Buddleia davidii in Britain: History and development of an associated fauna

Buddleia davidii was introduced to Britain in the 1890s and began to colonise waste land and building sites in the 1930s. It now occurs in almost every town, especially on calcium-rich soil to which it is highly tolerant. No native or introduced plant produces flowers that are so attractive to butterflies and other insects. Eleven species of Lepidoptera caterpillars are known to feed on buddleia leaves or flowers, among them Cucullia verbasci, previously restricted to the Scrophulariaceae. The shrub is in every sense a useful introduction, exploiting a previously unfilled niche, and its development of an associated fauna as well as the attractiveness of its flowers to nectar-feeding insects makes it a welcome addition to the British flora.     

Changes in status of the frog (Rana temporaria) and the toad (Bufo bufo) on part of the East Anglian Fenland in Britain

An attempt has been made to determine fluctuations in status of the frog (Rana temporaria) and the toad (Bufo bufo) on parts of the Fens (10 km squares TL38, 39, 48 and 49). Information from Fenland workers indicated that both species were common from at least as far back as 1900 up until the 1930s. Severe declines occured in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1970s both species were very rare. Improved drainage and the marked change from pasture to arable, with associated loss of suitable wet and damp habitat, are believed to have been responsible for the early decreases. Again, loss of habitat was likely to be the main factor causing the later declines, but pesticides probably also contributed. At present, about half of the dykes containing water at a depth which frogs in other areas normally select for spawning dry out before tadpole metamorphosis would be completed.     

Covadonga National Park,Asturias, Spain. Its history,conservation interest and management problems

The Covadonga National Park was the first to be established (1918) in Spain and is one of the oldest in Europe. Its fauna and flora include many species of interest and the park area is representative of the prevailing ecosystem throughout the wet zone of Spain neighbouring the Cantabrican mountain range. Its history is complex, having been influenced by different political ideologies dominant within the Government. The last few years have been particularly critical as the massive promotion of the country's tourism has led to the occupation of even the most wild and remote areas.For its future protection it would be advisable to adopt basic reforms which should include an extension of its present limits and the reintroduction of species which have recently disappeared.     

Analysis of the bark of scots pine as a method of studying environmental changes

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) bark was tested as a material for long-term analysis of forest growth changes. Material representing about 20 yr before 1912 as well as the 20 yr before 1980 detached from trees grown in the same area was analyzed by the PIXE method. The concentrations of ten elements (Si, S, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, and Zn) were determined. No clear long-term trends were seen in ‘old’ bark samples (before 1912), while in ‘new’ samples (before 1980) increasing trends were detected for Ca and Fe. Pine bark seems to be a promising source of data for a time series analysis, also because it is inert after its formation, readily available in coniferous forests and easy to handle as a sample material.     

Reports on establishing an ex situ site for ‘beautiful’ vavilovia (Vavilovia formosa) in Armenia

Vavilovia (Vavilovia Fed.) is one of the five genera in tribe Fabeae and consists of only one species, ‘beautiful’ vavilovia (Vavilovia formosa (Stev.) Fed.). The main centre of distribution is the Central and Eastern Caucasus, with a disjunct distribution among high alpine areas in the region, extending as far as West Turkey, Lebanon and Iran. In Armenia, in situ studies on Vavilovia started in the late 1930s. In July and August 2009, three expeditions were conducted to two locations: two to the Ughtasar Mountain and one to the Geghama Mountains. The first expedition to Ughtasar resulted in fresh plant collections and soil analysis for one of the sites. The expedition to Geghama established the existence of Vavilovia in the region of Lake Aknalitch. The second expedition to Ughtasar provided immature fruits and seeds. Collected plant material was transplanted into the Flora and Vegetation of Armenia plot of the Yerevan Botanic Garden established in 1940. Today, along with other plants the plot contains more than 200 species of wild relatives of cultural plants from 130 genera, including indiginous species of tribe Fabeae such as Vavilovia. The transplanted plants will continue to be monitored to see if the plants go on to successfully flower and set seed or whether further sites, possibly at higher altitudes might need to be tested to meet the long term conservation requirements of this iconic legume. These co-ordinated efforts provide a good example of an ex situ conservation strategy for Vavilovia formosa, which, if successful will improve access and utility for the whole legume research community.     

Changes of stomatal parameters of four typical species in the Loess Plateau of China over the last century

Abstract

The variation and correlations of the stomatal densities, lengths, widths, areas in four C₃ species of the Loess Plateau from 1930s to 2002 were studied. The response of stomatal density to climatic change differed among the four species. Over the years from 1930s to 2002, the stomatal density did not change in Quercus liaotungensis, rising only by 1.32%, and slightly decreased by 9.79% in Ostryopsis davidiana. However, the stomatal density decreased significantly by 27.86% and 46.85% in Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa and Sophora viciifolia, respectively. The influences of climatic change on other stomatal parameters were also species-specific. The stomatal length, width, and area varied more significantly in Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa than in Quercus liaotungensis and Ostryopsis davidiana over the last century. The correlation analysis among the stomatal parameters of the three species showed that there were positive correlations among the stomatal length, width and area, but there were negative correlations between the stomatal length, width, area and density.     

Negligible influence of elevated UV-B radiation on leaf litter quality of Quercus robur

We tested whether elevated UV-B radiation applied to Quercus robur, a principal climax species of northern Europe, would influence concentrations of polyphenolics (Folin–Denis tannins and lignin), phenylpropanoid moieties of lignin, carbohydrates (monosaccharides and holocellulose), or nutrient elements (K, Ca, Mg, P and N) in recently-abscised leaf litter. Saplings of Q. robur were exposed for 2 years at an outdoor facility in the UK to a 30% elevation above the ambient amount of erythemally-weighted UV-B (280–315 nm) radiation under arrays of fluorescent lamps with cellulose diacetate filters, which transmitted both UV-B and UV-A (315–400 nm) radiation. Saplings were also exposed to elevated UV-A alone under arrays of lamps with polyester filters and to ambient radiation under non-energised arrays of lamps. We found little evidence that elevated UV-B radiation influenced leaf litter quality. Data pooled for both years indicated an 8% increase in vanillic acid concentration in litter from polyester-filtered lamp arrays, relative to non-energised arrays, and 8% and 6% increases, respectively, in concentrations of acetovanillone in litter from polyester- and cellulose diacetate-filtered lamp arrays, relative to non-energised lamp arrays. Arabinose concentration in litter from cellulose diacetate-filtered lamp arrays was 3% higher than in litter from polyester-filtered arrays, and glucose concentration in litter from cellulose-diacetate filtered lamp arrays was increased by 6%, relative to non-energised arrays. There were no main effects of elevated UV on the concentrations of holocellulose, polyphenolics or nutrient elements. We conclude that exposure to elevated UV-B does not substantially influence the initial chemical composition of Q. robur leaf litter and that any increases in UV-B radiation arising from ozone depletion over northern mid-latitudes will be unlikely to affect nutrient cycling and decomposition in Quercus woodlands through effects on litter quality alone.     

Declines in forage availability for bumblebees at a national scale

We assessed national scale changes in the forage plants of bumblebees in Britain, as a means of providing quantitative evidence for the likely principal cause of declines in bumblebee species. We quantified the relative value of native and long-established plant species as forage (nectar and pollen) resources for bumblebees by collating visitation data from 14 field sites across Britain. Twentieth Century changes in range and frequency of these forage plants were assessed using data from the New Atlas of the British and Irish Flora (1930-1969 to 1987-1999) and the Countryside Surveys of Britain (1978-1998). Forage plants declined in both large-scale range and local-scale frequency between the two survey periods. These changes were of greater magnitude than changes in other native plant species, reflecting serious reductions in quality of foraging habitats for bees as well as a general decline in insect-pollinated plants. Seventy-six percent of forage plants declined in frequency within 1-km squares, including those (e.g. Trifolium pratense) of particular value for threatened bumblebee species. We consider how our findings relate to other recorded changes in the British flora, how they may help to explain declines in bumblebees and how they could contribute to a conservation strategy.     

Dynamics of early wolf and cougar eradication efforts in Montana: implications for conservation

Bounty records from Montana (1902-1930) were used to better understand spatial and temporal response of wolves (Canis lupus) and cougars (Puma concolor) to an eradication program. Number of payments for wolves declined from a high of 4116 in 1903 to 0 by 1928. Numbers of cougar pelts fluctuated, but generally declined from 177 in 1908 to 2 in 1930. An inverse spatial relationship existed between density of payments for wolves and cougars. Payments for wolves were greatest in the Prairie ecoregion, while payments for cougars were greatest in the Montane. The ratio of pup to adult wolves also was greatest in the Prairie ecoregion and least in the montane. If distribution and frequency of bounty payments were a reflection of the distribution and abundance of wolves, populations were highest and most productive in areas where they currently do not occur.     

