Ecological Profile Research Articles

Anthropogenic changes in environmental conditions of phytocoenoses of medium sized-sized Ukrainian river valleys (based on the example of the River Tyasmyn – a tributary of the Dnieper)

The problem of anthropogenic degradation of rivers is usually marked by its multi-sectoral and often international character as well by the large number of sources of environmental threat. Therefore, its solution requires a systematic approach based on transparent and coordinated interagency and international cooperation. The River Dnieper inUkrainehas undergone a remarkable transformation as a result of the construction of a cascade of reservoirs. Anthropogenic damage to the plants and soil that cover its basin have caused damage to the functioning of ecological regimes of theDnieper’s tributaries. Small and medium-sized rivers are dying. In this article, attention is paid to a typical middle-sized (164 km) river of theDnieperBasin, the Tyasmyn. Its middle and lower parts are located in the overtransformed Irdyn-Tyasmyn valley. During the last glaciation it formed the central part of the right arm of the ancientDnieper. Regulation of the Tyasmyn runoff, pollution, the creation of theKremenchugreservoir on theDnieper, grazing and recreational load have led to the threat of the river degrading. Therefore, the aim of this article is to characterize the structure of the herbaceous vegetation in the central and lower parts of the Tyasmyn valley and assess the level of its dependence on anthropogenic changes in the conditions of the ecotypes. The methods used are: retrospective and system analysis, comparative ecology (ecological profile or transect), botanic methods, phytoindication, the mapping method and mathematical statistics. The features of changes in environmental conditions of ecotypes of the river valley have been shown through systematic, biomorphological, ecomorphic structure of the herbaceous cover, the ratio of ecological groups and changes in types of ecological strategy of species, phytodiversity. We found 89 species of vascular plants. The most diverse families were Asteraceae, Poaceae and Lamiaceae. The biomorphological range of phytodiversity of the Tyasmyn valley is characterized by a high proportion of adventive and ruderal species, dominance of vegetative mobile species and disturbed distribution of all spectrum types for coenotic morphs. Depletion of the floristic composition and formation of monodominant groups in the middle of the valley were found. The overall measure of phytodiversity reached its maximum in the areas furthest from the mouth of the valley, lower towards the valley mouth and lowest in the area of pasture and recreational digression. Perennial hemicryptophytes and therophytes dominate the spectrum of life forms. Herbaceous plants without rosettes prevailed in the structure of above ground shoots and placement of leaves, while plants without special adaptations prevail in the structure of underground shoots. In the hydromorph structure with increasing distance from the mouth of the river there is a tendency for the share of hydrophytes, subhydrophytes to fall and, conversely, that of submesophytes to increase. Hygromesophytes and mesophytes prevail almost everywhere. Changes in the acidomorphic and nitromorphic structure of plants were not found. Semieutrophes, hemieurytopic, hemistenotopic plants and types of transitional groups of ecological strategies, including CR-, CS-, and CRS-strategies prevail. Vegetation of middle and lower flow of the river Tyasmyn degrades at stages II–IV of anthropogenic transformation.

RIVER ECOLOGICAL STUDY: BUILDING THE KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR VARIETY OF ASSESSMENTS SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE IN NEPAL

Climate change is now universally acknowledged to be taking place across the globe. It is generally presumed that the impacts of climate change would be more severe in the country like Nepal due to its location, physiography, poverty and lack of preparedness to cope with the changes. The last reason is mainly associated with knowledge, information and ability to use technologies based on science.The main objective of this research is to analyze and evaluate the effects of climate change by taking fish as an indicator. However, an even more important outcome is to prepare a solid foundation of fish-based information, which could be used in the future as a reference for a variety of purposes including the study of climate change. Two sets of examples, one in the tributaries of a glacial river and another in the tributary of a rain -fed river are compared in terms of fish ecological attributes to test for effects of climate change. In addition to fish-based information, this research also studies physico-chemical parameters and benthic fauna so as to build up an ecological profile of the rivers.

