Changes In Taxonomic Diversity Research Articles

Morphological diversity increases with decreasing resources along a zooplankton time series.

Biodiversity is studied notably because of its reciprocal relationship with ecosystem functions such as production. Diversity is traditionally described from a taxonomic, genetic or functional point of view but the diversity in organism morphology is seldom explicitly considered, except for body size. We describe morphological diversity of marine zooplankton seasonally and over 12 years using quantitative imaging of weekly plankton samples, in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. We extract 45 morphological features on greater than 800 000 individuals, which we summarize into four main morphological traits (size, transparency, circularity and shape complexity). In this morphological space, we define objective morphological groups and, from those, compute morphological diversity indices (richness, evenness and divergence) using metrics originally defined for functional diversity. On both time scales, morphological diversity increased when nutritive resources and plankton concentrations were low, thus matching the theoretical reciprocal relationship. Over the long term at least, this diversity increase was not fully attributable to taxonomic diversity changes. The decline in the most common plankton forms and the increase in morphological variance and in extreme morphologies suggest a mechanism akin to specialization under low production, with likely consequences for trophic structure and carbon flux.

Ecological conditions affect plant species richness of beech forests along an altitudinal gradient

Spatial heterogeneity of biodiversity is linked to environmental gradients across landscapes. In forest vegetation, trees essentially affect the forest understorey flora, not only by forming the microecological conditions but also by their competitiveness. Here, we investigate the changes in taxonomic diversity along the altitudinal gradient in forests dominated by the strongly competitive, European beech (Fagus sylvatica), considering different ecological drivers important for vegetation diversity. The response of plant species diversity to changing characteristics is mostly non-linear or has an increasing trend. This reflects the specific environments of the studied region of Western Carpathians (Central Europe), where a high variability of geological substrates and the occurrence of base-rich rocks at higher altitudes increase species diversity. The beech cover, the geological substrate and the orography were found to be the most significant factors determining the diversity patterns. The increasing trend towards higher altitudes is significant on carbonate bedrock regardless of any other studied factors. The geological conditions multiply the number of species almost twice on carbonates compared to the communities on silicates. The Veľká Fatra Mts and Slovenský raj Mts are the plant diversity hotspots of beech forests in the Western Carpathians.

Discordant spatiotemporal dynamics of functional and phylogenetic diversity of rotiferan communities exposed to aquaculture effluent.

The growth of the human population brought about the global intensification of aquacultural production, and aquaculture became the fastest growing animal husbandry sector. Effluent from aquaculture is an anthropogenic environmental burden, containing organic matter, nutrients and suspended solids that affect water quality especially in the water bodies of high biodiversity and conservation value. Water quality assessment often relies on bioindicators, analysing changes in taxonomic diversity of various freshwater organismal groups. Stepping beyond taxon diversity, we used functional and phylogenetic diversities of rotifers to identify factors affecting their community organization in response to an aquaculture effluent gradient in the largest oxbow lake in the Carpathian Basin, Hungary. Sampling was carried out three times per season at five points along a 3.5 km section of the oxbow lake, including the point of effluent inflow. We used eight traits to evaluate functional diversity: body size, trophi type, feeding mode, protection type, body wall type, corona type, habitat preference and tolerance level. Functional and phylogenetic distances among the 24 species identified indicated trait conservatism. Rotiferan diversity increased with increasing distance from the point of influx in spring and summer. Among the factors affecting community organization in spring and summer, we find examples of environmental filtering, while in autumn the role of biotic interaction is more frequent. Under nutrient-rich conditions in spring and summer, organisms belonging to the same functional group were dominant, whereas under oligotrophic conditions, more diverse but less abundant groups were present. Considering functional and phylogenetic traits allowed us to identify organising forces of rotifer communities in the largest oxbow lake of the Hungarian Lowland.

