Observed Species Richness Research Articles

Yeasts Associated with the Small-Intestinal Contents and Epithelium of Pon Yang Kham (Charolais Crossbred) Fattening Beef Cattle.

Yeast diversity in the pia and small-intestinal epithelium of Pon Yang Kham fattening cattle in Thailand was studied using a culture-dependent method. A total of 701 yeasts were isolated from the pia of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of the small intestine, while 425 isolates were obtained from the epithelium of all three parts of the small intestine. Yeast identification was performed and ascomycetous yeasts were found at levels of 96.9% and 86.8% in the pia and small intestine, respectively, whereas basidiomycetous yeasts were found at levels of 2.3% and 12.7%. Candida parapsilosis was the species with the highest occurrence in the duodenal and jejunal pia, with an 83.3% and 77.8% frequency of occurrence (FO), respectively. Both C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis were species with the highest occurrence in the ileum, with a 61.1% FO. Moreover, C. parapsilosis was the species with the highest occurrence in the epithelium of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, with FOs of 88.2%, 87.5%, and 87.2%, respectively. Principal coordinate analysis revealed no marked differences in yeast communities from either the pia or epithelium of all three parts of the small intestine. An estimation of the expected richness of the species showed that the observed species richness was lower than the predicted richness.

Local-scale impact of wind energy farms on rare, endemic, and threatened plant species

BackgroundWind energy farms have become a popular solution to produce green energy worldwide. Their development within protected areas has increased dramatically in the past decade, and the effects on the rare, endemic and threatened plant species (i.e., protected plant species), essential for habitat conservation and management, are little known. Only a few studies directly quantify the impacts of wind energy farms on them. Our study analyzes the impact of wind energy farms on rare, endemic, and threatened plant species in steppic habitats and their recovery potential over a ten-year period on a wind energy farm within the Dealurile Agighiolului Natura 2000 site (Dobrogea Region, SE Romania).MethodsWe surveyed the rare, endemic, and threatened plant species within a radius of approximately 50 m around each of the 17 wind towers during the wind farm operational phase. We selected 34 plots to allow the investigation of two types of areas: (1) a disturbed area overlapping the technological platform, where the vegetation was removed before construction, and (2) an adjacent undisturbed area. To understand the effects of the wind energy farm on the rare, endemic, and threatened plant species diversity and the differences between the disturbed and undisturbed areas, we calculated under both conditions: (1) plant species richness; (2) sample-size-based rarefaction and extrapolation with Hill numbers parameterized by species richness; (3) non-metric multidimensional scaling of Jaccard dissimilarity index; (4) functional diversity; (5) beta-diversity (including replacement and nestedness of species).ResultsAs a result of the disturbances caused by the wind energy farm’s development, we identified a sharp contrast between the diversity of rare, endemic, and threatened plants inhabiting disturbed and undisturbed areas near the wind towers. Our research showed that less than 40% of the total inventoried rare, endemic, and threatened species colonized the disturbed sites. Species turnover within undisturbed plots was higher than disturbed plots, implying that the plant community’s heterogeneity was high. However, a higher richness in rare, endemic, and threatened plant species was found in the plots around the wind towers in grasslands of primary type. Sample-size-based rarefaction and extrapolation with Hill numbers by observed species richness indicated an accurate estimation of species richness in disturbed habitats, demonstrating that recovery after wind energy farm construction was incomplete after ten years of low-intensity plant restoration and conservation activities. Thus, we consider that operating activities must be reconfigured to allow the complete recovery of the communities with rare, endemic, and threatened plant species.

Linking biodiversity with the forest patch size of village common forests in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh

This study evaluated the relationship of biodiversity with the patch size of village common forests (VCF) by analyzing floral biodiversity based on data from 25 selected VCFs in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh. The study took 225 quadratic plots by taking nine 10 m × 10 m plots from each VCF—three from each of base, mid, and top hill slopes. The coefficient of similarity (CS) among VCFs and forest community features including species richness, basal area, and popular diversity indices were calculated. Generalized linear model (GLM) assessed the bearings of patch size, slope, and elevation on stand parameters. In all, the study recorded the occurrence of 165 plant species from 52 families. Euphorbiaceae was the dominant family with 18 species. Seven least concerned and four threatened species as per the IUCN red data list of Bangladesh were found in VCFs. Vitex peduncularis had the highest importance value index (IVI) score followed by Lannea coromandelica and Ficus hispida. The mean CS of the VCFs was 0.54. The VCFs were rich in biodiversity, as indicated by observed species richness (644 species/ha), stem density (7111 plants/ha), basal area (65.56 m2/ha). Scores in biodiversity indices, viz. Shannon–Wiener diversity index (2.59), Simpson index (0.90), and evenness index (0.61), also concluded rich but heterogeneous biodiversity among VCFs comparable to other natural forests in the country. The GLM revealed the absence of significant (p ≤ 0.05) bearings of patch size, elevation, or slope on community parameters. The insensitivity of forest community parameters to patch size and elevation indicated the value of conserving VCFs irrespective of sizes and locations.

Postharvest Bee Diversity is High but Declines Rapidly with Stand Age in Regenerating Douglas-Fir Forest

AbstractConcerns about long-term pollinator declines have made assessing bee communities a priority in nonagricultural ecosystems, including managed forests. We assessed wild bee communities in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) stands one to 15 years after clearcut harvest in western Oregon, USA, testing the hypothesis that bee diversity would be high initially and then decline with time-dependent reductions in floral resources. We captured 2,009 individual bees that represented 67 distinct species/morphospecies in 20 genera and five families. Asymptotic estimators of bee diversity representing Shannon and Simpson diversity were greater in communities during the second half of the early seral period, indicating older early seral stands were less diverse and contained more common and dominant bee species. In addition, observed species richness and bee abundance peaked at approximately three years postharvest and declined thereafter by 20% and 30% per year, respectively. Because floral resources declined in concert with reductions in bee diversity as stands aged, food appears to be a key driver of forest bee communities. Our results indicate that postharvest Douglas-fir stands supported a diversity of bees, including important crop pollinators, but their value to bees was restricted to a relatively short window at the beginning of the early seral period.

Extracellular vesicle-derived microbiome obtained from exhaled breath condensate in patients with asthma

Extracellular vesicle-derived microbiome obtained from exhaled breath condensate in patients with asthma

Survey coverage, recording duration and community composition affect observed species richness in passive acoustic surveys

Abstract Bioacoustic assessments of species richness are rapidly becoming attainable, but uncertainty regarding the optimal acoustic survey design remains. Selecting the duration of recording and the number of recording units are critical decisions, and we used both simulated and empirical data to quantify the trade‐offs those choices present. We evaluated the performance of 30 hypothetical acoustic survey designs (e.g. continuous recording, every other 5 min, etc.). Simulated bird species' (n ≤ 60) abundance across the study area, probability of daily availability and time‐dependent probability of vocal activity varied randomly within ranges of realistic values. Field data, collected in central New York, USA (747 hr) and in the northern Sierra Nevada, USA (1,090 hr), was analysed with a novel machine‐learning algorithm, BirdNET. All three datasets were subsampled at 5‐min intervals, observed species richness was compared across survey designs, and detection probability was calculated for each species. Observed species richness increased with survey coverage (number of recording units) and with recording duration in all three datasets. The impact of differences in survey coverage decreased as recording duration decreased. Species' detection probabilities were negatively affected by reducing the number of days of recording and by reducing the daily recording duration. The more rare species a community had, the more species richness was underestimated as survey coverage decreased. Rarefaction curves indicated that increasing recording time has diminishing marginal utility but that the asymptote varies among communities. The cost per species observed decreased with increasing recording duration. Discontinuous and reduced‐coverage sampling may still yield fairly accurate assessments of biodiversity but reducing recording duration or coverage will result in different species remaining undetected. Whether the performance of a study design is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ depends on researchers' constraints and scientific questions to be answered. More hardware and longer recording durations are not always better, but we caution researchers against doing the bare minimum required for their present needs without pressing financial reasons to do so.

Evaluating a herpetofaunal monitoring program in the Rolling Plains of Texas.

We evaluated the herpetofaunal monitoring program on a state-owned property in the Rolling Plains ecoregion of Texas to determine whether the current study design and survey effort are meeting the following monitoring objectives: (1) inventory herpetofaunal diversity on the property, (2) improve understanding of herpetofaunal habitat preferences, and (3) track herpetofaunal response to land management activities. We used the iChao1 species richness estimator to evaluate the sample completeness of the current dataset, which was collected intermittently from 2004 to 2016. Species richness was evaluated by site and year as well as pooled across sites and years. Observed species richness across all sites and years was 23 species, and estimated richness was 23.999 (23.090-34.052, 95% CI). Observed species richness for each year was less than the cumulative total, with 20 species observed in 2004, 6 species observed in 2013, 11 species observed in 2014, and 19 species observed in 2016. The estimated species richness for individual years of sampling ranged from 6.250 to 39.320 species. Our analysis suggests that inadequate sampling design and effort prevents all three objectives from being addressed using the existing dataset. Necessary improvements to the monitoring program to meet all objectives include increasing the spatial and temporal scale of the monitoring effort and utilizing a random sampling protocol. Monitoring methods that address variation in detection probability, such as occupancy and mark-recapture, will also need to play a role. Our findings show that monitoring programs require substantial investment in materials and personnel to obtain datasets sufficient for rigorous biodiversity monitoring.

Cultivable yeasts associated with marine sponges in the Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea.

Marine sponges harbor numerous microorganisms, among which sponge-associated yeasts are the least explored. To gain greater knowledge of sponge-associated yeasts, an investigation was therefore performed on marine sponges in Sattahip Bay, Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea. Seventy-one (71) marine sponge samples were collected at sites near Samae-san, Mu, and Khram islands, and were subsequently identified as 17 sponge species in 14 genera. Eighty-seven (87) yeast strains were isolated from 42 samples. The identification of yeasts by similarity analysis of the D1/D2 domain sequences of the large subunit rRNA gene revealed that 64% of the yeast strains obtained belonged to the phylum Basidiomycota, while the remaining strains belonged to the phylum Ascomycota. The strains that belonged to Ascomycota comprised 11 known yeast species in five genera (Candida, Kodamaea, Magnusiomyces, Meyerozyma, and Pichia). The strains belonging to the phylum Basidiomycota comprised 14 known yeast species in eight genera (Cutaneotrichosporon, Cystobasidium, Naganishia, Papiliotrema, Rhodosporidiobolus, Rhodotorula, Trichosporon, and Vishniacozyma). In addition, three strains represented a potential novel species closest to Cys. slooffiae; one strain represented a potential novel species closest to R. toruloides; and one strain represented a potential novel species closest to V. foliicola. The species with the highest occurrence was Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. No marked difference was found in the principal coordinates analysis of the ordinations of yeast communities from the three sampling sites. The estimation using EstimateS software showed that the expected species richness was higher than the observed species richness. As the marine sponge-yeast association remains unclear, more systematic investigations should be carried out.

Testing the causal mechanism of the peninsular effect in passerine birds from South Korea.

The peninsular effect is a geographical phenomenon that explains patterns of species richness. Given that spatial variation in species richness along a peninsular may be driven by multiple processes, we aimed to identify the sources of latitudinal patterns in passerine species richness and test hypotheses regarding (1) recent deterministic processes (climate, primary productivity, forest area, and habitat diversity), (2) anthropogenic processes (habitat fragmentation), and (3) stochastic processes (migration influence) in the Korean peninsula. We used the distribution data of 147 passerine species from 2006 to 2012. Single regression between passerine species richness and latitude supported the existence of the peninsular effect. Mean temperature increased with decreasing latitude, as did habitat diversity but leaf area index and forest area decline. However, mean temperature and forest area only influenced passerine species richness. Although habitat diversity influenced passerine species richness, it was counter to the expectations associated with peninsular effect. The number of habitat patches decreased as latitude increased but it had no effect on passerine species richness. Ratio of migrant species richness showed no significant relationship with leaf area index, forest area, and habitat diversity. However, the ratio of migrant species richness increased with decreasing mean temperature and that contributed to the increase in passerine species. Overall, our finding indicate that the observed species richness pattern in peninsulas with the tip pointing south (in the northern hemisphere) counter to the global latitudinal gradient. These results were caused by the peninsular effect associated with complex mechanism that interact with climate, habitat area, and migrant species inflow.

Biodiversity and Spatiotemporal Variation of Longhorn Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Tropical Forest of Thailand.

Simple SummaryLonghorn beetles are a large family of beetles and have a wide-geographic distribution. Some of them are pests of many economic plants and invasive species. They also play roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. They feed on living, dying, or dead woody plants in the larval stage. So far, 308 species of longhorn beetles have been reported from northern Thailand. However, the biodiversity and distribution of longhorn beetles in different elevation gradients and seasons, associated with environmental factors across six regions in the country, has not yet been investigated. In this study, longhorn beetle specimens were collected by malaise trap from 41 localities in 24 national parks across six regions in Thailand. A total of 199 morphospecies were identified from 1376 specimens. Seasonal species richness and abundance of longhorn beetles peaked during the hot and early rainy season in five regions, except for the southern region, which peaked in the rainy season. Our finding revealed that most species’ distribution was correlated with the region and forest type (at middle and low elevations). Quantitative data from this study can be useful to manage agricultural and forest plantations.Longhorn beetles are highly diversified and important for agriculture and health of the environment. However, the fauna and ecology of these beetles are not well known in Thailand. This study is the first to report the biodiversity, elevation, and seasonal distribution of longhorn beetles. Specimens were collected by malaise traps from 41 localities in 24 national parks throughout the country during 2006–2009. The traps were operated at each site for 12 consecutive months with a monthly service. A total of 199 morphotaxa in 36 tribes of 6 subfamilies were identified from 1376 specimens. Of these, 40.7% and 14.5% of total taxa were singletons and doubletons, respectively. The Shannon diversity index and observed species richness at Panernthung, Loei Forest Unit and Mae Fang Hotspring were high at 0.96 (30), 0.88 (50), and 0.86 (34), respectively. Local richness ranged between 3 and 50 species, while the species richness estimator showed between 6 and 1275 species. The most relatively abundant species, Nupserha lenita, Pterolophia sp.1, Oberea sp.3, Acalolepta pseudospeciosa, and Ac. rustricatrix represented 4.80%, 4.80%, 4.80%, 4.5%, and 4.43% of the species, respectively. The species with the widest distribution range of percentage of species occurrence (% SO) was Pt. sp.1 (63.4%), followed by Ac. rustricatrix (39%) and Moechotypa suffusa (39%). In a significantly negative relationship between species richness and elevation (p > 0.05, R2 = 0.04), the species richness pattern showed a hump-shaped curve that peaked at the middle elevation (501–1000 m asl). Regarding seasonal variation, most of the species occurred during the hot season (March–April) and peaked in early rainy season (May), while a low number of species were found during the mid-rainy (June–October) and cold season (November–February). Ordination analysis indicated that the distribution of most species was associated with regions and forest type, and most of the species correlated with forest located at middle and low elevation. The results of this study indicated the very high biodiversity of longhorn beetles in Thailand, which suggests that an understanding of their seasonal and elevational distribution will be of value to agriculture management and conservation. They also indicated that malaise traps are appropriate for the evaluation of biodiversity.

FLORISTIC COMPOSITION AND DIVERSITY IN TERRA FIRME FOREST UNDER WATER STRESS IN THE AMAZON

The studies on floristic composition are an aid in the understanding of the structure and dynamics of the plant communities, fundamental parameters for its management and conservation. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the floristic composition, species richness, Shannon’s diversity and models of species abundance over a 10-year period (2005 to 2015) in two terra firme forest areas, with and without water deficit in the soil. Data were collected in 98 subplots denominated A (control) and 98 subplots B (rainwater exclusion), each measuring 10 m x 10 m, of which plants species with diameter at breast height (DBH≥10 cm) were listed. The Fabaceae (33), Sapotaceae (27), Chrysobalanaceae (15) and Burseraceae (13) families were the most representated in the study areas. A small decrease was found in the observed species richness in area A, but the community evenness and the Shannon diversity index remained constant, and a small increase was found in the observed species richness in area B, which may have contributed to a increase in the diversity index over time. The Zipf and Zipf-Mandelbrot models adjusted for the plant communities of areas A and B, respectively, indicate that such areas indicate good ecological conditions for the establishment of late colonizing species. Thus, it can be inferred that water deficiency in the soil did not significantly affect the conservation of the forest under study.

Consequences of fragmentation for Neotropical bats: The importance of the matrix

Deforestation and the conversion of forests to agricultural areas lead to habitat loss and often create highly fragmented landscapes. Permeability and quality of the surrounding matrix determine the connectivity of remaining forest remnants. For mobile species, such as bats, the matrix is not necessarily an entirely insurmountable obstacle. We studied the effects of fragmentation on New-World leaf-nosed bats (Phyllostomidae), a highly diverse keystone taxon in the Neotropics. Bats were assessed in two highly fragmented systems varying in matrix quality: Forested islands surrounded by the water (I) and forest fragments embedded in a matrix of small-scale agriculture (A) together with a continuous forest as control (C). In total, we recorded over 2 years 5176 captures. Observed species richness was highest in continuous forest. Fragmentation reduced in both fragmented landscapes the bat diversity and led to characteristic changes in the bat assemblage, with gleaning animalivorous phyllostomids being most affected. The responses of bats to fragmentation were found to be not only guild - but also species-specific within the guild, a fact easily overlooked or misinterpreted when focussing solely on diversity indices or the response of bat guilds alone. Forest remnants can support a relatively speciose bat fauna, due to the heterogeneity of the inter-fragment matrix. On forested islands, however, isolation processes lead to a decline in bat diversity, resulting in strongly impoverished bat assemblages favouring highly mobile species and habitat generalists. Conservation of the full local bat community of phyllostomids, including the vulnerable gleaning animalivorous phyllostomids, however, requires the protection of old-growth forests.

Floristic Changes in the Understory Vegetation of Mixed Temperate New England Freshwater Island Forests over a Period of 33 Years.

During a 33-year sampling period, we observed species richness and calculated species evenness and Shannon Diversity for understory woody seedlings and herbaceous species on three small islands in Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire, and noted consistency of dominant plant species over time. Seedlings and herbaceous species were recorded and measured in 25 permanent plots that were created on the three islands in 1978. The understory species data were compiled by frequency and dominance of woody seedlings and herbaceous species. Data from 250 individual quadrats show that species richness more than doubled from 41 in 1978 to 83 species on all three islands in 2011. Species evenness on all the islands remained relatively constant in each of the four samplings. The combined Shannon’s Diversity for the three islands rose from 2.76 in 1978 to 3.37 in 2011. Dominant species in the study were Aralia nudicaulis, Gaultheria procumbens, Gaylussacia baccata, Maianthemum canadense, and Tsuga canadensis seedlings.

Altitudinal and Seasonal Variation in the Structure of Nocturnal Primate Assemblages on Mount Cameroon

Mountain ecosystems cover a large proportion of Earth and represent important environments for a range of different taxa, including nocturnal primates. This group of primates is generally understudied because of their small size and their cryptic and nocturnal nature. Thus, much of their ecology and distribution still remains unknown, especially in mountain ecosystems. We investigated the effects of altitude and seasonality (wet vs. dry season) on observed species richness and relative abundance of nocturnal primates across the diverse forest types of Mount Cameroon. Using standardized line and recce transect methodologies, we surveyed nocturnal primates at four altitudes (650 m.a.s.l., 1100 m.a.s.l., 1450 m.a.s.l., and 2200 m.a.s.l.) on the southwestern slope of the mountain. We recorded six species (four from the Galagidae family and two from the Lorisidae family). Our results indicate a decrease in primate abundance as altitude increases. We also found that primate species composition changes with altitude. However, species diversity (Shannon diversity) drops drastically only at the highest altitude and species richness (number of species) does not differ between sites at lower to mid-altitudes. There was no seasonality effect on primate diversity. Habitat features, such as temperature, resource availability, and vegetation structure likely play a relevant role in the distribution and diversity patterns of primates on Mount Cameroon.

Consumption of Lamb Meat or Basa Fish Shapes the Gut Microbiota and Aggravates Pulmonary Inflammation in Asthmatic Mice.

ObjectiveIn China, lamb and fish are well-known triggers for an asthma attack. Our investigation aims at assessing whether the long-term intake of lamb meat or Basa fish would aggravate pulmonary inflammation as well as exploring changes in the intestinal microbiota and immune cells in asthmatic mice.Materials and MethodsThe murine asthmatic model was established by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) plus aluminum on day 0 and 14 and nebulization of OVA from day 21 to 27. Lamb meat or fish was administered to asthmatic mice by oral gavage from day 0 to 27.ResultsOur results showed that long-term consumption of lamb meat or Basa fish in asthmatic mice increased the number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), enhanced levels of IL-5, IL-13 in BALF and total IgE in serum, aggravated pulmonary inflammatory cell infiltration and mucus secretion. Long-term oral lamb enhanced the proportion of type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) from small intestine while it inhibited that of Treg from lung in asthmatic mice. Oral fish showed no remarkable effect on that of ILC2 from lung and small intestine but inhibited that of intestinal Treg in asthmatic mice. What’s more, the chao-1 and observed species richness as well as PD whole tree diversity increased in asthmatic mice while these increments were inhibited after lamb treatment. PCA analysis indicated that there were significant differences in the bacterial community composition after lamb or fish treatment in asthmatic mice. Both lamb and fish treatment enhanced the abundance of colonic Alistipes in asthmatic mice.ConclusionCollectively, long-term intake of lamb or fish shapes colonic bacterial communities and aggravates pulmonary inflammation in asthmatic mice, which provides reasonable food guidance for asthmatic patients.

Efficient Mammal Biodiversity Surveys for Ecological Restoration Monitoring.

Efficient biodiversity surveys are critical for successful restoration monitoring and management. We studied the effect of varying sampling effort on the observed species richness of surveys of small mammals (trapping transects), bats (passive acoustic detection), and medium to large mammals (trail cameras). Field studies provided mammalian biodiversity data for 4 bottomland hardwood restoration sites in northeastern Indiana. Subsampled data were used to simulate monitoring surveys with a range of levels of effort. We then used hierarchical Bayesian nonlinear mixed models to analyze how different components of sampling effort affected observed species richness, a key monitoring outcome. We found that observed small mammal richness increased with the increased number of transects in a survey, while observed bat and medium to large mammal richness increased with the increased duration of sampling. Variation between sites was important for the observed richness of small mammals and bats but not for medium to large mammals. The key driver of richness observed in simulated surveys was related to the spatial scale at which target fauna interact with the habitat, with decreasing richness accompanied by a greater spatial scale of animal-habitat interactions. Our findings suggest taxon-specific recommendations for efficiently quantifying the mammalian diversity of managed sites. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;00:1-13. © 2020 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Diversity analysis and an updated list of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) found in Cantareira State Park, São Paulo, Brazil

Cantareira State Park (CSP) is located in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, one of the most densely populated areas on the planet. Recently, a yellow-fever epidemic practically annihilated the howler monkey population in this park, and human infections were reported in the vicinity. As simian and human plasmodia also circulate in CSP, the present study sought to provide an update on the mosquito fauna in this park, including an analysis of the diversity in areas with different degrees of conservation and a comparison of the yields achieved with different collection techniques. From October 2015 to April 2017, adult mosquitoes were collected with CDC traps, hand-held battery-powered aspirators and Shannon traps, and larvae and pupae were collected with larval dippers and suction samplers in natural and artificial breeding sites. In total, 11,038 specimens distributed in 103 taxa represented by 16 genera were collected. Both the observed species richness and diversity were greater in the environments with the highest degree of preservation. The ‘wild’ (most preserved) area in CSP had the greatest species richness, followed by the transition area and human-impacted area. The estimated richness indicated that the three environments may have a greater number of species than observed in this study, and Sorensen's index showed that the average degree of similarity varies little between areas. In the inventory of local species, the Shannon trap was the most efficient collection technique for adult mosquitoes, and the suction sampler the most efficient for immatures. The results highlight the increase in the number of different taxa collected as different mosquito capture techniques were included, confirming the importance of using several strategies to sample the local mosquito fauna satisfactorily when exploring a greater number of ecotopes. CSP is a refuge and shelter for native and introduced mosquito species where new biocenoses including pathogens, vertebrate hosts and vectors can form, allowing zoonotic outbreaks in the local human population to occur.

Home gardens\u2019 agrobiodiversity and owners\u2019 knowledge of their ecological, economic and socio-cultural multifunctionality: a case study in the lowlands of Tabasco, M\xe9xico

BackgroundHome gardens (HGs) are hotspots of in situ agrobiodiversity conservation. We conducted a case study in Tabasco, México, on HG owners’ knowledge of HG ecological, economical and socio-cultural multifunctionality and how it relates to agrobiodiversity as measured by species richness and diversity. The term multifunctionality knowledge refers to owners’ knowledge on how HGs contribute to ecological processes, family economy, as well as human relations and local culture. We hypothesized a positive correlation between owners’ multifunctionality knowledge and their HGs’ agrobiodiversity.MethodsWe inventoried all perennial species in 20 HGs, determined observed species richness, calculated Shannon diversity indexes and analysed species composition using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Based on literature, semi-structured interviews and a dialogue of knowledge with HG owners, we catalogued the locally recognized functions in the ecological, economic and socio-cultural dimensions. We determined the score of knowledge on each function in the three dimensions on explicit scales based on the interviews and observed management. We determined Spearman rs correlations of HGs’ observed species richness, Shannon diversity index (H) and of HGs’ scores on NMDS-axis and multifunctionality knowledge scores. We dialogued on the results and implications for agrobiodiversity conservation at workshops of HG owners, researchers and local organizations.ResultsHG agrobiodiversity and owners’ multifunctionality knowledge in the study area showed large variation. Average richness was 59.6 perennial species, varying from 21 to 107 species, and total observed richness was 280 species. A total of 38 functions was distinguished, with 14, 12 and 12 functions in the ecological, economic and socio-cultural dimensions. Total multifunctionality knowledge scores varied from 64.1 to 106.6, with an average of 87.2. Socio-cultural functionality knowledge scores were the highest, followed by scores in the ecological and economic dimensions. Species richness and Shannon H were significantly correlated with ecological functionality knowledge (rs = 0.68 and P < 0.001 in both cases), and species richness was also correlated with economic functionality knowledge (rs = 0.47, P = 0.03). Species composition scores on the first and second axes of NMDS was significantly correlated with knowledge of ecological multifunctionality, with rs = 0.49 resp-0.49 and P = 0.03 in both cases. Other functionality knowledge scores showed no correlation with NMDS scores. Dialogue in workshops confirmed the interwovenness of multifunctionality knowledge and agrobiodiversity.ConclusionThe rich agrobiodiversity of home gardens cherished by rural families in Tabasco relates with the knowledge about HG functionality in the ecological and economic dimensions. Also, species composition relates with ecological functionality knowledge. The socio-cultural functionality knowledge, which includes many elements beyond the individual HG, is not correlated with agrobiodiversity, but had the highest scores. Our results show that multifunctionality knowledge provides many opportunities for the participative conception and planning of policies and actions necessary to conserve agrobiodiversity.

