Geographic variation in resource dominance-discovery in Brazilian ant communities

A predictive framework for the ecology of species invasions requires that we learn what limits successful invaders in their native range. The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) is invasive in the United States, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, and China. Solenopsis invicta appears to be a superior competitor in its introduced range, where it can cause the local extirpation of native species, but little is known about its competitive ability in its native range in South America. Here we examine the competitive ability of S. invicta for food resources in three widely separated Brazilian ant communities. Each of these communities contains 20-40 ant species, 8-10 of which were common and frequently interacted with S. invicta. S. invicta at all three sites was attacked by several species-specific phorid parasitoids, and at one site, two other species were attacked by their own specialized parasitoids. We examined interactions in these local communities for evidence that trade-offs among ant species between resource dominance and resource discovery, and between resource dominance and parasitoid vulnerability facilitate local coexistence. The trade-off between resource dominance and resource discovery was strong and significant only at Santa Genebra, where parasitoids had no effect on the outcome of confrontations at resources. At Bonito, parasitoids significantly reduced the ability of S. invicta, which was the top-ranked behavioral dominant, from defending and usurping food resources from subordinate species. In the Pantanal, S. invicta ranked behind three other ant species in a linear hierarchy of behavioral dominance, and lost the majority of its interactions with a fourth more subordinate species, Paratrechina fulva, another invasive species. Parasitoids of S. invicta were uncommon in the Pantanal, and did not affect its low position in the hierarchy relative to the other two sites. Parasitoids, however, did affect the ability of Linepithema angulatum, the top-ranked behavioral dominant in this community, from defending and usurping resources from behavioral subordinates. These results indicate that both interspecific competition and trait-mediated indirect effects of phorid parasitoids affect the ecological success of the red imported fire ant in its native range, but that the relative importance of these factors varies geographically.     

Modelling the temperature and the phytoplankton distributions at the Aveiro near coastal zone,Portugal

The main objective of this paper is to implement a coupled three-dimensional physical and ecological model for the Aveiro coast, and to apply it to study the temperature and the phytoplankton biomass spatial distributions along the coastal ecosystem. The Aveiro coast is located at Portugal within the upwelling system of the Atlantic Iberian coast, characterized by nutrients availability and phytoplankton biomass accumulation, from April to October. In order to implement the ecological model, its validation was assessed by comparing simulations to data relative to the horizontal and vertical distributions of the temperature, nutrients and phytoplankton biomass, obtained during the CICLOS I survey off the Portuguese coast [Moita, M.T., 2001. Estrutura, Variabilidade e Dinâmica do Fitoplâncton na Costa de Portugal Continental. PhD Thesis. Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 272 pp.]. A sensitivity analysis of the model has been performed in order to assess the influence of the main ecological model variables. The simulation results show that the model is capable of predicting realistic the temperature, the nutrients and the chlorophyll-a distributions for the study area. The scenarios evidence the setup of a thermal stratification pattern resulting from the upwelling of deep and rich in nutrients water to the surface layer and a chlorophyll-a maxima extending offshore, along the picnocline and the nutricline. The results confirm the crucial role played by the physical processes in the phytoplankton bloom along the Aveiro coast. They also evidence the close link between the surface phytoplankton distribution and the surface temperature distribution.     

Underwater and above-water search patterns of an Arctic seabird: reduced searching at small spatiotemporal scales

How predators vary search patterns in response to prey predictability is poorly known. For example, marine invertebrates may be predictable but of low energy value, while fish may be of higher energy value but unpredictable at large (pelagic schools) or small (solitary benthics) spatial scales. We investigated the search patterns of the thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia), an Arctic seabird feeding on invertebrates, pelagic fish, or benthic fish. Foraging ranges at the Coats Island colony are generally smaller (<240 min per trip) than at larger colonies, and many birds specialize in foraging tactics and diet. Underwater search times for benthic fish were higher than for pelagic fish or invertebrates while above-water search times for pelagic fish were higher than for benthic fish or invertebrates. There were few stops during trips. Total trip time, flying time, number of flights, and number of dives were intercorrelated and increased with prey energy content, suggesting that longer trips involved fewer prey encounters due to selection of higher-quality, but rarer, prey items. Flight times were not Lévy-distributed and seabirds may have used area-restricted searches. The high degree of specialization, apparent absence of information center effects, and reduced above-water searching times may be linked to the relatively small colony size and the resulting short commuting distances to feeding areas, leading to greater prey predictability. We concluded that prey predictability over various scales affected predator search patterns.     

