Contribution of the Natura 2000 Network to Biodiversity Conservation in Italy

Abstract:  The Natura 2000 network is the most important conservation effort being implemented in Europe. Nevertheless, no comprehensive and systematic region—or nationwide evaluation of the effectiveness of the network has been conducted. We used habitat suitability models and extent of occurrence of 468 species of vertebrates to evaluate the contribution of the Natura 2000 network to biodiversity conservation in Italy. We also estimated the population size of 101 species inside the Natura 2000 network to assess its capacity to maintain or improve the population status of listed species. In general the Italian Natura 2000 did not seem to integrate existing protected areas well. The Natura 2000 network increased from 11% to 20% the area devoted to conservation in Italy and the coverage provided to areas with high biodiversity. Nevertheless, some areas with high numbers of species were devoid of conservation areas, and more than 50% of the highly irreplaceable areas were not considered in the system. Moreover, the Natura 2000 network cannot maintain 44–80% (depending on the taxa considered) of the species in a "favorable conservation status" under World Conservation Union Red List criteria. The Natura 2000 network is probably stronger than the results of our analyses suggest. The system is based on a site-specific expert-based strategy and is driven by direct and detailed knowledge of local diversity. Nevertheless, if Natura 2000 is taken to represent the final point of all the EU conservation policies, it will inevitably fail. Its role in conservation could be enhanced by integrating the Natura 2000 system into a more general strategy that considers natural processes and the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these processes.     

Metals and organic pollutants in snow surrounding an iron factory

To estimate air pollution snow samples were collected in March 2001 at six sites in the vicinity of the Kostomuksha factory in Karelia. Seventy-two chemical elements and more than 200 individual organic compounds were identified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It was found that the levels of Li, B, Al, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Hg, Mn, Mo as well as hydrocarbons, phthalates and phenols exceeded the existing maximum allowable concentrations. A list of toxicants emitted with the factory exhausts and a list of priority pollutants for Kostomuksha were compiled. The impact of the exhausts of the Kostomuksha factory on the environment in Finland is relatively small. Electronic Publication     

Bioaccessibility of arsenic in soils developed over Jurassic ironstones in eastern England

Jurassic ironstones outcropping over parts of eastern England give rise to soils with arsenic concentrations in excess of the UK soil guideline value of 20 mg kg⁻¹ for residential areas. Total arsenic concentrations were determined for 73 ironstone derived soils and bioaccessible arsenic determined using an in vitro physiologically based extraction test. The bioaccessible arsenic concentration for these soils was found to be well below the soil guideline value with a mean concentration of 4 mg kg⁻¹ and a range of 2–17 mg kg⁻¹. The bioaccessible fraction ranges from 1.2 to 33%. Data from a sequential extraction test based on the use of aqua regia as the main extractant is presented for a subset of 20 of the soils. Chemometric data reduction is used to demonstrate that the bioaccessible arsenic is mainly contained within calcium iron carbonate (sideritic) assemblages and only partially iron aluminosilicates, probably berthierine, and iron oxyhydroxide phases, probably goethite. It is suggested that the bulk of the non-bioaccessible arsenic is bound up with less reactive iron oxide phases.     

Three party symbiosis: acoelomorph worms,corals and unicellular algal symbionts in Eilat (Red Sea)

Epizoic worms were found to occur on certain coral colonies from reefs off the coast of Eilat (Red Sea). We identified 14 coral species infested by acoelomorph worms at a depth range of 2–50 m. The host corals were all zooxanthellate and included both massive and branching stony corals and a soft coral. Worms from all hosts were identified as belonging to the genus Waminoa and contained two distinct algal symbionts differing in size. The smaller one was identified as Symbiodinium sp. and the larger one is presumed to belong to the genus Amphidinium. Worm-infested colonies of the soft coral, Stereonephthya cundabiluensis, lacked a mucus layer and exhibited distinct cell microvilli, a phenotype not present in colonies lacking Waminoa sp. In most cases, both cnidarian and Acoelomorph hosts displayed high specificity for genetically distinctive Symbiodinium spp. These observations show that the epizoic worms do not acquire their symbionts from the “host” coral.     

Changes in feeding mechanisms during early ontogeny in juveniles of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crepidula fecunda</Emphasis> (Gastropoda,Calyptraeidae)

Feeding in early life stages of the sedentary snail Crepidula is effected both by the use of the radula and by filtering with the gill. The present study is a contribution to the knowledge of the mechanisms of feeding by early juvenile snails of Crepidula fecunda. Experimental observations were made on specimens of known ages as they were fed constant concentrations of microalgae in the presence of a primary biological film on a glass substrate. Feeding activity was filmed under the microscope, and images were digitized for the identification and quantification of feeding structures. A morphological analysis was made of the structures associated with this process. Results showed that the radula was functional beginning in 1-day-old juveniles, and the gill functioned in respiration. Gill function in filter-feeding began in juveniles of 9 days old when dorsal and ventral ciliation had developed, as well as the food pouch. The latter structure begins activity as soon as the gill starts food collection. Osphradia appeared simultaneous with development of the filter feeding capacity by the gill. In their earliest stages after metamorphosis, the young snails begin life by radular scraping of primary biofilms, gradually shifting to filter feeding as the gill developed a critical number of filaments and cilia.     

