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Currently, reviews focusing on the distribution of macrophytes focus primarily on large water bodies, regardless of the fact that small water bodies (SWBs), such as ponds, ditches and streams, often support higher levels of gamma macrophyte richness. This review investigates the direction and strength of the relationship between 13 abiotic factors and macrophyte distribution in SWBs. Results demonstrate that there are distinct differences between the effects of abiotic factors on bryophytes and those on vascular macrophytes of different morphological forms. Whilst shading and velocity have a significant (p < 0.05) negative relationship with vascular macrophyte richness and a positive relationship with bryophyte richness, the reverse is true for the size of a water body, depth and concentration of nitrogen. Vascular macrophyte richness has a significant (p < 0.05) negative relationship with distance to a stream source, isolation, the proportion of surrounding land that is woodland, total phosphorus concentrations and pH. The strength of the influence of substrate size and water body size differs between vascular macrophyte morphologies. Key knowledge gaps include bryophyte distribution and the effect of hydroperiod and surrounding land use on macrophyte communities. In order to conserve all macrophyte morphologies and taxa, it is important to protect SWBs with a diverse set of conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluctuation dynamics (studied for 9–27 years) of the abundance, density, age, and spatial structure of the Dactylorhiza maculata (L.) Soó population on Lake Dolgoe of the Volga-Kama Reserve reflects the mechanisms of maintaining the population at the southern border of the range. The data were stored into the database. Abiotic and biotic factors of transitional shrub–sedge sphagnum bogs are the most suitable for the conservation of a rare species, where boreal and arctoboreal species are preserved, and favorable microsites are open and moist areas of the mire, with pH 4.1–4.5. The biodiversity of sphagnum mosses in the habitats of Dactylorhizamaculata is represented by nine species, where the carpet species is Sphagnumangustifolium, and Sphagnum divinum appears in open and wet microareas and Sphagnum centrale appears in areas overgrown with open forest. A significant relationship of the species abundance with climatic factors is revealed: a positive relationship with precipitation and a negative relationship with average temperatures of the growing season. The number of reproductive D. maculata does not depend on precipitation in moist microsites. Age stages are reliably identified using the morphometric parameters of vegetative and reproductive plants: juvenile (j), immature (im), virginal (v), young reproductive (g1), and mature reproductive (g2). The ontogenetic spectrum is 11.5: 17: 29: 42.5 (j: im: v: g), and the proportion of prereproductive individuals fluctuated between 57–66% in the period of 9–27 years of study due to a high percentage of fruit formation (up to 60%). The spatial distribution of individuals is predominantly clustered, consisting of aggregations with a radius of 0.5–1.2 m, distributed randomly. The dynamics of spatial mosaics, accompanied by the migration of seeds and individuals of D. maculata to favorable microsites, is a natural compensatory resistance mechanism that ensures the dynamic balance of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) are becoming increasingly recognized as key members of local scavenger guilds in Australia. Yet, our understanding of the spatiotemporal scavenging dynamics of this mainly herbivorous marsupial species remains limited. We investigated abiotic and biotic factors influencing possum carcass use across an alpine and temperate bioregion in Australia. Using camera traps set on experimentally placed kangaroo carcasses, we first examined the influence of both open and closed canopy habitats and warm and cool seasons on possum scavenging behaviour across both bioregions. While scavenging was minimal in open habitats across both bioregions—likely a reflection of possums being an arboreal species—seasonality did significantly influence possum activity. Possums scavenged on carcasses in temperate regions entirely during cooler months. Scavenging was recorded year‐round in the alpine region, but with total possum feeding time on carcasses 5.9 times higher in cooler months. A more detailed 12‐month study in the alpine region confirmed this strong seasonal influence on possum scavenging, with possums up to 5.4 times more likely to discover carcasses in winter and spend up to 6.7 times longer feeding on carcasses during this season. The variability in possum scavenging behaviour between bioregions and seasons highlights the spatiotemporal complexity of possum scavenging behaviour and the importance of considering abiotic and biotic factors to understand the behaviours of scavengers more broadly. Recognizing primarily herbivorous animals as important yet often overlooked members of local scavenger guilds can help advance our understanding of complex scavenging networks and the intricate pathways through which energy flows in ecosystems, both in Australia and in other systems. Improving our understanding of the spatiotemporal scavenging dynamics of typically herbivorous species may also help to inform more nuanced and effective wildlife management strategies, where supplementary foraging on atypical food resources poses conservation concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is exacerbating the vulnerability of temperate forests to severe disturbances, potentially increasing tree mortality rates. Despite the significance of this issue, there has been a lack of comprehensive research on tree survival across extensive forest areas under the background of global climate change. To fill this gap, we conducted a detailed analysis of tree survival within a canopy nitrogen and water addition experimental platform in central China, utilizing data from two censuses and evaluating contributing factors. Our findings revealed 283 dead trees within the plots, predominantly of very small diameters (1–10 cm). The distribution of these dead trees varied among subplots, influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors. Notably, three dominant tree species were responsible for 64.8% of the deadwood biomass. The study determined that both the breast diameter and the quantity of dead trees, affected by surrounding trees and environmental conditions, played a critical role in deadwood biomass accumulation. This research offers an in-depth examination of deadwood biomass patterns in a temperate forest, highlighting the need to consider both experiment treatments and abiotic elements like topography in studies of forest ecosystem carbon. The insights gained from this study enhance our understanding of warm temperate forests' role in the global carbon cycle and offer valuable guidance for forest conservation and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: At fine scales (<10 km in spatial resolution), only a few studies have evaluated the relationships between abiotic factors and the horizontal occurrence of vascular epiphytes. At fine scales, variation in abiotic variables can be attributed to topographic heterogeneity. For example, air humidity and wind speed are likely to vary along ridge–valley gradients, and differences in slope aspect cause variation in light intensity as well as temperature gradient along an elevation. We tested the hypothesis that the horizontal epiphyte occurrence at fine scales is influenced more by topographic gradients related to abiotic factors than by host tree size and species. We also assessed air humidity variation along the ridge–valley gradient at our study site as a way to explore its possible correlation with the epiphyte occurrence. Location: A coniferous/broadleaf evergreen mixed forest in a humid temperate zone of Kochi, southwest Japan. Methods: We surveyed epiphyte occurrence on 310 trees and recorded host tree size and species within a 52‐ha watershed with an elevational range of 378–777 m a.s.l. Epiphyte occurrence was modeled using three topographic variables (ridge–valley gradient, slope aspect differences and elevational gradient), host tree size and species. The effect sizes of each variable were then compared. Air humidity was measured on the valley bottom, slope and ridge throughout the year. Results: Epiphyte occurrence probability increased toward the valley bottom and on larger host trees; it also varied among host tree species. Slope aspect differences and elevational gradient were less effective. The ridge–valley gradient had a greater effect than host tree size on epiphyte occurrence. Air humidity was highest at the valley bottom and lowest on the ridge. Conclusions: Horizontal epiphyte occurrence was driven more by topographic gradient than by host tree size and species in a small watershed covered by a warm‐temperate broadleaf forest. This finding suggests the importance of forests at valley bottoms to support epiphyte occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The living ground cover species composition under the various tree species canopy in the Arboretum of V. N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, in the city of Krasnoyarsk was studied. The purpose of the work is to determine the ground cover species composition, structure and phytomass in the various tree species biogroups. The studies were carried out in 2020–2022 at the 13 tree species biogroups growing on the Arboretum territory. The floristic composition, projective cover and occurrence of species growing in the studied biogroups were determined. Based on the analysis of floristic data, biodiversity indices were calculated. The taxonomic, belt-zonal, ecological, biomorphological features of the flora structure were determined. It was established that 12 shrub layer species and 47 living ground cover species (44 – the grass-shrub layer and 3 moss taxons) were recorded in the studied woody plant biogroups. Species diversity indices were calculated for each biogroup. The ground cover ecological and ecological-coenotic structures have been determined. The most important groups have been identified. The factors influencing the ground cover characteristics were identified. It has been established that the living ground cover floristic composition is influenced by both biotic (phytogenic field) and abiotic factors in the arboretum 46 years after its creation. The phytogenic field species-specific influence on the living ground cover species composition was revealed in six tree species. The ground projective cover and phytomass as well as the species occurrence are significantly affected by abiotic factors, in particular, illumination.

Field observations of soil respiration (SR) in different types of terrestrial ecosystems are very relevant because of high temporal and spatial variations of SR rate. The intra-annual dynamics of SR is mainly determined by the changes in hydrothermal conditions during the year and is often described with temperature sensitivity coefficient (Q10), which usually has a fixed value in many of the used models. This study is focused on the assessment of seasonal and interannual dynamics of SR temperature sensitivity in two grasslands in the southern Moscow oblast (temperate continental climate) based on continuous 25-year-long all-year-round measurements of CO2 emission from soils. The grasslands have been formed on two different soil types: sandy soddy-podbur (Entic Podzol (Arenic)) and gray loamy soil (Haplic Luvisol (Loamic)). The SR rate has been continuously measured from December 1997 to November 2022 with an interval of 7–10 days using the technique of closed static chambers. The temperature sensitivity of SR, estimated from the entire set of data, is higher in Haplic Luvisol as compared with Entic Podzol (3.47 vs. 2.59). The Q10 values for SR in both soils are 1.2–1.4-fold lower in dry years as compared with wet years. The interannual variation of Q10 values in grassland ecosystems amounts to 21–36% depending on the considered temperature range. A statistically significant positive correlation between the Q10 values in the temperature range ≥1°С and wetness indices is observable in both grasslands. A differentiated approach integrating different values of temperature