Reconstructing hydrological variability from testate amoebae analysis in Carpathian peatlands

Peatlands offer the potential for high resolution records of water balance over Holocene timescales, yet this potential is under-exploited in many areas of the world. Within Europe, peatlands are mostly confined to areas north of 55° N, but several areas of southern and eastern Europe contain small peatlands which may be suitable for palaeoclimatic reconstruction. In this paper we test the potential of peatlands in the Carpathian region for deriving quantified estimates of water table changes using testate amoebae analysis. A training set for palaeohydrological reconstruction from testate amoebae assemblages was obtained by collecting surface samples from 13 peatlands, including 9 from Hungary and 4 from Transylvania (Romania). Using a simple measure of mean annual water tables estimated from staining of PVC tape, we found that some peatlands were heavily influenced by runoff and groundwater, and were therefore not suitable as modern analogues of ombrotrophic climatically sensitive sites. The relationship between the testate amoebae assemblages in the modern samples and the environmental variables was explored using CCA. The CCA biplot showed that the most important variables are depth to water table and moisture content, confirming that hydrology is a key control on taxon distribution. pH was a secondary gradient. A transfer function for % moisture and depth to water table was established and applied to fossil assemblages from a sequence from Fenyves-tető, Transylvania, Romania. The reconstructed water table shows a number of variations which have parallels with other palaeoclimatic records from Europe and the North Atlantic prominent phases of higher water tables are associated with the periods 8000–8300 cal BP, 3000–2500 cal BP and after 600 cal BP. We suggest that these were periods of particular intensification of westerly airflow which affected eastern Europe as well as western and central Europe.     

Ecology of testate amoebae (thecamoebians) in subtropical Florida lakes

Fifty-seven surface sediment samples from 35 Florida lakes were collected to study testate amoebae. Seven genera, 17 species, and 28 strains were identified in the 46 sediment samples from 31 lakes that contained testate rhizopods. Seven species accounted for ≥90% of the individuals in all samples. Sediment total phosphorus (TPsed), organic matter (OM), and total carbon:total nitrogen ratio (TC:TN) were measured to assess the effect of these variables on thecamoebian assemblages. OM content was the only sediment variable that influenced presence/absence of thecamoebians. Samples with <5% OM contained no thecamoebians. Lakes with multiple surface sediment samples showed high Morisita–Horn similarity values (0.74–0.99), indicating that all sites at which samples were collected in a lake provided representative thecamoebian assemblages. No relationship was observed between thecamoebian diversity indices and sediment variables. Lake trophic state and pH were examined to explore potential water column influences on thecamoebian communities. Highest thecamoebian diversity indices were found in mesotrophic to eutrophic lakes with pH near 8.0. These results suggest that water column conditions have a greater influence on thecamoebian assemblages than do sediment variables. We used multivariate analysis to evaluate the relations between water quality variables and testate rhizopod assemblages. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that alkalinity and pH are the water column variables that most influence the relative abundance of species. Thecamoebians thus hold promise as bioindicators of acidification in Florida lakes. Thecamoebian remains in lake sediment cores should be useful to infer past anthropogenic shifts in lake pH.     

Potential implications of differential preservation of testate amoeba shells for paleoenvironmental reconstruction in peatlands

Testate amoebae are now commonly used in paleoenvironmental studies but little is known of their taphonomy. There is some experimental evidence for differential preservation of some testate amoeba shell types over others, but it is unclear what, if any impact this has on palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. To investigate this issue we looked at palaeoecological evidence for the preservation of different shell types. We then investigated the possible impact of selective preservation on quantitative palaeoenvironmental inference. We first used existing palaeoecological data sets to assess the vertical patterns of relative abundance in four testate amoeba shell types: (1) shells made of secreted biosilica plates (idiosomes, e.g. Euglypha), (2) idiosomes with thick organic coating (Assulina), (3) proteinaceous shells (e.g. Hyalosphenia), (4) shells built from recycled organic or mineral particles (xenosomes) (e.g. Difflugia, Centropyxis). In three diagrams a clear pattern of decay was only observed for the idiosome type. In order to assess the implications of differential preservation of testate amoeba taxa for paleoenvironmental reconstruction we then carried out simulations using three existing transfer functions and a wide range of scenarios, downweighting different test categories to represent the impact of selective test decomposition. Simulation results showed that downweighting generally reduced overall model performance. However downweighting a shell type only produced a consistent directional bias in inferred water table depth where that shell type is both dominant and shows a clear preference along the ecological gradient. Applying a scenario derived from previous experimental work did not lead to significant difference in inferred water table. Our results show that differential shell preservation has little impact on paleohydrological reconstruction from Sphagnum-dominated peatlands. By contrast, for the minerotrophic peatlands data-set loss of idiosome tests leads to consistent underestimation of water table depth. However there are few studies from fens and it is possible that idiosome tests are not always dominant, and/or that differential decomposition is less marked than in Sphagnum peatlands. Further work is clearly needed to assess the potential of testate amoebae for paleoecological studies of minerotrophic peatlands.     

Effects of mining on testate amoebae in a Finnish lake

Sediment geochemistry and testate amoebae (thecamoebians) were used to track the spatial extent and temporal evolution of mine loading and its impact on aquatic biota in Lake Pyh?j?rvi, central Finland. Pyh?salmi is an operating Zn-Cu–S mine, located by Lake Pyh?j?rvi. Mine loading to the lake comes mainly from wastewater. Highest metal loading occurred in the 1970s and 1980s. Present loading consists mainly of Ca and S that nearly saturate dense wastewaters with gypsum. This affects oxygen concentration in the lake’s northern basin, where effluent is presently discharged. Of 25 short sediment cores retrieved from Lake Pyh?j?rvi, 10 came from sites ‘downstream’ and 15 from ‘upstream’ of the mine. Three sample levels from each core were selected for further investigation after exploratory XRF metal analysis. Samples were chosen to represent lake conditions before the mine impact, during the peak impact phase, and at present. Results from pre-disturbance deposits show that the two lake basins are naturally different. The ‘downstream’ basin (Junttiselk?) has lower oxygen and a higher sedimentation rate, which was revealed by concentrations of redox-sensitive and clastic-related elements, as well as faunal distributions. The peak mine impact is reflected in the high concentration of S and metals Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, which spread widely in the lake and increased > 100% at sites near the tailings area. These concentrations have since decreased, but not to pre-disturbance levels. The faunal response to peak metal concentrations was weak, spatially limited and masked by larger responses to other environmental factors, including eutrophication, oxygen concentration, and increased clastic input generated by land-use changes. These environmental factors and changes in mine water composition probably account for the reason that faunal assemblages did not return to the pre-mine situation. Instead, the modern fauna reflects a third assemblage type that developed after the peak-loading phase. Geochemical and thecamoebian analyses show that the mine has affected the two basins of the lake differently during the lake history. Results suggest that mining impacts could be mitigated with good planning and management.     

A rapid response of testate amoebae and vegetation to inundation of a kettle hole mire

Our palaeoecological study covers 73 years of history (1929–2002) of a kettle hole peatland inundated by water from a nearby, dammed lake. Testate amoebae, pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) were used to track the shift to wetter conditions in the peatland. Lead-210 was used to try and construct the chronology. We investigated how peatland testate amoebae communities changed since the damming of a nearby river. Furthermore, we evaluated how rapidly local vegetation responded to the increase in wetness, and how vegetation changes correlated with shifts in testate amoebae and NPPs. The Mukrza kettle hole provided palaeoecological evidence of trophic state and hydrological changes since the lake filled with water in 1929. Three stages of development were revealed. The first two were associated with initial inundation, and the third was related to Sphagnum expansion and acidification. Quantitative reconstruction of groundwater level and pH, inferred using testate amoebae, confirmed our hypotheses about changes in hydrology and trophic state. Subfossil desmid remains lend qualitative support to the reconstruction. The ecology of several testate amoeba taxa is discussed in the context of succession and population establishment. There was complete species replacement since the time of inundation. Our investigation has two important applied aspects: (1) it enables prediction of the response of peatlands to a rise in water table on restored sites; and (2) it provides analogues for palaeoclimatological studies. The history of the Mukrza mire is an example of how palaeoecological studies can be used to assess the degree of change in peatlands transformed by human activities.     

Holocene changes in climate and land use drove shifts in the diversity of testate amoebae in a subalpine pond

Testate amoebae that inhabit peat are sensitive indicators of water table position. In this study, we used testate amoebae in sediments from a mire in the western Alps (Lac du Thyl) to: (1) reconstruct the hydrology of the site over the last 7,000 years, (2) determine how hydrological changes affected testate amoebae diversity and (3) infer past trophic state shifts. The study site is located in one of the driest valleys of the Alps and is thus very sensitive to hydrological changes. Our study revealed that the water table depth increased (dry conditions) between 5,800 and 4,000 cal year BP. This triggered establishment of a Sphagnum-type peat and acidic conditions from 5,700 to 4,000 cal year BP. These processes were independent of ongoing transformations of the terrestrial vegetation and soil in the catchment area. After 1,690 cal year BP, the depth to the water table decreased (wetter conditions) and a minerotrophic fen developed. At the same time, the diversity of testate amoebae increased, probably as a result of deforestation that supported the expansion of grassland. Climate and land use were apparently more important factors controlling the lake hydrology than were changes in vegetation and soil in the catchment. Testate amoebae diversity was linked to land cover. Changes in pH were controlled indirectly by external forcing (climate), but more directly by fluctuations in the level of the water table (internal forcing) and autogenous expansion of Sphagnum.     

Refining the palaeoecology of lacustrine testate amoebae: insights from a plant macrofossil record from a eutrophic Scottish lake

Lakes are common natural systems for which sedimentation is considered to be relatively simple, generally dominated by fluvial processes along the margin and prevailing low-energy settling in the central, deeper parts. However, for many lakes, higher-energy wind-driven processes dominate. As such, a new category of lakes is proposed, herein referred to as wind-driven waterbodies (WWB). WWB display a sedimentation largely dominated by wave related processes and wind-induced lake-scale water circulation evidenced by the construction of beach ridges, spits or cuspate spits along their shorelines, and by sediment drifts, sedimentary shelf progradation and erosional surfaces in their deeper, offshore domains. WWB are observed worldwide, they share a common physiography that favours wind-forced hydrodynamics and related sedimentation patterns. This physiography is expressed by the I_WWB index, a ratio of the maximum representative fetch relative to mean basin depth. It is proposed that an index value greater than three favours the evolution of a lake as a WWB. The WWB concept represents a new end-member in an alternative, sedimentologically-based lake classification that is proposed in this paper.     

Testate amoebae as paleoindicators of surface-moisture changes on Michigan peatlands: modern ecology and hydrological calibration

Peatland testate amoebae are sensitive indicators of local hydrology and have been used as proxies for surface moisture conditions in fossil studies. However, few regional calibration datasets exist in North America, and knowledge of testate amoeba ecology and distribution patterns are limited. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the relationship between testate amoebae, environment, and Sphagnum species in Michigan peatlands; (2) generate transfer functions from this dataset that can be applied to fossil data; and (3) describe vertical variation of testate amoebae inhabiting Sphagnum moss. Testate amoeba assemblages from 139 microsites within 11 peatlands in Michigan were compared to assess variability between and within peatlands. Most peatlands contained similar testate amoeba assemblages, although within individual peatlands the amount of assemblage variability is correlated to the amount of environmental heterogeneity. Of the measured environmental variables, depth to water table showed the strongest relationship with testate amoebae. Depth to water table can be reconstructed from fossil data with a mean error of ±7.5 cm, although predictive ability deteriorates in extremely dry environments (>30 cm water table depth). Vertical variation in testate amoeba assemblages was investigated at 89 Sphagnum-dominated microsites by directly comparing amoeba assemblages and the abundance and frequency of common taxa in upper and lower portions of the Sphagnum stem. Except for extremely dry microsites, considerable vertical variation in assemblage composition exists. Many agglutinate taxa are more abundant on lower portions of the Sphagnum stem, and taxa containing symbiotic zoochlorellae are more abundant on upper portions. Refinements in sampling procedures and analysis may improve the predictive ability of transfer functions.     

Environmental controls on peatland testate amoebae (Protozoa: Rhizopoda) in the North of Ireland: Implications for Holocene palaeoclimate studies

The environmental controls on modern peatland testate amoebae (Protozoa: Rhizopoda) in the North of Ireland were investigated to assess the potential for Holocene palaeoclimate research within this region. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) revealed that hydrological factors (water table depth and moisture content) are the most important abiotic controls on organism distribution. A series of partial CCAs showed that water table depth explains 15.8% and moisture content explains 5.5% of the total variance. Monte-Carlo permutation tests showed that the results are highly significant (p < 0.002; p < 0.040 respectively). Transfer functions were generated for water table depth using weighted averaging tolerance downweighted (WA-Tol) regression and for moisture content using weighted averaging partial least squares regression (WA-PLS). The performance of the models was assessed using leave-one-out cross-validation (jacknifing). After removal of outlier samples, the improved transfer functions were found to perform well with an r _jack² and root mean square error of prediction_jack of 0.83, 4.99 cm for water table depth and 0.76, 4.60% for moisture content respectively. The water table transfer function was applied to a fossil peat sequence from this region and reconstruction errors were generated by 1,000 bootstrap cycles. The water table reconstruction was also carried out using an established pan-European transfer function and was found to be similar to that based on the North of Ireland dataset. This demonstrates the persistent and comparable control of hydrological variables on the distribution of testate amoebae taxa across Europe and implies that regional training sets can suffice as long as no-analogue situations are not encountered.

