Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Biotopic diversity'

>Magister Scientiae - MSc<br>Antarctica is known for its pristine environments. A variety of unsuitable environmental conditions were once thought to render the continent unsuitable for sustaining life. However, metagenomic data have revealed a wealth of species diversity in a range of biotopes.Hypolithons, photosynthetic communities which live under translucent rocks in climatically extreme environments, are an important input source for both carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in this hyperarid desert environment. Microbial contribution to biogeochemical cycling resulting in fixation of both C and N remains poorly understood. Moreover, there is a reported close interplay between both cycles, with nitrogen being reported to be a limiting factor in carbon assimilation.In this study the diversity of C and N fixing organisms was investigated by using the cbbL and nifH genes as phylogenetic and functional markers. High Molecular weight metagenomic DNA and RNA was extracted from hypolithons. PCR amplification was carried out using cbbL (800 bp for red-like, 1,100 bp for green-like) and nifH (360 bp) gene specific primers.Resultant PCR products were used to construct libraries which were screened for correct sized inserts. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) was used to de-replicate clones prior to sequencing. Phylogenetic positions from both clone libraries were established by aligning nucleotide sequences and constructing similarity trees using NJ clustering methods.BLASTn results indicated the presence of previously uncultured organisms which contain cbbL and nifH genes. BLASTn results were characterized by low percentages of maximum identity (typically <95%), a potential indicator of novel taxa. Sequences from respective libraries clustered with cyanobacteria such as Nostoc, Scytonema, and Tolypothrix and α-, β-, and γ-Proteobacteria such as Azotobacter, Agrobacterium and Mesorhizobium. Generally sequence results indicate a largely homogenous, being dominated by specific taxa. Each group may contain potential keystone species, essential for both biogeochemical cycling in oligotrophic environment.

The aim of the work was to study the communities of epigeic beetles in plantations of energetic plants (Dactylis glomerata, Arrhenatherum elatius, Phalaris arundinacea, Helianthus tuberosus) and in surrounding lawn biotope. The method of pitfall trapping was used for beetle sampling from 2008 to 2010 during the growing season. Carabid beetles (Carabidae) and rove beetles (Staphylinidae) were used as bioindicators. In total 69 species and 1789 individuals were captured and evaluated. Eurytopic species were more common than stenotopic in all habitats, also the value of the index of beetle communities was low in all plots. RDA analysis proved the influence of surrounding biotope on beetle communities. It was concluded that communities of epigeic beetles might be also affected by the climatic factors, long termed population fluctuations of individual species, edge effect and microclimate inside the vegetation.

My thesis is focused on valuation methods intensively used agricultural landscapes according to the importance of near-natural habitats in terms of their natural values and ecosystem services. This is done at four sites using pitfall traps, where there was a catch beetles (Carabidae). To evaluate the data I used indicators such as the Shannon index serenity. Procedures for calculating the ecological value of the area and the ecosystem services provided I processed according to the proposed method Seják et al., (2010). Rating I performed by BVM (,, habitat valuation methods "). Replacement cost method I used for the calculation of ecosystem services.

Biodiversity of epigeic beetles in urban and suburban areas was studied in the area of Český Krumlov (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Study confirmed the influence of urban-suburban gradient on the epigeic beetles. Every level of that gradient was characterized by indicator species.

Folgende Themenkomplexe wurden behandelt: Biogeographie, Pflanzendiversität, Verbreitungsmuster von Lebensformen und Arten in Mikrohabitaten sowie entlang ökologischer Gradienten, Epiphyt-Porophyt-Beziehungen, Vergesellschaftung, Sekundärsukzession und die Auswahl von Indikatorarten. Zum ersten Mal wird bei einer derartigen Untersuchung die sekundäre Sukzession von Kryptogamengesellschaften in tropischen Bergregenwäldern voll berücksichtigt. Die Untersuchung wurde im Einzugsgebiet des Río Savegre auf der pazifikseitigen Abdachung der westlichen Cordillera de Talamanca (Costa Rica) durchgeführt.Kapitel 1 gibt eine generelle Einführung in Tropische Bergregenwälder und die Bedeutung von Moosen und Makroflechten als wichtige Komponenten dieser Ökosysteme. Der Leser wird in das Untersuchungsgebiet, sein Klima, seine Geologie und seine Vegetation eingeführt.Im Kapitel 2 werden die pflanzengeographischen Muster der Moose montaner Eichenwälder der Cordillera de Talamanca dargestellt und diskutiert.Kapitel 3 diskutiert Diversität, Mikrohabitatdifferenzierung und Lebensformenspektren der Moose in einem hochmontanen Eichenwald Costa Ricas. Es wurde versucht, die Moosflora aller Mikrohabitate eines Eichenwaldes, inklusive der Strauch- und Bodenschicht zu erfassen. Kapitel 4 und 5 beinhalten die Beschreibung epiphytischer Kryptogamengesellschaften (Moose und Makroflechten) in Primär- und Sekundärwäldern. Mit Hilfe einer aus dem Alpinismus abgeleiteten Klettertechnik wurden Bäume von der Stammbasis bis in die Zweige der äußeren Krone beprobt. Die Vegetationsaufnahmen repräsentieren die Variation der epiphytischen Vegetation. Prozentuale Deckungsgrade der rindenbewohnenden Moose und Makroflechten wurden geschätzt und mit Hilfe einer Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA)' und nicht-metrischer Multi-response Permutation Procedure (MRPP)' verglichen. Rindenproben der untersuchten Bäume wurden mit deionisiertem Wasser extrahiert und der pH-Wert bestimmt.Kapitel 4 behandelt die epiphytischen Kryptogamengemeinschaften auf den dominierenden Baumarten (Quercus copeyensis und Q. costaricensis) primärer, hochmontaner Eichenwälder Costa Ricas. Kapitel 5 vergleicht Artenreichtum, Vergesellschaftung und Ökologie der epiphytischen Kryptogamen in primären und sekundären hochmontanen Eichenwäldern Costa Ricas. Quercus copeyensis-Bäume der oberen Baumschicht von Primär- und Sekundärwäldern wurden beprobt mit dem Ziel einen Einblick in Regenerationspotential, -muster und -prozesse der Epiphytensukzession nach anthropogener Störung zu erhalten.