coefficients for SR into the used models is necessary to improve the predictions of C budget in ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming is one of the most prominent challenges in the present era. Global warming is caused by the increased concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere and leads to a phenomenon widely known as "greenhouse effect." Increased food demands necessitate amid global efforts to increase crop production that ensure food security and also protect environment and natural resources through reduced GHG emissions. Global warming is the continual rise in the temperature of the earth's atmosphere due to the high amount of heat received from the sun striking the earth because of the trapped heat in the atmosphere rather than radiated into space. One of the major issues due to climate change is the emission of greenhouse gases, which has drastically increased the earth's temperature. There are major threats to crop productivity and food security due to the rise in the earth's temperature and climate change. In order to overcome the harmful effects of climate change, various management strategies are adopted to increase crop productivity, which include use of cover crops, limiting the use of tillage practices in the farming system and use of inorganic fertilizer, promotion of intercropping with short term crops, use of high yielding and resistant cultivars to abiotic stresses. Changes in soil carbon stocks, the release of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) from fertilized soil have been influenced by farm management practices. Conservation tillage offers many benefits, including water conservation and reducing soil erosion. In no tillage farming systems, the emission of nitrous oxide was observed to be significantly higher under the varying levels of soil aeration as compared to the poorly aerated soil of conventional farming systems. When compared to inorganic fertilizer systems, the importance of solid organic manures in maintaining the concentration of soil organic carbon through regular carbon input is well known. This review focuses solely on soil emission processes and the variables that influence them. It examines soil emission studies involving the most important mulch types and climate zones, as well as important soil emission measuring systems. We examined and evaluated the different possible options and found that modifying tillage permutations and irrigation patterns, managing organic and fertilizer inputs, selecting suitable cultivar, and cropping regime can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice storms, as important sources of frequent and injurious disturbances, drive forest dynamics in the Northern Hemisphere. However, stand-level differential vulnerability to ice storms and the associated factors that predispose forest stands remain unclear. This is particularly concerning in the subtropics where the frequency of ice storms is predicted to increase with global warming. Here we assessed how the impact on three forest stands (early and late secondary-growth forests, and old-growth forests) differed after an extreme ice storm during 20-21 March 2022, and identified the abiotic and biotic factors that determine the damage intensity in the Shennongjia World Natural Heritage Site, a biodiversity conservation hotspot in central China. We found a stand-specific 'middomain effect' where the late secondary-growth forest sustained the most severe damage, the early secondarygrowth forest sustained the least, and the old-growth forest suffered an intermediate amount. 'Crown broken' was the most severe damage type across all three forest stands, although the proportion of 'branch broken' was also high in the old-growth forest. Topography played a significant role in determining the vulnerability of the early secondary-growth forest to severe ice storms whereas the forest structure and composition were important factors in explaining the damage rates in the old-growth forest, although they differed among the damage categories. In contrast, topography, forest structure and composition generally explain the intensity of damage in the late secondary-growth forests. Our results highlight that, in subtropical forests, the intensity of damage caused by severe ice storms and related determining factors are stand-level dependent. We also suggest exploring potential management strategies (e.g., slow-growing hardwood species that can resist storms should be the main species for reforestation in early secondary-growth forests) to mitigate the risk of future severe ice storms, as well as other wind-related climatic extremes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree species diversity is assumed to be an important component in managing forest ecosystems because of effects on multiple functions or ecosystem multifunctionality. However, the importance of tree diversity in determining multifunctionality in structurally complex subtropical forests relative to other regulators (e.g., soil microbial diversity, stand structure, and environmental conditions) remains uncertain. In this study, effects of aboveground (species richness and functional and structural diversity) and belowground (bacterial and fungal diversity) biodiversity, functional composition (community-weighted means of species traits), stand structure (diameter at breast height and stand density), and soil factors (pH and bulk density) on multifunctionality (including biomass production, carbon stock, and nutrient cycling) were examined along a tree diversity gradient in subtropical forests. The community-weighted mean of tree maximum height was the best predictor of ecosystem multifunctionality. Functional diversity explained a higher proportion of the variation in multifunctionality than that of species richness and fungal diversity. Stand structure -played an important role in modulating the effects of tree diversity on multifunctionality. The work highlights that species composition and maximizing forest structural complexity are effective strategies to increase forest multifunctionality while also conserving biodiversity in the management of multifunctional forests under global environmental changes.

