Zoogeography of epigean freshwater Amphipoda (Crustacea) in Romania: fragmented distributions and wide altitudinal variability

Inland epigean freshwater amphipods of Romania are diverse and abundant for this region has a favourable geographical position between the Balkans and the Black Sea. Excluding Ponto-Caspian species originating in brackish waters and freshwater subterranean taxa, there are 11 formally recognized epigean freshwater species recorded from this country. They belong to 3 genera, each representing a different family: Gammarus (Gammaridae, 8 species or species complexes), Niphargus (Niphargidae, 2 epigean species) and Synurella (Crangonyctidae, one species). Their large-scale distribution patterns nevertheless remain obscure due to insufficient data, consequently limiting biogeographical interpretations. We provide extensive new data with high resolution distribution maps, thus improving the knowledge of the ranges of these taxa. Gammarus species display substantial altitudinal variability and patchy, fragmented distribution patterns. They occur abundantly, particularly in springs and streams, from lowlands to sub-mountainous and mountainous regions. In the light of recent molecular research, we hypothesize that the complex geomorphological dynamics of the Carpathian region dur-ing the Late Tertiary probably contributed to their allopatric distribution pattern. Contrasting with Gammarus, the genera Niphargus and Synurella exhibit low altitudinal variability, broad ecological valences and overlapping distributions, being widespread throughout the lowlands. The current distribution of N. hrabei and N. valachicus seems to be linked to the extent of the Paratethys during the Early Pliocene or Pleistocene. We further discuss the taxonomic validity of two syn-onymized and one apparently undescribed taxon, and provide an updated pictorial identification key that includes all taxa and forms discussed in our study. The mosaic distribution of epigean freshwater amphipod species in Romania shows that this region is particularly suitable for phylo- and biogeographical analyses of this group. Zoogeography of epigean freshwater Amphipoda (Crustacea) in Romania: fragmented distributions and wide altitudinal variability (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269250979_Zoogeography_of_epigean_freshwater_Amphipoda_Crustacea_in_Romania_fragmented_distributions_and_wide_altitudinal_variability [accessed Apr 20, 2016].We kindly thank Marius G. Berchi, Miklos Balint and Bogdan Horia for providing material, and to all the students that helped during the field work. An anonymous reviewer provided helpful comments on a previous version of the manuscript. This work was financially supported by the University Research National Council Agency of Romania (CNCS-UEFISCDI), exploratory research projects PCE-4 1458/2008 as well as by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, project N N303 579439. DCC was also supported by the Charles University in Prague (projects GAUK 1398214 and SVV 260088)

A journey on plate tectonics sheds light on European crayfish phylogeography

Abstract Crayfish can be used as model organisms in phylogeographic and divergence time studies if reliable calibrations are available. This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the phylogeography of the European stone crayfish (Austropotamobius torrentium) and includes samples from previously unstudied sites. Two mitochondrial markers were used to reveal evolutionary relationships among haplogroups throughout the species? distributional range and to estimate the divergence time by employing both substitution rates and geological calibration methods. Our haplotype network reconstruction and phylogenetic analyses revealed the existence of a previously unknown haplogroup distributed in Romania's Apuseni Mountains. This haplogroup is closely related to others that are endemic in the Dinarides, despite their vast geographical separation (~600 km). The separation is best explained by the well-dated tectonic displacement of the Tisza?Dacia microplate, which started in the Miocene (~16 Ma) and possibly carried part of the A. torrentium population to the current location of the Apuseni Mountains. This population may thus have been isolated from the Dinarides for a period of ca. 11 m.y. by marine and lacustrine phases of the Pannonian Basin. The inclusion of this geological event as a calibration point in divergence time analyses challenges currently accepted crayfish evolutionary time frames for the region, constraining the evolution of this area's crayfish to a much earlier date. We discuss why molecular clock calibrations previously employed to date European crayfish species divergences should therefore be reconsidered

Advancements, deficiencies, and future necessities of studying Saprolegniales : A semi-quantitative review of 1073 published papers

Funding Information: The contribution of Hans-Peter Grossart, Hossein Masigol, and Seyedeh Roksana Taheri was financed by the German Science Foundation (DFG) projects GR1540/23-1 and GR1540/37-1, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB, Berlin). Lucian Pârvulescu was supported by a grant of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization, CNCS/CCCDI-UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2020-1187, within PNCDI III. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The AuthorsPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Advancements, deficiencies, and future necessities of studying Saprolegniales: A semi-quantitative review of 1073 published papers

Research on the order Saprolegniales (Oomycota) has been an ongoing quest for more than a century. The best studied genera are Saprolegnia and Aphanomyces, known for their pathogenicity on freshwater animals. In this study, we reviewed 1073 papers and 2803 ITS sequences of Saprolegniales to investigate their taxonomy, diversity and potential roles in mainly freshwater ecosytems. We found that, in general, our knowledge on diversity and ecology of Saprolegniales is limited. Neither classic taxonomy nor available molecular techniques have been sufficient to delineate genera and species and show their relative distribution in freshwater-associated habitats. Also, we currently lack a comprehensive understanding of their involvement in carbon turnover and food web dynamics. Finally, due to lack of using high-throughput sequencing techniques, it is not clear how and to what extent communities of Saprolegniales might differ in freshwater econiches. Therefore, we provide a historical perspective on the establishment of Saprolegniales, explain improvements, highlight deficiencies, and finally propose new research avenues for more systematic studies. We conclude that challenges in studying Saprolegniales can be removed by increasing the practicality of classic taxonomy and applying available molecular toolboxes (multi-gene phylogeny and high-throughput sequencing). Additionally, inclusion of Saprolegniales in freshwater carbon cycling should be addressed for their better ecological resolution

How genomics can help biodiversity conservation

The availability of public genomic resources can greatly assist biodiversity assessment, conservation, and restoration efforts by providing evidence for scientifically informed management decisions. Here we survey the main approaches and applications in biodiversity and conservation genomics, considering practical factors, such as cost, time, prerequisite skills, and current shortcomings of applications. Most approaches perform best in combination with reference genomes from the target species or closely related species. We review case studies to illustrate how reference genomes can facilitate biodiversity research and conservation across the tree of life. We conclude that the time is ripe to view reference genomes as fundamental resources and to integrate their use as a best practice in conservation genomics.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The era of reference genomes in conservation genomics

Progress in genome sequencing now enables the large-scale generation of reference genomes. Various international initiatives aim to generate reference genomes representing global biodiversity. These genomes provide unique insights into genomic diversity and architecture, thereby enabling comprehensive analyses of population and functional genomics, and are expected to revolutionize conservation genomics

The era of reference genomes in conservation genomics

Progress in genome sequencing now enables the large-scale generation of reference genomes. Various international initiatives aim to generate reference genomes representing global biodiversity. These genomes provide unique insights into genomic diversity and architecture, thereby enabling comprehensive analyses of population and functional genomics, and are expected to revolutionize conservation genomics

The era of reference genomes in conservation genomics

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio