Search results for "CONSERVATION"
showing 10 items of 2328 documents
Relevant habitats neglected by the Directive 92/43 EEC: the contribution of Vegetation Science for their reappraisal in Sicily
2021
Field investigation carried out by the Sicilian botanists in the last 20 years enabled them to identify eight habitat types of high biogeographic and conservation interest, neglected by the Directive 92/43, which deservead hocconservation measures. For each of these habitats, a syntaxonomic interpretation of the corresponding plant communities, their main ecological, physiognomic and syndynamic traits and a list of diagnostic species are provided. Their classification into the macrotypes listed in the Annex I of the Directive 92/43 and the respective correspondence in EUNIS habitat classification are proposed. The habitats here described integrate those already proposed by the Italian Botan…
Merging science and arts to communicate nature conservation
2015
Abstract As a response to overall negative attitudes on nature conservation, Latvian scientists and artists launched a new initiative to communicate biodiversity. Unlike previous efforts, this initiative also included arts (poetry, music, dance and photo/video) as part of the information campaign. This project, named Nature Concert Hall, has been very successful between 2006 and 2012 in terms of receiving national and international recognition; this paper aimed to evaluate its efficiency in increasing the public’s knowledge and awareness of nature conservation issues and pro-environmental behaviour. We used an electronic web-form survey to investigate the views of the Nature Concert Hall’s …
Spatiotemporal monitoring of the rare northern dragonhead (Dracocephalum ruyschiana, Lamiaceae) — SNP genotyping and environmental niche modeling her…
2022
The species we have studied the spatiotemporal genetic change in the northern dragonhead, a plant species that has experienced a drastic population decline and habitat loss in Europe. We have added a temporal perspective to the monitoring of northern dragonhead in Norway by genotyping herbarium specimens up to 200 years old. We have also assessed whether northern dragonhead has achieved its potential distribution in Norway. To obtain the genotype data from 130 herbarium specimens collected from 1820 to 2008, mainly from Norway (83) but also beyond (47), we applied a microfluidic array consisting of 96 SNP markers. To assess temporal genetic change, we compared our new genotype data with exi…
Role of the Siberian flying squirrel as an umbrella species for biodiversity in northern boreal forests
2008
Abstract One of the potentially useful indirect shortcut methods in biodiversity conservation is the umbrella species concept. An umbrella species can be seen relatively demanding for the size of the area and probably also for certain habitat types: conservation management for the umbrella species would thus encompass other species preferring similar habitats but with smaller area requirements. As such, it has a comprehensive spatial aspect for landscape planning. We tested the role of the Siberian flying squirrel ( Pteromys volans ) as an umbrella species for wood dependent species among red-listed and old-growth forest associated polypores, epiphytic lichens and beetles. Flying squirrels …
Host in reserve: The role of common shrews (Sorex araneus) as a supplementary source of tick hosts in small mammal communities influenced by rodent p…
2022
Rodents often act as important hosts for ticks and as pathogen reservoirs. At north -ern latitudes, rodents often undergo multi- annual population cycles, and the peri -odic absence of certain hosts may inhibit the survival and recruitment of ticks. We investigated the potential role of common shrews (Sorex araneus) to serve as a sup -plementary host source to immature life stages (larvae and nymphs) of a generalist tick Ixodes ricinus and a small mammal specialist tick I. trianguliceps, during decreas-ing abundances of bank voles (Myodes glareolus). We used generalized mixed models to test whether ticks would have a propensity to parasitize a certain host species dependent on host populati…
FishSizer: Software solution for efficiently measuring larval fish size
2022
Length and depth of fish larvae are part of the fundamental measurements in many marine ecology studies involving early fish life history. Until now, obtaining these measurements has required intensive manual labor and the risk of inter- and intra-observer variability. We developed an open-source software solution to semi-automate the measurement process and thereby reduce both time consumption and technical variability. Using contrast-based edge detection, the software segments images of a fish larva into “larva” and “background.” Length and depth are extracted from the “larva” segmentation while taking curvature of the larva into consideration. The graphical user interface optimizes workf…
Recovery of macroinvertebrate communities from stream habitat restoration
1998
1. Many streams channelized for timber floating in Finland are now being restored to their original condition. The most frequently used restoration structures are boulder dams, flow deflectors, excavations and channel enlargements. By increasing substrate heterogeneity and leaf litter retention, restoration may enhance the formation of detritivore-dominated macroinvertebrate assemblages. In this study, macroinvertebrate communities in streams with differing recovery periods (from 0 to 16 years) from restoration, were compared with those in channelized and near-pristine streams. 2. Water depth and current velocity were lower, and relative bed roughness higher in restored than in dredged chan…
Forest Fragmentation Increases Nest Predation in the Eurasian Treecreeper
2004
We used long-term breeding data to monitor the influences of fragmentation and habitat composi- tion at different spatial scales on the reproductive success of Eurasian Treecreepers (Certhia familiaris) breeding in nest boxes. We collected data from the same forest patches (2.7-65.1 ha in size) during seven breeding sea- sons. Nest predation varied considerably over the years and was the primary cause of nesting failure (mean annual rate of 21.6 ± 12.8%). Nest predation explained most of the variation in fledgling production during the study period. Landscape-level fragmentation (radius of 500 m from territory center) affected nest predation more than did fragmentation on the territory scal…
Isoëtes sabatina (Isoëtaceae, Lycopodiopsida). Taxonomic distinctness and preliminary ecological insights
2021
1) Isoëtes sabatina is the rarest aquatic quillwort in Europe. Although recently found (2013) in Lake Bracciano (central Italy), the species is just one step away from extinction with an estimated population not exceeding 400 individuals and a spatial range of a few hundred square metres. 2) Lake Bracciano is a deep, oligo-mesotrophic Mediterranean volcanic lake that has been subjected to human activities. From January to October 2017, the lake experienced a dramatic water level decrease (up to −1.50 m), which significantly affected the littoral zone and the habitat of I. sabatina. 3) To improve the chances of survival of I. sabatina, the first eco-taxonomic investigation on this species wa…
Bacteria, fungi and arthropod pests collected on modern human mummies
2011
A survey of opportunistic biocenosis (macro and micro organisms) associated with a rest of human mummy samples was carried out to characterise the biocenosis and to detect the potential of biodeteriogens. The rests of the human modern mummies come from a hypogeic site. Since mummies are relevant from a historic-artistic-scientific point of view, an aspect of this study was the identification and characterization of the biological systems related with biodeterioration of organic matter. In a first step, different sampling methods, according to the taxa, were applied. Technological procedures were combined in order to have an interdisciplinary approach to the conservation actions for testing …