Complex Mosaic Of Habitats Research Articles

The Dynamics of Soil Mesofauna Communities in a Tropical Urban Coastal Wetland: Responses to Spatiotemporal Fluctuations in Phreatic Level and Salinity

Coastal wetlands, vital for ecological diversity, have been significantly altered by anthropogenic activities, particularly in the Caribbean. These changes have created a complex mosaic of habitats and physicochemical conditions, further stressed by climate variability and sea-level rise. This study, conducted in Las Cucharillas Natural Reserve, a tropical urban coastal wetland in Puerto Rico, aimed to determine the effects of spatiotemporal variations in phreatic levels and salinity on soil mesofauna assemblages, crucial bio-indicators of environmental change. In 2020 and 2021, soil samples were collected from five diverse habitat types during different hydroperiods. Each sample was taken under four randomly selected plant types and processed using lighted Tullgren–Berlese extractors. Phreatic level and salinity were also measured. A total of 43 families were quantified, underscoring distinct habitat differences, similarities, and overall ecosystem diversity. Moderate correlations between phreatic levels, salinity, and mesofauna richness and abundance were determined. Peak richness and abundance were quantified at shallow (−0.03 to −0.07 m) and slightly moderate (−0.12 to −0.17 m) phreatic levels where oligohaline salinity (>0.5 to 5.0 ppt) prevails. The study highlights the adaptability of mesofauna to environmental shifts and their potential as biosensors for effective coastal wetland management amid climatic and anthropogenic pressures.

Using spectral diversity and heterogeneity measures to map habitat mosaics: An example from the Classical Karst

AbstractQuestionsCan we map complex habitat mosaics from remote‐sensing data? In doing this, are measures of spectral heterogeneity useful to improve image classification performance? Which measures are the most important? How can multitemporal data be integrated in a robust framework?LocationClassical Karst (NE Italy).MethodsFirst, a habitat map was produced from field surveys. Then, a collection of 12 monthly Sentinel‐2 images was retrieved. Vegetation and spectral heterogeneity (SH) indices were computed and aggregated in four combinations: (1) monthly layers of vegetation and SH indices; (2) seasonal layers of vegetation and SH indices; (3) yearly layers of SH indices computed across the months; and (4) yearly layers of SH indices computed across the seasons. For each combination, a Random Forest classification was performed, first with the complete set of input layers and then with a subset obtained by recursive feature elimination. Training and validation points were independently extracted from field data.ResultsThe maximum overall accuracy (0.72) was achieved by using seasonally aggregated vegetation and SH indices, after the number of vegetation types was reduced by aggregation from 26 to 11. The use of SH measures significantly increased the overall accuracy of the classification. The spectral β‐diversity was the most important variable in most cases, while the spectral α‐diversity and Rao's Q had a low relative importance, possibly because some habitat patches were small compared to the window used to compute the indices.ConclusionsThe results are promising and suggest that image classification frameworks could benefit from the inclusion of SH measures, rarely included before. Habitat mapping in complex landscapes can thus be improved in a cost‐ and time‐effective way, suitable for monitoring applications.

Integrating low-altitude drone based-imagery and OBIA for mapping and manage semi natural grassland habitats

Monitoring semi-natural grasslands is difficult and costly because they occur in highly dynamic and extremely complex habitat mosaics. We combined the use of a low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry to acquire high spatial resolution (∼1.5 cm pixel) RGB imagery. After image classification through Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA), we accurately were able to distinguish three semi-natural grassland types, one of which is a habitat of conservation concern. The use of orthomosaics, digital elevation models (DEMs), and canopy height models (CHMs) yielded excellent overall classification accuracies (>89%) assessed through both remotely validated and ground-truthed points. We identified two layers of woody vegetation with a user's (UA) and producer's (PA) accuracies >73% and three grassland types: closed grassland (UA = 94%; PA = 97%), open grassland habitat (UA = 97%; PA = 93%) and open grasslands with soil erosion (UA = 96%; PA = 98%). The grassland types differed substantially in the cover of vegetation, rocks, stones, and bare soil measured in the field, as well as in the number and relative cover of the habitat diagnostic species. The proposed methodology is highly promising for mapping and monitoring semi-natural grassland of conservation concern in support of tailored management actions.

The environmental implications of upper Paleozoic plant-fossil assemblages with mixtures of wetland and drought-tolerant taxa in tropical Pangea

We evaluate the influences of elevation and climate on the spatio-temporal distribution of wetland and dryland biomes during the Pennsylvanian and early Permian in tropical Pangea. The longstanding “upland model” places drought-tolerant vegetation in elevated habitats, where slope and drainage created moisture-limited substrates under a humid climate that simultaneously promoted peat accumulation in contemporaneous lowlands. Upland plants were periodically transported to, and buried in, lowlands. Rare preservation of dryland vegetation thus reflects its general absence in basins, and taphonomic vagaries of long-distance transport. The alternative “climate model” proposes that drought-tolerant plants dominated tropical habitats when climate was seasonally dry, with wetland vegetation reduced to scattered refugia. Environmental changes attending glacial-interglacial cycles caused alternating wetter-drier conditions, and the relative abundance of wetland versus dryland biomes in basinal lowlands thus varied with climatic oscillations. The paucity of drought-tolerant plants reflects a preservational megabias against habitats with seasonal moisture deficits.The environmental signal of “mixed” plant-fossil assemblages, comprising taxa characteristic of both wetland and dryland biomes, may help resolve these debates. We review key Pennsylvanian and lower Permian mixed assemblages from tropical Euramerican Pangea, and interpret their original habitats and climatic contexts based on multidisciplinary lines of evidence, including sedimentology, taphonomy, physiology, and paleoecology. Evaluations also consider patterns of vegetational distribution and taphonomy in modern tropical environments. We suggest that even a cursory view of current tropical plant distribution exposes flaws in the upland model. Where tropical climate is sufficiently humid to support peat swamps, slopes and elevated habitats do not host drought-tolerant vegetation, but are occupied by plants similar to those in lowland settings. This occurs because equable, high precipitation strongly dampens water-table variation across entire landscapes. Furthermore, taphonomic studies indicate that most plant-fossil assemblages record vegetation living near the burial site. Fossil floras thus reflect environmental conditions near their growth site, excluding an upland origin for most occurrences of drought-tolerant taxa. Conversely, the climate model is consistent with modern tropical vegetational distribution and soundly explains late Paleozoic floristic patterns. When Pangean tropical lowlands experienced seasonally dry conditions, plants tolerant of moisture deficits dominated most habitats, whereas wetland vegetation was restricted to wetter sites with greater preservation potential. This occurred because topographic variations are magnified under seasonal precipitation regimes, creating a complex habitat mosaic with wetland patches in a landscape subject to seasonal drought. Accordingly, we propose that a macrofloral assemblage with even rare drought-tolerant taxa indicates seasonality in the broader landscape.At larger spatio-temporal scales, disagreement also persists about whether tectonic uplift or long-term climatic drying was the primary driver of changes in late Paleozoic floristic patterns and areal extent of tropical peat swamps. We argue that tectonic activity alone cannot explain the drastic reduction in peat swamps or coincident changes in dominance-diversity of wetland vegetation. Rates of plant dispersal and evolution far outpace that of mountain building, and peat-forming wetlands persisted in elevated habitats well into the Late Pennsylvanian. Therefore, progressive late Paleozoic aridification was the most probable driver of changing floral patterns and the distribution of wetland and dryland biomes in tropical Pangea.

Habitat suitability and connectivity modeling reveal priority areas for Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) conservation in a complex habitat mosaic

ContextConservation for the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), a federally endangered species in the United States of America, is typically focused on local maternity sites; however, the species is a regional migrant, interacting with the environment at multiple spatial scales. Hierarchical levels of management may be necessary, but we have limited knowledge of landscape-level ecology, distribution, and connectivity of suitable areas in complex landscapes.ObjectivesWe sought to (1) identify factors influencing M. sodalis maternity colony distribution in a mosaic landscape, (2) map suitable maternity habitat, and (3) quantify connectivity importance of patches to direct conservation action.MethodsUsing 3 decades of occurrence data, we tested a priori, hypothesis-driven habitat suitability models. We mapped suitable areas and quantified connectivity importance of habitat patches with probabilistic habitat availability metrics.ResultsFactors improving landscape-scale suitability included limited agriculture, more forest cover, forest edge, proximity to medium-sized water bodies, lower elevations, and limited urban development. Areas closer to hibernacula and rivers were suitable. Binary maps showed that 30% of the study area was suitable for M. sodalis and 29% was important for connectivity. Most suitable patches were important for intra-patch connectivity and far fewer contributed to inter-patch connectivity.ConclusionsWhile simple models may be effective for small, homogenous landscapes, complex models are needed to explain habitat suitability in large, mixed landscapes. Suitability modeling identified factors that made sites attractive as maternity areas. Connectivity analysis improved our understanding of important areas for bats and prioritized areas to target for restoration.

A regionally scalable habitat typology for assessing benthic habitats and fish communities: Application to New Caledonia reefs and lagoons.

Scalable assessments of biodiversity are required to successfully and adaptively manage coastal ecosystems. Assessments must account for habitat variations at multiple spatial scales, including the small scales (<100 m) at which biotic and abiotic habitat components structure the distribution of fauna, including fishes. Associated challenges include achieving consistent habitat descriptions and upscaling from in situ‐monitored stations to larger scales.We developed a methodology for (a) determining habitat types consistent across scales within large management units, (b) characterizing heterogeneities within each habitat, and (c) predicting habitat from new survey data. It relies on clustering techniques and supervised classification rules and was applied to a set of 3,145 underwater video observations of fish and benthic habitats collected in all reef and lagoon habitats around New Caledonia.A baseline habitat typology was established with five habitat types clearly characterized by abiotic and biotic attributes. In a complex mosaic of habitats, habitat type is an indispensable covariate for explaining spatial variations in fish communities. Habitat types were further described by 26 rules capturing the range of habitat features encountered. Rules provided intuitive habitat descriptions and predicted habitat type for new monitoring observations, both straightforwardly and with known confidence. Images are convenient for interacting with managers and stakeholders.Our scheme is (a) consistent at the scale of New Caledonia reefs and lagoons (1.4 million km2) and (b) ubiquitous by providing data in all habitats, for example, showcasing a substantial fish abundance in rarely monitored soft‐bottom habitats. Both features must be part of an ecosystem‐based monitoring strategy relevant for management.This is the first study applying data mining techniques to in situ measurements to characterize coastal habitats over regional‐scale management areas. This approach can be applied to other types of observations and other ecosystems to characterize and predict local ecological assets for assessments at larger scales.

Urban Ecology. Bird Diversity in Cities in Southern Chile

Urbanisation is a dominant demographic trend and an important component of the earth’s global transformation. It has unprecedented socioeconomic, cultural and environmental implications, and poses a threat to the conservation of biodiversity, as it can provoke alterations in ecological systems and lead to poor functioning of urban systems as they are currently structured. From the ecological point of view, the city is a fragmented, heterogeneous, complex mosaic of habitats, including ecosystems with different degrees of alteration. Urban systems contain only small areas of fragments of original vegetation and/or artificial green spaces, leading to a drastic decrease from their original abundance and diversity. However, green spaces, including original fragments, can help to conserve bird diversity, improving the functioning of these artificial systems in the medium term. This study looks at the characteristics and benefits of urban ecology in the framework of sustainable development, and carries out a meta-analysis of research into bird diversity in four cities in southern Chile, using ecological indices (Shannon-Wiener, β diversity between cities). The results reveal that there is low evenness in the four cities and that the city with the highest evenness is Valdivia (J = 0.78). There is clear dominance by a few bird species (e.g. the exotic species house sparrow Passer domesticus and rock pigeon Columba livia, and the native species rufous-collared sparrow Zonotricia capensis, austral thrush Turdus falklandii, southern lapwing Vanellus chilensis, and chimango caracara Milvago chimango). β diversity is low as the four cities show similarity greater than 50%. Birds reject paved surfaces in squares and prefer areas with native bushes and trees, with nearby bodies of water and large spaces (parks rather than squares). The study proposes technical recommendations and suggests further research.

Role of benthic habitat structure and riverine connectivity in controlling the spatial distribution and ecology of estuarine fish

Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems per unit area, but this productivity is unevenly distributed across a complex mosaic of habitats. Identifying the qualities of different habitats that influence the composition and productivity of biotic communities is fundamental to understanding the dynamics of these ecosystems. We combined field surveys, hydrological modelling and stable isotope analysis to understand the roles of habitat, hydrological connectivity, salinity and temperature in determining assemblage composition, species abundance and trophic ecology of an estuarine fish community. Hydrodynamics, vegetation matrices of macroalgae and seagrass and the presence of epiphytes on vegetation explained spatial patterns in taxonomic biodiversity, multivariate assemblage structure and the occurrence of juvenile black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri, a species that possesses ecological traits common tomany demersal estuarine fish species. Juvenile bream abundance was related to vegetation composition (particularly epiphyte presence), supporting the hypothesis that juvenile habitats that provided resources or conditions that ex - tended beyond just structure conferredmore ecological advantages. This was further evidenced by stable isotope-based estimates of basal resource contributions of epiphytes. Our findings suggest that hydrodynamic connectivity with riverine water masses acts as a coarse determinant for estuarine fish communities at large spatial scales. At smaller scales, habitat-level associations influence local abundances and the identity and importance of specific trophic resources. Coupling hydro - dynamic modellingwith natural biomarkers provides a powerful approach for assessing the spatial context of habitat use that can help resource managers prioritize monitoring and habitat preservation efforts for coastal fish communities in a changing global environment.

Fish assemblage composition within the floodplain habitat mosaic of a tropical lake (Tonle Sap, Cambodia)

Abstract Understanding how habitat heterogeneity is linked to biodiversity patterns within flood–pulse catchments is needed for their effective conservation. To study those communities, researchers have begun to explore how local environmental factors influence species composition patterns at relatively fine scales within complex habitat mosaics. However, a robust description of the link between communities’ composition and their floodplain habitat characteristics remains poorly articulated. In the Tonle Sap Lake (TSL) of Cambodia, we evaluated whether mesohabitat‐scale (1–5 km) factors throughout the floodplain structured the fish assemblage temporally and spatially. First, we determined whether TSL fish assemblage changed seasonally and, if so, what assemblage components were driving that change. Second, we determined whether environmental factors structured fish composition across floodplain mesohabitat patches during the wet season. Third, we evaluated whether dominant species displayed affinities for specific areas within the floodplain during the wet season, potentially identifying critical mesohabitat patches for the fish assemblage. Fish were collected from nine sites along an elevational gradient traversing the floodplain every 3 months from March 2014 through January 2015. Correspondence analysis and analysis of variance were used to assess seasonal variation in the species composition. Canonical correspondence analysis and a mantel test were then used to identify the significance of environmental factors structuring the fish assemblage. Fish assemblages changed across seasons; in particular, migratory species occurrence decreased during the dry season. During the wet season, the fish assemblage was structured spatially by mesohabitat‐scale factors such as vegetation and water quality. Furthermore, the flooded forest mesohabitat directly adjacent to the permanent lake displayed particularly high species richness and abundance. However, a majority of TSL species appeared to be highly mobile, occurring across multiple floodplain mesohabitats. We concluded that fish assemblage structure and floodplain mesohabitat use within TSL may depend strongly upon the maintenance of the natural flow regime. Since the flow regime will probably be modified by upstream dam development, trade‐offs will emerge between the cycle of fishing on which local residents depend, and the hydropower and agricultural benefits of damming the Mekong River system.

Impact of an invasive tree on arthropod assemblages in woodlots isolated within an intensive agricultural landscape

AbstractAimLandscape simplification and the spread of invasive species are considered beyond the main threats to global biodiversity. It is well recognized that non‐crop habitats bring complexity to farmland and provide refuge for a wide range of organisms, including arthropods. However, knowledge about the effects of invasive trees on arthropods in non‐crop habitats in intensive agricultural landscapes is still weak. Therefore, we examined differences in the arthropod assemblages between woodlots formed by the invasive black locust (Robinia pseudoacaciaL.) and by native deciduous tree species in the intensive agricultural landscape.LocationCzech Republic, Central Europe.MethodsWe used a multi‐taxonomic approach to record arthropod assemblages using various sampling methods. The impacts of woodlot habitat structure were investigated across 13 arthropod taxa from different trophic levels.ResultsTotal abundance and species richness of all arthropods and the majority of the herbivore taxa were lower inR. pseudoacaciawoodlots, likely due to losses of the forest canopy specialists. The forest specialists were associated with the native woodlots with more developed canopy and shrub layers. The impoverished diversity of the forest specialists and canopy herbivores in theR. pseudoacaciawoodlots was partly compensated by the higher presence of species exploiting a well developed herb layer and open‐habitat specialists, including threatened species.Main conclusionsNative woodlots and those formed byR. pseudoacaciadiffer in vegetation structure and host different assemblages of arthropods. Therefore, parallel presence of both types of woodlots supports arthropod diversity in otherwise simplified agricultural landscapes through creating more complex mosaic of habitats.

Response of carabid and arachnid assemblages on plant invasion in woodlots within an agricultural landscape

Landscape simplification and the spread of invasive species are considered the main threats to global biodiversity. It is well recognized that non-crop habitats bring complexity to farmland and provide refuge for arthropods. However, knowledge about the effects of invasive trees on arthropods in non-crop habitats in intensive agricultural landscapes is still weak. Therefore, we examined differences in the carabid and arachnid assemblages between woodlots formed by the invasive black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and by native deciduous tree species in the intensive agricultural landscape in the Czech Republic, Central Europe. We sampled carabids, harvestmen and spiders by using pitfall traps, sweeping the vegetation and light trapping. Effects of woodlot’s habitat structure, land cover composition in the surroundings and the area of woodlots were included to the analyses. The abundance of carabids was lower in R. pseudoacacia woodlots. Carabid individuals could benefit from the more favourable microclimate in the native woodlots, in which relatively greater humidity may support more ample food resources. On the contrary, species richness of carabids did not differ between the woodlot types. The abundance and species richness of arachnids did not differ between the woodlot types. Number of individuals increased with increasing woodlot’s area and the species richness increased with the more open woodlot’s habitat structure. The forest specialists of both groups were associated with the native woodlots with more developed canopy and shrub layers. The diversity losses of the arachnid forest specialists in the R. pseudoacacia woodlots were replaced by the species exploiting well-developed herb layer, and open-habitat specialists, including threatened species. Conversely, carabids of open habitats had no affinity to woodlot types. Native woodlots and those formed by R. pseudoacacia differed in vegetation structure and hosted different arachnid and carabid assemblages. Therefore, parallel presence of both types of woodlots supports arthropod diversity in otherwise simplified agricultural landscapes through creating more complex mosaic of habitats.

Remotely Sensing Variation in Ecological Strategies and Plant Traits of Willows in Perialpine Floodplains

AbstractNatural floodplains are characterized by a complex habitat mosaic. However, damming, water storage, and hydropower production affect many floodplains by altering their natural habitat diversity. Field sampling data and imaging spectroscopy are used in combination with statistical models to assess resource allocation strategies of willow stands in perialpine floodplains. Three contrasting floodplain reaches located along two rivers in Switzerland serve as test beds: The Sarine River is partitioned into an upstream and downstream segment under the influence of a dam and a hydropower plant, while the Sense River represents an undisturbed, natural floodplain. Airborne imaging spectrometer data allow mapping of spatially distributed Competitor/Stress tolerator/Ruderal (CSR) strategies using a partial least square modeling approach. Using cross validation, we demonstrate that a statistical modeling approach can reveal variations in CSR scores based on the StrateFy model. Such intraspecific variation of CSR scores cannot be captured by a strategy categorization based solely on the species. Results reveal that willows shifted toward more competition and less stress tolerance along hydrologically altered reaches compared to the willows strategy along the natural control. Moreover, the overall distribution of strategies indicates that stress factors (i.e., limiting growth factors), rather than disturbance (i.e., events leading to partial or total destruction), shape the plant traits of alluvial willow trees. Detailed assessments of resource allocation strategies contribute to a more complete understanding of the continuous and reciprocal shaping between flow regimes, landforms, and alluvial vegetation.

Environmental representativity in marine protected area networks over large and partly unexplored seascapes

Converting assemblages of marine protected areas (MPAs) into functional MPA networks requires political will, multidisciplinary information, coordinated action and time. We developed a new framework to assist planning environmental representativity in a network across the marine space of Portugal, responding to a political commitment to protect 14% of its area by 2020. An aggregate conservation value was estimated for each of the 27 habitats identified, from intertidal waters to the deep sea. This value was based on expert-judgment scoring for environmental properties and features relevant for conservation, chosen to reflect the strategic objectives of the network, thus providing an objective link between conservation commitments and habitat representativity in space. Additionally, habitats' vulnerability to existing anthropogenic pressures and sensitivity to climate change were also scored. The area coverage of each habitat in Portugal and within existing MPAs (regionally and nationally) was assigned to a scale of five orders of magnitude (from <0.01% to >10%) to assess rarity and existing representation. Aggregate conservation value per habitat was negatively correlated with area coverage, positively correlated with vulnerability and was not correlated with sensitivity. The proposed framework offers a multi-dimensional support tool for MPA network development, in particular regarding the prioritization of new habitats to protect, when the goal is to achieve specific targets while ensuring representativity across large areas and complex habitat mosaics. It requires less information and computation effort in comparison to more quantitative approaches, while still providing an objective instrument to scrutinize progress on the implementation of politically set conservation targets.

The importance of grassland patches and their associated rainforest ecotones to insectivorous bats in a fire-managed tropical landscape

Abstract ContextEcotones are recognised globally as areas of high biodiversity, yet relatively little is known about how fauna use different types of ecotone. Tropical rainforest–grassland ecotones are shaped through particular fire regimes, creating both gradual and abrupt ecotones. Insectivorous bats contribute considerably to mammalian diversity, and their capacity for flight allows them to use ecotones in a three-dimensional way, making them an informative faunal group for evaluating ecotone use. AimsTo critically evaluate how insectivorous bats use gradual and abrupt ecotones between rainforest and grassland habitats. MethodsBat detectors were placed every 50m, along 200-m transects, through five gradual and five abrupt rainforest–grassland ecotones. The activity of all insectivorous bats, as well as open, edge–open and closed foraging guilds (defined by echolocation call type), was compared among grassland and rainforest habitats, gradual and abrupt ecotones and positions across the ecotones. Key resultsMean total bat activity, mean open and edge–open foraging guild activity were significantly higher in grassland positions, followed by the edge, and were lowest in the rainforest. Closed foraging guild bats showed no preference for either habitats, but had significantly higher activity in gradual compared with abrupt ecotones. Mean activity of edge–open foraging guild bats was affected strongly by the interaction between ecotone type and position along the ecotone. Gradual ecotones had a more even proportion of all three bat foraging guilds along the ecotone compared with abrupt ecotones. Most of these findings were likely driven by the structural complexity of gradual ecotones that fulfilled microhabitat requirements for all three foraging guilds, but may also have been influenced by insect prey abundance. ConclusionsThe present study demonstrated the importance of grassland patches in a tropical, rainforest landscape, and of gradual rainforest–grassland ecotones for insectivorous bats. Gradual ecotones promote complex habitat mosaics to allow closed foraging guild species to take advantage of food resources provided by grasslands, and provide all bats proximity to potential roosting and foraging sites. ImplicationsThe data clearly suggest that a suitable fire regime should be used to maintain current grassland patches within a rainforest landscape, and to promote gradual ecotones for use by insectivorous bats.

Sub-metric analisis of vegetation structure in bog-heathland mosaics using very high resolution rpas imagery

This work presents a methodology based on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) RGB imagery for the analysis and characterization of the structure and condition of complex habitat mosaics of high conservation value in mountain wetlands. Structure from Motion (SfM) image reconstruction techniques were applied on a collection of RGB photographs to derive ultra-high resolution (2,5 cm) digital surface models and ortho-mosaics. Geographical object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) was used for the automatic discrimination of vegetation types for habitat condition assessment via multi-scale object-oriented classifications integrating machine-learning classification techniques with other decision rules. In particular, four vegetation classes were assessed, namely woody vegetation (scrub plants higher than 10 cm), bog herbaceous vegetation, non-bog herbaceous vegetation (as part of wet heathland vegetation mosaics) and areas with scarce or no vegetation (rocky habitats and areas of bare ground). The outputs of the classification were validated against field data of detailed vegetation coverage survey. Results allowed us the automatic and accurate discrimination of habitat types with different management demands, e.g. wet heaths against bogs, as well as the diagnosis of structural characteristics critical for their conservation, such as the ratio of cover herbaceous/woody species or the presence of erosion features.

Bumble bee forager abundance on lowland heaths is predicated by specific floral availability rather than the presence of honey bee foragers: evidence for forage resource partitioning

Honey bees are being scrutinized for their potential impact upon wild bees. In lowland heath mosaics, a simple but resource rich habitat for pollinators, there is a higher probability of niche overlap for bumble bees and honey bees due to the requirement of similar resources and limited floral diversity. This study assesses i) if there is any evidence of forage competition between bumble bees and honey bees and ii) asks to what extent the number of bumble bee foragers in a lowland heath mosaic over the summer months is affected by floral resource availability in different heath types (wet/dry). Bumble bee and honey bee counts were conducted at 30 wet heath and 30 dry heath 20 m × 20 m sites, in the Poole Basin, UK. The relationships between bumble bee and honey bee forager observations and ericaceous forage availability throughout the summer were evaluated using GLMMs considering presence and abundance of honey bees and specific floral availability as factors.Only weak correlations of honey bee forager abundance on bumble bee forager abundance were detected. Instead, the most important factors relating to bumble bee numbers were the abundance of specific floral resources within the heath type (wet/dry). Bumble bees and honey bees showed resource use consistent with resource partitioning with bumble bees predominantly using wet heaths and honey bees using dry heaths. These findings provide evidence of the importance of maintaining complex habitat mosaics within broader habitats to promote coexistence between bumble bees and honey bees.

Transhumance in Central Anatolia: A Resilient Interdependence Between Biological and Cultural Diversity

Transhumance is a resource efficient means of livestock production by seasonally moving grazing animals to utilize pastures between varying ecological zones. This article investigated the interrelationship between the environmental services the transhumant provides whilst maintaining its cultural heritage and theorized what the cultural and environmental impacts would be if the practice of transhumance were to vanish. The authors interviewed 45 transhumant families during their 2015 seasonal migration through the Taurus Mountains and in their settled tent sites in Central Anatolia. The interview topics related to geography of the region, migration routes, natural resource constraints and opportunities, animal husbandry, grazing strategies and their income sources. By practicing agro-ecological principles over millennia, the research showed that the transhumant has helped shape a complex mosaic of habitats in one of Mediterranean’s most interesting ecosystems. The mobile pastoralist with conservation and natural resource management skills over a long period has reduced erosion control, improved soil quality and deterred the likelihood of forest fires, whilst weaving a resilient social web. The survey also indicated a clear link between social and ecological resilience emphasizing that sustainable development relies on the interconnectedness between biological and cultural diversity. The study recommends special provisions be made by the Turkish government for the educational needs for the children of the transhumant, provide initiatives for improved trading of their produce, introduce law enforcement for oppressive behavior against them and finally support the pastoralists to attain world heritage listing as a unique and an irreplaceable culture for the future welfare of humankind.

Forest recovery in post-pasture Amazonia: Testing a conceptual model of space use by insectivorous understory birds

Understanding how animals move in a complex habitat mosaic is critical to biodiversity conservation as deforested lands and secondary rainforests accumulate in landscapes previously dominated by primary forests. To visualize the spatiotemporal dynamics of secondary forest recovery after pasture abandonment, we formed a conceptual model predicting avian space use during a temporal sequence beginning with deforestation and continuing through regrowth of old secondary forest. We tested five predictions of the model at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project near Manaus, Brazil, using 73 radio-tagged understory insectivores of three species: two woodcreepers (Glyphorynchus spirurus, Xiphorhynchus pardalotus) and a terrestrial antthrush (Formicarius colma). Both woodcreepers provided evidence to support all predictions except that of greater path tortuosity in primary forest. Woodcreepers using secondary forest had larger home ranges, larger core areas, and faster movement rates than in primary forest. Further, the proportion of all species' core areas in primary forest exceeded the proportion of home ranges in primary forest. Formicarius colma showed a fundamentally different pattern than the woodcreepers: it essentially avoided secondary forest until 27–31years after pasture abandonment, at which point movements were indistinguishable from those in primary forest. Formicarius colma and other terrestrial insectivores show implastic spatiotemporal responses to recovering secondary growth, which we suspect contributes to the sensitivity of this guild to forest disturbance. Quantifying the value of marginal (and economically inconsequential) habitats such as secondary forest will be essential as land managers strive to maintain species persistence and connectivity in increasingly heterogeneous tropical landscapes.

Frugivorous bats maintain functional habitat connectivity in agricultural landscapes but rely strongly on natural forest fragments.

Anthropogenic changes in land use threaten biodiversity and ecosystem functioning by the conversion of natural habitat into agricultural mosaic landscapes, often with drastic consequences for the associated fauna. The first step in the development of efficient conservation plans is to understand movement of animals through complex habitat mosaics. Therefore, we studied ranging behavior and habitat use in Dermanura watsoni (Phyllostomidae), a frugivorous bat species that is a valuable seed disperser in degraded ecosystems. Radio-tracking of sixteen bats showed that the animals strongly rely on natural forest. Day roosts were exclusively located within mature forest fragments. Selection ratios showed that the bats foraged selectively within the available habitat and positively selected natural forest. However, larger daily ranges were associated with higher use of degraded habitats. Home range geometry and composition of focal foraging areas indicated that wider ranging bats performed directional foraging bouts from natural to degraded forest sites traversing the matrix over distances of up to three hundred meters. This behavior demonstrates the potential of frugivorous bats to functionally connect fragmented areas by providing ecosystem services between natural and degraded sites, and highlights the need for conservation of natural habitat patches within agricultural landscapes that meet the roosting requirements of bats.

Spatial patterns of benthic megahabitats and conservation planning in the Abrolhos Bank

Application of sidescan sonar at the regional scale of the Abrolhos Bank, with ground-truthing by remotely operated vehicles and mixed-gas diving operations, revealed a much more complex habitat mosaic than previously recognized. The regional benthic habitat map indicates 8844km2 of reefs (earlier estimates from remote sensing were around 500km2) and 20,904km² of rhodolith habitat—the world's largest continuous bed. Integration of the regional megahabitat map with spatially explicit data on the distribution of marine protected areas (<0.2% of each benthic megahabitat area) and economic activities with the highest potential of environmental impact (fishing, mining, oil and gas exploitation and dredging) reveals the need of a regional scale spatial planning process engaging conflicting sectors.