Effective Knowledge and Conservation of Continental Molluscs in Brazil, South America, With Special Emphasis in Land Gastropods: The Current Situation

Currently, around 700 species of terrestrial gastropod mollusks are known to continental geographic territories of the Brazilian.country and South America together. Of these, only “twelve native terrestrial species” are officially listed in the List and Red Book of Brazilian Fauna Threatened with Extinction, as well as resulting in “Reflections Legislatures, State Red Books and Thematic Maps” parallel generated, all belonging to the subclass Pulmonata and order Stylommatophora, included in the families Bulimulidae (3 species), Megalobulimidae (5 species), Streptaxidae (1 species) and Strophocheilidae (3 species).

The Role of Sustainable Remediation in the Preservation of Biodiversity: Areas of Opportunities

Biodiversity is defined as the concentration and variety of plant and animal life forms on earth. According to Emani, “it is a vital corner stone for both the survival and welfare of our existence”. This is so because biodiversity provides an array of ecosystem services such as production of oxygen, sequestration of carbon, fixing of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), purification of air and water, stabilization of soil, and provision of biomass for food and energy. Biodiversity also supplies cultural benefits such as locations for recreation or aesthetic appreciation, societal feast, religious and ceremonial events. Moreover, biodiversity has economic value such as provision of food, fuel, fibers, pharmaceutical and building materials. All these serve as a source of income for those that harvest them. In other words, biodiversity has ecological, economic and sociocultural benefits.

Increasing Invasion of Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb.) Cavara and Grande and Change in the Understory Community across Eight Years in a Fragmented Illinois Woodland

Alliaria petiolata (Bieb.) Cavara and Grande, a European biennial herb, has been a serious invader of natural areas and woodland communities of North America where it has been blamed for decreases in native species richness and community complexity. Most studies are conducted in places where strong impacts are already apparent. Studies analyzing the role of invasive species in pushing native species towards extinction or extirpation and documentation of invasion history are needed. This study was conducted at a previously grazed woodlot of second growth hardwood.

Enhancing Biodiversity by Restoring Wetland Vegetation Communities in Irrigation Ponds

The survival and establishment rates of five different densities and compositions of Scirpus atrovirens, Carex lacustris and Sagittaria latifolia were tested in a pilot study at two irrigation ponds in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. Robust emergent wetland species were monitored to determine community assembly principles for water quality and biodiversity improvement in irrigation ponds. Growth trait and survival measurements were taken every two weeks in the growing season of 2011. A vegetation inventory occurred four times throughout the growing season. Using multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance (MANOVAR) we found that S. latifolia is capable of interspecific competition when planted in mixed plot plantings in semi-naturalized ponds. We found that S. atrovirens was more competitive in monoculture plantings in a pond community comprised of agricultural weed species. It is more difficult to establish C. lacustris making it a less suitable choice for restoration plantings in irrigation ponds. The findings suggest pre-restoration community composition will influence the survival establishment rates of some wetland plant species. Pond age may be an important determinant in the vegetative community composition in irrigation ponds.