Reproductive partitioning in communally breeding guira cuckoos,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Guira guira</Emphasis>

Guira cuckoos, Guira guira, exhibit a rare polygynandrous reproductive system with groups containing several male and female breeders, allowing for important tests of reproductive skew models. Female reproductive strategies involve leaving the group, varying clutch size, egg ejection and infanticide, among others. Here we examined the predictions of reproductive skew models relative to reproductive partitioning among females in groups. We used yolk protein electrophoresis to identify individual females eggs in joint nests. We found that reproductive partitioning favors early-laying females, which lay and incubate more eggs than females that begin laying later. Because the female that lays first tends to switch between repeated nesting bouts, and females do not always contribute eggs to each bout, female reproductive success tends to equalize within groups over time. The pattern of reproductive partitioning differs from that described for anis, another crotophagine joint-nester. We calculated reproductive skew indices for groups in 2 years, for both laying and incubation, as well as an overall population value. These were compared to random skew generated by simulations. Varying degrees of skew were found for different groups, and also across sequential nesting bouts of the same groups. Overall, however, skew did not deviate from random within the population. Nests that reached incubation tended to have lower skew values during the laying phase than nests terminated due to ejection of all eggs followed by desertion. Groups had higher reproductive skew indices in their first nesting bout of the season, and these nests frequently failed. These results illustrate the importance of social organization in determining not only individual, but group success in reproduction, and highlight the flexibility of vertebrate social behavior.Communicated by J. Dickinson     

On the social structure of offspring rearing in the burrower bug,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Sehirus cinctus</Emphasis> (Hemiptera: Cydnidae)

Maternal-offspring interactions are important in a variety of animals. Understanding the evolution of these interactions requires that we also study the broader social context in which they occur. To date, behavioral studies on burrower bugs, Sehirus cinctus, have focused exclusively on interactions between mothers and offspring. Here we ask whether these interactions occur in a social context that extends beyond the family unit of a mother and her own genetic offspring. Such social structure can arise from behaviors that occur before eggs are laid, or from actions of individuals that occur post-hatching. We present field data showing that lay sites of mothers are spatially aggregated on a scale that would lead to behavioral interactions among families. Microsatellite markers suggest neighboring mothers are unrelated. Laboratory experiments do not support the hypothesis that spatial aggregation results from a direct attraction of females to one another. Other laboratory studies reported here indicate that, after hatching, unrelated clutches sometimes join together to form multifamily groups. Experiments reveal that mothers are not necessary for these joining events to occur. In sum, these data suggest that both mothers and offspring play active, but different, roles in generating the social environment in which offspring rearing occurs.Communicated by N. Wedell     

Method for indirectly defining optimum temperatures of inhabitancy for marine cold-blooded animals

Investigations on the influence of pressure on the activity of alkaline phosphatase of some marine invertebrates from the Baltic Sea were carried out at temperatures between 5° and 55°C. The results obtained indicate that the influence of pressure on alkaline phosphatase activity is modified by temperature. At low temperatures, pressure has a decreasing effect on enzyme activity, while it has an increasing effect at higher temperatures. The gill homogenates of the relatively pressure-resistent bivalves Cyprina islandica and Mytilus edulis show a lower decrease of activity under pressure at low temperatures than the gill-homogenate of Carcinus maenas and a purified enzyme preparation of a homoiothermal animal.     

A Geochemical Survey of Topsoil in the City of Oslo, Norway

The city of Oslo is situated centrally in the Oslo-graben, which is a Permian rift basin consisting of different kinds of volcanic and sedimentary rocks. In the summer of 1998, approximately 300 samples of surface soil (2–3cm) were taken systematically, 1km^–2. The investigated area covers about 500km². Samples were dissolved in 7M HNO₃ and analysed for 29 elements with ICP-AES, mercury with cold-vapour technique (CV-AAS) and arsenic and cadmium with a graphite furnace (GF-AAS). A factor analysis is frequently used to identify relationships among sets of interrelated variables. To describe the covariant relationships among the elements, a factor analysis has been completed. The first factor contains the elements Sc, Fe, Li, Co, Al, Cr, Be, K, Ni, V, Mg, Y, Ba, Zr, Mn and As (listed with decreasing communality). These elements are typical for the minerals in the area and most of these elements have a near normal distribution. Sources for this factor are probably geological. The second factor contains Cd, Hg, P, Zn, Cu, Ba and Pb. They have a log-normal distribution. Road traffic is probably one of the sources contributing to this factor. In Norway studded tyres are used frequently in the winter season which results in large amounts of road dust. Leaded petrol has been a major source for Pb but is not in use any more. Wear and tear of tyres and brakes contribute also to this factor. Other sources contributing to this factor are probably industry, rubbish incineration, crematoria and release of some of these elements from structural material by fire. Factors 3, 4 and 6 with elements such as Ca, Na, La, Ti and Sr probably have geological sources. They are associated with minerals like amphiboles, pyroxenes and feldspars and some of the elements are from sea aerosols. Factor 5 contains Mn, Cd, Zn, As and Pb. Manganese may be derived from many different sources such as rock weathering, windblown dust, agriculture and traffic. Since As and Mn are placed in both factor 1 and 5 they probably have both geological and anthropogenic sources. Concentrations of the elements in the second factor are much higher in the central parts of Oslo, than in the rest of Oslo. The median value of Hg in the centre is 0.48mgkg^–1, which is 8 times higher than that in the rest of the city. Also, the other elements have much higher levels in the centre. The industrial district north-east of the centre also has high values. The distribution of arsenic is regular throughout the whole city, but has a slightly higher level in the centre. Norm values for contaminated land used by the Norwegian authorities are 2mg As kg^–1 and 25mg Cr kg^–1. Of 297 samples, 61% contain more than 25mg Cr kg^–1 and 79% more than 3mg As kg^–1, which is the detection limit of the analysis. These samples will therefore be regarded as contaminated. Factor analysis places these elements in the geological factor. The Norm value of zinc is 150mgkg^–1, and 40% of the samples contain more than this. The Norm value of lead is 150mgkg^–1, and 35% of the samples contain. Road traffic is probably the major source for these elements.