Estonian Journal of Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Oligochaetes (Annelida, Clitellata) in the Anzali International Wetland, north-western Iran","authors":"F. Nazarhaghighi, T. Timm, R. M. Nadoushan, N. Shabanipour, M. Fatemi, A. Moradi","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.3.02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.3.02","url":null,"abstract":"INTRODUCTION Transitional waters, for example lagoons, represent important but fragile ecosystems in the coastal landscape, providing key ecosystem services such as water quality improvement, fisheries resources, habitat and food for migratory and resident animals, and recreational areas for human populations. The Anzali International Wetland was registered in the Ramsar Convention in 1975 as Ramsar Site #40, Wetlands International Site Reference No. 2IR005 (JICA 2005). The Anzali Wetland complex comprises large, shallow, eutrophic freshwater lagoons, shallow impoundments, marshes, and seasonally flooded grasslands at the south-western coast of the Caspian Sea (Fig. 1). It consists of different aquatic and dry land ecosystems and is a good example of a natural habitat supporting an extremely diverse wetland flora and fauna (Ayati 2003). Oligochaete annelids have a worldwide distribution, being frequently the most abundant benthic organisms in freshwater ecosystems; many species are cosmopolitan (Brinkhurst and Jamieson 1971). They are used in biodiversity studies, pollution surveys, and environmental assessment and have also economic importance (Mason 1996; Wetzel et al. 2000; Rodriguez and Reynoldson 2011). Although many researchers have studied the Anzali Wetland from the pollution-related, faunistic, and ecological points of view (e.g. Ayati 2003; JICA 2005; Charkhabi and Sakizadeh 2006; Akbarzadeh et al. 2008; Jafari 2009; Tahershamsi et al. 2009; Mirzajani et al. 2010; Pourang et al. 2010; Jamshidi-Zanjani and Saeedi 2013), there are no data on the species diversity of the Oligochaeta of the region, except the single record of Tubifex tubifex by Pourang (1996). The aquatic Oligochaeta species of Iran are mentioned only in a few papers: Stephenson (1920), Egglishaw (1980), Aliyev and Ahmadi (2010), Ahmadi et al. (2011, 2012), Ardalan et al. (2011), Jablonska and Pesic (2014). Until now 19 species of aquatic oligochaetes occurring in inland waters of Iran have been recorded. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diversity and distribution of this group and to contribute to the Oligochaeta fauna of both the Anzali Wetland and Iran. MATERIAL AND METHODS Study area The Anzali International Wetland (37[degrees]28' N, 49[degrees]25' W), one of the largest freshwater coastal wetlands of Iran, is located in the Guilan Province at the south-western coast of the Caspian Sea and covers an area of 193 [km.sup.2] (Pourang et al. 2010) (Fig. 1). The main wetland covers about 11 000 ha; it comprises an open freshwater lagoon with a length of 26 km and a width of 2.0-3.5 km, surrounded by reed beds extending its eastern border for another 7 km. Eleven rivers and groundwater seeps feed the wetland. The wetland complex is separated from the Caspian Sea by a dune system; the passage to the sea has a width of 426 m. The wetland supports extensive reed beds and an abundant submerged and floating macrovegetation. Its permanently aquatic portion is surrounded b","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131505956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Variability of Riparian Soil Diatom Communities and Their Potential as Indicators of Anthropogenic Disturbances","authors":"Piret Vacht, Liisa Puusepp, T. Koff, T. Reitalu","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.3.04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.3.04","url":null,"abstract":"Riparian soils are affected by both natural and anthropogenic disturbances occurring in the water bodies and on the catchment area. These riparian areas are also rich in microhabitats and therefore host various soil biota, including diatoms. Diatoms are known for their bioindication abilities in water and could potentially be used in that context in the riparian zone. Therefore the possibility of riparian soil diatoms acting as indicators of both terrestrial and aquatic disturbances is worth discussion. We analysed diatom community structure and their variability between different study areas and sites. We also quantified diatom species diversity and richness and evenness of the riparian topsoils. Possible effects of various anthropogenic disturbances on diatom communities, alkaline air pollution, and the effects of mining waters pumped into the area were studied in north- eastern Estonia. These results were compared