In and Out of Suriname

This title is available online in its entirety in Open Access In and Out of Suriname: Language, Mobility and Identity offers a fresh multidisciplinary approach to multilingual Surinamese society, that breaks through the notion of bounded ethnicity enshrined in historical and ethnographic literature on Suriname

Invasive earthworms erode soil biodiversity: A meta-analysis

Biological invasions pose a serious threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning across ecosystems. Invasions by ecosystem engineers, in particular, have been shown to have dramatic effects in recipient ecosystems. For instance, invasion by earthworms, a below-ground invertebrate ecosystem engineer, in previously earthworm-free ecosystems alters the physico-chemical characteristics of the soil. Studies have shown that such alterations in the soil can have far-reaching impacts on soil organisms, which form a major portion of terrestrial biodiversity. Here, we present the first quantitative synthesis of earthworm invasion effects on soil micro-organisms and soil invertebrates based on 430 observations from 30 independent studies. Our meta-analysis shows a significant decline of the diversity and density of soil invertebrates in response to earthworm invasion with anecic and endogeic earthworms causing the strongest effects. Earthworm invasion effects on soil micro-organisms were context-dependent, such as depending on functional group richness of invasive earthworms and soil depth. Microbial biomass and diversity increased in mineral soil layers, with a weak negative effect in organic soil layers, indicating that the mixing of soil layers by earthworms (bioturbation) may homogenize microbial communities across soil layers. Our meta-analysis provides a compelling evidence for negative effects of a common invasive below-ground ecosystem engineer on below-ground biodiversity of recipient ecosystems, which could potentially alter the ecosystem functions and services linked to soil biota.European Union's Horizon 2020, Grant/ Award Number: 677232; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; German Research Foundation, Grant/Award Number: FZT 11

Why Should We Preserve Fishless High Mountain Lakes?

High mountain lakes are originally fishless, although many have had introductions of non-native fish species, predominantly trout, and recently also minnows introduced by fishermen that use them as live bait. The extent of these introductions is general and substantial often involving many lakes over mountain ranges. Predation on native fauna by introduced fish involves profound ecological changes since fish occupy a higher trophic level that was previously inexistent. Fish predation produces a drastic reduction or elimination of autochthonous animal groups, such as amphibians and large macroinvertebrates in the littoral, and crustaceans in the plankton. These strong effects raise concerns for the conservation of high mountain lakes. In terms of individual species, those adapted to live in larger lakes have suffered a higher decrease in the size of their metapopulation. This ecological problem is discussed from a European perspective providing examples from two study areas: the Pyrenees and the Western Italian Alps. Species-specific studies are urgently needed to evaluate the conservation status of the more impacted species, together with conservation measures at continental and regional scales, through regulation, and at local scale, through restoration actions, aimed to stop further invasive species expansions and to restore the present situation. At different high mountain areas of the world, there have been restoration projects aiming to return lakes to their native fish-free status. In these areas autochthonous species that disappeared with the introduction of fish are progressively recovering their initial distribution when nearby fish-free lakes and ponds are available

Creole learner varieties in the past and in the present: implications for creole development

Contains fulltext : 78802.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)30 p

Grammaire du nengee : introduction aux langues aluku, ndyuka et pamaka

International audienceCet ouvrage sur le nenge(e), langue créole qui compte plus de 60 000 locuteurs au Suriname, en Guyane, en métropole et aux Pays-Bas, offre, pour la première fois en français, une grammaire complète et facile d'accès de ses trois variantes, aluku, ndyuka et pamaka, parlées sur le territoire guyanais. Après une présentation historique du nenge(e) et de ses locuteurs, l'ouvrage offre une description complète des structures (les sons, les noms, les verbes, la phrase) de ses trois variantes, illustrée par de nombreux exemples. Trois courts enregistrements de contes en aluku, en ndyuka et en pamaka, transcrits et traduits en annexe, sont disponibles sur un site web dédié. L'ouvrage s'adresse à un public élargi, notamment aux locuteurs et aux enseignants exerçant en milieu businenge, auxquels il apportera un outil actuellement inexistant, tout en contribuant à valoriser la langue et ses locuteurs