Man-made Habitats Research Articles

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNANCE IN SAUDI CITIES

The dramatic development of urban and rural areas in Saudi Arabia over the last five decades resulted in enormous stresses on natural and man-made habitats across several regions. This led to serious environmental problems which pose challenges for environmental sustainability. Although the government has made steady progress in environmental protection by establishing a legal regime to handle it, sustainable development has not yet been achieved due to inadequate urban planning and management schemes that inadequately address accelerated urbanization. This paper explores the attitudes of experienced professionals and officials in urban and environmental planning towards the quality of environmental sustainability in Saudi cities. This research aims to discuss institutional arrangements and mechanisms for environmental sustainability, highlighting key challenges and opportunities to shape action. The researcher also discusses recent reform initiatives of Saudi Vision 2030 promoting urban governance. Broadly speakinghe, the investigation – which is based on extensive literature review, documentary analysis and a qualitative survey – notes that, a holistic approach to sustainability governance is urgently needed. This can help integrate the agendas of the multiple actors and agencies involved.

Current State and Distribution of Alien Weedy Cardamine occulta Hornem. (Brassicaceae) in European Russia

Cardamine occulta Hornem. (Brassicaceae), an East Asian weedy bittercress, have introduced globally in recent years. First record of this neophyte species in European Russia was made in 2003. According to current data C. occulta was found in nine regions: Leningrad Oblast, Moscow Oblast, Saratov Oblast, Vologda Oblast, Yaroslavl Oblast, the Republic of Karelia, the Udmurt Republic, the city of Moscow and the city of Saint Petersburg. All known populations of C. occulta occupied predominantly man-made habitats. Currently, the species is considered to be a casual or naturalized alien plant. Uncontrollable transfer of the weed along with ornamental plants might lead to its successful spread across the European Russia. Distribution history of the species, as well as a potential for further spread in European Russia are briefly discussed. The main diagnostic morphological features are presented in comparison with those for allied C. hirsuta L. and C. flexuosa With.

Population and colony structure of an ant with territorial males, Cardiocondyla venustula

BackgroundMany species of social insects have large-scale mating and dispersal flights and their populations are therefore often relatively homogenous. In contrast, dispersal on the wing appears to be uncommon in most species of the ant genus Cardiocondyla, because its males are wingless and the winged queens mate in their natal nests before dispersing on foot. Here we examine the population structure of C. venustula from South Africa. This species is of particular interest for the analysis of life history evolution in Cardiocondyla, as it occupies a phylogenetic position between tropical species with multi-queen (polygynous) colonies and fighting males and a Palearctic clade with single-queen colonies and mutually peaceful males. Males of C. venustula exhibit an intermediate strategy between lethal fighting and complete tolerance – they mostly engage in non-lethal fights and defend small territories inside their natal nests. We investigated how this reproductive behavior influences colony and population structure by analyzing samples on two geographic scales in South Africa: a small 40 × 40m2 plot and a larger area with distances up to 5 km between sampling sites in Rietvlei Nature Reserve near Pretoria.ResultsColonies were found to be facultatively polygynous and queens appear to mate only with a single male. The extraordinarily high inbreeding coefficient suggests regular sib-mating. Budding by workers and young queens is the predominant mode of colony-founding and leads to high population viscosity. In addition, some queens appear to found colonies independently or through adoption into foreign nests.ConclusionWhile C. venustula resembles tropical Cardiocondyla in queen number and mating frequency, it differs by the absence of winged disperser males. Dispersal by solitary, mated queens on foot or by short flights and their adoption by alien colonies might promote gene flow between colonies and counteract prolonged inbreeding. The abundance of suitable habitat and the high density of nests facilitate the spread of this species by budding and together with the apparent resistance against inbreeding make it a highly successful pioneer species and invader of degraded and man-made habitats.