Use of thermal analysis techniques (TG-DSC) for the characterization of diverse organic municipal waste streams to predict biological stability prior to land application

The use of organic municipal wastes as soil amendments is an increasing practice that can divert significant amounts of waste from landfill, and provides a potential source of nutrients and organic matter to ameliorate degraded soils. Due to the high heterogeneity of organic municipal waste streams, it is difficult to rapidly and cost-effectively establish their suitability as soil amendments using a single method. Thermal analysis has been proposed as an evolving technique to assess the stability and composition of the organic matter present in these wastes. In this study, three different organic municipal waste streams (i.e., a municipal waste compost (MC), a composted sewage sludge (CS) and a thermally dried sewage sludge (TS)) were characterized using conventional and thermal methods. The conventional methods used to test organic matter stability included laboratory incubation with measurement of respired C, and spectroscopic methods to characterize chemical composition. Carbon mineralization was measured during a 90-day incubation, and samples before and after incubation were analyzed by chemical (elemental analysis) and spectroscopic (infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance) methods. Results were compared with those obtained by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. Total amounts of CO₂ respired indicated that the organic matter in the TS was the least stable, while that in the CS was the most stable. This was confirmed by changes detected with the spectroscopic methods in the composition of the organic wastes due to C mineralization. Differences were especially pronounced for TS, which showed a remarkable loss of aliphatic and proteinaceous compounds during the incubation process. TG, and especially DSC analysis, clearly reflected these differences between the three organic wastes before and after the incubation. Furthermore, the calculated energy density, which represents the energy available per unit of organic matter, showed a strong correlation with cumulative respiration. Results obtained support the hypothesis of a potential link between the thermal and biological stability of the studied organic materials, and consequently the ability of thermal analysis to characterize the maturity of municipal organic wastes and composts.     

When there is no escape: the effects of natural enemies on native, invasive, and noninvasive plants

An important question in the study of biological invasions is the degree to which successful invasion can be explained by release from control by natural enemies. Natural enemies dominate explanations of two alternate phenomena: that most introduced plants fail to establish viable populations (biotic resistance hypothesis) and that some introduced plants become noxious invaders (natural enemies hypothesis). We used a suite of 18 phylogenetically related native and nonnative clovers (Trifolium and Medicago) and the foliar pathogens and invertebrate herbivores that attack them to answer two questions. Do native species suffer greater attack by natural enemies relative to introduced species at the same site? Are some introduced species excluded from native plant communities because they are susceptible to local natural enemies? We address these questions using three lines of evidence: (1) the frequency of attack and composition of fungal pathogens and herbivores for each clover species in four years of common garden experiments, as well as susceptibility to inoculation with a common pathogen; (2) the degree of leaf damage suffered by each species in common garden experiments; and (3) fitness effects estimated using correlative approaches and pathogen removal experiments. Introduced species showed no evidence of escape from pathogens, being equivalent to native species as a group in terms of infection levels, susceptibility, disease prevalence, disease severity (with more severe damage on introduced species in one year), the influence of disease on mortality, and the effect of fungicide treatment on mortality and biomass. In contrast, invertebrate herbivores caused more damage on native species in two years, although the influence of herbivore attack on mortality did not differ between native and introduced species. Within introduced species, the predictions of the biotic resistance hypothesis were not supported: the most invasive species showed greater infection, greater prevalence and severity of disease, greater prevalence of herbivory, and greater effects of fungicide on biomass and were indistinguishable from noninvasive introduced species in all other respects. Therefore, although herbivores preferred native over introduced species, escape from pest pressure cannot be used to explain why some introduced clovers are common invaders in coastal prairie while others are not.     

Environmental auditing roundtable establishes formal standards for environmental,health, and safety audits

The Environmental Auditing Roundtable recently promulgated the Standards for the Performance of Environmental, Health, and Safety Audits that are featured in this article. With many global initiatives converging in the development of environmental auditing and management standards, this document represents a vital building block, unique from many others in that it was built by a broad-based consensus effort of actual practitioners. Over 95 percent of the Roundtable members who voted on the standard endorsed it.     

Parasitoids and competitors influence colony-level responses in the red imported fire ant,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Solenopsis invicta</Emphasis>

Social insect colonies respond to challenges set by a variable environment by reallocating work among colony members. In many social insects, such colony-level task allocation strategies are achieved through individual decisions that produce a self-organized adapting group. We investigated colony responses to parasitoids and native ant competitors in the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta). Parasitoid flies affected fire ants by decreasing the proportion of workers engaged in foraging. Competitors also altered colony-level behaviours by reducing the proportion of foraging ants and by increasing the proportion of roaming majors, whose role is colony defence. Interestingly, the presence of both parasitism and competition almost always had similar effects on task allocation in comparison to each of the biotic factors on its own. Thus, our study uniquely demonstrates that the interactive effect of both parasitism and competition is not necessarily additive, implying that these biotic factors alter colony behaviour in distinct ways. More generally, our work demonstrates the importance of studying the dynamics of species interactions in a broader context.     

