An annotated checklist of freshwater copepoda (crustacea, hexanauplia) from continental Ecuador and the Galapagos archipelago

An annotated checklist of the free-living freshwater Copepoda recorded in different regions in Ecuador (including the Amazon, the Andes, the coastal region, and the Galapagos Islands) is here provided. We revised all published records, critically evaluated the validity of each taxon and provided short taxonomic and biogeographical remarks for each one. A total of 27 taxa have been reported, including species and records at the generic level only. The species and taxa identified only up to the generic level belong to five families and 14 genera. The Cyclopoida is the most diverse group with 16 records belonging to species (or identified to the generic level only) and eight genera, followed by the Harpacticoida with six species, one identification to the generic level only, and four genera, and Calanoida with four species belonging to two genera. A total of 18 taxa are recorded for the Andes. Six have been recorded in the Amazon, two are recorded for the coastal region, and six for the Galapagos. One species is shared between the Amazon and the Andes. One species is shared between the coastal region and the Amazon. Seventeen are only reported from the Andes and four are only reported from the Amazon. At the current status of the knowledge, any attempt to analyze and generalize distributional patterns of copepods in Ecuador is premature due to the scarcity of available information, and evidently there is an urgent need for more extensive field collections. A few working hypothesis for future studies are identified

Peatland Microbial Communities as Indicators of the Extreme Atmospheric Dust Deposition

We investigated a peat profile from the Izery Mountains, located within the so-called Black Triangle, the border area of Poland, Czech Republic, and Germany. This peatland suffered from an extreme atmospheric pollution during the last 50 years, which created an exceptional natural experiment to examine the impact of pollution on peatland microbes. Testate amoebae (TA), Centropyxis aerophila and Phryganella acropodia, were distinguished as a proxy of atmospheric pollution caused by extensive brown coal combustion. We recorded a decline of mixotrophic TA and development of agglutinated taxa as a response for the extreme concentration of Al (30 g kg−1) and Cu (96 mg kg−1) as well as the extreme amount of fly ash particles determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, which were used by TA for shell construction. Titanium (5.9 %), aluminum (4.7 %), and chromium (4.2 %) significantly explained the highest percentage of the variance in TA data. Elements such as Al, Ti, Cr, Ni, and Cu were highly correlated (r>0.7, p<0.01) with pseudostome position/body size ratio and pseudostome position. Changes in the community structure, functional diversity, and mechanisms of shell construction were recognized as the indicators of dust pollution. We strengthen the importance of the TA as the bioindicators of the recent atmospheric pollution

АУДИТ ЯК ЕЛЕМЕНТ ПУБЛІЧНОГО УПРАВЛІННЯ: Стаття відкликана 07.05.2021

The article considers some aspects of the implementation of the audit system of public administration, taking into account the transformation processes of national socio-economic systems, taking into account the domestic realities of society. At present, Ukraine is on the path of transition to European integration processes, including in the system of reorganization of public power. An effective mechanism for controlling and monitoring the implementation of management functions is the introduction of public administration audit. Public audit is a traditional management process in the European public administration system. However, for Ukraine such processes are new and require adjustment of regulatory and legal support, organizational structures, financial support and managerial transformations in the public sector system in order to implement an effective public audit system. The article considers the theoretical aspects of public audit, which define it as a management process of high public importance. In addition, public administration audit is defined as a type of professional activity that requires taking into account not only the general principles of auditing, but also the specifics of public administration: publicity, high social significance, political and economic lobbying processes. Objects of public audit are considered, their characteristic is given. As a result of the analysis, the priority of conducting a public audit is determined in the system of planning, formation and distribution of budget funds at different levels. A model of public audit of budget processes has been developed and described, which provides not only control of expenditures, but also their rationalization by improving management mechanisms. Problematic aspects of the implementation of public audit in practice will be the subject of further research. The audit will contribute to the rationalization of the use of budget funds, the establishment of an effective set of management processes.Розглядаються окремі аспекти впровадження системи аудиту публічного управління з урахуванням трансформаційних процесів національних соціально-економічних систем з урахуванням вітчизняних реалій розвитку суспільства. Наразі Україна перебуває на шляху переходу до євроінтеграційних процесів, у тому числі в системі реорганізації публічної влади. Ефективним механізмом контролінгу і моніторингу ходу реалізації управлінських функцій є впровадження аудиту публічного управління. Публічний аудит є традиційним управлінським процесом у системі європейського публічного управління. Проте для України подібні процеси є новими і потребують коригування нормативно-правового забезпечення, організаційних структур, фінансової підтримки та управлінських трансформацій у системі публічного сектору з метою впровадження ефективної системи публічного аудиту. Розглядаються теоретичні аспекти публічного аудиту, що визначають його як управлінський процес, що має високе суспільне значення. Крім того, аудит публічного управління визначається як вид професійної діяльності, що вимагає окремо враховувати не лише загальні принципи проведення аудиту, а й специфіку публічного управління: публічність, високе соціальне значення, процеси лобіювання інтересів політичного та економічного характеру тощо. Розглядаються об’єкти публічного аудиту, надається їхня характеристика. У результаті аналізу визначено пріоритетність проведення публічного аудиту саме в системі планування, формування та розподілу бюджетних коштів різних рівнів. Розроблено і описано модель публічного аудиту бюджетних процесів, що передбачає не лише контроль витрат, а й їхню раціоналізацію шляхом удосконалення управлінських механізмів. Проблемні аспекти впровадження публічного аудиту на практиці стануть тематикою подальших досліджень. Проведення аудиту сприятиме раціоналізації використання бюджетних коштів, налагодженню ефективного комплексу управлінських процесів

Point source inoculation of Mesocyclops (Copepoda : Cyclopidae) gives widespread control of Ochlerotatus and Aedes (Diptera : Culicidae) immatures in service manholes and pits in North Queensland, Australia

This study details the novel application of predacious copepods, genus Mesocyclops, for control of Ochlerotatus tremulus (Theobald) group and Aedes aegypti (L.) mosquito larvae in subterranean habitats in north Queensland, Australia. During June 1997, 50 Mesocyclops sp. I were inoculated into one service manhole in South Townsville. Wet season rainfall and flooding in both 1998 and 2000 was responsible for the dispersal of copepods via the underground pipe system to 29 of 35 manholes over an area of 1.33 km(2). Significant reductions in Aedes and Ochlerotatus larvae ensued. In these habitats, Mesocyclops and Metacyclops were able to survive dry periods, when substrate moisture content ranged from 13.8 to 79.9%. At the semiarid inland towns of Hughenden and Richmond, cracking clay soil prevents drainage of water from shallow service pits where Oc. tremulus immatures numbered from 292-18,460 per pit. Introduction of Mesocyclops copepods into these sites during May 1999 resulted in 100% control of Oc. tremulus for 18 mo. One uninoculated pit subsequently became positive for Mesocyclops with resultant control of mosquito larvae