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Mid-Ludfordian carbon isotope records from open marine settings – deep-water claydominated and carbonate shelf (Lithuania) /
No full textThirty years in the service of botany /
No full textA brief overview of the thirty-year history of the scientific journal Botanica (published as Botanica Lithuanica in 1995–2017) is presented. From 2024 onwards, the journal will be published four times a year, and the fully processed articles will be immediately available online on the journal’s website
Overview of the vegetation on disused peat extraction sites of the Šepeta peatland.
No full textT he paper presents data on the vegetation emerging in the disused peat mining fields in the southeastern part of the Šepeta peatland. Two disused peat mining fields covering the area of the former slope pine forests and flarks were route-surveyed following the countour lines of the vegetable plots visible in orthophotos. Species diversity of the vegetation cover in various habitats (open and semi-open, herbaceous, tree-covered, aquatic and riparian) is characterized. T he human-induced habitat diversity in the disused Šepeta peatland fields creates favorable conditions for the spread of not only typical bog plant species (Eriophorum vaginatum, Polytrichum strictum) but also of those from the surrounding areas (Equisetum pratense, E. palustre, Calamagrostis epigejos, Juncus effusus), birch trees (Betula pubescens, B. pendula and their hybrids) as well as synantropic (Plantago major, Potentiila anserina), nitrophylous (Aegopodium podagraria, Anthriscus sylvestris, Chaerophyllum aromaticum, Chenopodium album), alien (Erigeron annuus, Erucastrum gallicum, Potentilla norvegica) and invasive (Campylopus introflexus) ones. In Lithuania, Huperzia appressa, which was discovered in the studied area during this survey, was reported only from peatlands until now
Helminth parasites of invasive freshwater fish in Lithuania /
No full textFreshwater ecosystems in Lithuania are threatened by the introduction of invasive fish species including Neogobius fluviatilis, N. melanostomus, Perccottus glenii, and Pseudorasbora parva. Data on helminth parasites of these fishes have not been comprehensively studied, with only two reports on parasites of N. melanostomus from the Curonian Lagoon and Baltic Sea, Lithuania. We examined 278 fish individuals representing 4 invasive species from 13 waterbodies. Using morphological and molecular analyses, we identified 29 helminth taxa representing 15 digenean trematodes, 6 nematodes, 4 cestodes, 2 acanthocephalans, and 2 monogeneans. With 18 species, N. fluviatilis had the highest helminth diversity, followed by N. melanostomus (11 species) and Ps. parva (8 species). Perccottus glenii was found to be free from helminth infection. The availability of historical information on the native fish parasites in Lithuania allowed us to conclude that out of the 29 recorded species, invasive fish serve as hosts for 22 local fish helminth species, while 7 helminth species have been reported exclusively in invasive fish. Based on newly obtained and previously published data, a total of 34 helminth species parasitise invasive fish in Lithuania, of which 30 use these fish as intermediate or paratenic hosts
Survey on mosquito larvae in different water bodies in Lithuania /
No full textThe aim of this research was to evaluate mosquito species diversity and seasonality, and to determine relationships between investigated parameters of mosquito breeding environment and the presence and abundance of mosquito larvae of different species in water bodies. For that, large-scale mosquito larval collections were made in different water bodies in Lithuania using a standard dipper. In 2021 and 2022, samples were collected from the end of March to October and from April to July, respectively and were done once or twice a month. Physical and chemical parameters (water temperature, pH, amounts of nitrites and nitrates, the water body size, bottom coverage, exposure to the sunlight, and temporality of each water body) were evaluated. A total of 5,392 mosquito larvae were collected from 134 water bodies (606 samples as each water body was investigated several times during the season). 25 mosquito species have been identified. Results of multiple regression analysis revealed that the abundance of larvae of some mosquito species is related to the collection time, temporality of the water body, the amount of nitrates in water, pH level and bottom coverage. Redundancy analysis showed that mosquito species abundance and diversity are significantly influenced by water tem-perature, pH values, and amount of nitrogen
Leptometa cynthia – a new species from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae, Lasiocampinae, Argudini) /
No full textA new species of the genus Leptometa Aurivillius, 1927, Leptometa cynthia sp. n., is described from the rich Congolian forests. The new species is compared with the morphologically closest and sympatric Leptometa sapelensis Aurivillius, 1927 (type locality “Nigeria: Sapele”). Adult males and their genitalia are illustrated
Description of two outstanding Hypotrabala from the Central Congolian lowland forests (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae, Lasiocampinae, Selenepherini) /
No full textTwo new Hypotrabala Holland, 1893 species, Hypotrabala michaeli sp. n. and H. oliviae sp. n., are described from the Central Congolian lowland forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Hypotrabala michaeli sp. n. is compared with other dark colored Hypotrabala species: Hypotrabala leopoldi Weber et al., 2024; Hypotrabala benjamini Weber et al., 2024; and Hypotrabala carnegiei Tams, 1929; while H. oliviae sp. n. is compared with closely related Hypotrabala retorta Takano & László, 2024; Hypotrabala fontainei Tams, 1953;
Adelphomyia crane flies (Diptera, Limoniidae) of Korea with identification key for all Palaearctic species /
No full textLimnophilinae crane flies belonging to the genus Adelphomyia Bergroth, 1891 of the Korean Peninsula were studied starting from 1937, but only one species A. macrotrichiata (Alexander, 1923) has been recorded from North Korea so far. The genus was unknown from South Korea. Four species were found during our studies on the Peninsula, one of them from Jeju Island described as new, Adelphomyia jejuana Podenas, sp. nov. Three species are recorded from both northern and southern parts of the Peninsula. Specimens on which was based the record of A. macrotrichiata from North Korea was misidentified and no more specimens were collected; therefore, A. macrotrichiata is deleted from the Korean species list. Habitat, elevation range, and seasonality data is presented for each species. Images of taxonomically important morphological characters, and an identification key for all Palaearctic species of the genus Adelphomyia are presented. Distribution maps are presented for all Korean species
Harmful blooms across a longitudinal gradient in central Europe during heatwave: Cyanobacteria biomass, cyanotoxins, and nutrients /
No full textClimate change has increased the frequency, duration and intensity of heatwaves in Europe. These extreme events result in alterations of physical, chemical, and biological properties of lakes that may synergistically promote cyanobacterial dominance. In our study we focused on cyanobacterial blooms in lakes distributed over a longitudinal gradient in Central Europe during one of the “top ten European heat waves” in summer 2015. 92 lakes were included in the study, located across three climatic subregions: cool northern lakes, situated in Lithuania, temperate northern lakes in Poland, and warm northern lakes in Croatia. The objective of the study was to determine if cyanobacterial biomass, predominant species, and cyanotoxin concentration differed, across the south-north gradient, as a function of water temperature, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen. Statistical significance of observed patterns was tested using the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test and the generalized linear model. We found the lowest average epilimnion temperature, but the highest average cyanobacterial biomass in the northern, ‘cool’ lakes while the highest average temperature with the lowest average cyanobacterial biomass in the southern, ‘warm’ lakes. The concentration of cyanotoxins was also the highest in the ‘cool’ lakes. Total phosphorus and total nitrogen correlated significantly with cyanobacterial biomass, cyanotoxins concentration and biomass of some cyanobacterial species (mainly Planktothrix agardhii), regardless of the latitude. Only in the ‘cool’ lakes concentration of cyanotoxins (microcystins and anatoxin-a) correlated significantly with cyanobacterial biomass and the biomass of some dominant cyanobacterial species (P. agardhii). Our results emphasized the differences of heat weaves impact on lakes of various latitudes, with the strongest increase in toxic cyanobacterial blooms in northern ‘cool’ lakes, situated in high latitudes. On the other hand, nutrients directly enhanced blooms across all the studied latitudes of Central Europe. The cyanobacteria species dominating in blooms might be recognized as ecological indicators of climate change, especially in the north-eastern part of Europe
Low juvenile survival threatens the Black Stork Ciconia nigra in northern Europe /
No full textDetecting factors causing the decline of wildlife populations provides essential knowledge for their effective conservation. Populations of Black Stork Ciconia nigra are decreasing in northern Europe; however, there are no detailed analyses of its survival, which frequently is a key demographic parameter affecting population dynamics in long-lived species. We used long-term data from re-sighted colour-ringed birds and satellite-tracked birds to estimate age- and sex-specific survival in a rapidly declining Black Stork population in the Baltic region at the northern end of the European range. Apparent survival (0.89) among colour-ringed birds older than one year was not significantly different from the previously reported estimates in Central Europe and the estimated real survival of GPS-tracked birds (0.77). However, the apparent survival of first-year (1y) birds was only 0.04, which is remarkably lower than earlier estimates in Central Europe. The real survival of GPS-tracked 1y birds was somewhat higher (0.11), but still much lower than estimates in other long-lived species. Apparent survival was three times lower in 1y females (0.013) than 1y males (0.045); this could be explained in part by a higher mean natal dispersal of females (189.1 km), compared with that of males (72.0 km), as well as by sex-specific mortality due to poor foraging conditions. There were no significant differences in apparent survival between the male and female storks older than one year. To better address the population decline, further research is needed to determine the factors causing low survival in young Black Storks, including the roles of food availability and climate change