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Natural Park (natural + park)
Selected AbstractsDiversity, distinctiveness and conservation status of the Mediterranean coastal dung beetle assemblage in the Regional Natural Park of the Camargue (France)DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 6 2001Jorge Miguel Lobo Abstract. The Mediterranean region as a whole has the highest dung beetle species richness within Europe. Natural coastal habitats in this region are among those which have suffered severe human disturbance. We studied dung beetle diversity and distinctiveness within one of the most important coastal protected areas in the west Euro-Mediterranean region (the regional Park of Camargue, southern France) and made comparisons of dung beetle assemblages with other nearby Mediterranean localities, as well as with other coastal protected area (Doñana National Park, Spain). Our finding showed that: (1) The species richness of coastal habitats in the Camargue is low and only grasslands showed a similar level of species richness and abundance to inland habitats of other Mediterranean localities. The unique habitats of the coastal area (beaches, dunes and marshes) are largely colonized by species widely distributed in the hinterland. (2) In spite of their low general distinctiveness, dune and marsh edges are characterized by the occurrence of two rare, vulnerable, specialized and large roller dung beetle species of the genus Scarabaeus. As with other Mediterranean localities, current findings suggest a recent decline of Scarabaeus populations and the general loss of coastal dung beetle communities in Camargue. (3) The comparison of dung beetle assemblages between the Camargue and Doñana shows that, in spite of the low local dung beetle species richness in the Camargue, the regional dung beetle diversity is similar between both protected areas. Unique historical and geographical factors can explain the convergence in regional diversity as well as the striking divergence in the composition of dung beetle assemblages between both territories. [source] Distribution, status and conservation problems of the Spanish Ibex, Capra pyrenaica (Mammalia: Artiodactyla),MAMMAL REVIEW, Issue 1 2002Jesús M. Pérez ABSTRACT In this paper, the distribution and status of the Spanish Ibex, Capra pyrenaica (Mammalia: Artiodactyla), are revised. The whole Iberian population numbers nearly 50 000, distributed in more than 50 nuclei, and has generally increased during the last decades. Nevertheless, within this wider context, different conditions apply to different populations, including recent extinction (the Pyrenean population), recovery from recent severe epizooty of sarcoptic mange (e.g. the Sierras de Cazorla and Segura y Las Villas range population) and populations at high densities (e.g. Gredos mountain range and Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, among others). The main factors affecting the conservation of this species are also reported and discussed. On the basis of current information we propose the status of ,vulnerable' for the Spanish Ibex. [source] Lipid dynamics in the viperine snake, Natrix maura, from the Ebro Delta (NE Spain)OIKOS, Issue 1 2004Xavier Santos Body reserves play a major role in several aspects of vertebrate biology. Accurate identification and quantification of body reserves constitute a useful contribution to the better understanding of the energetic costs of reproduction and the implication of food availability in life history traits of organisms. In this study, lipid content in fat bodies, liver and muscle of the viperine snake (Natrix maura) were measured along an active season. Samples were collected monthly from a natural population of the Ebro Delta Natural Park (NE Spain). This methodology pointed out that lipids stored in fat bodies were the main energetic source during reproduction. In addition, lipids stored in liver appeared to be critical for vitellogenesis, while lipids stored in muscle turned out to be a supplementary energetic resource to fuel reproductive effort. Relationships between changes in body reserves and prey availability in canals of the Ebro Delta were also considered. In males, lipid reserves presented a positive correlation with food availability. On the contrary, lipid reserves in female viperine snakes decreased during vitellogenesis even though food availability increased in this period, which suggests a quick transfer of body lipids to clutch. In April, when rice fields of the Ebro Delta were dry and aquatic prey was scarce for viperine snakes, males and females presented a lower lipid content in fat bodies, liver and muscle than they did in other months, showing a clear link between prey availability and body reserves during food shortage. Thus, patterns of variation in fat levels indicated that Natrix maura is a capital breeder since it acquires resources in advance and stores them until they are invested during the reproductive period. Nevertheless, the shortage in April forces Natrix maura to turn into a facultative income breeder to fuel vitellogenesis. Finally, fat reserves in body components were compared with an estimate of body condition calculated by the residuals from the regression of body mass on body length. In male viperine snakes, the estimate of body condition was correlated with fat levels, revealing that this index is useful to measure condition in living individuals. On the contrary, body condition in females was not correlated with fat levels, which suggests that it is not appropriate to infer condition in female viperine snakes since it depends on the reproductive status of the individuals. [source] Temporal and spatial patterns of ecosystem functioning in protected arid areas in southeastern SpainAPPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 1 2005José M. Paruelo Abstract We characterized the spatial variability and temporal dynamics of the photosynthetic active radiation absorbed (APAR) by the canopy, a descriptor of ecosystem functioning, in Cabo de Gata , Níjar Natural Park (CGNNP) (Spain). Ecosystem functioning was characterized for five landscape classes using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from NOAA/AVHRR LAC (1 km × 1 km) images. We also used a 19-year time series of NDVI PAL data (8 km × 8 km) to analyse the relationship APAR-precipitation inside and outside the park. The vegetation of CGNNP absorbed less than 20% of the incoming radiation. Plains intercepted 37% and hills 14% less photosynthetic active radiation than mountains, the most productive landscape of the park. CGNNP showed a well-defined growing season with a unique peak of APAR. Plains and piedmont, covered by annual vegetation displayed an earlier development of the leaf area index than the shrublands and grasslands typical of the other landscapes. APAR had a significant relationship with