This document provides a list of terms and abbreviations in the context of orchestration, automation and virtualisation. Definitions were provided based on standardisation documents whenever possible, some also extended to reflect the understanding of the terms as used by a large number of NRENs in the GÉANT community. As of version 1.1, the document has also been adopted by the GNA-G Network Automation working group as their reference terminology.

Version 1.1.

Aim: Woodlands make up a third of European territory and carry out important ecosystem functions, yet a comprehensive overview of their invasion by alien plants has never been undertaken across this continent. Location: Europe. Methods: We extracted data from 251,740 vegetation plots stored in the recently compiled European Vegetation Archive. After filtering (resulting in 83,396 plots; 39 regions; 1970–2015 time period), we analysed the species pool and frequency of alien vascular plants with respect to geographic origin and life-forms, and the levels of invasion across the European Nature Information System (EUNIS) woodland habitats. Results: We found a total of 386 alien plant species (comprising 7% of all recorded vascular plants). Aliens originating from outside of and from within Europe were almost equally represented in the species pool (192 vs. 181 species) but relative frequency was skewed towards the former group (77% vs. 22%) due, to some extent, to the frequent occurrence of Impatiens parviflora (21% frequency among alien plants). Phanerophytes were the most species-rich life-form (148 species) and had the highest representation in terms of relative frequency (39%) among aliens in the dataset. Apart from Europe (181 species), North America was the most important source of alien plants (109 species). At the local scale, temperate and boreal softwood riparian woodland (5%) and mire and mountain coniferous woodland (<1%) had the highest and lowest mean relative alien species richness (percentage of alien species per plot), respectively. Main conclusions: Our results indicate that European woodlands are prone to alien plant invasions especially when exposed to disturbance, fragmentation, alien propagule pressure and high soil nutrient levels. Given the persistence of these factors in the landscape, competitive alien plant species with a broad niche, including alien trees and shrubs, are likely to persist and spread further into European woodlands.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ddi.12592

Alien plant invasions in European woodlands

Despite recent efforts to develop the science of reintroduction biology, there is still no general and broadly accepted definition of reintroduction success. We investigate this issue based on the postulates (1) that successful reintroduction programs should produce viable populations and (2) that reliable assessments of ultimate success require that populations have reached their regulation phase. We assessed if the viability of these reintroduced populations could be evaluated using the same criteria as for remnant populations, such as the Internation Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List criteria. Using modeling, we projected the viabilities of theoretical populations with various life history and environmental characteristics and we tested whether population sizes (criterion D of the IUCN) and other potential predictors are relevant proxies of the risk of extinction (criterion E of the IUCN) in the case of remnant populations with an unknown past history and in the case of reintroduced populations that have reached their carrying capacity. We found that, as for remnant populations, population size can be used as a relevant indicator (although subject to considerable uncertainty) of the viability of reintroduced populations. However, the results demonstrate the importance of the reintroduction failure filter, that is, the fact that the reintroduced populations that have successfully reached their carrying capacity are those with the highest and more stable growth rates, especially if populations have been reintroduced with a few individuals. As a consequence, the general relationship between the current size of a population and its projected viability will, most likely, differ considerably between remnant and reintroduced populations. Overall, our results demonstrate that there are no theoretical limitations on the application of some of the criteria widely used for remnant populations to define reintroduction success, although these criteria are very conservative for reintroduced populations and might be rescaled to account for the demographic filter that early extinction constitutes for these populations.

Defining reintroduction success using IUCN criteria for threatened species: a demographic assessment

AIM: Cetaceans are inherently difficult to study due to their elusive, pelagic and often highly migratory nature. New Zealand waters are home to 50% of the world's cetacean species, but their spatial distributions are poorly known. Here, we model distributions of 30 cetacean taxa using an extensive at‐sea sightings dataset (n > 14,000) and high‐resolution (1 km²) environmental data layers. LOCATION: New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). METHODS: Two models were used to predict probability of species occurrence based on available sightings records. For taxa with <50 sightings (n = 15), Relative Environmental Suitability (RES), and for taxa with ≥50 sightings (n = 15), Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) models were used. Independently collected presence/absence data were used for further model evaluation for a subset of taxa. RESULTS: RES models for rarely sighted species showed reasonable fits to available sightings and stranding data based on literature and expert knowledge on the species' autecology. BRT models showed high predictive power for commonly sighted species (AUC: 0.79–0.99). Important variables for predicting the occurrence of cetacean taxa were temperature residuals, bathymetry, distance to the 500 m isobath, mixed layer depth and water turbidity. Cetacean distribution patterns varied from highly localised, nearshore (e.g., Hector's dolphin), to more ubiquitous (e.g., common dolphin) to primarily offshore species (e.g., blue whale). Cetacean richness based on stacked species occurrence layers illustrated patterns of fewer inshore taxa with localised richness hotspots, and higher offshore richness especially in locales of the Macquarie Ridge, Bounty Trough and Chatham Rise. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Predicted spatial distributions fill a major knowledge gap towards informing future assessments and conservation planning for cetaceans in New Zealand's extensive EEZ. While sightings datasets were not spatially comprehensive for any taxa, these two best available approaches allow for predictive modelling of both more common, and of rarely sighted, cetacean species with limited available information.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ddi.13035

Modelling the spatial distribution of cetaceans in New Zealand waters

Wildfires are among the basic ecological factors that change habitats and initiate the succession of new forest communities. Burned areas are ephemeral habitats presenting a broad range of ecological niches that many insect species may exploit. In 2016, we studied the carabid fauna in burned pine forests of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve (European Russia). Sixty carabid beetles in total were collected in an unburned (control) area and on sites damaged by crown fire and surface fire. Carabids were more numerous and diverse in the burned areas, compared to the unburned forest, while the catch index was significantly higher in unburned area. This was due to the extremely high dynamic density of Carabus arcensis on the control site, while it was ten times lower in the burned area. The number of carabid species tended to increase in the sequence unburned forest – forest impacted by surface fire – forest impacted by crown fire. Expectedly, species compositions were more similar between firedamaged areas, while there was a higher difference between the unburned site and area damaged by crown fire. Concerning trophic group classification, all carabid beetles were distinguished in two groups, zoophagous species and myxophytophagous species. In both groups, the species number increases in the sequence from unburned areas to the forest impacted by crown fire. Finally, the dynamic density of some carabids (e.g. Poecilus lepidus, P. versicolor, Harpalus tardus, H. rufipes, H. rubripes, Cicindela sylvatica) largely increased after fire impact, while it decreased for the most other species. Our results suggest that burning of the forest stand may support some carabid species, i.e. larger forest fire increases species richness of beetle fauna. The highest dynamic density of the carabids is maintained by a few beetle species (Carabus arcensis, C. hortensis, Pterostichus oblongopunctatus).

/pdf/post-fire-fauna-of-carabid-beetles-coleoptera-carabidae-in-1yhco4ufov.pdf

Post-fire fauna of carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in forests of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve (Russia)

/pdf/estimation-of-taxa-included-in-the-first-volume-of-the-red-5nal2w41ca.pdf

Estimation of taxa included in the first volume of the Red Data Book of the Republic of Mordovia (Russia) using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria

Abstract Wildfire is regarded as important environmental factor determining the vegetation of the Earth. We analyzed 11 plots at different types of forest affected by fire at the southern boundary of the taiga zone. These differ in structure of the forest stand and herb-shrub layer. Investigated factors included edaphic (moisture, pH, nitrogen) and climatic (light, temperature, continentality) characteristics. Also, projective cover of Epilobium angustifolium L. and undergrowth of secondary growth trees (including forest stand survived after fire influence) were studied. Multivariate data analysis revealed that the rate and character of the vegetation recovery was depended on the ratio of environmental factors and on the species composition of herb-shrub layer. No significant differences were found in Ellenberg’s indicator values between different years of study. All tested forest habitats were distinguished into three main groups: Group I includes broadleaf forests with the forest stand survived after fire influence, Group II includes spruce and birch forests deprived the forest stand due to fire impact, Group III includes more or less dry pine-dominated forests with the forest stand gradually died after fire influence. Two marshy plots have prerequisites to their allocation to a separate group close to the oligotrophic bog forests.