The changing trend in songbirds’ abundance, variety and physical condition in Connecticut’s forestry habitat

Abstract Songbirds are facing rapid population declines in Connecticut due to habitat loss. Man-made habitats such as powerline corridors are one of the few remaining ideal habitats for songbirds in the state. This study aims to determine if the abundance and variety of song-birds in four selected forests (i.e. Naugatuck State Forest, Sharon Audubon Society, Miles Wildlife Sanctuary, and Great Mountain Forest Species Variety) in Connecticut show patterns of decline from 2005 to 2014. This study also compares the physical condition of songbirds captured along a powerline corridor in the Naugatuck State Forest with those captured in the rest three non-fragmented forests in Northwestern Connecticut using Mann-Whitney U tests. Weight and wingspan are used as indicators of bird physical condition. The results demonstrate that the three non-fragmented forests experienced a steady decline in the variety of songbirds between 2005 and 2014. In addition, songbirds’ abundance decreased steadily during the same period, except that of the ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) and wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) in Miles Wildlife Sanctuary. The results from the Mann-Whitney U test have shown that after sex- and age-controlled features, the physical conditions of the three selective songbirds – veery (Catharus fuscescens), ovenbird, and wood thrush – tend to be better in the Naugatuck State Forest than in the three non-fragmented forests – Sharon Audubon Society, Miles Wildlife Sanctuary, and Great Mountain Forest Species Variety. Given are recommendations on how to protect the shrubland habitat along powerline corridors and how to create the shrubland habitat in non-fragmented forests.

Glis glis – two cases of acute tularemia

Two edible dormice ( Glis glis) were found dead in a courtyard. At necropsy they showed marked enlargement of spleen, hyperemia of liver as well as edema and hemorrhages in the lungs. Histologically, multifocal necroses were found in liver and spleen of both animals and in the lungs of one animal. Similar findings can be seen in rodents or lagomorphs with acute tularemia. Tularemia is a zoonosis caused by the Gram negative coccobacillus Francisella (F.) tularensis which may be transmitted by inhalation of contaminated aerosols, ingestion of contaminated food and water, contamination of mucous membranes and skin leasons or arthropod bites. F. tularensis ssp. holarctica, assigned to clade B.6 like other German Francisella isolates, was detected as causative agent in the present cases. Edible dormice typically inhabit deciduous and mixed woodland, but can also be found in man-made habitats such as gardens, parks and orchards. The species often enters buildings, thus getting in close contact to humans. Therefore and due to their susceptibility of infection edible dormice should be kept in mind as possible source of human tularemia in Germany and other European countries.

Artisanal fishing supports breeding of malaria mosquitoes in Western Kenya

BackgroundEveryday hundreds of people, mainly men, set out to take part in a vibrant artisanal capture fishing (ACF) industry on Lake Victoria. It is not known whether actions of artisanal fishers, in their unrelenting quest for existence, surpass ecosystems’ sustainability thresholds with potentially negative repercussions on human health with respect to malaria transmission potential. This article sought to fill this information gap.MethodsThis study used an ecosystem approach to find out how ACF processes facilitate the breeding of mosquitoes. The observational study adopted a cross-sectional design and was carried out on Mageta Island situated inside Lake Victoria in western Kenya.ResultsOf the 87 mosquito larval habitats identified 27 (31%) were created through ACF activities. The ACF-related habitats, hereafter collectively referred to as ‘fishing habitats’, included fishing boats (24), trenches (1) and fish bait mines (2). About half (48%) of Anopheles larvae were recovered from fishing habitats. The mean larval density in the fishing habitats (35.7 ± 1.15) was double that in non-fishing habitats (17.4 ± 0.539). Despite being the most common ‘non-fishing habitat’ type (N = 32), the mean number of Anopheles larvae present in rock pools (30.81 ± 10.54) was significantly less than those found inside fishing boats (N = 24; 40.08 ± 10.16). Overall, man-made habitats and those used to support livelihoods contained significantly more Anopheles larvae.ConclusionsThese data show that artisanal capture fishing is a key driver of malaria epidemiology on Mageta Island. This suggests that larval source management strategies in the global south should pay attention to the heterogeneity in Anopheles breeding habitats created through livelihood activities.

Do Gutter Guards Affect Mosquito Production in Roof Gutter Habitats?