Forest productivity and carbon (C) sequestration largely depend on soil N and P availability. To date, however, the temporal variation of nutrient limitation along forest succession is still under debate. Leaf stoichiometry and nutrient resorption are important indicators for predicting nutrient limitation of plant growth. Here, we measured nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in green leaves and leaf litter for all woody species at four stages of temperate forest succession, and analyzed how abiotic and biotic factors affect leaf stoichiometry and nutrient resorption along forest succession. At the individual scale, leaf N and P concentrations had a significant increase at the end of the succession, while no change in leaf N:P ratio was detected. Nitrogen resorption efficiency (NRE) increased significantly with succession, but P resorption efficiency (PRE) first increased and then decreased. Significant increases in NRE:PRE ratios only occurred at the end of the succession. Moreover, plant N cycling was less responsive to soil nutrient than P cycling. At the community scale, we found that leaf N and P concentrations first decreased and then increased along forest succession, which were mainly affected by Shannon–Wiener index and species richness. Leaf N:P ratio significantly varied with succession and was mainly determined by community-weighted mean diameter at breast height (DBH). NRE increased and was significantly influenced by species richness and DBH, while PRE was relatively stable along forest succession. Thus, the NRE:PRE ratios significantly increased, indicating that N limitation is exacerbated with the temperate forest succession. These results might reflect the intense interspecific competition for limiting resource in a higher biodiversity community. In conclusion, our findings highlight the importance of biotic factors in driving forest ecosystem nutrient cycling and provide valuable information for sustainable fertilizer management practices in China's temperate and boreal forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to evaluate the feeding behaviour of termite Odontotermes obesus (Ramber) under field conditions under abiotic and biotic factors. Eight wood species include Mangifera indica (mangoes), Albizia lebbeck (albizia), Populus euramericana (popular), Melia azedarach (bead tree), Vachellia nilotica (kiker,thorny acacia), Eucalyptus camaldulensis (eucalyptus), Dalbergia sissoo (shesham) and Eugenia jambolana (Jamun) was offered to termites to feed under field trials. Results found that P. euramericana and M. indica were the most palatable woods to termite. In choice bioassay E. camaldulensis was more consumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofilm production by bacteria is presumed to be a survival strategy in natural environments. The production of biofilms is known to be influenced by a number of factors. This paper has precisely elaborated on the different factors that directly influence the formation of biofilm. Biofilm has serious consequences for human health, and a variety of infections linked to biofilm have emerged, rapidly increasing the statistics of antimicrobial resistance, which is a global threat. Additionally, to combat resistance in biofilm, various approaches have been developed. Surface modifications, physical removal, and the use of nanoparticles are the recent advances that have enabled drug discovery for treating various biofilm-associated infections. Progress in nanoparticle production has led to the development of a variety of biofilm-fighting strategies. We focus on the present and future therapeutic options that target the critical structural and functional characteristics of microbial biofilms, as well as drug tolerance mechanisms, such as the extracellular matrix, in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sansha Bay (26.40−27.00°N, 119.50−120.20°E) is a typical semi-enclosed bay, located in northern Fujian Province, China, and adjacent to the East China Sea. The ichthyoplankton species composition and assemblage structure were investigated based on monthly sampling at 25 stations in April−September 2019, covering the important spring and summer spawning seasons in the region. Sampling was conducted in the first 3−5 days of the full moon or new moon phases using a standard plankton net through horizontal and vertical tows during daytime. In total, 25,819 ichthyoplankton samples were collected, of which 25,449 samples (i.e., 24,757 eggs and 692 larvae) were from horizontal tows. For horizontal tow samples, the ichthyoplankton were classified into 58 taxa in 15 orders and 23 families with a combination of external morphology and DNA barcoding analyses, from pelagic to demersal and benthic species. The dominant order was the Gobiiformes, including 23 species (39.7% of all species). The dominant taxa, in terms of relative abundance and frequency of occurrence, consisted of commercially important fishes, such as Setipinna tenuifilis (Valenciennes, 1848) (Engraulidae), Epinephelus akaara (Temminck and Schlegel, 1842) (Serraenidae), Collichthys lucidus (Richardson, 1844), Nibea albiflora (Richardson, 1846) (Sciaenidae), Acanthopagrus schlegelii (Bleeker, 1854), and Pagrus major (Temminck and Schlegel, 1843) (Sparidae), accounting for 78.9% of the horizontal tow samples. Low-valued and small-sized fishes, such as Stolephorus commersonnii Lacepède, 1803 (Engraulidae), Solea ovata Richardson, 1846 (Soleidae), Nuchequula nuchalis (Temminck and Schlegel, 1845), and Photopectoralis bindus (Valenciennes, 1835) (Leiognathidae), were also dominant species, accounting for 11.4% of the horizontal tow samples. The ichthyoplankton assemblage was categorized into five different temporal assemblages based on the cluster and nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis, namely, April, May, June, July, and August−September (ANOSIM, Global R = 0.656, p < 0.01) with the highest density and richness of ichthyoplankton occurred in May. The spatial distribution pattern showed that the high density (ind./m3) of ichthyoplankton occurred mainly in S12–S25 in Guanjingyang and along the Dongchong Peninsula coastline into Dongwuyang, while low density occurred mainly in S01–S11 in the northwest waters of Sandu Island (ANOVA, F = 8.270, p < 0.05). Temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll a were key factors structuring the ichthyoplankton assemblages in Sansha Bay. In addition, this study revealed the changes of the ichthyoplankton composition, density, and spatial distribution in Sansha Bay over the past three decades.

Lignicolous macromycetes are of great importance for the functionality of forest ecosystems. These fungi work as the main carbon reintegrating agents in the soil or as keepers of forest vitality. Under the biotic and abiotic changes, fungi species reacts differently, the main effects being seen at the level of numbers and composition structure of fungal communities. In the context of human actions on forest ecosystems, numerous studies show the detrimental effects on lignicolous mycodiversity, at both European and local levels. In order to protect mycodiversity, it is vital to understand the way the relation between fungi and forest works.

Dingoes (Canis dingo) are known for hunting and killing animals to meet their energetic requirements, but like almost all predators they also scavenge animal remains. To improve our understanding of dingo scavenging ecology, we investigated the role of abiotic and biotic factors in shaping carcass utilisation by dingoes and further determined whether dingo scavenging influenced carcass persistence in the landscape. To do so, we monitored visitation and scavenging by dingoes using remote cameras positioned on 119 kangaroo carcasses in open and closed canopy habitats and in warm and cool seasons. The carcasses were monitored across multiple study sites, which incorporated forest, alpine and desert ecoregions in Australia. We found that season played an important role in shaping carcass utilisation by dingoes, as well as carcass persistence. Warmer seasons increased the rate of carcass discovery 6.3-fold in the Forest study site and 4.8-fold in the Alpine study site, and also increased the time dingoes spent feeding on carcasses in the Alpine study site. Further, across all study sites, carcasses persisted at least 4.7 times longer in cool compared with warm seasons. On the other hand, carcass utilisation by dingoes was not influenced by habitat, although carcasses were more likely to persist in open compared with closed canopy habitats in the Alpine study site. Finally, our study showed that dingo scavenging may contribute to substantial carcass removal in certain contexts. Indeed, decreased carcass persistence in the Forest study site was evident in the cool season, when dingo scavenging occurred during the first two weeks of monitoring. The variability in results highlights the complexity of patterns in dingo scavenging and, more broadly, of vertebrate scavenging. It emphasises the need to consider multiple abiotic and biotic factors to properly understand the functional roles of different scavenger species. Longer-term studies with additional seasonal replicates may also yield a more detailed picture of the role of dingoes as apex scavengers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonality often influences multiple aspects of vector‐borne plant diseases. With respect to the management of plant disease vectors, an understanding of the factors driving seasonal changes in vector flight activity may improve management outcomes by facilitating more proactive application of control measures. One of the most challenging issues for citrus Huanglongbing management is to forecast when disease primary spread by bacteriliferous Diaphorina citri will occur. We monitored the temporal patterns of immigrating psyllids, using upwards of 1,200 traps spread among 9 citrus farms and checked on a weekly basis over 4 years. This dataset was analysed with a set of hierarchical models to estimate the effect of climatic variables on citrus foliage production (i.e. flush), and effects of climatic variables and citrus foliage dynamics on D. citri catches over the season. The results showed substantial seasonal variability in immigrating D. citri abundance, with the critical dispersal/migration period occurring between end of winter and spring. During this period, 65% of the total psyllids were collected on sticky traps. Seasonality of immigrating D. citri coincided with changes in certain climate variables, with negative effects of humidity and daily maximum temperatures, and a positive effect of rainfall amount in prior weeks. Maximum temperature and both daily minimum temperature and rainfall during prior weeks were also associated with new citrus flush production, which itself was positively related to immigrating D. citri abundance. Based on these results, citrus growers should be aware and intensify the frequency of psyllid control tactics (i.e. insecticide and/or kaolin sprays) during this period in order to prevent Ca. L. asiaticus transmission. These results are an important step towards developing the predictive framework needed to refine D. citri and huanglongbing management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the ecological mechanisms driving the dynamics of field rotifer populations remains a challenge in ecology. Brachionus angularis (Rotifera) is preferred in such studies because of their planktonic behavior, high fecundity, and absence of cryptic species. In this study, one-year zooplankton samples were collected twice a month from a subtropical lake and the roles of abiotic and biotic factors regulating the population dynamics of B. angularis were analyzed. The sampled B. angularis were composed of two discontinuous populations: ‘summer and autumn’ and ‘spring and winter’, segmented by high mixis rates. The ‘summer and autumn’ population had high egg ratios, but low egg volumes. Water temperature was the main factor driving temporal dynamics in density, thereby counteracting the negative effect of top-down force. Based on the synchronous dynamics of two fractions of chlorophyll-a, the densities of B. angularis, its potential competitors and predators, together with the reverse correlations between the egg ratio and population density, and Secchi-disk depth, we found that bottom-up and top-down forces were plausible factors regulating variations in population density in spring (March and April). However, the density peak of B. angularis in winter might be primarily ascribed to recruitment from the sediment. We further addressed the necessity for diverse evidence from the speciation of cryptic species, abundance, reproduction, and morphology, in understanding the population dynamics of a field rotifer population.

Biofilm production by bacteria is presumed to be a survival strategy in natural environments. The production of biofilms is known to be influenced by a number of factors. This paper has precisely elaborated on the different factors that directly influence the formation of biofilm. Biofilm has serious consequences for human health, and a variety of infections linked to biofilm have emerged, rapidly increasing the statistics of antimicrobial resistance, which is a global threat. Additionally, to combat resistance in biofilm, various approaches have been developed. Surface modifications, physical removal, and the use of nanoparticles are the recent advances that have enabled drug discovery for treating various biofilm-associated infections. Progress in nanoparticle production has led to the development of a variety of biofilm-fighting strategies. We focus on the present and future therapeutic options that target the critical structural and functional characteristics of microbial biofilms, as well as drug tolerance mechanisms, such as the extracellular matrix, in this review.

