Biogeography of two cold-adapted genera: Psychrobacter and Exiguobacterium

The genera Exiguobacterium and Psychrobacter have been frequently detected in and isolated from polar permafrost and ice. These two genera have members that can grow at temperatures as low as -5 and -10 degrees C, respectively. We used quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) to quantify members of these genera in 54 soil or sediment samples from polar, temperate and tropical environments to determine to what extent they are selected by cold environments. These results were further analyzed by multiple linear regression to identify the most relevant environmental factors corresponding to their distribution. Exiguobacterium was detected in all three climatic zones at similar densities, but was patchier in the temperate and tropical samples. Psychrobacter was present in almost all polar samples, was at highest densities in Antarctica sediment samples, but was in very low densities and infrequently detected in temperate and tropical soils. Clone libraries, specific for the 16S rRNA gene for each genus, were constructed from a sample from each climatic region. The clone libraries were analyzed for alpha and beta diversities, as well as for variation in population structure by using analysis of molecular variance. Results confirm that both genera were found in all three climatic zones; however, Psychrobacter populations seemed to be much more diverse than Exiguobacterium in all three climatic zones. Furthermore, Psychrobacter populations from Antarctica are different from those in Michigan and Puerto Rico, which are similar to each other. The ISME Journal (2009) 3, 658-665; doi: 10.1038/ismej.2009.25; published online 26 March 2009

Biogeography in the air: fungal diversity over land and oceans

Biogenic aerosols are relevant for the Earth system, climate, and public health on local, regional, and global scales. Up to now, however, little is known about the diversity and biogeography of airborne microorganisms. We present the first DNA-based analysis of airborne fungi on global scales, showing pronounced geographic patterns and boundaries. In particular we find that the ratio of species richness between Basidiomycota and Ascomycota is much higher in continental air than in marine air. This may be an important difference between the 'blue ocean' and 'green ocean' regimes in the formation of clouds and precipitation, for which fungal spores can act as nuclei. Our findings also suggest that air flow patterns and the global atmospheric circulation are important for the understanding of global changes in biodiversity.

An additional basal sauropodomorph specimen from the Upper Triassic Caturrita Formation, southern Brazil, with comments on the biogeography of plateosaurids

We describe an additional saurischian specimen from the Caturrita Formation (Norian) of the Parana Basin, southern Brazil. This material was collected in the 1950s and remained unstudied due to its fragmentary condition. Detailed comparisons with other saurischians worldwide reveal that some characters of the ilium, including the low ventral projection of the medial wall of the acetabulum and its concave ventral margin, together with the short triangular shape of the pre-acetabular process and its mound-like dorsocaudal edge, resemble those of sauropodomorphs such as Plateosaurus and Riojasaurus. This set of traits suggests that MN 1326-V has affinities with basal Sauropodomorpha, probably closer to plateosaurians than to Saturnalia-like taxa. Previous records of this clade in the Caturrita Formation include Unaysaurus, which has been related to Plateosaurus within Plateosauridae. Alternative schemes suggest that plateosaurids include Plateosaurus plus the Argentinean 'prosauropods' Coloradisaurus and Riojasaurus. Both hypotheses raise biogeographic questions, as a close relationship between faunas from South America and Europe excluding Africa and North America is not supported by geological and biostratigraphical evidence. Additionally, the absence of plateosaurids in other continents suggests that the geographical distribution of this taxon is inconsistent with the geological history of western Pangaea, and this demands further investigations of the phylogeny of sauropodomorphs or improved sampling.

Orobothriurus (Scorpiones: Bothriuridae) phylogeny, Andean biogeography, and the relative importance of genitalic and somatic characters

The genus Orobothriurus Maury, 1976 (Bothriuridae Simon, 1880) displays an Andean pattern of distribution, most of its species occurring at high altitudes (over 2000-2500 m to a maximum altitude record of 4910 m) from central Peru to Argentina. The recent discovery of several new species and the uncertain phylogenetic position of Orobothriurus lourencoi Ojanguren Affilastro, 2003, required a reanalysis of Orobothriurus phylogeny. Thirty bothriurid taxa, including all species of Orobothriurus and Pachakutej Ochoa, 2004, were scored for 65 morphological characters and analysed with parsimony under equal and implied weighting. The resulting topology justifies the establishment of a new genus, Rumikiru Ojanguren Affilastro et al., in press, for O. lourencoi and a closely related, new species, Rumikiru atacama Ojanguren Affilastro et al., in press. It also offers new insights about the phylogeny and biogeography of Orobothriurus and related genera. Characters from the male genitalia (i.e. hemispermatophore), comprising approximately 26% of the morphological matrix, were found to be less homoplastic than those from somatic morphology, contradicting suggestions that genitalia are uninformative or potentially misleading in phylogenetic studies.

