Academic literature on the topic 'Ecomorphism'

"Liminal Spaces and the Ecomorphic Self in Alistair MacLeod’s Short Stories. Starting from the observation that Cape Breton Island, the distinctive setting of Alistair MacLeod’s fiction, is a “borderland” lying at the intersection of complementary elements (past – present, tradition – individuality, humans – environment), this paper proposes a general discussion of liminality in the author’s work as well as a close reading of two of his short stories, “The Road to Rankin’s Point” and “Island”, with the aim of highlighting how a relational, ecomorphic self-arises in the wake of symbolic encounters that lead to a reassessment of the subject’s position within their biological and cultural milieu. Keywords: Alistair MacLeod, Cape Breton, liminality, borderlands, ecomorphism. "

Nowadays, bioecological characteristics of species are the basis for flora and vegetation studying on the different levels. Bioecological characteristics of species is required in process of flora studying on the different levels such as biotopes or phytocenoses, floras of particular areas (floras of ecologically homogeneous habitats), and floras of certain territories. Ramensky scale is the one of first detailed ecological scales on plant species ordination in relation to various environmental factors; it developed in 1938 (Ramensky, 1971). A little later (1941), Pogrebnyak’s scale of forest stands was proposed. Ellenberg’s system developed in 1950 (Ellenberg, 1979) and Tsyganov’s system (Tsyganov, 1975) are best known as the systems of ecological scales on vascular plant species; these systems represent of habitat detection by ecotopic ecomorphs of plant species (phytoindication). Basically, the system proposed by Alexander Lyutsianovich Belgard was the one of first system of plant species that identiified ectomorphs in relation to environmental factors. As early as 1950, Belgard developed the tabulated system of ecomorphs using the Latin ecomorphs abbreviation; he also used the terminology proposed in the late 19th century by Dekandol (1956) and Warming (1903), as well as terminology of other authors. The article analyzes the features of Belgard’s system of ecomorphs on vascular plants. It has certain significance and advantages over other systems of ecomorphs. The use of abbreviated Latin names of ecomorphs in tabular form enables the use shortened form of ones. In the working scheme of Belgard’s system of ecomorphs relation of species to environmental factors are represented in the abbreviated Latin alphabetic version (Belgard, 1950). Combined into table, the ecomorphic analysis of plant species within association (ecological certification of species), biotope or area site (water area) gives an explicit pattern on ecological structure of flora within surveyed community, biotope or landscape, and on environmental conditions. Development and application by Belgrard the cenomorphs as «species’ adaptation to phytocenosis as a whole» were completely new in the development of systems of ecomorphs and, in this connection, different coenomorphs were distinguished. Like any concept, the system of ecomorphs by Belgard has the possibility and necessity to be developed and added. Long-time researches and analysis of literature sources allow to propose a new coenomorph in the context of Belgard’s system of ecomorphs development: silvomargoant (species of forest margin, from the Latin words margo – edge, boundary (Dvoretsky, 1976), margo – margin, ad margins silvarum – along the deciduous forest margins). As an example of ecomorphic characterization of species according to the system of ecomorphs by Belgard (when the abbreviated Latin ecomorph names are used in tabular form and the proposed cenomorph is used), it was given the part of the table on vascular plants ecomorphs in the National Nature Park «Orelsky» (Baranovsky et al). The Belgard’s system of ecomorphs is particularly convenient and can be successfully applied to data processing in the ecological analysis of the flora on wide areas with significant species richness, and the proposed ecomorph will be another necessary element in the Belgard’s system of ecomorphs.

