Monte Carlo Permutation Tests Research Articles

Diversity and Influence of Environmental Factors on the Spatio-Temporal Distribution of the Ichthyofauna of Malonda Lagoon (Congo Brazzaville)

This study was initiated with the aim of studying the diversity and spatio-temporal distribution of fish in the Malonda lagoon, one of the coastal ecosystems of the Base Guinea in the Republic of Congo. The fish were sampled over a period of two years in three zones each including three stations known as: Mangrove, Grass and Full water. One station upstream towards the freshwater zone, one station downstream towards the mouth and one station in the containment zone. The catches were made using monofilament gillnets of 8, 10, 20 and 30 mm mesh size. During the rainy season, 1516 specimens belonging to 29 species, 17 families and 12 orders were collected. In the dry season, 768 specimens belonging to 20 species, 11 families and 8 orders were collected. For both seasons, the family Cichlidae is the most diversified. The marine forms are the most represented compared to the continental forms. Redundancy Analysis with forward selection coupled with Monte Carlo permutation tests showed that in the rainy season four variables influenced the distribution of species (Depth: 48%, Vase: 16%, Nitrogen: 10% and Transparency: 10%); in the dry season three variables influenced the distribution of species (Vase: 38%, Nitrogen: 14% and Oxygen: 11%). Ecological indices showed that the Malonda lagoon is already undergoing either anthropic or natural impacts, its state of ecological integrity is disturbed, the values of Shannon diversity and Equitability indices are not close to maximum values. The results of this study will serve as an ecological database for the proper management of these ecosystems.

The relationship between zooplankton community and environmental factors of Ghrib Dam in Algeria.

The effect of environmental factors on zooplankton diversity, abundance, and distribution in the Ghrib Dam water body was investigated for 2years from June 2013 to May 2015. A total of 61 species of zooplankton were recorded, including 45 rotifers, 13 cladocerans, and 3 copepods. The zooplankton abundance fluctuated between 4 and 3363ind.L-1, and its Shannon-Wiener index of zooplankton diversity in Ghrib Dam varied from H' = 1.15 to 3.77 during the 2-year study period. The highest diversity index was recorded at sampling site S1 in January 2015, due to the increase of specific richness (Ni = 27, Dmg = 5.75). Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to determine the influence of environmental factors in structuring the zooplankton species for each group. The results of CCA revealed that the most significant environmental factors influencing zooplankton community were water temperature (WT), dissolved oxygen (DO), phosphorus (PO4-), and NO3- (p < 0.05, Monte Carlo permutation test). Meanwhile, the appearance of Hexarthra sp., Collotheca pelagica, and Diaphanosoma brachyurum indicated a rise in WT. The existence of Filinia longiseta, Keratella quadrata, and Cyclops strenuus correlated with a rising of DO. Brachionus urceolaris, Filinia passa, Keratella tecta, Notholca acuminata, and Polyarthra dolichoptera positively coexisted in an increased PO4-. Daphnia longispina and Oxyurella tenuicaudis were positively associated with high concentration of NO3-.

Influence of Plant Species and Grasslands Quality on Sequestration of Soil Organic Carbon

Abstract Soil carbon sequestration plays an important role in mitigating the anthropogenic increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Pastures and meadows are the significant localities for the deposition of soil organic carbon (SOC). The objective was the comparison of the impact of plant species and their quality on the deposition of SOC under the grasslands in 18 variants of meadows and pastures at the original unfertilized soils, the overfertilized soils by organic fertilizers in the form of excrements and the soils after the ecological regeneration by regrassing. The plots 5, 8, 9 and 10 were used on a long-term basis as old semi-natural sheep pastures from the 15 century. We took into consideration the deposits of SOC and Nt in soil. The old semi-natural pasture proved the most intensive transformation and accumulation of SOC (even 5.60%) and the highest values were measured in the depth I (0–100 mm) soil layer, the concentrations decreased along with the depth in all treatments. At these plots, there was the lowest yield of dry matter and quality (EGQ). The yield of dry matter in t.ha−1, the number of species, EGQ and C:N in the depth I with the significant impact on the species variability, which were selected by Monte-Carlo permutation test explain up to 47% of the total variability. According to the result of “forward selection” in RDA analysis, out of all significant factors, the number of species has the biggest impact on the total species variability, which represents 17% of the total variability. The total evaluation indicates that from the agricultural aspect of utilization, a more favourable quite high content of SOC was deposited at the ecologically regenerated grasslands by the additional sowing of the valuable autochthonous plant species.

