Brillouin Diversity Index Research Articles

The impact of a dam on the helminth fauna and health of a neotropical fish species Salminus brasiliensis (Cuvier 1816) from the upper Paraná River, Brazil

The aim of the present study was to detect changes in the structure of the helminth parasite infracommunities in Salminus brasiliensis (Cuvier 1816) from the floodplain of the upper Paraná River after construction of the Porto Primavera Hydroelectric Plant. A total of 126 fish in the period before the dam's construction and 56 specimens 10 years after this event were analysed. Three species of parasites were collected before the construction of the dam: Prosthenhystera obesa Diesing, 1850 (Digenea), Cladocystis intestinalis Vaz, 1932 (Digenea) and Monticellia coryphicephala Monticelli, 1892 (Cestoda), and one nematode species in the larval stage, whose identification was not possible. After dam construction, the following helminth parasites were found: C. intestinalis, M. coryphicephala, Octospiniferoides incognita, Contracaecum spp. larvae and Contracaecum sp. type 2 larvae Moravec, Kohn & Fernandes 1993. The diversity of helminth parasites measured by the Brillouin diversity index (HB) differed significantly between the pre- and post-dam periods (mean HB = 0.069 and HB = 0.2, respectively; P= 0.0479; Mann-Whitney U test). The parasite community of S. brasiliensis before the construction of the dam showed concentration of dominance (C) of P. obesa (C = 0.38), while there was no concentration of dominance of any species of parasite (C = 0.22) after the dam's construction. Before the Porto Primavera dam the relative condition factor of fish was 1.0; after the dam's construction it was 0.93 (P < 0.0001; Mann-Whitney U test). This study records the disappearance of the species P. obesa and suggests that there has been local extinction of this parasite. The results show that the anthropic influence on natural systems is interfering with the welfare and health of S. brasiliensis, reflected by its fauna of helminth parasites.

Post-fire succession indices performance in a Mediterranean ecosystem

We sought to quantify early species succession (covering a 9 year period) after a natural wildfire in an unmanaged Mediterranean-type ecosystem across three different soil types. We examined different indices that are frequently used in literature as for their sensitivity and ability in tracing vegetation changes during a post-fire succession. Field data from a forest in Sithonia peninsula, northern Greece, during a period of 10 years after a fire event were used as a case study. In order to detect the best model fit of diversity and evenness indices we used pseudovalues generated with the jackknife method. The index of evenness and diversity with the lowest coefficient of variation scores were selected as the ones with the best model fit. In order to select the abundance model with the best model fit we compared the difference of the observed abundances data from the jackknife-predicted ones using the Akaike information criterion. According to our results, in rich and medium soil types, the best diversity ecosystem index from the ones examined was the (inverse) Berger–Parker one, while in poor soil types the Simpson or Brillouin diversity index. According to our results, in rich and medium soil type Mediterranean ecosystems, a good biodiversity ecosystem descriptor is based on how abundant is the most abundant species. In poor soil types where there are fewer species, and the percentage of cover is lower, indices that account for the relative representation of species within the community structure are better biodiversity ecosystem descriptors. All evenness indices examined but the Smith–Wilson were good ecosystem descriptors. The abundance model that showed the best model fit was the log series one. The poor fit of the Smith–Wilson’s index suggests that in species poor ecosystems the number of species is more important than species variance.

Seasonality of Parasitic Copepods on Bullseye Puffer, Sphoeroides annulatus (Pisces: Tetraodontidae), From the Northwestern Coast of Mexico

Seasonal occurrence of parasitic copepods in wild bullseye puffer, Sphoeroides annulatus (Pisces: Tetraodontidae), was analyzed in conjunction with variation of biotic and abiotic factors. Eleven samples were taken between February 2007 and February 2008 in Santa María La Reforma lagoon (northwestern coast of México). In total, 337 fish was examined; 5 parasitic copepod species were observed, including Acantholochus zairae , Caligus serratus , Lepeophtheirus simplex , Pseudochondracanthus diceraus , and Parabrachiella sp. The most common species were L. simplex , P. diceraus, and C. serratus (overall prevalence, 59, 53, and 35%, respectively), which significantly varied in prevalence and mean intensity between sampling months. A seasonal pattern was only observed for L. simplex, with higher infection levels in the warmest month than in the coldest month. Statistical analyses indicated that the intensity of L. simplex was positively correlated with water temperature. There were no significant differences in prevalence and intensity of infection among female and male hosts. At the component community level, species richness ranged between 4 and 5 during most of the study period, and no seasonality was observed in the number of individuals, Shannon diversity index, evenness index, or the Berger-Parker dominance index. At the infracommunity level, 4 descriptors used (mean species richness, mean number of individuals, mean Brillouin's diversity index, and mean Berger-Parker index) varied significantly between sampling months, but no seasonality was observed, except for a slight increase in the number of individuals during the warmest month. A significant positive association was detected between number of individuals and water temperature and between host size and both species richness and number of individuals. This is the first account of the ecology of these 5 parasitic copepods. Although no significant association was detected between fish condition factor and the burden of parasitic copepods, given the high occurrence of the caligid copepod L. simplex , we suggest that this copepod could represent a threat for the culture of S. annulatus .

