Invertebrate Morphospecies as Surrogates for Species: A Case Study

Environmental monitoring and conservation evaluation in terrestrial habitats may be enhanced by the use of invertebrate inventories, but taxonomic and logistic constraints frequently encountered during conventional taxonomic treatment have greatly restricted their use. To overcome this problem we suggest that nonspecialists may be used to classify invertebrates to morphospecies without compromising scientific accuracy. To test this proposition, large pitfall and litter samples of ants, beetles, and spiders from four forest types were sorted to morphospecies by a nonspecialist and to species by specialists. These data were used to generate morphospecies and species inventories and to estimate richness (α diversity) and turnover (β diversity), information frequently used in the above activities. Our results show that the estimates of richness of ants and spiders varied little between morphospecies and species inventories. Differences between estimates of beetle richness were largely influenced by errors of identification in two families, Curculionidae and Staphylinidae. But morphospecies and species inventories yielded identical ranking of forest type using richness. Turnover was assessed by sample ordination, which revealed similar clusters regardless of the type of inventory. Analysis of similarities of assemblages of ants and beetles showed significant differences between all forest types. Spider assemblages showed a lower level of discrimination. The assessment of turnover was consistent among inventories but different between the major taxa. Our findings suggest that morphospecies may be used as surrogates for species in some environmental monitoring and conservation, in particular when decisions are guided by estimates of richness and the assessment of turnover.     

To breed or not to breed—food competition and other factors involved in female breeding decisions in the pair-living nocturnal fork-marked lemur (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaner furcifer</Emphasis>)

Differential access to food resources is thought to be the main determinant of differences in female reproductive success but is poorly studied in both pair-living and nocturnal primates. The modes of food competition within and between families were investigated following the principles proposed by the ecological model using 3 years of field data from seven fork-marked lemur (Phaner furcifer) families. The major food resources were identified from year-round feeding observations and the strength and mode of competition were inferred from differences in physical condition. The most important food resource of fork-marked lemurs were tree exudates which occurred in small, defendable food patches, characterized by fast depletion and rapid renewal. These characteristics led to strong within-group contest and scramble competition, which were found to yield a positive dominance effect and a negative group-size effect on female net energy gain. Differential physical condition, however, did not translate directly into differential reproductive success. Low female fertility was best predicted by large family size associated with delayed dispersal by previous offspring. Although there is no obvious benefit from full-grown offspring in their territory, adults tolerate delayed natal dispersal, probably because dispersal poses extraordinary costs for the offspring. These costs are likely to accrue from decreased foraging efficiency in unfamiliar habitats because exudate feeding requires very rigid feeding itineraries. In conclusion, the presented evidence for group-size effects on reproductive success in pair-living females opens a new area for research on the costs and benefits of delayed dispersal and female reproductive decisions.This revised version was published in September 2003 with corrections to the Authors Present address.An erratum to this article can be found at Communicated by E.H.M. Sterck     

Pheromones and colonization: reassessment of the milkweed bug migration model (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae: Lygaeinae)

Summary. Research on insect migration has justifiably emphasized females – the so-called “oogenesis-flight syndrome”– since it is the females that place the eggs into new habitats. The large and small milkweed bugs, Oncopeltus fasciatus and Lygaeus kalmii, respectively, have featured prominently in studies of insect migration and sequestration of host plant toxins for chemical defense. Here we report that males of these species, and males of another well-studied lygaeine (Neacoryphus bicrucis), produce pheromones in glands usually considered to serve only a defensive role in Heteroptera (the metathoracic scent glands), and that these pheromones are exploited by a tachinid parasitoid as a host-finding kairomone. The pheromones are mixtures of C₆ and C₈ saturated and unsaturated esters reminiscent of lepidopteran pheromones, and the key compound of the O. fasciatus pheromone has now been correctly identified as (E)-2,7-octadienyl acetate. It is proposed that the concept of the oogenesis-flight syndrome for these kinds of insects should accommodate the role of males in the migration process. The hypothesis is presented that male-produced pheromones play a significant role in guiding colonization of new habitats in many heteropteran species. In addition, data are presented suggesting that there is a trade-off between the amount of pheromone produced by colonizing males and the host breadth of the species. Received 21 December 1998; accepted 15 February 1999.     