Revealing proteome-level functional redundancy in the human gut microbiome using ultra-deep metaproteomics

Functional redundancy is a key ecosystem property representing the fact that different taxa contribute to an ecosystem in similar ways through the expression of redundant functions. The redundancy of potential functions (or genome-level functional redundancy {{{{{{rm{FR}}}}}}}_{g}) of human microbiomes has been recently quantified using metagenomics data. Yet, the redundancy of expressed functions in the human microbiome has never been quantitatively explored. Here, we present an approach to quantify the proteome-level functional redundancy {{{{{{rm{FR}}}}}}}_{p} in the human gut microbiome using metaproteomics. Ultra-deep metaproteomics reveals high proteome-level functional redundancy and high nestedness in the human gut proteomic content networks (i.e., the bipartite graphs connecting taxa to functions). We find that the nested topology of proteomic content networks and relatively small functional distances between proteomes of certain pairs of taxa together contribute to high {{{{{{rm{FR}}}}}}}_{p} in the human gut microbiome. As a metric comprehensively incorporating the factors of presence/absence of each function, protein abundances of each function and biomass of each taxon, {{{{{{rm{FR}}}}}}}_{p} outcompetes diversity indices in detecting significant microbiome responses to environmental factors, including individuality, biogeography, xenobiotics, and disease. We show that gut inflammation and exposure to specific xenobiotics can significantly diminish the {{{{{{rm{FR}}}}}}}_{p} with no significant change in taxonomic diversity.

Grazing alters ecosystem multifunctionality via changes in taxonomic diversity and functional identity in temperate grassland, China

Livestock grazing is the major land-use regime of grasslands, and affects ecosystem structure and functioning considerably. However, few studies have examined how grazing intensity impacts ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) via biodiversity loss. We studied the responses of EMF to livestock grazing in a temperate grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. Four grazing intensities (i.e., no grazing (NG), light grazing (LG), moderate grazing (MG), and heavy grazing (HG)) were chosen based on the distance to the core zones, vegetation and soil indications of grazing, and suggestions from local guides. For each grazing intensity, three plots (10 m × 10 m) were placed randomly, and plants, soil, and four traits of the present species were sampled in three 1-m2 quadrats in each plot. We analyzed the responses of three biodiversity components (i.e., taxonomic diversity (TD), functional diversity (FD), and functional identity), multiple ecosystem functions (i.e., aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, soil water content, soil organic matter, soil total nitrogen, soil total phosphorus, soil available nitrogen, soil available phosphorus), and EMF (based on averaging approach and threshold-based approach) to different grazing intensities, and the relative importance of biodiversity components in regulating the effect of grazing intensity on EMF. Our results showed that the dominant species of the plant community shifted from slow-growing conservative traits to fast-growing acquisitive traits as grazing intensified, accompanied by a decline in Stipa baicalensis (the predominant native grass in NG), whereas Carex duriuscula became the dominant species in HG sites. TD, FD, EMF, as well as six of eight individual ecosystem functions, displayed a significant decrease trend along the grazing intensity gradient. According to Bayesian structural equation models (SEM), EMF was mainly driven by the indirect effects of grazing through TD reduction (direct effects: 0.45) and changes in functional identity (direct effects: − 0.67), but the direct effect of grazing was not significant. By using the threshold-based approach, we found TD, FD, and CWM have a prominent impact on the number of functions exceeding a threshold level of 63 %, 64 %, and 65 %, respectively. When the threshold increased to 90 %, the explanation of the SEM decreased to 41 %, and no significant direct and indirect effects of grazing on EMF were found. Our results highlighted the vital role of biodiversity in mediating the response of EMF to grazing and shed light on grassland biodiversity conservation and sustainability.

Temporal change in functional rarity in marine fish assemblages.

Recent research has uncovered rapid compositional and structural reorganization of ecological assemblages, with these changes particularly evident in marine ecosystems. However, the extent to which these ongoing changes in taxonomic diversity are a proxy for change in functional diversity is not well understood. Here we focus on trends in rarity to ask how taxonomic rarity and functional rarity covary over time. Our analysis, drawing on 30 years of scientific trawl data, reveals that the direction of temporal shifts in taxonomic rarity in two Scottish marine ecosystems is consistent with a null model of change in assemblage size (i.e. change in numbers of species and/or individuals). In both cases, however, functional rarity increases, as assemblages become larger, rather than showing the expected decrease. These results underline the importance of measuring both taxonomic and functional dimensions of diversity when assessing and interpreting biodiversity change.

