Biodiversity Commons^™

The Effects Of Salinity, Ph, Temperature, And Dissolved Oxygen On Sensitivity Of Pcr Identification Of T4 Bacteriophage, Joesph F. Cannon, Nicholas A. Thurn, Paul E. Richardson

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Bacteriophages are used as indicators of pathogenic bacteria in drinking, and wastewaters. They also show potential in limiting aquatic bacterial populations through their lytic properties. The effect of different water characteristics (salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature) on the sensitivity of the PCR identification of virus particles were analyzed to determine at what levels bacteriophage can be detected in environmental samples. Results from this preliminary study indicate that a PCR bacteriophage detection technique has potential as a relatively efficient and economical indicator of coliform contamination in multiple aquatic environments. While further evaluation is needed, the protocol appears to function in …

Diversity Of Cultivable Bacteria Involved In The Formation Of Macroscopic Microbial Colonies (Cave Silver) On The Walls Of A Cave In Slovenia, Blagajana Herzog Velikonja, Rok Tkavc, Lejla Pašić

International Journal of Speleology

Karstic caves often support white, yellow, grey or pink microbial colonies that are termed ‘cave silver’ by speleologists. Using various sample pre-treatments and culture media, a wide variety of bacteria associated with these colonies were recovered from a cave in Slovenia, Pajsarjeva jama. Decreasing the inoculum size resulted in significant increases in viable counts, while pre-treatments had the opposite effect with the exception of microwave irradiation. While all growth media yielded viable counts, the maximal counts were observed on a low-nutrient TWA medium.

Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence of OTU representatives, the majority of the 80 isolates examined …

Mycological Study For A Management Plan Of A Neotropical Show Cave (Brazil), Erika Linzi Silva Taylor, Maria Aparecida De Resende Stoianoff, Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira

International Journal of Speleology

Caves are stable environments with characteristics favoring the development of microorganisms. The allocthonous input of organic matter and microbes into the warm Neotropical caves may favor the development of filamentous fungi, including pathogenic species. Histoplasma capsulatum is a pathogenic species commonly found in caves and associated with bat and bird guano. Many Brazilian caves have been historically visited due to scenic and religious tourism. The objective of this study was to perform a microbiology study for a management plan of a show cave in Brazil, focusing on the presence and distribution of pathogenic and opportunistic fungi in the cave. Statistics …

Unalienated Recognition At The Core Of Meaningful Exchange Between School And Community. A Response To "Unalienated Recognition As A Feature Of Democratic Schooling", Robin R. Sears

Democracy and Education

I apply the concept of unalienated recognition as a form of democratic exchange, introduced by Rheingold (2012), to a different educational setting. Through a case study of the School for Field Studies international environmental programs, that are, like Rheingold’s study school, field based and community centered, I explore the hypothesis that today’s undergraduate students’ desire to serve and to solve can be usefully harnessed in formal coursework and research to address real problems at their foundation. I link the cases by building on Rheingold’s use of the concept of boundary objects as an organizing principle behind the success in motivating …

Comparative Microbial Community Composition From Secondary Carbonate (Moonmilk) Deposits: Implications For The Cansiliella Servadeii Cave Hygropetric Food Web, Annette Summers Engel, Maurizio G. Paoletti, Mattia Beggio, Luca Dorigo, Alberto Pamio, Tiziano Gomiero, Claudio Furlan, Mauro Brilli, Angelo Leandro Dreon, Roberto Bertoni, Andrea Squartini

International Journal of Speleology

The microbial diversity of moonmilk, a hydrated calcium carbonate speleothem, was evaluated from two Italian caves to provide context for the food web of highly-specialized troglobitic beetles, Cansiliella spp. (Leptodirinae), with distinctive carbon and nitrogen isotope values indicative of a novel food source. The moonmilk and associated percolating waters had low to no extractable chlorophyll, with an average organic C:N ratio of 9, indicating limited allochthonous input and a significant contribution from microbial biomass. The biomass from moonmilk was estimated to be ~10⁴ micro- and meiofaunal individuals per m² and ~10⁷ microbial cells/ml. Betaproteobacteria dominated the …

Wolf Reintroduction Into Yellowstone National Park, Erin Quartley

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph.