The Urban Heat Island and its spatial scale dependent impact on survival and development in butterflies of different thermal sensitivity.

Climate alteration is one of the most cited ecological consequences of urbanization. However, the magnitude of this impact is likely to vary with spatial scale. We investigated how this alteration affects the biological fitness of insects, which are especially sensitive to ambient conditions and well‐suited organisms to study urbanization‐related changes in phenotypic traits. We monitored temperature and relative air humidity in wooded sites characterized by different levels of urbanization in the surroundings. Using a split‐brood design experiment, we investigated the effect of urbanization at the local (i.e., 200 × 200 m) and landscape (i.e., 3 × 3 km) scale on two key traits of biological fitness in two closely related butterfly species that differ in thermal sensitivity. In line with the Urban Heat Island concept, urbanization led to a 1°C increase in daytime temperature and an 8% decrease in daytime relative humidity at the local scale. The thermophilous species Lasiommata megera responded at the local scale: larval survival increased twofold in urban compared to rural sites. Urbanized sites tended to produce bigger adults, although this was the case for males only. In the woodland species Pararge aegeria, which has recently expanded its ecological niche, we did not observe such a response, neither at the local, nor at the landscape scale. These results demonstrate interspecific differences in urbanization‐related phenotypic plasticity and larval survival. We discuss larval pre‐adaptations in species of different ecological profiles to urban conditions. Our results also highlight the significance of considering fine‐grained spatial scales in urban ecology.

Computational prospecting the great viral unknown.

Bacteriophages play an important role in host-driven biological processes by controlling bacterial population size, horizontally transferring genes between hosts and expressing host-derived genes to alter host metabolism. Metagenomics provides the genetic basis for understanding the interplay between uncultured bacteria, their phage and the environment. In particular, viral metagenomes (viromes) are providing new insight into phage-encoded host genes (i.e. auxiliary metabolic genes; AMGs) that reprogram host metabolism during infection. Yet, despite deep sequencing efforts of viral communities, the majority of sequences have no match to known proteins. Reference-independent computational techniques, such as protein clustering, contig spectra and ecological profiling are overcoming these barriers to examine both the known and unknown components of viromes. As the field of viral metagenomics progresses, a critical assessment of tools is required as the majority of algorithms have been developed for analyzing bacteria. The aim of this paper is to offer an overview of current computational methodologies for virome analysis and to provide an example of reference-independent approaches using human skin viromes. Additionally, we present methods to carefully validate AMGs from host contamination. Despite computational challenges, these new methods offer novel insights into the diversity and functional roles of phages in diverse environments.

Impact on primary production by mesoscale eddies in the northwest South China Sea: A case study by satellite and field observation

Phytoplankton biomass and production coupled with environmental parameters were investigated in northwestern South China Sea during the South China Sea Open Cruise by R/V “Shiyan 3” in September 2009. Both satellite and in situ data indicated that cold eddy decreased sea surface temperature and enhanced Primary production (PP) around Xisha Island adjacent sea. Nutricline, thermocline and chlorophyll a contour line were coincident generally in the eastern part of the Y area, indicating the impact of hydrological processes on ecological and environmental profiles. PP decreased with the increasing water depth in the euphotic layer, and the maximum value appeared in the surface layer. The surface PP value was 0.59 mgC m−3 h−1 and the integrated primary production (IPP) was 250 mgC m−2 d−1 at Y2, slightly lower than that at X5, with the surface PP value of 0.66 mgC m−3 h−1 and the IPP value of 259.33 mgC m−2 d−1. The descend range of IPP in Y area was higher than the ascensional range in X area, indicating that the impact of cold eddy on phytoplankton biomass and production was more obvious than the impact of the warm eddy in this study.