A relict new species of Oreobates (Anura, Strabomantidae) from the Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and its implication to the biogeography of the genus and that of South American Dry Forests

A new species of Oreobates is described from Cavernas do Peruacu National Park, Januaria, Minas Gerais state, in the Atlantic Dry Forests of Brazil. The new species is distinguished from all other Oreobates by having the following combination of characters: large tympanum, discs broadly enlarged and truncate on Fingers III and IV, smooth dorsal skin, nuptial pads absent, snout subacuminate, and a very short pulsatile (2-3 pulses) single-noted advertisement call with dominant frequency of about 3150 Hz, and no harmonic structure. Molecular phylogenetic analyses using partial sequences of the mitochondrial genes cytochrome b (cyt b) and 16S using multiple outgroups recovered the new species within Oreobates and sister to O. heterodactylus. The latter species inhabits the Dry Forests of Mato Grosso (Cerrado) and Bolivia (Chiquitano forests), and is strictly associated to these habitats, which suggests a preterit connection between Chiquitano and Atlantic Dry Forests. The discovery of a new Oreobates in the Atlantic Dry Forest is of great importance for the conservation of these dry forests, as it is known only from this type of habitat.

Multiobjective Biogeography-Based Optimization Based on Predator-Prey Approach

Biogeography is the science that studies the geographical distribution and the migration of species in an ecosystem. Biogeography-based optimization (BBO) is a recently developed global optimization algorithm as a generalization of biogeography to evolutionary algorithm and has shown its ability to solve complex optimization problems. BBO employs a migration operator to share information between the problem solutions. The problem solutions are identified as habitat, and the sharing of features is called migration. In this paper, a multiobjective BBO, combined with a predator-prey (PPBBO) approach, is proposed and validated in the constrained design of a brushless dc wheel motor. The results demonstrated that the proposed PPBBO approach converged to promising solutions in terms of quality and dominance when compared with the classical BBO in a multiobjective version.

Macrofaunal abundance and composition on the West Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf: Evidence for a sediment `food bank` and similarities to deep-sea habitats

To assess the impact and fate of the summer phytoplankton bloom on Antarctic benthos, we evaluated temporal and spatial patterns in macrofaunal abundance and taxonomic composition along a transect crossing the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) continental shelf As part of the FOODBANCS project, we sampled three sites at 550-625 m depths during five cruises occurring in November 1999, February-March 2000, June 2000, October 2000 and March 2001. We used a combination of megacore and box-core samplers to take 81 samples, and collected over 30,000 macrofaunal individuals, one of the largest sampling efforts on the Antarctic shelf to date. Comparison of the two sampling methodologies (box core and megacore) indicates similar macrofaunal densities, but with significant differences in taxonomic composition, a reflection of the different spatial scales of sampling. Macrorfaunal abundances on the WAP shelf were relatively high compared to other Antarctic shelf settings. At two of the three sampling sites, macrofaunal abundance remained constant throughout the year, which is consistent with the presence of a sediment `food bank`. Differences were observed in taxonomic composition at the site closest to the coast (Station A), driven by higher abundances of subsurface-deposit feeders. A significant temporal response was observed in the ampharetid polychaetes at Station A, with an abundance peak in the late fall post-bloom period; this may have resulted from juvenile recruitment during the summer bloom. Familial composition of macrofaunal polychaetes on the WAP shelf is more closely related to deep-sea abyssal fauna than to other shelf regions, and we hypothesize that this is a result of both local ecological conditions (low temperatures) and a reflection of historical processes such as extinctions on the Antarctic shelf during previous glacial maxima followed by recolonization from the deep sea. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Revealing archaeal diversity patterns and methane fluxes in Admiralty Bay, King George Island, and their association to Brazilian Antarctic Station activities

