Ecological Series Research Articles

A user-friendly guide to using distance measures to compare time series in ecology.

Time series are a critical component of ecological analysis, used to track changes in biotic and abiotic variables. Information can be extracted from the properties of time series for tasks such as classification (e.g., assigning species to individual bird calls); clustering (e.g., clustering similar responses in population dynamics to abrupt changes in the environment or management interventions); prediction (e.g., accuracy of model predictions to original time series data); and anomaly detection (e.g., detecting possible catastrophic events from population time series). These common tasks in ecological research all rely on the notion of (dis-) similarity, which can be determined using distance measures. A plethora of distance measures have been described, predominantly in the computer and information sciences, but many have not been introduced to ecologists. Furthermore, little is known about how to select appropriate distance measures for time-series-related tasks. Therefore, many potential applications remain unexplored. Here, we describe 16 properties of distance measures that are likely to be of importance to a variety of ecological questions involving time series. We then test 42 distance measures for each property and use the results to develop an objective method to select appropriate distance measures for any task and ecological dataset. We demonstrate our selection method by applying it to a set of real-world data on breeding bird populations in the UK and discuss other potential applications for distance measures, along with associated technical issues common in ecology. Our real-world population trends exhibit a common challenge for time series comparisons: a high level of stochasticity. We demonstrate two different ways of overcoming this challenge, first by selecting distance measures with properties that make them well suited to comparing noisy time series and second by applying a smoothing algorithm before selecting appropriate distance measures. In both cases, the distance measures chosen through our selection method are not only fit-for-purpose but are consistent in their rankings of the population trends. The results of our study should lead to an improved understanding of, and greater scope for, the use of distance measures for comparing ecological time series and help us answer new ecological questions.

Current studies on the degradation of microplastics in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem.

Soil and water are two important basic ecosystems for the survival of different organisms. The excessive microplastic pollutants in soil have been directly discharged into the terrestrial ecosystems. Microplastic pollutants (MPs) constitute a ubiquitous global menace due to their durability, flexibility, and tough nature. MPs posed threat to the sustainability of the ecosystem due to their small size and easy transportation via ecological series resulting in the accumulation of MPs in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. After being emitted into the terrestrial ecosystem, the MPs might be aged by oxidative degeneration (photo/thermal), reprecipitation (bioturbation), and hetero-accumulation. The mechanism of adsorption, degradation, and breakdown of MPs into unaffected plastic debris is accomplished by using several biological, physical, and chemical strategies. This review presents the importance of ecosystems, occurrence and sources of MPs, its toxicity, and the alteration in the ecology of the ecosystems. The inhibitory impact of MPs on the ecosystems also documents to unveil the ecological hazards of MPs. Further research is required to study the immobilization and recovery efficiency of MPs on a larger scale.

Diversity of the vegetation cover of the zone of potential influence of the Nizhneboguchanskaya HPP (Lower Angara region)

Active economic development of the Lower Angara zone requires the creation of a scientific basis for long-term monitoring of the state of natural ecosystems. The paper gives an assessment of the diversity of vegetation cover in the zone of potential influence of the Nizhneboguchanskaya HPP. An analysis of its typological structure on a landscape-ecological basis is given. The results of the DCA ordination and the interpretation of the leading axes of variation demonstrated the presence of four distinct groups of forest types that form ecological series according to the leading factors - the richness and hydrothermal regimes of soils. The dendrogram of forest types in the study area reflects the floristic integrity of the identified groups of forest types and the floristic relationships between them.

National Institutes of Health Clinical Research Funding and All-Cause In-Hospital Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Mortality.

