On the local positivity of line bundles on algebraic surfaces

In this thesis, we define a measure for how `positive' an effective line bundle is at a point on a variety, and prove that it is linear on the numerically effective subcone on a smooth, complete, toric surface

Flowering During January in Antigonish County, Nova Scotia

Over 85 records of 23 species of blooming, herbaceous angiosperms were made at 19 sites in Antigonish County between 7 and 21 January 2006, when daytime temperatures reached 15°C. These observations followed an unusually warm fall and early winter. All species were observed on waste ground or in fields and garden plots, except for Epigaea repens L. which was part of ground vegetation in a sparsely wooded site. The primary families represented were Asteraceae (six species), Brassicaceae (six species) and Carophyllaceae (four species). The most commonly observed plants were Taraxacum officinale (L.) Weber (11 sites), Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik. (nine sites), Thlaspi arvense L. (three sites) and Stellaria media (L.) Vill. (four sites). Many plants and inflorescences were conspicuously frost-damaged, and flowers were rarely fully open. In several species, e.g., T. arvense and Cerastium vulgatum L., many individual plants looked normal and there was no evidence of frost damage. These observations are the latest flowering records for Nova Scotia

The Spindle Tree, Euonymus europaea L. (Celastraceae): A Newly Naturalized Shrub in Nova Scotia

Over 100 plants, including over 750 individual shoots, of Euonymus europaea L. are reported from the Town of Antigonish in northern Nova Scotia. Plants were found in five discrete areas separated by 200-1000 m. A few individuals at one site may represent human planting; however, over 90% of plants occur on waste ground or in dense shrubbery where natural colonization has occurred. Many individuals were observed in fruit in the fall of 2005, and over 95% of the plants had well developed buds and flowers in May and early June 2006. Euonymus europaea is considered a newly naturalized species for the flora of Nova Scotia

Rosa rugosa as an Invader of Coastal Sand Dunes of Cape Breton Island and Mainland of Nova Scotia

Rosa rugosa is described for the first time as an invasive species associated with coastal sand dunes in Atlantic Canada. Our surveys of 24 beaches on western Cape Breton Island and the mainland of northern Nova Scotia from Cheticamp to Fox Harbour showed that 11 of the dune systems (ca. 45%) were colonized. This was more prevalent in Cape Breton where R. rugosa occurred on 9 of 13 systems, whereas only 2 of 9 mainland systems were colonized. Four dunes (three in Cape Breton) were considered heavily colonized with 0.4 - 8.8% of the dune area with cover of R. rugosa. These beaches had 12 - 42 independent clumps with almost monospecific stands over 90% cover. In general, heavily colonized beaches were found adjacent to communities where extensive domestic planting and hedges of R. rugosa occurred and where escapes onto roadsides had occurred. In most colonized beach systems, rhizomes from clones extended 1 - 5 m to produce younger shoots. The absence of Ammophila breviligulata, Lathyrus maritimus and Myrica pensylvanica, from the interior of many clumps of R. rugosa suggests that native dune communities are being negatively impacted. This exacerbates dune integrity already compromised by impacts of sea level rise

Use of Eelgrass, Zostera marina, Wrack by Three Species of Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Prince Edward Island

Large numbers of the introduced ladybird beetle, Coccinella septempunctata L., were present at Wood Islands and Green Point, Prince Edward Island, in wrack consisting primarily of Zostera marina L. (Eelgrass). The wrack occurred in a 0.5 to 1.0 m band parallel to the shore, and was from five to 25 cm thick. The other ladybirds, Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (L.), an introduced coccinellid also found in high numbers, and an individual of the native Hippodamia tredecimpunctata (Say) were found only at Wood Islands. At both sites the ladybird beetles occurred in the mid-intertidal zone along at least 100 m of shoreline, and were absent to rare on the terrestrial vegetation above the high tide mark. At four of the other eight sites surveyed, occasional individuals were present in the wrack, but they were no more abundant than could be observed on landward vegetation. Mean densities of C. septempunctata at the two primary sites were 52 m-2 (Green Point) and 410 m-2 (Wood Islands)

Kelps’ long-distance dispersal: role of ecological/oceanographic processes and implications to marine forest conservation

