Synchronous variation in water chemistry for 80 lakes in Southern Sweden

Variation in water chemistry was studied in 80 lakes in southern Sweden. The lakes had forest dominated catchments. The length of the time series was 14 years. Synchrony was calculated as Pearsons product moment correlation coefficients for all combinations of lakes, i.e. 3160 lake-pairs. The chemical variables studied were non-marine sulphate (SO₄ ^*), non-marine calcium (Ca^*), absorbance and acid neutralising capacity (ANC). Statistically significant synchrony occurred in 93% of all lake-pairs for SO₄ ^*, and between 58 and 67% for absorbance, Ca^* and ANC. In 70% of all lake-pairs, the synchrony was \s>0.71 for SO₄ ^*, which means that more than half of the variation in one lake could be explained by the variation in the other lake. For absorbance, Ca^* and ANC, about 25% of the lake-pairs had a synchrony \s>0.71. The relatively high synchrony for SO₄ ^* occurred during an overall downward trend in SO₄ ^* concentration.The degree of synchrony in our study was at a level comparable to other studies in northern America and England. However, our study included lakes in a much larger area, with distances of up to 500 km between the lakes, while earlier studies were made on small lake districts with lakes located within approximately 50 km. In contrast to these earlier studies, there was no correlation between synchrony and distance, lake characteristics or catchment characteristics. However, when a small subset of 15 lakes in the southeast of Sweden was selected, such relations were found.     

Estimation of nonpoint source loadings with data obtained from limited sampling programs

The feasibility of estimating nonpoint source loadings with data obtained from limited sampling programs was analyzed in conjunction with a study of sediment and nutrient loadings in a Swedish river basin. The study showed that different loading estimation methods can yield significantly different results, even if sampling during events (e.g. peak flows) occurs. This was particularly true for the temporal distribution of the estimated loadings. The estimated spatial distribution of loadings in the monitored subbasins was more independent of the applied estimation technique. Theoretical calculations showed that sampling strategies with evenly spaced sampling intervals may systematically over- or underestimate the true loading.The study basin was characterized by a pronounced snowmelt period and partly erosion-controlled nutrient loadings. Guidelines for the estimation of nonpoint loadings in such basins are summarized in a matrix. Factors influencing the choice of estimation method include the characteristics of the collected data, the relative influence of point sources, and the desired detail of loading estimates. Possible correlations between flow and concentration, and the presence of extreme events (and whether or not the events were sampled), also determine the appropriateness of the different methods.     

Recent temporal trend monitoring of mercury in Arctic biota--how powerful are the existing data sets?

The goal of this paper is to describe and discuss statistical power with respect to mercury in Arctic biota, using data gathered during the past two or three decades, mostly under the auspices of AMAP Phases I and II. It will describe the current levels of power of existing data sets to detect temporal trends of Hg concentrations. If the desired power is fixed to an appropriate magnitude, the minimum size of a detectable trend within a specified time period or the number of years that is required to detect a certain trend could be estimated provided that the random between-year variation for the current time-series is known. These various measures of performance of the AMAP mercury time-series, derived from the power analysis, are discussed in some detail. The number of years required to detect a certain trend at a particular power at a specific Type I error rate (alpha) is compared with the actual number of years available when the AMAP Phase II assessment was carried out. In general the investigated time-series were too short to possess an acceptable statistical power. The effect of varying the Type-I error rate, the slope of a trend and the desired power is investigated to rank the importance of the various components regulating the statistical power. The consequence of sampling less frequently than once a year is considerable loss of power.     

Selective males and ardent females in pipefishes

Summary In the pipefishes Syngnathus typhle and Nerophis ophidion, males have been shown to limit female reproductive rate, and females to compete for access to males. Hence, these species fit the criteria for sex-role reversal. Males brood the eggs and provide the offspring with nutrients, oxygen and an osmoregulated environment. Moreover, in S. typhle both sexes prefer a larger mate when given a choice. Sexual selection theory predicts that males should be more choosy than females, and that was experimentally demonstrated in this study. We predicted that S. typhle males should be less eager to copulate than S. typhle females with an unattractive (i.e. small) mate. We measured eagerness as the time from the start of the experiment until copulation occurred. Males with unattractive partners took significantly longer to copulate than females with unattractive partners. Moreover, females invariably initiated the courtship dance, and resumed it quicker after copulation than did the males, again suggesting reproductive hesitation in males. Neither male nor female size per se was correlated with time until copulation. In N. ophidion, where we have previously shown that males prefer larger to smaller females, we found that females did not select males with regard to size. Our results are consistent both with earlier findings (males limit female reproduction and females compete for males) and with operational sex ratios in nature: in seven annual field samples in June, the numbers of S. typhle females with ripe eggs always significantly exceeded numbers of receptive males. Hence, the potential cost of being choosy in terms of lost matings is much higher in females than in males. In conclusion, S. typhle females were somewhat choosy, but less so than males, whereas N. ophidion females were not choosy at all. Correspondence to: A. Berglund     

Relationships Between Macroinvertebrate Assemblages of Stony Littoral Habitats and Water Chemistry Variables Indicative of Acid-stress

