litter was incubated in litter bags in the field for 735 days. Decomposing litter was sampled six times during incubation and was analyzed for carbon, and both macro (N, P, K, S, Ca, and Mg) and micro (Mn, B, Zn and Cu) nutrient concentrations. Elevated CO2 significantly decreased the initial litter concentrations of N (−10.7%) and B (−14.4%), and increased the concentrations of K (+23.7%) and P (+19.7%), with no change in the other elements. Elevated O3 significantly decreased the initial litter concentrations of P (−11.2%), S (−8.1%), Ca (−12.1%), and Zn (−19.5%), with no change in the other elements. Pairing concentration data with litterfall data, we estimated that elevated CO2 significantly increased the fluxes to soil of all nutrients: N (+12.5%), P (+61.0%), K (+67.1%), S (+28.0%), and Mg (+40.7%), Ca (+44.0%), Cu (+38.9%), Mn (+62.8%), and Zn (+33.1%). Elevated O3 had the opposite effect: N (−22.4%), P (−25.4%), K (−27.2%), S (−23.6%), Ca (−27.6%), Mg (−21.7%), B (−16.2%), Cu (−20.8%), and Zn (−31.6%). The relative release rates of the nine elements during the incubation was: K ≥ P ≥ mass ≥ Mg ≥ B ≥ Ca ≥ S ≥ N ≥ Mn ≥ Cu ≥ Zn. Atmospheric changes had little effect on nutrient release rates, except for decreasing Ca and B release under elevated CO2 and decreasing N and Ca release under elevated O3. We conclude that elevated CO2 and elevated O3 will alter nutrient cycling more through effects on litter production, rather than litter nutrient concentrations or release rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities are increasing the concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide ([CO2]) and tropospheric ozone ([O3]), potentially leading to changes in the quantity and chemical quality of leaf litter inputs to forest soils. Because the quality and quantity of labile and recalcitrant carbon (C) compounds influence forest productivity through changes in soil organic matter content, characterizing changes in leaf litter in response to environmental change is critical to understanding the effects of global change on forests. We assessed the independent and combined effects of elevated [CO2] and elevated [O3] on foliar litter production and chemistry in aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and birch–(Betula papyrifera Marsh.) aspen communities at the Aspen free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiment in Rhinelander, WI. Litter was analyzed for concentrations of C, nitrogen (N), soluble sugars, lipids, lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose and C-based defensive compounds (soluble phenolics and condensed tannins). Concentrations of these chemical compounds in naturally senesced litter were similar in aspen and birch–aspen communities among treatments, except for N, the C:N ratio and lipids. Elevated [CO2] significantly increased C:N (+8.7%), lowered mean litter N concentration (–10.7%) but had no effect on the concentrations of soluble sugars, soluble phenolics and condensed tannins. Elevated [CO2] significantly increased litter biomass production (+33.3%), resulting in significant increases in fluxes of N, soluble sugars, soluble phenolics and condensed tannins to the soil. Elevated [O3] significantly increased litter concentrations of soluble sugars (+78.1%), soluble phenolics (+53.1%) and condensed tannins (+77.2%). There were no significant effects of elevated [CO2] or elevated [O3] on the concentrations of individual C structural carbohydrates (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin). Elevated [CO2] significantly increased cellulose (+37.4%) input to soil, whereas elevated [O3] significantly reduced hemicellulose and lignin inputs to soil (–22.3 and –31.5%, respectively). The small changes in litter chemistry in response to elevated [CO2] and tropospheric [O3] that we observed, combined with changes in litter biomass production, could significantly alter the inputs of N, soluble sugars, condensed tannins, soluble phenolics, cellulose and lignin to forest soils in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article offers news briefs in the U.S. Australian radiosondes monitor a large area of the Southern Hemisphere have experienced so many changes that unadjusted temperature trends of the bulk atmosphere computed from their soundings are suspect. Quantification of carbon exchange in forest ecosystems needs a unique sampling strategy. Strong vertical wind shear usually will weaken even mature hurricanes.

Nonlinear dynamic systems theory originally began as an attempt to understand interactions in both living and nonliving systems such as ecosystems and cloud formations. Because it is a field and systems theory, dynamic systems concepts offer a rich source of patented applications to the psychoanalytic situation. This article first briefly reviews some basic dynamic systems principles. The clinical material presented by Dr. Pickles is then discussed with an effort to apply dynamic systems concepts. In particular, the notions of introducing novelty and the need for measured perturbation as part of the process of analytic change are emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen cycling in northern temperate forest ecosystems could change under increasing atmospheric CO2 and tropospheric O3 as a result of quantitative and qualitative changes in plant litter production. At the Aspen Free Air CO2–O3 Enrichment (FACE) experiment, we previously found that greater substrate inputs to soil under elevated CO2 did not alter gross N transformation rates in the first 3 years of the experiment. We hypothesized that greater litter production under elevated CO2 would eventually cause greater gross N transformation rates and that CO2 effects would be nullified by elevated O3. Following our original study, we continued measurement of gross N transformation rates for an additional four years. From 1999 to 2003, gross N mineralization doubled, N immobilization increased 4-fold, but changes in microbial biomass N and soil total N were not detected. We observed year-to-year variation in N transformation rates, which peaked during a period of foliar insect damage. Elevated CO2 caused equivalent increases in gross rates of N mineralization (+34%) and NH immobilization (+36%). These results indicate greater rates of N turnover