Search publications of the members of the Royal Belgian institute of natural Sciences
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Land and freshwater molluscs of mainland Ecuador: an illustrated checklist
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Two new species of Polydictya from Borneo and Siberut, and notes on P. chewi Nagai & Porion, 2004 and P. tan
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Multi-isotope evidence of diet (carbon and nitrogen) and mobility (strontium) at Neolithic Çatalhöyük
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Distribution and community structure of Ostracoda (Crustacea) in shallow waterbodies of southern Kenya
- The current study presents the ostracod communities recovered from 26 shallow waterbodies in southern Kenya, combined with an ecological assessment of habitat characteristics. A total of 37 waterbodies were sampled in 2001 and 2003, ranging from small ephemeral pools to large permanent lakes along broad gradients in altitude (700–2 800 m) and salinity (37–67 200 μS cm−1). Between 0 and 12 species were recorded per site. Lack of ostracods was associated with either hypersaline waters, or the presence of fish in fresh waters. Three of the 32 recovered ostracod taxa, Physocypria sp., Sarscypridopsis cf. elizabethae and Oncocypris mulleri, combined a wide distribution with frequent local dominance. Canonical correspondence analysis on species–environment relationships indicated that littoral vegetation, altitude, surface water temperature and pH best explain the variation in ostracod communities. Presence of fish and water depth also influence species occurrence, with the larger species being more common in shallow waterbodies lacking fish. Based on Chao’s estimator of total regional species richness, this survey recovered about two-thirds (60–68%) of the regional ostracod species pool. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) of the valve morphology of 14 ostracod taxa are provided, in order to facilitate their application in biodiversity and water-quality assessments and in palaeoenvironmental reconstruction.
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Spatiotemporal mortality and demographic trends in a small cetacean: Strandings to inform conservation management
- With global increases in anthropogenic pressures on wildlife populations comes a responsibility to manage them effectively. The assessment of marine ecosystem health is challenging and often relies on monitoring indicator species, such as cetaceans. Most cetaceans are however highly mobile and spend the majority of their time hidden from direct view, resulting in uncertainty on even the most basic population metrics. Here, we discuss the value of long-term and internationally combined stranding records as a valuable source of information on the demographic and mortality trends of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Sea. We analysed stranding records (n = 16,181) from 1990 to 2017 and demonstrate a strong heterogeneous seasonal pattern of strandings throughout the North Sea, indicative of season-specific distribution or habitat use, and season-specific mortality. The annual incidence of strandings has increased since 1990, with a notable steeper rise particularly in the southern North Sea since 2005. A high density of neonatal strandings occurred specifically in the eastern North Sea, indicative of areas important for calving, and large numbers of juvenile males stranded in the southern parts, indicative of a population sink or reflecting higher male dispersion. These findings highlight the power of stranding records to detect potentially vulnerable population groups in time and space. This knowledge is vital for managers and can guide, for example, conservation measures such as the establishment of time-area-specific limits to potentially harmful human activities, aiming to reduce the number and intensity of human-wildlife conflicts.
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Derde advies Bruinvisonderzoek. Bruinvisadviescommissie
- Na twee eerdere adviezen (Van der Meer et al. 2016, 2019) geeft deze notitie nog een aantal extra aanbevelingen naar aanleiding van het verschijnen van het concept van het aangepaste Nederlandse Bruinvisbeschermingsplan (Siemensma, 2020). Het belangrijkste advies is dat in de prioritering van het onderzoek en de monitoring beter gekeken moet worden naar hoe het onderzoek kan bijdragen aan daadwerkelijk te nemen beschermingsmaatregelen.
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Strandingen en waarnemingen van zeezoogdieren en opmerkelijke andere soorten in België in 2019 [Strandings and sightings of marine mammals and remarkable other species in Belgium in 2019]
- In 2019 51 harbour porpoises washed ashore: a low number compared to previous years. More than half of these animals were in a poor state of conservation, and for many no cause of death could be identified. Four harbour porpoises died due to bycatch in fishing gear, four others as a result of predation by a grey seal. The estimated density of porpoises at sea in June and August was approximately the average of the last years. The only other cetacean that was found stranded was a very decomposed common dolphin. As was the case last year, a solitary, sociable bottlenose dolphin was present for months in the region adjacent to French waters. Groups of bottlenose dolphins were observed on two occasions. More exceptional were the sightings of a humpback whale and a minke whale. The presence of seals at our coast is still on the rise. In the port of Nieuwpoort a permanent haulout site has established; it is frequently used by more than 10 harbour seals. Also sighting rates of grey seals are increasing. The increased presence of seals translates into increasing numbers of dead and dying seals on the beach: 47, the highest number ever recorded. SeaLife took care of 11 grey seals and 15 harbour seals. Two leatherback turtles and some ocean sunfish were observed in 2019. Their presence might have been related to an unusual influx of Atlantic water. For a stranded ocean sunfish, it is still being investigated which species it belonged to. Marine mammals remain very popular: some temporary or permanent exhibitions were opened in 2019, and the skeleton of a sperm whale that washed ashore in 1989 was excavated with the objective to preserve it and to put it on display.