Influence of the proximity and amount of human development and roads on the occurrence of the red imported fire ant in the lower Florida Keys

We examined the influence of both the proximity and extent of human developments and paved roads on the presence of the predatory, non-indigenous, red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta). This species was inadvertently introduced into the United States at the port of Mobile, Alabama, around 1930 and rapidly spread to many southeastern states, including Florida. More recently, S. invicta colonized the Florida Keys, an area with a high proportion of rare and endemic vertebrate and invertebrate species. We placed bait transects in transitional salt-marsh, pineland, and hardwood hammocks on 13 of the lower Florida Keys and compared habitat type, the shortest distance of the bait transect to a development or road, and area of development and roads 50, 70, 100, and 150 m around each bait transect for areas with and without red imported fire ants. Red imported fire ants were detected on 21 of the 80 transects and were equally abundant in all habitat types. While all of the development and road variables differed significantly between bait transects with and without red imported fire ants, transects that were closest to roads and that had the largest amount of development within a 150 m radii had the highest probability of presence of red imported fire ants. Recovery efforts for endangered species in areas invaded by red imported fire ants should include analyses of the cumulative impacts of roads and developments in areas near protected lands.     

What is the impact of Impatiens glandulifera on species diversity of invaded riparian vegetation?

Effect of invasion by Impatiens glandulifera (Balsaminaceae) on the community characteristics and species composition of invaded riparian communities was studied at six rivers in the Czech Republic. Two approaches were used: space for time substitution approach, i.e., comparing invaded and uninvaded sites under the same habitat conditions, and removal of the invader from experimental plots. Differences in the number of species, Shannon diversity index H′ and evennes J were compared between invaded and uninvaded plots. Uninvaded plots of the comparative study harboured by 0.23 more species per 16 m², and had higher value of H′ and J, calculated with species covers as importance values; however only the difference in J was marginally significant (p = 0.04). Other effects were not significant, indicating that once I. glandulifera is removed, communities recover without any consequences for species diversity. Multivariate analysis did not reveal any effect of invasion on the species composition in terms of species presence but their cover hierarchies changed after the invasion, as I. glandulifera became dominant at the expense of tall native nitrophilous dominants. It is concluded that I. glandulifera exerts negligible effect on the characteristics of invaded riparian communities, hence it does not represent threat to the plant diversity of invaded areas. This makes it very different from other Central European invasive aliens of a similar performance.     

Bryophyte species richness on boulders: relationship to area, habitat diversity and canopy tree species

Bryophytes growing on siliceous boulders (diameter 50-200 cm) were studied in two forests in east-central Sweden to investigate the influence of different canopy tree species on the bryophyte species richness. Granite boulders lying below crowns of Ulmus glabra (elm), Fraxinus excelsior (ash), Acer platanoides (maple), Quercus robur (oak), Betula pendula (birch), and Picea abies (Norway spruce) were studied in two mixed stands. Both boulder area and within-boulder habitat diversity were positively related to species richness. Boulders below the base-rich deciduous trees F. excelsior, U. glabra and A. platanoides held roughly twice as many species as those below P. abies, with Q. robur and B. pendula as intermediates. The rank order among trees was as expected from bark pH and litter decomposability in the literature. We also used sample plots to investigate species richness at a smaller scale. Within plots, intermediate levels of litter, inclination and exposed rock promoted species richness, and also the covering tree species had an effect. Individual plots were on average not more species-rich on large boulders than on small ones. This leads us to conclude that population extinctions on the plot-level, and re-colonisations from other parts of the boulder, are less important for species richness than within-boulder habitat diversity. Since species richness was lower under P. abies it is important to favour a diversity of tree species and to include base-rich deciduous trees in otherwise homogeneous Picea forests.     

Size Related Mercury Accumulations in Edible Marine Species from an Area of the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea

Mercury concentrations were studied in important edible species from an area of the northern Tyrrhenian Sea, near Mt. Amiata (Tuscany, Italy), affected by mercury contamination. The studied species were: Nephrops norvegicus (Norway lobster), Parapenaeus longirostris (pink shrimp), Merluccius merluccius(hake) and Eledone cirrhosa (horned octopus). From the results it was found that in N. norvegicus and M. merluccius the accumulation was exponential, while in the other two species it was linear. In females ofN. norvegicus, a sharper increase of Hg concentration beyond three centimetres of carapace length was observed and explained by the reduction in growth rate after sexual maturity. In M. merluccius, the metal concentration increased sharply after 40 cm of length, probably due to a reduction in growth rate over this size. In P. longirostris no statistically significant difference between the slope of the linear regressions of males and that of females was found. In Eledone cirrhosa nomercury accumulation difference between the two sexeswas found. The metal concentration was generally highin all the studied species, with a maximum of 4.2 μg g^-1 of fresh weight in N. norvegicus.     

