Biodiversity Commons^™

Conservation In The Context Of Climate Change: Practical Guidelines For Land Protection At Local Scales, Kevin Ruddock, Peter August, Christopher Damon, Charles Labash, Pamela Rubinoff, Donald Robadue Jr.

Peter August

Climate change will affect the composition of plant and animal communities in many habitats and geographic settings. This presents a dilemma for conservation programs – will the portfolio of protected lands we now have achieve a goal of conserving biodiversity in the future when the ecological communities occurring within them change? Climate change will significantly alter many plant communities, but the geophysical underpinnings of these landscapes, such as landform, elevation, soil, and geological properties, will largely remain the same. Studies show that extant landscapes with a diversity of geophysical characteristics support diverse plant and animal communities. Therefore, geophysically diverse landscapes …

La Diversidad De Los Analisis De Diversidad [The Diversity Of Diversity Analyses], Victor D. Carmona

Victor D. Carmona-Galindo

There is a lack of consistency with respect to the use of the terms like species richness, diversity and biodiversity, which extends to the analysis of diversity indices and the merit of using diversity indices in the evaluation (comparison and contrast) of biological communities. The purpose of this article is to provide working definitions for these terms and cite examples from the primary literature that demonstrate the utility of estimating richness, evaluating proportional abundance patterns, as well as comparing indices of diversity and similarity to study patterns of biological organization at different ecological scales. Additionally, we provide a manual in …

A New Cave-Dwelling Millipede Of The Genus Scutogona From Central Portugal (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Chamaesomatidae), Ana Reboleira, Henrik Enghoff

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

A new cave-dwelling species of the genus Scutogona Ribuat, 1913, S. minor n. sp., is described from caves of Sicó karst in central Portugal. The classification and delimitation of Scutogona vis-à-vis related genera, in particular Meinerteuma Mauriès, 1982, is discussed.

Global Cities Are Coastal Cities Too: Paradox In Sustainability?, Herman L. Boschken

Herman L. Boschken

Worldwide, most global cities are located in coastal zones, but a paradox of sustainability is especially striking for American global cities. This article examines such paradox drawn between globalization-induced development and coastal ecosystems. It focuses on two developmental components found principally in global cities: (1) the agglomeration of foreign waterborne commerce and global business services and (2) the accelerated activity and mobility habits of a global professional class. Despite formidable gaps in research, some anecdotal evidence suggests unique hazards exist for the coastal ecology as globalization pressures expand a global city’s urban footprint.

On Hypogean Roncocreagris (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones: Neobisiidae) From Portugal, With Descriptions Of Three New Species, Ana Reboleira, Juan Zaragoza, Fernando Gonçalves, Pedro Oromí

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

Three new hypogean species of the Iberian genus Roncocreagris Mahnert, 1974 are described from mainland Portugal: R. borgesi sp. nov. and R. gepesi sp. nov. from caves in the Sicó massif, and R. occidentalis sp. nov. from caves in the Montejunto and Cesaredas karst plateau. This brings to nine the number of known hypogean species of the mostly Iberian genus Roncocreagris: five from Portugal and four from Spain. Ecological comments and new localities for some of the previously known species are also included.

The World’S Deepest Subterranean Community - Krubera-Voronja Cave (Western Caucasus), Alberto Sendra, Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

Subsurface biota extends over a wide variety of habitats that can be spatially interconnected. The largest communities of this subsurface biota inhabit cavities and are well known mainly in caves where biologists are able to have access. Data about deep subterranean communities and arthropods living under one thousand meters was unknown. An expedition to world’s deepest cave, Krubera-Voronja in Western Caucasus, revealed an interesting subterranean community, living below 2000 meters and represented by more than 12 species of arthropods, including several new species for science. This deep cave biota is composed of troglobionts and also epigean species, that can penetrate …

Subterranean Species Of Acipes Attems, 1937 (Diplopoda, Julida, Blaniulidae), Henrik Enghoff, Ana Reboleira

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

Two new blind, cave-dwelling species of the genus Acipes Attems, 1937, are described from the Algarve, southern Portugal: A. machadoi n. sp. and A. bifilum n. sp. Acipes andalusius Enghoff & Mauriès, 1999, is reported from the mesovoid shallow substratum in Alicante (Spain), 250 km from the type locality in Andalusia.

The Genus Boreviulisoma Brolemann, 1928—An Iberian-N African Outlier Of A Mainly Tropical Tribe Of Millipedes (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae), Ana Reboleira, Henrik Enghoff

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

The genus Boreviulisoma Brolemann, 1928, is revised. The synonymy of Liliputia Attems, 1952, under Boreviulisoma is confirmed, but L. badia Attems, 1951, from Spain, is resurrected, as Boreviulisoma badium, from synonymy under B. liouvilleiBrolemann, 1928 (the type species of Boreviulisoma) from Morocco. Boreviulisoma barrocalense n. sp. is described from the subterranean environment of the Algarve, the southernmost province of Portugal. The distribution of the three known species of Boreviulisoma is mapped, main characters of the genus and its species are reviewed and a key to species of the genus is included. The isolated occurrence of Boreviulisoma badium and B. barrocalense …

Gonadal Cycle Of Northern Quahogs, Mercenaria Mercenaria (Linne, 1758), From Fished And Non-Fished Subpopulations In Narragansett Bay, Dora Marroquin-Mora, Michael Rice

Michael A Rice

To determine if population density in areas closed to fishing in Narragansett Bay is causing differences in the reproductive potential of the organisms, this study used two approaches to determine the reproductive condition of the animals. The first approach consisted in employing a gravimetric condition index (CI) to evaluate the general condition of quahogs from nine different sites, 3 sites open conditionally for fishing (conditional areas) and 6 sites closed to fishing. The second approach was a determination of gonadal index (GI) of a subset of the sample sites, by histological observation of gonadal tissue sections. Initial sampling included determination …

Acute Toxicity Of Copper Sulfate And Potassium Dichromate On Stygobiont Proasellus: General Aspects Of Groundwater Ecotoxicology And Future Perspectives, Ana Reboleira, Nelson Abrantes, Pedro Oromí, Fernando Gonçalves

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

Karst systems harbor large groundwater resources for human consumption and represent an important habitat for rare and unprotected specialized animals, the so-called stygofauna. Due to the highly adapted features towards underground life, together with the geographic isolation provided by the subterranean aquifers, groundwater-dwelling animals may lose the ability to face sudden changes on their ecosystems, and therefore the risk of extinction is remarkably high. A little is known about their sensitiveness, especially linked to contamination pressure in urbanized karst areas. Understanding the impact of contaminants on stygofauna is important for setting groundwater environmental quality and management of karst systems. We …

Genome Sequence Of Lactobacillus Pentosus Kca1: Vaginal Isolate From A Healthy Premenopausal Woman, Kingsley Anukam

Kingsley C Anukam

The vaginal microbiota, in particular Lactobacillus species, play an important role in female health through modulation of immunity, countering pathogens and maintaining a pH below 4.7. We report the isolation and genome sequence of Lactobacillus pentosus strain KCA1 (formally known as L. plantarum) from the vagina of a healthy Nigerian woman. The genome was sequenced using Illumina GA II technology. The resulting 16,920,226 paired-end reads were assembled with the Velvet tool. Contigs were annotated using the RAST server, and manually curated. A comparative analysis with the available genomes of L. pentosus IG1 and L. plantarum WCFS1 showed that over 15% …

Literature Survey, Bibliographic Analysis And A Taxonomic Catalogue Of Subterranean Fauna From Portugal, Ana Reboleira, Fernando Gonçalves, Pedro Oromí

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

A bibliographic analysis of the hypogean biological studies in Portugal is made, compiling 138 publications related to the subterranean invertebrate fauna, since its begining in 1870 until November 2012. A catalogue of hypogean endemic taxa is provided, listing 27 troglobionts and 63 stygobionts, described to be obligate hypogean and endemic from mainland Portugal (Macaronesian archipelagos excluded). The first impetus on troglobiont studies was provided by the prospections of Barros Machado during 1940’s and by an expedition of Lindberg in the spring of 1961; and the major information about stygobiont species was provided by the former Instituto de Zoologia “Dr. Augusto …

Invertebrate Communities Of Groundwater-Dependent Refugia With Varying Hydrology And Riparian Cover During A Supraseasonal Drought, Rosemary A. Burk, James H. Kennedy

Rosemary A. Burk

Extreme disturbances eliminate aquatic biota and alter community structure and function. During a supraseasonal drought in north-central Texas in the summer and fall 2006, macroinvertebrate communities from persistent groundwater-dependent macrohabitats of varying hydrology and riparian shading were investigated to study their role as invertebrate refugia, and to characterize the taxonomic and functional community structure of benthic assemblages. Ash Creek was the only stream with surface flow within a 35-km radius during the drought. Two perennial and three intermittent stream sites were studied that included perennial riffles, a perennial pool, shaded disconnected pools, and disconnected pools in full sun. Riffles had …

