Ecological studies of the aquatic soil invertebrates in three inundation forests of Central Amazonia

From January 1971 till August 1972 ecological studies were carried out on the aquatic macroinvertebrates of the benthos community of three Central-Amazonian inundation forests. The three investigated forests were chosen according to the influence of different water types. These forests were: 1. a site with an inflow of whitewater on Ilha de Curarí, 2. a site in a mixed water area at Lago Janauarí, and 3. a site in a black water area at Rio Tarumã Mirím. The annual water level fluctuations caused similar ecological conditions concerning seasonal changes, whereas the differences between the forests depended on the inflow of the different water types. The benthos composition differs according to the inundation forest type. Stenecious species, occurring only in one of the three forests, as well as euryecious species, inhabiting the three forests, were found. In addition many species were obtained which live either in white and mixed water or in mixed and black water. The soil invertebrates adapted to the annual water level fluctuations. The most common adaptation may be seasonal dispersal, being developed as a migration or a translocation. Migrations could be detected for Campsurus notatus and Eupera simoni in white respectively mixed water. In black waters numerous species show a translocation, caused by the oxygen deficit of the deep water. A diapause stage can be assumed for Eupera simoni. This dormant stage enables the bivalve to persist in the forest during the dry period. Brasilocaenís irmleri assumingly transports its eggs by the current in optimal habitats, where it develops rapidly in 14-21 days. A dependence on the forest habitat was detected for some species of the mixed and black water. Other species of the inundation area, particularly of the white water area, are not dependent on the forest habitat. In addition to seasonal changes in the benthos composition, a vertical stratification was found. The inundation forest can be subdivided in a river or lake near part, a central part, and a terra firme near part. The intestinal content studies on the soil invertebrates and the oxygen conditions in the three inundation forests indicate the probable different breakdown of the litter in the forest of the várzea on the one hand and the igapó on the other hand. Secondary productions could be estimated for the white water area with 10-15 g/m2 and year and for the mixed water area with 90-110 g/m2 and year. In the inundation forest of the mixed water, having the highest production of the three forests, environmental factors like oxygen concentration, sedimentation etc. and trophic factors offer favourable conditions for the inhabitation of the benthos

Temperature dependant generationcycle for the cicindelid beetle Pentacomia egregia CHAUD. (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae) of the Amazon valley

Experiments with the cicindelid beetle Pentacomia egregia, living in the floodplain forests of the Amazon river, indicate the temperature to induce the habitat change of the beetles and reproductive cycle of the females

New Neotropical species of the genera Clavilispinus, Aneucamptus, Thoracophorus, and Holotrochus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Osoriinae)

The collections of Snow Entomological Museum, Natural History Museum of the University of Kansas (SEM), Lawrence (Kansas, U.S.A.) and of the Canadian National Collections of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes (CNC), Ottawa (Ontario, Canada) were examined for Neotropical species of the genera Clavilispinus, Aneucamptus, Thoracophorus, and Holotrochus. Eleven new species have been detected: Clavilispinus mariannae, Aneucamptus geroi, Thoracophotus susannae, T. rugosus, T. rufotestaceus, T. columbinus, T. tricolor, T. inpai, T. araucoensis, Holotrochus siolii and Holotrochus danoffburgi

Population-ecology and migration of Dero multibranchiata STIEREN, 1892 (Naididae, Oligochaeta) in the Central Amazon inundation forest

The influences of different substances on the population dynamics of the naidid Dero multibranchiata of the Central Amazonian inundated forests have been investigated. The most important factors are the kind of diet and the oxygen concentration. The speed of migration of the naidid species has been determined, which depends on the attractivity of leaf powder

Raum- Zeit-Muster von Regenwurmpopulationen bei der Umstellung zum ökologischen Landbau

The earthworm communities on agricultural fields of “Hof Ritzerau” (Germany, Schleswig-Holstein) have been investigated from 2001 to 2005 on 85 sampling sites. The management of agricultural fields changed to organic farming during the period. Both Aporrectodea caliginosa and Lumbricus rubellus correlated with organic content of the soil and rainfall respectively. Only Lumbricus terrestris responded on the change from conventional to organic farming

Population-dynamic and physiological adaptation of Pentacomia egregia CHAUD. (Col., Cicindelidae) to the Amazonian inundation forest

The Cicindelidae Pentacomia egregia CHAUD. shows an interesting population-dynamic and physiological adaptation to life in the inundation forest. The larval development lies in the dry season, whereas the imago live on trees in the high water season. The beetle orients itself skototactically on the water when at a height of 16° above the water surface a black area is offered to it and reacts positively phototactically on dry land