Environmental conditions in spawning waters are determined by a variety of abiotic and biotic factors. They are the most significant and therefore limiting in the selection of breeding sites and spawning grounds for amphibians. For conservation of the various amphibian populations it is necessary to establish an ecological optimum of specific species. The study has been conducted in a wide range of environmental conditions typical for the mountainous regions of the Caucasus. We studied 358 water bodies in the foothills of Dagestan. There are eight species of amphibians spawning here. Bufotes variabilis and Rana macrocnemis to adverse abiotic and biotic conditions in spawning waters are resistant. Lissotriton lantzi, Triturus karelinii, Pelobates fuscus, and P. syriacus are sensitive to different adverse environmental conditions in spawning waters. Lissotriton lantzi prefers non-flowing ponds, shaded areas, depth of reservoirs 50–100 cm and lots of aquatic vegetation, but Triturus karelinii prefers flowing ponds. Pelobates fuscus prefers unshaded ponds, but Pelobates syriacus prefers deep waters. Hyla arborea and Pelophylax ridibundus prefer flowing, shaded ponds with lots of aquatic vegetation. Bufotes variabilis and Rana macrocnemis are very tolerant to the environment. On the basis of the method of multivariate statistics, the main environmental factors significantly (p = 0.001) affecting the choice of spawning grounds by different types of amphibians: shading, depth, flow and overgrowing were established. It was revealed that the spawning grounds, which are of great importance for the conservation of rare amphibian species in the foothills of Dagestan is limited, this is due to the arid climatic conditions of the region. Recommendations for the conservation of amphibians and the development of protected areas in the foothills of the Republic of Dagestan are given.

Climate change is shifting the distribution of species, and may have a profound impact on the ecology and evolution of species interactions. However, we know little about the impact of increasing temperature and changing rainfall patterns on the interactions between plants and their beneficial and antagonistic root symbionts.Here, we used a reciprocal multifactorial growth chamber experiment with seeds and soil microbial communities from three origins to investigate the impact of temperature and soil moisture on the growth, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonization and root‐associated fungal community of a perennial herb. Moreover, we tested whether plants and AM fungi performed better or worse when plants were grown with their local soil biota, for example, due to plant adaptation or changes in the genetic or species composition of the soil microbial community.Temperature and soil moisture generally increased plant growth, whereas temperature but not soil moisture increased AM fungal colonization. The strength and direction of the plants' response to temperature were dependent on soil moisture and differed among plant populations, and AM fungal colonization was further affected by the origin of the soil microbial community. The root‐associated fungal community structure was impacted by temperature, soil moisture and the soil microbial origin, with interactive effects between the microbial origin and the abiotic environment. Plant biomass was lower when plants were grown with their local soil microbes, potentially due to intraspecific negative plant–soil feedbacks.Synthesis. Our findings indicate that, beyond a relatively uniform increase of plant growth and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonization with increasing temperature, plants and root‐associated fungi of different origins will vary in their response to climate change (i.e. elevated temperature and shifts in rainfall). This may create pronounced, but difficult to predict, spatial and temporal variation in the ecology and evolution of plant–microbe interactions with a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the ecological mechanisms driving the dynamics of field rotifer populations remains a challenge in ecology. Brachionus angularis (Rotifera) is preferred in such studies because of their planktonic behavior, high fecundity, and absence of cryptic species. In this study, one-year zooplankton samples were collected twice a month from a subtropical lake and the roles of abiotic and biotic factors regulating the population dynamics of B. angularis were analyzed. The sampled B. angularis were composed of two discontinuous populations: 'summer and autumn' and 'spring and winter', segmented by high mixis rates. The 'summer and autumn' population had high egg ratios, but low egg volumes. Water temperature was the main factor driving temporal dynamics in density, thereby counteracting the negative effect of top-down force. Based on the synchronous dynamics of two fractions of chlorophyll-a, the densities of B. angularis, its potential competitors and predators, together with the reverse correlations between the egg ratio and population density, and Secchi-disk depth, we found that bottom-up and top-down forces were plausible factors regulating variations in population density in spring (March and April). However, the density peak of B. angularis in winter might be primarily ascribed to recruitment from the sediment. We further addressed the necessity for diverse evidence from the speciation of cryptic species, abundance, reproduction, and morphology, in understanding the population dynamics of a field rotifer population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing knowledge on the role of evolutionary history during forest succession and its relationship with ecosystem function is particularly relevant in the context of forest landscape restoration for climate change mitigation and adaptation.We used fine resolution vegetation and environmental data (soil, elevation and slope) from two large‐scale surveys (320 × 1000 m2 plots in two 10 km × 10 km blocks) in the Upper Mekong to quantify (1) the role of abiotic and biotic (species interactions) factors in community assembly processes and (2) the effect of biodiversity, environmental factors and forest succession on above‐ground biomass (AGB).We found strong correlation between soil fertility and community structure in the early successional seres, while species interactions played an increasingly important role in older seres, presumably due to species complementary.We detected a significant relationship between AGB and phylogenetic diversity, elevation and soil fertility across successional gradients. Within successional stages, soil fertility was not significantly associated with AGB, while elevation was significantly associated with AGB only in forest <100 years old. Phylogenetic diversity was positively correlated with AGB in the young secondary forest (< 15 years old) but not significantly associated with AGB in older seres.Synthesis. Our results support the hypothesis that abiotic filtering influences species assembly in the initial stages of forest succession, while biotic interactions dominate community assembly processes in older seres. We found that phylogenetic diversity, soil fertility and elevation gradients were strongly predictive of AGB in a secondary tropical montane forest in Southeast Asia. However, elevation may reflect other underlying abiotic gradients, such as water availability. Phylogenetic diversity was significantly associated with AGB only in youngest seres (<15 years old). Considering phylogenetic diversity in restoration plantings and the management of forests younger than 15 years old could enhance forest biomass and the climate mitigation function forest landscape restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective of research: to perform the parasitological monitoring we have to study the parasite fauna in fishes from different fish farm factories, calculate the index of similarity, estimate the influence of abiotic and biotic factors on the ecosystem of fish-breeding reservoirs. Materials and methods: parasitological monitoring of factory fish farms was conducted by the method of complete and incomplete parasitological examination taking into account the data obtained from various fish-breeding reservoirs. Results and discussion: the parasite fauna of cyprinid fishes is represented by 56 species, carriage of causative agents of parasitic diseases in fishes is detected. Index of similarity of parasite fauna in carps has been studied and typification of agricultural reservoirs carried out. Index of similarity between the parasite fauna in carp and herbivorous fish was 22–33 %, carp and rough fish - 18–30,7 %. Influence of abiotic (oxidability, reduction of oxygen and nitrogen ammonia concentration, mineralization) and biotic – anthropogenic factors (violation of processing technologies, veterinary and sanitary rules of fish transport and fish farming operations) on fish infestation with parasites was studied. The role of parasitological monitoring in prevention and elimination of fish diseases was shown.

