Species Richness Index Research Articles

The Mycobiota of Library Books in Russia.

Abstract-Numerous studies of microorganisms isolated from the surface of cultural heritage objects, including library documents, are regularly carried out in different countries. Although the micromycete composition in each case varies, some species are constantly isolated. The structure of micromycete communities that inhabit library documents was studied in 57 cities of Russia located in seven federal districts (Northwestern, Central, Southern, Volga, Ural, Siberian, and Far Eastern). Micromycetes of 95 species from 32 genera were isolated and identified. The mycobiota of the library documents represented by Ascomycota has more than 90% of the species richness; Mucoromycota make up 3-9% and Basidiomycota, 3-4%. The Aspergillaceae family was the leading family: it accounted for 48.5-67.3% of the total species richness. In all regions, species diversity is moderate: the Shannon index ranged from 2.7 to 3.3. The Mcintosh species richness index is high everywhere (48-126), except in the Ural district (15.3). The McIntosh (0.76-0.84) and Pielow (0.80-0.91) dominance indices indicate a high level of species evenness in the mycobiota. The obtained values demonstrate the stability the document mycobiota in libraries from different regions. Significant species similarity between the districts was revealed by calculation of binary coefficients: the Jaccard coefficient was from 0.44 to 0.60; the Sørensen's qualitative measure of similarity was from 0.63 to 0.75; the quantitative similarity measure of Sørensen was from 0.44 to 0.71, and Morisita-Horn was from 0.66 to 1.0. The groups of dominant species in different regions are quite similar. The study of the ecological diversity of mycobiota on library books demonstrated the moderate diversity and the stability of the community. A high degree of similarity of taxonomic structures was established regardless of the climate conditions of the regions. Cosmopolitans characterized by high frequency of occurrence formed the major core of the library book mycobiota: Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Mucor plumbeus, and Penicillium aurantiogriseum.

Examining Woody Plant Diversity Across Indigenous Agroforestry Practices in the Kellem Wollega Zone, Western Ethiopia

Growing woody plants on farmland not only promotes biodiversity conservation but also supports the livelihood of local communities by offering essential ecosystem services. The present study aimed to assess the woody species diversity within indigenous agroforestry practices in Kellem Wollega Zone, western Ethiopia. From Kellem Wollega, three districts: Dale Sadi, Gawo Qebe,and Sadi Canqa were purposively selected. A total of 135 plots were surveyed, with 45 plots per district across various land use classes, documenting species diversity, evenness, richness, frequency, and important value index. Fifty six (56) woody species from 29 families were counted. Fabaceae family was identified as the most dominant, comprising 7 species (12.5%), followed by Moraceae and Euphorbiaceae families, each with 4 species (7.17%). About 71.43% of species identified species were categorized as trees, while 28.57% were classified as shrubs. This finding confirmed that the indigenous home garden agroforestry exhibited the greatest diversity of woody species, while woodlots exhibited the lowest diversity. Furthermore, the results indicate significant variations in species diversity across different land use categories (p<0.001). These results underscore the contribution of indigenous agroforestry practices in enhancing biodiversity and supporting a number of woody species within their ecosystem.

Alteration in butterfly community structure along urban–rural gradient: with insights to conservation management

BackgroundEcosystem services rendered by the butterflies are important for the sustenance of community interaction. Butterfly species have also coevolved with the host and nectaring plants. In the adult condition, they mostly rely on nectar, while in the larval condition, they feed on the leaves of their host plants. Butterfly species are sensitive to changes in environmental parameters and are considered excellent indicators of ecosystem health. The study of species diversity and richness indices aids in better ecosystem management. The present study's goal was to determine butterfly diversity in the urban–rural gradient of Purulia district, West Bengal, India, a part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. We aim to complement crucial information on butterfly conservation management in Purulia, West Bengal, India, and other similar geographical areas with the findings of this study.ResultsIt was found that out of 3809 sampled butterflies, the individual contribution of the family Nymphalidae was the highest (51.24%), followed by Lycaenidae (18.40%), Pieridae (17.32%), Papilionidae (9.74%), and Hesperiidae (3.12%). A total of 54 butterfly species were observed in the urban–rural gradient, out of which the urban region contained 49 species, the suburban region had 32 species, and the rural region had 30 species. Significant differences were observed in butterfly abundance for the sites, seasons, and families during the study period. PERMANOVA and ANOSIM for species abundance and species presence-absence data show that all three sites are significantly different. Results Both PCoA and NMDS revealed clear differences among sites (groups) in terms of species abundance and presence-absence data. According to the findings of this study, the urban region has the highest species richness, followed by the suburban and rural regions. We discovered that urban areas have the highest butterfly abundance, followed by suburban and rural areas. Numerous butterfly species prefer the bushes dominated by Lantanacamara in the urban region with the highest species richness. Aside from this invasive weed, the site also contains Tridaxprocumbens, Catharanthusroseus, Synedrellanodiflora, and Ocimumamericanum, which are well known for being butterfly nectaring plants. In the case of the suburban region, members of the Lycaenidae family contributed the highest percentage after Nymphalidae, which was dominated by Tridaxprocumbens and Sphagneticolatrilobata, which was preferred by the members of the Lycaenidae family observed during the survey, this site also contained Ixoracoccinea, Catharanthusroseus, and Lantanacamara. This site, in terms of nectaring plants, remains homogeneous in a rural region.ConclusionsOut of 3809 butterfly individuals, the family Nymphalidae contributed the most, followed by Lycaenidae, Pieridae, Papilionidae, and Hesperiidae. Both species richness and butterfly abundance were highest in urban regions, followed by sub-urban and rural regions. The current study has shown that this particular geographic location can sustain a variety of butterfly species. However, it is important to note that conservation planning is necessary not only for the butterfly species but also for the nectaring plant species that contribute to the diversity of these insects. The conservation of butterfly species can also lead to the achievement of ecosystem services they provide.

Comparing the environmental impacts of pollution from two types of industrial zones on the coast

IntroductionThe construction of coastal industrial zones has significantly impacted the marine environment, with the extent of these effects varying based on the type of industrial activity. This study compares the environmental impact of two prevalent types of industrial zones along South Korea’s coast: ironworks and shipyards.MethodsWe assessed heavy metal pollution near these industrial zones using the Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Nemerow Pollution Index (Pn). To evaluate the impact of heavy metals and organic matter on macrobenthic communities, we employed redundancy analysis (RDA) and Spearman correlation analysis. Additionally, we used the AZTI’s Marine Biotic Index (AMBI), Multivariate AMBI (M-AMBI), and Benthic Pollution Index (BPI) to gauge the ecological quality of the affected marine environments.Results and discussionOur findings indicated that the biodiversity and abundance of species near shipyards were significantly lower than those near ironworks. Results of PLI and Pn revealed that the ecological risk posed by heavy metals from shipyard activities was significantly higher than from ironworks. The AZTI’s Marine Biotic Index (AMBI), Multivariate AMBI (M-AMBI), and Benthic Pollution Index (BPI) demonstrated that the ecological quality of Asan Bay (ironworks) is better than that of Dangdong Bay (shipyard). RDA analysis identified Lumbrineris longifolia, Ancistrosyllis hanaokai, and Theora fragilis as biological indicators for assessing heavy metal and organic matter pollution. Spearman correlation analysis indicated that BPI and species richness index are effective indicators for evaluating such pollution. Overall, the negative impact of shipyards on the marine environment was significantly more significant than that of ironworks. Our study provides valuable insights for the South Korean government in managing coastal industrial zones and formulating relevant policies.

Comparing diversity and structure of freshwater fish assemblages using environmental DNA and gillnetting methods: A case study of a large deep reservoir in East China

Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology, as an alternative to traditional gillnet surveys, has attracted widespread attention. However, comparisons between eDNA and traditional methods regarding biodiversity and community structure have not yet been fully elucidated. This study compared the ability of eDNA and gillnets for fish monitoring in a large deep reservoir (Qiandao Lake) in East China. The results showed that eDNA exhibited higher taxonomic resolution and detection rates, and significantly larger species diversity and richness indices compared with traditional gillnetting methods. Using abundance and biomass datasets from gillnets revealed significant differences in fish community composition between gillnetting and eDNA survey methods. Gillnet abundance was dominated by small-sized fish species, while gillnet biomass was dominated by larger-sized ones, and the prevailing species detected in eDNA reads included the dominant species from gillnet abundance and biomass, as well as a medium-sized invasive alien fish (Lepomis macrochirus). Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) showed that the spatial distribution in abundance of fish species sampled by gillnetting was more dispersed than that using eDNA. The explanatory power with the gillnet abundance and biomass together as predictor variables of the eDNA reads increased moderately compared with taking them separately, and the fitting degree of quadratic functions was also improved somewhat compared to linear equations when using biomass to predict eDNA reads. Furthermore, the key environmental factors affecting fish communities differed between the two methods. Current research indicates that eDNA has advantages over gillnets in detecting fish species diversity, and it is recommended to combine it with traditional sampling methods. Under natural aquatic ecosystem conditions, the eDNA reads may comprehensively reflect the biomass and abundance information obtained through gillnetting, but their relationship is complex and requires further research. This study will provide guidance for biodiversity monitoring.

Influence of wild ungulates on the secondary succession of an Apennine silver fir forest after windthrow

Windstorms are natural factors in vegetation dynamics, but their intensity is increasing and undermines the forest resilience. Post-event interventions depend on forest types and management purposes. To promote mixed stands that are less susceptible to windthrow than monocultures, natural tree regeneration is usually recommended. However, wild ungulates attracted by the increased food supply in the new clearings can influence the secondary succession and slow down vegetation recovery. The impact of ungulate pressure on secondary successions in blowdown areas is still poorly known, especially in Mediterranean areas, which is particularly vulnerable to climate stressors. We investigated this topic using a monospecific silver fir (Abies alba) forest of artificial origin in the Apennines as a model system. The forest was left to natural succession after a severe windthrow in 2015, offering the opportunity to establish an ungulate exclosure experiment to analyse vegetation changes over six years. For the whole plant community, cover and height, α-diversity (species richness, Shannon and evenness indexes), and species composition were recorded yearly, together with tree seedling density, in open and fenced plots at increasing distances from the forest edge. Ecological and functional traits (proportion of light-demanding and forest specialists, endo-/epi-zoochorous species), and life-forms of the community samples were also analysed. Overall, we found that ungulates significantly influenced the dynamic trajectories of secondary succession. The effects on plant cover and diversity were negative and increased with distance from the forest edge. The presence of ungulates favoured generalist species and endozoochorous taxa. However, distance from the forest edge strongly reduced the latter effect. The average density of tree seedlings was overall high (ca. 10,000/ha), but it was strongly reduced by ungulates for three deciduous species and A. alba, the most browsed species. Natural recolonization after windthrow in Apennine pure silver fir stands may favour the formation of mixed, less susceptible forests, but the current ungulate pressure slows down this process, especially in the areas furthest from the forest edge.

KEANEKARAGAMAN JENIS KUPU-KUPU DI DESA BOMBA KECAMATAN LORE SELATAN KABUPATEN POSO

The Sintuwu Maroso KPH area, which is located in Bomba Village, South Lore District, has quite high biodiversity, one of which is butterflies. Butterflies are insects that belong to the order Lepidoptera. Butterflies play an important role in the ecosystem and maintain balance and enrich natural biodiversity. These insects are also important in agriculture, art, culture and human civilization. The Sintuwu Maroso KPH area, Bomba Village, South Lore District, Poso Regency, is a primary forest with maintained sustainability. Primary forest is a good place for butterfly habitat, so it is necessary to protect these butterflies. And research on these butterflies in the Sintuwu Maroso KPH area is still rare, as butterflies play an important role in plant pollination. Therefore, it is necessary to research the diversity of butterfly types. This research was carried out for 2 (two) months from October 2023 to November 2023, which took place in the KPH Sintuwu Maroso area, Bomba Village, South Lore District, Poso Regency, Central Sulawesi. Data collection and the number of individual types of butterflies used the Point Count method with eleven points. Data analysis used in the research is: species diversity index, species richness index, and species evenness index.

DIVERSITY OF BATS IN HALABAN MONITORING POST AREA, SEI BETUNG, GUNUNG LEUSER NATIONAL PARK

Halaban Monitoring Post, Sei Betung Resort, Gunung Leuser National Park is a rehabilitated forest restoration location since 2017 after previously being diversified from oil palm land. The location has currently become a habitat for various types of animals, including bats. The identification of bat species at the Halaban Monitoring Post is conducted to assess the presence of fauna, with important ecological roles in pollination. Identification was conducted using mist nets installed at five observation points. Our observations showed that 87 individuals of Microchiroptera family bats were found, belonging to 4 species: Cynopterus brachyotis (38 individuals), Cynopterus minutus (15 individuals), Glischropus tylopus (1 individual), Hipposideros cervinus (33 individuals). Further analysis showed Shannon-Wiener diversity index ranges from 0.0 to 0.94 and Margalef species richness index ranges from 0.0 to 0.69. Bat abundance tends to be evenly distributed with an evenness index of 0.0 to 1.35. There is a dominant species at one of the locations with a dominance index value of 0.85.

Species Composition and Diversity of Stored Grain Pests in Fortified Rice Collected from Different Districts of Telangana State, India

A study was conducted to measure the species composition and diversity of various stored grain insect pests in fortified rice collected from different districts of Telangana,India during 2023-2024. Theresults indicated that a total of six species of stored grain insects belonging to three orders viz., Coleoptera (3), Lepidoptera (2) and Psocoptera (1) were recorded in fortified rice. The six insect species were rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae, Saw toothed beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, redflour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella, rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica and pscocids. Among all these insects highest population of O. surinamensis was recorded in four districts of Telangana except in Ranga reddy and Nalgonda. The diversity indices indicated that Shannon-weiner diversity index (H) was high in Warangal district samples(H=1.426) while the Jagtial population recorded highest Margalef’s species richness index (R=1.27). The highest Pielou’s evenness index was reported from Nalgonda district (e=75), and Simpson diversity index of stored grain pests was found to be maximum (0.718) in Warangal district rice samples. The knowledge on species composition and diversity helps in planning timely management strategies for stored grain pests.

Fire effects on plant communities in Ozark woodlands and glades

BackgroundDecades of fire suppression caused drastic changes to community structure and composition across ecosystems, including in Ozark woodlands in Missouri, USA. Reintroducing fire can restore ground flora by reducing midstory tree density, increasing ground layer light, and reducing leaf litter accumulation, but we lack a clear understanding of how these effects vary across time and space. We investigated the effects of repeated prescribed fire on ground flora species richness, floristic quality, abundance, community composition, and stand structure over 20 years in a landscape matrix of dry-mesic woodlands, dry woodlands, and glades using data collected from the Ozark National Scenic Riverways Fire Effects Monitoring program in the Current River Watershed in the Missouri Ozarks.ResultsWe found that fire plays a key role in driving community structure and dynamics across community types, although with varying levels of intensity. Herbaceous species richness, abundance, and floristic quality index increased across all community types, while mean coefficient of conservatism decreased. Abundance and floristic quality effects were stronger in drier sites. Community composition changed with successive burns, resulting in several indicator species for post burn treatments. The density of midstory trees declined across community types with repeated fire. The number of burns significantly affected overstory tree density overall, but overstory tree density only declined in dry woodlands and glades and not in dry-mesic woodlands.ConclusionsOur results suggest that landscape fire shapes plant community structure and dynamics. Specifically, these findings show that fire effects vary among community types and suggest that land managers should consider landscape heterogeneity in fire application for restoration. Separate community types imbedded in the same landscape may respond to fire differently. Understanding repeated fire effects over several decades across multiple community types is critical to informing fire-driven woodland restoration across landscape scales.

ETIOPATHOGENETIC REASONING OF URETHRAL MICROBIOTA REHABILITATION IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE INFECTIOUS URETHRITIS

The microbiota of the male genitourinary tract is a complex dynamic system that has not been sufficiently studied. Unlike the microbiome of the female urethral mucosa, which is constantly changing, the taxonomic composition and population level of the male urethral microbiome is more stable and independent of age. The aim of the study. To improve the results of treatment of patients with inflammatory processes of the urethra by determining the taxonomic composition, population level and microscopic indicators of the "macroorganism-microbiome" ecosystem of the microbiota of the urethra in men with acute urethritis.Material and methods. The taxonomic composition and population level of the first portion of urine of 69 sexually mature men (average age 34.8±7.14 years) with acute infectious (nonspecific) urethritis were investigated. Isolation of conditionally pathogenic bacteria was carried out by the bacteriological method using optimal nutrient media, their pH, temperature and cultivation time for each taxon. The identification of isolated pure cultures was carried out according to morphological, tinctorial, cultural, biochemical properties, as well as signs of pathogenicity and antigenic structure. To determine the mechanisms of colonization of the mucous membrane of the urethra by conditionally pathogenic microorganisms, the microecological method was used.Research results. According to the taxonomic composition and the level of microecological indicators of the "macroorganism-microbiome" ecosystem of the urethra microbiota (Margalef's species richness index, Whittaker's species diversity index, and Simpson's and Berger-Parker's species dominance indices), vulgar (common), hemolytic, and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive staphylococcus. The leading role in the formation of urethritis is played by ordinary enterobacteria - E. coli, a slightly smaller etiological role in the formation of urethritis in men belongs to S. aureus (less by 17.83%), E. coli Hly+ (less by 28.35%), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (by 83.12%). Other microorganisms have a minimal etiological role. Conclusions. Acute urethritis in men is a polyetiological disease. Enterobacteria E. coli, E. coli Hly+, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, S. viridans are involved in the formation of the inflammatory process of the urethra. The leading causative agents of acute urethritis in men are E. coli, S. aureus, E. coli Hly+, enteropathogenic escherichia, which belong to uropathogenic escherichia.

Identifying areas of conservation importance based on spatial patterns of evolutionary diversity for non-volant small mammals in the Andean Puna

Ecosystems around the world face a variety of threats from anthropogenic activities and drylands are among the most affected due to their unique environmental characteristics. To maintain phylogenetic history and ecological functionality in these areas, it is imperative to preserve community structure and composition by identifying and protecting key conservation areas. Various methods have been used to define these areas in need of protection; in this study, we used patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity in the arid lands of the Altiplano-Puna Bioregion of South America, using non-volant small mammal communities as a model system. Based on detailed records of species presence in the study area we estimated indices of species richness and phylogenetic redundancy. The geographic distribution of these indices was then compared to the distribution of protected areas in the region. These analyses identified areas around Lake Titicaca as being of exceptional conservation importance and in need of protection efforts. We propose a network of interconnected areas that together would provide high conservation value while allowing genetic exchange and facilitating ecological processes across landscapes.

The effect of the tidal cycle on the phytoplankton community assemblage in a mangrove-dominated tropical tidal creek.

A comparative assessment of phytoplankton dynamics during low tide (LT) and high tide (HT) was conducted from February 2022 to January 2023 in a tropical mesotidal creek, Manori, Mumbai, India. In total, 124 phytoplankton species were recorded. The HT resulted in greater species richness (124 species) and diversity indices (Shannon-Wiener's index) than the LT (102 species). The Pielou's evenness (J') and Simpson's dominance index (1-D) did not show significant fluctuations with the tides due to the marine phytoplankton species moving rhythmically in and out of the creek with the tides. Overall, the seasonal abundance was maximum during pre-monsoon at HT (5.79 × 103 u/L) and lowest in monsoon at LT (0.45 × 103 u/L), whereas spatial abundance was maximum at S1 (HT- 4.04 × 103 u/L) at HT and lowest at S3 (LT- 0.75 × 103 u/L) at LT. The diatoms dominated in their abundance (1.83 × 103 u/L and 3.82 × 103 u/L in HT) and diversity (77 in LT and 92 in HT). The species such as Coscinodiscus centralis, Coscinodiscus granii, Coscinodiscus radiatus, Triops furca, Melosira varians, Nitzchsia palea, Chaetoceros affinis, Skeletonema marinoi, Stephanocyclus meneghinianus, Planktoniella sol and Skeletonema costatumwere the dominant native residents in the creek. SIMPER analysis revealed that the maximum similarity was during the monsoon (47.65%), and the minimum was during the pre-monsoon (38.10%) at LT. However, in HT, the maximum similarity of phytoplankton shifted to post-monsoon (63.85%) and the minimum during the pre-monsoon (46.71%). The mean value of richness (d') and Shannon's diversity (H') showed a moderate phytoplankton diversity in the system. The environmental parameters (water temperature > pH > nitrate > salinity > DO > Alk > silicate) have a greater influence on the distribution of the phytoplankton community with tides as revealed by the Canonical correspondence analysis. Therefore, it has been found that tides play a significant role in the distribution and abundance of the phytoplankton community in a mesotidal creek environment.

