Winter gifts for river ecosystems: A massive supply of earthworms in early winter.

Terrestrial resource pulses can significantly affect the community dynamics of freshwater ecosystems. Previously, its effect on the river community is considered to be stronger in summer, whereas weaker in winter when terrestrial invertebrates are less abundant. The movement of the terrestrial earthworms is triggered in winter, so they may be supplied to winter rivers as terrestrial resource pulse, but little is known about it.

Paedomorphosis in the Ezo salamander (Hynobius retardatus) rediscovered after almost 90 years.

Although paedomorphosis is widespread across salamander families, only two species have ever been documented to exhibit paedomorphosis in Hynobiidae. One of these two exceptional species is Hynobius retardatus in which paedomorphosis was first reported in 1924, in specimens from Lake Kuttara in Hokkaido. This population became extinct after the last observation in 1932; since then, no paedomorphs of this species have been reported anywhere.