Rapid assessment of metabolic activity in marine microalgae: application in ecotoxicological tests and evaluation of water quality

A new method for the assessment of the effects of several contaminants on marine microalgae,Tetraselmis suecica (Kyling) Butcher,Skeletonema costatum (Grev.) Cleve, andProrocentrum lima (Ehrenberg) Dodge was developed in 1990. The method is based on the measurement of cell esterase activity using a fluorimetric stain, fluorescein diacetate (FDA), selected from amongst three stains (FDA, Neutral Red, thiazolyl tetrazolium bromure) for its higher sensitivity. Biochemical (K _m,V _max) and physiological (growth, specific activity) aspects of the enzymatic activity as revealed by the FDA method are discussed. Different categories of compounds (weed-killers, insecticides, metals) and some water samples from Seine Bay were tested for their toxic effects on microalgae. Experiments were performed on microplates using a fluorimetric microplate reader. The various steps of the experiments and data-processing were controlled by software. Applications of the system to rapid ecotoxicological tests (determination of the IC₅₀, i.e., the concentration at which 50% inhibition of growth occurs) and to the assessment of environment quality by studying the toxic effect of water samples on microalgae are proposed.     

Biomarkers of a native fish species (Cnesterodon decemmaculatus) application to the water toxicity assessment of a peri-urban polluted river of Argentina

Environmental monitoring by means of biomarker parameters assessed in different species is a useful tool. It has the advantage of providing a quantitative response as well as valuable information of ecological relevance on the chronic adverse effects caused by water pollution. The aim of this study was to assess the response of biochemical and physiological parameters of Cnesterodon decemmaculatus, a native teleost, simultaneously caught in two sites of Reconquista river, a highly polluted peri-urban river. This study compared the measured parameters with that of specimens of the same species captured in an unpolluted body water, and correlated the detected changes with the physicochemical profile of the water at each site. A comparison was made of selected parameters of gill, brain and liver and of somatic indices of fish collected from polluted and reference sites. The main parameters whose changes allowed to discriminate between sampling sites were gill (Na(+),K(+))-ATPase, brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and liver aminotransaminases activities; tissues' protein content and liver somatic index (LSI) were also sensitive biomarkers in brain and liver, respectively. The results showed that the response of the measured biomarkers allowed for the differentiation of sampling sites according to their water quality and confirmed that Cnesterodon decemmaculatus may be a useful test organism for the biomonitoring of freshwater environments. In addition, the simultaneous measurement of the physicochemical parameters of the water samples showed a good correspondence between the biomarkers responses and the environmental chemical stress conditions.     

Cumulative and Residual Effects of Repeated Sewage Sludge Applications: Forage Productivity and Soil Quality Implications in South Florida,USA (9 pp)