with results from an area with low human influence in south-eastern Estonia. Additionally, we evaluated the potential of diatoms as indicators of various anthropogenic disturbance levels and a water contamination gradient based on sulphate concentrations. Community parameters, including species richness, diversity, and evenness, indicated some differences between the studied communities both when the separate study sites and distinguishable anthropogenic disturbance levels were compared. Diatom assemblages also showed moderate variability between the study sites, which could be influenced by variable moisture conditions, variable organic matter content, and the trophic level of the water body. Despite the variable levels of human influence the two compared areas shared about 51.4% of the species. Our findings show that the diatom community composition of riparian soils could potentially indicate anthropogenic disturbance levels, especially through the abundance, absence, or presence of specific species (e.g. Hantzschia amphioxys, Fragilaria zeilleri var. elliptica, Pinnularia lata).","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"68 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114571918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatiotemporal variability in the eelgrass Zostera marina L. in the north-eastern Baltic Sea: canopy structure and associated macrophyte and invertebrate communities","authors":"T. Möller, J. Kotta, G. Martin","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.2.03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.2.03","url":null,"abstract":"Seagrasses are marine angiosperms fulfilling important ecological functions in coastal ecosystems worldwide. Out of the 66 known seagrass species only two inhabit the Baltic Sea and only one, Zostera marina L., is found in its NE part. In the coastal waters of Estonia, where eelgrass grows at its salinity tolerance limit, only scarce information exists on the Z. marina community and there are no data on eelgrass growth. In the current study the community characteristics and growth of eelgrass were studied at four sites: Ahelaid, Saarnaki, and Soru in the West-Estonian Archipelago Sea and Prangli in the Gulf of Finland. Fieldwork was carried out from May to September in 2005. The results showed that eelgrass grew between 1.8 and 6 m with main distribution at 2-4 m. The eelgrass bed had a considerably higher content of sediment organic matter compared to the adjacent unvegetated areas, but this difference was statistically significant only in areas where the movement of soft sediments is higher. The results also showed that altogether 19 macrophytobenthic and 23 invertebrate taxa inhabited the eelgrass stand. The prevailing vascular plants were Stuckenia pectinata and Potamogeton perfoliatus. Besides attached macrophytes, drifting algae were recorded within the eelgrass communities throughout the study period. Most common invertebrate species inhabiting eelgrass stands were Peringia ulvae, Cerastoderma glaucum, Mytilus trossulus, Macoma balthica, Mya arenaria, Theodoxus fluviatilis, and Idotea chelipes. Irrespective of the studied basin, the increasing eelgrass density supported an elevated diversity and abundance of benthic invertebrates. The eelgrass shoot biomass showed a constant increase from May to September. The overall growth pattern was similar for all studied areas but varied among depth strata. The average shoot density of eelgrass was 50-1300 shoot per m 2 , average biomass ranged from (0.75) 7.8 to 37.31 g dw m -2 in spring and from 18.42 to 68.59 g dw m -2 in autumn.","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"21 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132949163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Climate change effects on shallow lakes: design and preliminary results of a cross-European climate gradient mesocosm experiment","authors":"F. Landkildehus, M. Søndergaard, M. Beklioğlu, R. Adrian, D. Angeler, J. Hejzlar, E. Papastergiadou, P. Zingel, A. İ. Çakıroğlu, Ulrike Scharfenberger, S. Drakare, T. Nõges, Michal Šorf, K. Stefanidis, Ü. N. Tavşanoğlu, C. Trigal, A. Mahdy, C. Papadaki, L. Tuvikene, S. Larsen, M. Kernan, E. Jeppesen","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.2.02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.2.02","url":null,"abstract":"Climate change is expected to profoundly affect both temperature and net precipitation, with implications for lake water level. We describe the design of a harmonized, simultaneous, cross- European mesocosm experiment to elucidate the effects of climate change on community structure, functioning, and metabolism in shallow lakes at low and high nutrient levels with