Farmers’ knowledge and use of soil fauna in agriculture: a worldwide review

General knowledge of the small, invisible, or hidden organisms that make soil one of the most biodiverse habitats on Earth is thought to be scarce, despite their importance in food systems and agricultural production. We provide the first worldwide review of high-quality research that reports on farmers’ knowledge of soil organisms in agriculture. The depth of farmers’ knowledge varied; some farming communities held detailed local taxonomies and observations of soil biota, or used soil biological activity as indicators of soil fertility, while others were largely unaware of soil fauna. Elicitation of soil biota knowledge was often incidental to the main research goal in many of the reviewed studies. Farmers are rarely deliberately or deeply consulted by researchers on their existing knowledge of soil biota, soil ecology, or soil ecological processes. Deeper understanding of how farmers use and value soil life can lead to more effective development of collaborative extension programs, policies, and management initiatives directed at maintaining healthy, living soils.

Study and comparison on freshwater snail fauna in the paddy fields and related river and lake (Babolroad & Parishan) water supply in Mazandaran & Frace provinces of Iran

As a result of this investigation, for the first time from Babolroud river in Iran is 15 species identified, which they belong to 8 genera, from 7 families. The most and least distribution, 13 and 5 species, belong to Miandasht and Rostaye Anarestane Babol stations respectively, which they are 50 kilometers away from each other. Also 20 species belong to 10 genera from 6 families were identified in Parishan lake. The most the distribution belong to stations 1 and 5 with 6 and 18 species respectively. The most commonly distributed family is Lymnaeidae with 6 species: Lyamnaea truncatula, L. auricularia, L. palustris, L. pereger, L. stagnalis and L. gedrosiana, which L. trancatula is identified as the most frequent and has medical importance. L. stagnalis is identified to be the most important to agriculture. Planorbis planorhis, Physa acuta, Lymnaea pereger, Bithynia tenculata and Vavata piscinalis are reported for the first time from this region.

Status of Endangered and Threatened Sand Area Species of the Illinois Flora

This study was undertaken to determine the distribution and habitat requirements of many of the endangered and threatened plant species associated with the sand deposits of Illinois. Approximately 70 species of endangered and threatened plants are known to grow in these deposits. The habitat fidelity and natural community types were determined for 40 of these species that are restricted to these glacial drift sand habitats. Plant community types, associated species, moisture requirements, and other data concerning each of the plant species were determined by reviewing the pertinent literature, searching the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Natural Heritage Database, through discussions with botanists and natural heritage biologists, examination of herbarium specimens, and our studies of the vegetation of the Illinois sand deposits. Throughout the course of these studies, most of the nature preserves, state parks, and identified natural areas in the sand regions were visited on numerous occasions and vegetation surveys undertaken. The information presented in this paper could allow rare plant conservation in Illinois to become more proactive by encouraging the selection of sites where in situ conservation efforts could be conducted by state, local, and nongovernmental organizations.

Mineral and organic pollution in river Sabor (Northeastern Portugal): ecotoxicological effects on freshwater fauna