Morphometry and distribution of isolated caves as a guide for phreatic and confined paleohydrological conditions

Isolated caves are a special cave type common in most karst terrains, formed by prolonged slow water flow where aggressivity is locally boosted. The morphometry and distribution of isolated caves are used here to reconstruct the paleohydrology of a karstic mountain range. Within a homogenous karstic rock sequence, two main types of isolated caves are distinguished, and each is associated with a special hydrogeologic setting: maze caves form by rising water in the confined zone of the aquifer, under the Mt. Scopus Group (Israel) confinement, while chamber caves are formed in phreatic conditions, apparently by lateral flow mixing with a vadose input from above.     

Controls on the contemporary distribution of lake thecamoebians (testate amoebae) within the Greater Toronto Area and their potential as water quality indicators

Thecamoebians were examined from 71 surface sediment samples collected from 21 lakes and ponds in the Greater Toronto Area to (1) elucidate the controls on faunal distribution in modern lake environments; and (2) to consider the utility of thecamoebians in quantitative studies of water quality change. This area was chosen because it includes a high density of kettle and other lakes which are threatened by urban development and where water quality has deteriorated locally as a result of contaminant inputs, particularly nutrients. Fifty-eight samples yielded statistically significant thecamoebian populations. The most diverse faunas (highest Shannon Diversity Index values) were recorded in lakes beyond the limits of urban development, although the faunas of all lakes showed signs of sub-optimal conditions. The assemblages were divided into five clusters using Q-mode cluster analysis, supported by Detrended Correspondence Analysis. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to examine species-environment relationships and to explain the observed clusterings. Twenty-four measured environmental variables were considered, including water property attributes (e.g., pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen), substrate characteristics, sediment-based phosphorus (Olsen P) and 11 environmentally available metals. The thecamoebian assemblages showed a strong association with phosphorus, reflecting the eutrophic status of many of the lakes, and locally to elevated conductivity measurements, which appear to reflect road salt inputs associated with winter de-icing operations. Substrate characteristics, total organic carbon and metal contaminants (particularly Cu and Mg) also influenced the faunas of some samples. A series of partial CCAs show that of the measured variables, sedimentary phosphorus has the largest influence on assemblage distribution, explaining 6.98% (P < 0.002) of the total variance. A transfer function was developed for sedimentary phosphorus (Olsen P) using 58 samples from 15 of the studied lakes. The best performing model was based on weighted averaging with inverse deshrinking (WA Inv, r_jack² = 0.33, RMSEP = 102.65 ppm). This model was applied to a small modern thecamoebian dataset from a eutrophic lake in northern Ontario to predict phosphorus and performed satisfactorily. This preliminary study confirms that thecamoebians have considerable potential as quantitative water quality indicators in urbanising regions, particularly in areas influenced by nutrient inputs and road salts.     

Evidence from testate amoebae for changes in some local hydrological conditions between c. 5000 BP and c. 3800 BP on Edgeøya (Svalbard)

The study of a subfossil peat from the northwestern part of Edgeøya (Svalbard) enabled a reconstruction of the changes in the testate amoebae communities from c. 5000 BP to c. 3800 BP to be made. Two stratigraphical zones are recognized. The ecological interpretation of these sequences revealed rather humid and unstable hydrological conditions at the bog surface in the oldest zone, which presumably lasted until about 4500-4300 BP. The communities in the upper zone indicated a more stable and drier environment.     

构筑中部地区高质量协调发展的新格局

中部地区地处中国内陆腹地,承东启西、连南接北,在全国经济发展中处于非常重要的枢纽地位。中部地区崛起取得显著成效,但内部发展不平衡不充分问题依然突出,如何在新时代推动中部地区高质量崛起,构筑区域协调发展新格局,是当前中国亟待解决的现实问题。第24届中国科协年会中部地区协调发展论坛就此进行专题研讨,普遍认为：区域协调发展是新时代国家战略导向,空间规划和产业布局要尊重自然与经济规律,国家战略规划布局应从主体功能区“差异化”向“差异化+系统化”转型。中部地区要以“两横三纵”城市化格局为骨架,积极融入国家区域重大战略;发挥城市群对中部地区的鼎托作用,推动长江中游城市群协同发展,强化武汉都市圈、长株潭都市圈、南昌都市圈等核心支撑作用;发挥比较优势,推进农业、能源、电力、工程机械、装备制造等传统优势产业高质量发展;注重生态环境保护,加强长江中游城市群水安全管理;补齐农业短板,推动乡村振兴,形成城乡统筹、城乡融合发展的新局面。     