Seasonal and spatial variation of stream macroinvertebrate taxonomic and functional diversity across three boreal regions

Abstract The exploration of biodiversity has predominantly been based on taxonomic measures, whereas functional diversity, a key component of biodiversity, is comparatively understudied. Therefore, studies simultaneously investigating patterns of taxonomic and functional diversity change in biological communities are of increasing interest. We collated high‐resolution macroinvertebrate and environmental data from 70 boreal headwater stream sites across three European countries (Germany, Finland, Sweden) to (1) investigate seasonal variation in taxonomic diversity, functional diversity, and redundancy, and (2) identify their potential drivers of spatial and seasonal variation. Seasonal changes in boreal macroinvertebrate taxonomic diversity were decoupled from changes in functional diversity. Seasonal shifts in environmental conditions, including acidity and nutrient variability, drove fluctuations in taxonomic diversity which were far more pronounced than those of functional diversity. Seasonal shifts in environmental conditions including variation in the quantity, quality, and state of organic carbon (dissolved vs particulate) facilitate an exchange of taxa, leading to taxonomically unique communities that exploit the pool of available seasonal resources. Thus, similar levels of functional diversity across seasons—even as taxonomic diversity changes—suggest limited differences in interspecific changes in community function, potentially indicating functional resistance rooted in redundancy. We highlight the spatial and seasonal discrepancies of freshwater communities, emphasising the need for both taxonomic and functional diversity patterns to be assessed in future biodiversity monitoring programmes.

ОПЫТ ПРИМЕНЕНИЯ МЕТОДОВ СТАТИСТИКИ ДЛЯ ОЦЕНКИ ТАКСОНОМИЧЕСКОГО И МОРФОЛОГИЧЕСКОГО РАЗНООБРАЗИЯ РАННЕМЕЛОВЫХ БЕЛЕМНИТОВ СЕВЕРНОЙ СИБИРИ

The paper considers the application of statistical methods for assessing variations in the taxonomic diversity of belemnites using the example of the Early Cretaceous representatives of the family Cylindroteuthididae from northern Siberia. Global and regional factors influencing the biodiversity dynamics were taken into account. A composite curve of the biodiversity of Ryazanian–Valanginian belemnites in northern Siberia was constructed using the methods of rarefaction and extrapolation of data. Using graphic techniques, the influence of habitat conditions on the predominant morphology of belemnite rostra is shown. Based on indices of similarity and difference, an assessment of the pattern of changes in taxonomic diversity over time was made.

Flow intermittency affects structural and functional properties of macroinvertebrate communities in alpine streams

Abstract Flow regime is a major determinant of the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Under climate change, flow intermittency is becoming more prevalent in glaciated alpine catchments, but the effects of increasing dryness on aquatic biodiversity remain largely unknown. We characterised flow intermittency patterns in 30 streams of a glaciated alpine catchment over 15 months and separated these streams into four intermittency categories: perennial streams, winter‐drying streams, moderately intermittent streams with occasional drying in summer, and periodically intermittent streams with extensive dry periods throughout the year. We then examined how these drying patterns affected structural and functional properties of benthic macroinvertebrate communities, and whether these changes were primarily deterministic or stochastic. At the taxonomic level, we observed a response at the highest intermittency levels, with α diversity lower and β diversity higher in periodically intermittent streams than in other stream types. This result suggested that local biota were well adapted to intermediate intermittency levels (mostly during winter) but not to high intermittency during summer. In contrast, functional diversity indices at the α and β levels (based on trait abundances) did not differ across intermittency categories. Considering the moderate level of functional redundancy, we interpreted this as an indication that changes in taxonomic diversity may have resulted primarily from stochastic processes. Analysis of community and trait composition indicated that deterministic selection may indeed have occurred with increased intermittency, but this process was likely to be minor in comparison to stochastic extinctions. Notably, community evenness was highest in periodically intermittent streams and lowest in perennial streams, suggesting that frequent drying prevented competitive exclusion. Our results suggested that most macroinvertebrate populations are resilient to intermediate intermittency levels but are filtered at high intermittency, irrespective of their resilience capacities. However, more research is needed to clarify the specific roles of different facets of flow regimes, specifically frequency, duration, and timing of intermittency. Understanding the consequences of responses in diversity and community evenness with increasing intermittency on the functional properties of communities will allow better prediction of the future ecological status of alpine stream networks to ongoing environmental change.

