Estuaries are highly degraded ecosystems throughout the world. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the biology and ecology, and the effects of contaminants on mangrove-associated micro and macroalgae, and assess their suitability in the biological assessment of estuaries. Ecological surveys over two seasonal cycles, in four estuaries in New South Wales, Austraba, the Cooks, Parrama...

background and objectives: phytoplanktons are organisms with a very high diversities and global distribution in different habitats. the high distribution of phytoplankton is due to ecological flexibility and their ability to tolerate different climatic conditions and environmental stress. phytoplankton is the most sensitive biological indicators of water resources. the purpose of this study was...

An individual-based, spatially explicit stochastic lattice model, CAPS, was designed to examine multiple processes responsible for spatial patterns of abundance and diversity of sessile species in heterogeneous landscapes. Species simulated by CAPS differ in habitat preferences (niche width), dispersal of propagules, and relative fecundity. The spatial distribution of habitat types are represen...

Data from a global network of large, permanent plots in lowland tropical forests demonstrate (1) that the phenomenon of tropical tree rarity is real and (2) that almost all the species diversity in such forests is due to rare species. Theoretical and empirically based reasoning suggests that many of these rare species are not as geographically widespread as previously thought. These findings su...

Large-scale research vessel surveys were conducted annually from 1986 through 1990 by the US National Marine Fisheries Service to monitor the abundance of dolphin populations in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP). Stratified line-transect surveys with two vessels sampled an area of 19 x 106 km2. Sightings of all cetaceans were recorded, leading to the identification of 29 species. Distrib...

Empirical evidence indicates that both niche breadth and resource availability are key drivers of a species' local abundance patterns. However, most studies have considered the influence of either niche breath or resource availability in isolation, while it is the interactive effects that are likely to influence local abundance. We examined geographic variation in the feeding ecology and distri...

Aquatic systems in Nigeria have suffered stress induced by human activities which alter the natural composition of water resources. This study investigated diversity, distribution and abundance fish species Lake Asejire. The lake was partitioned based on accessibility into upper, middle lower sections for study. Fish were sampled using monofilament gill nets with stretched mesh sizes ranging fr...

Urbanization is rapidly enveloping isolated remnants of Sonoran Desert habitat in southern Arizona. Understanding the means by which herpetofaunal elements can persist in these habitats in the face of multiple impacts is vital to conservation efforts to retain intact biotic communities, especially those with a high diversity of reptile species. We surveyed twelve preserves in the Phoenix Metrop...