景观生态学的学科整合与中国景观生态学展望

分析了国际景观生态学三个相互联系的研究领域,指出了各领域的主要研究内容。在阐述景观生态学三个发展阶段的基础上,指出了景观生态学学科发展的基本趋势。从三个方向的整合、时空尺度的匹配、多学科的整合和三个群体的整合4?个方面,阐述了走向整合的景观生态学的发展方向和途径。介绍了当前国际景观生态学研究的热点问题和热点地区,并就中国景观生态学发展的方向和任务提出了作者的看法。     

中国中西部发展中城市的增长极作用

为了分析增长极在中部崛起和西部开发中可能发挥的作用,对我国中西部地域相连、经济水平接近的山西、河南、安徽、湖北、湖南、江西、广西、四川、重庆、陕西10个省(直辖市、自治区)的942个市县2000~2007年非农业GDP和就业增长的空间溢出效应进行了检验。模型估计表明,中西部地区各市县非农业经济增长的主要决定因素是自身的投入,同时,中心城市也存在明显的扩散和回流效应。地级市的非农业GDP增长对县级市有扩散效应,意味着城市间经济有一体化趋势,但是地级市的就业增长对县级市有抑制作用;地级城市对相对更不发达的县镇的GDP和就业增长同时具有带动作用;相邻的县级市相互间有较强的促进作用,但是对邻近县镇却有抑制倾向。     

基于泥炭记录的过去150 a东北山地大气粉尘沉降

为了探究过去150 a来大气粉尘沉降历史及其对季风边缘区和季风影响区的影响差异,利用长白山典型雨养泥炭灰分粒度、成岩化学元素、²¹⁰Pb和¹³⁷Cs年代等指标重建过去大气粉尘变化,并与大兴安岭摩天岭雨养泥炭粉尘记录进行比较。东北山地泥炭灰分主要以粘土颗粒和粉砂颗粒物为主。中值粒径和成岩元素特征也初步揭示东北山地泥炭中矿物灰分主要源于蒙古国和中国北方沙漠和沙地的土壤尘。大气土壤尘降通量自19世纪初至20世纪60年代表现出逐渐增加的趋势,与区域近代化、工业化和战争等人类活动强度增加一致。在过去60 a间具有减小的趋势,与区域自然尘暴的监测数据吻合较好。东北地区长距离传输的大气土壤尘降通量背景基线为(5.2±2.6) g m^-2 a^-1。长白山大气土壤尘降通量（5~38 g m^-2 a^-1）小于大兴安岭（14~68 g m^-2 a^-1）,揭示了大气尘降随着与尘源区的距离增加而递减,对东北地区西部的影响要强于对东部的影响。     

我国中心城市货运外向服务功能空间体系

以中国地级以上城市为研究样本, 将货运量作为切入点, 把城市流模型改造为城市货运外向服务功能模型, 应用ArcGIS空间分析手段, 测算各城市水陆空等不同运输方式货运外向服务功能。对1989年和2008年的数据和计算结果进行对比, 揭示货运外向服务功能在中国城市体系中的空间分布规律和等级结构, 考察各城市在整个国家层面和所在区域货运空间联系中的地位和作用。结果表明:(1),我国中心城市货运外向服务功能北方分布广, 南方强度高, 以城市群为单位的外向货运密集区优势明显。(2),东部沿海省市的城市货运外向服务价值比重在近20年明显下降, 但相应货运比重上升, 表明其大宗货物运输的外向服务占全国比重明显上升。(3),不同运输方式的城市货运外向服务格局差异很大, 并在国际、区际、城市群和市域等不同空间尺度上的运输联系职能上形成分工。(4),中心城市物流外向服务能力可分为国家中心、跨区域(副)中心、省域(副)中心、(跨)市域中心四个功能等级。我国中心城市货运外向服务能力受多种复杂因素综合影响, 与城市GDP及货运规模成正比, 受区位熵反映的经济区位和运输区位影响很大, 与不同方式货运结构及运输距离密切相关。     

Responses of testate amoebae assemblages (Amoebozoa: Arcellinida) to recent volcanic eruptions,inferred from the sediment record in Laguna Verde,southern Patagonia,Argentina

Journal of Paleolimnology - There is little knowledge about testate amoebae in lakes and their responses to volcanic eruptions. To address this knowledge gap, we studied the paleoecology of these...