contrasting depths (1 and 2 m). We used cylindrical (D = 1.2 m) tanks that were either 1.2 or 2.2 m high, each having a 10-cm sediment layer. We inoculated the mesocosms with a mixed sample of sediment and plankton from lakes with contrasting nutrient concentrations and added macrophytes and planktivorous fish. Sediment was pre-equilibrated to the required experimental nutrient concentration. During the experiment the water level decreased with increasing temperature (up to 90 cm in the Mediterranean mesocosms) while conductivity increased. The average chlorophyll a concentration increased with temperature in the deep mesocosms but was more variable in the shallow mesocosms. Macrophyte","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"33 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128095374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of salinity on the growth rate and nutrient stoichiometry of two Baltic Sea filamentous cyanobacterial species","authors":"Aimar Rakko, J. Seppala","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.2.01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.2.01","url":null,"abstract":"Summer blooms of nitrogen-fixing filamentous cyanobacteria are recurrent phenomena in the Baltic Sea. Salinity, varying from 0 to10 PSU in the surface layer of the Baltic Sea, is among the major factors affecting the basin-scale distribution of various bloom-forming cyanobacterial species. The effects of salinity on the growth rate and cellular carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus ratios of two major cyanobacterial species that form dense blooms in the Baltic, Aphanizomenon sp. (strain KAC 15) and Nodularia spumigena (strain HEM), were studied. Cells were grown under N2-fixing conditions in a salinity gradient from 0 to 10 PSU. The growth rates of the species showed contrasting responses to salinity. For Aphanizomenon sp. the maximum growth rates (0.28-0.31 d -1 ) were observed at salinities of 0-2 PSU, while for N. spumigena the maximum growth rate occurred at 8-10 PSU (0.14-0.16 d -1 ). The latter species did not tolerate low salinities (< 2 PSU). The observed differences in salinity tolerances constrain the distribution patterns of these two species during cyanobacterial blooms, Aphanizomenon sp. being more abundant in the coastal and less saline areas. The variations in growth rates were largely reflected in cellular N : P and C : P ratios, which varied two-fold, and in C : Chla ratios with 5-fold variability. Cellular C : N ratios were rather constant at all salinities and close to the Redfield ratio for Aphanizomenon sp. (on average 5.9 g g -1 ) and above the Redfield ratio for N. spumigena (on average 8.0 g g -1 ). The relatively higher N : P and lower C : N ratio showed a higher need of N for Aphanizomenon sp. than for N. spumigena. This is partly explained by the higher abundance of N-rich phycobilin pigments in Aphanizomenon sp. as indicated by fluorescence measurements. The observed differences in pigmentation indicate species-specific strategies in light harvesting.","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"100 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126779282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In Situ Production of Charophyte Communities under Reduced Light Conditions in a Brackish-Water Ecosystem","authors":"Anastasiia Kovtun-Kante, K. Torn, J. Kotta","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.1.03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.1.03","url":null,"abstract":"INTRODUCTION Charophyte communities are an important element in shallow enclosed fresh- and brackish-water ecosystems (Mathieson and Nienhuis, 1991; van den Berg et al., 1998; Pelechaty et al., 2006). They provide shelter and habitat for numerous species including epiphytic microalgae, filamentous macroalgae, as well as various crustacean and insect species (Linden et al., 2003; Schmieder et al., 2006; Torn et al., 2010). Besides, charophytes are an important component in the food web as part of the diet of benthic invertebrates (Kotta et al., 2004, 2013), waterfowl (Noordhuis et al., 2002; Schmieder et al., 2006), and fish and fish larvae (de Winton et al., 2002; Dugdale et al., 2006). Declining distribution and diversity of charophytes have been observed in many regions worldwide including the brackish Baltic Sea (Blindow, 2000, 2001; Schubert and Blindow 2003; Munsterhjelm, 2005). Eutrophication is assumed to be the most important threat to charophytes causing their decline (e.g. Blindow, 1992; Auderset Joye et al., 2002). The main effect associated with eutrophication is the bloom of ephemeral planktonic algae, which leads to increased sedimentation, water turbidity and, as a