Preferred nesting sites of bumblebee queens (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in agroecosystems in the UK

Bumblebees (Bombus spp.) have undergone a documented Europe-wide decline in recent years, mostly attributable to destruction of forage and nest sites caused by agricultural intensification. This study was set up to quantify species-specific nest-site preferences of observed UK species for various types of field and forest boundary habitat. In total, 1287 observations were made of seven common bumblebee species; nest-searching behaviour was taken as being indicative of nest site preference. There was interspecific variation in preferred habitat, with some species found to be much more specific in their choice of nest site than others. A strong association was found between those species that are known to prefer subterraneous nesting and those habitats that contained banks (Bombus terrestris, B. lapidarius and B. lucorum); other species were strongly associated with tussock-type vegetation (B. pascuorum, B. hortorum and B. ruderarius). In order to safeguard the continued existence of bumblebee species it is clear that a variety of field and forest boundary types need to be conserved; this has positive implications for the conservation of other species of flora and fauna associated with agroecosystems.     

Elevated CO2 and plant species diversity interact to slow root decomposition

Changes in plant species diversity can result in synergistic increases in decomposition rates, while elevated atmospheric CO₂ can slow the decomposition rates; yet it remains unclear how diversity and changes in atmospheric CO₂ may interact to alter root decomposition. To investigate how elevated CO₂ interacts with changes in root-litter diversity to alter decomposition rates, we conducted a 120-day laboratory incubation. Roots from three species (Trifolium repens, Lespedeza cuneata, and Festuca pratense) grown under ambient or elevated CO₂ were incubated individually or in combination in soils that were exposed to ambient or elevated CO₂ for five years. Our experiment resulted in two main findings: (1) Roots from T. repens and L. cuneata, both nitrogen (N) fixers, grown under elevated CO₂ treatments had significantly slower decomposition rates than similar roots grown under ambient CO₂ treatments; but the decomposition rate of F. pratense roots (a non-N-fixing species) was similar regardless of CO₂ treatment. (2) Roots of the three species grown under ambient CO₂ and decomposed in combination with each other had faster decomposition rates than when they were decomposed as single species. However, roots of the three species grown under elevated CO₂ had similar decomposition rates when they were incubated alone or in combination with other species. These data suggest that if elevated CO₂ reduces the root decomposition rate of even a few species in the community, it may slow root decomposition of the entire plant community.     

Species richness and zoogeographic affinities of earthworms in Cyprus

A new survey taken in the East Mediterranean island of Cyprus showed an increase in the number of earthworm species (from the six recorded earlier to 16). These species belong to two earthworm families: Lumbricidae (15 species) and Acanthodrilidae (one species). The majority of these species are autochthonous (57–64%) and five to seven species (36–44%) were introduced. The autochthonous species are (i) endemic of the Levant (Dendrobaena semitica), (ii) distributed in Anatolia and the Caucasus (D. pentheri), (iii) distributed from Europe up to Anatolia (Allolobophora nematogena, D. pantaleonis, Proctodrilus tuberculatus) (iv) distributed from Europe up to the Levant (Murchieona minuscula), (v) distributed in the Transcaucasian region and in the East Mediterranean (Helodrilus patriarchalis), or (vi) widely distributed along the Mediterranean basin (D. byblica, Eiseniella neapolitana, and Octodrilus complanatus). The data obtained indicate that the Cypriote earthworm fauna is significantly richer in species than previously thought and that it has more zoogeographic affinities with the Anatolian fauna than with those of Levant.     

Investigation and evaluation of the genus Lilium resources native to China

China is known as an important distribution center for the genus Lilium, with 55 species having been reported in the country thus far. This study was conducted to provide the first comprehensive evaluation of Lilium distribution in China. A total of 27 species of Lilium and 3 varieties were found to exist in the main centers of Lilium distribution in China; these species were identified and classified based on their morphological characteristics. The distribution and botanical characteristics of the various species are reviewed in this study. We also describe differences, mainly in flower color within the same species, which may be representative of new natural varieties or ecotypes. An analytical hierarchy process (AHP) utilizing 16 indicator characteristics was used to evaluate the collected Lilium resources based on their ornamental value, utilization potential, and ecological adaptability. L. dauricum received the highest AHP scores, indicating that it was the species best suited for sustained exploitation. In addition, L. henryi, L. rosthornii, L. tsingtauense, L. concolor var. pulchellum, L. lancifolium, and species with trumpet–shaped flowers also showed better potential for exploitation than other species. This study also provides references regarding the effective exploitation and use of wild Lilium resources.     