Recovery of the algae and macroinvertebrate benthic community after Didymosphenia geminata mass growths in Spanish rivers

This study aims to assess the ecological profile of the invasive alga Didymosphenia geminata in NW Spain, analysing the biotic and abiotic factors related to the presence of massive colonies and their effect on river benthos. Physical and chemical parameters were measured in three infested rivers during 2009 and 2010, and biological samples of benthic community were taken according to standard protocols. Collected data was compared with that of control stations located in the same rivers but presenting no evident infestations. The autoecology shown by D. geminata in this study supports former observations reporting the expansion of its ecological niche, with current velocity and nutrients concentrations the environmental variables that best explain the establishment and development of mats in the studied rivers. Regarding its impact, it was observed that the mass growths of this diatom produced a dramatic change in the composition of the algae and macroinvertebrate benthic community which persisted after their disappearance. These results led to the development of a geostatistical predictive model to identify potential risk of dispersion of this diatom in Spanish rivers. The expected distribution of this algae according to this model agreed in general with the actual observed infestations, thus validating it as a tool to prevent and manage future infestations.

The Wine: Typicality or Mere Diversity? The Effect of Spontaneous Fermentations and Biotic Factors on the Characteristics of Wine

Abstract Wine is probably one of the main fermented beverages for which the recognition of the “territoriality” is fundamental for its appreciation. The sensory profile of wine is significantly affected by microbial activities, and indigenous microorganisms may significantly contribute to the expression of wine typicality. The microbial ecology of wines is complex and includes several species and strains of yeasts, bacteria and molds. Several works showed the positive effects of spontaneous fermentations on the quality of wine as a consequence of the growth of different species and/or strains together at high levels. Furthermore, a new style of “natural” winemaking is gaining importance, since the resulting wines are obtained thanks to the action of spontaneous autochthonous agents and the use of chemical addition is not allowed. In this contest, natural winemaking could provide enhanced opportunities for products with unique characters and popularly recognized as typical. The present work reports on microbial ecology and molecular profile characterizing natural large-scale vinifications, and an innovative procedure, named “fortified pied de cuve”, to accelerate the alcoholic fermentation performed spontaneously is also reported. Furthermore, this work reports on how the biotic factors, such as migratory birds, contribute in disseminating of wine-related yeasts over long distances, opening up new fields of research that will allow to unravel connection between wine and environmental factors.

Сигма-синтаксоны острова Врангеля

The vegetation cover of Wrangel Island has been investigated according to the symphytosociological approach, with sigma-syntaxon as a base category. This approach was laid by European phytosociologists (Tüxen, 1973; Géhu, 1986; Schwabe, 1989), and later was developed in our country (Gogoleva et al., 1987; Naumova et al., 1987; Golub, Chorbadze, 1991) and in North America (Ansseau, Grandtner, 1990). The classification of territorial units of vegetation cover has become possible after the concept of complex vegetation was justified. European phytosociologists (Krause, 1952) have proposed the concept of geographical vicariants of complex or mosaic vegetation. In our country the equivalent of widely understood European complex vegetation have become the concept of phytocoenochora (Sochava, 1972). The main unit of the study is a sigma-association which consists of a set of closely related phytocoenochoras. Last were identified in the field based on landscape ecological method and profiles one. Phytocoenochora consists of communities or elements, each of which is assigned to a specific syntaxon according to a floristic classification of vegetation (Kholod, 2007). Sigma-syntaxa have been obtained in the course the tabular data processing: the rows of the table are syntaxa, columns – concrete phytocoenochoras (sigma-relevé). The basis of the sigma-syntaxon is a diagnostic group consisting of a series of differential syntaxa and constant one. To identify the sigma-associations a threshold of 10 specific sigma-relevés was adopted. The typological unit was named a sigma-type if the number of relevés is smaller. In total 53 sigma-syntaxa of which 13 – sigma-associations and 40 — sigma-types were determined for Wrangel Island. These typological categories were combined in units of a higher hierarchical rank — sigma-unions, some are preliminary. An algorithm of sigma-syntaxa record consists of following categories: Composition, Structure, Environment, Location. This algorithm repeats in general the scheme of syntaxa record, but has a number of features that distinguish it from the latter. Syntaxonomic composition of phytocoenochoras, size of their area, coefficient of classification differentiation are considered in the section Composition. The last coefficient reflects the degree of typological proximity of syntaxa included in the diagnostic group of sigma-association. This section also discusses some indicators of species diversity: mean species richness of communities and the total number of species in the sigma-association (levels of α- and γ-diversity, respectively). Index of Whittaker describes a differentiating (-β) diversity. Section Structure provides severalparameters: synusia which is common to all elements of phytocoenochora, index of fractionality or complexity, which is the inverse of the average area of phytocoenochora,s element, uniformity of differentiation measure which is required to display the degree of equality of element areas. In addition, this section lists the types of vegetation structures, previously developed for the territory in question. The parameters of the shape of polygons like the coefficient of dissection and the index of elongation-roundness are used. The Location section presents position of sigma-syntaxa elements in relief or in drain-geochemical series of landscapes as well as their place in zonal category.

