44 research outputs found
Disturbance and stress - different meanings in ecological dynamics?
There is an increasing frequency of papers
addressing disturbance and stress in ecology without
clear delimitation of their meaning. Some authors
use the terms disturbance and stress exclusively as
impacts, while others use them for the entire process,
including both causes and effects. In some studies, the
disturbance is considered as a result of a temporary
impact, which is positive for the ecosystem, while
stress is a negative, debilitating impact. By developing
and testing simple theoretical models, the authors
propose to differentiate disturbance and stress by
frequency. If the frequency of the event enables the
variable to reach a dynamic equilibrium which might
be exhibited without this event, then the event (plus its
responses) is a disturbance for the system. If frequency
prevents the variable’s return to similar pre-event
dynamics and drives or shifts it to a new trajectory,
then we are facing stress. The authors propose that
changes triggered by the given stimuli can be evaluated
on an absolute scale, therefore, direction of change of the variable must not be used to choose one
term or the other, i.e. to choose between stress and
disturbance
Establishment of equilibrium states and effect of disturbances on benthic diatom assemblages of the Torna-stream, Hungary
Opposite effect of Ca2+/Mg2+ ions on the aggregation of native and precursor-derived Aβ42
Understanding the assembly of phytoplankton in relation to the trophic spectrum: where are we now?
An overview of the eleventh IAP Workshop is presented. Although significant progress has been made in the recognition of the factors governing species selection at differing trophic levels, it is recognised that the ultimate influences of species composition are precedent and stochasticity. No individual species is selected uniquely by a given combination of environmental conditions, although there are functional and morphological traits which pre-adapt some species above others to function preferentially in either oligotrophic or eutrophic conditions. With this in mind, a new set of rules of community assembly is offered
Temporal and spatial distribution of phytoplankton functional groups and role of environment factors in a deep subtropical reservoir
Freshwater phytoplankton diversity: models, drivers and implications for ecosystem properties
Our understanding on phytoplankton diversity has largely been progressing since the publication of Hutchinson on the paradox of the plankton. In this paper, we summarise some major steps in phytoplankton ecology in the context of mechanisms underlying phytoplankton diversity. Here, we provide a framework for phytoplankton community assembly and an overview of measures on taxonomic and functional diversity. We show how ecological theories on species competition together with modelling approaches and laboratory experiments helped understand species coexistence and maintenance of diversity in phytoplankton. The non-equilibrium nature of phytoplankton and the role of disturbances in shaping diversity are also discussed. Furthermore, we discuss the role of water body size, productivity of habitats and temperature on phytoplankton species richness, and how diversity may affect the functioning of lake ecosystems. At last, we give an insight into molecular tools that have emerged in the last decades and argue how it has broadened our perspective on microbial diversity. Besides historical backgrounds, some critical comments have also been mad
Microalgae community of the Huaytire wetland, an Andean high-altitude wetland in Peru
AIM: The diversity and distribution of microalgae communities in a high-altitude (3,000 to 4,500 m a.s.l) Andean wetland, regionally known as bofedal, were examined to assess seasonal and spatial patterns. METHODS: Samples were taken monthly from June to December, 2008 at 13 stations in the Huaytire wetland (16° 54’ S and 70° 20’ W), covering three areas (impacted by urban land use, impacted by camelid pasture, and non-impacted) and three climatologically induced periods (ice-covered, ice-melt and ice-free). RESULTS: A total of 52 genera of algae were recorded. Diatoms were the predominant group in abundance and richness. We found a significantly higher abundance during the ice-melting period, when light exposure and runoff were intermediate, in comparison to the ice-covered (low light and flushing) and ice-free (high light and low runoff) periods. Microalgae abundance was significantly lower in the non-impacted area compared to the sites close to the urban area and to the camelid pastures. Alpha diversity ranged from 8 to 29 genera per sample. High genera exchange was observed throughout the wetland, showing a similar floristic composition (beta diversity = 4%). CONCLUSIONS: We found that diatoms were dominant and adapted to the extreme conditions of the Andean wetland, showing higher abundance during the ice-melt period and in the livestock area. Also, taxa richness was higher in the ice-melt period and in the most-impacted areas