Taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity of leeches (Hirudinea) and their suitability in biological assessment of environmental quality

Different components of biological diversity of leeches (Hirudinea), sampled in lowland watercourses in Poland were compared between sites differed in terms of environmental quality, measured by officially approved procedures. Indices based on taxonomic diversity, rarefied species richness, taxonomic distinctness, phylogenetic diversity and functional diversity were considered in the analysis, for sites belonging to three biocoenotic types of watercourses. In most cases values of all indices except Pielou's evenness show unimodal relationships with environmental quality and in any case monotonic increase in diversity was not shown. Median values of diversity were significantly higher and its highest values were significantly more frequent at sites with moderate than with low or high environmental quality. This pattern of relationships was observed both for indices based on presence/absence data and those based on relative abundance of species. The significance of this mode of relationships differed between biocoenotic types and between procedures using to measure environmental quality. The results obtained show low and doubtful usefulness of each component of leech diversity as an element of biological assessment in lowland watercourses

Session C1 - Comparing the Fish and Benthic Macroinvertebrate

Urbanization is associated with substantial losses to stream biological diversity throughout the United States mid- Atlantic. Stream restoration has been used to improve stream conditions and, in part, to ameliorate these losses. However, the relationship between restoration and recovery of biological diversity is unclear. Our objective was to critically examine the efficacy of urban stream restorations with regard to biological diversity. We compared restored urbantreams to urban nonrestored, nonurban, and reference (minimally degraded) streams using five measures each of fish and benthic macroinvertebrate diversity. Both multivariate and univariate statistical analyses show biological diversity of restored urban streams to be similar to nonrestored urban streams and lower than nonurban and reference streams. Restored urban sites showed no apparent increase in biological diversity through time, while diversity decreased at two of the reference streams coincident with increased urban development within their catchments. Our results indicate that restoration approaches commonly used regionally as in these urban streams are not leading to recovery of native stream biodiversity. Evidence from several sources indicates a need for dramatic changes in restoration approach, and we argue for a watershed-scale focus including protection of the least impacted streams and adopting other land-based actions within the watershed where possible

Representaciones de identidad latinoamericana en un Arte jesuítico del s. XVII y en relatos de Eduardo Galeano

Este trabajo se propone describir de qué manera se construyen las imágenes de la identidad y la otredad en la obra léxico-gramatical jesuítica Arte y Vocabulario de la Lengua Quichua General de los Indios del Perú del siglo XVII y en un corpus de relatos de Eduardo Galeano incluidos en sus obras El libro de los abrazos ([1989] 2001) y Espejos (2008) en los cuales se (re)crean, se (re)escriben las etapas del Descubrimiento y Conquista del continente americano. Partimos de la concepción de identidad como el constructo socio-histórico-cultural que “se establece por criterios de relaciones e interacciones” (Escudero 52). Así concebida, se constituye como hecho mediante el cual un individuo toma conciencia de su yo. Esto no es posible si no existe un no-yo, es decir, un otro diferente. La otredad, por lo tanto, requiere “la existencia de dos conciencias que no coinciden” (Bajtín 28) y que se diferencian; y sólo pueden superar esas diferencias a través de un conocimiento recíproco