result, reduced light availability. The shortage of light may reduce the photosynthetic production and growth of charophytes down to the level where their sustainable development becomes impossible (Blindow et al., 2002; Johnsen and Sosik, 2004; Hautier et al., 2009; Dickey et al., 2011). On the other hand, charophytes often prefer soft bottom habitats where even moderate wind may cause sediment resuspension and sedimentation of particles on the plant surface. In such habitats underwater light climate is naturally very variable (Schneider et al., 2006 and references therein). Thus, charophytes are adapted to periodic stress of low light intensities. Nevertheless, the interactive effect of elevated eutrophication and weather variables may result in poorer light conditions than expected from their separate effects (Blindow et al., 2003; Kling et al., 2003). So far, the studies concerning photosynthesis of charophytes are mainly based on laboratory experiments with either detached pieces or single individuals (e.g. Blindow et al., 2003; Marquardt and Schubert, 2009). Very few have been carried out in the natural environments, especially in brackish bodies of water. As compared to their freshwater counterparts, charophytes are often naturally stressed at elevated salinity and therefore are expected to respond differently to changes in light conditions (e.g. Blindow et al., 2003). The existing data on in situ primary production of charophytes related to light limitation are scarce and hardly comparable because of difference in methodologies and the environmental conditions among habitats (Kufel and Kufel, 2002). Light is a key limiting factor for photosynthetic production in aquatic environments (Kurtz et al., 2003; Asaeda et al., 2004, Binzer et al., 2006; Zhang et al., 2010","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"17 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125633705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Concentrations of lead in some coastal fishes from the Baltic Sea","authors":"H. Voigt","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.1.04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.1.04","url":null,"abstract":"INTRODUCTION In contrast to other harmful metals, as e.g. mercury and cadmium, the concentrations of lead in coastal fishes from the Baltic Sea have attracted far less attention (e.g. von Westernhagen and Bignert, 1996; Jezierska and Witeska, 2001; Szefer, 2002; Pokorska et al., 2012; Nyberg et al., 2013; Boalt et al., 2014) although effects of this toxic metal on humans (e.g. Guinnee, 1972; Bremner, 1974; Brian et al., 1980; IPCS, 1989; ATSDR, 2005), fishes, mammals, and birds (e.g. Haider, 1964, 1977; NRCC, 1979; Atchison et al., 1987; Eisler, 1988; Hofer and Lackner, 1995; Pain, 1996; Dietz et al., 1998) have been documented. Considering the significant inflow of lead into the sea and over its vast drainage area (e.g. Ruhling et al., 1992; HELCOM, 1997, 2003, 2010; Bartnicki et al., 2000; Buse et al., 2003) this is rather surprising. In the 1970s some investigations on the concentrations of lead in certain species of Baltic fish, mainly Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras L.) and cod (Gadus morhua callaris L.), were performed (e.g. Lehtonen, 1973; Voipio et al., 1977; Tervo et al., 1980; Perttila et al., 1982), followed by attempts at its monitoring, mainly in the muscle tissue of herring and in the liver of cod, for the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (Helsinki Commission, HELCOM) by some Baltic national research institutes, e.g. the Finnish Institute of Marine Research (Haahti, 1991), the Swedish Museum of Natural History (Jorhem and Sundstrom, 1993), and the Estonian Marine Institute (Jankovski et al., 1996). In the southern Baltic Sea similar investigations additionally included sprat (Sprattus sprattus balticus Schn.), flounder (Platichthys flesus L.), perch (Perca fluviatilis L.), and some other species (Falandysz and Lorenc-Biala, 1984). After confirmation that lead mainly concentrates in internal organs, such as kidney and liver, and bone tissue of fish (e.g. Reichenbach-Klinke, 1980), and not in muscle tissue like mercury, the interest in such monitoring declined significantly, especially because the observed concentrations of lead in the muscle tissue of fish were far below the accepted security levels for fish as food for human consumption (e.g. Nuutamo et al., 1980; Haahti, 1991; Tahvonen and Kumpulainen, 1996; Leivuori, 2007). Starting again in the 1980s, monitoring of the concentrations of lead has been continued, with mainly liver and muscle tissue of herring studied (e.g. Jankovski et al., 1996; Roots and Simm, 2002; Lind et al., 2006; Leivuori, 2007). The present