A decade implementing ecosystem approach to fisheries management improves diversity of taxa and traits within a marine protected area in the UK

AbstractAimEcosystem Approach to Fisheries Management has highlighted the importance of studying ecosystem functions and services, and the biological traits that drive them. Yet, ecosystem services and the associated benefits that they provide are rarely the motive for creating marine protected area (MPA). Therefore, many MPA monitoring projects do not explicitly study these functions and services or the underlying biological traits linked to them.LocationLyme Bay MPA, located in the SW of England, was established in 2008 to protect the reef biodiversity across a 206‐km2 area, which includes rocky reef habitats, pebbly sand and soft muddy sediments. Mobile demersal fishing was excluded across the whole site to allow the recovery of the reef habitats.MethodsUsing a combination of towed underwater video and Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems changes in diversity (taxonomic and trait), and traits affected by mobile demersal fishing were assessed in Lyme Bay MPA over 10 years.ResultsThere was a consistent increase in the number of taxa and the trait diversity they provide within the MPA as well as an increase in functional redundancy, which may increase community resilience to perturbations. Outside of the MPA there was an increase in the abundance of mobile species, while the MPA showed an increase in filter feeders.Main conclusionsThe MPA showed a trend towards more diverse and potentially resilient rocky reef habitats. This study constitutes a novel MPA assessment using multiple sampling methods to encompass a wide range of taxa. It also reinforces the importance of effective MPA monitoring, which has demonstrated changes in trait diversity and trait composition driven by changes in taxonomic diversity.

Functional diversity outperforms taxonomic diversity in revealing short-term trampling effects

Alpine grasslands harbor diverse groups of flora and fauna, provide important ecosystem functions, and yield essential ecosystem goods and services, especially for the development of nature-based tourism. However, they are experiencing increasing anthropogenic perturbations such as tourist trampling. Although negative effects of tourist trampling on alpine vegetation have been frequently reported, previous studies have focused mainly on changes in taxonomic diversity after trampling, and rarely provide a mechanistic elucidation of trampling effects from a trait-based perspective. The present study evaluates the impacts of simulated trampling on taxonomic and functional diversity of a typical alpine grassland community in Shangri-La, China using a standardized protocol. The results showed that although taxonomic diversity was not statistically significantly affected by trampling, some functional attributes responded rapidly to trampling disturbance. Specifically, functional divergence decreased with an increase in trampling intensity, and characteristics of community-weighted mean trait values changed towards shorter species with reduced leaf area and lower leaf dry matter content. Such strong shifts in functional attributes may further affect ecosystem goods and services provided by alpine grasslands. Our inclusion of functional diversity in the analysis thus adds an important caution to previous studies predominantly focusing on taxonomic diversity, and it is urgent to keep alpine grasslands well managed and ecologically coherent so that their valuable functions and services can be safeguarded.

The Abundance and Taxonomic Diversity of Filterable Forms of Bacteria during Succession in the Soils of Antarctica (Bunger Hills).

Previous studies have shown that a significant part of the bacterial communities of Antarctic soils is represented by cells passing through filters with pore sizes of 0.2 µm. These results raised new research questions about the composition and diversity of the filterable forms of bacteria (FFB) in Antarctic soils and their role in the adaptation of bacteria to the extreme living conditions. To answer such questions, we analyzed the succession of bacterial communities during incubation of Antarctic soil samples from the Bunger Hills at increased humidity and positive temperatures (5 °C and 20 °C). We determined the total number of viable cells by fluorescence microscopy in all samples and assessed the taxonomic diversity of bacteria by next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene region. Our results have shown that at those checkpoints where the total number of cells reached the maximum, the FFB fraction reached its minimum, and vice versa. We did not observe significant changes in taxonomic diversity in the soil bacterial communities during succession. During our study, we found that the soil bacterial communities as a whole and the FFB fraction consist of almost the same phylogenetic groups. We suppose rapid transition of the cells of the active part of the bacterial population to small dormant forms is one of the survival strategies in extreme conditions and contributes to the stable functioning of microbial communities in Antarctic soils.

Application of MALDI-TOF analysis to reveal diversity and dynamics of winemaking yeast species in wild-fermented, organically produced, New Zealand Pinot Noir wine

Rapid yeast identification is of particular importance in monitoring wine fermentation and assessing strain application in winemaking. We used MALDI-TOF MS analysis supported by 26 S rRNA gene sequence analysis and Saccharomyces-specific PCR testing to differentiate reference and field strains recovered from organic wine production facilities in Waipara, New Zealand, in which Pinot Noir wine was produced by spontaneous fermentations in the vineyard and in the winery. Strains were isolated from each of four key stages of each ferment to evaluate changes in taxonomic diversity. MALDI-TOF MS analysis was confirmed as an excellent yeast identification method, with even closely related Saccharomyces species readily distinguished. A total of 13 indigenous species belonging to eight genera were identified from Pinot Noir ferments, with taxonomic diversity generally reducing as fermentation progressed. However, differences between the taxa recovered were observed between the vineyard and winery ferments, despite the grapes used being from the same batch. Furthermore, some consistent proteomic differences between strains of S. cerevisiae, Hanseniasporum uvarum, Candida californica, Pichia membranifaciens and Starmerella bacillaris correlated with the different fermentation systems used. The high speed, low cost, taxonomic resolution and ability to characterise subtle changes in phenotype that may result from variations in environmental conditions makes MALDI-TOF analysis an attractive tool for further and wider applications in the wine industry. Such applications may include monitoring wine fermentation to actively support the consistency of high-quality wine products, and potentially for the development of such products too.

Decoupling of morphological disparity and taxonomic diversity during the end-Permian mass extinction

AbstractAn increasing number of unexpectedly diverse benthic communities are being reported from microbially precipitated carbonate facies in shallow-marine platform settings after the end-Permian mass extinction. Ostracoda, which was one of the most diverse and abundant metazoan groups during this interval, recorded its greatest diversity and abundance associated with these facies. Previous studies, however, focused mainly on taxonomic diversity and, therefore, left room for discussion of paleoecological significance. Here, we apply a morphometric method (semilandmarks) to investigate morphological variance through time to better understand the ecological consequences of the end-Permian mass extinction and to examine the hypothesis that microbial mats played a key role in ostracod survival. Our results show that taxonomic diversity and morphological disparity were decoupled during the end-Permian extinction and that morphological disparity declined rapidly at the onset of the end-Permian extinction, even though the high diversity of ostracods initially survived in some places. The decoupled changes in taxonomic diversity and morphological disparity suggest that the latter is a more robust proxy for understanding the ecological impact of the extinction event, and the low morphological disparity of ostracod faunas is a consequence of sustained environmental stress or a delayed post-Permian radiation. Furthermore, the similar morphological disparity of ostracods between microbialite and non-microbialite facies indicates that microbial mats most likely represent a taphonomic window rather than a biological refuge during the end-Permian extinction interval.