Libraries, museums and archives located in old and improper buildings are affected in time by malfunctions of the sanitary installations, of the heating systems, etc., in the presence of excessive moisture from the infiltration and dampness. The article presents the causes that generate mistakes of design, construction, endowment and exploitation of the library (museum, archive) buildings, the factors that increase the risk to be classified as having the sick building syndrome (BCS) and sick building (CB), the incidence of abiotic and biotic degradation factors with the presentation of the external and internal analytical elements of the library site, and how the quality of the internal environment of the buildings of cultural interest (libraries, museums and archives) is determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic macrophytes constitute important components of many freshwater ecosystems. The manifold role of aquatic macrophytes in freshwater habitats is closely linked to their distribution, which in turn depends on a myriad of factors. Foremost, among these are light, water temperature, water quality changes and nutrient enrichment, sediment composition and fluctuations in water levels. Light and temperature are of paramount importance in determining the distribution (with depth, season and latitude), thereby influencing productivity and species composition as well. Sediment compositions markedly affect the growth rates of macrophytes which in turn have a profound influence on the distribution of aquatic macrophytes. Water quality changes and nutrient enrichment can cause considerable variations in the species richness, composition, and density of aquatic vegetation. The reduction in water levels could bring drastic changes in the species composition and distribution of macrophytes. Factors associated with competition, herbivory, land use and land cover changes etc. also play an important role in shaping macrophyte distribution and community structure. In this review we examine both biotic and abiotic factors that influence the structural attributes like species composition, distribution, abundance and diversity of aquatic macrophytes.

The article summarizes our own research and the publications on the importance of hygiene sanitary and technological factors to ensure disease prevention, to increase the resistance and productivity of pigs. The emphasis has been done not on the treatment but on the prevention of swine diseases due to the optimization of the standards of hygienic parameters, tolerated permissible concentrations of substances in the environment, their influence not only on the processes of thermoregulation in the body and body adaptation but also to the increase in the resistance of the body to infectious agents. Due to non-observance of the rules of hygiene and sanitation, feeding and drinking regimes in the pig-breeding enterprises, the annual death of animals exceeds 25%, the diseases of the digestive tract are registered in 40-50%, respiratory diseases - in 25-30% of cases. Growth retardation is registered in the young animals, the durability does not exceed 83.2-85.6%. High indoor air humidity should be considered as a factor of importance in the etiopathogenesis of respiratory diseases and temperature changes - as a factor to prevent hyperthermia and hypoglycemia. The increase in the efficiency of the work in pig-breeding complexes can be achieved: - firstly, due to the decrease in the influence of environmental factors having the negative impact on the development of swine immunity; secondly, due to the elimination of negatively acting agents from the external environment and the strengthening of factors that increase the resistance of the body; thirdly, due to the development of nonspecific immunostimulants and their rational use in the pig - breeding practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tree growth and mortality trade-off is well documented and plays a key role in forests by forming the basis of many ecosystem processes and contributing to tree species coexistence. One area that requires further understanding is how the growth-mortality trade-off is influenced by biotic and abiotic interactions in the forest. In this study, we used a 5-year interval of tree growth and mortality demographic data from a 9-ha forest dynamics plot in a temperate old-growth Chinese forest to address two questions, (1) What is the nature of the growth-mortality trade-off among species in this forest? (2) Are there differences between the responses of tree growth and mortality to local neighborhood variables, both biotic and abiotic? Specifically, do these responses vary among species and with tree size? For the first question, we hypothesized that, within species, mortality rate would be negatively correlated with growth rate, whereas among species it would be positively correlated. For the second question, we expected biotic and abiotic factors to both be important for tree mortality; but expected biotic factors to be more important than abiotic factors for tree growth. The responses of tree growth and mortality to local neighborhood variables, both biotic and abiotic, varied among species. Abiotic factors were more important than biotic factors for small trees; biotic variables were stable with tree size for both small and large trees. Our results showed that there were differences between the responses of tree growth and mortality to local neighborhood variables (i.e., biotic and abiotic) in this temperate forest community. The responses of tree mortality to local neighborhood variables strongly varied across species. Abiotic factors were only important for the growth of small trees. Biotic factors were stable with tree size for growth of small and large trees, but not for mortality. Mortality was negatively correlated with growth for large trees within species; growth-mortality trade-off among species was found to be more accentuated for small trees. The responses of tree mortality to local neighborhood variables differed strongly across species, whereas the responses of tree growth to local neighborhood variables varied among size classes. Tree growth and mortality is tightly correlated both within (negatively) and among species (positively), and their relationships are both size dependent in this temperate forest. Our findings highlight that