The conception of ecomorphes as ecological groups of living organisms has been developed by A. L. Belgard (1950) applicable for species of the highest plants of the southeast of a steppe zone of Ukraine. Conceptually close system of vital forms-biomorphs of animals and plants has been created by Mikhail Pavlovich Akimov (Akimov, 1955). A key task of an ecomorphic approach is the ecological analysis of ecosystems structure. The ecomorphic approach has been applied to various groups of animals: entomological fauna of wood plants (Apostolov, 1981), complexes of land arthropods (Barsov, 1996), communities of birds (Ponomarenko, 2002), soil mesofauna (Zhukov, 1996), coleoptera communities agrocoenosis (Sumarokov, 2007). To identify animal species as ecomorphes the expert approach was used: the expert in taxonomy group relying on the experience and knowledge of object identifies it ecomorphes. The algorithm of ecomorphes allocation of soil animals has been offered by Zhukov (Zhukov, 2009). With some changes this algorithm has been applied to allocation of spider species of the Dnepropetrovsk region (Prokopenko et al., 2011). A lack of the specified algorithm is that it yields satisfactory results only for abundant and frequent species in regional fauna. The shortcoming reason – it relies on parametrical statistics for which compliance of experimental data to the normal law of distribution is essentially important that actually can be established only for limited number of species. As result, for a number rather rare in regional fauna of species of spiders incorrect conclusions have been drawn on their ecological status which is known on data from spiders of regions more studied from the point of view of fauna. In our work nonparametric procedure of a multidimensional scaling which is tolerant to a statistical property of distribution of an abundance of types has been taken for a basis of ecomorphic classification of herpetobiont spiders. It including has allowed to integrate the data collected by various authors in a wide time and spatial span for the general analysis. Faunistic collection also differed and by a technique: the sizes of the traps, fixing liquid, number of traps, an exposition time. It is necessary to consider these circumstances objective as ecological classification of regional fauna should be based on considerable on coverage in time and space a material which cannot be collected on completely uniform procedure. The multidimensional scaling represents adaptive ordination procedure which assumes a choice of the final decision proceeding, first of all, ecological criteria, instead of especially mathematical. Such adaptability is reached by comparison of ordination decisions with markers of an ecological situation which are received at the biogeocoenosis description of places of sampling. These descriptions are presented in terms of typology of biogeocoenosis of Belgard (1950, 1971): their coenotic status, and also assessment of a mode of a fertility and humidity. The key material is received within the Prisamarsky biospheric station of the Dnepropetrovsk national university where within a monitoring profile reference types of wood biogeocenoses of a steppe zone of Ukraine are presented. Primary data of ecological-faunistic researches are represented in the form of matrixes (tables) where columns are presented by a species, and lines – sampling points. Sampling points may be ecologically processed on the basis of biogeocoenosis descriptions. If to find nature of compliance between sampling points and species, it is possible to make interpretation of the ecological status of species, i.e. to reveal key ecological groups (ecomorphes) and to establish belonging of species to them. The multidimensional scaling allows to estimate within one metric space an arrangement as species, and sampling points. Co-ordinates of sampling points in dimention of a multidimensional scaling are used as predictor of ecological characteristics of the environment in these points. Applying the obtained regression models it is possible to estimates of optimum conditions for species if in these models to use as predictor co-ordinates of species in those dimention of a multidimensional scaling. Species which are characterised by similar optimum values of ecological factors form ecological groups, or ecomorphes. Respectively for spiders we allocate coenomorphes, hygromorphes, trophocoenomorphes.

The spatial variability of the mechanical impedance of ordinary chernozem have been investigated within a regular grid (105 points). Ecomorphic analysis of the vegetation in each cell of the grid has been done. Cluster analysis, conducted on the basis of the statistical data allowed to distribute the existing changes in soil mechanical profiles in three clusters with characteristic for them, relative to the same type of dynamic properties. Environmental separation content of the soil plots on clusters studied using discriminant and variance analyzes. Statistical significance of variations of external properties associated with the spatial heterogeneity within soil plots belonging to different clusters allows them to be meaningfully interpreted and confirms the formation of ecological nature of the identified soil structures-ecomorphs.

