Main Habitat Types Research Articles

The breeding distribution and numbers of the Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) in Kharkiv City, Ukraine

The counts of breeding Jackdaws were made in Kharkiv City, Ukraine in April – early June of 2016–2017. We estimated the breeding density among different habitat types. For such a purpose the city area was divided into 0.25 km² squares (n = 1354) and we estimated the numbers of pairs within the boundaries of 40 squares (QGIS program was used to choose randomly these squares). The surveys were made in April–May (19 squares) and early June (4 squares) in 2016 and April–May (10 squares) and early June (7 squares) in 2017. The surveys were made within main habitat types such as area of residential blocks of flats, residential area (1–2-storey buildings), industrial area, forest zone, park zone and undeveloped urban areas. The data on the area occupied by every major habitat type (in km²) were calculated by QGIS program. The 90 % of the territory of Kharkiv City was analysed, except water reservoirs and traffic way areas. The data of the surveys were extrapolated across areas of the same habitat types. Also we have searched for Jackdaw colonies within the boundaries of Kharkiv City to take these data into account. According to the collected data the Jackdaw prefers to nest in crevices of old 3–5-level buildings at built-up districts or in round cross-sections of posts at blocks-of-flats areas. Thus the mean density here was 22 pairs/km². The mean density of Jackdaw in industrial areas was 15 pairs/km², in undeveloped urban areas – 1.2 pairs/km², and in residential area (1–2-storey buildings) – 0.7 pairs/km². The total number of breeding Jackdaws in Kharkiv City was estimated at 2325 to 2630 pairs. The mean density of Jackdaws was 7.5 pairs/km². Taking into account the moderate decline in the population of the Jackdaws in some European countries (although in general the population trend remains stable within the continent), and the lack of the surveys of the breeding distribution and numbers of Jackdaws in large cities of the Eastern Ukraine, it’s reasonable to use our data as an optimal starting point for the monitoring of the regional population trend of the species. The data of 2016 year survey were used in European Breeding Bird Atlas 2 (EBBA2) programme (square 37UCR2).

Avian and Habitat Diversity in the Semi-Arid Lands of Baringo South, Kenya

Semi-arid wooded-shrublands are important and critical habitats that provide breeding and feeding grounds for a variety of bird species, some of which are endangered, vulnerable or threatened with extinction. Habitat type and size influence abundance and diversity of birds globally and particularly in developing countries that are characterized by rapid human population growth and haphazard urban, agricultural and industrial development. The objective of this study was to assess avian and habitat diversity at Chemeron, a semi-arid land in the northern rangelands of Kenya. The study was guided by four questions: What kind of Habitat types are present at Chemeron study area? What kind of birds are found at Chemeron area? What is the conservation status of birds found at Chemeron area? What are the functional feeding guilds of birds that are found in the study area? How does the habitat type influence bird species abundance and diversity at Chemeron? Four 2-km long transects radiating from a central point within the study area were selected for a ground survey of birds that was conducted on foot. The surveys were conducted between 06:30 and 09:30 and 16:00 and 18:00 from October 2019 to April 2020. Bird species were observed and identified to the species level using high-resolution binoculars, field guidebooks and available taxonomic keys. Our surveys documented two main habitat types: Acacia-Balanites-Boscia woodlands dominated by Acacia senegal, Acacia mellifera, Acacia nilotica, Boscia angustifolia, and Balanites aegyptica. The second kind of habitat consisted of the invasive Acalypha fruticosa and Indigofera arrecta with Acacia reficiens-Acacia brevispica overstorey. A total of 53 bird species were sighted and identified the vulnerable Yellow necked spurfowl (Francolinus leucoscepus). Seventy-nine percent of the birds were sighted as singles or in pairs except for the gregarious white browed sparrow weaver (Plocepasser mahali), Apus caffer, Numida meleagris, Streptopelia senegalensis, Dinemellia dinemelli and Corythaxoides leucogaster. Significant differences in the various species diversity indices among the six transects were observed (p < 0.05). Approximately 60% of the birds belong to the insectivorous and omnivorous feeding guild. Charcoal burning and uncontrolled harvesting of wood are the major threats to the avian habitats in the study area. The high diversity of bird species in the study area can be attributed to the varied diversity of habitats that provide feeding, nesting, refuge and breeding grounds for the birds. From the foregoing findings, we can conclude that the ASALs of Baringo South offer ample habitat for a large number of bird species including the vulnerable Yellow necked spurfowl. The variations in various bird diversity indices can be attributed to the observed heterogeneity of habitats in the study area. We recommend wise use of rangeland resources and protection of critical avian habitats within the ASALs. Efforts should be geared towards livelihoods diversification and empowerment of the Lake Bogoria communities. This will reduce the pressure on the wooded shrublands that is widespread in the study area.

Urban expansion depletes cultural ecosystem services: an insight into a Mediterranean coastline

In the Mediterranean sandy coasts, urban expansion mainly occurs to support seaside tourism, causing a drastic loss of natural coastal dune habitats and the associated ecosystem services. We investigated on a representative tract of the Mediterranean coast to which extent land conversion into urban areas affected natural dune ecosystems and the related recreational Ecosystem Service over 50 years. Using empirical data derived from 591 questionnaires of beach users, we quantified the recreational ecosystem service (ESR) provided by the main dune habitat types of the Adriatic coast (Beach with Pioneer annual Vegetation, Herbaceous Dune Vegetation and Mediterranean macchia). On the basis of detailed multi-temporal land cover maps (years 1954, 1986 and 2006), we quantified the conversion of natural dune habitats into urban areas over time, by means of transition matrices. By combining the results of the assessment of ESR with the transition matrices, we measured how the natural dune habitats’ loss reduced the related ESR supply. Results show that although natural dune habitats have an important role as ESR suppliers, urban expansion eroded them with specific rates, causing a total percent loss of 12% in the ESR. Our work underlines the fragility of natural coastal dunes, which during the last decades have become a privileged destination for touristic and recreational activities and, thus, have been progressively replaced by urban areas, with an unwanted direct impact on their ESR supply. By combining multi-temporal mapping techniques with ecosystem services measurements, we enhanced our understanding of transformation processes on coastal dunes, offering as well new insights for dune management. According to our results, an effective dune management shall favor natural dune zonation, by welcoming sustainable sea-side recreational activities as the only acceptable form of coastal tourism.

Alien plants, animals, fungi and algae in Norway: an inventory of neobiota

We present the results of an inventory and status assessment of alien species in Norway. The inventory covered all known multicellular neobiota, 2496 in total, 1039 of which were classified as naturalised. The latter constitute c. 3% of all species known to be stably reproducing in Norway. These figures are higher than expected from Norway’s latitude, which may be due a combination of climatic and historical factors, as well as sampling effort. Most of the naturalised neobiota were plants (71%), followed by animals (21%) and fungi (8%). The main habitat types colonised were open lowlands (79%), urban environments (52%) and woodlands (42%). The main areas of origin were Europe (67%), North America (15%) and Asia (13%). For most taxa, the rate of novel introductions seems to have been increasing during recent decades. Within Norway, the number of alien species recorded per county was negatively correlated with latitude and positively correlated with human population density. In the high-Arctic territories under Norwegian sovereignty, i.e. Svalbard and Jan Mayen, 104 alien species were recorded, of which 5 were naturalised.

Unexpected discovery of Diadema clarki in the Coral Triangle

Sea urchins of the genus Diadema, key herbivores in coral reef ecosystems, also provide habitat for other organisms. Our research extended Diadema biogeography in seaways east and west of Sulawesi and identified Diadema species associated with the endemic Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) using field surveys and molecular DNA barcoding methods. Field observations (20 sites, n = 11,223) found urchins with morphological phenotypes typical of Diadema setosum (≈ 74%, all sites), D. savignyi (≈ 24%, 19 sites) and atypical or mixed traits (≈ 2%, 19 sites). Distribution of these phenotype groups across the three main habitat types (i.e. coral reef, reef flat and seagrass beds) differed significantly (χ2 = 533.03, p < 2.2e−16), indicating overlapping but non-equivalent ecological niches. Pterapogon kauderni associated with all urchin morphological phenotypes present. Diadema mtDNA CO1 sequences were obtained from tissue samples collected (4 sites, n = 62) from specimens with typical D. savignyi and D. setosum phenotypes. Phylogenetic tree analysis resolved the sequences into four clades. Three clades from our analysis were identified as D. savignyi, D. setosum and D. clarki based on additional sequences obtained from GenBank. This unexpected first record of D. clarki mtDNA in the Coral Triangle implies a substantial extension of the known range of this recently resurrected species. Our findings indicate the occurrence and/or introgression of D. clarki may be widespread, and misidentification of Diadema urchins based on external morphology may be relatively common. Further research is required to determine the distribution and functional roles of Indo-Pacific Diadema species, contributing to our understanding of processes underpinning biodiversity.

Assessment of Avifaunal Diversity in Riverine and Urban Areas of Layyah along the River Indus, Punjab-Pakistan

Layyah City is located along the River Indus and provides rich habitat for a wide range of resident and migratory bird species. The present study documents for the first time the avifaunal diversity and abundance of urban and riverine sites of Layyah. Potential habitats around the city were identified and three study sites were selected, one in each of the main habitat types. A total of 223 species was recorded: 92 residents, 87 winter visitors, 42 passage migrants and two new records from the area. A Shannon Wiener Index of 4.36 indicates that the area has a high level of biodiversity. Of the species recorded, 16 are included in the IUCN Red list as vulnerable (N=6), near threatened (N=9) or endangered (N=1). The most abundant species were House Crow Corvus splendens, House Sparrow Passer domesticus, Common Myna Acridotheres tristis and Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris. Two species, Houbara or McQueen's Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii and Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus were recorded for the first time from the area. Potential threats to the avian diversity of the area are hunting, habitat loss, and pollution.

The world’s largest breeding colony of Leach’s Storm-petrel Hydrobates leucorhous has declined

SummaryDespite the global significance of the Leach’s Storm-petrel Hydrobates leucorhous colony on Baccalieu Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, the estimate of 3.36 million breeding pairs reported for 1984 by Sklepkovych and Montevecchi stands as the single published population estimate for the world’s largest colony. This study increases knowledge of this population by analysing data from additional independent surveys conducted in 1984 and 1985, and by updating the population status with a survey conducted in 2013. Population estimates were derived by extrapolating occupied burrow densities to the estimated occupied area of four main habitat types (heath, forest, grass and fern), which in turn were based on proportions of habitats observed in plots (1984 and 1985) or by using a Geographic Information System approach (2013). Based on these surveys, the Leach’s Storm-petrel breeding population size on Baccalieu Island was estimated at 5.12 ± 0.73 (SE) and 4.60 ± 0.42 (SE) million pairs in 1984 and 1985 respectively, representing estimates 37–51% greater than the original 1984 survey. While discrepancies among these estimates were largely driven by the way occupied areas were estimated, our study confirms that Baccalieu Island hosts the largest Leach’s Storm-petrel colony in the world. Results from the 2013 survey estimate the current breeding Leach’s Storm-petrel population at 1.95 ± 0.14 (SE) million pairs, representing a 42% decline over 29 years (-1.4% per year), relative to the original published estimate of 3.36 ± 0.12 (SE) million pairs. The most prominent change has occurred in the density of storm-petrel burrows found in forest habitat which dropped by 70% despite forest remaining the second most abundant habitat available to nesting storm-petrels on Baccalieu Island. The cause of this decline remains unknown and is likely multi-faceted. Future research focusing on demographic studies is required to understand what is driving the population decline of this internationally important colony.

Epifaunal communities across marine landscapes of the deep Chukchi Borderland (Pacific Arctic)

Epifaunal communities from the poorly studied Arctic deep sea of the Chukchi Borderland region were investigated to: (1) determine differences in community structure among ridges, plateau with pockmarks, and much deeper basins as three main habitat types, (2) analyse the environmental factors that might shape these communities, and (3) investigate biogeographic affinities dominating the epifaunal communities. Epifaunal samples were collected in summer 2016 with a beam trawl (6 stations) and ROV (10 stations) from 486 to 2610 m depth. Seventy-eight and eighty-six taxa were registered from ROV images and trawl samples, respectively, with Echinodermata and Arthropoda dominating overall taxon richness. Epifaunal densities were estimated at 2273 to 14,346 ind/1000 m2 based on ROV images but only 342 to 2029 ind/1000 m2 based on trawl samples. Epifaunal biomass based on trawl catches ranged from 173 to 906 g wet weight/1000 m2. There was no significant difference in density, biomass and community composition between plateau and ridge communities, though the western and eastern parts of the study area differed in plateau/ridge community properties. Abundance in the eastern part of the study area was dominated by annelids (Ampharetidae and Sabellidae), and the western part by an unknown cnidarian (likely polyps of Atolla). Trawl samples from both western and eastern regions were dominated by the echinoderms Ophiopleura borealis and Pontaster tenuispinus. Deep basin communities differed from shallower plateau/ridge stations by significantly lower number of taxa and densities based on the images, and by lower biomass based on trawl catches. Polynoid annelids and sponges were characteristic taxa of the basin stations. Water depth and number of stones providing hard substrate significantly influenced epifaunal community structure, with sediment pigments and grain size also being influential. Arcto-boreal-Atlantic species dominated communities in the Chukchi Borderland, presumably mediated by Atlantic water dominance in the deep water layers of the Pacific Arctic. This study adds to the limited knowledge of ecology of the Arctic deep sea and improves existing baseline data that can be used to assess future effects of climate change on the system.

Identifying and Predicting the Geographical Distribution Patterns of Oncomelania hupensis.

Schistosomiasis is a snail-borne parasitic disease endemic to the tropics and subtropics, whose distribution depends on snail prevalence as determined by climatic and environmental factors. Here, dynamic spatial and temporal patterns of Oncomelania hupensis distributions were quantified using general statistics, global Moran’s I, and standard deviation ellipses, with Maxent modeling used to predict the distribution of habitat areas suitable for this snail in Gong’an County, a severely affected region of Jianghan Plain, China, based on annual average temperature, humidity of the climate, soil type, normalized difference vegetation index, land use, ditch density, land surface temperature, and digital elevation model variables; each variable’s contribution was tested using the jackknife method. Several key results emerged. First, coverage area of O. hupensis had changed little from 2007 to 2012, with some cities, counties, and districts alternately increasing and decreasing, with ditch and bottomland being the main habitat types. Second, although it showed a weak spatial autocorrelation, changing negligibly, there was a significant east–west gradient in the O. hupensis habitat area. Third, 21.9% of Gong’an County’s area was at high risk of snail presence; and ditch density, temperature, elevation, and wetting index contributed most to their occurrence. Our findings and methods provide valuable and timely insight for the control, monitoring, and management of schistosomiasis in China.

Habitat selection of wintering cranes (Gruidae) in typical lake wetland in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China.

Shengjin Lake is a typical lake wetland in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is one of the most important wetlands in the world. It is also an important habitat for wintering cranes in China. Environmental factors play an important role in habitat selection of cranes of wetland ecosystem. In this paper, we analyzed land-use types and the four kinds of winter cranes in the Shengjin Lake from the years 1986 to 2015. Also, we adopted grey relational analysis and power function model to analyze the relevance between crane population and land-use types, and the main habitat types of cranes were obtained. We used principal component analysis method to analyze the main influence factor for habitat selection of crane. The results indicated that the main habitat type of four species of overwintering crane was reed-flat; the main factors affecting the habitat selection of cranes were water level, planktonic biomass, and distance to settlement. Among them, the weight of water level factor was the highest, which showed that water level was the most important factor affecting the habitat selection of cranes, followed by planktonic biomass, and the third was the weight of distance to settlement. The average values of them were 0.37m, 9.47mgL-1, and 1.25km, respectively.

First Macro-Colonizers and Survivors Around Tagoro Submarine Volcano, Canary Islands, Spain

Tagoro, the youngest submarine volcano of the Canary Islands, erupted in 2011 South of El Hierro Island. Pre-existing sea floor and inhabiting biological communities were buried by the newly erupted material, promoting the appearance of new habitats. The present study pursues to describe the first metazoans colonizing different new habitats formed during the eruption and to create precedent on this field. Through dredge and remote operated vehicle samplings, five main habitat types have been detected based on the substrate type and burial status after the eruption. Inside the Tagoro volcanic complex (TVC), two new habitats are located in and around the summit and main craters—hydrothermal vents with bacterial mats and sulfurous-like fields mainly colonized by small hydrozoan colonies. Two other habitats are located downslope the TVC; new hard substrate and new mixed substrate, holding the highest biodiversity of the TVC, especially at the mixed bottoms with annelids (Chloeia cf. venusta), arthropods (Monodaeus couchii and Alpheus sp.), cnidarians (Sertularella cf. tenella), and molluscs (Neopycnodonte cochlear) as the first colonizers. An impact evaluation was done comparing the communities of those habitats with the complex and well-established community described at the stable hard substrate outside the TVC, which is constituted of highly abundant hydrozoans (Aglaophenia sp.), antipatharians (Stichopates setacea and Antipathes furcata), and colonizing epibionts (e.g., Neopycnodonte cochlear). Three years after the eruption, species numbers at Tagoro were still low compared to those occurring at similar depths outside the TVC. The first dominant species at the TVC included a large proportion of common suspension feeders of the circalittoral and bathyal hard bottoms of the area, which could have exploited the uncolonized hard bottoms and the post eruptive fertilization of water masses.

Spatial distribution, abundance and habitat use of the endemic Mediterranean fan mussel Pinna nobilis in Gera Gulf, Lesvos (Greece): comparison of design-based and model-based approaches

An important population of the endemic Mediterranean fan mussel Pinna nobilis thrives in the marine protected area of Gera Gulf (Lesvos island, north-eastern Aegean Sea, Greece), and was assessed for the first time. To estimate the abundance, spatial distribution and habitat use of fan mussels in Gera Gulf, a distance sampling underwater survey was conducted. Detectability was modelled to secure unbiased estimates of population density. Two approaches were applied to analyze survey data, a design-based and a model-based approach using generalized additive models. The first approach was based on stratified random sampling on two strata, an assumed ‘preferable’ zone close to the coastline and an assumed unsuitable habitat, with predominantly muddy sediments, in which low sampling effort was applied. For the needs of the model-based approach, a dedicated cruise was conducted to collect bathymetric data with a single-beam echo-sounder and map the bathymetry of the study area. A very high-resolution image from the Worldview-3 satellite was processed, based on an object-based image analysis, for mapping all main habitat types in the study area. The estimated abundance using the design-based approach was low-biased as the stratum of pre-assumed unsuitable habitat proved to include patches of suitable habitats with high population densities that were missed by sampling. The model-based approach provided an abundance estimate of 213300 individuals (95% confidence interval between 97600-466000 individuals), which renders the fan mussel population of Gera Gulf the largest recorded population in Greece. Population density peaked between 1.5-8 m depth and became practically zero at depths &gt;15 m. A bathymetric segregation of fan mussel size classes was noted, with the density of small individuals peaking in shallow waters, while that of large individuals peaked deeper. The highest population densities were observed in Posidonia oceanica meadows, followed by mixed bottoms (with reefs, rocks and sandy patches), while densities were very low on sandy and zero on muddy sediments. The current assessment provides a baseline for future monitoring of the fan mussel population in Gera Gulf. In view of the current (2017-2018) ongoing mass mortality of the species in the western Mediterranean, continuous monitoring of the main fan mussel populations, such as the one in Gera Gulf, is of utmost importance.

Responses of macroinvertebrate assemblages to environmental variations in the river-oxbow lake system of the Zoige wetland (Bai River, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau)

The biodiversity value of river-oxbow lake systems in high plateau peatland has been little recognized, and there are many gaps in our understanding of their ecology. In this study, we investigated the river-oxbow lake system of the Bai River basin, the main tributary of the Yellow River Source in the Zoige wetland from 2015 to 2016, in attempt to show how the environmental variations, especially hydrological connectivity and macrophyte biomass in the river-oxbow lake system influenced macroinvertebrates. Habitat patches were investigated in 11 river cross-sections and 18 oxbow lakes in the Bai River basin. Through hierarchical clustering and non-metric multidimensional scaling, four main types of habitats were identified in the river-oxbow lake system in the plateau: sand-bed river, cobble-bed river, sparse-macrophyte oxbow lake, and luxuriant-macrophyte oxbow lake. The luxuriant-macrophyte oxbows were characterized by high dissolved oxygen concentrations, alkalinity, and higher macroinvertebrate richness, density, biomass, and the Improved Shannon-Wiener Index in comparison to the other habitat types. Additionally, influential patterns of environmental variables on macroinvertebrates were analyzed using redundancy analysis. Lasso regression models were established to describe how macroinvertebrate density responded to macrophyte biomass and other variables, and how macrophyte biomass responded to hydrological connectivity and oxbow size. It was revealed that reduced hydrological connectivity and reduced oxbow size played important roles in increasing the biomass of submerged macrophyte, and dense macrophyte was directly responsible for the high biodiversity of macroinvertebrates. Different from the commonly believed unimodal influential pattern that medium hydrological connectivity supports the highest biodiversity in oxbow lakes reported in previous studies, macroinvertebrates in the high plateau river-oxbow lake systems benefited from low connectivity and reduced size. Oxbow lakes, especially those covered with luxuriant macrophytes, diversified the macroinvertebrate assemblages and enhanced primary consumer biomass at the regional scale.

Detection of Neospora caninum (Toxoplasmatidae) in wild small mammals from Thailand.

The presence of Neospora caninum Dubey, Carpenter, Speer, Topper et Uggla, 1988 in small mammals (i.e. murid rodents, Erinaceomorpha, Eulipotyphla and Scadentia) was explored for first time in South-East Asia. A total of 192 individuals from six localities across Thailand were analysed. A general prevalence of N. caninum of 22% was observed, with some variation among localities (5-36%). Four main types of habitat were included and rodents trapped in dry-land habitat (17 positive among 41 individuals) were more likely to be infected with N. caninum than those from other habitats (forest, rain-fed land and settlement). Rodent species identity and individual rodent weight had no influence on individual infection. Our results provided the first data on the presence of N. caninum in rodents in South-East Asia and first report of N. caninum in the order Scadentia.

Soil fertility and flood regime are correlated with phylogenetic structure of Amazonian palm communities.

Identifying the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity requires understanding of how evolutionary processes interact with abiotic conditions to structure communities. Edaphic gradients are strongly associated with floristic patterns but, compared with climatic gradients, have received relatively little attention. We asked (1) How does the phylogenetic composition of palm communities vary along edaphic gradients within major habitat types? and (2) To what extent are phylogenetic patterns determined by (a) habitat specialists, (b) small versus large palms, and (c) hyperdiverse genera? We paired data on palm community composition from 501 transects of 0.25 ha located in two main habitat types (non-inundated uplands and seasonally inundated floodplains) in western Amazonian rain forests with information on soil chemistry, climate, phylogeny and metrics of plant size. We focused on exchangeable base concentration (cmol+ kg-1) as a metric of soil fertility and a floristic index of inundation intensity. We used a null model approach to quantify the standard effect size of mean phylogenetic distance for each transect (a metric of phylogenetic community composition) and related this value to edaphic variables using generalized linear mixed models, including a term for spatial autocorrelation. Overall, we recorded 112 008 individuals belonging to 110 species. Palm communities in non-inundated upland transects (but not floodplain transects) were more phylogenetically clustered in areas of low soil fertility, measured as exchangeable base concentration. In contrast, floodplain transects with more severe flood regimes (as inferred from floristic structure) tended to be phylogenetically clustered. Nearly half of the species recorded (44 %) were upland specialists while 18 % were floodplain specialists. In both habitat types, phylogenetic clustering was largely due to the co-occurrence of small-sized habitat specialists belonging to two hyperdiverse genera (Bactris and Geonoma). Edaphic conditions are associated with the phylogenetic community structure of palms across western Amazonia, and different factors (specifically, soil fertility and inundation intensity) appear to underlie diversity patterns in non-inundated upland versus floodplain habitats. By linking edaphic gradients with palm community phylogenetic structure, our study reinforces the need to integrate edaphic conditions in eco-evolutionary studies in order to better understand the processes that generate and maintain tropical forest diversity. Our results suggest a role for edaphic niche conservatism in the evolution and distribution of Amazonian palms, a finding with potential relevance for other clades.

The forgotten tigers: the arboreal tiger beetles of Sri Lanka

Thirty-one species of arboreal tiger beetles are known to occur in Sri Lanka of which twenty-five species are stated to be endemic. However, the group has not been studied for more than a century and the last organised records are provided by Fowler (1912) in his studies of the ‘Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma (Coleoptera General Introduction and Cicindelidae and Paussidae)’. Due to high endemicity rates, biodiversity value and current disturbances and destruction to natural forests of the country, which are the main habitat types of the arboreal tiger beetles, it is important that this insect group be thoroughly studied. Therefore, a study was initiated on the ‘Diversity, distribution and habitat types of arboreal tiger beetles (Coleoptera, Cicindelinae) of Sri Lanka’, funded by the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka. This review compiles and records previous information on the arboreal tiger beetles of Sri Lanka, which will provide a foundation for future studies and reveal gaps in the knowledge of this insect group. The review discusses: 1) taxonomy of the arboreal tiger beetles, highlighting the genera found in Sri Lanka and their affinities to arboreal tiger beetle genera elsewhere in the world; 2) previous locations and distribution of species throughout the island and districts and provinces from which species are not recorded, habitat and micro-habitat types; 3) morphological characters of genera and species and unique characters used for the separation of species, life-cycle strategies; and 4) methods employed to collect arboreal tiger beetle species and threats to the survival of this insect group.

Diversity and concordance in the composition of butterfly assemblages of the Transcarpathian (Bereg) plain (SW Ukraine)

In eastern Central Europe the abandonment of traditional land use represents a major threat for biodiversity. Evidence on species loss and shifts in assemblages is often based on butterfly surveys since these are known as sensitive indicators of habitat changes. Butterfly assemblages were studied in meadows of the Transcarpathian lowland in three consecutive years (2012–2014) with standard transect walks in six different sites (two transects/site). More than 6500 individuals of 66 species were recorded. The less disturbed habitats surrounded by natural forests have shown the highest diversity (Shannon-Wiener, dominance profiles). In faunal types the widely distributed, generalist Euro-Siberian species predominated with significant presence of Holo-Mediterranean and southern Continental elements. Three main types of habitats were separated and characterised by indicator species, i.e. we hierarchically classified the species according to their fidelity by the IndVal method. The dry sites were characterised by a few generalist species only, while the humid ones and mostly the transitional sites were inhabited by numerous habitat and/or food plant specialists. The assemblages were compared with multivariate analysis and the concordance of inter-annual changes of the assemblages were surveyed. The concordance profiles of the less diverse dry habitats were clearly separated from others while other sites with dominance profiles with longer sequence of scarce species have also shown similar concordance profiles. The importance of nature-like forest fringe structures was pointed out for both habitat and species conservation. Conservation efforts should be focused to sustain the general level of biodiversity by the preservation of nature-like habitats and the possible re-establishment of some kinds of traditional use.

Keanekaragaman Mamalia di Cagar Alam Rimbo Panti, Kabupaten Pasaman, Sumatera Barat

Rimbo Panti Nature Reserve is a conservation area located in West Sumatra which consisted of two main habitat types, dry hilly and swampy forest habitat types. These forest types potentially board many species of mammals. This research was conducted from December 2015 to March 2016 in The Nature Reserve to determine the diversity of mammals occupied each type of habitats. Twenty two camera traps were installed in pairs, six pairs in the dry hilly habitat (574-871 m asl) and five pairs in the swampy habitat (216-261 m asl). From a total 109 photos, 17 species were identified, consisted of 11 species from hilly and 10 species from swampy forest habitat. There were four species found in both habitat types. Shannon-Wiener diversity index showed that mammalian diversity of Rimbo Panti Nature Reserve is moderate (H’=1.95) while mammalian diversity in swampy forest (H’= 2.06) was higher than hilly habitat forest (H’=1.54).

Biological Soil Crusts and Extremophiles Adjacent to Native Plants at Sabkhas and Rawdahs, Qatar: The Possible Roles

Several studies have investigated the biology of native plants (halophytes and xerophytes), biological soil crusts (BSC), as well as the associated and adjacent microorganisms. These studies concentrated on their eco-physiological aspects as well as the possible roles they might play in various life activities and industries. This article presents the mechanisms adopted by these living organisms to cope with the harsh environment, and the possible roles microorganisms might play to support native plants, some important examples from the flora of Qatar are presented to show these mechanisms. Special attention has been paid to the senescence and death of leaves or whole plants, since this strategy has been considered as an important option for escaping extreme environmental conditions. Discussion about solute accumulation (organic and inorganic) in all native living organisms in general and in microorganisms in particular, could result to further investigation to clarify their roles in such an ecosystem. Some case studies have been reported to discuss the ecological aspects at two main types of habitats in Qatar; Rawdahs and Sabkhas were chosen to show how native living organisms adapt in these habitats. This study discussed the general identification of BSC and microorganisms, as well as their possible roles in the soil biota. The possible methods and mechanisms exhibited by extremophiles to support native plants in coping with saline and arid lands have also been reported in this article. This study also discussed the recent outlook about the origin of metabolic activities in these living organisms to support the growth of native plants under stress conditions.

Assessing land take and its effects on dune carbon pools. An insight into the Mediterranean coastline

In the Mediterranean sandy coasts urban growth largely occurs to sustain sea-side tourism, causing a severe loss of natural coastal dune habitats and the related ecosystem services. During the last half-century coastal dunes integrity has been widely altered by land use change; however, procedures and study cases assessing how in particular their carbon storage and sequestration capacity are affected by land take over this period are still scarse.To fill such knowledge gap, we investigated to which extent urban growth has altered soil carbon sink in a representative sector of the Mediterranean dune system, from 1954 to 2006.Specifically, we propose a procedure that combining experimental data of soil carbon stocks and multi-temporal cover maps allows assessing C stock variation over time. Based on field data we quantified soil carbon storage provided by the main dune habitat types of the Adriatic coast (Beach with Pioneer annual Vegetation, Herbaceous Dune Vegetation and Mediterranean Macchia). Using detailed multi-temporal land cover maps (1954, 1986 and 2006) we quantified the fraction of natural dune habitats replaced by urban areas over time, by means of transition matrices. Then, by combining carbon stocks values with the results of transition matrices, we estimated the C stock loss for natural dunes due to land take.Results show that natural dune habitats have an important role as soil carbon sinks and land take has depleted them with different rates, causing a total net loss of 117t of soil C in the first time step and a total net loss of 70t of soil C in the second time step (∼40% of soil C stock in the last 53 years).Our work underlines the fragility of natural coastal dunes, which during the last decades have become a privileged destination for touristic and recreational activities, thus been progressively replaced by artificial areas, with a direct impact on their carbon storage capacity and the other precious services they provide.By combining ecosystem services measurements with multi-temporal mapping techniques, we enhanced our understanding of transformation processes on coastal dunes, offering as well new insights for dune management.