Avian assemblages at Paya Indah Natural Wetland Reserve, Malaysia

Estimating accurate avian assemblages such as density and diversity are key factors for the conservation and management of birds and their habitats. Avian assemblages based on status in five habitats at Paya Indah Natural Wetland Reserve were determined using the distance sampling, point count method, at 121 count stations. A total of 100 bird species (64 resident, 18 migratory, 16 resident-migratory and 2 vagrant bird species) were detected from November 2012 to January 2014. The highest bird density was recorded for resident birds (72.2 ± 3.8 bird’s ha-1) and the lowest for vagrant birds (0.1 ± 0.1 birds ha-1). In which Resident birds have significantly higher density, species diversity, richness and evenness compared to resident-migrant and migratory birds

Geographic variation in nrDNA and four cpDNA regions of Juniperus excelsa: Analysis of new records from Bulgaria, Cyprus and southwestern Turkey

Sequencing of nrDNA, plus four cp DNA regions: petN-psbM, trnS-trnG, trnD-trnT and trnL-trnF of newly acquired samples of J. excelsa from Bulgaria, Cyprus and Turkey showed little variation in J. excelsa (sensu stricto), except for the unusual situation in Lebanon, where J. excelsa and J. polycarpos (and likely J. p. var. turcomanica) grow near each other and may be hybridizing. The genetic composition of the eastern-most populations of J. excelsa in Turkey is unknown and deserves further study

Evidence of relictual introgression or incomplete lineage sorting in nrDNA of Juniperus excelsa and J. polycarpos in Asia Minor

DNA analysis of Juniperus excelsa from throughout its range revealed that J. polycarpos, instead of J. excelsa occupies central and eastern Turkey. Based on nrDNA (ITS) data, it appears that relictual hybridization has occurred in southeastern Turkey between J. polycarpos and J. turcomanica. Surprisingly, evidence of incomplete lineage sorting or relictual hybridization between J. polycarpos and J. seravschanica was found in central Turkey and northwest Iran

Geographic variation in nrDNA and four cpDNA regions of Juniperus excelsa: Analysis of new records from Bulgaria, Cyprus and southwestern Turkey

Sequencing of nrDNA, plus four cp DNA regions: petN-psbM, trnS-trnG, trnD-trnT and trnL-trnF of newly acquired samples of J. excelsa from Bulgaria, Cyprus and Turkey showed little variation in J. excelsa (sensu stricto), except for the unusual situation in Lebanon, where J. excelsa and J. polycarpos (and likely J. p. var. turcomanica) grow near each other and may be hybridizing. The genetic composition of the eastern-most populations of J. excelsa in Turkey is unknown and deserves further study

The contribution of condensation-corrosion in the morphological evolution of caves in semi-arid regions: preliminary investigations in the Kyrenia Range, Cyprus

