Population Structure Of Species Research Articles

New record of the giant freshwater whipray from the Lesser Sunda region, Indonesia

Context The taxonomic nomenclature of species can change with the discovery of a distinct species. Such nomenclatural changes occurred for the giant freshwater whipray with the discovery of a similar species in the Indo-Australian region in 2008. Aims This paper reports a finding of the giant freshwater whipray in the Lesser Sunda region as the first confirmed record from the area. Methods The specimen was identified as the giant freshwater whipray based on its morphological features. Morphometric measurements were taken directly in the field and also based on the scale provided in the photographs. Key results The female specimen was recorded from the Alas Strait, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia on 20 July 2020. It was identified as Urogymnus cf. dalyensis due to its similar morphological characteristics with U. dalyensis from northern Australia but it had a shorter preoral snout and greater distance between the left and right fifth gill slits. Conclusions The occurrence of this species in the Lesser Sunda region may confuse U. dalyensis with the close relative from south-east Asia, U. polylepis. Implications This record may provide a link between the two species, either as a population structure of the same species or showing a clear separation between the two as distinct species.

New record of the giant freshwater whipray from the Lesser Sunda region, Indonesia

Context The taxonomic nomenclature of species can change with the discovery of a distinct species. Such nomenclatural changes occurred for the giant freshwater whipray with the discovery of a similar species in the Indo-Australian region in 2008. Aims This paper reports a finding of the giant freshwater whipray in the Lesser Sunda region as the first confirmed record from the area. Methods The specimen was identified as the giant freshwater whipray based on its morphological features. Morphometric measurements were taken directly in the field and also based on the scale provided in the photographs. Key results The female specimen was recorded from the Alas Strait, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia on 20 July 2020. It was identified as Urogymnus cf. dalyensis due to its similar morphological characteristics with U. dalyensis from northern Australia but it had a shorter preoral snout and greater distance between the left and right fifth gill slits. Conclusions The occurrence of this species in the Lesser Sunda region may confuse U. dalyensis with the close relative from south-east Asia, U. polylepis. Implications This record may provide a link between the two species, either as a population structure of the same species or showing a clear separation between the two as distinct species.

Length-weight relationship, condition factor, and diet analysis of thresher sharks (Family: Alopiidae) along the southern coast of India

Sharks are fascinating groups of elasmobranchs that are consistently threatened by commercial tuna fishing operations, as they share a common habitat with most scombrids. This raises ecological concerns to explore the vulnerability of the species in its prevailing ecosystem. The length-weight relationship of three known species of thresher sharks viz, the common thresher (Alopias vulpinus), bigeye thresher (A. superciliosus), and pelagic thresher (A. pelagicus) were estimated based on 771 specimens landed as bycatches from the commercial tuna gillnetter and multi-gear utilizing boats (MGUB) off Bay of Bengal between June 2022 and November 2023. The fork length (FL) ranged from a minimum of 51 cm to a maximum of 288 cm. The dominant fork length class for A. vulpinus, A. superciliosus, and A. pelagicus were 101–120, 101–140 cm, and 61–80 cm respectively. The estimated slope (b) values in the range between 2.48 and 2.66 reveal negative allometry for all three species. The coefficient of determination was highly significant with r2 values of 0.98–0.99. The male-to-female ratio for A. vulpinus (1.03:1) and A. superciliosus (1.07:1), were male-biased except for A. pelagicus, (1:1). We also present data on the foraging components of the bigeye thresher shark that typically comprised teleosts and cephalopods, with occasional crustacean prey. Biological data collection and constant surveillance would help better understand the population structure of this iconic marine species and preserve them from overexploitation.

Genetic detection and population structure of a non-native hybridogenic Poeciliopsis species in the Santa Cruz River of Arizona, USA

Genetic detection and population structure of a non-native hybridogenic Poeciliopsis species in the Santa Cruz River of Arizona, USA

Trichoderma: Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of Species with High Potential for Biocontrol and Biofertilizer Applications

Abstract: Certain Trichoderma isolates provide biofertilizer, biocontrol, and other plant-beneficial activities while inhabiting the soil or internal plant tissue, and their use in agricultural systems can contribute to sustainable food production. It is thought that colonization of soil or internal plant tissue is fundamental for biocontrol and biofertilizer applications. Our collective analyses of prior surveys, where the tef1α sequence was almost exclusively used to identify Trichoderma species, showed that isolates from the Harzianum complex clade, the T. asperellum/T. asperelloides group, T. virens, T. hamatum, and T. atroviride were prevalent in soil and/or as endophytes. Population structure and genetic diversity based on the genetic markers tef1α, rpb2, and ITS were investigated, and new lineages with statistical bootstrap support within T. atroviride, T. asperellum, T. hamatum, and T. virens populations were found. The nearest relatives of some of these species were also revealed. Choosing isolates from among more than 500 known Trichoderma species for use in non-targeted evaluation screens for biocontrol or biofertilizer applications is time-consuming and expensive. Preferentially selecting isolates from T. atroviride, T. asperellum/T. asperelloides, T. hamatum, the T. harzianum complex clade, T. virens, and possibly nearest relatives may speed the identification of candidates for commercialization due to the demonstrated ability of these species to successfully inhabit the soil and internal plant tissue. To our knowledge, this is the first report where dominant soil and endophytic Trichoderma species were identified from past survey data and population structure and genetic diversity analyses conducted.

A multidisciplinary approach to describe population structure of Solea solea in the Mediterranean Sea

Investigating marine species population structure in a multidisciplinary framework can reveal signatures of potential local adaptation and the consequences for management and conservation. In this study we delineate the population structure of common sole (Solea solea) in the Mediterranean Sea using genomic and otolith data, based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) markers, otolith shape and otolith trace element composition data. We correlated SNPs with environmental and spatial variables to evaluate the impact of the selected features on the actual population structure. Specifically, we used a seascape genetics approach with redundancy (RDA) and genetic-environmental association (GEA) analysis to identify loci potentially involved in local adaptation. Finally, putative functional annotation was investigated to detect genes associated with the detected patterns of neutral and adaptive genetic variation. Results from both genetic and otolith data suggested significant divergence among putative populations of common sole, confirming a clear separation between the Western and Eastern Mediterranean Sea, as well as a distinct genetic cluster corresponding to the Adriatic Sea. Evidence of fine-scale population structure in the Western Mediterranean Sea was observed at outlier loci level and further differentiation in the Adriatic. Longitude and salinity variation accounted for most of the wide and fine spatial structure. The GEA detected significant associated outlier loci potentially involved in local adaptation processes under highly structured differentiation. In the RDA both spatial distribution and environmental features could partially explain the genetic structure. Our study not only indicates that separation among Mediterranean sole population is led primarily by neutral processes because of low connectivity due to spatial segregation and limited dispersal, but it also suggests the presence of local adaptation. These results should be taken into account to support and optimize the assessment of stock units, including a review and possible redefinition of fishery management units.

Influence of anthropic disturbance in structure of plant populations along an elevation gradient in caatinga region

Elevation gradients are useful models for testing how the variation of abiotic factors and anthropogenic disturbance modulate the population structure of plant species. Despite the small range of elevation, mountains in the semi-arid region of Brazil are subject to different levels of anthropic pressure. We investigated whether structural parameters of two species (Croton blanchetianus Baill. and Cenostigma pyramidale (Tul.) Gagnon & G.P. Lewis) with wide distribution in Caatinga, vary along an elevation gradient. We established 45 plots on three elevation levels. Next, we calculated abundance, percentage of tiller individuals, number of tillers, average diameter, average height, basal area, and above-ground biomass in each plot. Additionally, we recorded six metrics of chronic anthropogenic disturbance (CAD) in each plot. We tested whether species parameters differed between elevation levels and evaluated the influence of CAD on the structural parameters of each species. Abundance, percentage of tiller individuals, and number of tillers were higher at the gradient base for the two species. The metrics of CAD significantly influenced abundance and number of tillers, showing that there is an increase in these parameters in the most disturbing areas. The high capacity for regrowth of dry forest species provides resilience; however, it can contribute to proliferating populations of generalist species tolerant to environments with high rates of CAD. The study highlights relevant observations related to the ecology and distribution of plant populations in the Caatinga, mainly related to elevation gradient recognized as important refuges of biodiversity in this region of Brazil.

Elevation gradients alter vegetation attributes in mountain ecosystems of eastern Himalaya, India

The present study describes how vegetation (the tree layer) is shaped along the elevation gradients in the eastern part of the Indian Himalayan Region. Various vegetation attributes, distribution, population structure, and regeneration patterns of 75 tree species belonging to 31 families were studied. Tree species richness shows a low plateau (peaked between 1,300–1,500 m) with a linearly decreasing pattern above 1,500 m asl. Ericaceae was found as the dominant family, followed by Lauraceae and Rosaceae. The distributional pattern of species-to-genera ratio (S/G) did not follow any particular trends, while β-diversity increased along the elevation gradient. The Margalef index of species richness, the Menheink index of species richness, and the Fisher alpha were found to be highest at lower altitudes (1,000–1,500 m), while the Simpson index was highest at middle altitudes (2,600–3,000 m). Random distribution was shown by maximum tree species (47.3%), followed by a contagious distribution (42.9%), and regular distribution (10.8%). The regeneration of tree species was found to be good with a healthier number of seedlings (10.2%), fair (43.5%), poor (30.3%), while 16% were observed not regenerating. Acer laevigatum (1,500 m), Prunus nepalensis (3,300 m), Viburnum sympodiale (3,400 m) were among the new regenerating species at the respective altitudes. The population structure of tree species in terms of proportion of individuals in seedlings, saplings, and the adult class varied in all the elevation transects. Species with better regeneration on upper distribution limits have been recognized as probable for upward movement.

Population structure and distribution pattern of endangered species, Dillenia pentagyna, in Indonesian natural reserve forest

Regeneration strategy of endangered species is crucial for maintaining ecosystem sustainability in its endemic habitat. Dillenia pentagyna is a deciduous tree species with many potential benefits for medical use, silkworms’ fodder, and furniture, and is considered as an endangered tree species in Indonesia due to over exploitation in 1980s. The species is an important asset for Gunung Abang Natural Reserve Forest (GANRF) due to essential historical functions for flora, fauna, and local communities. We conducted an initial research to observe the population structure and distribution pattern of D.pentagyna in its native habitat to understand the growth- and population behavior. Using a random sampling method, we built 157 plots to identify the number of seedlings, saplings, poles, and trees followed by measurement of height and diameter-breast-height. We only found fifteen poles, six saplings, five trees, and no seedlings in the plots with dominant distribution in the center of GANRF area. The distribution pattern was random according to Morisita index (Iδ= 0.011 equal to 0), which explains that D.pentagyna grows randomly in nature independent to canopy gaps and slopes. Findings suggested that low population needs to be recovered by seedling initiation growth in the nursery before sowing in the field to avoid high mortality.

Different ecological demands shape differences in population structure and behaviour among the two generations of the small pearl-bordered fritillary.

The population structure and behaviour of univoltine butterfly species have been studied intensively. However, much less is known about bivoltine species. In particular, in-depth studies of the differences in population structure, behaviour, and ecology between these two generations are largely lacking. Therefore, we here present a mark-release-recapture study of two successive generations of the fritillary butterfly Boloria selene performed in eastern Brandenburg (Germany). We revealed intersexual and intergenerational differences regarding behaviour, dispersal, population characteristics, and protandry. The observed population densities were higher in the second generation. The flight activity of females decreased in the second generation, but remained unchanged in males. This was further supported by the rate of wing decay. The first generation displayed a linear correlation between wing decay and passed time in both sexes, whereas the linear correlation was lost in second-generation females. The proportion of resting individuals in both sexes increased in the second generation, as well as the number of nectaring females. The choice of plant genera used for nectaring seems to be more specialised in the first and more opportunistic in the second generation. The average flight distances were generally higher for females than for males and overall higher in the first generation. Predictions of long-distance movements based on the inverse power function were also generally higher in females than in males but lower in the first generation. Additionally, we found protandry only in the first but not in the second generation, which might correlate with the different developmental pathways of the two generations. These remarkable differences between both generations might reflect an adaptation to the different ecological demands during the flight season and the different tasks they have, i.e., growth in the spring season; dispersal and colonisation of new habitats during the summer season.

Filling knowledge gaps in insect conservation by leveraging genetic data from public archives.

Insect decline has become a growing concern in recent years, with studies showing alarming declines in populations of several taxa. Our knowledge about genetic spatial patterns and evolutionary history of insects still exhibits significant gaps hindering our ability to effectively conserve and manage insect populations and species. Genetic data may provide valuable insights into the diversity and the evolutionary relationships of insects' species and populations. Public repositories, such as GenBank and BOLD, containing vast archives of genetic data with associated metadata, offer an irreplaceable resource for researchers contributing to our understanding of species diversity, population structure and evolutionary relationships. However, there are some issues in using these data, as they are often scattered and may lack accuracy due to inconsistent sampling protocols and incomplete information. In this paper we describe a curated georeferenced database of genetic data collected in GenBank and BOLD, for insects listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Italian Red Lists (dragonflies, bees, saproxylic beetles and butterflies). After querying these repositories, we performed quality control and data standardization steps. We created a dataset containing approximately 33 000 mitochondrial sequences and associated metadata about taxonomy, collection localities, geographic coordinates and IUCN Red List status for 1466 species across the four insect lists. We describe the current state of geographical metadata in queried repositories for species listed under different conservation status in the Italian Red Lists to quantify data gaps posing barriers to prioritization of conservation actions. Our curated dataset is available for data repurposing and analysis, enabling researchers to conduct comparative studies. We emphasize the importance of filling knowledge gaps in insect diversity and distribution and highlight the potential of this dataset for promoting other research fields like phylogeography, macrogenetics and conservation strategies. Our database can be downloaded through the Zenodo repository in SQL format. Database URL: https://zenodo.org/records/8375181.

Genetic structure of the commercially important Asian monsoon scallop, Amusium pleuronectes (Linnaeus 1758), across the Indonesian Archipelago

AbstractThe Asian monsoon scallop, Amusium pleuronectes, is a key member of the most commercially harvested shellfish community in Asia. Patterns of genetic diversity and natural population structure in the target species were investigated to gain a better understanding of its evolutionary history. Samples were collected from five sites across the Indonesian Archipelago. We characterized sequence variation in an mtDNA control region fragment in 249 individuals. The genetic diversity (h = ranging from 0.83 to 0.92) and nucleotide diversity (π = ranging from 0.24 to 0.32) were low compared to the estimates reported for many other similar shellfish taxa. Nonetheless, analysis of molecular variance revealed significant genetic differentiation, FST = 0.0203 (p < .005 after Bonferroni corrections). Furthermore, both Pairwise fixation index values showed significance among majority population sites, indicating that dispersal potential and gene flow were low in the past. This pattern likely reflects a low dispersal potential, potentially allowing local adaptation to sites that augment any oceanographic and geographic contribution to genetic structure. The results described herein provide a foundation for developing better conservation strategies for the target species in the future.