The article is devoted to shrubs and plant groups in the territory of the industrial sites of PJSC «Central Mining and Processing Plant». The material of this work was collected in the growing season 2017-2018 years on the territory of the central industrial site and industrial sites №2 Gleuvatsky Quarry, the Giant mine, Artemivsky Quarry, Petrovsky Quarry, mine them. Ordzhonikidze, sludge workshops, which are separated in space and placed at a certain distance from each other separated in kind. The studied tree and shrub communities were formed with the participation and maintained by the person in a satisfactory condition. In the course of itinerant field investigations the species belonging to trees and shrubs were determined. In the future, on the basis of the ecomorphic characteristics of the species, comparative ecological-taxonomic spectra of tree-shrub plant communities of industrial sites were constructed. As a result of researches it was found out that the tree-shrub groupings of the industrial sites of PJSC «TSGZK» consist of 96 species of higher plants belonging to 28 families. Gymnosperms account for a small fraction of taxonomic spectra. Within the sites there is considerable variability in the number of species and families. The most numerous are the families Rosaceae, Salicaceae, Aceraceae. Families of Aceraceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Hippocastanaceae, Oleaceae, Salicaceae, Ulmaceae, Pinaceae are represented by species at all industrial sites of PJSC «CMPP». Only within the Ordzhonikidze mine site are species of the Berberidaceae, Paeoniaceae family occurring, and within the Gleevatsky Quarry site, there are Cannabaceae families. In the taxonomic spectra of plant communities of all sites, the dominant position is occupied by the family Rosaceae. Monovid families occupy half or more of the taxonomic spectra. By reducing the number of species, families, share of species participation in shrubs and shrubs, the corresponding declines can be constructed. The same series can characterize tree-shrub plant groups by the density of species of trees, shrubs, individuals per unit area. According to the ecological and biomorphic characteristics of the species, the corresponding spectra of bio- and ecomorphs are constructed. Ecological spectra are individual in proportion to the participation of certain ecomorphs for each shrub community of the site. Rows of decreasing species numbers are constructed for each ecomorph. It is established that in tree and shrub plant groups of all industrial sites of PJSC «CMPP» wood life forms with root-root system dominate, vegetatively motionless. In the spectra of ecomorphs, the most numerous are solvants, phanerophytes, mesotrophs, entomophiles. In the spectra of hygro-, heliomorph and diasporax, the composition of dominant ecomorphs changes at the industrial sites.

The approaches to the use of catena method of studying the diversity of soil animal communities’ arena landscape of the Dnieper River Valley (within the natural reserve “Dnieper-Orelsky” using phytoindication estimation have been developed in the present article. Soil animals ecomorphes have been verified on the basis of main trends variability of environmental conditions which evaluated by means of phytoindication approaches. Monitoring polygon situated in the north-eastern part of the natural reserve "Dnieper-Orelsky". The width of the polygon is 3260 m, height – 2850 m, its total area is 930 hectares. Inside the polygon we selected some five plots: on the slope of the sand dunes at the border the sandy steppe and Acer tataricum shrub; on the slope of the Northern exposure of the Orlova valley in Acer tataricum oak forest with Dáctylis glomeráta; in terrace near the flood plain on the border with the lower part of the slope, in elm-black poplar forest with Glechóma hederácea; in the waterlogged tributary of river Protoch on the border of the marsh and forest ecosystems; in river Protoch in grass community, in a gradient from the marsh community to steppe meadows. Each plot was represented by 105 squares of size 3×3 m. Squares arranged in 7 contiguous rows of 15 squares in each. Plot size was 21×45 m. Big side plot was located along the visually discernible gradient terrain topography and vegetation cover. In each square we made a description of the vegetation with the assessment of the projective cover with a lag of 10%. In the center of each square we sampled soil of 0.25×0.25 m from which the soil macroinvertebrates have been extracted by hand sorting. The ordination of mesopedobionts communities has been applied to multidimensional scaling procedure based on metrics of Bray-Curtis with provisional data on transformation according to Hellinger. The phytoindication estimation of the environmental regimes have been found to be statistically significant predictors of multidimensional scales that obtained after ordination of mesopedobionts communities. Dimension 1 can be explained by edaphotop nutrient status, dimension 2 can be explained by edaphotop humidity, dimension 3 may be explained by soil aeration, dimension 4 may be explained by quantity of carbonates in soil. Dimensions 5 and 6 have a complex factor nature which is difficult to interpret meaningfully. Environmental assessment regimes using phyto-indicative scales enabled set the value of soil carbonate content and aeration in structuring of soil animals communities. The obtained result makes reasonable provision of new ecomorphes of soil animals such as aèromorph and carbonatomorph. Aèromorphes are ecological group that combines soil animals, preferring similar condition of soil aeration, among which are highlighted in aerophyles, sub-aerophyles, hemiaerofobes and subaerofobes. Carbonatomorphes are ecological group that combines soil animals, preferring similar condition of carbonates content in soil, among which are highlighted in carbonatofobes, akarbonatophyles, hemicarbonatophyles, carbonatophyles and hyper-carbonatophyles. Classic catena approach for biogeocenotic and landscape diversity investigation have been supplemented by the assessment of the ecological regimes through phytoindication and ecomorphic analysis of vegetation. Ordinates of ecological regimes are the gradients of variation of soil animal communities. Information and valuable markers of vegetation (phytoindication scale and ecomorphes) can be used as training variables to assess the indicator properties of soil animal communities. Ecomorphes of soil animals reflect the main aspects of the structural organization of their communities and may serve as valuable indicators of the properties and behaviors of soil as environment of living organisms.