differential responses of tree growth and mortality to local neighborhood variables continue to shape the forest community well after sapling establishment in this temperate forest community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten economically important species belonging to the Tephritidae have been recorded in Union of the Comoros (an island nation off the coast of East Africa). Little is known about the distribution of these species and how they are affected by climatic factors in the Comoros archipelago. The main objectives of this study were to characterize: (i) the population dynamics of tephritid fruit flies in relation to season and host fruit availability and (ii) the geographic distribution of tephritids in relation to temperature and rainfall. The study was conducted during 2 years at 11 sites on three islands (Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli) in the archipelago. The site elevations ranged from 55 to 885 m a.s.l. At each site, flies were collected weekly in eight traps (four different lures, each replicated twice). Fruit phenology was also recorded weekly. The dominant tephritid species detected was the invasive Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel followed by Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann. Tephritid species were generally more abundant during the hot and rainy seasons than during the cold and dry seasons. Bactrocera dorsalis numbers were higher on Grande Comore than on the two other islands. On Anjouan and Mohéli, B. dorsalis numbers were very low in 2014 but sharply increased in 2015, suggesting a recent invasion of these islands. Abundances were significantly related to the fruiting of mango, strawberry guava, and guava for B. dorsalis and to the fruiting of mango, guava, and mandarin for C. capitata. Bactrocera dorsalis was more abundant in hot and humid low-altitude areas, while C. capitata was more abundant in dry medium-altitude areas, suggesting the occurrence of climatic niche partitioning between the two species. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Modeling species' habitat requirements are crucial to assess impacts of global change, for conservation efforts and to test mechanisms driving species presence. While the influence of abiotic factors has been widely examined, the importance of biotic factors and biotic interactions, and the potential implications of local processes are not well understood. Testing their importance requires additional knowledge and analyses at local habitat scale. Here, we recorded the locations of species presence at the microhabitat scale and measured abiotic and biotic parameters in three different common lizard ( Zootoca vivipara) populations using a standardized sampling protocol. Thereafter, space use models and cross-evaluations among populations were run to infer local processes and estimate the importance of biotic parameters, biotic interactions, sex, and age. Biotic parameters explained more variation than abiotic parameters, and intraspecific interactions significantly predicted the spatial distribution. Significant differences among populations in the relationship between abiotic parameters and lizard distribution, and the greater model transferability within populations than between populations are in line with effects predicted by local adaptation and/or phenotypic plasticity. These results underline the importance of including biotic parameters and biotic interactions in space use models at the population level. There were significant differences in space use between sexes, and between adults and yearlings, the latter showing no association with the measured parameters. Consequently, predictive habitat models at the population level taking into account different sexes and age classes are required to understand a specie's ecological requirements and to allow for precise conservation strategies. Our study therefore stresses that future predictive habitat models at the population level and their transferability should take these parameters into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1986, the UN ECE established the International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (hereinafter ICP Forests) to respond on the growing concern about forest damage caused since the beginning of eighties by air pollution load. Pan-European grid of the (ICP Forests) monitoring plots represents one of the most important systems of forest ecosystems assessing and checking. The Czech Republic is unfortunately well known due to this problem and so the country joined ICP Forest Programme since the very beginning. The paper presents general information on Czech forest stand condition that gained through various methods in the past as well as in the frame of ICP Forests. The participation in the International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP Forests) represents a contribution of the EU candidate country to the fulfillment of the Reg. (EEC) No. 3528/86. However it seems that effects and importance of air pollution are decreasing, a lot of new stress situations exists and there is a need for continuing the programme.

Amphibians have a huge species diversity, they are part of the food chain, an important substance of energy and carbon substance that are disturbed by amount of variable stress factors. A species Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the mold causing chytridiomycosis in frogs, has become a global environmental problem decimating amphibian populations in almost all continents. For this reason, it became the target of many science researches worldwide. The main aim of this paper is a general introduction of this species as well as its ecology and factors affecting its spread. A prerequisite is the knowledge of individual abiotic and biotic factors that may affect the development and expansion in its favour and thus extend chytrid fungi in different kinds of frogs and causing the death of individuals or entire populations. On the other hand, ecological factors can affect this species negatively and thus contribute to its regression. If the science wants to find out as effectively avoid the dissemination of B. dendrobatidis and thus the massive extinction of amphibians, there is a need to obtain detailed information especially about the ecology of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]