Examining The Causes Of Rarity For The Odonata Of Illinois, Miranda R. White, Paul V. Switzer

Paul V. Switzer

Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) play an important role in habitat management and conservation, but our understanding of the causes of commonness versus rarity in this group is limited. In this study we examined the causes of rarity for the Odonata of Illinois. Using S-ratings for conservation status and published habitat classifications for Illinois odonates, we investigated whether habitat type (lotic versus lentic) or habitat specificity (whether they were limited to a specific type of aquatic habitat) was related to commonness. We found that lotic species and habitat specialists were more likely to be rare than lentic and generalist species. More …

Agricultural Geo-Engineering; Past, Present & Future, Erich J. Knight Mr.

Erich J Knight Mr.

Historic hall marks of GHG emissions are reviewed, providing repeated demonstration of anthropogenic land use changes on climate forcing.

New Astrophysical and Paleoclimate concordance with extinction events demonstrating climate adaptation by prehistoric man.

A review of new research concerning Soil Carbon, Carboniferous Aerosols, extent of Pyrolytic-Carbon fraction in soil and the first survey of the extensive deep soil carbon sink.

How thermal conversion technologies can integrate and optimize the recycling of valuable nutrients while providing energy and building soil carbon.

New discoveries from the Advanced Spectrometry & Meta-Genomics studies in soil microbiology which demonstrate unaccounted for ecological services provided by …

Diversity Of Plants And Animals In Mountain Systems In Tajikistan, Victor Roy Squires Dr, Neymatalo Safarov Dr

Victor Roy Squires Dr

Tajikistan, a landlocked country, is one of the world's centers of origin of cultivated plants and has a special role in the conservation of mountain biodiversity. The richness of biodiversity shows up at the genetic, species, population, and ecosystem levels. There are many relic and endemic species, with most of the components of biodiversity vulnerable to anthropogenic factors. Close cooperation across borders will be required for conservation of unique and threatened ecosystems in the Central Asian region. Proximate threats such as poaching, overfishing, illegal logging and overgrazing are causing irreversible damage to biodiversity in the Tajikistan hotspot. Threats stem from …

Combating Deserttification In Asia, Africa And The Middle East, Victor Roy Squires Dr

Victor Roy Squires Dr

The fight against land degradation in terrestrial ecosystems forms one of the most complex challenges with regard to the various global environmental problems. It is most intensively linked to human life quality and to current living conditions in the poorer countries of the drier biomes on earth. The concept of the combat of desertification, as rooted in the charter of the United Nations Convention to combat Desertification and Drought (UNCCD), can also be transferred to a wider sustainability agenda for the more humid ecosystems where accelerated land degradation, loss of biodiversity and vulnerability to climate change are emerging issues of …

Do Direito Fundamental Ao Meio Ambiente Ecologicamente Equilibrado À Concepção Do Direito Do Meio Ambiente, Flávia Mg Pessoa, Pablo C. Barreto

Flávia Moreira Guimarães Pessoa

This article discusses the various proposals for environmental ethics and how they influence the construction of a right of environment. Points to the evolution of conceptions of the fundamental [human] right to the environment until the right of the environment itself

Use Of Anecdotal Occurrence Data In Species Distribution Models: An Example Based On The White-Nosed Coati (Nasua Narica) In The American Southwest., Jennifer K. Frey, Jeremy C. Lewis, James S. Stuart, Rachel K. Guy

Jennifer K. Frey

No abstract provided.

The Cost Of Useful Knowledge And Collective Action In Three Fisheries, James A. Wilson, James M. Acheson, Teresa Johnson

James Wilson

In a complex environment knowledge is valuable and its acquisition is costly; as a result people are careful about what to learn and how to learn it. We suggest that the dynamics of the “local” environment strongly influences the method that individuals choose to acquire useful knowledge and is one of the principal determinants of the way they compete and cooperate. We focus on theway different environments lead to different costs, especially the relative opportunity costs of search and communication and, consequently, to the emergence of different patterns of persistent cooperation and competition. In predictably regular and in predictably random …

Land Use And Vegetation Cover Dynamics In And Around Kagoma Forest Reserve In Tanzania, Nanjiva Nzunda, Pkt Munishi, Japhet Kashaigili, Geofrey Soka, Joel Monjare

Geofrey Soka

No abstract provided.

