Lower Species Richness Research Articles

Landscapes with higher crop diversity have lower aphid species richness but higher plant virus prevalence

Abstract Diversifying agricultural systems by growing more than one crop species in an area can decrease pest and disease pressure and increase crop yields. However, there is a lack of information on how crop diversity at larger spatial scales influences pest and disease pressure. Here, we investigated how landscape‐scale crop diversity affects aphid vector communities and prevalence of non‐persistently transmitted potato virus Y (PVY). To test the influence of landscape‐scale crop diversity on PVY prevalence and aphid communities, we conducted a field study during the 2020 and 2021 field seasons in the San Luis Valley, Colorado, where we quantified aphid communities and PVY incidence at multiple sites. We then determined the association between aphid species richness and abundance and PVY incidence with landscape variables (crop diversity metrics and percentage cover of crop species) within 1, 2 and 3 km buffers from study sites. Higher crop diversity (measured as Shannon Diversity Index) led to decreased aphid species richness at a 3 km buffer in the 2021 field season. We only detected a positive association between percentage of alfalfa crop cover and aphid species richness in 2020 and aphid abundance in 2021 within a 1 km buffer. Higher crop diversity led to increased PVY incidence at a 2 km buffer in 2021 and 3 km buffer in 2020 and 2021. At a 3 km buffer in 2021, we found a positive influence of crop species richness on PVY incidence and a negative influence of crop species evenness on PVY incidence. Also in 2021, we found a positive influence of percentage of potato (virus host) on PVY incidence and a negative influence of percentage of barley (virus non‐host) on PVY incidence. Synthesis and applications. In summary, we found that landscape‐scale crop diversity impacts plant virus prevalence at spatial scales of >1 km. This suggests that potato growers could reduce PVY prevalence by geographically isolating potato fields from other potato or other PVY hosts. Crop diversity had a negative influence on aphid vector communities, so growers could reduce risk of virus spread by aphid vectors by using certified potato seed in a diversified landscape.

Microbiome of the External Auditory Canal: Changes After Long-Term Hearing Aid Use.

To investigate the microbial changes of long-term hearing aid use culture independently. Cross-sectional study. Fifty long-term hearing aid users and 80 volunteer controls with asymptomatic ears. External auditory canal (EAC) sampling with DNA-free swabs. Microbial communities in the samples were investigated with amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The final analysis contained 48 hearing aid users, 59 controls. Twenty-four samples were excluded because of low sequence count, recent use of antimicrobials and/or corticosteroids, recent cold, or missing health status. The groups showed significant differences in bacterial diversity (beta div., p = 0.011), and hearing aid users showed lower species richness than the control group (alpha div., p < 0.01). The most frequent findings in both groups were Staphylococcus auricularis , Alloiococcus otitis , Cutibacterium acnes , Corynebacterium otitidis , and Staphylococcus unclassified sp. Hearing aid users' samples presented more Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum than the control samples. Common EAC pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa were rare. Long-term hearing aid use lowers bacterial diversity and modulates the EAC microbiome. The changes mostly affect commensals. Lowered diversity may predispose individuals to EAC conditions and needs more research.

Spatio-temporal distribution of copepods in the mangrove areas of Munroe Island, adjacent to Ashtamudi estuary, Kerala, India

ABSTRACT The study was conducted to assess the species composition of copepods around Munroe Island of Kerala (South India) from October 2020 to September 2022. Copepod samples collected from the mangrove habitats around Munroe Island revealed 31 species belonging to 18 genera and 15 families. The order Calanoida was recognized as the most dominant taxon, with 23 species, followed by Harpacticoida (5 spp.) and Cyclopoida (3 spp.). Spatially, sampling station 3 (Palliyanthuruthu) had the highest species richness (28 spp.); in contrast, the lowest species richness was found at sampling station 1 (Villimangalam, 13 spp.). When exploring the seasonal effects on copepod richness it was found that the highest species richness was seen in the post-monsoon season (31 spp.) followed by the pre-monsoon season (29 spp.), while the least diversity was found during the monsoon season (28 spp.). Species such as Acartia bilobata, Paracalanus parvus, Pseudodiaptomus aurivillii, Pseudocalanus elongatus, Microsetella norvegica, and Oithona similis were found to be perennial in nature. The investigation calls for intensive surveys of copepods to reveal their ecology and diversity in the hitherto less studied region in South India.

Anthropogenic disturbance produces divergent effects in the community structure and composition of tropical semi-evergreen forests in the Eastern Himalaya

Studies documenting anthropogenic disturbance-driven changes in forest communities of the Eastern Himalaya, a global biodiversity hot spot, are largely lacking. We studied six forest sites of tropical semi-evergreen forests in Arunachal Pradesh in the Eastern Himalaya to understand the effects of varying disturbance intensities on the forest community structure and composition. Based on the magnitude of disturbance, forest sites were classified as experiencing low, moderate and high disturbance. Mean species richness (SR) of trees and shrubs decreased from low disturbance to high disturbance. Mean SR of herbs was maximum in moderately disturbed forest sites. Maximum values of the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index (SD) were recorded for trees at sites with low disturbance, for shrubs at sites with high disturbance and for herbs in moderately disturbed forests. Pilelou Evenness Index (EI) values were maximum for trees at sites with high disturbance, while maximum EI values for shrubs and herbs were recorded in the forest sites with low disturbance. The number of tree families decreased from 18 to 13 in the forests with low and high disturbance, respectively. Moderate disturbance led to increased herb species richness and diversity, while increasing disturbance produced contrasting effects on trees. High anthropogenic disturbance led to low species richness, but high diversity amongst shrubs. Our investigations suggest that the magnitude of disturbance elicits differential responses in different physiognomic classes in the forest ecosystems and further our understanding of the effects of disturbance in tropical forest ecosystems of a global biodiversity hotspot.

Abandonment or biomass production? Phytodiversity responses to land-use changes of semi-natural grasslands in northern Europe

European semi-natural grasslands are hotspots for biodiversity and important for the provisioning of multiple ecosystem services, but their extent has declined considerably during the past century. Increasing demands for agricultural and forest biomass risk causing further loss of grasslands, raising concern about a goal conflict between climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation. This study focused on the loss of semi-natural grasslands in a mixed farm-forest landscape in southern Sweden by comparing plant diversity in grasslands with continuous grazing regimes to recently abandoned grasslands, improved grasslands (sown leys), and afforested grasslands. Compared to actively grazed grasslands, grasslands where grazing had been abandoned showed a lower plant species richness and fewer plant species of conservation concern, but similar species composition. In contrast, both improved and afforested grasslands showed >50 % lower species richness than abandoned and grazed grasslands, with profoundly different species composition. The dissimilarity in plant diversity between sites was primarily driven by the replacement of species (turnover), and trait-based analyses indicated that environmental filtering of light, management, and nutrient requirements of plants shaped the community differences. Furthermore, an increased cover of semi-natural grassland around the sites positively related to plant species richness and diversity, while an increased cropland coverage around the sites showed a negative relationship. Our results emphasize the importance of integrated land-use strategies that prioritize biodiversity conservation in mixed farm-forest landscapes, such as restoration of semi-natural grasslands and strategic planning of biomass production to avoid serious biodiversity losses.

Shrubs exhibit competitive interactions with herbaceous plants and shape community assemblage and functional composition in the alpine western Himalaya

AbstractQuestionsIn the alpine region of the Himalaya, shrubs play a vital role in maintaining the diversity and functional composition of associated herbaceous communities through competition–facilitation interactions under varying environmental stress conditions. In this study, we specified the following questions: (1) what is the mode of interaction between dominant shrubs and the associated herbaceous communities; (2) how do differences in resource availability between contrasting microhabitats mediate interactions between shrub and herbaceous communities; and (3) how do dominant shrubs influence the functional composition of herbaceous communities under the canopy as compared to ones in the open?Study areaAn alpine region of the western Himalaya, in India (32.24–33.15° N, 76.51–78.13° E).MethodsField studies were conducted to evaluate the canopy effects of alpine shrubs such as Caragana versicolor, Juniperus polycarpos and Rhododendron anthopogon on species richness, abundance and functional composition of coexisting herbaceous communities.ResultsThe dominant alpine shrubs of the western Himalaya exert competitive interactions with associated herbaceous communities and have low species richness and abundance under their canopies compared to open habitats. Further, contrary to expectations, competitive interactions were more prominent at higher elevations than at lower ones, especially for J. polycarpos and C. versicolor. Although the shrub undercanopies possessed richer soil nutrient pools, this did not contribute toward the facilitation of herbaceous species under the canopies. Moreover, herbaceous species under the canopies were found to exhibit resource‐acquisitive functional strategies, whereas those in the open were resource‐conservative.ConclusionsThe interaction between dominant alpine shrubs and the herbaceous community of the western Himalaya is competitive in nature, which influences species and functional composition and reorganizes herbaceous community assembly. Moreover, under future climate change scenarios the dominance of these shrubs will favour those herbaceous species that possess more competitive and resource‐acquisitive functional strategies.

Bacterial community analysis of the skin microbiota of cultured Chinese giant salamander infected with Ranavirus.

Skin microorganisms are an important component of host innate immunity and serve as the first line of defense against pathogenic infections. The relative abundance of bacterial species, microbial community assembly, and secretion of specific bacterial metabolites are closely associated with host health. In this study, we investigated the association between the skin microbiome and Ranavirus, and compared the bacterial community assemblage, alpha and beta diversity, and functional predictions of the skin bacterial assemblage in cultured healthy Chinese giant salamanders (Andrias davidianus) and individuals infected with Chinese giant salamander iridovirus (GSIV or ADRV). To achieve this, we employed 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The results identified Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, and Actinobacteriota as the dominant phyla in the diseased and healthy groups. Alpha diversity analysis indicated that the skin bacterial community in the diseased group exhibited no significant differences in bacterial species diversity and lower species richness compared to the healthy group. Beta diversity suggested that the two group bacterial community was quite different. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analyze and clusters of orthologous groups of proteins (COG) function predictions revealed that changes and variations occurred in the metabolic pathways and function distribution of skin bacterial communities in two groups.

Local environment and fragmentation by drought and damming shape different components of native and non-native fish beta diversity across pool refuges

Pool refuges are critical for maintaining stream fish diversity in increasingly intermittent streams. Yet, the patterns and drivers of beta diversity of native and non-native fish in pool refuges remain poorly known. Focusing on Mediterranean streams, we decomposed beta diversity of native and non-native fish into richness difference (RichDiff) and species replacement (Repl), and local (LCBD, LCBDRichDiff and LCBDRepl) and species (SCBD) contributions. We assessed the influence of environmental and spatial factors associated with drought and damming fragmentations on beta diversity components and LCBDs, and of local species richness and occupancy on LCBDs and SCBD, respectively. Overall, non-native species showed a more limited occupancy of pool refuges than native fish. RichDiff dominated beta diversity, though it was influenced by drought and damming fragmentations for native fish and local environment for non-native fish. Repl for native fish was slightly influenced by local environment, but for non-native fish was largely driven by drought and damming, albeit with a contribution of local environment as well. LCBD and LCBDRichDiff increased in pools in low order streams for native fish and at low elevations for non-native fish, and with high or low species richness. SCBD was higher for native species with intermediated pool occupancy, but for non-native species with low occupancy. Our results suggest that stream fragmentation may drive native species loss and non-native species replacement in pool refuges, and that environmental filtering may shape non-native species loss. Pools in lower order streams harbouring unique species-rich or species-poor assemblages should be prioritize for conservation and restoration, respectively, and pools at low elevation with unique non-native assemblages should deserve control efforts. We encourage the partitioning of beta diversity and individual analysis of native and non-native fish in intermittent streams, which may be key in stressing the importance of pool refuges in safeguarding native fish diversity.

Caught in the crossfire: biodiversity conservation paradox of sociopolitical conflict

The current state of global biodiversity is confronted with escalating threats arising from human-induced environmental changes and a growing array of unpredictable challenges. However, effective conservation efforts are often hindered by limited knowledge, especially in developing economies such as the Philippines. The limitations imposed by these shortfalls in biodiversity knowledge hamper the capacity to protect biodiversity in light of the continuing extinction crisis. Our study revealed that areas with higher conflict levels exhibited lower species richness, fewer occurrence records, and reduced forest cover. This finding provides initial evidence for the relationship between sociopolitical conflict and biodiversity in the Philippines. We posit that the security risks caused by sociopolitical conflicts could have a negative impact on conservation efforts, particularly in terms of monitoring and implementing measures to protect natural resources. The links that bind armed conflict and biodiversity conservation are multifaceted and complex issues that warrant greater scientific and political attention. Finally, we identified 10 meaningful approaches to address shortfalls in biodiversity knowledge in conflicted areas, particularly incorporating conflict-sensitive approaches, considering the geopolitical context and conflict dynamics to adapt and align their strategies with local realities for more effective conservation efforts.

Patterns of avian tree usage in the primeval temperate forests of Białowieża National Park.

Species distribution and resource utilization are a fundamental aspect of ecology. By analyzing the tree space usage by birds and determining the species composition of birds across different parts of trees, our study could shed light on the mechanisms shaping co-occurrence patterns in bird communities. Therefore, our study aimed to determine the species composition of birds across different parts of trees. We investigated whether species richness differs between positions on a tree and how these positions influence the probability of occurrence of the 10 most frequently observed bird species. To achieve this, we observed birds within permanent plots in Białowieża National Park (BNP) and analyzed the distribution patterns of birds within six vertical and three horizontal sectors of trees. The compositional dissimilarity between tree sectors was assessed using detrended correspondence analysis. We employed generalized linear mixed-effects models to examine differences in species richness. The majority of the BNP bird community was associated with the branches, while other birds occupied the tree crown trunks and the understory trunks. Species richness was the highest on branches in the crown part of trees, followed by lower species richness on trunks associated with crowns, and the lowest richness was observed on branches and trunks in the understory. These results indicate that branches in the middle and lower parts of the crown serve as avian diversity hotspots on trees, likely due to the abundance of various food sources. The differing patterns of tree usage by specific bird species may suggest the avoidance of interspecific competition for resources. The study results of tree usage by bird species obtained in the primeval forest provides a reference point for studies conducted in human-altered woods.

Neglected puzzle pieces of urban green infrastructure: richness, cover, and composition of insect-pollinated plants in traffic-related green spaces

ContextIn cities, insect-pollinated vascular plants enhance environmental quality, support pollinators, and provide essential ecosystem services for citizens. However, floral communities associated with traffic-related green spaces are rarely considered valuable elements of urban green infrastructure (UGI).ObjectivesThe main objective of this work was to assess if traffic-related green spaces in Finland possess species-rich floral communities and can assist urban ecological restoration—converting degraded areas into functionally diverse ecosystems. Thus, we evaluated richness, cover, and community composition of insect-pollinated plants (emphasizing flowering ones) on traffic islands, parking lots, and road verges.MethodsThe assessment was performed during the mean flowering phenophase of insect-pollinated plants in the European boreal zone (July and August) using a standard quadrat (1 m2) placement method. We studied plants in urban and suburban locations of three highly populated (> 170 000 inhabitants) Finnish cities—Helsinki, Tampere, and Turku. There were 90 sampling sites with 15 replicates per location type in each city and five measurement replicates per green space (habitat) type. The species richness, cover, and composition were assessed in relation to location, habitat type, city, the average daily traffic (ADT), and distance to the road.ResultsUrban locations had lower total plant species richness and fewer indicator species (characterized only by a single indicator species) compared to suburban locations (characterized by five indicator species). Species richness of plants flowering during the time of the survey did not differ among locations. Traffic islands were richer habitats for flowering plants than road verges but did not differ from parking lots. Total vegetation cover and cover of insect-pollinated flowering plants increased with an increasing distance from the road. Vegetation cover differed among habitats being higher on road verges than on traffic islands irrespective of ADT. In all habitat types, the two most common flowering species were yarrow Achillea millefolium and autumn hawkbit Leontodon autumnalis which occurred at 70.2% and 67.8% of the sampling sites, respectively. However, the mean cover of the ten most common flowering species (when present) was low and varied between 1.5 and 9.5% per m2.ConclusionsSimilar richness of flowering plants (but not total plant species) in urban and suburban locations might indicate equal importance of ecosystem services provided by flowering plants in cities irrespective of location. Because traffic islands and parking lots contain rich plant communities, they should be better integrated into UGI and valued by city planners. Management intensity in terms of grass cuts should be ecologically justified. An increase in the number of insect-pollinated plant species in urban traffic-related green spaces might help to improve environmental quality in cities in terms of increasing pollinator biodiversity and reducing pollution.

The spider fauna of Danish coastal dune habitats revisited after 25 years: evidence of faunistic impoverishment

Arthropod faunas have become impoverished in recent years in abundance as well as in diversity, but so far little evidence exists concerning spiders. In 2022, we repeated pitfall trap collections of spider assemblages completed 25 years previously in coastal dune habitats of the Hanstholm Reserve of National Park Thy, Denmark. Traps were placed approximately at the same spots, i.e. the habitats (white dune, grey dune, dry dune heathland, wet dune heathland, low pine plantation) were represented approximately as before. Contrary to most previous reports of insect decline, we found only weak evidence of reduction in abundance, but strong indications of reductions in faunistic value based on changes in ecological traits. Within the same period of spring and with the same number of traps, we collected 12% fewer spider individuals and 13% fewer species; rarefaction indicated that the lowered species richness was real. Species diversity had decreased and dominance increased. Changes in indices of ecological traits showed that the fauna had changed into decreased contribution of habitat specialists and species of restricted Danish distribution; the proportion of aeronauts had increased; the average body size had decreased. Indices of assemblage microclimatic niche positions and niche widths showed increased representation of shade and humidity loving species. Most of these changes were repeated in each of the habitats. Finally, we found evidence of a phenological shift towards activity earlier in spring in some species.Implications for insect conservationWe discuss possible management measures to counteract the observed trend towards reduced faunistic value.

Effect of Cipangopaludina chinensis and diversity of plant species with different life forms on greenhouse gas emissions from constructed wetlands

Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from Constructed wetlands (CWs) for treating wastewater have been largely focused on. Previous studies have demonstrated that plant species diversity significantly affects GHG. However, the effect of the diversity of plant species with different life forms and benthic organisms on GHGs from CWs remains unclear. In this study, we selected three common aquatic plant species with different life forms (submerged, free-floating, emergent) for diversity configuration (one, two, three species richness and all seven combinations; six replicates), with C. chinensis added to half the replicates. Results showed that: (1) in systems without C. chinensis, high plant species richness significantly increased CO2 emissions and GWPCH4+N2O+CO2, as well as CO2 emissions per unit N removal and GWPCH4+N2O+CO2 per unit N removal, the presence of Acorus calamus increased CO2 emissions by 77 % and GWPCH4+N2O+CO2 by 72 %, respectively, while the presence of Pistia stratiotes significantly reduced N2O emissions by 41 %; (2) in systems with C. chinensis, the presence of P. stratiotes significantly reduced N2O emissions by 73% and GWPnon-CO2 by 68 %, respectively; (3) plant species identify did not affect GWPCH4+N2O+CO2 per unit N removal and GWPnon-CO2 per unit N removal in systems with or without C. chinensis. In summary, adding C. chinensis affected the effect of plant species identity on GHGs from CWs. Thus, we suggested that establishing communities with low plant species richness and proper species (such as P. stratiotes) could improve pollutant removal rate (TIN) and reduce GHGs in CWs.

Unraveling the biodiversity in the Brazilian wetlands: dung beetle assemblage in different vegetation types in the Araguaia Pantanal

ABSTRACT The Araguaia Pantanal is characterized by a mosaic of vegetation with high biodiversity. However, our understanding of this biodiversity remains limited and understudied. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the distribution patterns of dung beetles in different vegetation types (Deciduous Forest, Savanna, Riparian Forest, Murundu Fields, and Exotic Pastures). In addition, we analyzed how forest cover influence the species richness, abundance, and species composition of dung beetles. A total of 12,746 dung beetles representing 67 different species were captured and examined. Our findings revealed that the Murundu Fields exhibited lower species richness and abundance of dung beetles, indicating the influence of distinct vegetation types directly associated with flood pulses in the region. Furthermore, the species composition of the Murundu Fields was found to be a subset of the adjacent vegetation, primarily composed of Savanna and Deciduous Forest species. Additionally, our results demonstrated that tree cover played a significant role in driving dung beetle species turnover among the studied sites, highlighting the species’ response to the existing gradient of vegetational changes within the region. We believe that our study contributes valuable insights into the distribution and ecological dynamics of dung beetles in the Araguaia Pantanal.

Threat categories of Vatica mangachapoi should be reassessed

IntroductionAsian tropical rainforests have the highest rates of degradation in the world. Consequently, a large decline in Chinese Vatica mangachapoi (a keystone species) had led to its listing in the category of “vulnerable” species by IUCN. However, its current status after decades of conservation efforts remains unknown.MethodsHere, we evaluate the current status of Chinese V. mangachapoi.Results and DiscussionWe found that its population is now dispersed in 14 protected areas, the largest being a coastal forest that contains 96.84% of all the Chinese V. mangachapoi. Compared to their historic records, the age of this forest was estimated at ≤ 70 years. The mono-culturing of V. mangachapoi in this forest, since 1960, has replaced all the older trees, resulting in its extremely high (91%) relative abundance, and an extensively low (only 44) tree species richness. Further, these V. mangachapoi trees now suffer from vine strangulations and severe Amauroderma perplexum infections: 18.5% of V. mangachapoi have died and 75% are at a high risk, thereby creating a threat of its extinction. Although, the other 13 protected areas have a higher tree species richness (152–451), a lower (6.1–25%) relative abundance of V. mangachapoi, and they neither suffer from vine strangulation or disease infections, they contribute to only 3.16% of total Chinese population of this species. Therefore, an immediate revision of threat status of this species in IUCN, from vulnerable to endangered, is warranted. Further, a change in planting patterns, from monocultures to mix-plantations of native species, is needed to promote biodiversity and restrict other biotic challenges so that this species is not extinct.

Spatial extent predicts Andean epiphyte biodiversity responses to habitat loss and fragmentation across human‐modified landscapes

AbstractAimHuman‐driven landscape processes such as habitat loss and fragmentation act on biodiversity, but their effects are mediated by the spatial scale at which they are observed. We aim to analyse the scale‐of‐effects (direction and spatial extent) of landscape‐scale processes that best explain species richness and abundance across epiphyte communities.LocationNeotropics, Northern Andes, Colombia, Eastern cordillera.TaxonVascular epiphytes, Orchidaceae.MethodsWe used field data to unravel the scale‐of‐effect of three landscape processes—habitat loss (forest cover), fragmentation (number of patches) and edge effects (edge density)—on epiphyte biodiversity. Vascular epiphytes were sampled in the understorey across 141 plots within 23 Andean forests in the eastern Colombian cordillera We focused on the community‐level responses (species richness and total abundance) of the hyperdiverse vascular epiphyte communities using generalized linear mixed models to quantify the direction and the spatial extent of the scale‐of‐effects.ResultsHabitat loss and edge effects act at fine spatial extents (scale‐of‐effects = 200 m), predicting low species richness and abundance across groups. Likewise, fragmentation negatively impacts communities, but operates at larger spatial extents (scale‐of‐effects = 2000–2400 m radius). The detection of these effects is contingent upon the spatial extent and specific landscape processes involved. Models of habitat loss within a spatial extent of 800–1500 m (large confidence intervals), fragmentation below 300 m, and edge effects above 800 m show weak statistical support (marginal r2 = 0.02–0.1). Thus, the impacts of these landscape processes may be overlooked if studied at inadequate spatial extents.Main ConclusionsWe showed that habitat loss, fragmentation and edge effects all play a negative role on understorey epiphytic communities, but their detectability is scale dependant. The scale‐of‐effects can assist landscape designs that are beneficial for epiphytic communities, by preserving forest cover, and reducing fragmentation and exposure to edge effects at small scales (200–300 m). Conversely, landscape‐scale actions directed at reducing habitat loss and fragmentation function at larger spatial extents (&gt;2000 m). Selecting a priori or inadequate spatial extents of analysis can obscure the detectability of landscape processes.

Bornean tropical forests recovering from logging at risk of regeneration failure.

Active restoration through silvicultural treatments (enrichment planting, cutting climbers and liberation thinning) is considered an important intervention in logged forests. However, its ability to enhance regeneration is key for long-term recovery of logged forests, which remains poorly understood, particularly for the production and survival of seedlings in subsequent generations. To understand the long-term impacts of logging and restoration we tracked the diversity, survival and traits of seedlings that germinated immediately after a mast fruiting in North Borneo in unlogged and logged forests 30-35 years after logging. We monitored 5119 seedlings from germination for ~1.5 years across a mixed landscape of unlogged forests (ULs), naturally regenerating logged forests (NR) and actively restored logged forests via rehabilitative silvicultural treatments (AR), 15-27 years after restoration. We measured 14 leaf, root and biomass allocation traits on 399 seedlings from 15 species. Soon after fruiting, UL and AR forests had higher seedling densities than NR forest, but survival was the lowest in AR forests in the first 6 months. Community composition differed among forest types; AR and NR forests had lower species richness and lower evenness than UL forests by 5-6 months post-mast but did not differ between them. Differences in community composition altered community-weighted mean trait values across forest types, with higher root biomass allocation in NR relative to UL forest. Traits influenced mortality ~3 months post-mast, with more acquisitive traits and relative aboveground investment favoured in AR forests relative to UL forests. Our findings of reduced seedling survival and diversity suggest long time lags in post-logging recruitment, particularly for some taxa. Active restoration of logged forests recovers initial seedling production, but elevated mortality in AR forests lowers the efficacy of active restoration to enhance recruitment or diversity of seedling communities. This suggests current active restoration practices may fail to overcome barriers to regeneration in logged forests, which may drive long-term changes in future forest plant communities.

Influence of soil properties on woody vegetation structure, diversity and seasonality in Neotropical savannas

AbstractUnderstanding how savanna soil properties influence vegetation diversity and function is a major challenge in ecological studies. We investigated the effects of soil properties on woody species density, richness, composition, and vegetative phenology (inferred by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)) in two alluvial and two interfluvial savanna sites (1 block of 10 plots of 20 × 50 m in each site), in the Brazilian Cerrado. We showed that plots in alluvial savannas present less fertile soils and have lower plant densities and species richness and higher seasonality of NDVI than plots in the interfluvial savannas. The species composition of the sites was associated with the P, Fe, K, and Mn content of the soil. Soil K, Fe, and Ca contents were the main variables associated with plant density in a linear mixed model (LMM) that explained 79% of data variability (r2c = 0.79%), and K, Fe, and Al were the main predictors to explain species richness (r2c = 0.81%). Soil K, pH, and Silt were the best predictors of the seasonality in NDVI (r2c = 0.14%). We highlight the all‐encompassing effect of K soil content on species density, richness, composition, and NDVI and argue that this macronutrient and a few other soil properties (e.g., P, Fe, Al, and Silt) are the main factors mediating plant responses to water and nutrient stress in woody savanna communities occurring in the Cerrado–Amazônia transition.

Consumption of centipedes promotes growth and gut microbiome homeostasis in a lizard

AbstractAnimals are known for their self‐medicating behavior, and food composition also contributes to animal fitness. In this study, we investigated the dietary habits of endangered Chinese crocodile lizards and found that, compared to adult lizards, juvenile lizards consumed more centipedes, a trend validated through controlled feeding experiments. Juvenile lizards fed with centipedes demonstrated faster growth rates and better body conditions than those fed an earthworm‐only diet, despite no increase in food intake. The centipede‐added group showed lower species richness in the gut microbiome and had more abundant fermentative bacteria, such as Bacteroides, Paraclostridium, and Enterococcus, whereas the earthworm‐only group had more abundant non‐fermentative opportunistic pathogens. Higher concentrations of short‐chain fatty acids, which are mainly derived from bacterial fermentation in the gut, were found in the feces of the centipede‐added group. Therefore, consumption of centipedes promoted the growth and gut microbiota homeostasis of juvenile lizards. This study emphasizes the significance of preserving food diversity in natural environments and increasing dietary diversity in captive populations.

Assessing the Distribution and Richness of Mammalian Species Using a Stacking Species Distribution Model in a Temperate Forest.

This study was conducted as an effort to examine the association between mammalian species richness and environmental, anthropogenic, and bioclimate factors in the Province of Chungnam, Korea, using a stacked species distribution model (SSDM) approach. An SSDM model was constructed using an extensive dataset collected from 1357 mammal sampling points and their corresponding forest, geographical, anthropogenic, and bioclimatic information. Distance to forest edge, elevation, slope, population density, and distance to water channels were identified as important variables for determining species richness, whereas the impact of bioclimate variables was less important. The endemism map showed a strong correlation with species richness, suggesting the important role of endemic species. Overestimation was observed in areas with lower species richness. However, the findings of the study still demonstrated that valuable insights can be obtained through the use of the SSDM, which may be helpful to land managers, aiding in the effective management of wildlife habitats, particularly in regions with an abundance of species richness and endemism.