study focuses on the concentrations of lead in the muscle tissue and some internal organs, mainly liver, but in some cases also in gonads, kidneys, spleen, and bile, of some representative coastal fish species from various parts of the Baltic Sea, including two coastal inlets in SW Finland (isolated in the late 1950s from the Baltic Sea). The aim is to survey and to compare the concentrations of lead in the similar fish species as in previous studi","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"41 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126703007","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bryophytes in Estonian mires","authors":"N. Ingerpuu, K. Nurkse, K. Vellak","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2014.1.01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2014.1.01","url":null,"abstract":"A list of 212 bryophyte species occurring in Estonian mires was compiled using published sources, databases, and specimens from Estonian herbaria. The highest number of species, 153, occur in fens, 98 species have been found in transitional mires, and 77 in bogs. Of the mire species 10 are protected by law and 42 are redlisted in Estonia. The present list is a basis for further scientific investigations and nature protection planning.","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"30 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125797884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First Evidence on the Epiphytic Macroalga Pylaiella Littoralis on the Prawn Palaemon Adspersus","authors":"I. Kuprijanov, J. Kotta","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2013.4.05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2013.4.05","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper we describe for the first time the presence of the epiphytic Pylaiella littoralis on the phytophilous prawn Palaemon adspersus. The female prawn was caught in an eutrophicated brackish-water coastal habitat (Kopli Bay, eastern Baltic Sea). The epiphyte covered various parts of the shrimp's cuticle, including antennules and limb segments. This phenomenon was not related to the damaged appendages that hindered the prawn from cleaning herself. However, such a camouflage may actually offer the prawn a unique defence against predators.","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"31 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124743060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Oribatid Mite Communities (Acari: Oribatida) in Different Habitats of the Polistovsky Nature Reserve (Pskov Region, Russia)","authors":"A. Zaitsev","doi":"10.3176/ECO.2013.4.04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3176/ECO.2013.4.04","url":null,"abstract":"The fauna and community structure of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) in the Pskov Region of Russia is not yet comprehensively studied. Until now not much attention has been paid to soil communities of bogs and open landscapes of this area. The aim of this study was to compare the community composition of oribatid mites in different habitats in the environs of the Polistovsky National Nature Reserve (Pskov Region, Russia). We found 56 oribatid species in this area during our sampling campaign in 2010. Of these 16 have not been recorded in the Pskov Region before. Forest habitats were the richest in species within the examined territory. The highest faunistic similarity of oribatid communities was found between raised bogs and transition bogs. The mite faunistic composition in these two types of habitats was in turn quite similar to that in spruce forests. At the same time secondary habitats such as meadows hosted fewer oribatid species and were faunsitically distinct from the other habitats. Analysis of the rank abundance distribution of oribatid species indicated a disturbed state of oribatid communities in meadows even after their abandonment 20-25 years ago. The abundance of all oribatid ecomorphs besides surface-dwelling mites was similar and not significantly different across habitats. We assume that the relatively high number of previously unrecorded oribatid species for the Pskov Region in the research area is related to the considerable age of landscapes in the Polistovsko-Lovatskaya peat bog system and immigration of oribatid mites with transiting birds. More detailed comparative study of the oribatid fauna and community structure in the Polistovsky Reserve is needed to discover driving forces of the revealed community structure and diversity.","PeriodicalId":262667,"journal":{"name":"Estonian Journal of Ecology","volume":"26 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131881635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}