IntroductionHigher federal research funding levels may improve patient outcomes. We examined this relationship between traumatic brain injury (TBI) funding and all-cause in-hospital TBI-related mortality.MethodsUsing an ecological series analysis, we examined the linear trend in both clinical TBI research funding in year 2000 United States dollars ($) (National Institutes of Health [NIH] RePORTER) and in-hospital isolated TBI mortality among patients aged 15 and older (National Trauma Data Bank [NTDB], TBI-related ICD-9 or ICD-10 code, abbreviated head injury score >2 and body region score <2 with ICU admission) between 2007-2015 with data from centers contributing all years of data for the study period. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between mortality rate and total funding, lagged one to three years, both overall and within ten-year age groups.ResultsThe mean annual NIH-TBI research funding was $64.36 million (lowest: 2008; $48.79 million, highest: 2015; $71.42 million). 192,597 encounters of patients 15 years and older, predominantly male (67.5%) and with polytrauma (59.9%), were included. There was no statistically significant reduction in in-hospital TBI-related mortality (14.15% in 2007 to 13.36% in 2015) for the cohort overall, but the mortality rate decreased for patients over 55 years. The greatest mortality reduction occurred in patients 85 years and older (-62.35, 95% CI -92.45-32.25), followed by patients 75-84 years (-44.41, 95% CI -61.72, -27.09), patients 65-74 years (-47.60, 95% CI -67.39, -27.81), and patients 55-64 years of age (-15.15, 95% CI -27.59, -2.72). During the study period, annual NIH funding for TBI varied from the lowest level of $48.79 million (in 2007) to the highest level of $77.34.43 million (in 2005). There was no association between funding in the previous three years and the in-hospital TBI-related mortality rate.ConclusionThis study found a variable pattern in NIH funding for clinical TBI research and a contemporaneous reduction in moderate-severe TBI-related deaths only for those aged 55 years and older, but no association between funding and mortality.

Карта растительности памятника садово-паркового искусства «Осиновая роща» (Санкт-Петербург)

This article continues a series of publications devoted to vegetation mapping of existing and prospective specially protected natural areas of St. Petersburg. The “Osinovaya Roshcha” is a monument of garden art of the late XVIII–early XIX centuries. It is located on the northern border of St. Petersburg in a picturesque kame landscape, where sandy hills alternate with small bogged depressions and lakes. The landscape park of the Levashov-Vyazemsky estate was created in the forested area dominated by spruce, pine and birch. Since the 1780s oak, linden, ash, larch, fir, Siberian, Weymouth and other pines were planted there (Isachenko, 2004). A large-scale map of the actual vegetation of the “Osinovaya Roshcha” park and the adjacent territory was compiled for the first time. The natural forest, bog and meadow plant communities are characteristic features of the northern part of the area. The broad-leaved and coniferous trees, planted in the central part more than 200 years ago, have formed various plant communities, including mixed stands of local flora species and introduced trees. The southern part of the park is occupied mainly by broad-leaved introduced forest stands. Vegetation is divided into three sections in the map legend — natural, introduced, and formed by both native and introduced species. Each section represents vegetation types (or groups of types) (forest vegetation, mire vegetation, etc.); then forest communities are subdivided into classes of formations and formations, bog communities — according to the types of water-mineral nutrition. The mapped units are associations, subassociations and their variants, identified according the ecological-phytocoenotic classification. Territorial units — ecological series and combinations of plant communities — were also used in the map legend. Short-term secondary communities formed under various ecological (mainly anthropogenic) factors are subordinate to conventionally primary ones. They are indicated by indices at the legend numbers. Various types of shading were used on the map to distinguish natural and introduced vegetation. The vegetation map of the “Osinovaya Roshcha” represents a diversity of plant communities: they are forest (spruce, pine, birch) and bog (lowland, transitional, upland) communities typical of the region, as well as old-growth larch (Larix sibirica) and broad-leaved (oak, linden, elm, mixed composition) forests formed by introduced trees. Last ones are rare for the region. The plant community of Carex brizoides, found in the park, is of great interest among the communities of herbaceous plant introducers. This sedge is a rare species for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, which probably like the Poa chaixii was used for sodding the park soils.

Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Agricultural Crops and Ecological Series of Crops Placement

The accumulation of toxic elements in vegetables and melons grown in agriculture, Brassica rapa - turnip, Solanum lycopersicum - tomato, Citrullus lanatus - watermelon, Capsicum annuum - bell pepper, Daucus carota - carrots, Cucurbita pepo - pumpkin, Cucumis melo - melon, and also Prunus armeniaca - apricot from fruit trees were analyzed. The excess of maximum allowable concentrations in agricultural crops of the element As by 1.65-1.75, Cd - 1.6-2.3, Cr -1.2-2.35, Cu -1.6-3.3, Ni - 1.16-3.53, Pb - 1.54-3.08, Al - 1.36-3.5, Sb - 2.0-33, Se - 1.1-3.3 times was established. The maximum allowable concentration of mercury in vegetables and melons was equal to 0.02 mg/kg, and in the chosen plants this indicator was close to the maximum allowable concentration (MAC). An ecological series of vegetable and melon crops (tomatoes → pumpkin → turnips → bell peppers → melons → watermelons → carrots) has been developed for their placement on fields contaminated with heavy metals Se, As, Pb, Cd, Zn, included in the first class in terms of the degree of danger to human health, while Ni, Cu, Cr metals were from the second class, and metal Mn from the third class. Agricultural crops in the ecological series are placed in inverse proportion to the regularities of the hyper accumulation of heavy metals in them.

Классификация местообитаний восточноевропейских тундр

The small contour and mosaic of tundra landscapes leads to the predominance of complex territorial units of vegetation (complexes, serial and ecological series, combinations). For accurate diagnostics and mapping of habitat categories in the tundra zone, we have developed a typological scheme based on the types of combinations of territorial units of vegetation. It takes into account not only the syntaxonomic composition, but also the peculiarities of the spatial organization of habitats.

ПРОСТРАНСТВЕННАЯ СТРУКТУРА РАСТИТЕЛЬНОСТИ КРУПНЫХ ОЗЕР ОНЕЖСКОГО ПОЛУОСТРОВА (НА ПРИМЕРЕ ОЗЕР МУРАКАНСКОЕ И БОЛЬШОЕ ВЫГОЗЕРО)

Studying the vegetation of freshwater lakes remains a topical subject in the national parks of the Arkhangelsk Region. It is in particular important for the Onega Pomorie National Park, which is located along the coasts of the Onega and Dvinskoy bays (of the White Sea) in the northern part of the Onega Peninsula. This article examines the spatial structure of aquatic and coastal-aquatic vegetation of Murakanskoye and Bolshoye Vygozero – two large lakes of the Onega Peninsula. The spatial structure is presented in the form of ecological series of associations of plant communities. A comparative characteristic of the lakes’ vegetation is given in the discussion of the article. The littoral zone is poorly developed in both lakes mentioned above. It depends on the openness of the water areas to the winds from the north. It is indicated that the species composition and vegetation structure of the Bolshoye Vygozero Lake mostly depends on water transparency and high acidity; these factors determine the development of the Phragmitetum australis fontinaliosum dalecarlicae, Phragmitetum australis caricosum aquatilis, Caricetum aquatilis associations. In the Murakanskoe Lake, high water transparency and slightly alkaline pH values contribute to the development of communities of pondweeds – such as Potamogeton alpinus, Potamogeton praelongus, and communities of the Lobelietum dortmannae isoëtosum echinosporae association.

PLANT COMMUNITIES OF BROAD-LEAVED FORESTS OF THE COLCHIS LOWLAND (WESTERN TRANSCAUCASIA)

Three associations of the class Carpino-Fagetea Jakucs et Passarge 1968 were described as а result of the classification of forest communities of the Colchis Lowland (Westem Transcaucasia) using the Brown­ Blanquet method. Association Vaccinio arctostaphilli-Carpinetum betuli ass. nova prov. was included in the order Lathyro-Carpinetalia Passarge 1981, alliance Crataego-Carpinion Passarge 1981. Associations Truello thunbergii-Alnetum barbatae ass. nova prov. and Carici remotae-Pterocmyetum pterocarpae ass. nova prov. were included in the order Rhododendro ponticae-Fagetalia orientalis Quezel et al. 1992, alliance Alnion barbatae Quezel et al. 1992. The results of the DCA ordination and the interpretation of the leading axes demonstrated three well-distinguished ecological and floristic types of deciduous forests (ofthe association rank) forming the ecological series according to the leading ecological factors - the degree of humidity of habitats and the degree of drainage of substrates. Twenty-three plant species - thermophilous Tertiary rehcs were found in all three associations. Of these, eight evergreen species play а significant phytocoenotic role in the formation of the understory in forest communities.The pecuharities of the Tertiary rehc speciesdistributions in the floristic compositions of described associations are discussed.