" ... My, what big eyes you have grandmother. 'All the better to see you with, my dear.' My, what big teeth you have grandmother. 'All the better to eat you with, my dear. ' ... " The story of Little Red Riding Hood is one that commonly surfaces when people talk about and picture wolves. The negative image that has been placed upon wolves originates from folklore, fairy tales, and Hollywood. This same falsified image is one that has greatly contributed to the past and present plight of …

Section Abstracts: Natural History And Biodiversity

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Natural History and Biodiversity Section for the 91st Annual Virginia Journal of Science Meeting, May 2013

Etudes On Iurids, Vi. Further Revision Of Calchas Birula, 1899 (Scorpiones: Iuridae), With A Description Of A New Genus And Two New Species., Ersen Aydın Yağmur, Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Several new Calchas populations are studied from Turkey, including specimens from Hakkari Province, which borders the northern edge of Iraq. A new genus, Neocalchas, gen. nov., and two new species, Calchas anlasi, sp. nov. and C. kosswigi, sp. nov., are described. The two genera, Calchas and Neocalchas, are diagnosed by their hemispermatophore structure, chelal finger dentition, telson morphometrics and setation, and trichobothrial topology of the pedipalp chela. Genus Calchas Birula, 1899 includes four species: C. anlasi, sp. nov., C. birulai, C. kosswigi, sp. nov., and C. nordmanni; genus …

The First Molecular Phylogeny Of Buthidae (Scorpiones), Victor Fet, Benjamin Gantenbein, Alexander Gromov, Graeme Lowe, Wilson R. Lourenço

Euscorpius

The first partial phylogeny of family Buthidae (17 genera) is presented, based on molecular data (16S rRNA mitochondrial DNA). The strong support for a monophyletic Old World group of 13 genera (mainly Palearctic desert forms) is demonstrated, while representative genera from Madagascar (Grosphus) and Southeast Asia (Lychas) group outside, as well as New World genera Centruroides and Rhopalurus. A very strong support is observed for the first time for three groups of Old World genera: (a) Compsobuthus, Mesobuthus, Liobuthus, Kraepelinia; (b) Hottentotta, Buthacus; (c) Orthochirus, Anomalobuthus. Phylogenetic …

Morphology Analysis Supports Presence Of More Than One Species In The “Euscorpius Carpathicus” Complex (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad

Euscorpius

We investigate a number of scorpion populations from southern and central Europe, commonly classified under a “catch-all” name of Euscorpius carpathicus (L., 1767). This species includes a high number of described subspecies but its composition is not resolved. The detailed morphology analysis in the present paper includes a number of new characters, in particular individually mapped external patellar accessory trichobothria. It suggests that several clearly separated lineages are present. E. carpathicus (L.) is restricted here to geographically marginal populations from Romania (terra typica), which exhibit loss of one trichobothrium in the patellar series em (= 3). Another lineage (Austria, Croatia, …

Two New Andean Species Of Brachistosternus Pocock (Scorpiones: Bothriuridae), Jose A. Ochoa, Louis E. Acosta

Euscorpius

Two new Andean species of the genus Brachistosternus Pocock from southern Peru and northern Chile are described: B. titicaca sp. n. from the Titicaca basin (Departamento Puno, Peru), at 3850-3900 m, and B. quiscapata sp. n. from Departamento Tacna (Peru) and Provincia Arica (Chile), at 3100-3400 m. Both species belong to the subgenus Brachistosternus (Leptosternus) Maury. They are related to the Argentinean species B. (L.) intermedius Lönnberg and B.(L.) montanus Roig Alsina. Comparisons between these four species are provided, including a combination of characters: length/width ratio of metasomal segment V, number of setae of metasomal segment V and tarsus III, …