The spatial pattern of periphytic algae communities and its corresponding mechanism to environmental variables in the Weihe River Basin, China

Abstract Periphytic algae is a useful indicator of aquatic ecological conditions. We investigated the periphytic algae on natural substrate and the environmental variables at 44 sites on three river systems in the Weihe River Basin (WRB). A total of 84 species are identified, representing 37 genera. The most common genera were Navicula, Oscillatoria, Nitzschia, Scenedesmus, Cymbell, and Fragilaria. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated significant differences among the three river systems in environmental variables (p &amp;lt; 0.05). Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analyses also showed differences in periphytic algae communities in the three river systems (p &amp;lt; 0.05) and identified different dominant species in each river system. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and Monte Carlo permutation tests revealed that nutrient concentration, WT, and altitude were the most important variables affecting the structure and distribution of periphytic algae communities. Chemical variables were the most accounted for environmental variables (12.5%), while physical variable and geographical factors (5.8% in total) play a relevant minor role. Our results demonstrate that Navicula pupula, Navicula radiosq, Nitzschia palea, and Nitzschia denticula, exhibiting wide ecological amplitude, are tolerant of high concentrations of nutrient pollution. Variation of periphytic algae communities in WRB is due to the combination of anthropogenic and natural factors including agricultural and domestic wastes water inputting, land use patterns, geology, climatic changes, and river hydrology.

Social Development of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder During Dog-Assisted Therapy: A Detailed Observational Analysis.

Social communication and self-esteem are often affected in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Implementation and evaluation of interventions targeting social skills are challenged due to specific characteristics of autism. Intensive, valid evaluation of social skills programs is needed. In this explorative multiple case study, we examined effects and working mechanisms of dog-assisted therapy on social communication and self-esteem, by analyzing detailed observations with Monte Carlo permutation tests (testing against 10,000 random samples) and using self- and other-reports in N=6 high-functioning adults with ASD. Results showed significant positive effects on secure body posture. There was an indication of improved self-esteem and more spontaneous touching of the dog, while no convincing increase was found for verbal initiatives. Cross-correlation analyses revealed that touching the therapy dog may be an important determinant to elicit social development in Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). Considering preliminary results, we recommend exploring underlying mechanisms more thoroughly with real-time observations, accounting for possible gender-effects.

What is a reasonable plot size for sampling aquatic vegetation?

The question of the efficient plot size for sampling vegetation has been discussed many times, but aquatic vegetation is rarely considered. Here we examine a dataset of aquatic (267) and littoral (456) vegetation samples from 60 sandpits across the Czech Republic to determine appropriate plot size while trying to maximise both efficiency and accuracy of the sampling effort. A dataset of littoral vegetation samples was used for comparison in some analyses. The cover of vascular plant species was estimated in nested plots of 1, 4 and 16 m2. Age of sampled plots ranged from 1 to 63 years. Besides species identity itself, basic life-history species traits were considered in the comparison of different plot sizes. Effect of plot size on different ordination patterns was evaluated with Procrustean analyses and the Monte Carlo permutation test. The size categories differed in number of species and species dominance (Simpson index). No significant differences were found between plot sizes in ordinations of aquatic vegetation, neither for species composition nor for the composition of species traits. Our study indicates that aquatic vegetation samples of different size between 1 and 16 m2 are comparable, especially if species functional groups are used instead of species identity. Analyses of successional changes and the influence of environmental variables should not be significantly affected by the plot size used for sampling the vegetation when cover data are used. The different plot sizes did not affect the description of successional trends.

