Seasonal Variation In Species Composition Research Articles

Phytosociological Study of Tree Species of Dabla Beed Area, Churu District Rajasthan, India

This study presents a comprehensive phytosociological analysis of tree species in the Dabla beed area of Churu District, Rajasthan, India, exploring seasonal variations in species composition, diversity, dominance, and evenness. The research was conducted across three seasons: rainy, winter, and summer, utilizing quadrat sampling methods to assess various ecological parameters. The findings reveal distinct seasonal shifts in the dominance and distribution of key species. During the rainy season, species such as Acacia senegal and Acacia tortilis exhibit high dominance and contribute to elevated species diversity and evenness. In winter, Maytenus emarginata and Acacia senegal emerge as prominent species, maintaining moderate diversity with increased dominance. The summer season sees a notable decline in diversity and evenness, accompanied by heightened dominance, with Calotropis procera and Clerodendrum phlomidis being particularly influential. These seasonal dynamics underscore the importance of adaptive management and conservation strategies to maintain the ecological integrity and biodiversity of the tree community in this arid region. The study highlights the critical need for targeted conservation efforts to ensure the sustainability of the diverse and dynamic tree populations in the Dabla beed area.

Seasonality and relative abundance within an elasmobranch assemblage near a major biogeographic divide.

Nearshore waters are utilized by elasmobranchs in various ways, including foraging, reproduction, and migration. Multiple elasmobranch species have been previously documented in the nearshore waters of North Carolina, USA, which has a biogeographic break at Cape Hatteras on the Atlantic coast. However, comprehensive understanding of the elasmobranch community in this region is still lacking. Monthly year-round trawling conducted along two ocean transects (near Cape Lookout and Masonboro Inlet in 5 to 18 m depth) in Onslow Bay, North Carolina provided the opportunity to examine the dynamics and seasonal patterns of this community using a multivariate approach, including permutational multivariate analysis of variance and nonparametric BIO-ENV analysis. From November 2004 to April 2008, 21,149 elasmobranchs comprised of 20 species were caught, dominated by spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) and clearnose skate (Rostroraja eglanteria). All species exhibited seasonal variation in abundance, but several key species contributed the most to seasonal differences in species composition within each transect. Spiny dogfish was most abundant in the winter at both locations, comprised mainly of mature females. Although clearnose skate was caught in all seasons, the species was most abundant during the spring and fall. Atlantic sharpnose (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) was one of the most abundant species in the summer, and two distinct size cohorts were documented. Temperature appeared to be the main abiotic factor driving the community assemblage. The extensive year-round sampling provided the ability to better understand the dramatic seasonal variation in species composition and provides new information on the relative abundance of several understudied elasmobranch species that may be of significant ecological importance. Our results underscore the importance of inner continental shelf waters as important elasmobranch habitat and provide baseline data to examine for future shifts in timing and community structure at the northern portion of the biogeographic break at Cape Hatteras.

Seasonal species composition, abundance and public health importance of mosquito vectors (Diptera: Culicidae) in Huai Tha Khoei Reservoir, Ratchaburi, Thailand

Abstract. Chaiphongpachara T, Laojuna S. 2024. Seasonal species composition, abundance and public health importance of mosquito vectors (Diptera: Culicidae) in Huai Tha Khoei Reservoir, Ratchaburi, Thailand. Biodiversitas 25: 1264-1275. Mosquitoes are vectors for pathogens that cause life-threatening diseases in humans and animals. Significant mosquito-borne diseases include malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Zika, Japanese encephalitis, and filariasis. Anthropogenic environmental changes can significantly impact the dynamics of disease vector populations, which can lead to outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases. This study investigated the seasonal variation in species composition and abundance of mosquito vectors around the Huai Tha Khoei Reservoir in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand, across cool, hot, and rainy seasons. A total of 1363 mosquitoes, representing 30 species from five genera, were collected. In particular, 25 of these species, accounting for 83.33% of the total, were identified as vectors of human pathogens. The most dominant species across all seasons was Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles 1901, representing 39.47% (n=538) of the total, followed by Anopheles barbirostris Wulp 1884 s.l. (14.38%, n = 196) and Culex vishnui Theobald 1901 (9.02%, n=123). The Shannon diversity index was highest during the rainy season (H’= 2.144) and lowest in the hot season (H’=1.788). This is consistent with the results of the UPGMA tree based on beta diversity, indicating that mosquito diversity in the rainy season differs significantly from that in the cool and hot seasons. The findings enhance our understanding of the impact of seasonality on mosquito vectors in this region, which is crucial for developing effective disease control strategies. Additionally, this study serves as a valuable reference for understanding the diversity of mosquito vectors in other areas.