Roof gutters on houses that have become inundated with leaf litter and cannot drain properly are an often-overlooked man-made container habitat that is suitable for mosquito larval development. In order to reduce the amount of leaf litter debris in gutters, many homeowners install debris screens, commonly referred to as "gutter guards," on their roof gutters, but no study has examined the effect of gutter guards on mosquito production. The objective of this research was to determine the extent to which different types of gutter guards affect mosquito colonization and abundance of juvenile mosquitoes in gutter habitats. Three experimental gutters, each with 1 of 3 treatments (control with no gutter guard, a metal lock-in mesh screen gutter guard, or a foam filter gutter insert), were placed at 5 field locations to monitor mosquito colonization and production over 8 wk. Pupae were collected daily, and eclosed adults were identified to species. Mosquitoes colonized and larvae developed in all gutters regardless of the presence of a guard, although those with the foam filter guards were least likely to be colonized (P < 0.001). Once colonized, the control gutters without a gutter guard had the lowest mosquito abundance (P < 0.001), and the metal lock-in gutters had the highest abundance (P < 0.001). The results suggest that if standing water exists in a gutter, gutter guards are not an effective tool for mosquito control.

Hill Forts: Abodes of Endemic Plants and Potential Priority Conservation Areas of Northern Western Ghats

Hill forts of Northern Western Ghats offer an interesting mix of man-made and natural habitats and as a result shelter a great diversity of endemic and threatened plants. Strict protection of certain areas and selective interference for strategic reasons on hill forts are responsible for maintenance of large protected populations of local endemic species. This has also created special patterns of plant distribution. In recent years, many novelties have been described from forts. Though hill forts have gained importance from the historical and archeological point of view, they are seldom considered as biodiversity conservatories. We suggest here that while prioritizing conservation areas in Northern Western Ghats, hill forts should be given a status of local biodiversity hotspots and conservation should be provided to all microhabitats that are natural as well as man-made. This will assure protection of endemic and threatened species of Western Ghats as well as local endemics of Northern Western Ghats.

Putrescible Waste Landfills as Bird Habitats in Urban Cities: A case from an Urban Landfill in the Colombo District of Sri Lanka

As putrescible waste landfills are reliable and rich sources of food, these man-made habitats can support large populations of avifauna composed of different feeding guilds. Unusually high population inflations of few opportunistic species of birds could impose a severe impact on the overall ecological balance. We studied the bird community in an open waste dump located in a highly urbanised area in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Bird census were performed using block counts in two contrasting sites of the landfill i.e., active dumping area and inactive dumping area between April 2015 and March 2016. Abundance and density of birds were significantly higher in the active dumping area than in the inactive area. The inactive dumping area accounted for the highest avifaunal richness, diversity and evenness. Bubulcus ibis and Corvussplendens were the dominant species at the active dump, and their foraging and social behaviors probably discouraged other bird species from exploiting food resources in the dump despite belonging to different feeding guilds. The forging bird community at the landfill exhibited seasonal variations in abundance and other interspecific interactions. Since the influx of large numbers of birds to landfills can potentially cause numerous environmental issues in urban areas, the current study highlights the importance of study of the seasonal patterns of bird communities in relation to location and management of landfills.

Littoral mayfly assemblages in South-East European man-made lakes

Man-made freshwater habitats have been widely used to successfully modify the environment for human benefit, including purposes of irrigation, flood control or electricity generation. Over the past decade, our knowledge about the mayfly fauna and its ecology in South-East Europe has been growing, yet the data related to lentic assemblages remain very scarce. In this study, littoral mayfly assemblages were investigated at artificial and heavily modified lentic habitats in the Dinaric Western Balkan (n=21) and Pannonian Lowland (n=15) ecoregions. Mayfly nymphs were sampled during the summer months of 2016 or 2017. At each sampling site, ten samples were collected using a benthos hand net. A total of 21 mayfly species were recorded, though species richness per site was rather low (i.e., between zero and seven species). Cloeon dipterum (Linnaeus, 1761) was the most frequent species recorded, while Caenis horaria Linnaeus, 1758 was the most abundant. This study showed that the Croatian mayfly fauna is still growing, with the first record of Siphlonurus aestivalis Eaton, 1903 for the country. The assemblage structure was mainly dominated by lower reaches and lentic (potamal and littoral) elements and detritivores (gatherers/collectors and active filter feeders). Orthophosphates and chemical oxygen demand had the highest influence on mayfly assemblages, reflecting a higher level of pollution at sites in the Pannonian Lowland ecoregion, and consequently markedly lower mayfly abundances. As mayflies are widely used as bioindicators of freshwater ecosystems, detailed information about their assemblages in heavily modified and artificial habitats could contribute to future conservation activities of freshwater habitats and their communities. Additionally, these results could be applied in creating a monitoring system for artificial lakes according to the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive.