The study of Antarctic archaeal communities adds information on the biogeography of this group and helps understanding the dynamics of biogenic methane production in such extreme habitats. Molecular methods were combined to methane flux determinations in Martel Inlet, Admiralty Bay, to assess archaeal diversity, to obtain information about contribution of the area to atmospheric methane budget and to detect possible interferences of the Antarctic Brazilian Station Comandante Ferraz (EACF) wastewater discharge on local archaeal communities and methane emissions. Methane fluxes in Martel Inlet ranged from 3.2 to 117.9 mu mol CH(4) m(-2) d(-1), with an average of 51.3 +/- 8.5 mu mol CH(4) m(-2) d(-1) and a median of 57.6 mu mol CH(4) m(-2)d(-1). However, three negative fluxes averaging -11.3 mu mol CH(4) m(-2) d(-1) were detected in MacKellar Inlet, indicating that Admiralty Bay can be either a source or sink of atmospheric methane. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) showed that archaeal communities at EACF varied with depth and formed a group separated from the reference sites. Granulometric analysis indicated that differences observed may be mostly related to sediment type. However, an influence of wastewater input could not be discarded, since higher methane fluxes were found at CF site. suggesting stimulation of local methanogenesis. DGGE profile of the wastewater sample grouped separated from all other samples, suggesting that methanogenesis stimulation may be due to changes in environmental conditions rather than to the input of allochtonous species from the wastewater. 16S ribosomal DNA clone libraries analysis showed that all wastewater sequences were related to known methanogenic groups belonging to the hydrogenotrophic genera Methanobacterium and Methanobrevibacter and the aceticlastic genus Methanosaeta. EACF and Botany Point sediment clone libraries retrieved only groups of uncultivated Archaea, with predominance of Crenarchaeota representatives (MCG, MG1, MBG-B, MBG-C and MHVG groups). Euryarchaeota sequences found were mostly related to the LDS and RC-V groups, but MBG-D and DHVE-5 were also present. No representatives of cultivated methanogenic groups were found, but coverage estimates suggest that a higher number of clones would have to be analyzed in order to cover the greater archaeal diversity of Martel Inlet sediment. Nevertheless, the analysis of the libraries revealed groups not commonly found by other authors in Antarctic habitats and also indicated the presence of groups of uncultivated archaea previously associated to methane rich environments or to the methane cycle. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Range extensions and conservation of some threatened or little known Brazilian grassland birds

Populations of grassland birds are declining in Brazil due to profound alterations to grassland habitats. In this paper, we present recent records and range extensions for 12 threatened or little known Brazilian grassland species: Ocellated Crake Micropygia schomburgkii, Sickle-winged Nightjar Eleothreptus anomalus, Campo Miner Geositta poeciloptera, Rufous-sided Pygmytyrant Euscarthmus rufomarginatus, Sharp-tailed Grass-tyrant Culicivora caudacuta, Cocktailed Tyrant Alectrurus tricolor, Cinereous Warbling-finch Poospiza cinerea, Black-masked Finch Coryphaspiza melanotis, Tawny-bellied Seedeater Sporophila hypoxantha, Marsh Seedeater S. palustris, Chestnut Seedeater S. cinnamomea and Black-bellied Seedeater S. melanogaster. We also comment on the biogeography and conservation of these species.

Patterns and processes of diversification in a widespread and ecologically diverse avian group, the buteonine hawks (Aves, Accipitridae)

Buteonine hawks represent one of the most diverse groups in the Accipitridae, with 58 species distributed in a variety of habitats on almost all continents. Variations in migratory behavior, remarkable dispersal capability, and unusual diversity in Central and South America make buteonine hawks an excellent model for studies in avian evolution. To evaluate the history of their global radiation, we used an integrative approach that coupled estimation of the phylogeny using a large sequence database (based on 6411 bp of mitochondrial markers and one nuclear intron from 54 species), divergence time estimates, and ancestral state reconstructions. Our findings suggest that Neotropical buteonines resulted from a long evolutionary process that began in the Miocene and extended to the Pleistocene. Colonization of the Nearctic, and eventually the Old World, occurred from South America, promoted by the evolution of seasonal movements and development of land bridges. Migratory behavior evolved several times and may have contributed not only to colonization of the Holarctic, but also derivation of insular species. In the Neotropics, diversification of the buteonines included four disjunction events across the Andes. Adaptation of monophyletic taxa to wet environments occurred more than once, and some relationships indicate an evolutionary connection among mangroves, coastal and varzea environments. On the other hand, groups occupying the same biome, forest, or open vegetation habitats are not monophyletic. Refuges or sea-level changes or a combination of both was responsible for recent speciation in Amazonian taxa. In view of the lack of concordance between phylogeny and classification, we propose numerous taxonomic changes. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new distinctively banded species of Pseudolithoxus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the upper Orinoco River

Pseudolithoxus kelsorum is described as a new species based on type material from the upper Orinoco in Amazonas State, Venezuela. Pseudolithoxus kelsorum is diagnosed from all other Pseudolithoxus by having dark brown to black base color with eight to 11 (usually nine) light yellow vertical or oblique transversal bands between orbits and caudal fin, bands wide and rarely but sometimes incomplete or contorted as swirls (vs. dark brown to black base color with 18 or more thin, light yellow, frequently contorted transversal bands between orbits and caudal fin in P. tigris; black base color with small white spots in P. anthrax and P. nicoi; and light brown base color with dark brown to black spots in P. dumus). Distributions of P. kelsorum and other Ancistrini taxa support the presence of a zoogeographic filter limiting fish distributions across a reach of the Orinoco River between the Ventuari-Orinoco confluence and the Maipures rapids.