Just passing through: Global change and the conservation of biodiversity in protected areas

Climate and land-use changes are expected to cause many species to shift into or beyond the boundaries of protected areas, leading to large turnover in species composition. Here, we tested whether long-established protected areas in Canada were more robust to such climate change impacts than areas with no formal protection by measuring changes in modeled butterfly species distributions (n = 139) within them. We used a recently established distribution modeling technique, Maxent, to model butterfly species’ distributions in two epochs (1900-1930 and 1960-1990). We compared rates of butterfly species richness and composition change within protected areas against distributions of randomly selected, ecologically similar, but non-protected, areas. Change in species richness and composition within protected areas were, for the most part, the same as changes observed among random areas outside protected area boundaries. These results suggest that existing protected area networks in Canada have provided little buffer against the impacts of climate change on butterfly species richness, possibly because land-use change surrounding long-standing protected areas has not been substantial enough to elevate the habitat protection afforded by these protected areas relative to other areas. Although protected areas are unarguably beneficial in conserving biological diversity, their capacity to maintain habitat appears insufficient to prevent broader-scale climate changes from sweeping species beyond their boundaries.     

Does the positive feedback effect of nematodes on the biomass and activity of their bacteria prey vary with nematode species and population size?

Two nematode species (Cruznema tripartitum and Acrobeloides bodenheimeri) were selected to test the hypotheses that bacterial-feeding nematodes affect bacterial biomass and activity and that this feedback effect varies with nematode species and population size. For each species, nematodes of three initial population sizes were inoculated onto bacterial colonies in separate microcosms. Nematode population, bacterial biomass and CO₂ production were monitored in parallel microcosm settings. The responses of bacterial biomass to nematode species were different. Bacterial biomass increased significantly on d 8 in the presence of Acrobeloides when its initial numbers were 20 and 100 per microcosm; and bacterial biomass increased significantly on d 4 in the presence of Cruznema when its initial numbers were 5 and 20 per microcosm. Daily CO₂ production of the microcosms with initial population sizes of 5, 20 and 100 Cruznema or of 5 and 100 Acrobeloides was significantly greater than that in microcosms without nematodes. However, the CO₂ production of the microcosms with initial population of 20 Acrobeloides was not significantly different from that of the microcosms without nematodes. The increase in daily CO₂ production per microcosm by Cruznema was generally greater than that by Acrobeloides for the first few days of the experiment. Nevertheless, the increase in daily CO₂ production by an individual nematode was similar for both species and was a decreasing function of the initial nematode numbers. The feedback effect of each nematode species on its bacterial prey was estimated by fitting both bacterial biomass and CO₂ production data to a model. Model outputs demonstrated that the feedback effect of Cruznema on bacteria was greater than that of Acrobeloides during the course of the experiment and the feedback effect of each species was not linearly correlated to initial nematode population sizes. Cruznema increased bacterial biomass and activity by a factor of 3.75-4.55 over the first 4 d, while Acrobeloides increased it by a factor between 1.97 and 3.40.     

Soil reinforcement by the roots of six dominant species on eroded mountainous marly slopes (Southern Alps,France)

In marly catchments of the French Southern Alps, the development of plant root systems is essential to increase slope stability and mitigate soil erosion, prevalent in this area. In a context of land restoration, it is important to be able to evaluate plant efficiency for soil reinforcement. This paper presents the results of investigations carried out on six dominant species from marly gullies. It aims to compare the additional soil cohesion they provide at the early stages of their development. The six following species were collected: two tree species, Pinus nigra and Quercus pubescens, two shrubby species, Genista cinerea and Thymus serpyllum, and two herbaceous species, Achnatherum calamagrostis and Aphyllantes monspeliensis. For each of them, we measured root tensile strength and root area ratio in order to calculate the potential root reinforcement and to compare species suitability to prevent shallow mass movements. Results showed significant differences between species. The herbaceous species A. monspeliensis and the shrubby species G. cinerea provided the highest increase in soil shear strength while the tree species, P. nigra and Q. pubescens were the least efficient. These results, along with the knowledge on vegetation dynamics and species response to erosive constraint, allow us to better evaluate land vulnerability to erosion and the efficiency of restoration actions in eroded marly lands.