Effects of ice storm on species richness and abundance of resident birds in subtropical forest in southern China.

Between January and February 2008, a severe ice storm occurred in southern China. The storm damaged nearly 21 million hectares of forest lands with broken branch, trunk breakage, and stem bending of many trees. This natural disturbance provides a unique opportunity to study impacts of extreme climatic event on forest birds. Using hierarchical multi-species occupancy model (species richness; 27 species) and N-mixture model (abundance; 3 species), we investigated how the storm affected resident bird species in subtropical forest in southern China. We sampled birds at Chebaling National Nature Reserve in Guangdong Province, monthly for 1 year each before and after the storm by mist nets. To take into account variations in temperature between years and between months, we incorporated monthly mean temperature into the models as an additional covariate. Observed species richness was greater before the storm. Estimated species richness (from the hierarchical model) also tended to be greater before than after the storm although 95% Bayesian credible intervals of these estimates were overlapped. Temperature showed a negative effect on estimated species richness, indicating greater species richness during winter. Among three species captured the most, abundance of Chestnut Bulbul (Hemixos castanonotus) significantly decreased after the storm. Other two species, Grey Treepie (Dendrocitta formosae) and Huet's Fulvetta (Alcippe hueti) showed insignificant responses to the storm. Our study indicates that the 2008 ice storm may not have a significant impact on species richness of resident birds in subtropical forest; however, the effect can be species-specific and negative to some species' population.

Gut Microbiome Differences in Infants at High vs. Low Risk of Early Obesity

Abstract Objectives Fifty % of infants above the BMI 85th percentile will develop overweight or obesity by age 6. This study aimed to evaluate differences in the gut microbial ecology of infants at high- and low-risk of developing overweight or obesity. Methods Infants enrolled at age 6 months were classified into high-risk or low-risk based on BMI ≥85th or &amp;lt;85th percentile; stool samples were collected from the diaper and microbial DNA extracted. Metagenomic shotgun sequencing was performed on the Illumina HiSeq at an average depth of 15 million paired-end reads per sample. Taxonomic profiling was performed using Kraken against a custom genome database. Multiple linear regression was used to test for group differences in observed species richness and Shannon diversity, adjusted for age, delivery type, breast feeding, and introduction of solid food. Beta-diversity ordinations assessed group clustering according to species community composition. Moderated negative binomial regression using DESeq2 was used to identify differentially abundant species. Functional profiling of microbial pathways was conducted using HUMAnN2, and group differences assessed using ALDEx2. Results Sixty-one infants (46% male, 69% black) were enrolled; 13 (21%) were high-risk. Low-risk and high-risk infants differed by race (mixed race more common in high-risk, P = 0.02), and marginally by parent marital status and number of older children in the household (both P = 0.06). Number of observed species were marginally higher in the high-risk group (P = 0.09), with no group differences in beta-diversity ordinations. Several Streptococcus, Enterobacter, Bacteroides and Lactobacillus species were more abundant in high-risk infants, while Haemophilus, Bifidobacterium and Prevotella species were more abundant in low-risk infants. High-risk infants had a more “mature” microbiome characterized by increased abundance of Ruminococcus, Blautia, and Lachnospiraceae. The PWY.5676 Acetyl-CoA fermentation to butyrate pathway was also significantly enriched in high-risk infants. Conclusions Infants at high risk for obesity are characterized by a microbiome more abundant in species seen in older children, and with a greater functional capacity to harvest energy from complex carbohydrates. Funding Sources Digestive Health Center Pilot Grant.