Structure and Diversity of the Demersal Fish Assemblages off Psara Island (Central Aegean Sea) Caught by Experimental Bottom Trawling

Data with high spatial resolution on the structure and diversity of marine assemblages are valuable for fisheries management and conservation planning but are seldom available. This study provides fisheries-independent, baseline information on the structure and diversity of the demersal fish assemblages of the continental shelf and upper slope off the island of Psara (Central Aegean Sea). Experimental bottom trawl hauls were conducted during 2009–2010, using identically designed trawls. All the fish in the catches were identified onboard, enumerated, and weighted to the nearest g. Species abundance and biomass were transformed to CPUE. Forty-seven taxa were identified in the catches. For 18 of the species caught no other fisheries-independent information on their abundances and distributions is available for the wider area. Among the Elasmobranchii species collected, Squalus acanthias, Dipturus oxyrinchus, and Raja clavata are species of conservation concern. Species composition was generally more similar to that reported for assemblages of the Cretan Sea and the South Aegean Sea than for assemblages of the North Aegean. The assemblages were structured with depth, a pattern that may be driven in part by the differences in benthic habitat between depth zones. No trends by depth in total numerical abundance and species diversity were identified, whereas the bathymetric change in taxonomic diversity was attributed to the depth distributions of certain species-rich orders and families. The frequency distribution of the trophic level of the species followed the broad-scale pattern that applies in the Mediterranean Sea.

Plant community and phylogenetic shifts in acid seep springs over 49 years following Microstegium vimineum invasion

Community composition and diversity can change following exotic invasion. We tested the extent to which acid seep spring communities in southern Illinois had changed in composition and community heterogeneity based on three species surveys over 49 years. We also investigated the extent of changes in taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity since the invasion of Microstegium vimineum, an exotic grass. Floristic surveys of ten acid seep springs in southern Illinois were conducted in summer 2017 and compared to two previous surveys from 1968 and 2008. We investigated changes among acid seep springs and between surveys in species composition and community heterogeneity with multivariate ordination based on site dissimilarity, and univariate analyses comparing changes in taxonomic diversity (species richness and exotic species richness) and phylogenetic diversity [net relatedness (NRI) and nearest taxon indices (NTI)] determined from a species phylogeny based upon two plastid sequences (rbcL and matK). Acid seep spring communities became more compositionally similar to each other following woody plant encroachment and M. vimineum invasion. Total species richness declines were observed between surveys while exotic species richness increased. While NRI did not exhibit any temporal patterns, NTI significantly increased over time indicating that a decrease in phylogenetic diversity accompanied exotic invasion over almost half a century within these plant communities.

Faunal assemblages and demography during the Late Pleistocene (MIS 2-1) to Early Holocene in Highland Pang Mapha, Northwest Thailand

This paper examines the changes in taxonomic diversity and demography of faunal assemblages hunted by the human inhabitants of the Tham Lod and Ban Rai rockshelters in the Pang Mapha highlands of northwestern Thailand during the Late Pleistocene (MIS 2-1) to Terminal Pleistocene-Early Holocene. Evidence from these excavated sites indicates that environmental changes influenced animal dispersal from high latitudes to the highland region of Pang Mapha. During the Late Pleistocene the taxonomic diversity was dominated by Cervidae and Testudines, with other faunal remains representing Himalayan goral, Suidae and Bovidae. A ternary analysis of the Suidae indicates a mixed pattern, mostly represented by Juveniles-Prime-Old (JPO), with the Prime dominating (Bovinae and Caprinae). By the Terminal Pleistocene-Early Holocene, Cercopithecidae had become dominant and the Himalayan goral absent, and presumably extinct. According to the changes in taxonomic diversity and the paleodemographic data obtained from the Pang Mapha faunal assemblages, we have increased our understanding of paleoenvironments and subsistence strategies during the Late-Terminal Pleistocene and Early Holocene.