Barcoding a glass eel migration: a snapshot of taxa migrating upstream in the Palu River, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

Eels of the genus Anguilla are high value food fish with a catadromous life cycle. As tropical anguillid glass eels migrate to freshwater in multi-species schools, effective management of these and other diadromous resources requires reliable data. Previous research using two morphological methods concluded that between three and five anguillid eels recruit to the Palu River in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia with interannual and seasonal variations in species composition, size structure, and co-migrating taxa. Some glass eels and other taxa could not be identified based on external morphology. To clarify the taxonomic uncertainty regarding species recruiting to the Palu River this study applied DNA barcoding using the Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecular marker. Taxa identified from the first sampling of glass eels and other taxa recruiting in these mixed schools included three anguillid eels, five other fishes, two crustacea and one mollusc, presenting a snapshot of taxa migrating upstream in the Palu River. Current GenBank accessions did not enable species level identification of two fish larvae (families Eleotridae and Tetraroginae). The sequences will add to Indonesian accessions in the GenBank repository and inform resource management, including the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) methods for monitoring Indonesian anguillid eels.

Seasonal rearrangements in the use of coastal habitat mosaics by tropical fishes create a cyclic functional trajectory

Coastal habitat mosaics are among the most productive ecosystem on earth, having important functions for fish species throughout their life cycle. The complex dynamic of these areas, marked by constant changes in environmental conditions, creates spatial and temporal rearrangements of assemblages that may have significant impacts on ecosystem functioning. Thus, this study aimed to assess how seasonal variations in species composition affect the diversity of functions in these areas. We identified functional guilds of fish species found in three coastal habitat mosaics and used their functional traits as indicators of ecosystem functionality. Our results demonstrated that coastal habitat mosaics exhibit significant spatial and temporal variations in both, guilds, and functions, with remarkable differences in between-habitat responses to the onset of the tropical rainy season. More specifically, we found that mangroves exhibit a clear linear relationship between rainfall and functions, whereas in seagrass beds, functional diversity increases at low levels of rainfall and decreases at high levels. Lastly, sandy beaches have its functions increased by rainfall, but reaches an asymptote. These patterns point out to habitat-specific functional trajectories through time, which can be explained by the movements of species through the coastal mosaic in response to environmental variability, and to ontogenetic migration as species grow.

Seasonal Variations in the Fish Species Composition and Community Structures on the Eastern Coast of South Korea

The seasonal variations in the species composition of set net fisheries were investigated on the Eastern coast of Korea, from 2007 to 2008. In total, 51 species were found that were classified into 15 orders and 33 families. The water temperature of the study area was 0.1–1.8 °C in 2007 and 0.6–2.1 °C in 2008, which was higher than the average water temperature in the previous decade. The monthly variation in the number of species peaked twice, in May (spring) and November (autumn) when the water temperature increased and decreased, respectively, and the monthly variation in the number of individuals showed a remarkably high trend in winter and autumn and was mainly caused by large migratory species. Based on the cluster analysis of the 18 most dominant species with more than 0.4% of the total number of individuals, we divided the species composition and community structures into three groups: fishes with a temporary appearance (Group A), fishes with a long-term appearance (Group B), and dominant pelagic fishes appearing with a long-term appearance (Group C). We could conclude that the seasonal variation in the structure of the fish community was mainly caused by the pelagic migration of species under high water temperature conditions during the study period.

Seasonal variation in species composition and relative abundance of mosquitoes in the District Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: prospects of dengue fever in the study area

Seasonal variation in species composition and relative abundance of mosquitoes in the District Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: prospects of dengue fever in the study area

Water-level controlled reservoir as refugia for waterbirds in an urban landscape

Artificial wetlands can play an important role in waterbird conservation due to habitat loss and degradation of natural wetlands. Urban reservoirs can harbor waterbird communities, but they usually have lower biological diversity than natural wetlands. However, the value of reservoirs for waterbird conservation in urban areas needs further exploration. Here, we surveyed the waterbird community in a water-level controlled reservoir of an urban area in southeastern Brazil. We evaluate the seasonal variation in species composition, richness, and abundance. Monthly samplings were carried out between July 2017 and February 2018, through a boat line transect. A total of 7762 waterbirds were recorded, belonging to 32 species and 16 families. There were significant differences in species composition and abundance between dry and rainy seasons. The community was dominated by generalist and resident species, which Gallinula galeata and Jacana jacana were the most abundant species. We did not register migratory shorebirds during the surveys. Our results highlight the importance of reservoirs in urban areas, as they harbor feeding areas and breeding sites and may serve as refuges during dry seasons for resident waterbirds. We suggest management strategies to improve the importance of water-level controlled reservoirs as breeding areas for resident species and migratory stopover for shorebirds. Our results may also be considered for urban planning and waterbird conservation in urban areas.

Temporal and seasonal variations in phytoplankton community structure in Uzuncayir Dam Lake (Tunceli, Turkey).

Seasonal variations in species composition and growth dynamics of phytoplankton in Uzuncayir Dam Lake (Tunceli, Turkey) were studied in relation to ecological factors by collecting horizontal water and phytoplankton samples for over a year. A total of 46 phytoplankton taxa were recorded, where Bacillariophyta was the most abundant in species number representing 24 taxa. Diatoms were the most conspicuous phytoplankton in terms of abundance as well as occurrence frequency. Charophyta, Chlorophyta, Cyanobacteria, Ochrophyta, Miozoa, and Euglenozoa were the least abundant. However, some Diatoms (Gyrosigma attenuatum, Hippodonta hungarica, Meridion circulare, Nitzschia clausii, Nitzschia frustulum, Pantocsekiella ocellata, Rhoicosphenia abbreviata), Charophytes (Cosmarium granatum, Mougeotiopsis calospora), Cyanobacteria (Leiblenia epiphytica, Planktothrix agardhii); Dinoflagellates (Ceratium hirundinella, Parvodinium africanum, Parvodinium inconspicuum, Peridinium cinctum), and Ochrophyta (Dinobryon pediforme) were also noticeable, with their occurrence in all seasons. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were employed to analyze the relationship between occurrence and abundance of phytoplankton species as well as the ecological factors. The results showed that pH and the concentrations of NH4, NO3, and PO4 influenced seasonal occurrence and abundance of phytoplankton species in the lake. Uzuncayir Dam Lake may be classified as an oligotrophic lake with the mean value of nitrate 2.62mgL-1 and phosphate 0.23mgL-1 as supported by the occurrence of various phytoplankton groups. Findings related to pollution indices yielded that Uzuncayir Dam Lake is on the edge of the moderate state of organic pollution.

Spatial and temporal variations of tintinnids (Ciliata: Protozoa) in the Bay of Mersin, Northeastern Mediterranean Sea

Seasonal variations in species composition and abundance of tintinnids were investigated in the eutrophic coastal and offshore waters of Mersin Bay. Twelve sampling cruises were performed from September 2008 to February 2011. A total of 85 tintinnid taxa were identified. Among the recorded genera, agglutinated Tintinnopsis had the largest number of species (12 species), followed by hyaline loricated Eutintinnius (9 species), and Proplectella (7 species). Stenosemella ventricosa, Tintinnopsis beroidea, T. compressa, Favella azorica, and Helicostemella subulata were the dominant species during the study period. There were clear seasonal variations in species composition and abundance of tintinnids. The highest number of tintinnid species occurred in January 2009 and November 2010 in the entire study area, while the lowest species number occurred in March 2009. Morever, species numbers were higher in offshore stations than coastal stations. Some species were present in the coastal area of the bay, and other species were present offshore. The highest tintinnid abundance values were found in September 2008 (820 ind L-1) and August 2009 (749 ind L-1) at coastal stations. The high abundance values in the coastal stations indicates that an increase of tintinnids is closely related to trophic status of the marine environment. In connection with these results, correlation analysis revealed that chlorophyll-a had an important effect on tintinnid abundance. Tintinnid communities may be used as a potential bio-indicator for assessing the trophic state of the coastal seas and bays.

Seasonality and species composition of Peristenus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) species, and Lygus (Hemiptera: Miridae) species parasitism in southern Alberta, Canada

ABSTRACTWe report a long-term survey summarising the seasonal variation in species composition of Peristenus species, and their levels of parasitism in an assemblage of Lygus spp., over more than 10 years in southern Alberta in western Canada. Plants sampled include alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), canola (Brassica napus L.), and stands of different weed and grass species commonly found on crop field edges. Three native Peristenus species (Peristenus dayi, Peristenus mellipes, and Peristenus howardi) were recorded in 2003–2011 and 2013–2015. In laboratory trials, P. mellipes emerged 13 days earlier than P. howardi. Degree-days for field-collected individuals suggested a sequential occurrence during the growing season: P. dayi appears early in the season, followed by P. mellipes, and later on by P. howardi. Studies of species composition and phenology of native parasitoids of insect pests provide valuable baseline information when considering introduction of exotic agents, and contribute to the management and improvement of conservation biological control by endemic natural enemies in agricultural systems.

Seasonality promotes grassland diversity: Interactions with mowing, fertilization and removal of dominant species

Abstract Current biodiversity declines in species‐rich grasslands are connected with the cessation of management, eutrophication and the expansion of dominant grass species. One of the theoretical mechanisms limiting biodiversity loss is the ability of subordinate species to avoid competitive exclusion by seasonal niche separation from dominant species. Here, we explore how seasonality underpins the maintenance of diversity in temperate meadows under different management regimes and competition intensities in relation to species functional traits. We studied eight different communities in a long‐term meadow experiment that manipulated mowing, fertilization and dominant species (Molinia caerulea) removal. In each community, species‐specific trait and biomass data were taken five times during the year to test whether seasonal variation in species composition and functional strategies enable species to coexist. Mown unfertilized meadows exhibited pronounced seasonal variations in community composition and structure, linked to differences in resource‐use strategies between mid‐summer dominants and the spring and autumn subordinates. Higher specific leaf area and foliar nitrogen concentration in the fast‐growing dominants, and increased water use (δ13C) and nutrient acquisition (δ15N) efficiency in resource‐retentive subordinates, best predicted their temporal niche separation. Seasonal segregation of species with contrasting strategies increased after mowing cessation, and the resulting summer dominance of Molinia. Conversely, the seasonal dynamics were markedly reduced by fertilization, promoting tall grasses over sedges and forbs throughout the entire year, thereby decreasing the overall taxonomic and functional diversity. When Molinia was removed the compositional changes during the season became less pronounced, being significant only in mown unfertilized plots. Synthesis. Seasonal shifts in community composition reduced the competitive interactions and promoted the coexistence of dominant and subordinate species. Seasonality reversed the negative mid‐summer diversity‐productivity relationship with a positive one during the spring and autumn, and seasonality only prevented diversity loss in unfertilized conditions possibly because competition is most intense in summer. In fertilized meadows, subordinate species are not able to escape competitive exclusion by shifting their phenological peaks to the spring or autumn periods because asymmetric competition is intense over the entire growing season. Studying seasonal dynamics is key to understanding the maintenance of grassland diversity under ongoing land use change.

Seasonal Variations in Species Composition and Community Structure of Zooplankton in a Two Perennial Lakes of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, Southern India

Seasonal Variations in Species Composition and Community Structure of Zooplankton in a Two Perennial Lakes of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, Southern India

Seasonal Variation in Species Composition of Ichthyoplankton in Northern Jinhae Bay, Korea

Fish eggs and larvae were collected in July and November of 2013 and January and May of 2014 to determine sea sonal variation in the species composition of ichtyoplankton. Samples were classified based on morphological char acteristics. Fish eggs were identified as belonging to five taxa; the most dominant species of fish eggs was Engraulis japonicus (62.05%) followed by Sardinops melanostictus (21.02%) and Leiognathus nuchalis (13.71%). These three species accounted for 96.8% of the total number of fish eggs collected. Larvae of 17 species in six families, and six orders were collected. The most dominant species of fish larvae was E. japonicus (51.79%), followed by L. nuchalis (12.59%) and Omobranchus elegans (12.08%). These three species accounted for 76.46% of the total number of larvae collected. Jinhae Bay was identified as a major spawning and nursery ground for fish species inhabiting in the south coast of Korea, such as E. japonicus, L. nuchalis, S. melanostictus, and Omobranchus elegans. Therefore, management of marine fish resources in the South Sea should necessarily include the ecological management of Jinhae Bay.

A preliminary study on the microzooplankton of Chilika Lake, a brackish water lagoon on the east coast of India.

Abundance and composition of microzooplankton in Chilika Lake were studied covering three seasons during 2012-2013. Ciliates (19 species), rotifers (13 species), crustacean larvae (2 taxa) and heterotrophic dinoflagellates (2 species) were the four major groups. Ciliates, however, have emerged as the most dominant group throughout the lake in all the seasons except in the freshwater-influenced areas. The average contribution of ciliates was highest (avg. 55.3 ± 38.7 %) during the premonsoon season followed by post-monsoon (avg. 49.0 ± 32.5 %) and monsoon (avg. 47.8 ± 41.6 %) seasons. Crustacean larvae formed the second dominant group whose percentage contribution was marginally high in the premonsoon (avg. 41.2 ± 38.8 %) followed by monsoon (avg. 29.1 ± 27.0 %) and post-monsoon (avg. 28.7 ± 23.4 %). Results of cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling on abundance of microzooplankton depicted well-defined clusters. The stations with high salinity formed a different group indicating seasonal variation in species composition and abundance of microzooplankton is primarily governed by salinity.

Seasonal variation in species composition and abundance of demersal fish and invertebrates in a Seagrass Natural Reserve on the eastern coast of the Shandong Peninsula, China

Seagrass habitats are structurally complex ecosystems, which support high productivity and biodiversity. In temperate systems the density of seagrass may change seasonally, and this may influence the associated fish and invertebrate community. Little is known about the role of seagrass beds as possible nursery areas for fish and invertebrates in China. To study the functioning of a seagrass habitat in northern China, demersal fish and invertebrates were collected monthly using traps, from February 2009 to January 2010. The density, leaf length and biomass of the dominant seagrass Zostera marina and water temperature were also measured. The study was conducted in a Seagrass Natural Reserve (SNR) on the eastern coast of the Shandong Peninsula, China. A total of 22 fish species and five invertebrate species were recorded over the year. The dominant fish species were Synechogobius ommaturus, Sebastes schlegelii, Pholis fangi, Pagrus major and Hexagrammos otakii and these species accounted for 87% of the total number of fish. The dominant invertebrate species were Charybdis japonica and Octopus variabilis and these accounted for 98% of the total abundance of invertebrates. There was high temporal variation in species composition and abundance. The peak number of fish species occurred in August–October 2009, while the number of individual fish and biomass was highest during November 2009. Invertebrate numbers and biomass was highest in March, April, July and September 2009. Temporal changes in species abundance of fishes and invertebrates corresponded with changes in the shoot density and leaf length of the seagrass, Zostera marina.

Community composition, abundance and biomass of tintinnids (Ciliata: Protozoa) in the Western Harbour, south-eastern Mediterranean Sea, Egypt.

Seasonal variations in species composition, abundance and biomass of tintinnids (Protozoa: Ciliata) were investigated in the Western Harbour, seasonally during 2012. There were remarkable seasonal variations in environmental parameters, phytoplankton concentrations and abundance and biomass of tintinnids: highest in spring and lowest in autumn. Annual average abundance and biomass of tintinnids were 8.435 ind. l(-1) and 3.725 μg C l(-1), respectively. A total of 29 species of tintinnids belonging to 11 genera was identified. Of which, Tintinnopsis was the most abundant genus in terms of number of species (9), but Favella was the best quantitatively (89% of the total tintinnids). The overall mean abundance and biomass were highest (mean 24.415 ind. l(-1) and 10.355 μg C l(-1), respectively) during spring than the remaining seasons. Due to significant positive relationship between the total biomass of tintinnids and phytoplankton concentrations, food supply is not a problem for tintinnids harbouring in the Western Harbour. Hence, predation loss by meso- and macrozooplankton might be the possible reasons for the estimated low biomass of tintinnids in the present study. Some of the seasonal environmental factors as water salinity, nitrite, dissolved oxygen and pH values exert an influence on the species composition, abundance and biomass of tintinnids.

Seasonal Variations in Species Composition and Abundance of Fish and Decapods in an Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Bed of Jindong Bay

The objectives of this study to determine seasonal changes in species composition and abundance of fish and decapod assemblage, and the relationships between environmental factors and their abundance in an eelgrass bed of Jindong Bay. A total of 26 fish species and 29 decapod species were collected by a small beam trawl from an eelgrass bed in Jindong Bay in 2002. The dominant fish species were Hexagrammos otakii, Pholis neulosa and P. fangi and these accounted for 48.4 % in the total number of individuals. Dominant decapod taxa were Palaemon macrodactylus, Charybdis japonica, Pagurus minutus and C. bimaculata. These were primarily small species or early juveniles of larger species. Species composition and abundance varied greatly showing a peak in the number of individuals in April and May, and peak biomass in fish in July and decapods in August. Catch rate was low in winter months both in fish and in decapod. Seasonal changes in the abundance of fishes and decapods corresponded with eelgrass biomass and abundance of food organisms indirectly.

Seasonal variations in species composition, abundance, biomass and production rate of tintinnids (Ciliata: Protozoa) along the Hooghly (Ganges) River Estuary, India: a multivariate approach

The study is the first documentation of seasonal variations in species composition, abundance and diversity of tintinnid (Ciliata: Protozoa), in relation to water quality parameters along the stretch of the Hooghly (Ganges) River Estuary (HRE), eastern coastal part of India. A total of 26 species (22 agglomerated and 4 non-agglomerated) belonging to 8 genera has been identified from 8 study sites where Tintinnopsis (17 species) represented the most dominant genera, contributing up to 65 % of total tintinnid community followed by Tintinnidium (2 species), Leprotintinnus (2 species) and Dadayiella, Favella, Metacylis, Eutintinnus and Helicostomella (each with solitary species). The maximum (1,666 ind. l(-1)) and minimum (62 ind. l(-1)) abundance of tintinnids was recorded during post-monsoon and monsoon, respectively. A distinct seasonal dynamics in terms of biomass (0.005-2.465 μg C l(-1)) and daily production rate (0.04-3.13 μg C l(-1) day(-1)) was also noticed, accounting highest value during pre-monsoon. Chlorophyll a and nitrate were found to be potential causative factors for the seasonal variations of tintinnids as revealed by a stepwise multiple regression model. The result of ANOVA showed a significant variation between species abundance and months (F = 2.36, P ≤ 0.05). k-dominance curves were plotted to determine the comparison of tintinnid dominance between the investigated stations. Based on a principal component analysis (PCA), three main groups were delineated with tintinnid ciliates and environmental parameters. The changes in lorica morphology in terms of temperature and salinity, recorded for three dominant species, provided information on the ecological characteristics of the species assemblage in this estuarine system.

한국 남해 가덕도 주변해역에 출현하는 어류의 종조성과 계절변동

Seasonal variations in species composition and abundance of the fish assemblages in the coastal waters off Gadeok-do were determined using monthly sample collection by a small otter trawl in 2010-2011. Of a total of 65 fishes collected, the dominant species were Leiognathus nuchalis, Clupea pallasii, Thryssa kammalensis, Engraulis japonicus, Repomucenus valenciennei, Sillago japonica, Trachurus japonicus, Pennahia argentatus, Okamejei kenojei, Cynoglossus joyneri, Pholis fangi, Pleuronectes yokohamae, and Zoarces gillii. These 13 fishes accounted for 92.8% of the total number of individuals collected. The number of fish species, number of individuals, biomass, and species diversity indices fluctuated with the seasons. The peak number of fishes occurred in April, whereas the biomass of fishes was highest in August. The numbers and biomass of fishes were lower in February corresponding with the low temperatures, and diversity indices were lower in January than in any other month.