under elevated CO2, but do not indicate a negative feedback between elevated CO2 and soil N availability. Elevated O3 decreased gross N mineralization (−16%) and had no effect on NH immobilization, indicating reduced N availability under elevated O3. The effects of CO2 and O3 on N mineralization rates were mainly related to changes in litter production, whereas effects on N immobilization were likely influenced by changes in litter chemistry and production. Our findings also indicate that concomitant increases in atmospheric CO2 and O3 could lead to a negative feedback on N availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite and in situ observations are used to test model dynamics for the California Current System (CCS). The model and data are combined to reconstruct the mesoscale ocean structure during a given three-week period. The resulting physical flow field is used to drive a 3D ecosystem model to interpret SeaWiFS and in situ chlorophyll- a (chl- a ) variations. With this approach a more complete and consistent picture of the physical and ecosystem processes of the CCS is obtained, providing the basis for addressing fundamental questions about dynamics and predictability of the coastal ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restoration of degraded ecosystems can be constrained by uncertainty over former conditions and the relevance of the past given recent changes. It can be difficult to differentiate among contrasting hypotheses about past ecosystem function, and restoration efforts can emphasize species reestablishment without integrating the ecological and cultural processes that once determined their occurrence. As a case study, we analyzed historical descriptions of an endangered oak grassland ecosystem in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, to determine former conditions and assess their validity for defining restoration targets. Twenty-three documents described this ecosystem from 1790 to 1951. Comparison of early survey records with contemporary occurrences suggests habitat loss of >95%. The identity and former range of most native plant species were poorly described, but accounts of ecosystem structure revealed a diversity of floral communities that has been much simplified. Fire, most likely set by indigenous peoples, interacted with edaphic and topographic factors to create this structural diversity. European settlers intensively modified the ecosystem with grazing, cultivation, and introduced flora. These transformations partly explain the current high levels of plant invasion. Restoration must target the ecosystems' former structural diversity and the ecological and cultural processes that maintained it. Given the recent impacts of fire suppression, habitat loss, and plant invasion, however, land managers must balance the reestablishment of historical processes with their potential negative effects in sites with numerous at-risk species. This ecosystem was, and remains, part of a culturally modified landscape, where human activity has maintained unforested areas for millennia but now promotes mostly exotic flora. Although pre-European conditions cannot be fully restored, the historical data provided restoration insights unobtainable from current biological studies emphasizing the end point of long-term ecological change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine if non-native plant species are homogenizing species composition among widely dispersed plant communities. Twenty localities in North America. Species lists among localities were compared to measure the influence of non-native species richness at each locality on the Jaccard Index (JI) of similarity between localities. After removing the effects of distance, because shared native species decreased with distance, three (nonexclusive) lines of evidence indicate that non-native species promote homogenization. First, pairs of sites with a high combined total of non-native species tend to have higher similarity than those with a low total of non-natives. Second, for a given distance, more non-native than native species tended to be shared among localities. Third, whereas most of the site comparisons with high total non-native richness have a non-native/native JI ratio greater than 1 (often much greater), only half of the comparisons with low total non-native richness have a ratio greater than one. These findings provide quantitative support for the widely held, but rarely tested, notion that non-native species tend to homogenize biological communities because they are more commonly shared among communities. Such testing is important as non-native species could theoretically have no impact or even reduce homogenization among communities, if non-native colonizers consist of different species pools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive dieback of salt marsh dominated by the perennial grass Spartina alterniflora occurred throughout the Mississippi River deltaic plain during 2000. More than 100,000 ha were affected, with 43,000 ha severely damaged. The aim of this work was to determine if sudden dieback could have been caused by a coincident drought and to assess the significance of this event with respect to long-term changes in coastal vegetation. Multiple dieback sites and reference sites were established along 150 km of shoreline in coastal Louisiana, USA. Aerial and ground surveys were conducted from June 2000 to September 2001 to assess soil conditions and plant mortality and recovery. Dieback areas ranged in size from ∼300 m2−5 km2 in area with 50–100% mortality of plant shoots and rhizomes in affected zones. Co-occurring species such as Avicennia germinans (black mangrove) and Juncus roemerianus (needlegrass rush) were unaffected. Historical records indicate that precipitation, river discharge, and mean sea level were unusually low during the previous year. Although the cause of dieback is currently unknown, plant and soil characteristics were consistent with temporary soil desiccation that may have reduced water availability, increased soil salinity, and/or caused soil acidification (via pyrite oxidation) and increased uptake of toxic metals such as Fe or Al. Plant recovery 15 months after dieback was variable (0–58% live cover), but recovering plants were vigorous