the sum of the precipitation of the current and two previous growing seasons, except for the plains. We found that the APAR of the areas more modified by humans (outside the park) showed a lower sensitivity to changes in precipitation than those under protection. The differences were higher if the accumulated precipitation of the previous three growing seasons was considered. The description of such differences in the response of absorbed PAR to water availability are proposed as the base of a monitoring system for semi-arid and arid areas. [source] Soil fertility evolution and landscape dynamics in a Mediterranean area: a case study in the Sant Llorenç Natural Park (Barcelona, NE Spain)AREA, Issue 2 2009Jordi Nadal The cartography of land covers was used to study fertility and soil evolution in a mountainous Mediterranean area during the anthropocene period (Crutzen P J 2002 Geology of mankind Nature 415 23). The aim was to determine changes in fertility as agricultural lands were abandoned in the 14 000 hectare area that constitutes Sant Llorenç del Munt Natural Park in a pre-coastal Catalan mountain range (north-eastern Iberian Peninsula). The analysis of land covers using vegetation maps, orthorectified images and aerial photography has allowed us to differentiate six vegetation groups: holm-oak wood, pine grove, oak wood, scrub, active agricultural fields and abandoned agricultural fields. The anthropic covers over the past 100 years were subdivided into five categories: active fields and those abandoned over four time periods. Study variables include field shape (concave, convex, flat), orientation (north, south) and slope (ranging from 12º to 24º). The parameters used for the physical-chemical soil analysis included organic material, phosphorous and potassium; fertility was classified based on groups, types and classes. The results indicate that even when the visual appearance of certain landscapes is similar, the edaphic characteristics may be very different. Changes induced by human disturbance share this phenomenon. Therefore, land management should be considered globally, taking into account vegetation, soils and water as interdependent factors, since it is their interaction that produces landscape and most affects its evolution over time. [source] Partial-Likelihood Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Point-Process DataBIOMETRICS, Issue 2 2010Peter J. Diggle Summary We investigate the use of a partial likelihood for estimation of the parameters of interest in spatio-temporal point-process models. We identify an important distinction between spatially discrete and spatially continuous models. We focus our attention on the spatially continuous case, which has not previously been considered. We use an inhomogeneous Poisson process and an infectious disease process, for which maximum-likelihood estimation is tractable, to assess the relative efficiency of partial versus full likelihood, and to illustrate the relative ease of implementation of the former. We apply the partial-likelihood method to a study of the nesting pattern of common terns in the Ebro Delta Natural Park, Spain. [source] Factors affecting the invasion success of Senecio inaequidens and S. pterophorus in Mediterranean plant communitiesJOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 2 2007L. Caño Abstract Question: Plant invasions result from complex interactions between species traits, community characteristics and environmental variations. We examined the effect of these interactions on the invasion potential of two invasive Senecio species, S. inaequidens and S. pterophorus, across three Mediterranean plant communities in a natural park. Location: Catalonia, NE Spain. Methods: We carried out two series of experimental seedling transplantations, in the spring and fall of 2003, in grassland, shrubland and Quercus ilex forest. Competition with neighbouring plants and water availability were manipulated. We evaluated the survival, growth and reproduction with respect to each treatment combination. Results: Any habitat can be colonised if disturbance occurs. In the absence of disturbance, shrubland enhanced the survival of seedlings. Competition with resident vegetation dramatically reduced survival in grassland and forest when establishment occurred in the spring. However, establishment in the fall promoted invasion in grassland and shrubland, even in the undisturbed treatment. Grassland allowed the highest growth and reproductive performance of both species while forest was the most resistant habitat to invasion. S. inaequidens had a higher growth rate and a shorter pre-reproductive period than S. pterophorus. S. pterophorus produced more biomass and was more dependent on water availability than S. inaequidens. Conclusions: In the light of our results, we recommend surveying open shrublands and grasslands after periods of rainfall. Special attention should be paid to S. pterophorus, which is currently spreading. A preliminary assessment of the invasive-ness of this plant is given in this study. [source] Status of freshwater fish around the Korean Demilitarized Zone and its implications for conservationAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 6 2008Min-Ho Jang Abstract 1.The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which divides the Korean peninsula, currently serves as a sanctuary for diverse biological resources, owing to limited development and human activities. The fish fauna of the DMZ areas, including the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) and Military Facility Protection Area (MFPA), was investigated by quarterly sampling at 53 sites from August 2001 to May 2004. 2.In total, 10,946 fish were collected and classified into 99 species and 26 families. Zacco platypus (relative abundance, RA 18.6%) was the dominant species, while other key species were Rhynchocypris steindachneri (16.0%), Pungitius sinensis (12.5%) and Zacco temmincki (8.5%). 3.Thirty species were found to be Korean endemics, representing seven families. Eight Korean vulnerable species and two Korean natural monument species were recorded. Three exotic fish species (Carassius cuvieri, Micropterus salmoides and Lepomis macrochirus) were collected at 13 study sites, all but one of which are outside the CCZ. There were significant relationships between altitude and fish species richness (r2=0.448, P<0.001) and the number of endemic fish species (r2=0.487, P<0.001). 4.Owing to very limited human interference, the DMZ could provide good benchmark sites to enable ecological restoration on other rivers and streams for maintenance of natural freshwater fish biodiversity. It is suggested that a natural park is instituted around the DMZ areas for ecological protection and as a symbol of peaceful coexistence between South and North Korea. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||