Causal links between North Sea fish biomass trends and seabed structure

Distinct areas of seabed, called seascapes, are known to shape benthic habitats and communities, yet little is known about the extent to which they affect the dynamics of marine fish populations. We explored the relationship between seascapes and trends in the biomass density of several North Sea fish species. We divided the North Sea into 10 seascapes using standardized methods. Time series of fish biomass density were derived from the North Sea International Bottom-Trawl Survey (NS-IBTS) and aggregated to the seascape level. We analysed the interdependencies between these time series using a causal association network and found independent biomass density trends between adjacent seascapes at a time interval of 0 yr in all species assessed. Long-term causal dependencies in biomass density occurred at time lags of 1-2 yr across different gradients of exchange: (1) both directions from North to South; (2) unidirectional, North-South; (3) unidirectional, South-North; (4) unidirectional, East-West; and (5) no clear direction. Our findings indicate that the separation in (a)biotic conditions between North Sea seascapes can represent relevant barriers to the processes determining the observed fish biomass density. We found that non-fusiform morphology and demersal habitat preferences best explained short-term causal dependencies. This combination is particular to the flatfish and ray species included in the present study. Contrarily, the movement of large, long-lived, benthopelagic species best explained long-term causal dependencies. Our work highlights how causal association networks can be used to study the temporal dependencies between spatial time series in ecology.

Классификация и картографирование местообитаний северо-западной части Большеземельской тундры

Классификация и картографирование местообитаний северо-западной части Большеземельской тундры

Communities of broadleaved woodlands of the lower part of the forest belt of the Belaya river basin (North-Western Caucasus)

The study of phytocoenotic diversity of oak and oak-hornbeam forests of the lower part of the forest belt in the Belaya river basin (Western Caucasus) was performed using the Braun-Blanquet approach. Five floristically different groups of releves were identified based on quantitative classification (Ward's method, Jaccard Distance Measure). An association rank was established for each group. According to the results of comparative syntaxonomic analysis, three associations of moderately masic oak and oak-hornbeam forests - Geranio sanguinei-Quercetum petraeae ass. nova hoc loco (diagnostic species: Pinus sylvestris, Calamagrostis arundinacea, Rhododendron luteum, Geranium sanguineum, Vaccinium arctostaphylos), Inulo salicinae-Quercetum petraeae ass. nova hoc loco (diagnostic species: Brachypodium pinnatum, Inula salicina, Dorycnium graecum, Laser trilobum, Trifolium medium, Viola alba, Stachys officinalis, Pyrethrum poteriifolium, Phleum phleoides, Teucrium chamaedrys, Genista patula) and Acero tatarici-Carpinetum betuli ass. nova hoc loco (diagnostic species: Phalacroloma annuum, Thalictrum minus, Torilis japonica, Prunus divaricata, Physalis alkekengi, Lamium maculatum, Acer tataricum) were included in the alliance Crataego-Carpinion Passarge 1981, order Lathyro-Carpinetalia Passarge 1981, class Carpino-Fagetea Jakucs et Passarge 1968. The correct syntaxonomic position of two associations of mesic hornbeam and oak-hornbeam forests - Dryopterido filicis-maris-Carpinetum betuli ass. nova hoc loco (diagnostic species: Dryopteris filix-mas, Circaea lutetiana, Aegopodium podagraria, Paris incompleta, Abies nordmanniana, Impatiens noli-tangere, Festuca gigantean, Symphytum grandiflorum, Dipsacus pilosus, Aconitum orientale, Asperula caucasica, Moehringia trinervia, Polygonatum orientale) and Vincetoxico scandentis-Carpinetum betuli ass. nova hoc loco (diagnostic species: Viola hirta, Vincetoxicum scandens, Ligustrum vulgare, Lathyrus vernus, Polygonatum multiflorum, Rubus caucasicus, Euphorbia squamosa) has not been determined, however their relations to beech and beech-hornbeam forests of the order Rhododendro-Fagetalia orientalis Passarge 1981 were noted. The described associations of oak-hornbeam forests correspond to the regional ecological series of communities along the moisture gradient.