Assessment of wild prey of mammalian carnivores in Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat, India

The Barda Wildlife Sanctuary (Barda WLS) is a semi-arid ecosystem that plays an important role in the conservation of mammalian carnivores. It is essential to evaluate the population of important wild prey species in Barda, which has conservation implications for mammalian predators and themselves. We assessed the density, biomass, and population structure of wild prey species by surveying road (n = 10) and trail (n = 8) transects using the distance sampling framework method. We used male-to-female sex ratios and the percent contribution of each age class to assess population structure. Mean group size (MGS), median group size (Mdgs), and mean crowding (Mc) were calculated to analyze group size. Of the species studied, Indian peafowl had the highest density (51.61 ± 7.08 individuals/km2), followed by wild pig (10.77 ± 4.59), blue bull (3.50 ± 0.51), Indian hare (3.03 ± 0.73), and spotted deer (0.62 ± 0.04). The male-to-adult female sex ratio was biased towards females, except for Indian peafowl. All species had small group sizes except wild pigs. The results of this study can aid in its development as one of the important protected areas in Gujarat for the conservation of mammalian predators, along with framing conservation strategies for Barda WLS.

Plant height variation and genetic diversity between Prunus ledebouriana (Schlecht.) YY Yao and Prunus tenella Batsch based on using SSR markers in East Kazakhstan.

Genetic differences between isolated endemic populations of plant species and those with widely known twin species are relevant for conserving the biological diversity of our planet's flora. Prunus ledebouriana (Schlecht.) YY Yao is an endangered and endemic species of shrub almond from central Asia. Few studies have explored this species, which is closely related and morphologically similar to the well-known Prunus tenella Batsch. In this article, we present a comparative analysis of studies of three P. ledebouriana populations and one close population of P. tenella in Eastern Kazakhstan in order to determine the particular geographic mutual replacement of the two species. The populations were collected from different ecological niches, including one steppe population near Ust-Kamenogorsk (P. tenella) and three populations (P. ledebouriana) in the mountainous area. Estimation of plant height using a t-test suggested a statistically significant difference between the populations and the two species (P<0.0001). DNA simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were applied to study the two species' genetic diversity and population structure. A total of 19 polymorphic SSR loci were analyzed, and the results showed that the population collected in mountainous areas had a lower variation level than steppe populations. The highest level of Nei's genetic diversity index was demonstrated in the 4-UK population (0.622) of P. tenella. The lowest was recorded in population 3-KA (0.461) of P. ledebouriana, collected at the highest altitude of the four populations (2,086 meters above sea level). The total genetic variation of P. ledebouriana was distributed 73% within populations and 27% between populations. STRUCTURE results showed that two morphologically similar species diverged starting at step K=3, with limited population mixing. The results confirmed the morphological and genetic differences between P. tenella and P. ledebouriana and described the level of genetic variation for P. ledebouriana. The study's results proved that the steppe zone and mountain altitude factor between P. tenella and isolated mountain samples of P. ledebouriana.

Conchological variation of widely common species of terrestrial mollusks of Uzbekistan

This article presents current research on the variability of widespread common species of terrestrial mollusks of the family Buliminidae of Uzbekistan. The study of features of the population structure of species - indicators of changes in biocenoses under the influence of various factors, including anthropogenic ones, is an important component of environmental monitoring of various territories. These species, in particular, include terrestrial mollusks Pseudonapaeus albiplicatus, Psendonapaeus sogdianus, Pseudonapaeus secalina, Psendonapaeus miser, Chondrulopsina fedtschenkoi. A number of studies have been devoted to the analysis of intrapopulation variability of these species. In the course of these studies, it has been shown that these species are sensitive to successional processes with the morphology of their shell, as well as the frequency ratio of polymorphic characters. In this work, biotopic variability of morphometric characters, conchological variability of the shell, variability of morphometric characters of different habitats of Pseudonapaeus albiplicatus, Psendonapaeus sogdianus, Pseudonapaeus secalina, Psendonapaeus miser, Chondrulopsina fedtschenkoi were studied.Awhich, living in arid conditions, adapt to sharp changes in temperature and humidity, while acquiring a number of additional characteristics, such as: parietal callus, mouth lips and teeth, which play one or another role in reducing the loss of moisture from the body of mollusks.The indicator ability of these species is enhanced by the relative inactivity of individuals and at the same time by the large number of populations and wide distribution throughout Europe. It seems that the study of populations of these mollusks living in various landscapes will provide a clearer picture of the state of the environment, and, in addition, will add to the range of data on microevolutionary processes currently occurring. Goal of the work. Comparison of intrapopulation variability molluscs of the family Buliminidae living on the territory Uzbekistan.