Etudes On Iurids, V. Further Revision Of Iurus Thorell, 1876 (Scorpiones: Iuridae), With A Description Of A New Genus And Two New Species, Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet, František Kovařík, Ersen Aydın Yağmur

Euscorpius

Iurus populations from the Aegean area are studied, including the Greek islands of Crete, Karpathos, Kythira, Rhodes, and Samos. A new genus, Protoiurus gen. nov., and two new species, Protoiurus rhodiensis sp. nov. and P. stathiae sp. nov., are described. The two genera, Iurus and Protoiurus, are diagnosed by their hemispermatophore structure; a cladistic analysis based on this structure is presented. Genus Iurus Thorell, 1876 includes three species: I. dekanum, I. dufoureius, and I. kinzelbachi; genus Protoiurus includes five species: P. asiaticus comb. nov., P. kadleci comb. nov., P. kraepelini comb. nov., P. rhodiensis sp. nov., and P. …

Euscorpiops Neradi Sp. N. From Thailand (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae: Scorpiopinae), František Kovařík, Jana Plíšková, František Šťáhlavský

Euscorpius

Euscorpiops neradi sp. n. from Thailand is described and compared with other species of the genus Euscorpiops Vachon, 1980. It is the smallest species of the genus, with total length about 25 mm in both sexes. In E. neradi sp. n. external trichobothria on the patella number 16 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 3 est, 4 et) and ventral trichobothria on the patella number 6. Pedipalp fingers are flexed in males and straight in females.

Alloscorpiops Citadelle Sp. N. From Thailand (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae: Scorpiopinae)., František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Alloscorpiops citadelle sp. n. from Thailand is described and compared with A. anthracinus (Simon, 1887). A. citadelle sp. n. is characterized mainly by a higher number of trichobothria on the patella, which has 29–34 external (23–24 in A. anthracinus) and 19–21 ventral (15–19 in A. anthracinus) trichobothria.

Evolution Of Scorpion Orthobothriotaxy: A Cladistic Approach, Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet

Euscorpius

This study presents a cladistic analysis of the derivation of orthobothriotaxic patterns in scorpions. Included in this analysis are the original three orthobothriotaxic patterns defined by Vachon (1972, 1974), the pattern of the unique scorpion Pseudochactas ovchinnikovi Gromov, 1998, and two trichobothrial patterns of fossil scorpions, the Upper Carboniferous palaeopisthacanthids and the Lower Cretaceous archaeobuthids. An overview of all fossil scorpion material where trichobothria are reported is presented in detail. The approach used in this analysis is to model the existence of an individual trichobothrium, adopting the ‘absence of’, ‘petite size’ and ‘full size’ as incremental stages of a trichobothrium’s …

Contributions To Scorpion Systematics. I. On Recent Changes In High-Level Taxonomy, Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad

Euscorpius

Prendini & Wheeler (2005) criticized the methods of phylogenetic analyses by Soleglad, Fet, and their coauthors, and executed an unprecedented taxonomic action: without analyzing any of these taxa, they performed a wholesale synonymization of four parvorders, eight superfamilies, one family, 11 subfamilies, eight tribes, two subtribes, and three genera (in total, 37 taxa) of scorpions, and made other taxonomic changes. No alternative new classification has been proposed (instead, they revert to a previous classification), and no results of original work on this subject by Prendini & Wheeler (2005) have been presented. Here, we reverse all taxonomic changes performed by Prendini …

Etudes On Iurids, Ii. Revision Of Genus Calchas Birula, 1899, With The Description Of Two New Species (Scorpiones: Iuridae), Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

