Aurelia Koch » Germany
Danish Seaweed Diversity and Invasive Species
Macroalgae play an essential role in aquatic ecosystems. As the main contributor to primary production in the oceans, they are the base of the marine food web, supporting higher trophic levels. Moreover, they are important for habitat structure and the harbouring of a diverse range of species. Due to anthropogenic impacts, marine environments have suffered greatly. They have become depleted of hard substrates essential for the settlement of macroalgae. Additionally, as a result of climate change and eutrophication environmental conditions are changing in these fragile ecosystems. This study aims to determine the colonisation of artificial boulder reefs by macroalgae as well as assess the potential effects of various environmental factors on species diversity and succession. Parameters including dissolved inorganic nitrogen, dissolved inorganic phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, temperature and salinity were examined at multiple sampling sites in Vejle Fjord, Denmark. Macroalgae species were identified for this research and analysed using the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index. The relationship between environmental parameters and the species biomass volume was evaluated using Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA). Additionally, analyses of similarity percentage (SIMPER) were used to determine distinct community compositions at different sampling locations and dates. A total of 52 different species were found across five different sampling sites during the sampling period from August 2022 to October 2023. While no significant influence of the environmental parameters on the species diversity was detected, a significant difference in species composition was observed over the study period. However, differences for sampling locations were not apparent. The results provide insight into the succession of macroalgae at artificial reefs in fjord ecosystems. In the future, this approach may benefit from the incorporation of the identification of faunal species diversity, providing knowledge about the biodiversity in Danish fjords. This will make it easier to assess potential threats to the ecosystem and establish conservation strategies.
Michaela Petropoulou » Greece
Shades of Green: Exploring biodiversity in different forest areas.
Forests have been widely recognized for their importance in harbouring the majority of terrestrial biodiversity. The central part of continental Portugal is one of the main forested regions of the country and yet the specifics of its community dynamics are vastly understudied in most of its range. The aim of this study was an exploratory, comparative analysis of mammalian and avian diversity in different forest ecosystems occurring at central Portugal via remote monitoring techniques while contemplating implications for ecosystem functionality and service provision. The sampling sites included in the presentstudy design were located in four municipalities, namely Ansião, Castelo Branco, Lousã and Sabugal, which are characterized by diverse landscape mosaics. Both taxonomic and functional diversity metrics were found to differ significantly between those areas and a high degree of dissimilarity was observed. The results show that the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index is a good predictor of biodiversity, as it was found to have a positive relationship with diversity metrics. Regarding land cover, a significant difference was noticed, with eucalyptus plantations having lower biodiversity metrics than all other examined land cover classes, such as broadleaf forests or shrublands. The results of the present work offer a baseline for future investigations of finer resolutions, as well as a good indication of the implications of forest management and change to biodiversity conservation.
Darragh M. Farnan » Ireland
Age and Growth of Colossal squid Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, Robson 1925
"My project focuses the significance of the Colossal squid, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni in the Southern Ocean, particularly in terms of its ecological importance and the general role of cephalopods within the food web. As the largest cephalopod and invertebrate on the planet by weight it makes up a large proportion of the total cephalopod biomass in the Southern Ocean. Cephalopods, including squid and octopods, occupy multiple trophic levels in the Southern Ocean ecosystem. They act as a link between small mesopelagic fish, crustaceans, to higher predators such as albatross, seals, and whales. Despite their significance, many cephalopod species, including the Colossal squid, remain understudied. Traditional sampling methods for cephalopods are ineffective, necessitating alternative approaches, such as analysing cephalopod beaks. Beak microstructure analysis provides valuable insights into cephalopod age and growth patterns. This non-invasive approach contributes to the study of cephalopod populations and enhances our understanding of their ecology and dynamics."
"In my project I’m going to take the 30 beaks samples that had already been collected from the stomachs of predators in the Antarctic and analyse the micro increments in the beak structure. This is to establish an estimate for their growth at different life stages and an overall average lifespan of the species. I have 10 samples from the three different sectors of the Antarctic and will compare the data from these to determine if there are any regional differences in growth and age."
Guilhem Boyer » France
Bat diversity, habitat use and potential exposure to PPPs in an agricultural landscape of central Portugal
With the worldwide increase in the use of plant protection products (PPPs) and the conversion of forest habitats into agricultural land, bats are at greater risk of exposure than ever before. This study serves as a pilot project aiming at understanding bat habitat use and their potential exposure to plant protection products (PPPs) in agricultural landscapes dominated by permanent crops, specifically vineyards and olive groves. The study was developed in central Portugal, at Bairrada, one of the main wine-producing regions. The primary objectives were to assess the differences in bat species richness and habitat use between two crop types in contrasting landscape contexts and to evaluate the potential exposure of bats to PPPs through their insect prey. The research was conducted in two types of agricultural landscapes with different levels of complexity: low-intensive farmland characterised by smaller patches interspersed with natural and semi-natural structures and forest, and highly intensive farmland dominated by contiguous crop patches, and less interspersed with natural and semi-natural habitats. In both vineyards and olive groves, bat activity was recorded using Audiomoth devices, ground-dwelling arthropods were sampled with pitfall traps, foliage-dwelling arthropods were sampled via suction, and night-flying arthropods were sampled with the help of a white sheet and a suction device. Bat faeces were also collected in a nearby roosting site of the species Miniopterus schreibersii. Both faeces and arthropods were chemically analysed for traces of PPPs. In total, 13 bat species were detected across the study areas. Important species included Pipistrellus pipistrellus, which was the most abundant, Pipistrellus kuhlii which was particularly abundant in olive groves, and Eptesicus isabellinus, which showed high abundance in vineyards. Other species such as Hypsugo savii and Miniopterus schreibersii were also recorded, though Miniopterus schreibersii was less prevalent in agricultural areas. Bat activity and species richness were positively correlated with landscape complexity, with higher activity and species richness found in more complex landscapes. The same pattern was observed on arthropod richness. Both landscapes showed significantly different communities, being the major driver in explaining bat species assemblages; crop type played a less significant role. Most of the PPPs applied by the farmers were detected on the arthropods, showing potential exposure via prey consumption. However, no direct evidence of PPP exposure was found in bat faeces. This study highlights the need for further research, including the installation of bat boxes in agricultural areas, to better understand bats' exposure to PPPs and ensure their conservation in agricultural landscapes.