Reduced Diversity and High Sponge Abundance on a Sedimented Indo-Pacific Reef System: Implications for Future Changes in Environmental Quality

Although coral reef health across the globe is declining as a result of anthropogenic impacts, relatively little is known of how environmental variability influences reef organisms other than corals and fish. Sponges are an important component of coral reef fauna that perform many important functional roles and changes in their abundance and diversity as a result of environmental change has the potential to affect overall reef ecosystem functioning. In this study, we examined patterns of sponge biodiversity and abundance across a range of environments to assess the potential key drivers of differences in benthic community structure. We found that sponge assemblages were significantly different across the study sites, but were dominated by one species Lamellodysidea herbacea (42% of all sponges patches recorded) and that the differential rate of sediment deposition was the most important variable driving differences in abundance patterns. Lamellodysidea herbacea abundance was positively associated with sedimentation rates, while total sponge abundance excluding Lamellodysidea herbacea was negatively associated with rates of sedimentation. Overall variation in sponge assemblage composition was correlated with a number of variables although each variable explained only a small amount of the overall variation. Although sponge abundance remained similar across environments, diversity was negatively affected by sedimentation, with the most sedimented sites being dominated by a single sponge species. Our study shows how some sponge species are able to tolerate high levels of sediment and that any transition of coral reefs to more sedimented states may result in a shift to a low diversity sponge dominated system, which is likely to have subsequent effects on ecosystem functioning. © 2014 Powell et al

Early ontogeny and palaeoecology of the Mid-Miocene rissoid gastropods of the Central Paratethys

Twenty−six species of Rissoidae (Caenogastropoda: Littorinimorpha: Rissooidea) are described from the Badenian and Early Sarmatian of 14 localities in Austria and the Czech Republic (Molasse Basin, Styrian Basin, Vienna Basin) and from the Badenian of Coştei (Romania). For the first time, the early ontogenetic skeletal characters of these gastropods are described. Based on these features an indirect larval development with a planktotrophic veliger could be reconstructed for all investigated Mid−Miocene species. The status of Mohrensterniinae as a subfamily of the Rissoidae is confirmed by the morphology of the low conical protoconch, consisting of a fine spirally sculptured embryonic shell and a larval shell which is smooth except for growth lines. Transitions from embryonic shells to larval shells and from larval shells to teleoconchs are slightly thickened and indistinct. Whilst representatives of the subfamily Rissoinae characterise the marine Badenian assemblages, Mohrensterniinae predominate the Early Sarmatian faunas. We hypothesize that this take−over by the Mohrensterniinae was triggered by changes in the water chemistry towards polyhaline conditions. Consequently, the shift towards hypersaline conditions in the Late Sarmatian is mirrored by the abrupt decline of the subfamily. Four new species Rissoa costeiensis (Rissoinae) from the Badenian and Mohrensternia hollabrunnensis, Mohrensternia pfaffstaettensis, and Mohrensternia waldhofensis (Mohrensterniinae) from the Early Sarmatian are introduced

Contributions of biogeographical functions to species accumulation may change over time in refugial regions

Aim: Elevated biodiversity is the result of the cradle, museum or sink functions. The contributions of these three functions to species accumulation and their changes through time remain unknown for glacial refugia. Additionally, our understanding of the role these functions played during pre-glacial periods is limited. We test for changes in contributions of functions through time leading to the current diversity patterns using a model refugium and taxon. Location: Anatolia, Western Palaearctic. Taxon: Freshwater neritid snails (genus Theodoxus). Methods: Assessments were made to define molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) for Theodoxus and reaffirm the genus as a suitable model taxon with elevated interspecific diversity in noted glacial refugia. Thereafter, we constructed a time-calibrated multilocus Bayesian phylogeny of mtDNA and nDNA by using both fossil data and published substitution rates. Ancestral area estimation was performed on the phylogeny to define the contribution of the functions through time. Results: Accumulation of Theodoxus diversity in Anatolia over the Miocene–Pliocene transition is attributed to the museum function, but its contribution was small as only few divergence events occurred. The cradle function dominated during the Pliocene and Early Pleistocene, when most interspecific diversity built up and extant lineages in Anatolia were established. The sink function acted from the Middle Pleistocene to present-day, but with only a small contribution to the total extant Anatolian interspecific diversity. Main conclusion: Our results do not entirely mitigate the role glacial cycles played in species accumulation, but highlight Ice Ages may have been less effective in forcing temperate aquatic interspecific diversity into more opportune areas. The elevated diversity in refugia may rather be the result of earlier in situ diversification. Elevated interspecific diversity attributed to the legacy of glacially forced retreats may need to be re-evaluated in cases where refugia have long and complex geological histories such as Anatolia. These results highlight the importance of considering species accumulation through a temporal perspective to adequately explain present-day biodiversity patterns

Comprehensive analysis of complications after transperineal prostate biopsy without antibiotic prophylaxis: results of a multicenter trial with 30 days’ follow-up

Background!#!To investigate infectious and non-infectious complications after transperineal prostate biopsy (TPB) without antibiotic prophylaxis in a multicenter cohort. Secondly, to identify whether increasing the number of cores was predictive for the occurrence of complications. Thirdly, to examine the relation between TPB and erectile dysfunction.!##!Methods!#!We analyzed a retrospective multicenter cohort of 550 patients from three different urological centers undergoing TPB without antibiotic prophylaxis. The median number of cores was 26. Demographic and clinical data were extracted by reviewing patients' electronic medical records and follow-up data such as postoperative complications obtained by structured phone interviews. To investigate the influence of the number of cores taken on the occurrence of complications, we performed univariate and multivariate mixed effects logistic regression models.!##!Results!#!There was no case of sepsis reported. Overall, 6.0% of patients (33/550) presented with any complication besides mild macrohematuria. In all, 46/47 (98%) complications were ≤Grade 2 according to Clavien-Dindo. In multivariate regression analyses, an increased number of cores was associated with overall complications (odds ratio (OR) 1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.14, P = 0.01) and specifically bleeding complications (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.11-1.50, P = 0.01) but not with infectious complications (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.97-1.10, P = 0.67). A total of 14.4% of patients referred impairment of erectile function after TPB. Of note, 98% of these men were diagnosed with prostate cancer.!##!Conclusions!#!This is the first multicenter trial to investigate complications after TPB without antibiotic prophylaxis. In our study, we found no case of sepsis. This underlines the safety advantage of TPB even without antibiotic prophylaxis and supports the ongoing initiative to abandon TRB of the prostate. A higher number of cores were associated with an increase in overall complications specifically bleeding complications, but not with infectious complications. Post-biopsy erectile dysfunction was mainly present in patients diagnosed with PCa