and indicated no long-lasting effects of the dieback agent. These findings have relevance for global change models of coastal ecosystems that predict vegetation responses based primarily on long-term increases in sea level and submergence of marshes. Our results suggest that large-scale changes in coastal vegetation may occur over a relatively short time span through climatic extremes acting in concert with sea-level fluctuations and pre-existing soil conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European vegetation during representative “warm” and “cold” intervals of stage-3 was inferred from pollen analytical data. The inferred vegetation differs in character and spatial pattern from that of both fully glacial and fully interglacial conditions and exhibits contrasts between warm and cold intervals, consistent with other evidence for stage-3 palaeoenvironmental fluctuations. European vegetation thus appears to have been an integral component of millennial environmental fluctuations during stage-3; vegetation responded to this scale of environmental change and through feedback mechanisms may have had effects upon the environment. The pollen-inferred vegetation was compared with vegetation simulated using the BIOME 3.5 vegetation model for climatic conditions simulated using a regional climate model (RegCM2) nested within a coupled global climate and vegetation model (GENESIS-BIOME). Despite some discrepancies in detail, both approaches capture the principal features of the present vegetation of Europe. The simulated vegetation for stage-3 differs markedly from that inferred from pollen analytical data, implying substantial discrepancy between the simulated climate and that actually prevailing. Sensitivity analyses indicate that the simulated climate is too warm and probably has too short a winter season. These discrepancies may reflect incorrect specification of sea surface temperature or sea-ice conditions and may be exacerbated by vegetation–climate feedback in the coupled global model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Contaminated sediments at a pulp mill and former chor-alkali effluent treatment facility in Nova Scotia, Canada will undergo remediation. However, baseline studies assessing contaminants in marine biota in the marine receiving environment are lacking. Historical qualitative and quantitative contaminant data in biota from Boat Harbour (a former tidal lagoon which was used to treat industrial effluent since 1967), and surrounding marine environment were reviewed to establish baseline pollution from industrial effluent and contaminated sediments. Elevated metal, dioxins and furan concentrations previously measured in marine biota needs updating to help inform pre-remediation monitoring. Selection of species, contaminants of concern and sampling locations were ad hoc and often inconsistent with environmental effects monitoring requirements under Canadian federal Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations. These consolidated baseline data are required to determine historical impacts and to assist future monitoring during Boat Harbour sediment remediation to compare against. Unlabelled Image • Contaminated sediments from industrial effluents are poised for remediation. • Contaminant data in marine biota were reviewed to establish baseline conditions. • Metal, dioxin and furan concentrations in marine biota dated and inconsistently reported. • Historical studies of contaminants in marine biota are lacking. • New baseline data required to compare to future monitoring during remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Litter decay dynamics of paper birch (Betula papyrifera) were assessed at the Aspen free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) facility in northern Wisconsin, USA. Leaf litter was decomposed for 12 months under factorial combinations of 360 vs. 560 μL CO2 L−1, crossed with 36 vs. 55 nL O3 L−1. To differentiate between substrate quality and environment effects, litterbags were placed in their Native Plots of origin or transplanted into the other treatments. CO2 enrichment, regardless of O3 concentration, produced poorer quality litter (high C/N, lignin/N and condensed tannins) than did ambient CO2 (low C/N, lignin/N and condensed tannins). Substrate quality differences were reflected in the mass loss rates (k-values), which were high for litter generated under ambient CO2 (0.887 year−1) and low for litter generated under elevated CO2 (0.674 year−1). The rate-retarding effects of CO2 enrichment were neither alleviated nor exacerbated by O3 exposure. Decay rates varied, however, depending on whether litter was placed back into its plot of origin or transplanted to Common Gardens. The results of this study are species specific, but they have important implications for understanding the processes regulating storage of fixed C and the release of CO2 from northern forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Canada, Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) programs exist within two regulations: the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations and the new Metal Mining Effluent Regulations under the Canadian Fisheries Act. EEM provides a biological, effects-based feedback loop to assess the effectiveness of technology-based regulations in protecting receiving environments. The promulgation of the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations, in 1992, represented a significant step forward in the Canadian regulatory approach by incorporating directly into a regulation a requirement to assess the effects of effluent discharges on receiving environments using proven scientific monitoring methodologies. Similarly, an assessment of the aquatic impacts of mines resulted in recommendations to amend the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations, recently promulgated in 2002, and includes an EEM program as a science-based feedback loop. As such, these regulations recognize the possibility that national, technology-based standards may not necessarily protect all receiving environments because of the diversity and variability of both discharges and receiving sites across the country. Since that time, EEM has improved its flexibility by considering both advances in science and