The peculiarities of biotope differentiation of amphibiotic insects ecomorphs spectra (Insecta: Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Odonata) in hydroecosystems of Ukrainian Carpathians are established. Among Ephemeroptera ecomorphs, the dominant species (in the number of species) were: subclass ploskotili velykoziabrovi zbyrachi-ziskobliuvachi ta khyzhaky; subclass siflonuroidni dribno ziabrovi zbyrachi-ziskobliuvachi. For epirytral, the dominant ecomorphs among the freckles are kryptobionty shchilyn briofily (35%); for metarytral – fitofilni kryptobionty podribniuvachi (61%); litofilni kryptobionty, yaki poliuiut iz zasidky (71%) – predominate in hiporytral. The spatial distribution of ecomorph groups of mayflies and stoneflies in Ukrainian Carpathians is subject to the general tendencies of vertical zonal distribution of trophic groups of zoobenthos, and is consistent with the basic provisions of the theory of river continuum of R. Vannot.

Abstract Uncovering convergent and divergent patterns of diversification is a major goal of evolutionary biology. On four Greater Antillean islands, Anolis lizards have convergently evolved sets of species with similar ecologies and morphologies (ecomorphs). However, it is unclear whether closely related anoles from Central and South America exhibit similar patterns of diversification. We generated an extensive morphological data set to test whether mainland Draconura-clade anoles are assignable to the Caribbean ecomorphs. Based on a new classification framework that accounts for different degrees of morphological support, we found morphological evidence for mainland representatives of all six Caribbean ecomorphs and evidence that many ecomorphs have also evolved repeatedly on the mainland. We also found strong evidence that ground-dwelling anoles from both the Caribbean and the mainland constitute a new and distinct ecomorph class. Beyond the ecomorph concept, we show that the island and mainland anole faunas exhibit exceptional morphological convergence, suggesting that they are more similar than previously understood. However, the island and mainland radiations are not identical, indicating that regional differences and historical contingencies can lead to replicate yet variable radiations. More broadly, our findings suggest that replicated radiations occur beyond island settings more often than previously recognized.

The features of the seasonal dynamics of the species composition, the total projective cover, the ecomorphic structure and the decorative score of the lawn coverings of the city of Nikopol are studied. It was revealed that during the growing season, representatives of the Poaceae family dominate in the projective cover and species composition of grass communities in urban areas. In spring, the participation of Brassicaceae and Lamiaceae is increased, in summer and autumn – Fabaceae and Asteraceae. A study of the dynamics of the species composition showed that Poa angustifolia L. and Polygonum aviculare L. dominate in the majority of Nikopol's lawns in spring. In summer, Lolium perenne L. and Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. are added to them. In autumn, the most active are Lolium perenne and Poa pratensis L. Analysis of the seasonal dynamics of the total projective coverage of test areas showed that the average values ​​of this indicator are observed at the beginning of the growing season. In summer, the total area of ​​the green parts of the plants is reduced. At the end of the growing season, due to the increase in productive soil moisture, the photosynthetically active plant area increases significantly in areas with low anthropogenic impact, remains at summer levels in places of medium anthropogenic loading and significantly decreases in areas with high anthropogenic load. In the species composition, throughout the entire growing season in the biomorph spectrum, hemicryptophytes are the most active, among ecomorphs are xeromesophytes, mesotrophs, ruderants and stepants. Decorativeness is quite low, on a five-point scale, ranges from 2.23 to 3.49, due to the presence of weeds and high anthropogenic stress. In order to improve the decorative, phytomeliorative and hygienic properties of the grass cover, it is advisable to recommend systematic grass cutting (to reduce the activity of annual weeds), as well as the spread of perennial forest and meadow species.