First assessment of lakes’ water quality in Aras River catchment (Turkey); Application of phytoplankton metrics and multivariate approach

This study is the first attempt to determine responses of phytoplankton assemblages to stressors using multivariate approaches and to evaluate the limno-ecological status of Aktaş, Çıldır, Aygır, Deniz and Balık lakes in the Aras River system (Turkey) using phytoplankton metrics according to the requirements of Water Framework Directive. Samples were collected in August and October of 2014, and June of 2015 by using the standard protocols. The first two axes of canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) elucidated strong correlations (λ1 = 0.937, 99.7% and λ2 = 0.763, 98.5%) between phytoplankton species and stressors with a 27.2% of the cumulative variance of species data. The Monte Carlo permutation test with the forward selection exhibited the significant effects of dissolved oxygen, orthophosphate (P-PO4), total phosphorus (TP), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), water temperature, nitrite (N-NO2), and altitude on the phytoplankton distribution among lakes. Lake Aktaş was closely related to N-NO2, TP, P-PO4, and BOD5 and characterized by species Messastrum gracile, Oocystis borgei, Treubaria triappendiculata, Snowella lacustris, Tetraëdron minimum, and Lemmermannia komarekii. They preferred N-NO2 higher than 90th percentile (0.026 mg/L) and TP higher than the 75th percentile (0.270 mg/L). Phytoplankton trophic index (PTI) scores varied from 2.06 in Lake Aygır to 2.36 in Lake Aktaş, while a range between 0.89 in Lake Aktaş and 1.81 in Lake Aygır was calculated according to Mediterranean phytoplankton index (Med-PTI). The correlations of PTI and Med-PTI (R2 = 0.94 and 0.90, respectively) with logTP gradient indicated congruent results. A high ecological status was found in Lake Çıldır, when Aygır, Deniz, and Balık lakes had good environmental conditions. Lake Aktaş showed a moderate ecological condition. The present study confirmed that phytoplankton assemblages closely integrated with the limno-ecological status of lakes in the Aras catchment, which could be assessed by using the PTI and Med-PTI.

Differential Association of HIV Funding With HIV Mortality by Race/Ethnicity, United States, 1999-2017.

Federal funds have been spent to reduce the disproportionate effects of HIV/AIDS on racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States. We investigated the association between federal domestic HIV funding and age-adjusted HIV death rates by race/ethnicity in the United States during 1999-2017. We analyzed HIV funding data from the Kaiser Family Foundation by federal fiscal year (FFY) and US age-adjusted death rates (AADRs) by race/ethnicity (Hispanic, non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native [API+AI/AN]) from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WONDER detailed mortality files. We fit joinpoint regression models to estimate the annual percentage change (APC), average APC, and changes in AADRs per billion US dollars in HIV funding, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). For 19 data points, the number of joinpoints ranged from 0 to 4 on the basis of rules set by the program or by the user. A Monte Carlo permutation test indicated significant (P < .05) changes at joinpoints, and 2-sided t tests indicated significant APCs in AADRs. Domestic HIV funding increased from $10.7 billion in FFY 1999 to $26.3 billion in FFY 2017, but AADRs decreased at different rates for each racial/ethnic group. The average rate of change in AADR per US billion dollars was -9.4% (95% CI, -10.9% to -7.8%) for Hispanic residents, -7.8% (95% CI, -9.0% to -6.6%) for non-Hispanic black residents, -6.7% (95% CI, -9.3% to -4.0%) for non-Hispanic white residents, and -5.2% (95% CI, -7.8% to -2.5%) for non-Hispanic API+AI/AN residents. Increased domestic HIV funding was associated with faster decreases in age-adjusted HIV death rates for Hispanic and non-Hispanic black residents than for residents in other racial/ethnic groups. Increasing US HIV funding could be associated with decreasing future racial/ethnic disparities in the rate of HIV-related deaths.