the uniqueness of monitoring sites across Canada to allow the most appropriate and cost-effective monitoring approaches at each site while maintaining national consistency. This paper discusses the use of monitoring under two Canadian regulations to assess effects on aquatic ecosystems. As well, the National EEM approach to maintaining up-to-date scientific practices in a national regulatory program is discussed using examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All over the world, individuals rely on forests for food security, nutrition, and the sustenance of their livelihoods. Forests serve as a source of personal and economic consumption, where harvested products are used directly or sold for profit. Consequently, forests play a crucial role in ensuring food security and supporting the livelihoods of people worldwide. In South Africa, natural forests and woodlands hold particular significance for the well-being of rural communities. These ecosystems provide a variety of socio-economic and ecological benefits to communities residing within or near such forested areas. The Dukuduku forest is an integral part of a sensitive ecosystem at both national and continental levels. It is intricately connected to the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, contributing to the economic development and natural diversity of South Africa. Thus, discussing one area without considering the other is impossible. This paper relies on a combination of archival sources, including newspapers, research reports, and various written and oral accounts gathered from interviews with land claimants, community leaders, traditional leaders, local farmers, and residents of the area. The central argument posited is that the primary source of conflict in the Dukuduku forest arises from the state's efforts to displace forest residents whose livelihoods have historically depended on the forest. The paper aims to illustrate that the racialization of the destruction of this indigenous forest has not served the interests of either the state or environmentalists. Forest residents have employed diverse strategies to resist evictions, resulting in the substantial destruction of the forest and at least sixty percent of the flood plain along the uMfolozi River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the application of the Linear Quadratic Optimal Control (LQOC) method for a parameter optimization problem in a marine ecosystem model. The ecosystem model simulates the distribution of nitrogen, phytoplankton, zooplankton and detritus in a water column with temperature and turbulent diffusivity profiles taken from a three-dimensional ocean circulation model.We present the linearization method which is based on the available observations. The linearization is necessary to apply the LQOC method on the nonlinear system of state equations. We show the form of the linearized time-variant problems and the resulting two algebraic Riccati Equations. By using the LQOC method, we are able to introduce temporally varying periodic model parameters and to significantly improve -- compared to the use of constant parameters -- the fit of the model output to given observational data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new generation of an Earth System Model now includes a number of land surface processes directly relevant to analyzing potential impacts of climate change. This model, HadGEM2-ES, allows us to assess the impacts of climate change, multiple interactions, and feedbacks as the model is run. This paper discusses the results of century-scale HadGEM2-ES simulations from an impacts perspective--specifically, terrestrial ecosystems and water resources--for four different scenarios following the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs), being used for next assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Over the 21st Century, simulated changes in global and continential-scale terrestrial ecosystems due to climate change appear to be very similar in all 4 RCPs, even though the level of global warming by the end of the 21st Century ranges from 2°C in the lowest scenario to 5.5°in the highest. A warming climate generally favours broadleaf trees over needleleaf, needleleaf trees over shrubs, and shrubs over herbaceous vegetation, resulting in a poleward shift of temperate and boreal forests and woody tundra in all scenarios. Although climate related changes are slightly larger in scenarios of greater warming, the largest differences between scenarios arise at regional scales as a consequence of different patterns of anthropogenic land cover change. In the model, the scenario with the lowest global warming results in the most extensive decline in tropical forest cover due to a large expansion of agriculture. Under all four RCPs, fire potential could increase across extensive land areas, particularly tropical and sub-tropical latitudes. River outflows are simulated to increase with higher levels of CO2 and global warming in all projections, with outflow increasing with mean temperature at the end of the 21st Century at the global scale and in North America, Asia, and Africa. In South America, Europe, and Australia, the relationship with climate warming and CO2 rise is less clear, probably as a result of land cover change exerting a dominant effect in those regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Innotec is the property of Laboratorio Tecnologico del Uruguay and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Innotec is the property of Laboratorio Tecnologico del Uruguay and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We address the question why papers dealing with the ecology of primates are so sparsely represented in the general ecological literature. A literature analyses based on entries in Web of Science and PrimateLit reveals that despite a large number of papers published on primates in general and on the ecology of primates, only a very small fraction of these papers is published in high-ranking international ecological journals. We discuss a number of potential reasons for the disproportion and highlight the problems associated with experimental research on wild primates and constraints on sample size as major issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]