Ontogenetic Variation in Parasite infracommunities of the Clingfish Sicyases sanguineus (Pisces: Gobiesocidae)

This study analyzed the variation of the parasite infracommunities and their relationship with the diet and spatial distribution of the clingfish Sicyases sanguineus during its ontogeny. In total, 154 clingfish were collected from the intertidal and the upper subtidal zone of Pacific Ocean along the central Chilean coast. A wide range in body length (1.4-34.5 cm) was observed, including juvenile and adult specimens. Eleven parasite species were found in the clingfish, i.e., 2 Copepoda, 2 Hirudinea, 1 Monogenea, 5 Digenea, and 1 Cestoda. The prevalence, total abundance, Brillouin's diversity index, and the infracommunity species richness increased with fish body length. The parasite communities, the diet, and the spatial distribution changed during clingfish ontogeny, specifically between juveniles (<20 cm body length [BL]) and adults (>20 cm BL). When fish reached a 20-cm BL, a considerable increment in abundance and species richness of parasites was observed; this coincided with an increase in the number of prey items in the diet and with a change of the fish from the intertidal into the subtidal zone. Therefore, the ontogeny of S. sanguineus is important for the variation of parasite infracommunities, which also was associated with dietary and spatial distribution shifts of this fish.

Helminth parasites of stellate sturgeon Acipenser stellatus Pallas, 1771 and Persian sturgeon Acipenser persicus Borodin, 1897 (Pisces: Acipenseridae) from the South–East Caspian Sea

A total of 182 specimens of two sturgeon species, stellate sturgeon Acipenser stellatus (N=112) and Persian sturgeon Acipenser persicus (N=70), from three coastal stations in the South-East Caspian Sea were examined for endohelminth parasites. Four helminth species were recorded: Cucullanus sphaerocephala (Nematoda: Cucullanidae) and Skrjabinopsolus semiarmatus (Digenea: Acanthocolpidae), found in both host species, and Leptorhynchoides plagicephalus (Acanthocephala: Rhadinorhynchidae) and Amphilina foliacea (Cestodaria: Amphilinidae), found only in A. stellatus. The most abundant parasites were C. sphaerocephala and S. semiarmatus in A. persicus and A. stellatus, respectively. Canonical discriminant analysis was applied for separating host species using parasite numbers data, Brillouin index of diversity, and species richness. By this means, 83% of the hosts were assigned to their correct a priori groups. The different feeding habits and habitat preferences of the two hosts are probably the major factors accounting for the difference in their parasite burdens.

The Mussels of Muddy Creek on Erie National Wildlife Refuge

A qualitative mussel survey was performed on Muddy Creek, a tributary to French Creek in Crawford County, PA, within the boundaries of the Erie National Wildlife Refuge. Riffle-run-pool sequences were sampled at 20 locations in the study area using visual and tactile timed-search techniques. Live specimens represented by 22 species were encountered at a rate of 54 individuals per person-hour and included the federally-endangered Pleurobema clava (clubshell) and Epioblasma torulosa rangiana (northern riffleshell) as well as four Pennsylvania state-imperiled species. Evidence of recruitment in the clubshell population was found in excavated quadrats and by hand-collecting. Brillouin diversity indices ranged from 0.35–2.88 over the study area, with a mean (SD) of 1.67 (0.59). The three most abundant species were Actinonaias ligamentina, Amblema plicata, and Lasmigona costata, while the three most rare were Anodontoides ferussacianus, E. torulosa rangiana, and Villosa fabalis. The high diversity of mussels along with the presence of federally listed and state-imperiled species warrants a pro-active approach to future protection of the aquatic resources of Muddy Creek.

Agricultural management affects communities of culturable root-endophytic fungi in temperate grasslands

Three grassland sites of similar physical characteristics but differing management histories were chosen to test the hypothesis that agricultural disturbance has a deleterious effect on the diversity of culturable root-endophytic fungi and favours potentially pathogenic species. Species abundance data were collected for fungi isolated from surface sterilised root samples. Brillouin index of diversity, Twinspan and detrended correspondence analysis were applied to the community data. Quantitative ordination separated the samples by site showing that the communities differed in fields of contrasting management and this was supported by data from a microcosm experiment. Species presence and absence appeared to be affected seasonally; site differences were manifested in relative abundance. Diversity did not appear to vary by site, but a methodological explanation for this is proposed. Sterile dark septate endophytes were shown to be among the most abundant groups at all sites.