The structure of the carabid- and staphylinid-community in Central Amazonian inundation forests

In drei verschiedenen zentralamazonischen Überschwemmungswäldern (Várzeawälder im Weißwasser- und Mischwassergebiet und Igapó im Schwarzwassergebiet) wurde in einem "transect" die epigäische Carabiden- und Staphylinidenfauna untersucht. Als Sammelmethodik wurden sowohl Formalinfallen aufgestellt, als auch die direkte Untersuchung in einem Quadratrahmen (33 x 33 cm) durchgeführt. Insgesamt wurden 127 Carabiden- und 192 Staphylinidenarten erbeutet. Keine der Arten war in allen drei Überschwemmungswäldern dominant und nur ein geringer Prozentsatz der Arten war in allen drei Überschwemmungswäldern vertreten. Die meisten untersuchten Arten zeigten ein deutliches Maximum im zeitlichen und vertikalen Auftreten. Stabile Lebensgemeinschaften scheinen zu Anfang der emersen Phase noch nicht zu bestehen. Sie werden erst im Laufe der emersen Phase aufgebaut und gliedern sich in eine Gemeinschaft der oberen und eine der unteren Bereiche. Beide Gemeinschaften werden mit der erneuten Überschwemmung anscheinend katastrophenähnlich zerstört. Die Artdiversität zeigt im Gegensatz zur Individuendichte keinen charakteristischen jahresperiodischen Verlauf. Dagegen ist eine deutliche vertikale Gliederung der Artdiversität in den beiden Várzeawäldern zu erkennen. Hohe Diversitätswerte erscheinen in den oberen und unteren Bereichen der Várzeawälder, was auf den Oecotoncharakter dieser Gebiete zurückgeführt wird. Die Artdiversität und die "species eveness" scheint von den Várzeawäldern zum Igapó geringfügig anzusteigen (statistisch nur in einem Fall nachweisbar). Dieser Diversitätsgradient wurde mit der unterschiedlichen Stabilität und dem Stoffhaushalt der drei Überschwemmungswälder erklärt

Time Resolution of a Few Nanoseconds in Silicon Strip Detectors Using the APV25 Chip

The APV25 front-end chip for the CMS Silicon Tracker has a peaking time of 50 ns, but confines the signal to a single clock period (=bunch crossing) with its internal “deconvolution” filter. This method requires a beam-synchronous clock and thus cannot be applied to a (quasi-) continuous beam. Nevertheless, using the multi-peak mode of the APV25, where 3 (or 6,9,12,...) consecutive shaper output samples are read out, the peak time can be reconstructed externally with high precision. Thus, offtime hits can be discarded which results in significant occupancy reduction. We will describe this method, results from beam tests and the intended implementation in an upgrade of the BELLE Silicon Vertex Detector

A complete checklist with new records and geographical distribution of the rove beetles (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) of Brazil

This paper presents the first comprehensive list of 2,688 species of Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) recorded from Brazil. The list is based on the taxonomic and ecological literature, and new records from some insect collections, and includes locality references for each species. In addition, Brazilian localities and the country-level distribution outside of Brazil are provided for each species. Brazilian localities are organized by state, and include the bibliographic reference and page number where each locality was reported. All localities are geo-referenced, organized by state, and listed in an Appendix.Este trabalho apresenta a primeira lista completa das 2.688 espécies de Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) registradas para o Brasil. A lista inclui todas as localidades citadas para cada espécie e baseia-se na literatura taxonômica e ecológica disponíveis. Cada localidade inclui a referência bibliográfica e o número da página onde foram citadas. Também são apresentados registros inéditos obtidos de algumas coleções de insetos. Além das localidades brasileiras são citados todos os países com ocorrência conhecida para cada espécie. As localidades brasileiras, listadas no Apêndice, estão organizadas por estado e georreferenciadas

Artenvielfalt von Lauf- und Kurzflügelkäfern während der Umstellung zum ökologischen Landbau

The aim of the investigation was to analyse the changes of the beetle community (Col.: Carabidae, Staphylinidae), corresponding to the step-to-step conversion to organic farming on arable fields of “Hof Ritzerau” (Germany, Schleswig-Holstein) between 2001 and 2004. While number of species decreased continuously, diversity showed different reactions. The impact of precipitation seemed to be much higher then the consequences of husbandry