Zika might not be acting alone: Using an ecological study approach to investigate potential co-acting risk factors for an unusual pattern of microcephaly in Brazil.

Zika virus infections can cause a range of neurologic disorders including congenital microcephaly. However, while Zika infections have been notified across all regions in Brazil, there has been an unusual number of congenital microcephaly case notifications concentrated in the Northeast of the country. To address this observation, we investigated epidemiological data (2014–2016) on arbovirus co-distribution, environmental and socio-economic factors for each region in Brazil. Data on arbovirus reported cases and microcephaly were collected from several Brazilian Ministry of Health databases for each Federal unit. These were complemented by environmental management, social economic and Aedes aegypti infestation index data, extracted from multiple databases. Spatial time “ecological” analysis on the number of arboviruses transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes in Brazil show that the distribution of dengue and Zika was widespread in the whole country, with higher incidence in the West-Central region. However, reported chikungunya cases were higher in the Northeast, the region also with the highest number of microcephaly cases registered. Social economic factors (human development index and poverty index) and environmental management (water supply/storage and solid waste management) pointed the Northeast as the less wealthy region. The Northeast is also the region with the highest risk of Aedes aegypti house infestation due to the man-made larval habitats. In summary, the results of our ecological analysis support the hypothesis that the unusual distribution of microcephaly might not be due to Zika infection alone and could be accentuated by poverty and previous or co-infection with other pathogens. Our study reinforces the link between poverty and the risk of disease and the need to understand the effect on pathogenesis of sequential exposure to arboviruses and co-viral infections. Comprehensive large-scale cohort studies are required to corroborate our findings. We recommend that the list of infectious diseases screened, particularly during pregnancy, be regularly updated to include and effectively differentiate all viruses from ongoing outbreaks.

Il ruolo delle zone umide della Regione Lombardia durante la migrazione dei limicoli: un’analisi per il genere Tringa ricavata dal portale www.ornitho.it

In Italy, the launch of the online portal at www.ornitho.it in 2009 has played a key role in advancing our knowledge about the abundance, geographical distribution and phenology of birds, and has greatly improved everyday ornithological issues. Indeed, the extensive participation by many observers has provided an opportunity to obtain new insight into the phenology of many species of migratory birds, such as Tringa sp. In this paper, I have analysed the data gathered between 2010 and 2014 on the genus Tringa in Lombardy, amounting to a total of 5,590 validated records for spring and autumn migrations. The analysis revealed that the rice-farming area of S-W Lombardy – which covers more than 90,000 hectares located mainly in the province of Pavia – represents an invaluable habitat during the spring migration by supporting the bulk of migrating waders. Other man-made habitats, such as restored sand and gravel pits and water-collection tanks, are of similar importance for the diversity of the wader community, but, together with the few natural wetlands, support much lower numbers of individuals. The wood sandpiper is the most abundant species, with groups reaching 600 individuals, followed by the spotted redshank and the greenshank. The green sandpiper is the most common and widespread species, with a low number of individuals reaching the highest altitudes (above 2,600 m a.s.l. in the province of Sondrio) during the autumn migration. The common redshank is relatively rare, generally distributed around 200 m a.s.l. in the provinces of Pavia and Milan, while the marsh sandpiper is definitely rare, with only 68 records in the five-year period analysed.