Gradient analyses were used to correlatively determine the importance of acid-related variables for littoral macroinvertebrate assemblages. To better ascertain the effects of acidity on macroinvertebrate assemblages we removed sites judged to be affected by other stressors such as agriculture, urbanization and liming. PCA of land use and water chemistry confirmed the presence of an acidity gradient; several acidity variables (e.g. pH and buffering capacity) were strongly correlated with the first PC axis, which explained Ca 32% of the variance in the environmental data. Partial constrained ordination of littoral macroinvertebrate assemblages with water chemistry, after removing the effect of other confounding variables (e.g. land use/type), showed that acidity variables accounted for significant amounts of among-lake variability in assemblage structure. Regression of canonical scores (a metric of community composition) and diversity with pH and alkalinity was used to visually determine ecological breakpoints or threshold values. Five classes were established for pH: pH?<?5 (extremely acid), 5?<?pH?≤?5.6 (very acid), 5.6?<?pH?≤?6.2 (acid), 6.2?<?pH?≤?6.8 (weakly acid) and pH?>?6.8 (neutral-alkaline). Similarly, three classes were determined for alkalinity/acidity: <0.02, 0.02–0.1 and >0.1 meq/L.     

Associations of variable coloration with niche breadth and conservation status among Australian reptiles

We evaluate predictions concerning the evolutionary and ecological consequences of color polymorphisms. Previous endeavors have aimed at identifying conditions that promote the evolution and maintenance within populations of alternative variants. But the polymorphic condition may also influence important population processes. We consider the prediction that populations that consist of alternative "ecomorphs" with coadapted gene complexes will utilize more diverse resources and display higher rates of colonization success, population persistence, and range expansions, while being less vulnerable to range contractions and extinctions, compared with monomorphic populations. We perform pairwise comparative analyses based on information for 323 species of Australian lizards and snakes. We find that species with variable color patterns have larger ranges, utilize a greater diversity of habitat types, and are underrepresented among species currently listed as threatened. These results are consistent with the proposition that the co-occurrence of multiple color variants may promote the ecological success of populations and species, but there are also alternative interpretations.     

Flight distance of urban birds, predation, and selection for urban life

Numerous species have adapted to humans, especially invasive species associated with humans in towns and cities. Short flight distances of populations adapted to urban environments reflect changes in behavior and physiology, reflecting phenotypic plasticity or evolution. Here, I tested the hypothesis that the decrease in flight distance to a potential predator (an approaching human) reflected adaptation to urbanization, using a data set of flight distances of 44 common species of European birds in different stages of adaptation to urban environments. Urban populations had consistently shorter flight distances than rural populations of the same species. Variation in relative flight distance of urban populations was predicted by the number of generations since urbanization, as expected by a gradual process of adaptation. Furthermore, species with relatively large populations in urban environments would be an indication of local adaptation to urban environments. Relative flight distance of urban population was shorter for species with large populations in urban compared to rural habitats. Species that had adapted to urban environments as shown by short flight distances were less susceptible to predation by the European sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus than species with relatively long flight distances in urban populations. These findings provide evidence consistent with the hypothesis that recent changes in the tameness of urban birds, as reflected by their relatively short flight distances, is an adaptation to the novel urban environment. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Fungal DNA and pet allergen levels in Swedish day care centers and associations with building characteristics

Pet allergens and mold growth related to damp are common phenomena in day care centers in Sweden but exposure measurements of these factors are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between building construction and indoor environment quality in Swedish day care centers and the potential for exposure to fungi (analyzed by quantitative PCR) and animal allergens (analyzed by ELISA). Measurements were performed in 21 day care centers (103 rooms) from one municipality in Sweden, which were identified as constructions at risk of dampness (85% of the buildings) and with visible damage and mold growth (54% of the buildings). Dust samples were collected using cotton swab and Petri dishes. Total fungal DNA was detected in 99% and 100%, Aspergillus/Penicillium DNA in 54% and 68%, and Stachybotrys chartarum DNA in 4% and 9% of the investigated rooms in cotton swab and Petri dish samples, respectively. The total fungal DNA levels (Geometric Mean, GM) were 4.2 × 10(6) cell equivalents per m(2) and 2.9 × 10(5) cell equivalents per m(2) per day in the swab and Petri dish samples, respectively. The concentrations (GM) of cat (Fel d1), dog (Can f1), and horse (Equ cx) allergens were 9.4, 7.2 ng m(-2) day(-1), and 5.0 unit per m(2) per day, respectively. Total fungal DNA levels were higher in risk construction buildings (p = 0.01), in rooms with linoleum flooring material (p = 0.003), and in buildings with rotating heat exchangers (p = 0.02). There were associations between total fungal DNA levels and cat (p = 0.02), dog (p < 0.001), and horse (p = 0.001) allergens. In conclusion, risk constructions, damp constructions, mould growth, fungal DNA, and animal allergens were common exposure factors in Swedish day care centers. Building constructions that represent a high risk for internal dampness should be avoided in the future, and measures to reduce allergen levels should be considered to protect pet-allergic children from asthmatic problems.