Разнообразие населения насекомых в градиенте лесоаграрного ландшафта

System of measures for creating plantings in order to improve the natural and landscape conditions of territories in the zones of dry steppes and semi-deserts causes the formation of a qualitatively new biocenotic environment. Forest reclamation transformation entails a change not only in the composition of trees and shrubs in the region, but also in the transformation of the animal world, including the insect population.Elimination of a number of typical inhabitants of treeless steppe ecosystems, introduction of specialized species typical for meadow-steppe, meadow and forest biocenoses, entails a change in taxonomic diversity and the number of entomocomplexes of transformable biocenoses. The introduction of forest plantations leads to the optimization of the microclimatic regime, which, in turn, contributes to modifications of the species composition of entomocomplexes and their structural and functional organization in space. The effect of these changes is observed in the first years of the plantings existence. In the future, the vital activity and placement of insects are closely related to the dendrological composition, structural and environmental parameters of plantings, features of their vertical structure, etc. In forest reclamation ecosystems an important environmental aspect of reducing the destructive activity of pests is preserving, maintaining and activating the role of entomophages. The formation of groups of useful insects is associated with the diversity of dendroflora and the presence in its composition of entomophilic tree and shrub species that ensure the attraction of useful insects and activation of interfacial faunal exchange. The creation conveyor of dendrologicalis crucial in these conditions, providing entomophages with an additional trophic base and shelters. Forest reclamation development of territories and interaction of elements of these ecosystems determine the composition and condition of entomocomplexes, promote recovery, conservation and maintenance of regional biological diversity, ensuring efficiency of functioning of transformed territories.

Изменение таксономического разнообразия мезонаселения почв в диапазоне экологических условий северного макросклона хребта Хамар-Дабан

Landscape-ecological analysis of taxonomic diversity and structure of soil invertebrates’ community in the geosystems of the Hamar-Daban Region was carried out on the main levels: local (biogeocenotic), topological (facies) and regional. The paper considers regularities of transformation of communities’ structure in landscape-zonal range under the influence of natural conditions: phytocenotic (peculiarities of vegetation), edaphical and climatic (hydrothermal regime of the soil) and anthropogenic factors. On the models groups: Сarabidae, Staphylinidae, Elateridae, Formicidae altitudinal changes of community' structure have been traced; in all landscape-high-rise complexes (in species composition and abundance of species) was revealed forest preference. The main trend of changes in taxonomic diversity of invertebrate’s communities is a decrease in the species number in the gradient of an increase of climate aridity, and strengthening of the hypothermal character and anthropogenic pressure. Peculiarities of structures invertebrate’s communities and their changes due to the climate change and anthropogenic impacts can serve as one of diagnostic criteria of soil conditions and can be used for estimation of landscapes’ transformation and monitoring.

Short-Term Responses of Aquatic and Terrestrial Biodiversity to Riparian Restoration Measures Designed to Control the Invasive Arundo donax L.

Invasive species are among the top five causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. Arundo donax has progressively colonized the riparian zones of Mediterranean rivers with detrimental effects on terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, being catalogued as one of the 100 worst invasive species. In order to control this invasive species and restore native riparian vegetation, different methods have been traditionally used, depending on the environmental, economic and social context. Here, the effect of repeated above-ground removal of A. donax on aquatic and terrestrial communities was assessed by testing two different frequencies of mowing (monthly-intensive and quarterly-extensive), combined with the plantation of native species. Specifically, it was evaluated if riparian vegetation, birds and aquatic macroinvertebrates showed significant responses throughout time and between restoration treatments based on 4-year annual biomonitoring data (2015–2018). Changes in taxonomic diversity and ecological quality indices for the different biological communities were tested using mixed-effect models (LMEs). Similarly, comparisons between restored and reference sites were also performed. LMEs were also applied to assess how riparian variables were related to bird and aquatic macroinvertebrate indices. NMDS and MGLM-Mvabund analyses were performed to detect significant post-treatment differences in taxa composition compared to the initial state and reference sites. During this short-term assessment, increases in riparian and aquatic macroinvertebrate richness and quality indices were found, as well as significant decreases in A. donax height, density and cover, without significant differences between restoration treatments. However, differential effects between extensive (positive-neutral effect) and intensive treatments (neutral-negative effect) were detected for bird richness, density and abundance. After three years of restoration actions, restored sites are still far from reference values in terms of taxa composition, species richness and ecological quality, especially for riparian vegetation and birds. Given the high cost and the great efforts required for restoration, extensive repeated mowing, together with native species plantation, are only recommended on river reaches not fully invaded by A. donax and with a high ecological interest.