Aquatic ecosystems are final collectors of all kinds of pollution as an outcome of anthropogenic inputs, such us untreated industrial and municipal sewage and agricultural pollutants. There are several aquatic ecosystems that are threatened by mineral and organic pollution. In Northeastern Portugal, near Bragança, different watercourses are suffering negative impacts of human activities. It has been developed several studies in the monitoring of environmental impacts in these river basins, namely in Rio Fervença, affected by organic pollution, and in Portelo stream, affected, since 2009, by the collapse and continuous input of mining deposits. In this sense, the present study aimed to continue the monitoring study of ecological status of freshwater ecosystems of Northeastern Portugal, namely the following objectives: a) mineral pollution effects of mining deposits sudden incorporated into Portelo stream; b) organic pollution due to domestic and industrial inputs in River Fervença. Also, since fish are useful experimental models to evaluate toxicological mechanisms of contaminants, c) acute toxicity tests with Cu were conducted in laboratory conditions. During 2015/2016, it was made abiotic and biotic characterization of 16 sampling sites distributed by both Portelo and Fervença rivers, tributaries of main River Sabor (Douro Basin). Several physicochemical parameters were determined and Riparian Quality (QBR Index) and Channel Quality (GQC) Indexes were determined for habitat evaluation. Fish and invertebrate communities were sampled, according to protocols of Water Framework Directive (WFD). Several metrics were determined, with particular emphasis on the Biotic Index IBMWP and the Northern Portuguese Invertebrate Index (IPtIN). Acute toxicity tests were conducted with an Iberian fish species, common barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei) and some plasmatic electrolytes levels were evaluated, to assess their contribution to mitigate osmoregulatory adverse effects of Cu. Also, same electrolytes were measured after changing to clean water, in attempt to assess fish capacity to reverse this situation. Results obtained for both rivers showed a significant level of disturbance that affected decisively water, habitat and biological quality of aquatic ecosystems. Mineral and Organic Pollution in River Sabor (NE Portugal): Ecotoxicological Effects on Freshwater Fauna Due to this change of environmental conditions in Portelo stream (extreme pH values, high conductivity and presence of heavy metals), several biological metrics (e.g. taxonomic richness, abundance, diversity, evenness) confirmed, comparatively with reference sites, a substantial decrease on ecological integrity status. The same pattern was found for Fervença River; however other water parameters, namely the content of most limiting nutrients (e.g. N and P) seemed to have more influence in the composition and structure of macroinvertebrate and fish communities. In fact, despite the operation of the Sewage Treatment Plant of Bragança, Fervença River presented significant levels of disturbance that affected decisively the quality and ecological integrity of the aquatic ecosystem. The synergic effect of domestic and industrial pollution, intensive agriculture, regulation and degradation of aquatic and riparian habitats contributed to the decrease of ecological condition, namely in the downstream zones (after Bragança). The results for acute toxicity, showed that fish can change Na+ and K+ levels face to Cu exposition and, depending of Cu concentration tested, can also return to normal levels, providing some insights to that are believed to occurred in fish population, near the Portelo mines. The low ecological integrity status detected in the lotic ecosystems in NE Portugal as a result of mineral and organic pollution deserves the development of several measures for rehabilitation and improving of water quality. On the other hand, environmental education actions are needed to contribute to improvement of ecological integrity of the river and its conservation.

Using satellite telemetry and environmental niche modelling to inform conservation targets for a long-distance migratory raptor in its wintering grounds

Understanding the ecology of migratory birds during the non-breeding season is necessary for ensuring their conservation. Using satellite telemetry data we describe winter ranging behaviour and movements of pallid harriers Circus macrourus that bred in Kazakhstan. We developed an ecological niche model for the species in Africa, to identify the most suitable wintering areas for pallid harriers and the importance of habitat in determining the location of those areas. We also assessed how well represented suitable areas are in the network of protected areas. Individual harriers showed relatively high fidelity to wintering areas but with potential for interannual changes. The ecological niche model highlighted the importance of open habitats with natural vegetation. Most suitable areas for the species were located in eastern Africa. Suitable areas had a patchy distribution but were relatively well included in the network of protected areas. The preferential use of habitats with natural vegetation by wintering pallid harriers and the patchiness of the most suitable areas highlight the harrier's vulnerability to land-use changes and the associated loss of natural vegetation in Africa. Conservation of harriers could be enhanced by preserving natural grasslands within protected areas and improving habitat management in the human-influenced portions of the species’ core wintering areas.

Stress reactivity, condition, and foraging behavior in zebra finches : effects on boldness, exploration, and sociality

The arid and semi-arid zones of Australia are characterized by highly variable and unpredictable environmental conditions which affect the provision of resources for flora and fauna. Environments which are highly unpredictable in terms of both resource access and distribution are likely to select for a variety of adaptive behavioral strategies, intrinsically linked to the physiological control of behavior. How unpredictable resource distribution has affected the coevolution of behavioral strategies and physiology has rarely been quantified, particularly not in Australian birds. We used a captive population of wild-derived zebra finches to test the relationships between behavioral strategies relating to food access and physiological responses to stress and body condition. We found that individuals which were in poorer body condition and had higher peak corticosterone levels entered baited feeders earlier in the trapping sequence of birds within the colony. We also found that individuals in poorer body condition fed in smaller social groups. Our data show that the foraging decisions which individuals make represent not only a trade-off between food access and risk of exposure, but their underlying physiological response to stress. Our data also suggest fundamental links between social networks and physiological parameters, which largely remain untested. These data demonstrate the fundamental importance of physiological mechanisms in controlling adaptive behavioral strategies and the dynamic interplay between physiological control of behavior and life-history evolution.