Long-distance dispersal is one of the main drivers structuring the distribution of marine biodiversity. This study reports the first occurrence of Macrocystis pyrifera and Durvillaea antarctica rafts on the southwestern warm temperate coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Our results indicate that an extreme meteo-oceanographic event, characterized by a northward, displacement of cold sub-Antarctic oceanic waters driven by an extratropical cyclone, could account for these unusual occurrences. A niche model based on known current distribution and maximum entropy principle (MAXENT), revealed the availability of suitable habitats at lower latitudes, outside their actual distribution edges. The distributional boundaries, mainly driven by temperature and irradiance, suggest the existence of environmental suitability in warm temperate areas, as well as in the Northern Hemisphere off Atlantic and Asian coasts. These theoretical edges and respective environmental drivers agree with the physiological affinities of both species, supporting the hypothesis that these variables act as limiting factors for their occurrences in tropical or warmer areas. Emerging regions can function as refuges and stepping-stones, providing substrate with adequate habitat conditions for recruitment of propagules, allowing eventual colonization. Long dispersal events reinforce the need for an extensive discussion on selective management of natural dispersion, biological invasions, refuge mapping and conservation initiatives in a transnational perspective.Agência financiadora / Número do subsídio Portuguese Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) SFRH/BPD/111003/2015 PTDC/MAR-EST/6053/2014 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnológico CNPq 306917/2009-2 Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior CAPES/PNPD 02828/09-0 CAPES/PNADB 2338000071/2010-61 Polito: CNPQ Universal 447109/2014-6 Instituto Nacional de Ciencia e Tecnologia para Mudancas Climaticas (INCT-MC) ProspecMar-Islands-Sustainable prospecting in Ocean Islands: Biodiversity, Chemistry, Ecology and Biotechnology, Boticario Foundation 1051-20152 Rede Coral Vivo, Brazilian Research Network on Global Climate Change REDEALGAS, Brazilian Research Network on Global Climate Change FAPESC-Foundationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estimates of nuclear DNA content in 98 species of brown algae (Phaeophyta)

Despite the fact that brown algae are critical components of marine ecosystems around the world only one species has had its genome sequenced. To facilitate genome studies in the class we report data for 12 of the 19 recognized orders

Nomenclatural Assessment Of Goniotrichum Kützing, Erythrotrichia Areschoug, Diconia Harvey, And Stylonema Reinsch (Rhodophyta)

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/149711/1/tax03682.pd

From Sea to Sea: Canada's Three Oceans of Biodiversity

Evaluating and understanding biodiversity in marine ecosystems are both necessary and challenging for conservation. This paper compiles and summarizes current knowledge of the diversity of marine taxa in Canada's three oceans while recognizing that this compilation is incomplete and will change in the future. That Canada has the longest coastline in the world and incorporates distinctly different biogeographic provinces and ecoregions (e.g., temperate through ice-covered areas) constrains this analysis. The taxonomic groups presented here include microbes, phytoplankton, macroalgae, zooplankton, benthic infauna, fishes, and marine mammals. The minimum number of species or taxa compiled here is 15,988 for the three Canadian oceans. However, this number clearly underestimates in several ways the total number of taxa present. First, there are significant gaps in the published literature. Second, the diversity of many habitats has not been compiled for all taxonomic groups (e.g., intertidal rocky shores, deep sea), and data compilations are based on short-term, directed research programs or longer-term monitoring activities with limited spatial resolution. Third, the biodiversity of large organisms is well known, but this is not true of smaller organisms. Finally, the greatest constraint on this summary is the willingness and capacity of those who collected the data to make it available to those interested in biodiversity meta-analyses. Confirmation of identities and intercomparison of studies are also constrained by the disturbing rate of decline in the number of taxonomists and systematists specializing on marine taxa in Canada. This decline is mostly the result of retirements of current specialists and to a lack of training and employment opportunities for new ones. Considering the difficulties encountered in compiling an overview of biogeographic data and the diversity of species or taxa in Canada's three oceans, this synthesis is intended to serve as a biodiversity baseline for a new program on marine biodiversity, the Canadian Healthy Ocean Network. A major effort needs to be undertaken to establish a complete baseline of Canadian marine biodiversity of all taxonomic groups, especially if we are to understand and conserve this part of Canada's natural heritage