Light Response of Seedlings of a Central African Timber Tree Species, Lophira alata (Ochnaceae), and the Definition of Light Requirements

AbstractLight is of primary importance in structuring tropical tree communities. Light exposure at seedling and adult stages has been used to characterize the ecological profile of tropical trees, with many implications in forest management and restoration ecology. Most shade‐tolerance classification systems have been proposed based on empirical observations in a specific area and thus result in contradictions among categories assigned to a given species. In this study, we aimed to quantify the light requirements for seedling growth of a Central African timber tree, Lophira alata (Ochnaceae), taking into account effects of population origin. In two controlled experiments: a light response experiment and a comparative population experiment, conducted in southwestern Cameroon, using seeds collected from four populations (three from Cameroon and one from Gabon), we examined the quantitative responses to irradiance of seedlings. After 2 years, mortality was very low (<3%), even in extremely low irradiance. Growth and biomass allocation patterns varied in response to light, with intermediate irradiance (24–43%) providing optimal conditions. Light response differed between populations. The Boumba population in the northeastern edge of the species' distribution exhibited the highest light requirements, suggesting a local adaptation. As a result of positive growth at low irradiance and maximum growth at intermediate irradiance, we concluded that L. alata exhibits characteristics of both non‐pioneer and pioneer species. Implications of our results to propose an objective way to assign the light requirement for tropical tree species are discussed.

Specific features of the spatial distribution pattern of vegetation in the eastern part of the Zaisan Depression

The spatial regularities of the plant cover in the eastern part of the Zaisan Depression were analyzed on three ecological profiles. In the piedmont plains of the Kurshum and Manrak Ridges, the distribution pattern of plant communities is determined by the altitude above sea level, mesoelements of the topography, the formation rate of the soil cover, and the salinity of soils and soil-forming rocks. Plant communities in the Black Irtysh River Sands are formed with respect to the relief, age, and wind redeposition of sands; soil salinization in the depressions between levees; and groundwater depth and mineralization.

STUDY OF AUTUMN-WINTER WEEDS IN PORTUGAL AND ITS ECOLOGICAL PREFERENCES

ABSTRACTThe conclusion of the dam project located in Alqueva, in Southern Portugal, has resulted in a significant increase of new irrigated areas, since 2006. This has meant that, in recent years, there have been progressive flora changes in farming systems traditionally implemented in the Alentejo region. The present work has analyzed the weed flora in an early stage of these changes, and the impact of environmental factors on the distribution of natural vegetation under Mediterranean climate conditions in the influence area of Alqueva. In 2007, 105 floristic surveys were carried out in autumn-winter crop plots or other soil use, and 264 species were identified. Families with higher expression were: Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Fabaceae. Only three species have been identified in more than half of farms, Avena sterilis, Phalaris minor and Lolium rigidum and they were part of the 15 species that revealed high and very high infestation degrees. Soil texture and extractable phosphorus have been determined as active ecological factors, according to the method of ecological profiles and Mutual Information. Therefore, these factores were those with the greatest influence on the species distribution. L.rigidum distribution showed to be associated with medium soil texture and A.sterilis distribution also showed to be associated with medium and fine soil texture soils, without showing ecological preference by extractable phosphorus. The distribution of P.minorwas not related to the soil texture but showed preference for soils with medium phosphorus content.