Fitossociologia e diversidade de espécies arbóreas em cabruca (mata atlântica raleada sobre plantação de cacau) na Região Sul da Bahia, Brasil

Na região sul da Bahia a maior parte das lavouras de cacau foi implantada sob a mata nativa raleada, em um sistema conhecido como cabruca. Em uma área de 2,6 ha de cabruca, foi realizado o levantamento fitossociológico das árvores com DAP 5 &gt; ou = cm utilizadas no sombreamento do cacau, objetivando caracterizar a diversidade de espécies, composição e estrutura dessa comunidade. Foram encontrados nessa área 138 indivíduos, pertencentes a 41 espécies e 25 famílias, com 20,0 m² de área basal e 471,5 m³ de volume cilíndrico. As espécies que apresentaram maiores porcentagens de Importância de Wisconsin foram: Spondias lutea L. (9,7%), Pithecelobium polycephalum Benth. (9,4%), Inga affinis Benth. (7,0%) e Cedrela odorata L. (7,0%). O índice de diversidade de Shannon foi 3,35 e o de Brillouin 2,96. O diâmetro à altura do peito (DAP) variou de 5,0 cm a 126,8 cm. A altura variou de 4,5 m a 39,4 m, com média de 15,9 m. Foram encontradas convivendo na área espécies nativas (pioneiras, de florestas secundárias e de florestas primárias) e exóticas. Comparações feitas com outros trabalhos em áreas de cabruca mostram que estas apresentam uma alta diversidade de espécies arbóreas e são heterogêneas em estrutura, o que é influenciado pelo histórico de implantação e manejo das áreas.

The impact of interdisciplinary research in the environmental sciences: a forestry case study

Interdisciplinary research has been identified as a critical means of addressing some of our planet's most urgent environmental problems. Yet relatively little is known about the processes and impacts of interdisciplinary approaches to environmental sciences. This study used citation analysis and ordinary least squares regression to investigate the relationship between an article's citation rate and its degree of interdisciplinarity in one area of environmental science; viz., forestry. Three types of interdisciplinarity were recognized—authorship, subject matter, and cited literature—and each was quantified using Brillouin's diversity index. Data consisted of more than 750 articles published in the journal Forest Science during the 10-year period 1985–1994. The results indicate that borrowing was the most influential method of interdisciplinary information transfer. Articles that drew information from a diverse set of journals were cited with greater frequency than articles having smaller or more narrowly focused bibliographies. This finding provides empirical evidence that interdisciplinary methods have made a measurable and positive impact on the forestry literature.

The impact of interdisciplinary research in the environmental sciences: a forestry case study

Interdisciplinary research has been identified as a critical means of addressing some of our planet's most urgent environmental problems. Yet relatively little is known about the processes and impacts of interdisciplinary approaches to environmental sciences. This study used citation analysis and ordinary least squares regression to investigate the relationship between an article's citation rate and its degree of interdisciplinarity in one area of environmental science; viz., forestry. Three types of interdisciplinarity were recognized: authorship, subject matter, and cited literature, and each was quantified using Brillouin's diversity index. Data consisted of more than 750 articles published in the journal Forest Science during the 10-year period 1985-1994. The results indicate that borrowing was the most influential method of interdisciplinary information transfer. Articles that drew information from a diverse set of journals were cited with greater frequency than articles having smaller or more narrowly focused bibliographies. This finding provides empirical evidence that interdisciplinary methods have made a measurable and positive impact on the forestry literature.

Comunidades de Chironomidae e outros macroinvertebrados em um rio tropical de planície - rio Bento Gomes MT

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Intestinal ciliates found in the feces of Japanese native Tokara pony, with the description of a new genus and a new species.

The composition of intestinal ciliates excreted in the feces of 20 Tokara native ponies kept in Iriki farm of Kagoshima University was surveyed. Eleven genera consisting of 18 species were identified based on the description of Strelkow. One new genus including a new species, Wolskana tokarensis n. gen., n. sp., of the family Buetschliidae was recognized and described. The average ciliate density of all horses was 13.8 x 10(3)/ml. Those of stallions (n = 5), mares (n = 11) and foals (n = 4) were 3.9, 16.1 and 43.3 x 10(3)/ml respectively. The value of stallions was significantly lower and that of foals higher than that of mares. Brillouin's diversity index of all horses was 1.554 on average. The index of stallions, 1.470, was significantly lower than those of mares, 1.539, and foals, 1.698. The average number of species per host was 11.7.