In many species, individuals specialize on different resources, thereby reducing competition. Such ecological specialization can promote the evolution of alternative ecomorphs—distinct phenotypes adapted for particular resources. Elucidating whether and how this process is influenced by sexual selection is crucial for understanding how ecological specialization promotes the evolution of novel traits and, potentially, speciation between ecomorphs. We evaluated the population-level effects of sexual selection (as mediated by mate choice) on ecological specialization in spadefoot toad tadpoles that express alternative ecomorphs. We manipulated whether sexual selection was present or reversed by mating females to their preferred versus non-preferred males, respectively. We then exposed their tadpoles to resource competition in experimental mesocosms. The resulting distribution of ecomorphs was similar between treatments, but sexual selection generated poorer trait integration in, and lower fitness of, the more specialized carnivore morph. Moreover, disruptive and directional natural selection were weaker in the sexual selection present treatment. Nevertheless, this effect on disruptive selection was smaller than previously documented effects of ecological opportunity and competitor density. Thus, sexual selection can inhibit adaptation to resource competition and thereby hinder ecological specialization, particularly when females obtain fitness benefits from mate choice that offset the cost of producing competitively inferior offspring.

L’écomorphisme — oikos/habitat et morphé/forme — est le résultat d’une adaptation d’une espèce vivante suivant son environnement. Appliqué à l’art, récurrence d’œuvres, scénographies et récits d’expositions, l’écomorphisme est ce processus d’adaptation qui change nos perceptions et notre conscience écologique vers une culture du vivant. Comment des artistes réussissent-ils à créer une relation singulière au vivant qui perdure dans le temps ? Par delà un panorama de formes de nature en crise, des artistes fabriquent des points de vue et des liens singuliers en symbiose avec le vivant. Vu(e) des arbres et des nuages, postes d’observation symboliques de notre environnement —plus de 90 expositions expérimentées in situ— nous avons analysé les relations complexes entre création artistique, effets esthétiques expérimentés in situ, scénographies d’installation, récits d’exposition et prise de conscience écologique. Suivons la piste de l’écomorphisme, (r)évolution silencieuse, tel un envahissement artistique de formes de la nature sauvage au musée et autant de possibilités de rencontres du vivant capables de nous trans-former. Formes contemporaines de la nature, (éco)morphogénéalogie Notre premier corpus de formes s’est révélé à 70% européen —174 artistes internationaux—d’après une classification de 800 œuvres en lien avec les principes d’écologie diffusées —et légitimées— dans les musées en France de 2012 à 2016. Un second corpus est extrait sur la symbolique des arbres, figure statistique la plus fréquente, puis des nuages, objet-symbole émergent au 21e siècle. Une esthétique de la complexité confirme la nécessité d’ordonner ses formes. Ainsi, notre création d’(éco)morphogénéalogie en cinq branches principales est liée aux mouvements dans l’histoire de l’art et de l’écologie à partir de 1916. Nous avons classé les branches —et filiations— par ordre d’importance : 1. biomorphisme écologique (sculptures intra-muros) ; 2. l’art environnemental dans l’environnement extérieur ; 3. l’art écosystème technologique en mimèsis de milieux naturels et artificiels ; 4. l’arte povera et l’art du rebut ; 5. bioart lié à la génétique et l’hybridation du vivant. Vu(e) des arbres au musée-ville, « perchoirs » symboliquesLa singularité du musée « perchoir » réside dans sa capacité à conserver la beauté manifeste de la nature dans la ville. Avatar du monde humain de la ville, le musée cultive des forêts symboliques. Les formes de la nature en crise sont un signal visible symbolique de conscience écologique et de culture du vivant au musée. A posteriori, la singularité et l’efficacité d’œuvres et expositions tient d’un processus de création-observation d’un écosystème in vivo et d’une capacité à restituer des liens avec des êtres vivants. Nous qualifions ces voies de passage fécondes d’écologie artistique (éco)poétique cultivée à la fois dans les objets et la littérature des musées. Nous suggérons que les musées et leurs expositions sont devenus des « perchoirs » contemporains. Sorte d’appel de la forêt symbolique à vivre en lien avec le vivant, le musée-perchoir est un observatoire essentiel d’évolution de nos sociétés.Au-dessus des nuages de crise, théorie de l’écorphisme et