/pdf/vegetation-recovery-in-fire-damaged-forests-a-case-study-at-30cslldqgm.pdf

Vegetation recovery in fire-damaged forests: a case study at the southern boundary of the taiga zone

Cypripedium calceolus is considered as one of the flagship plant species of nature conservation. It is legally protected throughout Eurasia. Due to its wide distribution range, this Eurasian species could be considered as Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered taxon. We performed an analysis of the status for some C. calceolus populations in Central Russia located in the Republic of Mordovia, with emphasis on populations situated in the federal protected areas. The aim of our study was to asses the modern state and the endangerment of C. calceolus populations. The environment conditions and species composition in five habitats with rare species in Mordovia were compared using phytoindication methods. Changes in stage spectrum and total abundance dynamics in C. calceolus populations over 2011–2016 were estimated and compared with available data from other locations within species’ range. Reproductive ability of populations from the federal protected area, Mordovia State Nature Reserve, were studied. The results showed that C. calceolus grows in three habitat types that differed in environment conditions and floristic composition. Convallaria majalis was the only species registered in all studied locations, together with C. calceolus. In Central Russia this species occurs in broad-leaved, coniferous and mixed forests. The three populations of C. calceolus within the Mordovia State Nature Reserve and National Park “Smolny” were characterized by the dominance of vegetative individuals in stage spectrum, while generative plants predominated in two other populations located in mixed forests. No correlation between total abundance of individuals and stage spectrum in populations of threatened species has been found over the study period. The population in Mordovia Reserve showed a higher fruit set (36.7% as a mean) than others reported within its range. Continued population monitoring of C. calceolus in Central Russia from different habitat types is suggested. Generalization of jointly obtained demographic, ecological, phytocoenological data will be appropriate in order to develop measures for conservation and management of C. calceolus habitats.

https://revistaclinicahsjd.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/lankesteriana/article/download/31577/31403

Cypripedium calceolus (orchidaceae) in central russia: a case study for its populations in two protected areas in the republic of mordovia (russia)

There are 15 plant species included in the Russian Red Book, which occur in the Republic of Mordovia: Najas tenuissima, Koeleria sclerophylla, Stipa dasyphylla, S. pennata, S. pulcherrima, S. zalesskii, Fritillaria ruthenica, Iris aphylla, Cypripedium calceolus, Cephalanthera rubra, Epipogium aphyllum, Neottianthe cucullata, Orchis militaris, Neotinea ustulata, Thymus cimicinus. Of these, only C. calceolus is included in the Global Red List as Critically Endangered. Threat status for studied species in Mordovia was assessed, and their distribution dynamics in this region throughout 12 years was described. Recent floristic studies, inspections of herbariums and literature were used for searches all provided data. Grid mapping and IUCN criteria were used. Nine taxa were determined as Critically Endangered, three as Endangered, one as Vulnerable, one as Near Threatened and one as Data Deficient. The areas of occupancy and extent of occurrence in Mordovia were assessed for each taxon. All studied species should be included in the next edition of the Mordovian Red Book. F. ruthenica, E. aphyllum, N. ustulata, T. cimicinus require additional studies to confirm earlier observations.

https://sciendo.com/pdf/10.1515/hacq-2016-0012

IUCN guidelines using for assessment of plants from the Red Book of Russian Federation at regional level: a case study for the Republic of Mordovia (Russia)

From the inventory of flora of the Mordovian State Nature Reserve in 2012, 27 new alien species are identified. In addition, three species are excluded from the flora of the Mordovian Reserve; four species are found in areas adjacent to the reserve and could be registered in its territory in the future; five species that are being cultivated but do not run wild in the territory of the reserve are indicated for the flora of the Mordovian State Nature Reserve for the first time.

Elena V. Vargot

Papers

Estimation of taxa included in the first volume of the Red Data Book of the Republic of Mordovia (Russia) using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria

Vegetation recovery in fire-damaged forests: a case study at the southern boundary of the taiga zone

Cypripedium calceolus (orchidaceae) in central russia: a case study for its populations in two protected areas in the republic of mordovia (russia)

IUCN guidelines using for assessment of plants from the Red Book of Russian Federation at regional level: a case study for the Republic of Mordovia (Russia)

Additions and notes to the alien flora of the Mordovian State Nature Reserve