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Gegevens over zeehonden in 2020
- Het KBIN voert, samen met een aantal wetenschappelijke instituten, al sinds het begin van de jaren 1990 onderzoek uit op zeezoogdieren die in België (en in mindere mate Noord-Frankrijk) aanspoelen. Hierover wordt regelmatig gerapporteerd in specifieke tijdschriften en in het kader van internationale verplichtingen. Sinds 2014 publiceert het instituut ook jaarrapporten over zeezoogdieren. Deze kunnen geraadpleegd worden op www.marinemammals.be/reports. In de tekst hieronder worden delen van vorige jaarrapporten overgenomen (Haelters et al., 2018; 2019; 2020) en wordt de (voorlopige) informatie van 2020 opgenomen. In de rapporten wordt verder ingegaan op de aantallen zeehonden bij ons en in onze buurlanden, over doodsoorzaken, over de opvang van zeehonden en de zin en onzin van dergelijke opvang. De onderliggende nota werd opgesteld op vraag van de stad Nieuwpoort, naar aanleiding van het aanspoelen van een aantal zeehonden die blijkbaar incidenteel gedood werden tijdens visserij-activiteiten eind 2020. Een aantal van de zeehonden die in 2020 aanspoelden dient nog te worden onderzocht. De onderstaande resultaten zijn dus nog preliminair, maar zullen naar verwachting niet meer grondig wijzigen.
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A case study on the growth of Lanice conchilega (Pallas, 1766) aggregations and their ecosystem engineering impact on sedimentary processes
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Surf zone fauna of Ecuadorian sandy beaches: Spatial and temporal patterns
- Sandy beaches and their surf zones are the most common open shoreline habitat; however, surf zone fauna in the tropics is one of the least studied communities in the world. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that Ecuadorian surf zone hyperbenthos (invertebrates and vertebrates 1–5 mm in length) and epibenthos (fish and macrocrustaceans N 5 mm in length) vary among beaches and seasons. Therefore, the fauna was described and related to environmental variables. In addition, indicator taxa were identified. The hyperbenthos was divided into holo- and mero-hyperbenthos depending on whether taxa were present during their entire life or only early life stages, respectively. Sampleswere collected at eight different beaches during thewet, dry and intermediate or transitional season during the low spring tide, from 1999 to 2000, using a hyperbenthic sledge and epibenthic trawl. A total of 447 hyperbenthic and 30 epibenthic taxawere collected, most of which were crustaceans and fish, respectively (52 and 60% of taxa). The mysid, Metamysidopsis sp.,was the most abundant member of the hyperbenthos (average±SD: 14,425±40,039 ind. 100m−2, present in 92% of samples collected), and the swimming blue crab, Areneus mexicanus, was the most encountered species among the epibenthos (1 ± 1 ind. 100 m−2, 97% of samples collected). All faunal groups varied among beaches, while the holo-hyperbenthos and less strongly the epibenthos varied among seasons. Variability in the three faunas among beaches, distance from the continental slope and the Guayas estuarine system, and beach water physical characteristics were all strongly correlated suggesting adjacent habitats can influence surf zone biological communities and water physical characteristics. Seasonal effects were related to changes inwater physical characteristics among seasons potentially reflecting changes in oceanic currents. These results suggest that, similarly to other beaches around the world, Ecuadorian surf zone fauna is abundant, diverse, and vary among beaches and, for some faunal groups, among seasons, potentially due to the influence of adjacent habitats and seasonal changes in oceanic currents.
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A techno-economic approach for capacity assessment and ranking of potential options for geological storage of CO2 in Austria
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Historische waarneming van narwal in België
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Toxoplasma gondii in stranded marine mammals from the North Sea and Eastern Atlantic Ocean: Findings and diagnostic difficulties
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Ze bleven maar komen: potvissen op de stranden van de zuidelijke Noordzee in het voorjaar van 2016
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Stranding van een levende reuzenhaai (Cetorhinus maximus) te De Panne
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ASCOBANS Annual National Report: Belgium
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Hoe lawaaierig is de oceaan?
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Crassicauda boopis in a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) ship-struck in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean
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Arctic climate fugitives?
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Annual National Report 2016: Belgium.