The condensation-corrosion process occurs when airflow cools at the contact with colder cave walls. Condensed water becomes aggressive for soluble rocks and corrodes the walls. This process is particularly active close to cave entrances in high thermal gradient zones where external air enters caves. Condensation appears to be important where bat colonies are also present. Bat metabolism and guano decomposition release heat, vapour, and acids. Hence, bat colonies contribute to the increase of condensation- corrosion, especially by providing permanent moisture and chemical aggressiveness. Corrosive air convections produce rounded morphologies, such as ceiling channels, cupolas, and corroded older flowstones. This process has been overlooked in previous research, since related morphologies were often confused with those produced by early phreatic flow. Kyrenia Range in Cyprus has a semi-arid climate. All the studied caves developed along open-fractures. They are located both in recrystallized carbonates (limestone and dolostone, such as Smoky and Pigeons Caves), or in gypsum (First Day and Angry Bat Caves). We also studied a maze cave that acted as a spring in gypsum that initially developed under phreatic conditions, followed by an epiphreatic phase that allowed the development of notches (Fig Tree Cave, also named İncirli Show Cave). Due to the semi-arid climate, external air is very dry in summer, thus condensation seems to occur mainly in winter, when cave atmosphere instability allows large air exchanges between caves and surface atmosphere. In summer, evaporation prevails, allowing the development of popcorn lines in carbonate caves and massive gypsum crusts, stalagmites, and sidewalk rims in gypsum caves. However, the presence of a bat colony in a semi-confined chamber in Smoky Cave is probably the origin of the permanent moisture, also during the dry season, leading to a strong development of condensation-corrosion features such as ceiling cupolas, and possibly to the permanent activity of flowstones. In addition, we detected high concentrations of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and radon (Rn) in Fig Tree Cave, possibly related to the activity of the neighbouring overthrust. Based on the five studied caves in the Kyrenia Range and surroundings, the open-fracture caves in carbonates and gypsum have not undergone the typical initial phreatic stage, but have formed in a short time during Pleistocene as a result of the fast uplift of the range and were later reshaped by condensation-corrosion morphologies. Some gypsum caves may have formed entirely by this latter process, after initial minor fracture development. Cyprus is an outstanding area for studying the condensation-corrosion in caves, since a phreatic origin can be ruled out for most of the rounded morphologies. Prispevek kondenzacijske korozije pri razvoju jam v polsuhih območjih: predhodni rezultati v jamah Kirenijskega gorovja, CiperKondenzacijska korozija se pojavi ob stiku vlažnega zračnega toka s hladnimi jamskimi stenami. Pri tem na jamsko steno iz zraka kondenzira film vode, ki kemično korodira vodotopno kamnino. Proces je najbolj izrazit v bližini jamskih vhodov, kjer ob visokem temperaturnem gradientu zunanji zrak vstopa v jamo. Kondenzacijo in kondenzacijsko korozijo lahko pomembno povečajo kolonije netopirjev. Metabolizem netopirjev in razpadanje gvana sproščata toploto, vlago in kisline. Kondenzacijska korozija iz konvekcijskih tokov vlažnega zraka ustvarja zaobljene skalne oblike, kot so kupole, stropni kanali in korodirana siga. Kirenijsko gorovje na Cipru ima polsuho podnebje. Večina jam v tej raziskavi so odprte razpoke v prekristaljenem karbonatu (apnenec in dolomit) ali v sadri. Poleg teh obravnavamo tudi blodnjake v sadri, ki so se oblikovali v freatični coni in so v preteklosti delovali kot izviri. V njih najdemo stenske zajede, ki so nastale v epifreatični fazi. Ker je zrak poleti zelo suh, je kondenzacija omejena na zimski čas, ko se intenzivno izmenjuje zrak med jamsko in zunanjo atmosfero. Poleti prevladuje izhlapevanje, kar omogoča razvoj cvetačastih oblik v karbonatnih jamah ter sadrinih skorij, stalagmitov in stranskih obrob v jamah v sadri. Kolonija netopirjev v eni od polzaprtih dvoran v jami Smoky Cave verjetno vzdržuje visoko vlago tudi poleti. Posledica so močno izražene oblike kondenzacijske korozije (kupole) in stalna aktivna rast sige. V eni od jam smo izmerili visoko vsebnost SO2 in radona, ki je verjetno povezana z aktivno narivno tektoniko. Pet obravnavanih jam je tektonskega izvora in so verjetno nastale v kratkem obdobju hitrega dvigovanja v pleistocenu ter bile kasneje preoblikovane s kondenzacijsko korozijo. Nekatere jame v sadri so nastale skoraj izključno s kondenzacijsko korozijo, ki je preoblikovala prvotne majhne razpoke. Ciper je izjemno območje za podobne študije, saj lahko zaradi odsotnosti freatične faze večino zaobljenih jamskih oblik pripišemo kondenzacijski koroziji.Ključne besede: Vzhodno Sredozemlje, kondenzacijska korozija, gvano, Kirenijsko gorovje, jame v odprtih razpokah, hitri tektonski dvig, sadra, jamska mikroklima, pleistocen