Culture modulates face scanning during dyadic social interactions

Recent studies have revealed significant cultural modulations on face scanning strategies, thereby challenging the notion of universality in face perception. Current findings are based on screen-based paradigms, which offer high degrees of experimental control, but lack critical characteristics common to social interactions (e.g., social presence, dynamic visual saliency), and complementary approaches are required. The current study used head-mounted eye tracking techniques to investigate the visual strategies for face scanning in British/Irish (in the UK) and Japanese adults (in Japan) who were engaged in dyadic social interactions with a local research assistant. We developed novel computational data pre-processing tools and data-driven analysis techniques based on Monte Carlo permutation testing. The results revealed significant cultural differences in face scanning during social interactions for the first time, with British/Irish participants showing increased mouth scanning and the Japanese group engaging in greater eye and central face looking. Both cultural groups further showed more face orienting during periods of listening relative to speaking, and during the introduction task compared to a storytelling game, thereby replicating previous studies testing Western populations. Altogether, these findings point to the significant role of postnatal social experience in specialised face perception and highlight the adaptive nature of the face processing system.

Anthropogenic Impacts on Fish Populations in Lake Cayo (Republic of Congo, Central Africa)

Ichthyofaunal diversity and the impact of anthropogenic activities on fish population assemblages were studied in Lake Cayo, a small lake located in the coastal region of the Republic of Congo. Twelve stations were sampled twice over a two-year period. Fishing techniques following standardized methods utilizing monofilament gill nets, and nine environment variables were measured at each station. A total of 11,361 specimens comprising 30 species in 28 genera and 18 families were collected with the Cichlidae being the most diversified. Redundancy Analysis with forward selection coupled with Monte Carlo permutation tests identified depth, pH and substrate as accounting for 57.7% of the total variance among the nine variables sampled (p < 0.05). The low Shannon’s diversity (1.16 ± 0.33) and Equitability (0.43 ± 0.12) indices at all sites, suggest that the Lake Cayo system is in poor ecological health.

Implementing Monte Carlo tests with p‐value buckets

AbstractSoftware packages usually report the results of statistical tests using p‐values. Users often interpret these values by comparing them with standard thresholds, for example, 0.1, 1, and 5%, which is sometimes reinforced by a star rating (***, **, and *, respectively). We consider an arbitrary statistical test whose p‐value p is not available explicitly, but can be approximated by Monte Carlo samples, for example, by bootstrap or permutation tests. The standard implementation of such tests usually draws a fixed number of samples to approximate p. However, the probability that the exact and the approximated p‐value lie on different sides of a threshold (the resampling risk) can be high, particularly for p‐values close to a threshold. We present a method to overcome this. We consider a finite set of user‐specified intervals that cover [0, 1] and that can be overlapping. We call these p‐value buckets. We present algorithms that, with arbitrarily high probability, return a p‐value bucket containing p. We prove that for both a bounded resampling risk and a finite runtime, overlapping buckets need to be employed, and that our methods both bound the resampling risk and guarantee a finite runtime for such overlapping buckets. To interpret decisions with overlapping buckets, we propose an extension of the star rating system. We demonstrate that our methods are suitable for use in standard software, including for low p‐value thresholds occurring in multiple testing settings, and that they can be computationally more efficient than standard implementations.

Environmental Influences on Fish Species Distribution in the Musolo River System, Congo River Basin (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa)

Ichthyofaunal distribution was studied in the Musolo River system, a small affluent tributary of the Congo River flowing into Pool Malebo (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Twelve ecological stations were sampled, of which eight were located in the Musolo main-channel and four in the Fushi River, a principal tributary of the Musolo. Each station was sampled four times over a two-year period, with fishing techniques following standardized methods utilizing dip and cast nets, and nine environment variables were measured at each station. Fifty-three fish species belonging to 36 genera and 16 families were collected with the Alestidae, Distichodontidae, Cichlidae, Cyprinidae, Mormyridae, and Mochokidae being the most diversified. Redundancy Analysis with forward selection coupled with Monte Carlo permutation tests (499 permutations) identified total dissolved solid (25.8%) and altitude (24.4%) as accounting for 50.2% of total variance (p < 0.05). The contribution of the two first axes was significant (F = 3.41; p = 0.004). Species richness increases from upstream to downstream. In general, the high value of Shannon’s diversity (1.07-2.67) and Equitability (0.62-0.96) indices at all sites, indicates that the examined stretch of the Musolo River system is in good ecological health, despite its location adjacent to the megacity of Kinshasa.