Evaluation of silver birch diameter increment model based on data of the Czech National Forest Inventory

In the Czech Republic, the silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) is considered as a pioneer and a soil preparing tree species. It occurs mainly on clearcutting areas after disturbances. The aim of this study was to fit breast height diameter increment model for birch with respect to tree age, share of birch trees and forest site type (ecological series – ES and forest vegetation zones – FVZ). We used data of both cycles of National Forest Inventory of the Czech Republic. We evaluated production potential of this species. We tested Korf and Michailoff increment models in variant of nonlinear least squares model (NLS) and nonlinear mixed effects model (NLME). Michailoff models performed better. We found seven statistically significant and practically applicable models. The greatest influence on increment of diameter at breast height have forest vegetation zone and ecological series whereas the influence of the share of birch in forest stand is smaller. The highest absolute values of diameter increment were on gleyed or enriched with water sites in the fourth forest vegetation zone.

Internações por Diabetes Mellitus em idosos brasileiros e suas implicações regionais nos últimos 10 anos

Objetivo: obter uma análise histórica de dados referentes a internações, valor total gasto e dias de permanência por Diabetes Mellitus por unidade federativa de idosos brasileiros nos últimos 10 anos. Metodologia: trata-se de um estudo ecológico, retrospectivo e de séries temporais com dados censitários do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde. Resultados: o pico de internações no Brasil entre 2009 e 2019 ocorreu no ano de 2011 e o ano com mais gastos com internações foi em 2019. O Nordeste se destacou junto com o Sudeste liderando as variáveis em todas as faixas-etárias. Para todas as faixas etárias e todas as variáveis, o Centro-Oeste apresentou a menor quantidade de internações entre todas as regiões brasileiras. Conclusão: a quantidade de internações, dias de internação e valor total gasto por Diabetes Mellitus nos últimos 10 anos por idosos apresentaram uma característica crescente, exceto nos anos de 2012 e 2016. O Sudeste liderou a maioria das análises, seguido do Nordeste, Sul, Norte e, sempre por fim, o Centro-Oeste.

Типология и синтаксономический состав территориальных единиц растительности: новый подход на примере изучения арктических маршей

Типология и синтаксономический состав территориальных единиц растительности: новый подход на примере изучения арктических маршей

ECOLOGICAL–LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS OF PROTECTIVE FORESTS ON THE SOUTH-EASTERN SHORE OF LAKE ONEGO

Data representing the natural characteristics, present-day condition and consequences of the anthropogenic transformation (based on comparison with archival forest inventory data) of forests in the south-eastern part of the shore are reported. The area in question spans some 30 km from the Vodla River mouth to Lake Muromskoye, including near-shore islands. The material was gathered by analyzing available archival data, as well as during transect surveys of shore landscape characteristics and from forest cover descriptions made for 22 model sites in 2018. This activity was part of a project for the study of petroglyph-bearing sites. All of the south-eastern shore lies within a lacustrine and glaciolacustrine moderately paludified flatland landscape dominated by spruce habitats. It is one of the most widespread types of geographical landscape in the middle and southern taiga subzones in the west of European Russia. In the Karelian middle taiga alone it is represented by six contours encompassing in total more than 600,000 ha. As the lake was regressing, ecosites with bedrock outcrops, rather atypical of this landscape, locally formed along the shoreline. In all, 4 types of shoreline were distinguished: rocky, rocky-sandy, bouldery, floodplain. They alternate in different combinations and define the structure of the forests directly adjacent to the south-eastern part of the lake (the spectrum of forest types, their ratios, spatial arrangement, stand composition, etc.). The most typical topographic ecological series of forest types within shore ecosites were identified and described. The vulnerability of the ecosystems to natural and human impacts (soil cover erosion, fires, windthrow, recreation) was assessed. The present-day situation was assessed with view to identifying protective and protected forest categories.