Evidence of relictual introgression or incomplete lineage sorting in nrDNA of Juniperus excelsa and J. polycarpos in Asia Minor

DNA analysis of Juniperus excelsa from throughout its range revealed that J. polycarpos, instead of J. excelsa occupies central and eastern Turkey. Based on nrDNA (ITS) data, it appears that relictual hybridization has occurred in southeastern Turkey between J. polycarpos and J. turcomanica. Surprisingly, evidence of incomplete lineage sorting or relictual hybridization between J. polycarpos and J. seravschanica was found in central Turkey and northwest Iran

Morphology, anatomy and cytology of critically endangered endemic Minuartia nifensis from West Anatolia, Turkey

Minuartia nifensis Mc Neill belongs to Caryophyllaceae family. It is distributed only on Nif Mountain. In order to prepare the basis for the ex-situ and in-situ protection principles, ecological data was collected as well as population size and distributon areas were recorded in an earlier study. Present study investigates the M. nifensis anatomically, morphologically and cytologically, with the aim of improving the description of this endemic species and establishing the basic information for future biosystematic studies

First record of mixed-species heron colony: cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis), Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) and Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) breeding at Famagusta Freshwater Lake in Cyprus

This study constitutes the first record of a mixed-species heron colony and of a breeding population of Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) in Cyprus. The colony, located at Famagusta Freshwater Lake, was surveyed from March to June 2007. The survey were terminated after 25 June when it was not possible to boat to the colony due to decreasing water levels. The total number of active nests, i.e. containing eggs and/or hatchlings, was 135 for Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis); 38 for Squacco Heron and 4 for Little Egret (Egretta garzetta). Cattle Egrets started nest building and egg laying at the beginning of March and hatching started by the end of March. Egg-laying and hatching continued throughout June, possibly due to second broods. Mean clutch size was 3.5±0.8 eggs (range 1-5; n=135). Mean hatching success was 2.9±1 hatched egg per nest (range = 1-5; n=54) and mean breeding success was 2.8±1 chick per nest (range = 0-5; n=36) for chicks surviving up to 15 days after hatching. Squacco Herons started nest building and egg laying by the end of May and hatching started by mid June. Egg-laying and hatching continued throughout June and probably in July and August. As surveys were terminated in June, it was not possible to collect sufficient data on the breeding chronology of this species. Mean clutch size was 3.1 ± 0.8 egg (range 2-4; n=38), which was lower than European estimates. A multitude of activities at and around Famagusta Freshwater Lake pose potential threats to the conservation of the colony resulting in an urgent need for management of the wetland

FRESENIUS ENVIRONMENTAL BULLETIN

Mesaoria plain is mainly used for agricultural purposes and contains 50 % of the barley fields in Northern Cyprus. The construction of a highway from Nicosia to Famagusta that passes through the plain has resulted in an increasing number of vehicles from 1997 to 2006, the majority of which run on leaded gasoline. Barley is cultivated on a large scale along the Nicosia-Famagusta highway, and was tested as a possible biomonitor for heavy metals. During the vegetative period, samples of barley plants and soil were collected at 4 distances (0, 50, 100 and 500 m) from the highway, at 4 sites, from January to April 2006. The highest concentrations of Pb++ (2.82 mu g g(-1)), Cd++ (1.52 mu g g(-1)), Cr++ (2.86 mu g g(-1)), Zn++ (51.8 mu g g(-1)) and Cu++ (19.8 mu g g(-1)) were recorded in soil collected beneath the highway, and the lowest in samples collected at 500 m from the highway, for Pb++ (0.54 mu g g(-1)) in the above-ground parts of barley, Cr++ (0.85 mu g g(-1)) in soil, and Zn++ (7.2 mu g g(-1)) in barley plant roots. A positive relationship was found between soil and plant heavy metal concentrations. According to the EU Directive 86/278/EEC on the protection of the environment and, in particular, of the soil, concentrations of Pb++ and Zn++ are below the threshold, Cd++ are between the limits and Cr++ are above threshold