The relict, phylogenetically important scorpion genus Calchas Birula, 1899 (Iuridae) remained monotypic since its description. Its sole species, Calchas nordmanni Birula, 1899, was known only from northeastern Turkey until Kinzelbach (1980) published first records from southern and southeastern Turkey. A few more localities have been reported from Turkey; the species was also found on two Greek islands, Samos and Megisti. We analyzed significant material (63 specimens, including a previously unpublished large series from Naturhistorisches Museum Wien), and concluded that three distinct, disjunct species exist rather than one widespread species as previously thought. Two new species are described: Calchas birulai sp. …

Ecological Niche Modeling Of Two Scorpion Species Mesobuthus Eupeus (C. L. Koch, 1839) And M. Phillipsii (Pocock, 1889) From The Iranian Plateau And Zagros Region (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Omid Mirshamsi

Euscorpius

Ecological niche modeling has allowed several advances in the process of species delimitation. In the present study, I used this method to evaluate the climatic divergence between two scorpion species, Mesobuthus eupeus and M. phillipsii. The ecological niche models (ENMs) were created based on presence-only data with the maximum entropy method. The created models, results of spatial analysis (PCA and Hotelling discriminant), and an identity test suggested that the divergence between these two species is associated with significant divergence in their ecological niches. The results of this study provide additional support for the taxonomic validity the studied species.

A New Species Of Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Dominican Amber, Wilson R. Lourenço

Euscorpius

Tityus azari sp. n., a new species of fossil scorpion belonging to the genus Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 is described based on a specimen in amber from the Dominican Republic. Although the new species can be associated with the extant fauna of the Neotropical region, it presents some particular morphological features such as the presence of sharp denticles on the edge of pedipalp fingers. Due to the incompleteness of the specimen it cannot be assigned to any precise extant subgenera. Once again, this discovery attests to a considerable degree of diversity in the Dominican amber-producing forests.

The Cretaceous Scorpion Genus, Archaeobuthus, Revisited (Scorpiones: Archaeobuthidae), Chris Baptista, Jorge A. Santiago-Blay, Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad

Euscorpius

No abstract provided.

The Scorpions Of Hainan Island, China (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Zhi-Yong Di, Zhi-Jian Cao, Ying-Liang Wu, Lin Zhu, Hui Liu, Wen-Xin Li

Euscorpius

The redescriptions and illustrations of three species, Isometrus (Isometrus) maculatus (DeGeer, 1778), Lychas mucronatus (Fabricius, 1798) (Buthidae), and Liocheles australasiae (Fabricius, 1775) (Hemiscorpiidae) from Hainan Island, China are presented. Distribution data and updated key of Hainan scorpions are provided.

Review Of The Subgenus Pandinurus Fet, 1997 With Descriptions Of Three New Species (Scorpiones, Scorpionidae, Pandinus)., František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Pandinus (Pandinurus) awashensis sp. n. from Ethiopia, P. (P.) somalilandus sp. n. from Somaliland, and P. (P.) lowei sp. n. from Democratic Republic of Congo are described and compared with other species of the subgenus. P. (P.) sudanicus Hirst, 1911 stat. n. previously considered a synonym of P. (P.) magrettii Borelli, 1901 is recognized as a valid species. New data on taxonomic characters and distribution of the subgenus Pandinurus are presented. Also presented are a map of distribution, photos of the localities and a key to species using hitherto unpublished characters of the tarsomere spination formula and sexual …

Persons As Plants: Ecopsychology And The Return To The Dream Of Nature, Monica Gagliano

Landscapes: the Journal of the International Centre for Landscape and Language

Abstract. In this article, I examine human-plant perceptions and interactions in terms of developing a new perspective on the perception and the actions of people towards plants. By combining my scientific understanding of the biological world and my own experiences working with plant shamans, storytellers and mystics from around the world, I engage with the idea that the hierarchical structure by which Western science defines the variety of life forms as ‘primitive’ or ‘more evolved’ is at the root of the current environmental crisis and I argue that the solution to it rests in a change of this very perspective.