Um procedimento para o cálculo do índice de diversidade de Brillouin

The purpose of this note is to make possible the obtainment of common logarithm of factorial values above 499, making feasible the utilization of Brillouin's Diversity Index.

Parasite community diversity in two Mediterranean labrid fishes Symphodus tinea and Labrus merula

Examination of 111 peacock wrasse [Symphodus tinea (L.)] and 97 brown wrasse (Labrus merula L.) from the Valencian coast (Spain) yielded 24 metazoan parasite species (11 Digenea, three Cestoda, four Nematoda. one Acanlhocephala, five Crustacea). Eighteen species were from 5. tinea and 17 from L. merula; 11 of the 24 species were common to both hosts. Brillouin's diversity index, was applied to fully censused parasite infracommunities. This is the first time that all the metazoan parasites (internal and external) in any position in the host have been analysed for diversity. High values of prevalence, intensity, and diversity parameters indicate that these labrid fishes support diverse parasite communities. This may be due to their diverse diet, mainly marine invertebrates which are possible intermediate hosts; they also support certain netnatodes and crustaceans which have direct life‐cycle.

Diversity and community comparison indices: Assessing macroinvertebrate recovery following a gasoline spill

Diversity and community comparison indices were evaluated to determine their utility in quantifying macroinvertebrate response to a catastrophic gasoline spill into Wolf Lodge Creek, Idaho, U.S.A. The Shannon and Brillouin diversity indices, and the following community comparison indices were analyzed: (1) Jaccard's coefficient of similarity; (2) Renkonen's percentage similarity; (3) Bray-Curtis index; (4) Morisita's similarity index; (5) simplified Morisita index; (6) Canberra metric index; and (7) average χ 2 index. The Bray-Curtis and average χ 2 community comparison indices were more effective in quantifying differences in macroinvertebrate composition between gas-impacted and reference areas of Wolf Lodge Creek following the spill. In addition, these indices tracked the progressive spatial recolonization of macroinvertebrates during the 16 month recovery period. All other indices tested failed to adequately quantify macroinvertebrate community response to the gasoline spill.

EFFECTS OF COAL PILE RUNOFF ON STREAM QUALITY AND MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITIES1

ABSTRACTSamples of coal pile runoff, Georges Creek water, and macrobenthos above and below two coal storage areas along Georges Creek, Allegany County, Maryland, were collected in July, August, and September 1982, and February and July 1983. Coal pile runoff was collected under high‐ and low‐flow conditions. Water samples were analyzed for Hg, Zn, As, Fe, Mn, Al, SO4−2, pH, filterable and non‐filterable residue, conductivity and acidity. Leachate from coal piles along Georges Creek contained high concentrations of heavy metals, particularly manganese, aluminum and zinc. Iron and sulfate were very high and the pH ranged from 1.4 to 3.1. Georges Creek water had much lower concentrations of metals, iron and sulfate and a pH of about 7.0. The distribution of macrobenthos in Georges Creek showed the effects of both runoff from coal storage piles and periodic drought. Brillouin's diversity index values were low even in areas which did not dry. Densities of tubificid worms and chironomid larvae were very high above the coal storage areas where organic inputs were high. At all the rest of the sampling stations, macroinvertebrate densities were very low. Where coal pile runoff enters Georges Creek, it compounds the effects of periodic drought and further stresses the aquatic community.

The evolution of agonistic behavior in amblyopsid fishes

Agonistic behavior observed in the Amblyopsidae was analyzed using Brillouin's diversity index. Agonistic behavior was not observed in Chologaster cornuta. Chologaster agassizi and Ambloypsis spelaea, the least cave adapted subterranean species in each subfamilial lineage, engaged in relatively intense, complex agonistic bouts. In contrast, the more highly cave adapted species, Typhlichthys subterraneus and Ambloypsis rosae, engaged in simpler, less intense bouts which were considerably shorter in length. Dominance appeared to be size related in C. agassizi and A. spelaea, dependent on prior residency in A. rosae and possibly a combination of size and prior residency in Typhlichthys. Regressive evolution resulting from reduced selective pressures is seen as the most probable explanation for the observed reduction in agonistic behavior.

A procedure for the routine biological evaluation of urban runoff in small rivers

A rationale and stepwise procedure for the biological evaluation of urban runoff in small rivers is described. The protocol is predicated on the application of the Brillouin diversity index to collections of benthic macroinvertebrates isolated from artificial substrates in the course of a year.