13 research outputs found
A global agenda for advancing freshwater biodiversity research
Global freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically, and meeting the challenges of this crisis requires bold goals and the mobilisation of substantial resources. While the reasons are varied, investments in both research and conservation of freshwater biodiversity lag far behind those in the terrestrial and marine realms. Inspired by a global consultation, we identify 15 pressing priority needs, grouped into five research areas, in an effort to support informed stewardship of freshwater biodiversity. The proposed agenda aims to advance freshwater biodiversity research globally as a critical step in improving coordinated actions towards its sustainable management and conservation
Simulating rewetting events in intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams: A global analysis of leached nutrients and organic matter
Climate change and human pressures are changing the global distribution and the exâ
tent of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES), which comprise half of the
global river network area. IRES are characterized by periods of flow cessation, during
which channel substrates accumulate and undergo physicoâchemical changes (preconâ
ditioning), and periods of flow resumption, when these substrates are rewetted and
release pulses of dissolved nutrients and organic matter (OM). However, there are no
estimates of the amounts and quality of leached substances, nor is there information
on the underlying environmental constraints operating at the global scale. We experiâ
mentally simulated, under standard laboratory conditions, rewetting of leaves, riverâ
bed sediments, and epilithic biofilms collected during the dry phase across 205 IRES
from five major climate zones. We determined the amounts and qualitative characterâ
istics of the leached nutrients and OM, and estimated their areal fluxes from riverbeds.
In addition, we evaluated the variance in leachate characteristics in relation to selected
environmental variables and substrate characteristics. We found that sediments, due
to their large quantities within riverbeds, contribute most to the overall flux of disâ
solved substances during rewetting events (56%â98%), and that flux rates distinctly
differ among climate zones. Dissolved organic carbon, phenolics, and nitrate contribâ
uted most to the areal fluxes. The largest amounts of leached substances were found
in the continental climate zone, coinciding with the lowest potential bioavailability of
the leached OM. The opposite pattern was found in the arid zone. Environmental variâ
ables expected to be modified under climate change (i.e. potential evapotranspiration,
aridity, dry period duration, land use) were correlated with the amount of leached subâ
stances, with the strongest relationship found for sediments. These results show that
the role of IRES should be accounted for in global biogeochemical cycles, especially
because prevalence of IRES will increase due to increasing severity of drying event
A global agenda for advancing freshwater biodiversity research
Global freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically, and meeting the challenges of this crisis requires bold goals and the mobilisation of substantial resources. While the reasons are varied, investments in both research and conservation of freshwater biodiversity lag far behind those in the terrestrial and marine realms. Inspired by a global consultation, we identify 15 pressing priority needs, grouped into five research areas, in an effort to support informed stewardship of freshwater biodiversity. The proposed agenda aims to advance freshwater biodiversity research globally as a critical step in improving coordinated actions towards its sustainable management and conservation.Peer reviewe
Emerging threats and persistent conservation challenges for freshwater biodiversity
In the 12 years since Dudgeon et al. (2006) reviewed major pressures on freshwater ecosystems, the biodiversity crisis in the world's lakes, reservoirs, rivers, streams and wetlands has deepened. While lakes, reservoirs and rivers cover only 2.3% of the Earth's surface, these ecosystems host at least 9.5% of the Earth's described animal species. Furthermore, using the World Wide Fund for Nature's Livin
Culturable bacteria community development in postglacial soils of Ecology Glacier, King George Island, Antarctica
Glacier forelands are excellent sites in which to study microbial succession because conditions change
rapidly in the emerging soil. Development of the bacterial community was studied along two transects on lateral
moraines of Ecology Glacier, King George Island, by culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches
(denaturating gradient gel electrophoresis, DGGE). Environmental conditions such as cryoturbation and soil
composition affected both abundance and phylogenetic diversity of bacterial communities. Microbiocenosis
structure along transect 1(severe cryoturbation) differed markedly from that along transect 2 (minor
cryoturbation). Soil physical and chemical factors changed along the chronosequence (time since exposure) and
influenced the taxonomic diversity of cultivated bacteria (CB), particularly along transect 2. Arthrobacter spp.
played a pioneer role, and were present in all soil samples, but were most abundant along transect 1. Cultivated
bacteria isolated from transect 2 were taxonomically more diverse than those cultivated from transect 1; those
from transect 1 tended to express a broader range of enzyme and assimilation activities. Our data suggest that
cryoturbation is a major factor in controlling bacterial community development in postglacial soils, shed light on
microbial succession in glacier forelands, and add a new parameter to models that describe succession
phenomena
Including the Introduction of Exotic Species in Life Cycle Impact Assessment: The Case of Inland Shipping
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