New Brazilian Floristic List Highlights Conservation Challenges

A comprehensive new inventory of Brazilian plants and fungi was published just in time to meet a 2010 Convention on Biological Diversity target and offers important insights into this biodiversity's global significance. Brazil is the home to the world's richest flora (40,989 species; 18,932 endemic) and includes two of the hottest hotspots: Mata Atlantica (19,355 species) and Cerrado (12,669 species). Although the total number of known species is one-third lower than previous estimates, the absolute number of endemic vascular plant species is higher than was previously estimated, and the proportion of endemism (56%) is the highest in the Neotropics. This compilation serves not merely to quantify the scale of the challenge faced in conserving Brazil's unique flora but also serves as a key resource to direct action and monitor progress. Similar efforts by other megadiverse countries are urgently required if the 2020 targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation are to be attained.

Molecular phylogeny and morphometric analyses reveal deep divergence between Amazonia and Atlantic Forest species of Dendrophryniscus

Dendrophryniscus is an early diverging clade of bufonids represented by few small-bodied species distributed in Amazonia and the Atlantic Forest. We used mitochondrial (414 bp of 12S, 575 bp of 16S genes) and nuclear DNA (785 bp of RAG-1) to investigate phylogenetic relationships and the timing of diversification within the genus. These molecular data were gathered from 23 specimens from 19 populations, including eight out of the 10 nominal species of the genus as well as Rhinella boulengeri. Analyses also included sequences of representatives of 18 other bufonid genera that were publically available. We also examined morphological characters to analyze differences within Dendrophryniscus. We found deep genetic divergence between an Amazonian and an Atlantic Forest clade, dating back to Eocene. Morphological data corroborate this distinction. We thus propose to assign the Amazonian species to a new genus, Amazonella. The species currently named R. boulengeri, which has been previously assigned to the genus Rhamphophryne, is shown to be closely related to Dendrophryniscus species. Our findings illustrate cryptic trends in bufonid morphological evolution, and point to a deep history of persistence and diversification within the Amazonian and Atlantic rainforests. We discuss our results in light of available paleoecological data and the biogeographic patterns observed in other similarly distributed groups. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phylogenetic relationships of rock-wallabies, Petrogale (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) and their biogeographic history within Australia

The rock-wallaby genus Petrogale comprises a group of habitat-specialist macropodids endemic to Australia. Their restriction to rocky outcrops, with infrequent interpopulation dispersal, has been suggested as the cause of their recent and rapid diversification. Molecular phylogenetic relationships within and among species of Petrogale were analysed using mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1, cytochrome b. NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2) and nuclear (omega-globin intron, breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility gene) sequence data with representatives that encompassed the morphological and chromosomal variation within the genus, including for the first time both Petrogale concinna and Petrogale purpureicollis. Four distinct lineages were identified, (1) the brachyotis group, (2) Petrogale persephone, (3) Petrogale xanthopus and (4) the lateralis-penicillata group. Three of these lineages include taxa with the ancestral karyotype (2n = 22). Paraphyletic relationships within the brachyotis group indicate the need for a focused phylogeographic study. There was support for P. purpureicollis being reinstated as a full species and P. concinna being placed within Petrogale rather than in the monotypic genus Peradorcas. Bayesian analyses of divergence times suggest that episodes of diversification commenced in the late Miocene-Pliocene and continued throughout the Pleistocene. Ancestral state reconstructions suggest that Petrogale originated in a mesic environment and dispersed into more arid environments, events that correlate with the timing of radiations in other arid zone vertebrate taxa across Australia. Crown Copyright (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A palaeobiogeographic model for biotic diversification within Amazonia over the past three million years

Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain high species diversity in Amazonia, but few generalizations have emerged. In part, this has arisen from the scarcity of rigorous tests for mechanisms promoting speciation, and from major uncertainties about palaeogeographic events and their spatial and temporal associations with diversification. Here, we investigate the environmental history of Amazonia using a phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis of trumpeters (Aves: Psophia), which are represented by species in each of the vertebrate areas of endemism. Their relationships reveal an unforeseen 'complete' time-slice of Amazonian diversification over the past 3.0 Myr. We employ this temporally calibrated phylogeny to test competing palaeogeographic hypotheses. Our results are consistent with the establishment of the current Amazonian drainage system at approximately 3.0-2.0 Ma and predict the temporal pattern of major river formation over Plio-Pleistocene times. We propose a palaeobiogeographic model for the last 3.0 Myr of Amazonian history that has implications for understanding patterns of endemism, the temporal history of Amazonian diversification and mechanisms promoting speciation. The history of Psophia, in combination with new geological evidence, provides the strongest direct evidence supporting a role for river dynamics in Amazonian diversification, and the absence of such a role for glacial climate cycles and refugia.