Overfishing: Economic Policies In Finite Resource Biological Pools, Abdullah Nasser

Undergraduate Economic Review

Common-property fishing is a classic example of the tragedy of the commons. Driven by competition, rational fishermen are forced to overfish to maintain marketplace viability. This shortsighted strategy will lead to the depletion of the common resource pool, and ultimately the destruction of the local fishing industry. In this paper, we present a dynamic differential system of a finite-resource fishing pool to model choices faced by average fishermen. We show that the situation mirrors a Prisonor’s Dilemma on the short- and long-terms, where overfishing is always the dominant Nash equilibrium strategy. Additionally, we use the model to analyze a multitude …

Cure From The Cave: Volcanic Cave Actinomycetes And Their Potential In Drug Discovery, Naowarat (Ann) Cheeptham Dr., Tara Sadoway, Devon Rule, Kent Watson, Paul Moote, Laiel C. Soliman, Nicholas Azad, Kingsley Donkor, Derrick Horne

International Journal of Speleology

Volcanic caves have been little studied for their potential as sources of novel microbial species and bioactive compounds with new scaffolds. We present the first study of volcanic cave microbiology from Canada and suggest that this habitat has great potential for the isolation of novel bioactive substances. Sample locations were plot ted on a contour map that was compiled in ArcView 3.2. Over 400 bacterial isolates were obtained from the Helmcken Falls cave in Wells Gray Provincial Park, British Columbia. From our preliminary screen, of 400 isolates tested, 1% showed activity against extended spectrum ß-lactamase E. coli, 1.75% against Escherichia …

A World Review Of Fungi, Yeasts, And Slime Molds In Caves, Karen J. Vanderwolf, David Malloch, Donald F. Mcalpine, Graham J. Forbes

International Journal of Speleology

We provide a review of fungi, yeasts, and slime molds that have been found in natural solution caves and mines worldwide. Such habitats provide frequent roost sites for bats, and in eastern North America the environmental conditions that support white-nose syndrome, a lethal fungal disease currently devastating bat populations. A list of 1029 species of fungi, slime moulds, and yeasts in 518 genera have been documented from caves and mines worldwide in 225 articles. Ascomycota dominate the cave environment. Most research has been conducted in temperate climates, especially in Europe. A mean of 17.9±24.4SD fungal species are reported per study. …

Diversity And Biosynthetic Potential Of Culturable Aerobic Heterotrophic Bacteria Isolated From Magura Cave, Bulgaria, Iva Tomova, Irina Lazarkevich, Anna Tomova, Margarita Kambourova, Evgenia Vasileva-Tonkova

International Journal of Speleology

Biocapacity of bacteria inhabiting karstic caves to produce valuable biologically active compounds is still slightly investigated. A total of 46 culturable heterotrophic bacteria were isolated under aerobic conditions from the Gallery with pre-historical drawings in MaguraCave, Bulgaria. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that most of bacterial isolates affiliated with Proteobacteria (63%), followed by Actinobacteria (10.9%), Bacteroidetes (10.9%), and Firmicutes (6.5%). A strong domination of Gram-negative bacteria (total 81%) belonging to nine genera: Serratia, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Sphingobacterium, Stenotrophomonas, Commamonas, Acinetobacter, Obesumbacterium, and Myroides, was observed. Gram-positive isolates were represented by the genera Bacillus, Arthrobacter, and Micrococcus. One isolate …

La Serreta Endokarst (Se Spain): A Sustainable Value?, Antonia D. Asencio, Teodoro Espinosa

International Journal of Speleology

La Serreta endokarst (SE Spain), which UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site in 1998, was considered a sanctuary with cave art and one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mediterranean region for both the remains it hosts and the spectacular karstic landscape at the site.

To coincide with the 40th anniversary of its discovery, the La Serreta cave-chasm was adapted for public use with the intention of showing visitors the remains, which date back to prehistoric times. The solution included attempts to minimize contact with the valuables in the cave in order to alter the existing remains as …