Model-based analysis of causes for habitat segregation in species (Crustacea, Isopoda).

On the shore of the rocky island of Helgoland (North Sea) two closely related isopod species, Pallas, 1772, and Rathke, 1843, share a similar fundamental niche but inhabit well-separated habitats. inhabits floating algae at the sea surface and accumulations of decaying algae on the seafloor, whereas primarily occurs in intertidal macroalgal belts. In laboratory experiments on individually reared isopods outperformed with regard to growth, reproduction, and mortality in both a fully inundated habitat and in a tidal habitat with 5 h of daily emergence.

A field facility to simulate climate warming and increased nutrient supply in shallow aquatic ecosystems.

Global warming and excess nitrogen deposition can exert strong impacts on aquatic populations, communities, and ecosystems. However, experimental data to establish clear cause-and-effect relationships in naturally complex field conditions are scarce in aquatic environments. Here, we describe the design and performance of a unique outdoor enclosure facility used to simulate warming, increased nitrogen supply, and both factors combined in a littoral freshwater wetland dominated by common reed, Phragmites australis.