Potential for agricultural production on disturbed soils mined for apatite using legumes and beneficial microbe

Christmas Island has been mined for rock phosphate for over 100 years, and as mining will finish in the next few decades there is a need to develop alternative economies on the island, such as high value crop production. However, to conserve the unique flora and fauna on the island, only land previously mined will be considered for this purpose. As these soils have been severely perturbed by mining, strategies to improve soil quality parameters need to be undertaken before plant based industries can be considered. For instance, legumes and beneficial microbes have demonstrated a positive role in the remediation of degraded soils. Therefore, this study aimed to establish the scientific basis upon which agriculture can effectively be developed on s oils post phosphate mining. Six legume species (Glycine max (Soybean), Vigna radiata (Mungbean), V. unguiculata (Cowpea), Phaseolus vulgaris (Navybean), Cajanus cajan (Pigeon pea), and Lablab purpureus (Lablab)) were sown onto a two ha rehabilitated site t hat had previously been mined for rock phosphate. The soil had a pH of 7.0, and was high in P but low in Bo, Cu, K, Mg, N and S and had low organic C. The legumes were inoculated with their respective rhizobial inoculant or co-inoculated with the rhizobia and a plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) at three different fertilizer rates (nil, a low rate, and five times the low rate). With the exception of P. vulgaris, all the legume species survived. The application of fertilizer was essential for maximum biomass yields 18 weeks after sowing, however the lower fertilizer rate was sufficient to obtain maximum yields for some cultivars. The PGPB increased yields and nodulation of some of the legumes at different fertilizer levels. Although the legumes (except P. vulgaris) grew in the Christmas Island environment, selection of appropriate legume cultivars and inoculants plus optimization of the fertilizer regime is required for reliable agricultural productivity on the island.

Wildfire, landscape heterogeneity and fauna in fire-prone forests

Wildfire severity is an important driver on the occurrence of forest fauna 2-3 years post-fire, by its influence on the suitability of forest habitat in south-eastern Australia. Unexpectedly, landscape heterogeneity generated by fire had limited effects on most species, probably because animals were responding to the rapid regeneration of vegetation.

The fish fauna of Ampère Seamount (NE Atlantic) and the adjacent abyssal plain

An inventory of benthic and benthopelagic fishes is presented as a result of two exploratory surveys around Ampe`re Seamount, between Madeira and the Portuguese mainland, covering water depths from 60 to 4,400 m. A total of 239 fishes were collected using different types of sampling gear. Three chondrichthyan species and 31 teleosts in 21 families were identified. The collections showed a vertical zonation with little overlap, but indications for an affinity of species to certain water masses were only vague. Although most of the species present new records for Ampe`re Seamount, all of them have been known for the NE Atlantic; endemic species were not found. The comparison with fish communities at other NE Atlantic seamounts indicates that despite a high ichthyofaunal similarity, which supports the ‘‘stepping stone’’ hypothesis of species dispersal, some differences can be attributed to the local features of the seamounts.

The flora and vegetation of rocky outcrops in three municipalities in the northern region of Ceará, Brazil: phytosociological characterization

This study aims to identify the flora and vegetation of rocky outcrops of low altitude and confined in the municipalities of Sobral, Groaíras and Santa Quitéria (Ceará state, Brazil), to propose a phytosociological classification for the xerophilous communities. We selected five stations in areas with high proportion of bare rock (> 80%), and the field work were conducted in March 2014 and 2015 respectively (3º 56’ S and 40º 23’ W, 4º 01’ S and 40º 05’ W, 4º 07’’ S and 40º 08’ W, 4º 09’ S and 40º 09’ W and 4º 03’ S and 40º 00’ W). Floristic relevés were made following the Braun-Blanquet classic sigmatist method. The minimum areas of the floristic relevés vary between 8 e 16 m². All the plant species growing in cracks, crevices and vegetation "spots" that can be found in these habitats were identified. The classification of the relevés was made through the Twinspan. The floristic list is composed of 89 species, distributed in 61 genera and 29 families. Fabaceae was the most representative in species richness, 20 species, followed by Poaceae (10 spp.), Euphorbiaceae (7 spp.) and Convolvulaceae (6 spp.). 22 Brazilian endemisms have been identified. Based in the phytosociological analysis and in the classification results we identified five groups and two communities can be clearly distinguished: community of Pilosocereus gounellei FA.C.Weber) Byles & Rowley and Encholirium spectabile Mart. ex Schult. & Schult.f. and the community of Crateva tapia L. and Combretum leprosum Mart..

