Evenness Index Research Articles

Diversity of arthropods on clove plantations (Syzygium aromaticum L.) Lemba Harapan village, Dampal Selatan district

This study aims to determine the value of the arthropod diversity index in clove plantations (Syzygium aromaticum L.) in the Dampal Selatan District. This research was conducted in Lemba Harapan Village, Dampal Selatan District, Toli-Toli Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, at a coordinate point of 00.711228N 120.224933E with a coordinate point of 178 m. Sampling is carried out using light traps and pitfall traps. The data analyses used were the Diversity index Shannon Winner (H), the evenness index (E), and the richness index (R). The results showed that 865 individuals were obtained consisting of 3 classes, 8 orders, 17 families, and 19 species (morphospecies) with different functional roles. The results of the analysis of arthropod diversity in cloves showed moderate diversity, it can be seen that the diversity index value (H) of arthropods was 2.099, Evenness (E) was 0.713, and richness (R) was 2.662.

Preliminary: biodiversity of plankton in Sawaibu Bay, Manokwari, Indonesia

As a biological parameter of the aquatic ecosystem, plankton has various species and forms a specific community for each water. Plankton can characterize the water’s condition through its species richness. Both phytoplankton and zooplankton were observed in this research to determine the biodiversity. Plankton samples were collected using a plankton net from the surface water of Sawaibu Bay, Manokwari City, West Papua Province, Indonesia. Morphological identification is applied to approximate the plankton genera and count the diversity indices. Classes of Cyanophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Dinophyceae, Chrysophyceae, Protozoa, and Crustaceae were found in Sawaibu Bay. Phytoplankton from the Bacillariophyceae group (30-90 x 102 cell/m3) and zooplankton from the Crustacean group (1.51-38.6 x 102 ind/m3) were high in abundance. Both phytoplankton and zooplankton’s evenness, dominance, and diversity index varied between stations. The biodiversity approach could be a snapshot of the aquatic ecosystem state.

Inventory of leafhoppers in irrigated rice in Tamil Nadu

Leafhoppers diversity was studied in irrigated rice ecosystems of Cauvery Delta Zone, High Rainfall Zone and Western Zone. Leafhopper assemblage comprised 14 species of Cicadellidae and among them Maiestas dorsalis (Motschulsky) was found to be the most abundant species (35.02%), followed by Cofana spectra (Distant) (23.15%). The order of species diversity in the observed districts were Western Zone (13 species) > High Rainfall Zone (8 species) > Cauvery Delta Zone (4 species). Shannon Weiner Index revealed a higher diversity in High Rainfall Zone and Western Zone (H'= 1.77 > 1.76). Margalef's Index of species richness was observed highest in Western Zone (a = 1.93). Pielou's Evenness Index was found to be almost similar for Western Zone (0.30) and Cauvery Delta Zone (0.29) while High Rainfall Zone exhibited highest evenness (0.37). Jaccard index of similarity of 50% (highest) was observed between Western Zone and Kanyakumari, Cauvery Delta Zone and High Rainfall Zone. Berger-Parker Index of dominance (D) revealed M. dorsalis to be the most dominant in Western Zone (0.25) and Cauvery Delta Zone (0.66) while High Rainfall Zone showed a high dominance of Nephotettix nigropictus (Stål) (0.27). Among the leafhoppers studied Balclutha incisa (Matsumura), Cicadulina bipunctata (Melichar), Empoascanara maculifrons (Motschulsky), Exitianus sp., Thomsonia porrecta (Walker) were recorded for the first time in rice ecosystem of Tamil Nadu. The present study will be a baseline information on the diversity of leafhoppers in irrigated rice of Tamil Nadu and will complement the data collected in the future to gain a holistic understanding on the leafhopper diversity of Tamil Nadu.

Diversity of Zooplankton in the Rice Fields in Suphan Buri Province, Thailand, with a New Record of Cyclopoid Copepod

Rice fields are dynamic ecosystems with complex niche structures for organisms, and they have been hypothesised to have high biodiversity. Accordingly, in this study, the diversity of zooplankton in rice fields in Suphan Buri Province, a large area of rice plantations in the central region of Thailand, was examined. A total of 100 species, including 52 rotifers, 18 cladocerans, and 30 copepods, were recorded, including Mesocyclops kayi, which was a new record in Thailand. A high Simpson’s diversity index (0.63) and a low Pielou’s species evenness index (0.02) confirmed various potential niches for zooplankton in this ecosystem, leading to a low Jaccard similarity index both among the current rice fields and those in other regions. Moreover, the species richness estimators suggested that more species are expected to be discovered in the rice fields. Rotifer and copepod communities are influenced by local environmental variables, including dissolved oxygen, salinity, conductivity, and chlorophyll a. The results of this study fill a gap in the knowledge regarding the diversity and ecology of zooplankton in rice fields. However, further research is needed to fully comprehend the function of this ecosystem and the actual diversity in Thailand.

A dataset of bird checklist and community characteristics during breeding and wintering seasons in typical forest ecosystems of Dinghushan (2015–2018)

Bird diversity and its community structure are important indicators for the long-term monitoring of biodiversity in ecosystems. Three typical forest vegetation types have been well preserved in Dinghushan National Nature Reserve, including the monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest, the mixed Pinus massoniana/broad-leaved forest and the Pinus massoniana coniferous forest. In particularly, the monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest has a conservation history of more than 400 years without any human disturbance. The dataset consists of organized data on the long-term monitoring of bird communities during breeding and wintering seasons from 2015 to 2018 in all three forest types. Field surveys recorded information such as bird species, number, time, distance, ground height, habitat type, activity substrate and behavior. Moreover, we carried out various data analyses of diversity index, evenness index, dominance index, similarity coefficient of bird community and occurrence frequency, individual number, as well as average density of bird species in different survey periods. The dataset includes a total of 89 species from 9 orders and 35 families. This dataset provides valuable information for future studies on bird communities, and for better understanding inter-species interaction between multiple groups of plants and animals. It is further expected to support the protection and management of forest ecosystems in this region.

MACROFAUNAL DIVERSITY ON THE SURFACE SEDIMENT OF MANGROVE HABITAT ADJACENT TO THE SEAGRASS BEDS AT PUNANG- SARI RIVER ESTUARY (MALAYSIAN BORNEO), SOUTH CHINA SEA

Macrofaunal diversity and composition are essential to understanding the ecosystem structures and functions of mangroves in any dynamic estuarine coast. To understand the temporal distribution of macrofaunal community structures and diversity on the surface sediment in the intertidal mangrove forest next to the seagrass beds, this study was conducted at Punang-Sari-River estuary, Lawas, Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo), South China Sea. Sampling was done during post-monsoon, intermediate-September, pre-monsoon, and monsoon from July 2019 to February 2020. The mean macrofauna abundance was higher pre-monsoon, while Gastropoda Optediceros breviculum (L. Pfeiffer, 1855) was the most abundant (RA = 0.704). Important Species Index (ISI = 70.36) and percentage of contribution (64.97%) were also higher for this species than any other records from the site. The ANOSIM (Analysis of Similarity), Jaccard index and SIMPER (Similarity Percentage Analysis) analysis suggested that the highest species abundance similarity was observed between pre-monsoon and monsoon, while the highest dissimilarity was observed between intermediate-September and pre-monsoon (74.67%). Seasonal PCA, nMDS, and cluster analysis revealed that pre-monsoon and monsoon were comparable in species and individual abundance. The dominance (0.85) was found significantly higher (P < 0.0001) in intermediate-September, while Simpson (0.734), Shannon (1.56) and Evenness indices (0.528) were found higher in monsoon, followed by the higher Margalef richness indices (3.21) in post-monsoon. It was observed that the seasonal ecological parameters were found to be significantly (P < 0.05) different, including the temperature, salinity, rainfall, pore water nitrogenous compounds (NO2, NO3 and NH3-N), phosphorus compound (PO4) and micro minerals. The Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) results suggested that ecological factors influenced several species. Considering the few studies on mangrove macrofauna in Malaysian Borneo, further research on their trophic structures and food web interactions is very important to disclose their overall characteristics and ecosystem functions.

Pengaruh perlakuan refugia dan jarak tanam kedelai terhadap keragaman musuh alami

Introduction: Soybean cultivation is inseparable from the attack of plant pests. Control of soybean pests, which generally use synthetic pesticides, negatively impacts food products, environmental health, and ecosystem sustainability. Planting flowering plants around bunds can be useful in increasing the diversity of natural enemies because they can attract and serve as microhabitats for natural enemies. This research to obtain the effect of refugia treatment and soybean spacing on the diversity of natural enemies in soybean plantations. Methods: The study was designed in randomized block design, consisting of refugia and non-refugia treatments and plant spacing of 40 cm x 25 cm (J1) and 50 cm x 25 cm (J2), which was repeated three times. Sampling was carried out in the vegetative and generative phases, using yellow traps and pitfalls installed in the field for 24 hours. Results: The results showed that the most trapped natural enemy families were in the refugia treatment. The total number of trapped natural enemies was highest in the vegetative and generative phases, namely in the refugia and 2 spacing treatments (R-J2). The family of Braconidae order Hymenoptera and the group of parasitoids had the highest numbers in the refugia and non-refugia treatments. The value of the Diversity Index (H') in the refugia treatment and both plant spacings in the two growth phases was moderate, while in the non-refugia treatment, the two plant spacings and both growth phases were small and medium. Generally, the evenness index (D) value for all treatments is known to be small and medium. Conclusion: Refugia treatment and plant spacing affect the number of natural enemy populations, which is expected to suppress the development of pests in soybean cultivation.

Herbaceous Diversity in the <i>Gumuk</i> Ecosystem in Ledokombo District-Jember Regency with Varied Land Use Type

Gumuk is a unique landscape in Jember Regency resulting from the eruption of Mount Raung that can provide ecosystem services through its ecological functions. Increased mining activity in Gumuk and land-use changes can lead to a decline in biodiversity and affect ecosystem services. This study aims to determine the diversity of herbaceous in the Gumuk ecosystem. Conducted in January - March 2021 in Ledokombo District, Jember Regency. The spatial distribution of Gumuk was carried out using GIS. Herbaceous sampling was carried out using 2x2 plots on three types of Gumuk utilisation, namely mixed gardens, sand mining, and stone mining. The results showed that there were 136 Gumuk in Ledokombo District. One hundred twenty herbaceous species (49 families) were found in all types of Gumuk. Mixed gardens have the highest species diversity (109 species, 49 families) compared to other types. Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. has high dominance in all types. Species dominance showed a moderate category for all types of Gumuk (D = 0.07). Community complexity in all types was in the high class (D' = 0.90) and species diversity was in the high class (H’ = 3.25). Evenness index € was different in the three types of Gumuk; in mixed gardens, the evenness of species was lower (0.23) than the other two types.

Organic management increases beneficial microorganisms and promotes the stability of microecological networks in tea plantation soil.

Organic agriculture is highly regarded by people for its commitment to health, ecology, care, and fairness. The soil microbial community responds quickly to environmental changes and is a good indicator for evaluating soil microecology. Therefore, from the perspective of soil microbial communities, elucidating the impact of organic management on soil microecology in tea plantations has great significance for improving local tea plantation systems. The study collected bulk soil from organic management (OM) and conventional management (CM) tea plantations in Pu'er City, a major tea-producing area in China, and analyzed their species diversity, structural composition, and co-occurrence networks using metagenomics technology. Compared with CM, the diversity index (Shannon) and evenness index (Heip) of soil fungi increased by 7.38% and 84.2% in OM tea plantations, respectively. The relative abundance of microorganisms related to the nitrogen cycle increased. Specifically, there was a significant increase in Rhodobiales, a 2-fold increase in Nitrospirae, and approximately 1.95 and 2.03 times increases in unclassified genera within Betaproteobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria, respectively. The relative abundance of plant residue degradation species, Gemmatimonadetes, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota, increased by 2.8, 1, and 1.4 times, respectively. The OM was conducive to the establishment of collaborative relationships among bacterial species and increased the diversity and complexity of species relationships in fungal communities. The network stability of soil ecosystems was promoted. The organic tea plantations' keystone taxa contained mycorrhizal fungi (Pezoloma_ericae, Rhizophagus_irregularis, Rhizophagus_clarus), as well as species involved in soil nitrogen metabolism (Acidobacteria_bacterium, Acidobacteriia_bacterium_AA117, Sphingomonas_sp._URHD0007, Enhydrobacter_aerosaccus), pathogen (Erysiphe_pulchra), and parasites (Paramycosporidium saccamoeba). The partial least squares method (PLS-SEM) indicated that OM affected N-NH negatively, increasing the abundance of fungi, and thereby positively affecting the Shannon index. In brief, reasonable organic management can improve the diversity of soil microorganisms, increase the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria in tea plantation soil, and promote the stability of the soil microbial ecological network.

Analysis on the pharyngeal microbiota in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux disease

Objective(s)In this study, the laryngopharynx microbiome alterations were characterized after proton pump inhibitor treatment in patients with Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease (LPRD) and healthy people. The potential outcome-predictive biomarker was explored. MethodsPatients with LPRD and healthy controls were enrolled. The composition of their laryngopharynx microbiota was analyzed both by traditional plate count of the main bacterial groups and PCR amplification followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Shannon-Wiener index and evenness index based on Dice index were used to assess the bacterial diversity. Droplet digital PCR was used to determine the total bacterial RNA and relative abundance of Klebsiella oxytoca. Receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted to explore the potential of Klebsiella oxytoca as an outcome-predictive biomarker. ResultsA total of 29 LPRD cases and 28 healthy subjects were enrolled. The composition of the laryngopharynx microbiota was almost similar, except Klebsiella oxytoca. The cluster analysis showed that the similarity between healthy and treatment-effective groups, as well as pretreatment and treatment-invalid groups, was close. Statistical analysis showed that there were differences in the diversity index and richness among the healthy, treatment-effective, pretreatment and treatment-invalid groups. The abundance of Klebsiella oxytoca in the treatment-effective LPRD group was lower than that of the treatment-invalid LPRD group. The abundance of Klebsiella oxytoca can distinguish treatment-effective and -invalid groups (AUC=0.859) with a sensitivity of 77.78% and specificity of 90.91%. ConclusionThere were differences in the diversity of cecal contents microbial community between treatment-invalid and treatment-effective LPRD groups. Klebsiella oxytoca has potential to distinguish treatment outcomes. Level of evidenceHow common is the problem? Level 1. Is this diagnostic or monitoring test accurate? (Diagnosis) Level 4. What will happen if we do not add a therapy? (Prognosis) Level 5. Does this intervention help? (Treatment Benefits) Level 4. What are the COMMON harms? (Treatment Harms) Level 4. What are the RARE harms? (Treatment Harms) Level 4. Is this (early detection) test worthwhile?(Screening) Level 4.

Vegetation diversity pattern during spring season in relation to topographic and edaphic variables in sub-tropical zone

BackgroundThe present study was conducted to explore the diversity pattern of spring vegetation under the influence of topographic and edaphic variables in sub-tropical zone, District Malakand. In the present vegetation study, 252 species of 80 families were recorded in the study area. It included 39 species of trees, 43 species of shrubs, 167 species of herbs and 3 climber species. As a whole, 12 communities were established on the basis of topographic and edaphic characteristics in 12 different stations.ResultsThe results of the present study revealed that all diversity indices (species diversity, evenness index, species richness index, maturity index) during spring showed that the communities in plains lying at lower altitudes had higher diversity while the communities formed at high altitudes had lower diversity. The results of the similarity index showed that there was low similarity (below 50%) amongst the communities in different stations.ConclusionsIt can be concluded that variations in topographic and edaphic factors affect species diversity and communities pattern.

Biomonitoring of Kulla Beel, a Flood Plain Wet-land, Using Benthic Macro Invertabrates

Kulia beel, a flood plain wetland, located in Nadia District of West Bengal is surrounded by hospital, industries and human settlements. In the present study the ecological assessment through biomonitoring was done by using benthic macroinvertebrates collected from five sites during pre-monsoon, monsoon and postmonsoon periods. Average Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H) was found to vary from 0.953 at S2 during pre-monsoon to 1.683 at S3 during post-monsoon. The evenness index (1) varied from a maximum average value of 0.998 at site S-4 to a minimum average value of 0.614 at site S-1 during pre-monsoon seasons. Both the indices indicate the water body to be moderately polluted.

Study on Arboreal Floristic Diversity, Phytosociology and Conservation Strategy of Endangered Species in Chandi Beat of Majathal Wildlife Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh, Western Himalaya

Himachal Pradesh, a land of snow-abode mountains is significant for its natural wealth and unique habitat, flora, and fauna. Majathal Wildlife Sanctuary, the site of the present study was located in Solan and Shimla districts (Wildlife Division, Shimla) of Himachal Pradesh spread over an area of 37.71 sq km. Phytosociological studies for arboreal flora were conducted in the Chandi beat, of the sanctuary by using the quadrate method and quantitative analysis. The altitude of this beat varied from 625m to 1960m amsl. Total number of plant species recorded in the study area was 155, belonging to 46 families and 97 genera. The dominant families included Fabaceae, Moraceae, Asteraceae, Malvaceae, Lamiaceae, and Rosaceae. Pinus roxburghii recorded the highest value of IVI and is the most dominant tree species in the forest followed by Quercus leucotrichophora. Results revealed that the range of Concentration of dominance (C) 0.04-0.06, Index of Diversity (H) 2.55-3.58, Richness index (R) 3.47-7.78 and Evenness Index (E) 0.84-0.93 was for trees and range of Concentration of dominance (C) 0.03-0.04, Index of Diversity (H) 3.37-3.86, Richness index (R) 6.22-6.12 and Evenness Index (E) 0.91-0.93 for shrubs at different elevation in Chandi beat. There were three woody plant species found as threatened category plant according to CAMP, 2013 i.e., Pleurolobus gangeticus, Oroxylum indicum and Zanthoxylum armatum which require conservation efforts suggested except Zanthoxylum armatum which has shown a good population in nature. Phytosocial and floristic diversity study on woody plants was not done before in this sanctuary so it will provide baseline information on the biodiversity status of the woody vegetation of the sanctuary and encourage conservation efforts, sustainable utilization of resources, and bio-perspective.

Ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants in the Don Pu Ta Forest by Kaloeng Ethnic Group, Sakon Nakhon Province, Northeastern Thailand

Abstract. Appamaraka S, Saensouk S, Saensouk P, Junsongduang A, Setyawan AD. 2023. Ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants in the Don Pu Ta Forest by Kaloeng Ethnic Group, Sakon Nakhon Province, Northeastern Thailand. Biodiversitas 24: 4617-4635. Don Pu Ta Forest (in Thailand) is a vital conservation area with significant natural resources that are intertwined with the way of life, traditions, beliefs, and culture of the local community. This ecosystem fosters interdependence among its components. The local healers rely on the medicinal plants found in the Don Pu Ta Forest to provide healthcare to the people in their community. This research aimed to investigate the plant diversity, ethnobotanical knowledge, and medicinal plant utilization in the Don Pu Ta Forest, specifically within the Kaloeng Ethnic Group of Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews involving three indigenous healers and 220 local residents between January 2016 and November 2017. The interviews focused on plant usage, local names, utilized plant parts, methods of use, and medicinal properties. We also conducted vegetation analysis to assess the diversity and composition of vegetation in the Don Pu Ta Forest. The findings revealed that the Don Pu Ta Forest of the Kaloeng Ethnic Group in Sakon Nakhon Province contained medicinal plants from 28 families and 44 species. The biodiversity index (H') was calculated as 3.34, the Evenness Index (E) as 0.88, and the highest importance value index (IVI) as 25.26. Interviews with folk medicine healers identified the use of medicinal plants for treating 29 different symptoms. Notably, Micromelum minutum (Forst.f.) Wright & Arn., Rhodamnia dumetorum (DC.) Merr. & L.M. Perry, Garcinia cowa Roxb., and Casearia grewiifolia var. grewiifolia exhibited the highest Fidelity Level (FL) at 100%. The results of this study imply that ancestral wisdom's role in shaping the Kaloeng group's medicinal traditions, advocating for their integration with contemporary healthcare. In summary, the study offers valuable insights into the diversity, importance, and ethnobotanical use of medicinal plants in Don Pu Ta Forest, emphasizing possibilities for conservation, sustainable practices, and further exploration of these resources for healthcare benefits.

Neonatal Calf Diarrhea Is Associated with Decreased Bacterial Diversity and Altered Gut Microbiome Profiles

Neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD) is a broad symptom encompassing many potential underlying causes. While alterations in the gut microbiota have been correlated with diarrhea, the effects of diarrhea on gut communities have not been sufficiently studied. To explore these effects and identify key microbiota involved, we profiled the fecal microbial community of 21 calves with varying health conditions using the 16S rRNA gene. In comparison to healthy calves, diarrheic calves exhibited significantly decreased diversity and evenness indices. There was a notable increase in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota, and a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes. At the genus level, there were increased relative abundances of Escherichia-Shigella and Lactobacillus. Notably, the abundance of Lactobacillus continued to increase during the recovery from diarrhea. Clinical observation and bacterial typing analysis revealed fecal microbiome dysbiosis as a significant characteristic of NCD. This work identifies dysbiosis as a key factor promoting diarrhea in neonatal calves, characterized by a low-diversity microbiome. The increased abundance of Lactobacillus might contribute to the curative properties of diarrhea.

Keanekaragaman Coccinellid Predator sebagai Musuh Alami Hama Kutu-Kutuan pada Ekosistem Pertanaman Cabai Merah di Kecamatan Merawang, Kabupaten Bangka

Coccinellid beetles (Coleoptera), most of which are predatory species on small, soft-bodied insects. Predatory Coccinellids are biological agents that functions as pest control in cultivated plants. The control of plant pests needs the availability of data on potential coccinellid predators. This reserach aims to study the diversity, richness, evenness and dominance of predatory coccinellid and to determine their relationship with environmental microclimate parameters. The research was carried out in the red chili plantation ecosystem at Merawang District, Bangka Regency. Three stations were used, i.e., station 1, 2, and 3 in Kimak, Jada Bahrin, and Balunijuk villages, respectively. Predatory coccinellid were collected by hand picking and by using a sweep net. Data on diversity analyzed using the Shannon-Wiener, Data on richness analyzed using the Margalef, Data on evenness analyzed using the Pielow evenness indices. dominance species was analyzed using the Simpson formula. The results showed that there were 7 species of predatory coccinellid, namely Coccinella tranversalis, Harmonia octomaulata, Menochilus sexmaculatus, Coelephora. macullata, C. bisellata, Verania lineate, and V. discolor with diversity at a moderate level (1,254), evenness at a low level (0.239) , the richness at a low level (1,628), and dominance of coccinellid at a low level (0.369).

Diversity and Abundance of Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) in Sethu Bhaskara Agricultural College and Research Foundation, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, South India

Butterflies play a vital role in the ecosystem, acting as pollinators, pollution indicators, pests, predators, weed killers, a good source of food and being of aesthetic, economic and ecological importance. World-wide butterfly populations are on the decline due to habitat destruction and deforestation. This study was taken with the prime objective of preparing the checklist of butterflies at Sethu Bhaskara Agricultural College and Research Foundation, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, from April 2023 to July 2023. A total of 976 individuals of 76 species belonging to 5 families have been recorded in the survey. For this study, the college was mapped into four different habitats: botanical garden area, agricultural field area, horticultural field area and grassland area. Results revealed that the family Nymphalidae showed the maximum number of species (22.0 species) from 12 genera (29.0%), followed by Lycaenidae (20.0 species) from17genera (26.5%), Pieridae (18.0 species) from 9 genera (24.0%), Hesperiidae (12.0 species) from 11 genera (16.0%) and the least being Papilionidae (4.0 species) from 2 genera (5.5%). Among the four sites, the botanical garden area ranks first with the highest number of butterflies (140 species, N =280), followed by the horticultural field area (129 species, N = 258), the agricultural field area (115 species, N = 230) and the grassland area (104 species, N = 208). According to the monthly distribution of butterflies, the maximum number of species and abundance were recorded in the months of July (307 species, N = 332), followed by June (141 species, N = 282), April (112 species, N= 224) and least in May (69 species, N = 138). The overall Shannon-Weiner diversity index was H = 1.50, Pielou’s evenness index was E = 0.60 and Margalef’s index was R = 13.30. This study illustrated useful information on butterfly diversity in the study region, which serves as a baseline for future monitoring programs.

Characterization of bird, reptile, and insect community diversity in constructed wetlands and waste stabilization ponds across Tanzania

Wastewater treatment systems, such as Constructed Wetlands (CWs) and Waste Stabilization Ponds (WSPs), have untapped biodiversity enhancement and development potential. Birds, insects, and reptiles, which are displaced by human development, might find refuge in these ecosystems. However, the lack of a detailed characterization of the biodiversity status of these wastewater treatment systems hinders their widespread adoption. Point counts, direct observations, and camera traps were used to assess bird diversity across five CWs and three WSPs in Tanzania in 2021. For insects and reptiles, pitfall and pan traps were laid along established transects, in addition, direct observations and fishnets were also used to assess the reptiles dwelling within the WSPs. Abundance, Shannon index, Simpson index, Margalef index, and evenness index were the diversity parameters used to analyze the diversity of birds, insects, and reptiles. Our results show that among the studied groups and between WSPs and CWs, birds had high species abundance (n = 1132), richness, Margalef index (D = 4.266), evenness (E = 0.815), Shannon diversity (H = 2.881) and Simpson index (λ =0.903). The abundance and diversity of studied groups differed significantly (P < 0.05) between WSPs and CWs. Our study also recorded four reptile species belonging to three orders. Molecular analyses confirmed that insect species belong to nine orders and 13 families, with the order Diptera dominating both CWs and WSPs, followed by Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, and Araneae. We conclude that CW and WSP wastewater treatment systems are important for hosting various populations of birds, reptiles, and insect species.

Impact of urbanization on the ant diversity: a case study on teak plantation in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Ant communities play an important role in a teak agroecosystem. However, ant diversity is affected by urbanization. The purpose of this study was to determine the diversity and composition of ants in teak plantations in urban and rural areas. This study was conducted in July 2022 at three plantations in two regencies (Gowa and Maros) and one city (Makassar) in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Gowa and Maros are located in rural areas, while Makassar is located in urban areas. Ants were sampled using a pitfall canopy. At each plantation, 20 trees were sampled randomly for pitfall installation. Ants were identified to the genera level and morphospecies. Ant’s diversity was analyzed using the Shannon Wiener, Simpson, and Evenness index and analysis of dissimilarity (Anosim). Total 273 individual ants samples were collected from 10 species and four subfamilies from three teak plantations in South Sulawesi. Crematogaster sp.1 was the most abundant ant among all the collected samples. Based upon the different indexes, the highest ant diversity was found in Gowa followed by Maros, while the lowest diversity was found in Makassar. The level of ant dominance in Makassar was higher than other two studied areas. The highest species evenness index was also found in Gowa and followed by Maros. The species composition in the three teak plantations was also not similar. Each location had their unique species composition than the other locations. This indicated that urbanization causes negative impacts on ants diversity and evenness as well as increase the dominance of ant species in teak plantations.

Characteristics of fish community structure and environmental driving factors in Taihu Lake during the first year of fishing ban.

Taihu Lake has officially implemented the full fishing ban policy since October 1, 2020. We investigated fish community of Taihu Lake in the four seasons of 2020. A total of 42 fish species were collected, belonging to 6 orders, 7 families, and 33 genera. The first five dominant species ranked by the index of relative importance were Coilia nasus, Toxabramis swinhonis, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, and Salangichthys tangkahkeii. The number of C. nasus accounted for 85.1% of the total number of catches. According to the distributional characteristics of cyanobacterial blooms and aquatic plants, Taihu Lake could be divided into the northern, central, and eastern regions. There was no significant difference in catch per unit effort (CPUE) among different lake regions, but Shannon diversity index and Pielou evenness index in the eastern region was greater than in the other two regions. The CPUE, Shannon diversity index, and Pielou evenness index were significantly different among the four seasons, with the lowest CPUE in autumn and higher diversity in autumn and winter than in spring and summer. Electrical conductivity, water depth, chloride, and transparency were the main environmental factors driving the seasonal variations of fish community in Taihu Lake, while electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, and transparency were key variables driving the spatial patterns. The results could be used as the baseline data for fish community studies in Taihu Lake after the fishing ban.