Background, Aim and Scope The cow-calf (Bos taurus) industry in subtropical United States and other parts of the world depends almost totally on grazed pastures. Establishment of complete, uniform stand of bahiagrass (BG) in a short time period is important economically. Failure to obtain a good BG stand early means increased encroachment of weeds and the loss of not only the initial investment costs, but production and its cash value. Forage production often requires significant inputs of lime, N fertilizer, and less frequently of P and K fertilizers. Domestic sewage sludge or biosolids, composted urban plant debris, waste lime, phosphogypsum, and dredged materials are examples of materials that can be used for fertilizing and liming pastures. Perennial grass can be a good choice for repeated applications of sewage sludge. Although sewage sludge supply some essential plant nutrients and provide soil property-enhancing organic matter, land-application programs still generate some concerns because of possible health and environmental risks involved. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the cumulative and residual effects of repeated applications of sewage sludge on (i) bahiagrass (BG, Paspalum notatum Flügge) production over years with (1997–2000) and without (2001–2002) sewage sludge applications during a 5-yr period, and (ii) on nutrients status of soil that received annual application of sewage sludge from 1997 to 2000 compared with test values of soils in 2002 (with no sewage sludge application) in South Florida.Methods The field experiment was conducted at the University of Florida Agricultural Research and Education Center, Ona, FL (27o26’N, 82o55’W) on a Pomona fine sandy soil. With the exception of the control, BG plots received annual sewage sludge and chemical fertilizers applications to supply 90 or 180 kg total N ha–1 yr–1 from 1997 to 2000. Land application of sewage sludge and fertilizer ceased in 2001 season. In early April 1998, 1999, and 2000, plots were mowed to 5-cm stubble and treated with the respective N source amendments. The experimental design was three randomized complete blocks with nine N-source treatments: ammonium nitrate (AMN), slurry biosolids of pH 7 (SBS7), slurry biosolids of pH 11 (SBS11), lime-stabilized cake biosolids (CBS), each applied to supply 90 or 180 kg N ha–1, and a nonfertilized control (Control). Application rates of sewage sludge were calculated based on the concentration of total solids in materials as determined by the American Public Health Association SM 2540G method and N in solids. The actual amount of sewage sludge applications was based on the amount required to supply 90 and 180 kg N ha–1. Sewage sludge materials were weighed in buckets and uniformly applied to respective BG plots. Soil samples were collected in June 1997, June 1999, and in June 2002 from 27 treatment plots. In 1997 and 1999, soil samples were collected using a steel bucket type auger from the 0- to 20-, 20- to 40-, 40- to 60-, and 60- to 100-cm soil depths. Forage was harvested on 139, 203, 257, and 307 day of year (DOY) in 1998; 125, 202, 257, and 286 DOY in 1999; 179, 209, 270, and 301 DOY in 2000; and on 156 and 230 DOY in 2002 (no sewage sludge applications) to determine the residual effect of applied sewage sludge following repeated application. Forage yield and soils data were analyzed using analysis of variance (PROC ANOVA) procedures with year and treatment as the main plot and sub-plot, respectively. As a result of significant year effects on forage yield, data were reanalyzed annually (i.e., 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2002).Results and Discussion All sewage sludges used in this study were of class B in terms of USEPA’s pathogens and pollutant concentration limit. Pathogen and chemical composition of the class B sewage sludge that were used in the study were all in compliance with the USEPA guidelines. The liquid sludge (SBS11) had the lowest fecal coliform counts (0.2 x 106 CFU kg–1) while the cake sewage sludge (CBS) had the greatest coliform counts of 178 x 106 CFU kg–1. The fecal coliform counts for SBS7 was about 33 x 106 CFU kg–1. Average soil test values in June 2002 exhibited: i) decrease in TIN (NO3-N + NH4-N), TP, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Fe; and ii) slight increase in Zn and Cu when compared with the June 1997 soil test results. The overall decrease in soil test values in 2002 might be associated with nutrient cycling and plant consumption. Although the average BG forage yield in 2002 (2.3 ± 0.7 Mg ha–1) was slightly lower than in 2000 (3.5 ± 1.2 Mg ha–1), yield differences in 2002 between the control (1.2 + 0.2 Mg ha–1) and treated plots (2.3 ± 0.5 Mg ha–1 to 3.3 ± 0.6 Mg ha–1) were indicative of a positive residual effect of applied sewage sludge. This study has shown that excessive build up of plant nutrients may not occur in beef cattle pastures that repeatedly received sewage sludge while favoring long-term increased forage yield of BG. All sources of N (sewage sludge and AMN) gave better forage production than the unfertilized control during years with sewage sludge application (1997–2000) and also during years with no sewage sludge application (2001–2002). The favorable residual effects of applied sewage sludge in 2002 may have had received additional boost from the amount of rainfall in the area.Conclusions Repeated applications of sewage sludge indicate no harmful effects on soil quality and forage quality. Our results support our hypothesis that repeated land application of sewage sludge to supply 90 and 180 kg N ha–1 would not increase soil sorption for nutrients and trace metals. Results have indicated that the concentrations of soil TIN and TP declined by almost 50% in plots with different nitrogen sources from June 1997 to June 2002 suggesting that enrichment of nitrogen and phosphorus is insignificant. The concentrations of soil nitrogen and phosphorus in 2002 following repeated application of sewage sludge were far below the contamination risk in the environment. The residual effect of these sewage sludge over the long term can be especially significant in many areas of Florida where only 50% of the 1 million ha of BG pastures are given inorganic nitrogen yearly.Recommendation and Outlook Successive land application of sewage sludge for at least three years followed by no sewage sludge application for at least two years may well be a good practice economically because it will boost and/or maintain sustainable forage productivity and at the same time minimize probable accumulation of nutrients, especially trace metals. Consecutive applications of sewage sludge may result in build up of some trace metals in some other states with initial high metallic content, but in this study, no detrimental effects on soil chemical properties were detected. The possibilities for economically sound application strategies are encouraging, but more and additional research is required to find optimal timing and rates that minimizes negative impacts on soil quality in particular or the environment in general. For proper utilization of sewage sludge, knowledge of the sewage sludges’ composition, the crop receiving it, are absolutely crucial, so that satisfactory types and rates are applied in an environmentally safe manner. There is still much to be learned from this study and this investigation needs to continue to determine whether the agricultural and ecological objectives are satisfied over the longer term.