Soil enzyme activity variations in riparian forests in relation to plant species and soil depth

Riparian forests are important ecosystems especially in arid zones but no information is available about soil enzyme activity in this ecosystem. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to explore some soil enzyme activities and investigate which soil physico-chemical factors affect these soil enzyme activities in riparian forests the most. Tamarix arceuthoides and Populus euphratica that stands close to one another were selected and soil samples were taken from depths of 0–10, 10–20, 20–30, and 30–40 cm. Analysis of variance was performed to detect significant differences in soil enzyme activity and physico-chemical properties between the studied soil depths. Pearson correlation coefficients were also calculated to determine the correlation between soil enzyme activity and soil physico-chemical properties. The results indicate that soil acid and alkaline phosphatase in T. arceuthoides and P. euphratica stands had the highest and lowest values at depths of 0–10 and 30–40 cm, respectively. Soil urease, dehydrogenase, and β-glucosidase had similar results with higher activity in the topsoil compared to the subsoil in both studied stands. Monte Carlo permutation test results of RDA (redundancy analysis) indicated that the most important soil factors to influence enzyme activities in the T. arceuthoides stand are soil nitrogen, organic carbon, and potassium; while the most important factors in the P. euphratica stand are soil nitrogen, organic carbon, moisture, and potassium. Soil moisture is a key factor influencing enzyme activity in the P. euphratica stand. Soil dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase activity in the P. euphratica stand were greater compared to the T. arceuthoides stand. This might indicate greater soil biological activity in the P. euphratica stand compared to the T. arceuthoides stand. Overall, soil moisture, organic matter, and plant species are the key factors effecting soil enzyme activity in riparian forest.

In Vitro Simulation and In Vivo Assessment of Tooth Wear: A Meta-Analysis of In Vitro and Clinical Research.

Tooth wear may be described as a side-effect of occlusal forces that may be further induced by the common use of contemporary prosthetic materials in practice. The purpose of this systematic review was to appraise existing evidence on enamel wear from both in vitro and clinical research and explore whether evidence from these study designs lies on the same direction. Five databases of published and unpublished research were searched without limitations in August 2019 and study selection criteria included in vitro and clinical research on enamel tooth wear. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were done independently and in duplicate. Random effects meta-analyses of standardized mean differences (SMDs) or weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were conducted while a Monte Carlo permutation test for meta-regression on the exploration of the effect of the study design on the reported outcomes was planned. A total of 27 studies (23 in vitro and 4 clinical) were eligible while 12 contributed to meta-analyses. Overall, some concerns were raised for the quality of the existing evidence and the potential for risk of bias. Enamel wear (mm) of antagonist teeth was more pronounced when opposed to conventional porcelain compared to machinable ceramics (SMD = 2.18; 95%CIs: 1.34, 3.02; p < 0.001). Polished zirconia resulted in decreased volumetric enamel wear (mm3) of opposing teeth compared to pure natural enamel (SMD = –1.06; 95%CIs: –1.73, –0.39; p = 0.002). Monolithic zirconia showed evidence of enhanced potential for antagonist wear (μm) compared to natural teeth (WMD = 107.38; 95%CIs: 30.46, 184.30; p = 0.01). Study design did not reveal an effect on the tooth wear outcome for the latter comparison when both clinical and in vitro studies were considered (three studies; Monte Carlo test, p = 0.66). In conclusion, there is an overriding need for additional evidence from clinical research to substantiate the findings from the already existing laboratory simulation studies.

Variation in denitrifying bacterial communities along a primary succession in the Hailuogou Glacier retreat area, China.