Biotic Acceptance In Introduced Amphibians And Reptiles In Europe And North America, Karen H. Beard

Karen H. Beard

Aim: The biotic resistance hypothesis argues that complex plant and animal communities are more resistant to invasion than simpler communities. Conversely, the biotic acceptance hypothesis states that non-native and native species richness are positively related. Most tests of these hypotheses at continental scales, typically conducted on plants, have found support for biotic acceptance. We tested these hypotheses on both amphibians and reptiles across Europe and North America. Location: Continental countries in Europe and states/provinces in North America. Methods: We used multiple linear regression models to determine which factors predicted successful establishment of amphibians and reptiles in Europe and North America, …

Sharing A Vision For Biodiversity Conservation And Agriculture, John Quinn

John E Quinn

No abstract provided.

Anthropogenic Impacts Of Irrigation On The Arthropod Community Structure Of A Coastal Sage Scrub Habitat In Los Angeles, Victor D. Carmona

Victor D. Carmona-Galindo

We evaluated the effects of an irrigation system on the community structure of arthropods in a coastal sage scrub chaparral habitat. We placed 5 traps in the irrigated site and 5 traps in control site, for a total of 10 sticky traps (using Tree Tanglefoot) in an area adjacent to Ballona Wetlands in Los Angeles, California. The traps were set at the irrigated and non-irrigated site on Telegraph Weed for one week. Results showed that morphospecies richness, relative abundance, and taxonomic order representation were higher at the control site than at the irrigated site. Our study documents how anthropogenic impacts …

The Type Localities Of The Mule Deer, Odocoileus Hemionus (Rafinesque, 1817), And The Kansas White-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus Virginianus Macrourus (Rafinesque, 1817), Are Not Where We Thought They, Neal Woodman

Neal Woodman

Among the iconic mammals of the North American West is the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). This species and a western subspecies of the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus macrourus) were two of seven mammals originally named and described as new species in 1817 by Constantine S. Rafinesque. Rafinesque never saw the animals that he named. Instead, he followed the then-acceptable practice of basing his new species on animals characterized in another published work, in this case the putative journal of Charles Le Raye, a French Canadian fur trader who was said to have traversed the upper Missouri River region before the …

Morphological Distinctiveness Of Javan Tupaia Hypochrysa (Scandentia, Tupaiidae), Eric J. Sargis, Neal Woodman, Natalie Morningstar, Aspen Reese, Link E. Olson

Neal Woodman

The common treeshrew, Tupaia glis, represents a species complex with a complicated taxonomic history. It is distributed mostly south of the Isthmus of Kra on the Malay Peninsula and surrounding islands. In our recent revision of a portion of this species complex, we did not fully assess the population from Java (T. ‘‘glis’’ hypochrysa) because of our limited sample. Herein, we revisit this taxon using multivariate analyses in comparisons with T. glis, T. chrysogaster of the Mentawai Islands, and T. ferruginea from Sumatra. Analyses of both the manus and skull of Javan T. ‘‘glis’’ hypochrysa show it to be most …

An Assessment Of Fecal Indicator And Other Bacteria From An Urbanized Coastal Lagoon In The City Of Los Angeles, California, Usa., Victor D. Carmona

Victor D. Carmona-Galindo

A study was performed in Del Rey Lagoon, City of Los Angeles, to determine if the lagoon was as a source or sink for fecal indicator bacteria (FIB: total coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci) and to screen for the presence of other potentially pathogenic bacteria. The lagoon receives tidal flows from the adjacent Ballona Estuary whose water usually is contaminated with FIB originating from the highly urbanized Ballona Creek Watershed. During 16 sampling events from February 2008 through March 2009, replicate water samples (n = 3) were collected 1 h prior to the high tide and 1 h prior to the …

Journey To The End Of The Earth: Analyzing The Outcomes Of A Field-Based Research Program In Antarctica, William H. Robertson, Claudia V. Garcia

William H. Robertson

With the need to increase minority representation in science, specifically in polar science research, the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) developed an innovative field research experience entitled the International Polar Year- Research and Educational Opportunities in Antarctica for Minorities (IPY-ROAM). Supported by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, twenty-eight participants including undergraduate students, graduate students, teachers and university faculty completed a semester long online course and performed field research in Antarctica within the areas of aquatic ecology, terrestrial biology, physical science, ecotourism and education. The purpose of this article is to determine possible outcomes that individuals experienced through …