RESULTS OF THE 70-YEAR RESEARCH AT THE INTERFACE OF FORESTRY AND SOIL SCIENCE

The main results of studying the effect of artificial woody vegetation on chernozem are briefly described in the article, as well as the influence of soil and soil condition on composition and productivity of forest plantations. The effect of soil salinity on plant growth is characterized. The toxicity of different groups of readily soluble salts, especially chlorides and soda, has been evaluated. The decisive role of the depth of toxic amounts of chlorides and the level of water availability in the soil usability has been established. The ecological series of water availability for plants in different soil types have been developed and the degree of suitability of groundwater of different salinity has been evaluated. The power of the root zone as a limiting factor has been estimated, as far as the level of mineral elements supply for plant nutrition (trophicity) in the soil is determined by the greatest total amounts of phosphorus and potassium in the root zone (excluding potassium enclosed in feldspar lattices). All the intrazonal diversity of nature is due to the nutrient status and moisture content in the soil. Along with the warmth level these limiting resources develop one or another level of soil fertility. The role of subsurface runoff in the formation of forest-steppe landscapes is characterized. The stages and phases of the primary soil-forming process are highlighted. It is argued that soil zonality results from bioinert nature of the soil. The article substantiates the statement that soil fertility is a factor ensuring the stability of life on Earth; and the ways of promoting Soil Science at the level of the theoretical basis for agriculture have been proposed.

Secular trends in the incidence and prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis within members of an integrated health care delivery system.

The study objective was to estimate secular trends in the overall incidence rate (IR) and prevalence rate (PR) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA); and subgroup-specific IR and PR by race, ethnicity, and sex in a multi-ethnic population of a large integrated health care delivery system. An ecological study was conducted within the adult population of Kaiser Permanente Southern California health plan. From January 1995 up to and including December 2014, annual IR and PR were calculated separately by race, ethnicity, sex and pooled overall. Depending on the stationarity of each ecological series, annual percentage change in IR and PR was evaluated using auto-regressive integrated moving average models. Average overall IR was 53 [95% confidence interval (CI) 46, 61] per 100,000 person-years. The overall as well as subgroup-specific annual IR of RA were unchanged from 1995 to 2014. In 1995, the overall PR of RA was 59 (44, 74) per 100,000 person-years which increased by 14% (7%, 21%) annually thereafter. The increase in PR in Caucasians was lower as compared to African American, Asian and other race (13% vs 15%, 15%, and 18%, respectively). Compared to non-Hispanic ethnicity, the increase in PR among Hispanic was higher (17% vs 14%). Over the past 2 decades, while the incidence of RA was unchanged, the prevalence had increased significantly overall as well as within every subgroup of race, ethnicity, and sex.

Крупномасштабное картографирование растительности долины реки Пинеги (в окрестностях пос. Голубино, Архангельская область)

Geobotanical survey of floodplain natural complexes near gypsum outcrops in the Pinega river valley was done in 2015. Large-scale geobotanical map of the key polygon (scale 1 : 30 000) was composed. Typological units of vegetation were selected on the basis of the composition of dominant species and groups of indicator species. Homogeneous and heterogeneous territorial units of vegetation (serial series, combinations, environmental series) were used. 53 mapped unit types (25 homogeneous types and 28 heterogeneous types) were recognized. The floodplain vegetation consists of 17 homogeneous types of plant communities, 3 series, 14 combinations and 6 ecological series. The sites of old floodplain forests, such as willow forests with Urtica sondenii rare in the Arkhangelsk region and oxbow wet meadows with Scolochloa festucacea were identified.

Memorial Trees in The Czech Landscape

Abstract The aim of the article is to assess the extensive database of memorial trees operated by AOPK CR (Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic) and to determine the occurrence and abundance of the most monumental trees in chosen biogeographical units, (altitudinal vegetation zone, altitude, ecological series (Buček &amp; Lacina, 2002), province, subprovince, bioregion (Culek et. al., 1996)) and the maximum size and age they can reach in these units. This assessment of monumental trees at a national level was made possible based on the provision of two extensive databases containing the information about the trees (AOPK CR Database of Memorial Trees) and about the biogeographical units of the Czech Republic (Biogeographical Registry of the Czech Republic). Basic unit of both databases is cadastral area and the fact allowed to link the data and to evaluate them. The occurrence rate of memorial trees and species in individual cadastral areas and in biogeographical regions is presented in the map outputs.