Relationship between ciliates and environmental parameters in a restored carbonate fen

Wetlands restoration has been implemented on sites exploited for agricultural for over a decade in Eastern Europe. However, little is known about microbial diversity in this region. Microbial processes and patterns can be used as sensitive indicators of changes in environmental conditions. The responses of ciliates wetlands restoration are largely unexplored. Based on the results of a long-term study in fen of the Poleski National Park (Poland), we assumed that restoration causes changes in the physicochemical properties of fen water and sought to answer the question of how ciliate communities react to these changes and whether these microorganisms can play a significant role as bioindicators in evaluating the restoration process. Twenty taxa were recorded in the ciliate community, with 16 taxa found prior to restoration and 12 after restoration. Restoration clearly modified the taxonomic composition and abundance of ciliates. This was reflected in a decrease in the abundance and in the density of these protozoa and in a significant increase in the proportion of euplanktonic species. Before restoration, the most common ciliates were Cinetochilum margaritaceum and Strombidium viride, while the proportion of Paramecium bursaria increased after restoration. We also observed that the improvement in hydrological conditions, and hence the transformation of the vegetation structure in the peat bog, causes changes in the trophic structure of ciliates. The RDA analysis showed that all variables together accounted for 86.9% of the total variance. However, variables that significantly explained the variance in ciliate communities were water level, temperature, pH, and nutrients. Our results suggest that an indicator species approach based on functional groups may be appropriate for biomonitoring fens restoration

Ecology of testate amoebae (Protists) in

The testate amoebae communities living among different species of mosses in Sphagnum peatlands in eastern Poland were studied. Sampling was done on a monthly basis from April to November 2005-2007. To assess the importance of the vertical distribution of testate amoebae within the mosses, each sample was cut into two parts: the upper living part (1-5 cm) and the lower dead part (5-10 cm). The highest species richness occurred in hollows dominated by Sphagnum angustifolium, Sphagnum flexuosum and Sphagnum palustre. Lower numbers of taxa were observed in hummocks dominated by Sphagnum magellanicum, Polytrichum strictum and Polytrichum commune. There was a distinct horizontal micro-zonation of the abundance of testate amoebae occurring among Sphagnum mosses, but only a small difference ascertained among Polytrichum. The number of testate amoebae was significantly greater in the deeper samples. The results demonstrated that depth to water table, pH and total organic carbon can strongly regulate the abundance and taxonomic composition of testate amoebae

Importance of Redox Equilibrium in the Pathogenesis of Psoriasis—Impact of Antioxidant-Rich Diet

Psoriasis is a common, chronic, hyperproliferative, inflammatory skin disease occurring in most ethnic groups in the world. The disease is hereditary but the process of its inheritance is complex and still not fully understood. At the same time, it has been observed that psoriatic lesions may be triggered by certain prooxidative external factors: using narcotics, smoking, drinking alcohol, physical and mental stress, as well as bacterial infections and injury. Since the main physiological marker of psoriasis relates to disorders in the organism’s antioxidative system, it is necessary to develop a well-balanced combination of pharmaceuticals and dietary antioxidants to facilitate the effective treatment and/or prevention of the disease. The dietary sources of antioxidants must be adequate for chronic use regardless of the patient’s age and be easily available, e.g., as ingredients of regular food or dietary supplements. Diet manipulation is a promising therapeutic approach in the context of modulating the incidence of chronic diseases. Another potentially viable method entails the use of nutrigenomics, which guarantees a multiaspectual approach to the problem, including, in particular, analyses of the genetic profiles of psoriasis patients with the view to more accurately targeting key problems. The present paper pertains to the significance of redox equilibrium in the context of psoriasis. Based on information published in worldwide literature over the last decade, the impact of dietary exogenous antioxidants on the course of this chronic disease was analysed

Effects of water bugs on crustacean zooplankton in a shallow littoral zone

Interactions within the food chain are essential to ecosystem ecology. At the same time, very little is known of the trophic relationships between Heteroptera and zooplankton. The aim of this study was to examine the community structure of water bugs in the littoral zone of shallow lakes and their impact on crustacean zooplankton communities. A study on the effect of Heteroptera on zooplankton communities was carried out in the conditions of a laboratory experiment with two treatments: (1) aquariums in which the Heteroptera species Ilyocoris cimicoides and Plea minutissima were present (control treatment) and (2) aquariums from which Heteroptera were removed (removal treatment). The decisive factor in reducing the number of crustacean zooplankton was most likely the presence of predatory Heteroptera in a composition typical of the shallow littoral of eutrophic lakes. Their impact is reflected in both a decrease in the species richness and abundance of crustaceans and a transformation of the size structure of the zooplankton. The results of the study are the first to suggest a substantial seasonal impact of water bugs on crustacean zooplankton in a shallow lake. The results of the experiments confirm that predatory Heteroptera exert considerable pressure on crustacean zooplankton during the spring and summer peaks in abundance

Submerged macrophytes as bioindicators of environmental conditions in shallow lakes in eastern Poland

We investigated the responses of submerged macrophytes to environmental conditions in shallow lakes to evaluate the role of macrophytes as bioindicators of water quality and anthropogenic disturbances (such as eutrophication) of shallow lake ecosystems. The studies were conducted on a group of ten shallow lakes situated on the area of Polesie Lubelskie (eastern Poland). The lakes represented five types of macrophyte communities, Chara- Stratiotes-, Myriophyllum-, Potamogeton- and Ceratophyllum-dominated. The total biomass of macrophytes and their distribution were significantly negatively correlated with the trophic status of the lake. Principal component analysis confirms the separation of the lakes with regard to trophic status and macrophyte species richness and biomass. The results of the Monte Carlo permutation test (RDA analysis) indicated the significant effect of Secchi disc depth, pH, conductivity, chlorophyll-a, Ptot, P-PO4, N-NO3 and N-NH4 on the biomass and distribution of submerged macrophytes in the lakes.Macrophyte assemblages showed visible negative changes of their species diversity and biomass through the human induced eutrophication process. Their diversity is the combined effect of environmental conditions specific for a lake ecosystem, thus macrophytes have a crucial role in biomonitoring studies of shallow lakes

Colonization of Artificial Substrates by Invertebrate Macrofauna in a River Ecosystem—Implications for Forensic Entomology

Forensic entomology includes the analysis of organisms colonizing various parts of the body in order to determine the circumstances of an incident, mainly the time, place, and cause of death. The presence of insects and other arthropods on carcasses can be a source of knowledge for the judicial system. However, this type of research (on submerged bodies) is less published. The aim of our study was to analyse the qualitative and quantitative structure of macroinvertebrates colonizing potential evidence in an upland river. The experimental research involved an eight-week exposure to articles of clothing made of different materials: natural materials (bottom sediments with plants from a river), synthetic (socks), and cotton (t-shirts). Control samples of water after 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks were taken from experiment locations in the River Bystrzyca with a tube apparatus and hand net. The results indicated that the abundance of organisms on a given substrate depended on the period of development of invertebrate macrofauna and the time of exposure of the substrates. The abundance of aquatic macrofauna on the exposed items increased in direct proportion to the duration of the experiment, which may indicate the adaptability of these organisms to new habitat conditions. Among the taxonomic groups used in forensic entomology, Diptera, Coleoptera, and Odonata were the most abundant. The remaining taxa (including Heteroptera), though not widely used in judicial proceedings, can also provide valuable information about the circumstances of an incident