Fire responses of flora in a sclerophyll–rainforest vegetation complex in the Nightcap Range, North Coast, New South Wales

Context Species fire responses were investigated in a mixed sclerophyll–rainforest ecosystem in the Nightcap Range, North Coast, New South Wales. Aims To examine rates of seedling recruitment and resprouting in functional and phytogeographic components of wet sclerophyll forest (WSRf), and adjacent open forest (OF) and rock outcrop shrubland (RO). Methods Species resprouting and seedling recruitment traits (fire responses) were recorded in 45 stem plots and 225 seedling subplots in WSRf, OF and RO. Species fire responses were classified, community fire-response spectra compiled and rates of seedling recruitment and resprouting in WSRf examined in relation to primary fire response, growth-form, habitat and broad functional and phytogeographic species groupings. Species size-regenerative class distribution was used to analyse population structure, fire impact, regeneration and recruitment in resprouter species that comprised most of the mesic-Gondwanan element of the WSRf flora. Key results WSRf, OF and RO habitats had distinctively different fire-response spectra. In WSRf, there was a high proportion of mesophyll resprouter species of Gondwanan origin with nil or very low seedling recruitment, a distinct component of mesophyll seeders of Indo-Malayan origin, as well as sclerophyll seeders and resprouters that also comprised most of the OF and RO floras. Resprouters comprised 75% of the WSRf flora, 50% OF and 10% pavement shrubland. Continuous size-class distributions indicated recruitment between fire events in the majority of mesophyll resprouters in WSRf. Lower total seedling density appeared to reflect inherent species traits and less canopy disturbance by fire. Large sclerophyll species forming the unburnt canopy of WSRf had very low seedling recruitment. Conclusions Different habitats (WSRf, OF and RO) and functional and phytogeographic clades in WSRf display distinctive patterns of resprouting and seedling-recruitment fire response. Fire responses of species that maintain species population and community composition are governed by fire regime, habitat variables and inherent species traits. Implications The distinctive fire-response spectrum of WSRf appears to be a direct consequence of the overlap of ‘new’ and ‘old’ floras in this broad vegetation type.

Floristic Composition, Population Structure, and Recruitment Status of Plant Species: A Case Study of Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration Practices in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands in Kenya

Floristic Composition, Population Structure, and Recruitment Status of Plant Species: A Case Study of Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration Practices in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands in Kenya

Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses of Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on Allium host in India.

Onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) is a complex of cryptic species with subtle morphological differences and distinct genetic backgrounds; thus, species identification using traditional methods remains challenging. The existence of different haplotypes and genotypes within a species can significantly influence various aspects of its biology, including host preference, reproductive capacity, resistance to pesticides, and vector competence for plant viruses. Understanding the genetic diversity and population structure of cryptic species within T. tabaci will not only aid in the development of more effective control strategies tailored to specific genetic variants but also in monitoring population dynamics, tracking invasive species, and implementing quarantine measures to prevent the spread of economically damaging thrips biotypes. This study aims to explore intraspecies genetic diversity and molecular evolutionary relationships of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase gene subunit I (mtCOI) in T. tabaci populations from India. To capture diversity within the Indian T. tabaci populations, amplicon sequencing was performed for the thrips mtCOI gene from eight diverse localities in India. A total of 48 sequences retrieved for the mtCOI gene from the NCBI Nucleotide database were analysed. Multiple insertions and deletions were detected at various genomic positions across the populations from different localities, with the highest variation observed in the 300-400 genome position range. Molecular diversity analyses identified 30 haplotypes within the population, with certain subpopulations exhibiting higher gene flow. Analysis of single nucleotide polymorphism patterns within the mtCOI gene across diverse Indian locales revealed significant intrapopulation genetic heterogeneity and its potential repercussions on gene functionality. Elevated F statistics (Fst) values in the northern-western subpopulations suggested high genetic variability, particularly evident in haplotype networks originating mainly from the northern region, notably Delhi. While most populations displayed stable and ancient evolutionary histories, thrips populations from northern, western, and north-eastern regions indicated rapid growth.