BackgroundThe Hailuogou Glacier is located at the Gongga Mountain on the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, and has retreated continuously as a result of global warming. The retreat of the Hailuogou Glacier has left behind a primary succession along soil chronosequences. Hailuogou Glacier’s retreated area provides an excellent living environment for the colonization of microbes and plants, making it an ideal model to explore plant successions, microbial communities, and the interaction of plants and microbes during the colonization process. However, to date, the density of the nitrogen cycling microbial communities remain unknown, especially for denitrifiers in the primary succession of the Hailuogou Glacier. Therefore, we investigated the structural succession and its driving factors for denitrifying bacterial communities during the four successional stages (0, 20, 40, and 60 years).MethodsThe diversity, community composition, and abundance of nosZ-denitrifiers were determined using molecular tools, including terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCR).ResultsnosZ-denitrifiers were more abundant and diverse in soils from successional years 20–60 compared to 0–5 years, and was highest in Site3 (40 years). The denitrifying bacterial community composition was more complex in older soils (40–60 years) than in younger soils (≤20 years). The terminal restriction fragments (T-RFs) of Azospirillum (90 bp) and Rubrivivax (95 bp) were dominant in soisl during early successional stages (0–20 years) and in the mature phase (40–60 years), respectively. Specific T-RFs of Bradyrhizobium (100 bp) and Pseudomonas (275 bp) were detected only in Site3 and Site4, respectively. Moreover, the unidentified 175 bp T-RFs was detected only in Site3. Of the abiotic factors that were measured in this study, soil available phosphorus, available potassium and denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA) correlated significantly with the community composition of nosZ-denitrifiers (P < 0.05 by Monte Carlo permutation test within RDA analysis).

Freshwater diatom assemblages from seabird-inhabited ponds in Hudson Strait, sub-Arctic Canada

Nutrients and contaminants in wastes from seabird colonies can dramatically alter surrounding vegetation, water chemistry, and aquatic communities. Here we examine the effects of nesting Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima) on diatom assemblages from 21 ponds on islands in Hudson Strait, sub-Arctic Canada (63°12′N, 76°52′W). A total of 116 diatom taxa were identified, with assemblages dominated by benthic Diatoma and Nitzschia species typical of freshwater ponds influenced by seabird colonies. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), with forward selection and Monte Carlo permutation tests (999 repetitions), identified parameters correlated to seabird inputs, including specific conductivity, Al, and Cd concentrations, as the variables most closely linked to diatom species composition. A diatom-based conductivity inference model was developed using a weighted average with partial least squares (WA-PLS) model (r2boot = 0.723; RMSEP = 0.544) to describe the conductivity optima of the most commonly encountered taxa. Although we found increased numbers of eutrophilous taxa in highly eider-influenced ponds, the diatom assemblages were primarily influenced by conductivity, which was primarily linked to ocean spray, and statistical tests did not identify significant differences between the taxa of high and low eider-influenced sites (ANOSIM; p = 0.429; r = 0.009). This calibration set exhibits the potential use of diatoms as indicators of seabird abundance and density across breeding sites; however, in coastal ponds, ocean spray (and hence conductivity) appears to be a confounding factor affecting diatom assemblages.

Multivariate analyses of the vegetation of the western Himalayan forests of Muzaffarabad district, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

Abstract Muzaffarabad district, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan is part of the western Himalaya and rich in phytodiversity, but until now little was known about its plant diversity on larger spatial scale and vegetation composition through multivariate statistical tools. To fill this research gap, the whole district was ecologically explored for the collection of field data from August 2014 to July 2016. For vegetation studies, a total of 16 altitudinal transects comprising 110 sampling stations (samples) with 990 plots were studied by using a stratified random vegetation sampling method. Different multivariate statistical tools including Monte Carlo permutation test, Indicator species analysis, hierarchical clustering, ordination, variation partitioning and multi-response permutation procedures tests were used for the first time for the study area to elucidate the number of significant vegetation groups, ranking and placement of plant species in these groups, classification of vegetation units, detection of important gradients, importance of groups of environmental variables and pairwise compositional differences of the species groups respectively. The results showed that all the recorded 343 plant species belong to seven significant plant associations which were further placed into 5 major forest types. Out of the total 19 variables studied, CCA detected the significant contribution of the majority (simple effects: 12; unique effects: 8) of them. The latter (unique effects) in descending order included altitude, forest cover, deforestation, community maturity, forest density, latitude, slope aspect, and longitudinal variations. Similarly, variation partitioning results depicted that topography was the leading driver affecting vegetation distribution, followed by the biotic and edaphic factors. The forest edges, especially the sub-alpine ecosystem, were most diverse, supported higher tree density and also faced maximum deforestation pressure. Furthermore, rangelands in the temperate to alpine zones were affected by heavy overgrazing. Due to the disrupted local ecosystem functioning, the study area needs proper management and conservations plans to save its biodiversity wealth in this part of western Himalaya.

The Bioindication Evaluation of Ground Beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in Three Forest Biotopes in the Southern Part of Central Slovakia

Abstract Ground beetles (Carabidae) were used to evaluate the bio indication environmental incidence. The ground beetle material (2,341 individuals, 30 species) was collected between 2015 and 2017 using pitfall traps in three types of forest habitats with different disturbance rates. The comparison of carabid’s sensitivity as bio indicators has been evaluated by using three methods: (i) community index of ground beetles (IKS), (ii) ellipsoid biovolume (EV) and (iii) flight ability of the carabids. Using the Monte Carlo permutation test, we did not record the statistically significant changes in IKS values, nor does a change in the representation of carabids in the bioindicative group A, E and R. On the contrary, we confirmed the statistically significant changes in the average values of ellipsoid biovolume in biotopes and between biotopes (the Friedman and Kruskal-Wallis test -ANOVA (p-value = 0.00)). A higher number of macropterous species were recorded in biotopes with high disturbance as compared to the biotopes with low disturbance.

Trends in Mortality Rates from Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer between 2000 and 2015 in the Most Populous Capital Cities of the Five Regions of Brazil.

BackgroundIn many cities around the world, the mortality rate from cancer (CA) has exceeded that from disease of the circulatory system (DCS).ObjectivesTo compare the mortality curves from DCS and CA in the most populous capital cities of the five regions of Brazil.MethodsData of mortality rates from DCS and CA between 2000 and 2015 were collected from the Mortality Information System of Manaus, Salvador, Goiania, Sao Paulo and Curitiba, and categorized by age range into early (30-69 years) and late (≥ 70 years), and by gender of the individuals. Chapters II and IX of the International Classification of Diseases-10 were used for the analysis of causes of deaths. The Joinpoint regression model was used to assess the tendency of the estimated annual percentage change of mortality rate, and the Monte Carlo permutation test was used to detect when changes occurred. Statistical significance was set at 5%.ResultsThere was a consistent decrease in early and late mortality from DCS in both genders in the cities studied, except for late mortality in men in Manaus. There was a tendency of decrease of mortality rates from CA in São Paulo and Curitiba, and of increase in the rates from CA in Goiania. In Salvador, there was a decrease in early mortality from CA in men and women and an increase in late mortality in both genders.ConclusionThere was a progressive and marked decrease in the mortality rate from DCS and a maintenance or slight increase in CA mortality in the five capital cities studied. These phenomena may lead to the intersection of the curves, with predominance of mortality from CA (old and new cases).

Vegetation community composition along disturbance gradients of four typical open‐pit mines in Yunnan Province of southwest China

AbstractOpen‐pit mining causes severe land degradation in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. Vegetation restoration on the degraded land with open‐pit mining is challenging due to great physical and chemical condition changes of the post‐mined landscape. In this study, we compared the vegetation community composition and environmental factors along three disturbance gradients (mining area, restoration area, and control area) in four typical open‐pit mine types (phosphate, zinc, tin, and iron sites). Nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis revealed that there are significant differences in the vegetation communities along three gradients for these mine sites. Quality species were selected by indicator species analysis for vegetation restoration as follows: Chloris virgata Sw. and Artemisia princeps Pamp at the phosphate site; Coriaria nepalensis Wall., Artemisia princeps Pamp, and Picris hieracioides L. at the zinc site; Artemisia princeps Pamp at the tin site; and Panicum brevifolium L. at the iron site. Canonical Correspondence Analysis ordination and Monte Carlo permutation tests were further used to determine the effects of environmental factors on vegetation diversity. The results showed that Cd, As, Zn, Pb, TC, and altitude all had significant effects on vegetation diversity (P &lt; 0.05). Additionally, we found that the integrated effects of these variables on vegetation were greater in the mining area than in the other two gradients based on the model with the lowest Akaike Information Criterion. These results suggest that any plans for vegetation restoration in open‐pit mining areas should take disturbance intensity, mine types, and critical environmental variables into account.