Temporal and spatial zonation of macroepiphytes on Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile leaves in a meadow off Tunisia

The aim of this survey was to study the cover and the composition of macroepiphytic species on the leaves of Posidonia oceanica in the east of Tunisia. Surveys were conducted in December 2009 (winter period), March (spring period) and August 2010 (summer period) in a fringing reef located in Chebba. At each sampling date, 15 adult leaves were randomly collected and divided into basal and apical parts. The inner face of each part was examined with ocular glasses and microscope to estimate species cover by orthogonal projection. PERMANOVA and ANOSIM were used to test for differences of cover between sampling dates and leaf parts. SIMPER, cluster analysis, and PCA were used to ordinate species assemblages. Comparison of epiphytic cover along leaf blades showed significant differences for all groups, except cyanophycea, with high cover of hydrozoans and bryozoans in the basal part and high cover of algae in the apical part. The species composition and cover also vary with sampling date; minimum values were detected in December and the epiphytic community was composed of a few pioneer species, whereas maximum epiphytic cover values were registered in August, with the epiphytic community being composed of a more mature and more diverse community, termed ‘climax’. The main regulatory factors for this distribution are discussed.     

Assessing future risk: quantifying the effects of sea level rise on storm surge risk for the southern shores of Long Island, New York

Sea level rise threatens to increase the impacts of future storms and hurricanes on coastal communities. However, many coastal hazard mitigation plans do not consider sea level rise when assessing storm surge risk. Here we apply a GIS-based approach to quantify potential changes in storm surge risk due to sea level rise on Long Island, New York. We demonstrate a method for combining hazard exposure and community vulnerability to spatially characterize risk for both present and future sea level conditions using commonly available national data sets. Our results show that sea level rise will likely increase risk in many coastal areas and will potentially create risk where it was not before. We find that even modest and probable sea level rise (.5 m by 2080) vastly increases the numbers of people (47% increase) and property loss (73% increase) impacted by storm surge. In addition, the resulting maps of hazard exposure and community vulnerability provide a clear and useful example of the visual representation of the spatial distribution of the components of risk that can be helpful for developing targeted hazard mitigation and climate change adaptation strategies. Our results suggest that coastal agencies tasked with managing storm surge risk must consider the effects of sea level rise if they are to ensure safe and sustainable coastal communities in the future.     

The relationship between electrical conductivity and selected macroinvertebrate communities in four river systems of south-west Victoria, Australia

In order to relate macroinvertebrate fauna to electrical conductivity (EC), a survey of selected orders of macroinvertebrates was conducted in the Glenelg, Hopkins, Merri and Barwon River Catchments in south-west Victoria, Australia. The survey consisted of sampling 21 paired sites at confluences of streams. There was little difference between the in-stream habitat but there was a range of differences in EC between each of the paired sites. The dissimilarity of macroinvertebrate fauna between the paired sites was compared to the proportional difference in EC and other water quality variables (dissolved oxygen, water temperature, pH, NO₂−N, NO₃−N, PO₄ and turbidity). This allowed the elimination of EC being confounded with geographical scale parameters and took into account other water quality parameters that may be confounded with EC. A positive relationship was found between the dissimilarity of the fauna at each of the two paired sites and the proportional difference in EC. No such relationship was found for any other measured water quality variable. The results of this survey show that macroinvertebrate community structure is associated with EC of the river systems investigated after eliminating large scale geographical patterns, in-stream habitat and the measured water quality parameters.     

Multivariate analysis of flood characteristics in a climate change context of the watershed of the Baskatong reservoir,Province of Québec,Canada

The analysis of the impact of climate change (CC) on flood peaks has been the subject of several studies. However, a flood is characterized not only by its peak, but also by other characteristics such as its volume and duration. Little effort has been directed towards the study of the impact of CC on these characteristics. The aim of the present study is to evaluate and compare flood characteristics in a CC context, in the watershed of the Baskatong reservoir (Province of Québec, Canada). Comparisons are based on observed flow data and simulated flow series obtained from hydrological models using meteorological data from a regional climate model for a reference period (1971–2000) and a future period (2041–2070). To this end, two hydrological models HSAMI and HYDROTEL are considered. Correlations, stationarity, change‐points, and the multivariate behaviour of flood series were studied. The results show that, at various levels, all flood characteristics could be affected by CC. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modeling of soil penetration resistance using multiple linear regression (MLR)

In agricultural areas, the use of machinery leads to improved yields. Nevertheless, its inadequate implementation and excessive utilization can seriously affect the soil efficiency. In fact, latter can be generated by increasing the penetration resistance and subsequently, it results in the compaction phenomenon. This problem becomes considerable with the increasing report wheel/soil. The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficiency through the prediction of soil penetration resistance (Rp) using a statistical model based on moisture content, density, tractor weight, number of passes, and the wheel inflation pressure. Experimental works (211 measurements) were analyzed and the penetration resistance was modeled using multiple linear regressions (MLR). Besides, the developed model elucidates the variables affecting the accentuation of soil Rp and allows the investigation of equations for novel sampled soils. Our results showed that the parameters related to soil and tractors were significant to explain Rp. The adopted model in the MLR analysis emphasizes that the mechanical parameters of ground measurements are statistically significant in estimating and evaluating Rp. The statistical calculation of the R ² expresses 83% of the variance in Rp generated by the various parameters related to soil and tractor. In view of the importance of estimating the penetration resistance (Rp), the regression equation shows that the weight of the tractor and the number of passages contributed the most to the proposed model for the soil.     

Effects of Enclosure on Plant and Soil Nutrients in Different Types of Alpine Grassland

Enclosure is one of the most widely used management tools for degraded alpine grassland on the northern Tibetan Plateau, but the responses of different types of grassland to enclosure may vary, and research on these responses can provide a scientific basis for improving ecological conservation. This study took one site for each of three grassland types (alpine meadow, alpine steppe and alpine desert) on the northern Tibetan Plateau as examples, and explored the effects of enclosure on plant and soil nutrients by comparing differences in plant community biomass, leaf-soil nutrient content and their stoichiometry between samples from inside and outside the fence. The results showed that enclosure can significantly increase all aboveground biomass in these three grassland types, but it only increased the 10-20 cm underground biomass in the alpine desert. Enclosure also significantly increased the leaf nutrient content of the dominant plants and contents of total nitrogen (N), total potassium (K), and organic carbon (C) in 10-20 cm soil in alpine desert, thus changing the stoichiometry between C, N and P (phosphorus). However, enclosure significantly increased only the N content of dominant plant leaves in alpine steppe, while other nutrients and stoichiometries of both plant leaves and soil did not show significant differences in alpine meadow and alpine steppe. These results suggested that enclosure has differential effects on these three types of alpine grasslands on the northern Tibetan Plateau, and the alpine desert showed the most active ecological conservation in the responses of its soil and plant nutrients.