Background
Austropotamobius torrentium is a freshwater crayfish species native to central and south-eastern Europe, with an intricate evolutionary history and the highest genetic diversity recorded in the northern-central Dinarides (NCD). Its populations are facing declines, both in number and size across its entire range. By extanding current knowledge on the genetic diversity of this species, we aim to assist conservation programmes. Multigene phylogenetic analyses were performed using different divergence time estimates based on mitochondrial and, for the first time, nuclear DNA markers on the largest data set analysed so far. In order to reassess taxonomic relationships within this species we applied several species delimitation methods and studied the meristic characters with the intention of finding features that would clearly separate stone crayfish belonging to different phylogroups.
Results
Our results confirmed the existence of high genetic diversity within A. torrentium, maintained in divergent phylogroups which have their own evolutionary dynamics. A new phylogroup in the Kordun region belonging to NCD has also been discovered. Due to the incongruence between implemented species delimitation approaches and the lack of any morphological characters conserved within lineages, we are of the opinion that phylogroups recovered on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA are cryptic subspecies and distinct evolutionary significant units.
Conclusions
Geographically and genetically isolated phylogroups represent the evolutionary legacy of A. torrentium and are highly relevant for conservation due to their evolutionary distinctiveness and restricted distribution.
The aim of the paper is to evaluate the quality of water of the Mantovo Reservoir (Southeast Macedonia)based on physico-chemical parameters and the macrozoobenthos. Monthly sampling was performed during 2003 and 2004. Temperature and DO depth profile data indicate that the Mantovo Reservoir is a dimictic lake. Based on mean nutrient concentrations, the Mantovo Reservoir can be considered as being phosphorus-deficient. During the summer stratification, very high concentrations of Mn (2,819 μg/l)and Cu (147.6μg/l)were detected in the lower profundal. Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri was the dominant species, which indicates the presence of organic pollution. Dominance of Chaoborus crystallinus and decline in abundance of L. hoffmeisteri in the lower profundal indicate a deterioration of environmental status in the deepest part of the lake
Caddisfly specimens were collected with entomological net and ultraviolet light trap during 2016 and 2017 at eight localities in North Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia. During this investigation we found 13 species. Here we report first record of Chaetopteroides kosovarorum from North Macedonia, as well as new localities for this species in Kosovo and Serbia. This species belongs to an extremely rare genus, inhabiting only few mountainous areas in the Balkans, and until recently has been reported only from its type locality in Kosovo.Beside this, several other rare species were recorded during this investigation such as: Rhyacophila obtusa and Drusus botosaneanui.
Carabid fauna is not sufficiently explored in Central and Western Balkan areas, especially in mountain ecosystems with unique biodiversity which is a result of specific environmental factors and geologic history. Furthermore, distribution of species and adaptation to varying environmental parameters change along the altitudinal gradients. All this highlights the need for biodiversity and ecological studies in order to assess the state of the mountain ecosystems and conservation significance. Carabids as good bioindicator group can be used as a tool for monitoring those changes. The aim of this study was to analyse the differences of body size distribution and mean individual biomass (MIB) of ground beetle assemblages as a response of changing conditions and vegetation types along an altitudinal gradient on Belasitsa Mountain in south Macedonia. Both parameters significantly decreased with increasing altitude and were consequently associated with the vegetation type. Larger bodied individuals and higher values of MIB were recorded in the white oak and oriental hornbeam forest stands with the values decreasing in sessile oak forests towards submontane and montane beech forest stands. This research yielded first list of carabid species inhabiting Belasitsa Mountain with insight of carabid body length and biomass distribution along altitudinal gradient.
Category metric* Metric descriptive characteristics (as originally provided by Goforth and Bain (2010) Score Upper French Creek watershed, USA Goforth and Bain (2010)** calculation specifics Bregalnica watershed calculation specifics Supporting literature*** ***Considering that land use pressures do not act in isolation, much of the papers used as a supporting literature focus on both catchment and local scale, some dealing with the multiscale effects and interactive pathways of stressors and examined species specific responses.
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