Collembola Diversity across Vegetation Types of a Neotropical Island in a River Delta

Springtails, vital for ecosystem assessment, are often overshadowed by taxonomy-focused research, which mostly neglects their ecology and distribution, particularly in the Neotropical Region. The objective of this study was to identify how environmental factors, especially vegetation types, affect the availability of food resources for epiedaphic Collembola and influence their diversity patterns in three vegetation types (riparian forest, mangrove, and restinga) in the Canárias Island, in Delta do Parnaíba Environmental Protection Area, Brazil (APADP). We collected samples along 200 m transects in each vegetation type during the dry and rainy seasons. After, specimens were sorted, counted and identified. Alpha (species richness, Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou indices) and beta diversity (Whittaker index) were analyzed, along with environmental factors’ influence through Redundancy Analysis (RDA). We sampled a total of 5346 specimens, belonging to three orders, eight families, 23 genera, 31 morphospecies, and one nominal species. Species abundance was positively influenced by soil moisture, plant richness, and leaf litter. The riparian forest sheltered a higher species richness and diversity, and its biotic and abiotic factors likely enhanced the food resource availability, including vegetal organic matter, fungi, and bacteria. These results provide the first taxonomic and ecological data on the Collembola fauna in the APADP.

Multiple cropping effectively increases soil bacterial diversity, community abundance and soil fertility of paddy fields

BackgroundCrop diversification is considered as an imperative approach for synchronizing the plant nutrient demands and soil nutrient availability. Taking two or more crops from the same field in one year is considered as multiple cropping. It improves the diversity and abundance of soil microbes, thereby improving the growth and yield of crops. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explore the effects of different multiple winter cropping on soil microbial communities in paddy fields. In this study, eight rice cropping patterns from two multiple cropping systems with three different winter crops, including Chinese milk vetch (CMV), rape, and wheat were selected. The effects of different multiple winter cropping on soil microbial abundance, community structure, and diversity in paddy fields were studied by 16 S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR).ResultsThe results showed that different multiple winter cropping increased the operational taxonomic units (OTUs), species richness, and community richness index of the bacterial community in 0 ~ 20 cm soil layer. Moreover, soil physical and chemical properties of different multiple cropping patterns also affected the diversity and abundance of microbial bacterial communities. The multiple cropping increased soil potassium and nitrogen content, which significantly affected the diversity and abundance of bacterial communities, and it also increased the overall paddy yield. Moreover, different winter cropping changed the population distribution of microorganisms, and Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Nitrospira, and Chloroflexi were identified as the most dominant groups. Multiple winter cropping, especially rape-early rice-late rice (TR) andChinese milk vetch- early rice-late rice (TC) enhanced the abundance of Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria and decreased the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia and Euryarchaeota.ConclusionIn conclusion, winter cropping of Chinese milk vetch and rape were beneficial to improve the soil fertility, bacteria diversity, abundance and rice yield.

PaRaVis: An automatic Python graphical package for ensemble analysis of plant beta diversity using remote sensing proxies

The ongoing impacts of climatic changes, coupled with intensified human activities, are leading to a significant loss of plant diversity, prompting urgent calls for comprehensive monitoring of forest ecosystems. This is particularly concerning in regions with the encroachment of human activities into forest zones, and inadequate regulations that primarily view forests as a source of timber without fully accounting for their critical roles in biodiversity. These issues highlight the need for effective geospatial approaches to support conservation strategies and sustained monitoring of plant diversity. The majority of remote sensing studies of plant diversity have focused on alpha-diversity, while beta-diversity plays an important role in providing a comprehensive picture of biodiversity patterns across scales. Among various remote sensing proxies, Rao's Q index stands out as a reliable metric to quantify beta-diversity using multispectral remote sensing indices. However, a holistic approach that can incorporate multiple remote sensing indices and enable comparative analysis using graphical means with computational efficiency is lacking. In response, we developed PaRaVis, an open-source Python-based graphical package for deriving spectral diversity from multispectral remote sensing datasets as a proxy for functional diversity using Rao's Q index. This tool encompasses all the necessary steps for parallelized computation, visualization, and analysis of Rao's index from either single or multiple multispectral indices. It is capable of calculating and visualizing 75 vegetation indices (VIs), from a raster scene, followed by calculating Rao's Q both unidimensionally and multidimensionally in parallel. PaRaVis also offers features for visualizing, analyzing, and comparing Rao's Q outputs using statistical performance diagnostics. It provides a unique means to infer diversity patterns in space and time and is therefore invaluable for researchers or organizations involved with plant diversity monitoring, especially those with limited data analysis or computer programming experience. To demonstrate the tool's effectiveness, we analyzed plant diversity patterns using satellite-derived spectral heterogeneity measures in forest sites within the Hyrcanian Forests of Iran and sites located in Germany. The first case study focused on UNESCO Natural Heritage sites. Our analysis revealed that employing EVI, SR3, and TCI indices as inputs for the multidimensional Rao's Q yielded higher performance in monitoring more heterogeneous forests compared to the unidimensional mode. In the second case study, we utilized field Species Richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity indices to evaluate PaRaVis and our method. We found that using a multi-temporal, multi-index approach enhances the results compared to multi-seasonal and classical Rao based on single time.

Rotation with Soybean Improved Weed Control and Foxtail Millet Yield

Foxtail millet is an important characteristic grain crop in northern China. However, weeds compete seriously with foxtail millet and have long been a biological factor that has plagued foxtail millet production. Rotation requires determining the species and sequence of crops, and reasonable rotation has many benefits for agriculture, including reducing the damage by weeds. In order to clarify the combination effects of foxtail millet–soybean rotation sequence and herbicide on weed control and crop yield, fixed-position experiments were designed in three growing seasons. Foxtail millet and soybean were planted following the sequence below in successive years (FFF, foxtail millet–wheat–foxtail millet–wheat–foxtail millet; SFF: soybean–wheat–foxtail millet–wheat–foxtail millet; SSF, soybean–wheat–soybean–wheat–foxtail millet; SSS, soybean–wheat–soybean–wheat–soybean), and weed density, biodiversity, weed seedbank, and crop yield were examined and analyzed. The results showed that the average weed density of SFF and SSF was reduced by 61.7% and 66.3% compared with FFF in the three years and by 16.5% and 26.6% compared with SSS, separately. Foxtail millet–soybean rotation (SFF and SSF) increased the species richness and the Margalef species richness index of the weed community and reduced the Simpson index compared with the continuous foxtail millet and the continuous soybean cropping (FFF and SSS). The weed seedbank of SFF and SSF was 45.7% and 55.8% smaller than that of FFF and increased by 92.7% and 56.7% compared with SSS, respectively. The weed density in the FFF treatment was significantly correlated with the 0–5 cm grass seedbank size, while there was no significant correlation in the other three treatments. Benefiting from the lower weed damage intensity, the yield of foxtail millet in SFF and SSF increased by 54.05% and 221.81% compared with FFF, respectively. The research results revealed that both SFF and SSF can effectively reduce the damage of weeds and help improve biodiversity. SSF has a higher weed control effect and higher foxtail millet yield than SFF. This study contributes to the understanding of crop–weed interactions in foxtail millet–soybean rotation and can be applied to areas with similar environments.

Eco-systematic assessment of the spring herbaceous vegetation under edaphic and topographic effects

The distribution and composition of the vegetation are greatly affected by the edaphology and topography of an area. The current study explores the vegetation structure of the herbaceous layer at various habitats of district Kohat for the first time. A survey was conducted during the spring seasons of 2021, 2022 and 2023 selecting 40 sites on the basis of edaphology, topography, altitude, aspect and status. Data was collected via quadrat approach to establish plant communities by species Importance Value (IV), point out dominant species by Total IV (TIV) and dominant families via Total Family IV (TFIV). The quantitative biological spectrum was also calculated. Communities’ phytosociological characteristics were analyzed via various diversity indices (Shannon’s Index (H), Simpson’s Index (D), Species Richness (SR), Evenness (E) and Maturity index (Mi)) while similarity between the communities was calculated by using Sorensen’s Index. The findings revealed a total of 253 species belonging to 57 families having the dominant species Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. (TIV, 484.3) followed by Saussuria heteromalla (D. Don) Hand. (TIV, 360.4), Anagallis arvensis L. (TIV, 353.2) and Aristida adscensionis L. (TIV, 349.65). Among 40 plant communities, Poaceae (TFIV, 2706.6), Asteraceae (TFIV, 2018.8), Fabaceae (TFIV, 1071.5) and Brassicaceae (TFIV, 825.9) were the dominant families. Therophytes (TIV, 7882) class was the dominant life form class followed by hemicryptophytes (TIV, 2517) while microphylls (TIV, 4669) class was the dominant leaf size class followed by nanophylls (TIV, 5469). Environmental factors i.e. topography and edaphic characteristics, showed significant effects on the diversity of the communities. The study concludes in a diverse pattern of distribution with a rich flora in the area warranting its documentation which will preserve the valuable species opening vistas for future research.

Keragaman Arthropoda pada Teknologi Bujangseta di Tanaman Jeruk Siam

Bujangseta is a technology used throughout the year to produce citrus fruits. This technology has economically succeeded in increasing the income of citrus farmers by 23.5%. Sustainable management of bujangseta technology is neede, one of which is maintaining the sustainability of the agroecosystem. A stable agroecosystem ensures the availability of ecosystem services through nutrient cycling and the natural control of pest and disease populations. The stability of agroecosystems is coherent with the high biodiversity of arthropods. This study aims to evaluate the effect of applying the citrus plant bujangseta in Karangwidoro village and Krajan village, Dau District, Malang Regency, East Java, from June to December 2022. The two application methods were light trapping (lighttrap) and pit trap (pitfall glass), and the results were analyzed using a t-test. The diversity index, species richness index, species evenness index, and dominance index were calculated. The results showed that the detrivores of the Collembola group dominated the diversity of arthropods, the primary pest of the Diaphorina citri, and the predatory arthropods of Paederus sp. and Braconidae. Diversity and community structure of arthopods indicated there at significant differences in diversity, dominance, evenness, and species richness in those two locations. Bujangseta in the Krajan has a higher community structure compared to the Karangwidoro, showing that the ecosystem at the Krajan location is better preserved. Keywords: arthropods, bujangseta, citrus, community structure

Effect of refugia plant (Zinnia sp.) population on the presence of stem borer (Scirpophaga innotata Walker) and natural enemies in rice

Abstract. Olsiviana, Yassi A, Melina. 2024. Effect of refugia plant (Zinnia sp.) population on the presence of stem borer (Scirpophaga innotata Walker) and natural enemies in rice. Biodiversitas 25: 2652-2660. This study supports biological control by preserving natural enemies in rice cultivation through habitat modification. The research aimed to analyze the effects of different population levels of refugia (Zinnia sp.) on pest attack rates, the presence and diversity of natural enemies of rice stem borer (Scirpophaga innotata Walker 1863), and rice (Oryza sativa L.) production. The study was designed using a Randomized Group Design (RGD) with four population treatment levels: control (no Zinnia sp.), sparse population (32 polybags of Zinnia sp.), medium population (96 polybags of Zinnia sp.), and dense population (160 polybags of Zinnia sp.). The results showed that the dense population (160 polybags of Zinnia sp.) produced the lowest stem borer infestation rate in the eighth week of observation (1.67%). Pests in all treatments belonged to four orders: Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera, with Hemiptera being the most prevalent. Natural enemies of rice pests belonged to three orders: Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Orthoptera. The dense population treatment (160 polybags of Zinnia sp.) yielded the highest values for diversity index (H') at 2.1785, species richness index (R) at 2.1837, and evenness index (E) at 0.9915. This treatment also achieved the highest average rice production at 8.64 tons/ha. Meanwhile, the highest dominance value (C) of 0.2489 was found in the control treatment. Thus, this study supports the idea that increasing the population of Zinnia sp. as a refugia plant can increase the diversity of natural enemies, reduce rice stem borer infestation, and increase rice plant production.