From 1997 to 1999, the fauna of free-living Platyhelminthes of the rias ecosystem was studied along the Galician and Cantabrian coast in northern Spain. In total, 72 platyhelminth species are listed ...in this study. Forty-two species represent new records for the Iberian Peninsula, three of which represent new genera records. A new species belonging to the genus Djeziraia (Polycystididae, Kalyptorhynchia), Djeziraia longistyla sp. nov., is described in this paper. In this broad-scale study, a large data set (27 localities) of the estuaries of northern Spain allowed an analysis of the turbellarian species assemblages and the relation of species distributions to salinity, conductivity, oxygen, temperature, and sediment characteristics. Species assemblages (species diversity) of each habitat of the brackish water ecotone are shown. The present study contributes to knowledge on the ability of adaptation of free-living Platyhelminthes to regimes of brackish water ecotones.
This paper presents the results of a phytosociological survey carried out in the Lazio region (central Italy) to investigate the vegetation and conservation status of brackish habitats. Eighteen ...vegetation types are described, belonging to 8 alliances, 5 orders and 5 classes of vegetation. A new association and an association previously unrecorded in Italy, both assigned to the Frankenietalia pulverulentae, have been recognized. The occurrence of important floristic and vegetational features, and the potential for the development and restoration of typical ecological sequences suggest the implementation or the enhancement of conservation activities in all of the brackish sites surveyed.
The aquatic Heteroptera in the brackish biotopes of Lorraine and Alsace (N-E France) (Heteroptera, Gerromorpha, Nepomorpha). Entomological studies were led in brackish biotopes of Lorraine (natural ...or industrial) from 1992 to 1999, thanks to European grants. Among others results, a fauna of 28 species of aquatic Heteroptera was found, representing more than half of the fauna known to occur in the region of Lorraine. Some remarkable species have been discovered : Paracorixa concinna (new for the region), Corixa dentipes, C. panzeri, Gerris lateralis. . . A parallel study in some industrial habitats in the neighbouring region of Alsace has shown some similarities, but also some specific elements : Cymatia rogenhoferi, Callicorixa praeusta and Sigara semistriata. . . By comparing, on the base of more than 1000 regional data, the frequence of some species in salted and non salted habitats, it clearly appears that they can be considered as "halophilous", like Notonecta viridis and Corixa panzeri, noticeably more frequent in brackish biotopes, and probably also Paracorixa concinna.
Des études entomologiques ont été menées sur les milieux humides saumâtres de Lorraine (naturels ou d'origine industrielle) de 1992 à 1999, grâce à des crédits européens (ACNAT). Entre autres résultats, une faune de 28 espèces d'Hétéroptères aquatiques a été mise en évidence, soit plus de la moitié du peuplement régional connu. Les espèces les plus remarquables mises en évidence sont Paracorixa concinna (nouvelle pour la Lorraine), Corixa dentipes, C. panzeri, Gerris lateralis... Une étude parallèle sur les sites miniers potassiques d'Alsace a révélé une faune en partie comparable, mais également quelques éléments spécifiques intéressants comme Cymatia rogenhoferi, Callicorixa praeusta et Sigara semistriata. La comparaison de la fréquence des espèces dans les habitats saumâtres et dans les habitats non salés permet de mettre en évidence des espèces qu'on peut qualifier d'halophiles, au moins dans la région considérée : c'est la cas de Notonecta viridis et de Corixa panzeri, notablement plus fréquentes dans les sites salés, et probablement aussi de Paracorixa concinna.
Jacquemin Gilles. Hétéroptères aquatiques des sites salés de Lorraine et d'Alsace (Heteroptera, Gerromorpha, Nepomorpha). In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 111 (2), juin 2006. pp. 185-190.
Cellulose acetate electrophoresis of allozymes was used to differentiate the two endangered Mediterranean killifishes, Aphanius iberus and A. fasciatus. Thirty-eight putative enzyme-coding loci were ...examined in two populations from the Albuixec lagoon (Spain) and from the Biguglia coastal pond (Corsica). Low within-population polymorphism was detected. The mean number of al-leles per locus, percentage of polymorphic loci, and heterozygos-ity were A = 1.2 (SE 0.1), P
99
= 21.1%, H = 0.050 (SE 0.018) in A. iberus, and A = 1.3 (SE 0.1), P
99
= 28.9%, H = 0.057 (SE 0.019) in A. fasciatus. A general concordance with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was detected. Allelic distribution for 13 loci proved diagnostic at species level. The genetic distance between the two species analysed was relatively high (D = 0.539), indicating considerable genetic divergence between the two congeneric species. These results represent a valuable basis for further studies on the genetic structure of Mediterranean cyprinodontids to ensure sustainable management of these species.
Life-history traits of eels display a high level of phenotypic plasticity in response to large-scale biogeographical drivers, as well as local conditions encountered during the continental phase. ...Here, we provided a biogeographical snapshot of the variability of life-history traits of eels (
Anguilla anguilla
), across a large proportion of their natural distribution range. Silver eels (
n
= 99) were collected across eleven European catchments to investigate how life-history traits vary along geographical and saline habitats, as it was inferred from the Sr:Ca ratio in otoliths. Among 13 life-history traits tested, 3 of them such as total length, body or liver weight were related to geographical coordinates. Overall, eels grow faster in southern Europe and migrate earlier suggesting that the silvering process is related to the local growth conditions more than fish age. The salinity profiles revealed by the otoliths’ Sr:Ca ratios indicate that eels with a brackish life-history generally grow faster, reach larger size-at-age, and have a better condition than eels living in freshwater. This observation associated with the lower abundance of the sanguivorous swimbladder nematode,
Anguillicola crassus
, confirms the importance of brackish areas for sustaining the eel production. A large proportion of the observed variation of life-history traits remained unexplained by the biogeographical trends and salinity condition, which suggests that other drivers act at the catchment scale.
Question: Does large-scale transfer of coastal driftline material enhance the establishment of inland brackish vegetation? Location: The Klutenplas of 11 ha, a formerly reclaimed agricultural field, ...north coast of the Netherlands. Methods: A large quantity of coastal driftline material of local origin was transferred to the restoration site in 2006 after top soil removal in 2005 leaving bare areas for control plots. A priori species composition of the driftline was analysed in a greenhouse germination study. Target species were assigned to saline and brackish ecological species groups and present and historic regional occurrences. Our procedure for selecting target species resulted in a list of 98 species characteristic of terrestrial salt and brackish ecological species groups. The establishment of plant species in the field was recorded annually from 2006 to 2009, with a final survey in 2012. A comparison between locations with and without driftline was made. The entire study site was grazed with sheep. Results: Driftline material contained 39 species, including 26 target species. During the first 4 yr, the mean number of target species in the established vegetation of driftline plots was significantly higher than in control plots. When corrected for spontaneous occurrence by natural colonization in control plots, 44% of the target species in the established vegetation of driftline plots during the first 4 yr could be attributed to the transferred material. After 7 yr driftline and control plots converged to similar levels, probably as a result of dispersal by wind and animals. Conclusions: Transfer of coastal driftline material enhanced the rate of establishment of inland brackish vegetation for at least the first 4 yr.
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