Aerobic biotransformation studies of two trifluoromethoxy-substituted aliphatic alcohols and a novel fluorinated C3-based building block

Abstract Fluorinated substances play a significant role for many industrial and consumer products, but many of these chemicals are attributed with an adverse ecological profile and persistence in the environment. Herein, three potentially more environmentally benign substitutes were assessed for aerobic biotransformation, namely 3-(trifluoromethoxy)-propan-1-ol (TFMPrOH), 6-(trifluoromethoxy)-hexan-1-ol (TFMHxOH) and 1-(2,2,3,3,4,4,4-heptafluorobutoxy)-propan-2-ol (HFBPrOH). Analytical techniques involved different HPLC–ESI-MS/MS techniques as well as determination of fluoride in order to assess the extent of mineralization. The two trifluoromethoxy-substituted alcohols showed very different results concerning mineralization. Whereas TFMPrOH only yielded approximately 15% fluoride, TFMHxOH reached nearly quantitative release of fluoride after 37 days. The latter one yielded 6-trifluoromethoxy hexanoic acid (TFMHxA) as well as trifluoromethyl carbonate (TFMC) as transient transformation products, both of which were entirely degraded. TFMC was also detected during biotransformation of TFMPrOH, however, the major transformation product was 3-trifluoromethoxy-propanoic acid (TFMPrA), which did not show any further degradation within a 47 days period. The third compound under investigation, HFBPrOH, expectedly yielded perfluorobutanoic acid as a stable biotransformation product. Several acidic biotransformation intermediates as well as heptafluorobutan-1-ol were identified and a biotransformation pathway was postulated. TFMHxOH might therefore be incorporated into fluorinated substances, for instance by ester linkages assuming that biotransformation of such substances would yield the alcohol.

SYNPHYTOINDICATION REKREATIONAL ECOLOGICAL CHANGES CONDITIONS OF PLANT FORMATION IN PROTECTED AREAS «BORZHAVA", ZAKARPATSKA LOWLAND

Phytocoenoses sensitively respond to changes of ecological regimes and objectively reflect changes in the structure of ecosystems at different levels of organisation.The aim of the research was to estimate the condition of vegetation of the foresr ecosystem of the protected area at the ecosystem level by gradient of recreational transformation.The River Borzhava flows in the protected area and is a favourite place of rest; it starts on the south-west slope of Borzhava meadows, which are located on the Polonynskii ridge.The comparative estimation of the ecological profile areas showed that with approach to the River Borzhava the territory of the protected area becomes more attractive for tourists and is subjected to more intensive recrearional impact. On the whole the analysis showed that dependence of plants on the edaphotope conditions undergoes the greatesr changes, which is caused by different degree of recreational load on phytocoenoses. By the gradient of recreational transformation of the ecoprofile increased contribution of euribionts and hemi-euribionts in the formation of the grass cover on the most transformed sites was detected.It was detected that peculiarities of change of the grass layer of the forest ecosystem of the protected area is characterised by processes of reduction of the level of the soil moistening and increase of the level of illumination under the stand shed on the most degraded sites.It was shown that recreational changes of ecological regimes condition change of the species composition of the grass cover and domination of the species which are more tolerant to transformed forest conditions.The performed analysis at the synecological level testifies that local recreational impact on the forest ecosystem of the protected area results in certain disruption of the integrity and structure of vegetation, reduction of ecological role of the forest in the floodplain.

Patterns of gut bacterial colonization in three primate species.

