Are North Atlantic Alaria esculenta and A. grandifolia (Alariaceae, Phaeophyceae) conspecific?

Alaria (Alariaceae, Phaeophyceae) is a common genus of kelps in the northern hemisphere. Fourteen species are currently recognized, of which three, Alaria esculenta (L.) Greville, A. pylaii (Bory de Saint-Vincent) Greville and A. grandifolia J. Agardh, are reported for the cold-temperate North Atlantic Ocean. Alaria esculenta, the type species described originally from the North Atlantic, exhibits a range of biogeographically correlated morphotypes suggesting the possibility of multiple species, subspecies or hybrids. In Ireland we discovered an A. esculenta population with unusually long stipes resembling the type specimen of A. grandifolia described from Spitsbergen by J. Agardh in 1872. These and other plants of A. esculenta h om Ireland were compared with plants from Spitsbergen fitting the description of A. grandifolia, using sexual hybridization relative growth rate measurements and DNA sequence comparisons. Complete interfertility was observed between the different isolates. Three nucleotide substitutions (0.37%) were found in the rbcL and RuBisCo spacer of A. grandifolia, and two in the partial 18S rRNA gene and ITS1 sequences. The relative growth rate at 10 OC of an Irish self-cross was significantly lower than those of all the other crosses. Comparison of RuBisCo spacer sequences of the Spitsbergen A. grandifolia and six A. esculenta isolates showed that A. grandifolia was identical to A. esculenta from Halifax, Canada. The partial 18S rRNA gene and ITS1 sequence of A. grandifolia was identical to that of A. praelonga from Japan and differed by a single substitution from A. esculenta from Scotland and by two nucleotide substitutions from the isolate from Ireland. The intraspecific differences in A. esculenta, together with the hybridization and morphometric results, suggest that A. grandifolia is to be considered conspecific with A. esculenta, and that A. grandifolia is most probably a large deep-water morphological variant subspecies or ecotype of A. esculenta

Non-detriment finding for white-tailed sea-eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

The export of up to 30 wild caught white-tailed sea-eagle nestlings (Haliaeetus albicilla) from Norway to Ireland for reintroduction purposes in 2024 will not be detrimental to the survival of this species. Thus concludes the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM). The assignment was carried out on behalf of the Norwegian Environment Agency, which is the management authority for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Norway. VKM is the scientific authority for CITES in Norway and prepares NDF (non-detriment finding) reports in accordance with the methodology published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and CITES.Non-detriment finding for white-tailed sea-eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)publishedVersio

Non-detriment finding for white-tailed sea-eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

The export of up to 30 wild caught white-tailed sea-eagle nestlings (Haliaeetus albicilla) from Norway to Ireland for reintroduction purposes in 2024 will not be detrimental to the survival of this species. Thus concludes the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM). The assignment was carried out on behalf of the Norwegian Environment Agency, which is the management authority for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Norway. VKM is the scientific authority for CITES in Norway and prepares NDF (non-detriment finding) reports in accordance with the methodology published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and CITES.Non-detriment finding for white-tailed sea-eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)publishedVersio

Analysis of chloroplast genomes and a supermatrix inform reclassification of the Rhodomelaceae (Rhodophyta).

With over a thousand species, the Rhodomelaceae is the most species-rich family of red algae. While its genera have been assigned to 14 tribes, the high-level classification of the family has never been evaluated with a molecular phylogeny. Here, we reassess its classification by integrating genome-scale phylogenetic analysis with observations of the morphological characters of clades. In order to resolve relationships among the main lineages of the family we constructed a phylogeny with 55 chloroplast genomes (52 newly determined). The majority of branches were resolved with full bootstrap support. We then added 266 rbcL, 125 18S rRNA gene and 143 cox1 sequences to construct a comprehensive phylogeny containing nearly half of all known species in the family (407 species in 89 genera). These analyses suggest the same subdivision into higher-level lineages, but included many branches with moderate or poor support. The circumscription for nine of the 13 previously described tribes was supported, but the Lophothalieae, Polysiphonieae, Pterosiphonieae and Herposiphonieae required revision, and five new tribes and one resurrected tribe were segregated from them. Rhizoid anatomy is highlighted as a key diagnostic character for the morphological delineation of several lineages. This work provides the most extensive phylogenetic analysis of the Rhodomelaceae to date and successfully resolves the relationships among major clades of the family. Our data show that organellar genomes obtained through high-throughput sequencing produce well-resolved phylogenies of difficult groups, and their more general application in algal systematics will likely permit deciphering questions about classification at many taxonomic levels

Analysis of chloroplast genomes and a supermatrix inform reclassification of the Rhodomelaceae (Rhodophyta).