Assessment of flora diversity and population structure in Lagos-Sagamu-Abeokuta Expressway, Southwestern Nigeria

The Lagos-Shagamu-Abeokuta Expressway is a globally important biodiversity hotspot and is facing rapid loss in floristic diversity and changing patterns of vegetation due to various biotic and abiotic factors. This has necessitated the qualitative and quantitative assessment of floral diversity and population structure. The vegetation survey along this route was conducted using the systematic sampling methods. Three sample plots of 50 m x 50 m were laid in alternate side at 100m interval. In each sample plot, all living trees (with GBH at 1.3 m of trees) greater than or equal to 3 m high at midpoint were measured. A total of 4212 individuals representing 134 species, 117 genera, and 48 families were recorded. Fabaceae was the dominant family in this route with 22 species, followed by Euphorbiaceae (8 species), Apocynaceae (8 species), and Poaceae (5 species). Among genera, Senna was followed by Ficus, Terminalia, Cola, Clerodendrum, Albizia, and Alchornea. The population structure of woody species based on diameter class distribution reflected reversed J-shape. The species diversity indexes for dominance (0.02, 0.06), Simpson index value (0.97, 0.93), Shannon–Weiner (3.91, 3.25), evenness (0.59, 0.52) and Margalef (11.22, 6.15) were recorded for arboreal and non-arboreal species respectively. Results obtained revealed high diversity of woody species in the vegetation along this route. The non-arboreal species along this route is threatened by continuous animal grazing, intensification of commercialized farming and invasive species. The information on tree species structure and function can provide baseline information for the conservation of the biodiversity of the tropical forest in this area.

Usage of ring-recovery data for the background for the Migration Atlas of the European Anseriform birds

The atlas was prepared from the data on ring-recovery database of the Bird Ringing Centre of Russia (Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences). We plan to publish an extended version of the atlas on the base of bird ring-recovery data. The Atlas will consist not only description of the migratory routes but a consideration of several population parameters of the focal species, as well as, the spatial distribution characteristics of recoveries and even probable practical use of the obtained population parameters values. More than 42000 ring recoveries of 36 European waterfowl species were used. Besides the standard description of the migratory routes, monthly distribution of recoveries, maps of direct and indirect recoveries, etc., the Atlas contains some additional information. In particular, the population structure of species: geographical populations were revealed. It is known that these populations served as a basement of the flyway conception. Then we elaborated math model allows calculating mean yearly mortality rate for each species, in different periods, males and females, etc. Ring-recovery data of a number of species shows the influence of the global warming on the waterfowl. Wintering sites usually are permanent; however breeding places shift more and more to the north. Therefore, mean distance between wintering and breeding places progressively increasing during 20th and the beginning of the 21th century. In addition, the distribution of recoveries in relation to each other along the area was described: 1) it was possible to calculate the degree of aggregation of recoveries (aggregation) for the species with the most numerous recoveries, specifically – to calculate the mean distance from each recovery to its nearest neighbour (mean minimal distance between recoveries); 2) degree of recovery concentration in groups (concentration) with different number of recoveries that located at not more than some distance (might be called as “key distance”) from each other. The distance between recoveries within such groups is less than the distance between groups (clusters). The distribution of recoveries in connection with ecological capacities of the area where these recoveries are located is described for the first time. The distribution of recoveries by their proximity to the different waterbodies is compared: to small and big rivers, lakes, and to the seashore. The exploratory analysis of the separate and mutual numbers dynamics in the two systematically close waterfowl species was performed.