The flora and communities Carnaubal Palm Forest in the northern region of Ceará - Brazil

The “dicótilo-palmácea” mixed forest is found in the fluvial plains (floodplains) of watercourses on the Ceará semiarid region (Brazil), distinguishing from the surrounding vegetation (caatinga) by the prevalence of larger tree species. In the river’s margins, presenting high variability in the extension of the riverbanks, arise floodplains in pedologic complexes mainly composed by neossols and argissols, resulting from the deposition of sediments. In these areas of high fertility soils and subjected to flooding during part of the year, it develops a particular type of riparian vegetation dominated by carnauba palm tree (Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E. Moore) forming a particular type of riparian forest, designated by carnaubal palm forest. We aimed to carry out floristic and phytosociological surveys of carnauba palm forests located in the northern region of Ceará. The classical sigmatist method of Braun-Blanquet was applied and classification analysis (Twinspan) was perfomed. The field work occurred in March 2014 and 2016 in eight areas: Fazenda Pedra Branca (03º 37’ 10’’ S e 40º 18’ 30’’ W, 104 m asl), Vale do Rio Bom Jesus (04º 04’ 42’’ S e 39º 57’ 08’’ W, 200 m asl), Lagoa do Peixe (03º 56’ 28’’ S e 40º 23’ 23’’ W, 97 m asl), Fazenda Peixes (04º 06’ 03’’ S e 40º 32’ 43’’ W, 114 m asl), Fazenda Natividade (04º 02’ 50’’ S e 40º 29’ 03’’ W, 109 m asl), Fazenda Morro Alto (02º 53’ 42’’ S e 39º 54’ 51’’ W, 16 m asl), Fazenda Araticum (03º 04’ 58’’ S e 40º 09’ 36’’ W, 19 m asl) and Fazenda Experimental da UVA (03º 37' 04'' S 40º 18' 18'' W, 200 m asl).The floristic list consists of 170 species, distributed between 127 genera and 50 families. Twenty-seven Brazilian endemic species were identified, from which 8 are exclusive of the Caatinga biome. The Fabaceae was the most representative family, with the highest number of species (28), followed by Poaceae (17), Malvaceaea (14), Euphorbiaceae (12), Asteraceaea (9), Convolvulaceae and Rubiaceae (9). The dominant life forms were therophytes (34%), phanerophytes (30%) and chamaephytes (18%). Two communities were identified as a result of the classification analysis using the Twinspan.

The flora and vegetation in an area of the Caatinga in Taperuaba, Sobral, Ceará state, Brazil

The Caatinga, covering about 800.000 km2, is the predominant vegetation type of the semi-arid region of Brazil. The Caatinga biome comprises several phytophysiognomies and floristic compositions, with many endemic species, especially in Fabaceae, Cactaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Bignoniaceae e Combretaceae. Despite considerable advances, the Brazilian semi-arid needs more studies and inventories of biodiversity, especially the Ceará state. On the basis of these considerations, the present study aims to identify the flora and vegetation, in order to characterize the phytophysiognomy in an area of the Caatinga, in locality of Taperuaba, municipality of Sobral, Ceará, Brazil. Field work was conducted in March 2015 and 2016 respectively, in three transects. The life-forms were established in accordance of Raunkiaer´s system. The floristic list is composed of 87 species, distributed in 66 genera and 36 families. The flora comprises 22 Brazilian endemic species. The most representative family was Fabaceae with 15 species, followed by Malvaceae (7) Convolvulaceae (6), Euphorbiaceae (5) and Poaceae (5). The biological spectrum had a high proportion of therophytes (29,9%), chamaephytes (29,9%) and phanerophytes (26,4%). In the area were identified two phytophysiognomies: outcrops communities highlighting succulent phanerophytes (Pilosocereus chrysostele (Vaupel) Byles & G.D. Rowley subsp. cearensis P.J. Braun & Esteves and P. gounellei (F.A.C. Weber) Byles & Rowley), chamaephytes (Encholirium spectabile Mart. ex Schult. & Schult. f. and Lepidaploa chalybaea (Mart. ex DC.) H. Rob.) and therophytes (Mitracarpus baturitensis Sucre), mixed with communities including small trees and shrubs on deeper soil, composed of Cereus jamacaru DC., a succulent phanerophyte, and many woody phanerophytes, such as Cordia oncocalyx Allemão, Crateva trapia L., Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth., M. tenuiflora (Willd.) Poir., Poincianella bracteosa (Tul.) L.P. Queiroz and P. pyramidalis (Tul.) L.P. Queiroz.