prospectiveL’ambiguïté du nuage, objet-symbole, réside autant dans l’annonce du danger qu’il prévient que dans celui qu’il occasionne. Le nuage sert d’inducteur théorique à Aristote, Descartes, Howard ou Damisch. Nos analyses démontrent un Homme en recherche d’un renouvellement de positionnement vis-à-vis de la nature. La place de l’humain n’est plus au-dessus de la nature mais au milieu du vivant via un ADN symbolique commun. Des formes à l’écopoétique singulière et sur-réaliste révèlent une autre réalité que nous ne percevons plus. In fine, l’écomorphisme agit comme la conscience d’un patrimoine génétique où se mêlent formes naturelles et artificielles. N’est-il pas temps de reconsidérer ces formes tel un enjeu culturel d’évolution du vivant ?
Ecomorphism—from oikos as habitat and morphé as form—is the result of a species’ adaptation to its environment. Applied to the recurrence of artistic works, scenographies and exhibition narratives, ecomorphism is this process of adaptation that pushes our perceptions and ecological consciousness towards a culture of the living. How do artists manage to create over time a unique long term relationship with the living world? Beyond a panorama of forms of nature in crisis, artists create singular point of views and links in symbiosis with the living world. From the point of view of trees and clouds, symbolic observation posts of our environment—more than 90 experienced exhibitions in situ—we have analysed the complex relationships between artistic creation, aesthetic effects experienced in situ, installation scenographies, exhibition narratives and ecological awareness. Let us follow the path of ecomorphism that leads through a silent (r)evolution like an artistic invasion of wild nature forms in a museum and as many opportunities of transformative encounters with the living world.Contemporary forms of nature, (eco)morphogenealogyOur first corpus of forms was revealed to 70% European—174 international artists—according to a classification of 800 works related to the principles of ecology disseminated—and legitimised—in museums in France from 2012 to 2016. A second corpus is extracted on the symbolism of trees, the most common statistical figure, then clouds, object-symbol emerging in the 21st century. An aesthetic of complexity confirms the need to order its forms. Thus, our creation of (eco)morphogenealogy into five main branches is related to the movements in the history of art and ecology from 1916. We have classified the branches—and filiations—in order of importance: 1. ecological biomorphism (intra-muros sculptures); 2. environmental art in the external environment; 3. technological ecosystem art in mimèsis of natural and artificial environments; 4. arte povera and recycling art; 5. bioart related to genetics and hybridization of the living. From trees at city museum, symbolic “perches”The uniqueness of the “perch” museum lies in its ability to preserve the manifest beauty of nature in the city. Avatar of the human world of the city, the museum cultivates symbolic forests. The forms of nature in crisis are a symbolic visible signal of ecological awareness and culture of the living in a museum. Retrospectively, the singularity and effectiveness of works and exhibitions result from a process of creation-observation of in vivo ecosystem and an ability to restore links with living beings. We define these fertile pathways of passage as artistic (eco)poetic ecology cultivated both in objects and in the litterature of museums. We suggest that museums and their exhibitions have become contemporary “perches”. As a call of symbolic wild to live in relation with the living, the perch-museum is an essential observatory on evolution of our society. Above the clouds of crisis, ecomorphism theory and prospective analysisThe ambiguity of the cloud, object-symbol, resides as much in the announcement of the danger it prevents, as in the one it may cause. The cloud serves as a theoretical driver for Aristotle, Descartes, Howard or Damisch. Our analyses show a human in search of a renewal of positioning in relation to nature. The place of human beings is no longer above nature but in the middle of the livings, via a common symbolic DNA. Forms with unique and over-realistic ecopoetics reveal another reality that we no longer perceive. In the end, ecomorphism acts as the consciousness of a genetic heritage where natural and artificial forms mingle. Is it time to reconsider these forms as a cultural challenge of living evolution?

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Cincinnati, 2003.
Title from electronic thesis title page (viewed Sept. 5, 2006). Includes abstract. Keywords: Anolis ; lizard; ecomorphology; locomotion. Includes bibliographical references.