Halogenated compounds and climate change: future emission levels and reduction costs

OBJECTIVES: This work assesses the contribution to climate change resulting from emissions of the group of halogenated greenhouse gases. METHODS: A bottom-up emission model covering 22 technological sectors in four major regions is described. Emission estimates for 1996 and projection for 2010 and 2020 are presented. The costs for deep cuts into projected emission levels are calculated. RESULTS: The substances covered by this study have contributed emissions of 1100 +/- 800 MT CO2 equivalents per year in 1996. In terms of their relative contribution to emissions of CO2 equivalents, this corresponds to 3 +/- 2% of global emissions of all anthropogenic greenhouse gases. The wide range of uncertainty is due to the poorly quantified net global warming potential of the ozone depleting substances, which have an indirect cooling effect on climate through the destruction of stratospheric ozone. For annual emissions of HFCs, PFCs and SF6 (which are regulated under the Kyoto Protocol and for which global warming potentials are well defined), the relative contribution is projected to increase to 2% (600 MT CO2 eq.) of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2010. This trend is expected to continue, emissions are projected to grow to a contribution of roughly 3% (870 MT CO2 eq.) in 2020 compared to 0.9% (300 MT CO2 eq.) in 1996. For HFCs, PFCs and SF6, this study identifies global emission reduction potentials of 260 MT CO2 eq. per year in 2010 and 640 MT CO2 eq. per year in 2020 at below US$ 50 per ton. These values correspond to roughly 40% and 75% of projected emissions in 2010 and 2020, respectively.     

Aqueous carbonation of peridotites for carbon utilisation: a critical review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Peridotite and serpentinites can be used to sequester CO2 emissions through mineral carbonation. Olivine dissolution rate is directly proportional...     

Semicontinuous PM2.5 sulfate and nitrate measurements at an urban and a rural location in New York: PMTACS-NY summer 2001 and 2002 campaigns

Several collocated semicontinuous instruments measuring particulate matter with particle sizes < or =2.5 microm (PM2.5) sulfate (SO4(2-)) and nitrate (NO3-) were intercompared during two intensive field campaigns as part of the PM2.5 Technology Assessment and Characterization Study. The summer 2001 urban campaign in Queens, NY, and the summer 2002 rural campaign in upstate New York (Whiteface Mountain) hosted an operation of an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer, Ambient Particulate Sulfate and Nitrate Monitors, a Continuous Ambient Sulfate Monitor, and a Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler with Ion Chromatographs (PILS-IC). These instruments provided near real-time particulate SO4(2-) and NO3- mass concentration data, allowing the study of particulate SO4(2-)/NO3- diurnal patterns and detection of short-term events. Typical particulate SO4(2-) concentrations were comparable at both sites (ranging from 0 to 20 microg/m3), while ambient urban particulate NO3- concentrations ranged from 0 to 11 microg/m3 and rural NO3- concentration was typically less than 1 microg/m3. Results of the intercomparisons of the semicontinuous measurements are presented, as are results of the comparisons between the semicontinuous and time-integrated filter-based measurements. The comparisons at both sites, in most cases, indicated similar performance characteristics. In addition, charge balance calculations, based on major soluble ionic components of atmospheric aerosol from the PILS-IC and the filter measurements, indicated slightly acidic aerosol at both locations.     

Priming effects on PAH degradation and ecotoxicity during a phytoremediation experiment

An experiment was conducted to distinguish priming effects from the effects of phytoremediation of a creosote-polluted soil. The concentration of 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and their combined soil toxicity (using four bioassays), was determined on recently excavated, homogenized soil and on such soil subjected to a time-course phytoremediation experiment with lucerne. The results showed a high priming effect, with minor positive and synergistic effects of planting and fertilization on PAH degradation rates. At the end of the experiment, PAH degradation reached 86% of the initial 519 mg PAHs kg(-1). Two of the four toxicity tests (bioluminescence inhibition and ostracod growth inhibition) corroborated the chemical data for residual PAHs, and indicated a significant reduction in soil toxicity. We conclude that priming effects can easily surpass treatment effects, and that an unintentional pre-incubation that ignores these effects can jeopardize the full quantitative assessment of in situ bioremediation of contaminated soil.     

The effects of intensive aquaculture on nutrient residence time and transport in a coastal embayment

Aquaculture in many countries around the world has become the biggest source of seafood for human consumption. While it alleviates the pressure on wild capture fisheries, the long-term impacts of large-scale, intensive aquaculture on natural coastal systems need to be better understood. In particular, aquaculture may alter habitat and exceed the carrying capacity of coastal marine ecosystems. In this paper, we develop a high-resolution numerical model for Sanggou Bay, one of the largest kelp and shellfish aquaculture sites in Northern China, to investigate the effects of aquaculture on nutrient transport and residence time in the bay. Drag from aquaculture is parameterized for surface infrastructure, kelp canopies, and bivalve cages. A model for dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) includes transport, vertical turbulent mixing, sediment and bivalve sources, and a sink due to kelp uptake. Test cases show that, due to drag from the dense aquaculture and thus a reduction of horizontal transport, kelp production is limited because DIN from the Yellow Sea is consumed before reaching the interior of the kelp farms. Aquaculture drag also causes an increase in the nutrient residence time from an average of 5 to 10 days in the middle of Sanggou Bay, and from 25 to 40 days in the shallow inner bay. Low exchange rates and a lack of DIN uptake by kelp make these regions more susceptible to phytoplankton blooms due to high nutrient retention. The risk is further increased when DIN concentrations rise due to river inflows.