Host fitness is impacted by trillions of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract that facilitate development and are inextricably tied to life history. During development, microbial colonization primes the gut metabolism and physiology, thereby setting the stage for adult nutrition and health. However, the ecological rules governing microbial succession are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the relationship between host lineage, captive diet, and life stage and gut microbiota characteristics in three primate species (infraorder, Lemuriformes). Fecal samples were collected from captive lemur mothers and their infants, from birth to weaning. Microbial DNA was extracted and the v4 region of 16S rDNA was sequenced on the Illumina platform using protocols from the Earth Microbiome Project. Here, we show that colonization proceeds along different successional trajectories in developing infants from species with differing dietary regimes and ecological profiles: frugivorous (fruit-eating) Varecia variegata, generalist Lemur catta, and folivorous (leaf-eating) Propithecus coquereli. Our analyses reveal community membership and succession patterns consistent with previous studies of human infants, suggesting that lemurs may serve as a useful model of microbial ecology in the primate gut. Each lemur species exhibits distinct species-specific bacterial diversity signatures correlating to life stages and life history traits, implying that gut microbial community assembly primes developing infants at species-specific rates for their respective adult feeding strategies.

Ecological and morphological profile of floating spherical Cladophora socialis aggregations in central Thailand.

The unique beauty of spherical aggregation forming algae has attracted much attention from both the scientific and lay communities. Several aegagropilous seaweeds have been identified to date, including the plants of genus Cladophora and Chaetomorpha. However, this phenomenon remains poorly understood. In July 2013, a mass occurrence of spherical Cladophora aggregations was observed in a salt field reservoir in Central Thailand. The aims of the present study were to describe the habitat of the spherical aggregations and confirm the species. We performed a field survey, internal and external morphological observations, pyrenoid ultrastructure observations, and molecular sequence analysis. Floating spherical Cladophora aggregations (1–8 cm in diameter) were observed in an area ~560 m2, on the downwind side of the reservoir where there was water movement. Individual filaments in the aggregations were entangled in each other; consequently, branches growing in different directions were observed within a clump. We suggest that water movement and morphological characteristics promote the formation of spherical aggregations in this species. The molecular sequencing results revealed that the study species was highly homologous to both C. socialis and C. coelothrix. However, the diameter of the apical cells in the study species was less than that of C. coelothrix. The pyrenoid ultrastructure was more consistent with that of C. socialis. We conclude that the study species is C. socialis. This first record of spherical aggregations in this species advances our understanding of these formations. However, further detailed physical measurements are required to fully elucidate the mechanism behind these spherical formations.

PSICAMB – Perfil de Afinidade Ecológica: Um Estudo sobre os Indicadores da Postura perante a Natureza

The present study aimed to construct an ecological affinity profile and evaluate its relationship with the importance of the Amazon rainforest and with the consideration of the effect of human actions on nature. This study included 345 undergraduate students from the cities of Manaus-AM and Ceres-GO, male and female, over 18 years of age. The research instruments consisted of several scales that measured cognitive, affective and behavioral dimensions in relation to the Amazon rainforest and to nature as a whole. The results indicated that, when assessing the relations of affinity with nature, the beliefs regarding the natural environment and the consideration of future consequences, a structure can be identified that comprises an ecological affinity profile and a utilitarian profile.

Effect of Curcuma zedoaria, Curcuma mangga and Cuminum cyminum on Rumen Ecology and Pb Profile in the Rumen of Mastitis Dairy Cows (in vitro)

A B S T R A C T The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Curcuma zedoaria, Curcuma mangga and Cuminum cyminum on rumen ecology and Pb profile in the rumen of mastitis dairy cows (in vitro). The research design was complete randomized design with 4 treatments (A Control (without herbs), B Curcuma zedoaria 0.02% of b.wt., C Curcuma mangga 0.06% b.wt. And D Cuminum cyminum 0.03% b.wt.) and 8 replication. This study was carried out in vitro in the laboratory by a pressure transducer technique (using rumen fluid of FH dairy cows. Sample was conditioned by adding 3 ppm Pb sulfate in rumen fluid. The variables measured were rumen pH, rumen bacteria counts (CFU mLG 1 ), Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) partial concentration (mg/100 mL) by using Gas Liquid Chromatograph (Chrompack ® CP90022) and heavy metal Pb profile in rumen fluid by using Absorption Atomic Spectrophotometer (AAS) 6300 A with minimum reading limit 0.01 ppm. The result of study group of Curcuma zedoaria and Cuminum cyminum showed the highest number of rumen bacterial acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid and a lower profile of heavy metals in rumen fluid. Lead (Pb) was found only in the control without herb use.