With over a thousand species, the Rhodomelaceae is the most species-rich family of red algae. While its genera have been assigned to 14 tribes, the high-level classification of the family has never been evaluated with a molecular phylogeny. Here, we reassess its classification by integrating genome-scale phylogenetic analysis with observations of the morphological characters of clades. In order to resolve relationships among the main lineages of the family we constructed a phylogeny with 55 chloroplast genomes (52 newly determined). The majority of branches were resolved with full bootstrap support. We then added 266 rbcL, 125 18S rRNA gene and 143 cox1 sequences to construct a comprehensive phylogeny containing nearly half of all known species in the family (407 species in 89 genera). These analyses suggest the same subdivision into higher-level lineages, but included many branches with moderate or poor support. The circumscription for nine of the 13 previously described tribes was supported, but the Lophothalieae, Polysiphonieae, Pterosiphonieae and Herposiphonieae required revision, and five new tribes and one resurrected tribe were segregated from them. Rhizoid anatomy is highlighted as a key diagnostic character for the morphological delineation of several lineages. This work provides the most extensive phylogenetic analysis of the Rhodomelaceae to date and successfully resolves the relationships among major clades of the family. Our data show that organellar genomes obtained through high-throughput sequencing produce well-resolved phylogenies of difficult groups, and their more general application in algal systematics will likely permit deciphering questions about classification at many taxonomic levels

Non-detriment finding for ringtailed lemur

Utførsel av fire levende ringhalelemurer (Lemur catta) avlet i fangenskap fra en dyrehage i Norge til en dyrehage i Danmark vil ikke være til skade for artens bevaringsstatus. Det konkluderer Vitenskapskomiteen for mat og miljø (VKM). Vurderingen ble gjort på oppdrag fra Miljødirektoratet, som er forvaltningsmyndighet for Konvensjonen om internasjonal handel med truede arter av vill flora og fauna, CITES, i Norge. VKM er vitenskapelig myndighet for CITES i Norge, og utarbeider vitenskapelige vurderinger (såkalte ‘non-detriment findings’) i tråd med metodikk publisert av Verdens naturvernunion (IUCN) og CITES. Del denne sideNon-detriment finding for ringtailed lemurpublishedVersio

Non-detriment finding for soft-shelled tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri)

Innførsel av én levende pannekakeskilpadde (Malacochersus tornieri) født eller avlet i fangenskap fra dyrehage i Finland til dyrehage i Norge vil ikke være til skade for artens bevaringsstatus. Det konkluderer Vitenskapskomiteen for mat og miljø (VKM). Oppdraget ble gjort på vegne av Miljødirektoratet, som er forvaltningsmyndighet for Konvensjonen om internasjonal handel med truede arter av vill flora og fauna, CITES, i Norge. VKM er vitenskapelig myndighet for CITES i Norge, og utarbeider i NDF-rapporter i tråd med metodikk publisert av verdens naturvernunion (IUCN) og CITES.Non-detriment finding for soft-shelled tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri)Innførsel av én levende pannekakeskilpadde (Malacochersus tornieri) født eller avlet i fangenskap fra dyrehage i Finland til dyrehage i Norge vil ikke være til skade for artens bevaringsstatus. Det konkluderer Vitenskapskomiteen for mat og miljø (VKM). Oppdraget ble gjort på vegne av Miljødirektoratet, som er forvaltningsmyndighet for Konvensjonen om internasjonal handel med truede arter av vill flora og fauna, CITES, i Norge. VKM er vitenskapelig myndighet for CITES i Norge, og utarbeider i NDF-rapporter i tråd med metodikk publisert av verdens naturvernunion (IUCN) og CITES.publishedVersio

Non-detriment finding for osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

The export of a maximum of 16 osprey nestlings (Pandion haliaetus) from Norway to Ireland for reintroduction purposes will not be detrimental to the survival of this species. Thus concludes the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM). The assignment was carried out on behalf of the Norwegian Environment Agency, which is the management authority for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Norway. VKM is the scientific authority for CITES in Norway and prepares NDF (non-detriment finding) reports in accordance with the methodology published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and CITES.Non-detriment finding for osprey (Pandion haliaetus)publishedVersio

Non-detriment finding for European otter (Lutra lutra)

publishedVersio

Non-detriment finding for European otter (Lutra lutra)

publishedVersio