Nocardial Mastitis among Dairy Animals in Khartoum State; Probability of Acquisition the Infection from Soil

Introduction: Nocardia spp are widely distributed group of actinomycetes that occur in a wide range of manmade and natural habitat including activated sewage sludge, soil, water and tissues of plants and animals including human. Nocardia causes many diseases, notably pulmonary infections in man and mastitis in animals. Methods: The study subjects included 300 milk samples and 20 soil samples from different farms in Khartoum State, which include Hilat Koko, Ghandahar, Al Silate and Almuaileh. Distribution of the enrolled milk samples was as follows; 100 from goats, 100 from cows and 100 from sheep. Soil samples distribution was as follows; All target samples were cultured on TSA and GYEA and then Gram’s stain and different biochemical tests were used for further identification. Finally, PCR targeting 16Sr RNA gene was carried out for all Nocardia isolates. Results: Dairy animals included in the present study were found to be infected with Nocardia species with different ratio; goats 13/87 (14.9%%), cows 11/77 (14.2%) and sheep 0/60 (0%). Other pathogenic bacteria were also identified in milk, these included Streptococcus, Dietzia, Rhodococcus and Mycobacteria. Our findings proved also the existence of Nocardia spp. among 35% (7/20) of the soil samples, three samples isolated from farms of Hilat Koko, one sample from Ghandahar, two samples from Al Silate and one samples from Al muaileh. Conclusion In the present study, the Nocardia species were isolated and identified from the soil and milk samples of dairy animals of the same farms by conventional and molecular methods. This finding strongly suggest that soil could be the possible source for the infection of farm animals.

Plant traits and population characteristics predict extinctions in a long-term survey of Mediterranean annual plants

Global and local environmental changes lead to frequent plant extinctions many of which occur in man-made habitats such as agricultural fields. Plant traits and site conditions modify risks of extinction, but strength and sense of their effect are not known yet. Here, we present a long-term survey of population sizes for Mediterranean annual plants that we revisited 20 years after their first record to evaluate climate, population size, traits and habitat requirements as drivers of local extinctions. Small populations had an increased probability of extinction in our data-set. Our analyses revealed that seed production and survival of seeds in the soil seed bank decreased extinction rate, whereas plant size increased extinction probability. Mean annual temperature increased extinction rates of annual plants in cereal fields. We discuss these effects as a response to recent and ongoing habitat changes, and discuss how traits may be used to guide conservation practices in the face of local extinctions.

A reappraisal of Schoenoplectus muricinux (Cyperaceae) including S. confusus and closely allied taxa in Africa

The macro-morphological variation and geographical distribution of six morphologically similar taxa from the Schoenoplectus corymbosus complex with distinctly muricated nutlets (viz Schoenoplectus confusus subsp. confusus var. confusus and var. rogersii, S. confusus subsp. natalitius, S. muricinux, S. muriculatus and Scirpus corymbosus var. junciformis) were thoroughly studied. It is concluded that all these taxa are ill-defined and that alleged distinctive traits are weak or widely overlap. We therefore suggest expanding the description of S. muricinux (the binomial which has nomenclatural priority) and reducing the other species and their infraspecific taxa to synonyms of it. “S. sp. A” of Flora of West Tropical Africa (Nigeria, where it is considered a naturalized introduction of man-made habitats) is shown to also belong to S. muricinux.

Tadpoles of the bromeliad-dwelling frog Phyllodytes luteolus are able to prey on mosquito larvae

Mosquito-borne diseases have been spreading rapidly. Although Aedes sp. are believed to prefer man-made habitats for reproduction, its larvae can also be found in bromeliads in anthropic environments. Mosquito populations can be controlled through predation, in which the relative size of predator and prey are important to understand this interaction. Tadpoles of Phyllodytes luteolus live in bromeliad axils and are potential predators of mosquito larvae. Our aim was to assess if these tadpoles are able to prey mosquito larvae, and if the predation rate differs according to the size of predator and prey. We collected P. luteolus tadpoles and Culicidae mosquito larvae from bromeliads of restinga (sandbank) areas. We measured the total length of tadpoles and mosquito larvae, and separated them into three size categories (large, medium and small). As experimental units, we used 50 mL centrifuge tubes with 35 mL of dechlorinated water, without substrate and food. We applied nine treatments composed by a combination of tadpole size categories and mosquito larvae size categories. In each unit, we added one tadpole and five mosquito larvae to evaluate the overall predation rate after 4 days. We found that P. luteolus tadpoles of any size were able to prey on mosquito larvae and verified that large tadpoles preyed a larger number of mosquito larvae than smaller size categories. Our results can contribute to evaluate the importance of tadpoles in the trophic structuring of aquatic environments, especially in phytotelmata.

A narrow-gauge railway in the Białowieża Primeval Forest as a corridor for non-native species migration

Railway territories are man-made habitats forming corridors for non-native species migration. In this study, we assessed non-native species occurrence in plant communities along a railway route of the Białowieża Primeval Forest in Poland in relation to adjacent plant community type and microhabitat (embankment western and eastern sides of the railway track, intertrack space). An 11-km fragment of a narrow-gauge railway route in the western part of the Białowieża Primeval Forest was investigated. This fragment was divided into 416 sections where all observed non-native species were identified, and all individuals, ramets and tussocks were counted. We discovered 12 non-native taxa, most of which (8 species) originated from North America. The highest average number of non-native species per section was recorded in the vicinity of the Circeo-Alnetum community. Statistically, more non-native species occurred on the western embankment than on the eastern one and in the intertrack space.The use of the narrow-gauge railway in the Białowieża Forest has increased the risk of establishment of invasive species in local plant communities. The Białowieża Forest is a refuge for native biodiversity of the utmost importance. Thus, continuous monitoring of the occurrence of non-native species is necessary for the preservation of native plant communities in the vicinity of the narrow-gauge railway route assessed in this study.

The fungus that came in from the cold: dry rot's pre-adapted ability to invade buildings.

Many organisms benefit from being pre-adapted to niches shaped by human activity, and have successfully invaded man-made habitats. One such species is the dry rot fungus Serpula lacrymans, which has a wide distribution in buildings in temperate and boreal regions, where it decomposes coniferous construction wood. Comparative genomic analyses and growth experiments using this species and its wild relatives revealed that S. lacrymans evolved a very effective brown rot decay compared to its wild relatives, enabling an extremely rapid decay in buildings under suitable conditions. Adaptations in intracellular transport machineries promoting hyphal growth, and nutrient and water transport may explain why it is has become a successful invader of timber in houses. Further, we demonstrate that S. lacrymans has poor combative ability in our experimental setup, compared to other brown rot fungi. In sheltered indoor conditions, the dry rot fungus may have limited encounters with other wood decay fungi compared to its wild relatives. Overall, our analyses indicate that the dry rot fungus is an ecological specialist with poor combative ability against other fungi.

Ennumeration of Wall Floras of Mahendranagar Municipality, Far West, Nepal

Wall floras are the plants growing on the manmade habitats such as walls, fences, buildings, temples, old walls, etc. In this study, wall floras of Mahendranagar municipality were enumerated. A total of 111 species belonging to 87 genera and 33 families of angiosperm were found within the study area. All the types of plant species like herbs, shrubs and trees are reported and among them herbs are dominant. The major wall floras associated with different walls are Ficus bengalensis, Amaranthus spionus, Solanum nigrum, Adiantum sp, Dryopteris sp, mosses and some grasses.

Validation of floral food resources for pollinators in agricultural landscape in SE Poland.

Proper management of bee pastures is considered an important activity for diversity of pollinators and conservation of the population size. In the present study, the floral composition and diversity, flowering spectrum and availability of food resources in natural and man-made habitats in four rural municipalities in Lublin Upland, SE Poland were evaluated. The connection between pollinator-friendly biotopes was also determined and some suggestions are made on creation/supplementation of bee pastures adapted to the arable land structure in eastern Poland (mean acreage 7.65 ha). Forage species richness (S) differed among vegetation types: the highest S value was found in field margins, while mixed forests represented the lowest species richness (mean ± standard deviation = 37.8 ± 9.5 vs 16.5 ± 2.3). In all habitats, the most abundant flowering was recorded in May. Then the blooming abundance decreased until a complete decline at the end of summer. The mean distance between pollinator-friendly biotopes is 2.4 ± 1.53 km, which is out of the flying range/foraging distance of most pollinators. Shortages of nectar and pollen resources in the agricultural landscape of SE Poland are evident. Therefore it is assumed that the landscape structure requires support in terms of food niches for pollinators and creation/supplementation of bee pastures is necessary, e.g. six to nine patches of 0.025-0.3 ha each within an area of 100 ha. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.