Riparian Flora of Mahi River, Gujarat

The rivers are important channels of materials and energy, which are constantly reeling under the impacts of human influences that often lead to problems in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem functions. The Mahi River in Gujarat is a west-flowing perennial river holding lot of ecological and religious importance. Hence, this study was carried out to document the floristic diversity in selected villages of Vadodara district falling in the riparian zone of the river. Total 328 species of flowering plants belonging to 230 genera and 73 different families was recorded from the study area, dominated by herbaceous plants indicating higher temperatures and lower rainfall gradient in the region. The grass family – Poaceae was dominant in the study region followed by families – Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Convolvulaceae and Euphorbiaceae which predominantly contain annual plants able to survive in diverse ecological conditions. The Jaccard’s similarity cluster analysis of study sites based on similarity in the floristic composition revealed that Nandesari site was distantly related with sites Dodka and Rayka in sub-cluster A1 whereas Kotna site was distantly related to sites Fajalpur (S), Sindhrot and Angadh in sub-cluster B1. The significant presence of weeds in the flora of the study region points out to the waning state of the riparian vegetation, chiefly owing to the burgeoning anthropogenic pressures, especially industrial development. To maintain the ecological profile of this region and help rejuvenate the native biodiversity, it is imperative to conserve the existing biota, strictly check the disturbance factors and enhance the vegetation (principally incorporating native species) with the participation of local stakeholders.

Trace elements and ingested plastic debris in wintering dovekies (Alle alle)

We provide the first report on winter concentrations of 32 trace metals from dovekies (Alle alle), a small, Arctic seabird that has a seasonal shift in diet from small zooplankton in the breeding season to larger zooplankton and small fish in the non-breeding season. Concentrations of selected trace elements, as well as stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope concentrations for a sample of 25 dovekies, were similar between adult males and females, and there was evidence that dovekies feeding at higher trophic levels had higher hepatic Hg. We also found plastic debris in nine of 65 (14%) gizzards examined. Our study helps provide a more complete picture of the foraging ecology and contaminant profile of dovekies, an important species in Arctic marine food webs.

A spatial ecological assessment of fragmentation and disturbance effects of the Swedish road network

Transportation infrastructure has a wide range of effects on ecological processes, which result in both positive and negative impacts for biodiversity. However, the treatment of biodiversity in planning and environmental assessment have been criticized, especially regarding habitat loss and fragmentation effects, the low use of quantitative methods and that of assessments being descriptive rather than analytical and predictive. The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of the Swedish road network by spatial modelling of road effects, to explore potential impacts of fragmentation and disturbance effects of roads on habitat networks for selected ecological profiles, and to discuss the utility of applying quantitative methods for environmental assessment purposes. Habitat and landcover data was used for creating habitat networks for six ecological profiles. Fragmentation and disturbance effects were modelled in GIS and FRAGSTATS was used to quantify ecologically important landscape metrics on habitat amount and connectivity. The results showed that natural grasslands and southern broadleaved forest were substantially more exposed to road effects in Sweden, compared to old coniferous and trivial broadleaved forest. Furthermore, habitat loss was a main consequence of road effects, and forest species with high area demands were most prone to be adversely impacted. Suggestions on method development in order to increase the quality of the analysis methods for environmental assessment are discussed. The potential is seen as high for use of quantitative ecological methods to generate baseline environmental information as well as coarse predictions on likely consequences of development options, useful for environmental assessment.