The riparian forests are hotspots of biodiversity and serve important roles in maintainingthe water quality. The study and understanding of this ecosystem is basic to know how theriparian zones respond to the threat and the changes produced by the urbanization. Theobjective of this pilot study was to know the species richness and check the status of theriparian vegetation along two different rivers in Halmstad, Nissan and Fylleån. The studywas focus on the status of trees at both rivers to see if the proximity of the city has anyimpact on the biodiversity. In total 9 different species were found, nevertheless only 3 ofthese species were founded on both localizations: Quercus robur, Betula pendula and Pinussylvestris. The Shannon Index showed a higher biodiversity on Nissan riparian zones, whichis the river that present the urban component. The urban area is the one that presentshigher level of biodiversity, tree species and number of individuals but there are notenough to be in a good standard. The result just show that the urban area is in a bettercondition that the natural one. The institutional efforts should be focusing on preserveboth environments with special attention to the natural environment.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / O objetivo deste trabalho à verificar, por meio do uso de armadilhas coloridas do tipo pan traps de trÃs cores diferentes (azul, amarela e branca), no inÃcio, meio e fim do perÃodo de florescimento do cajueiro, o efeito da proximidade de fragmentos vegetais maiores e menores na diversidade, riqueza de espÃcies e na abundÃncia de abelhas encontradas em Ãreas de cajucultura no municÃpio de Horizonte, Estado do Cearà durante dois anos. O trabalho foi conduzido no perÃodo de julho de 2011 a junho de 2013. As coletas de abelhas foram realizadas em cinco Ãreas, usando Ãgua com detergente para atrair as abelhas para as pan traps coloridas. Os resultados mostraram a riqueza de espÃcies e a abundÃncia de indivÃduos capturados nas pan traps variaram em funÃÃo da distÃncia e da presenÃa do grande e do pequeno fragmento vegetal, do ano e das Ãreas monitoradas. As mÃdias dos valores de riqueza total das Ãreas sem pequeno fragmento de vegetaÃÃo foram maiores que as com esses fragmentos. As Ãreas situadas a menos de 1 Km do grande fragmento de vegetaÃÃo apresentaram mais indivÃduos. A riqueza de abelhas nÃo sociais dentro do fragmento foi maior que nas distÃncias de 80 m, 160 m e 240 m do pequeno fragmento de vegetaÃÃo. Independente da Ãrea em que estavam instaladas, a pan trap azul se destacou com maior representatividade, seguida da amarela e do branco. A diversidade e a riqueza de espÃcies coletadas nas pan traps brancas foi maior, em seguida foi na azul e na amarela. O mÃtodo dos pan traps propicia conhecer as espÃcies de polinizadores potenciais que frequentam uma Ãrea agrÃcola e como variam em riqueza e abundÃncia no cultivo. A riqueza e abundÃncia de potenciais polinizadores do cajueiro dependem da proximidade de grandes fragmentos de vegetaÃÃo que funcionem como âreservatÃrios‟ dessas espÃcies para as Ãreas de cultivo. Hà um gradiente decrescente na diversidade de abelhas a partir da vegetaÃÃo nativa ao redor de plantios de cajueiro em direÃÃo ao interior do cultivo. PrÃticas amigÃveis aos polinizadores devem ser implementadas visando mitigar esse efeito.

Long-term forest vegetation changes were studied in the Bohemian Forest and its foothills. New vegetation relevés were taken at sites of typological plots established by forest engineers between 1955 and 1980. Data from 158 semi-permanent plots were analysed using modern statistical methods. The data show significant changes and homogenization of the vegetation. Ellenberg indicator values indicate eutrofication. Repeated measurements of soil pH suggest acidification, but the interpretation of these data is complicated by methodological problems. The forests under study exhibit high spatial variability. No main prevailing trend in vegetation changes was found. The changes are considered to be related to sulphur and nitrogen deposition and forest management. The influence of increasing age of forest stands seems to be unimportant. Discussed are not only vegetation changes and their possible causes but also the possibilities and limitations of using such old forestry data in botanical and ecological studies.

A key challenge in biodiversity is: How many species are there on earth? This issue is especially acute in poorly surveyed regions with high diversity, particularly Southeast Asia that also experiences many limitations such as lack of funds, documents and experts. To help meet this challenge, I have developed a five-tiered approach for diversity measurement of freshwater fish for use in Thailand. This is: (1) the creation of a newly updated species inventory that uses existing data; (2) exploration of the patterns of species richness, endemism, and uniqueness; (3) estimation of the total species richness; (4) investigation of patterns of rarity; and (5) integration of this knowledge into conservation practice. The system should be applicable to other regions and other taxa where a similar challenge exists. My work shows that eight hundred and seventy-two species in 17 orders, 55 families and 255 genera of freshwater fishes, accounting for roughly 10% of the world's freshwater fish diversity, have been reported for Thailand to date. This number was derived from information in the museum collections, literature and all other available sources, including reports written in Thai as well as in English. During this work I uncovered many gaps in biodiversity information, in terms of taxonomic and spatial records, though some families and basins are better represented than others. Taxonomic uncertainty also continues to be a challenge for taxonomists and users. The high diversity of freshwater fishes in Thailand is the result of both high alpha (α) diversity (diversity within a particular locality) and beta (β) diversity (diversity differences between localities). I concluded that the substantial beta diversity I detected is associated with the geographical separation of the six river basins in Thailand. For example, the species composition of freshwater fishes in the Salween Basin dramatically differs from all other basins of Thailand. In contrast, the Chao Phraya Basin and the Mekong Basin contain the greatest number of shared species. Approximately 55% of species have a wide distribution range (being reported from more than two basins), whereas 45% are highly restricted within a single basin. Analyses using species richness estimators suggest that the figure of 872 species is an underestimate and that there may be between 1000 and 1300 fish species in Thailand, in other words an increase of between 14.7% and 49.1% over the list I compiled (which is itself an increase of 52.2% over the last report in 1997). Freshwater fish have become increasingly vulnerable to anthropogenic activities. Of the 872 Thai fish species, 6.8% and 15.1% are globally and nationally threatened, respectively. Nonetheless, a striking feature of the database is that the conservation status of the vast majority of species has not so far been assessed, either globally or nationally. Scientists and policy makers will find these results useful in appreciating the magnitude of the tasks involved in surveying, describing and conserving the country's freshwater fish biota. My work highlights localities and taxa where conservation is a priority and is thus an important resource for policy makers and conservation planners concerned with the management of freshwater fish in Thailand.