Species trait selection along a prescribed fire chronosequence

1. Fire is a widespread management practice used in the maintenance of European heathland. Frequent prescribed burns in small patches have been shown to benefit carabid communities; however, how fire favours specific life-history traits is poorly understood. 2. In this study, we identify characteristic species of the successional stages within heathlands, and find the traits which are characteristic of species in burnt areas versus areas dominated by older heath stands. 3. We identify 10 species as indicator species for heathland in the pioneer stage (0–5 years old); Amara lunicollis, Bembidion lampros, Calathus fuscipes, Carabus problematicus, Cicindela campestris, Nebria salina, Notiophilus aquaticus, Poecilus cupreus, P. lepidus and P. versicolor. Dyschirius globosus is identified as an indicator for the building stage (6–14 years old), and Carabus violaceus as an indicator for the mature stage (15–25 years old). 4. Moisture preference and diet are identified as traits that determine species response to prescribed fire. Collembolan specialists and species with no moisture preference are shown to be most abundant in burnt patches, whereas generalist predators and species with a high moisture preference are less tolerant of fire. 5. Knowledge of species sorting along a prescribed fire gradient can provide valuable information for heathland conservation.publishedVersio

Biodiversity of carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from crops in Turkey

Carabid beetles were collected by pitfall trapping from seven different horticultural and agricultural crops (apple, apricot, olive, peach, and walnut orchards, vineyards, and wheat fields) in Turkey. Data were obtained on the number of carabid species in Turkish agricultural landscapes and the influence of habitat type on carabid activity and distribution. A total of 959 ground beetles representing 57 species were captured. Species diversity of individual sites ranged from five in a walnut plantation to 32 in an apple orchard. Species accretion models in two localities gave estimated overall carabid species richnesses of 22-26 species. Comparison of sites and years suggests that the carabid fauna may be determined more by geographic location and altitude than by crop type

Reservoir characterization of the Mississippian Ratcliffe, Richland County, Montana, Williston Basin. Topical report, September 1997

This topical report is a compilation of characterizations by different disciplines of the Mississippian Ratcliffe in portions of Richland County, MT. Goals of the report are to increase understanding of the reservoir rocks, oil-in-place, heterogeneity and methods for improved recovery. The report covers investigations of geology, petrography, reservoir engineering and seismic. The Ratcliffe is a low permeability oil reservoir which appears to be developed across much of the study area and occurs across much of the Williston Basin. The reservoir has not been a primary drilling target in the study area because average reserves have been insufficient to payout the cost of drilling and completion despite the application of hydraulic fracture stimulation. Oil trapping does not appear to be structurally controlled. For the Ratcliffe to be a viable drilling objective, methods need to be developed for (1) targeting better reservoir development and (2) better completions. A geological model is presented for targeting areas with greater potential for commercial reserves in the Ratcliffe. This model can be best utilized with the aid of 3D seismic. A 3D seismic survey was acquired and is used to demonstrate a methodology for targeting the Ratcliffe. Other data obtained during the project include oriented core, special formation-imaging log, pressure transient measurements and oil PVT. Although re-entry horizontal drilling was unsuccessfully tested, this completion technology should improve the economic viability of the Ratcliffe. Reservoir simulation of horizontal completions with productivity of three times that of a vertical well suggested two or three horizontal wells in a 258-ha (640-acre) area could recover sufficient reserves for profitable drilling

Provisional atlas of the ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) of Britain

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:GPE/3349 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo