Terrestrial Substrates Research Articles

Influence of food physical properties and environmental context on manipulative behaviors highlighted by new methodological approaches in zoo-housed bonobos (Pan paniscus).

Research on manipulative abilities in nonhuman primates, in the context of hominid evolution, has mostly focused on manual/pedal postures considered as static behaviors. While these behavioral repertoires highlighted the range of manipulative abilities in many species, manipulation is a dynamic process that mostly involves successive types of grips before reaching its goal. The present study aims to investigate the use of manual/pedal postures in zoo-housed bonobos in diverse dynamic food processing by using an innovative approach: the optimal matching analysis that compares sequences (i.e., succession of grasping postures) with each other. To characterize the manipulative techniques spontaneously employed by bonobos, we performed this sequential analysis of manual/pedal postures during 766 complete feeding sequences of 17 individuals. We analyzed the effectiveness with a score defined by a partial proxy of food intake (i.e., the number of mouthfuls) linked to a handling score measuring both the diversity and changes of manual postures during each sequence. We identified four techniques, used differently depending on the physical substrate on which the individual performed food manipulation and the food physical properties. Our results showed that manipulative techniques were more complex (i.e., higher handling score) for large foods and on substrates with lower stability. But the effectiveness score was not significantly lower for these items since manipulative complexity seemed to be compensated by a greater number of mouthfuls. It appeared that the techniques employed involved a trade-off between manipulative complexity and the amount of food ingested. This study allowed us to test and validate innovative analysis methods that are applicable to diverse ethological studies involving sequential events. Our results bring new data for a better understanding of the evolution of manual abilities in primates in association with different ecological contexts and both terrestrial and arboreal substrates and suggest that social and individual influences need to be explored further.

Aridification alters the diversity of airborne bacteria in drylands of China

Dryland ecosystems, which vary sensitively to drought owing to climate change and human activities, frequently cause large-scale aeolian dispersal of terrestrial-mineral and biological particles. To date, very few studies have focused on the atmosphere-land exchange of bacteria in drylands. To understand the bacterial transport from the terrestrial environment to the atmosphere over drylands, soil and aerosol samples were collected at 19 sites in arid and semi-arid regions across drylands of China in the summer of 2017. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the bacterial diversity in the atmosphere was significantly lower than that in terrestrial ecosystems for all the collected samples. Moreover, bacterial diversity in the atmosphere increases in arid regions compared to semi-arid regions, while those of the terrestrial environment were maintained regardless of the region. Additionally, the terrestrial bacterial sources contributed to the airborne bacteria more significantly in arid regions than those in semi-arid regions (accounting for 10.0 ± 1.1% and 3.5 ± 1.1%, respectively). The arid conditions tended to enhance the atmospheric emissions of Chloroflexi, while the members of Bacteroidetes were dominant in both the atmospheres of the semi-arid and arid regions. The differences in bacterial community structures between the terrestrial and atmospheric ecosystems are thought to depend on the ground surface characteristics such as vegetation and terrestrial substrates. Meteorological drought may alter terrestrial characteristics, which regulate airborne bacterial dispersal from dryland to its downwind regions, suggesting that more attention should be paid to the bacterial roles in the biology-health-climate process in the future.

Trends and biases in research efforts for primate conservation: threatened species are not in the spotlight

The order Primates is a diverse group with worrisome conservation status, in which 67% of the species are threatened, and 85% have declining populations. Although the studies in primate conservation have increased over the past two decades, there is a lack of knowledge about the trends and biases in these conservation research efforts. We reviewed the primate conservation literature to identify the trends in allocating research efforts across species, themes, and countries. We also investigated whether the studies are biased by primate richness, species body mass, range size, locomotion type, diel activity, threat status, time since species description, and phylogenetic relatedness. We found that the highest number of studies was about habitat fragmentation. Madagascar, Indonesia, and Brazil concentrated most of the studies. Pan troglodytes was the most studied species. The conservation research efforts are skewed towards primate-rich countries, earlier-described and large species that use arboreal and terrestrial substrates, and that are phylogenetically related. Therefore, research in primate conservation seems more motivated by specific primate attributes rather than aspects of species vulnerability and their main threats. The elucidation of these trends and biases may help identify knowledge gaps and new research opportunities, contributing to optimizing future conservation research efforts in primate conservation.

Spatiotemporal walking gait kinematics of semi-arboreal red pandas (Ailurus fulgens).

Semi-arboreal mammals must routinely cope with the differing biomechanical challenges of terrestrial versus arboreal locomotion; however, it is not clear to what extent semi-arboreal mammals adjust footfall patterns when moving on different substrates. We opportunistically filmed quadrupedal locomotion (n = 132 walking strides) of semi-arboreal red pandas (Ailurus fulgens; n = 3) housed at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and examined the effects of substrate type on spatiotemporal gait kinematic variables using linear mixed models. We further investigated the effects of substrate diameter and orientation on arboreal gait kinematics. Red pandas exclusively used lateral sequence (LS) gaits and most frequently utilized LS lateral couplet gaits across terrestrial and arboreal substrates. Red pandas moved significantly slower (p < 0.001), and controlling for speed, had significantly greater relative stride length (p < 0.001), mean stride duration (p = 0.002), mean duty factor (p < 0.001), and mean number of supporting limbs (p < 0.001) during arboreal locomotion. Arboreal strides on inclined substrates were characterized by significantly faster relative speeds and increased limb phase values compared with those horizontal and declined substrates. These kinematics adjustments help to reduce substrate oscillations thereby promoting stability on potentially precarious arboreal substrates. Red panda limb phase values are similar to those of (primarily terrestrial) Carnivora examined to date. Despite the similarity in footfall patterns during arboreal and terrestrial locomotion, flexibility in other kinematic variables is important for semi-arboreal red pandas that must navigate disparate biomechanical challenges inherent to arboreal versus terrestrial locomotion.

Bacterial community responses to planktonic and terrestrial substrates in coastal northern Baltic Sea

Bacteria are major consumers of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquatic systems. In coastal zones, bacteria are exposed to a variety of DOM types originating from land and open sea. Climate change is expected to cause increased inflows of freshwater to the northern coastal zones, which may lead either to eutrophication or to increased inputs of refractory terrestrial compounds. The compositional and functional response of bacterial communities to such changes is not well understood. We performed a 2-day microcosm experiment in two bays in the coastal northern Baltic Sea, where we added plankton extract to simulate eutrophication and soil extract to simulate increased inputs of refractory terrestrial compounds. Our results showed that the bacterial communities responded differently to the two types of food substrates but responded in a similar compositional and functional way in both bays. Plankton extract addition induced a change of bacterial community composition, while no significant changes occurred in soil extract treatments. Gammaproteobacteria were promoted by plankton extract, while Alphaproteobacteria dominated in soil extract addition and in the non-amended controls. Carbohydrate metabolism genes, such as aminoglycan and chitin degradation, were enriched by plankton extract, but not soil extract. In conclusion, the coastal bacterial communities rapidly responded to highly bioavailable substrates, while terrestrial matter had minor influence and degraded slowly. Thus, in the northern Baltic Sea, if climate change leads to eutrophication, large changes of the bacterial community composition and function can be expected, while if climate change leads to increased inflow of refractory terrestrial organic matter the bacterial communities will not show fast compositional and functional changes. Degradation of terrestrial organic matter may instead occur over longer periods of time, e.g. years. These findings help to better understand the ability of bacterial communities to utilize different carbon sources and their role in the ecosystem.

Locomotor characteristics of the ground-walking chameleon Brookesia superciliaris.

Understanding the locomotor characteristics of early diverging ground-walking chameleons (members of the genera Brookesia, Rhampholeon, Palleon, and Rieppeleon) can help to explain how their unique morphology is adapted to fit their environment and mode of life. However, nearly all quantitative studies of chameleon locomotion thus far have focused on the larger "true arboreal" chameleons. We investigated kinematics and spatiotemporal gait characteristics of the Brown Leaf Chameleon (Brookesia superciliaris) on different substrates and compared them with true arboreal chameleons, nonchameleon lizards, and other small arboreal animals. Brookesia exhibits a combination of locomotor traits, some of which are traditionally arboreal, others more terrestrial, and a few that are very unusual. Like other chameleons, Brookesia moved more slowly on narrow dowels than on broad planks (simulating arboreal and terrestrial substrates, respectively), and its speed was primarily regulated by stride frequency rather than stride length. While Brookesia exhibits the traditionally arboreal trait of a high degree of humeral protraction at the beginning of stance, unlike most arboreal tetrapods, it uses smaller shoulder and hip excursions on narrower substrates, possibly reflecting its more terrestrial habits. When moving at very slow speeds, Brookesia often adopts an unusual footfall pattern, lateral-sequence lateral-couplets. Because Brookesia is a member of one of the earliest-diverging groups of chameleons, its locomotion may provide a good model for an intermediate stage in the evolution of arboreal chameleons. Thus, the transition to a fully arboreal way of life in "true arboreal" chameleons may have involved changes in spatiotemporal and kinematic characteristics as well as morphology.

Sobreviventes do concreto: a herpetofauna de uma áreaverde urbana ao longo de 100 anos de urbanização

Abstract Low biodiversity in urban areas is associated with habitat loss. However, the effects of urbanization on biodiversity should also consider the historical background of land-use, explored herein. Our goal was to evaluate changes in the assemblage of reptiles in an urban habitat over 100 years, aiming to identify which ecological attributes allowed the persistence of species that can be found in the area today. We accessed historical records in scientific collections and carried out fieldwork to access reptile assemblage in an urban green area, in São Paulo, Brazil. Considering land-use changes in the area, we defined three-time intervals between 1901 and 2020. We established species richness for each time interval, categorizing them into three ecological attributes: habitat preference, substrate use, and food habits. We recorded 27 reptile species from 1901 until 2020, 14 resulting from historical data, eight from both historical and fieldwork, and five species exclusively in fieldwork. Amphibians were also sampled during fieldwork, but not used in historical comparison. Reptile’s species richness decreased 59% regardless of ecological attributes, and snakes were the group with most species’ loss. Fossorial reptiles were the least affected group. We concluded that habitat loss culminated in a species richness decline, and the reptiles that remain until today were likely present since the fragment isolation. Ecological attributes of the remaining taxa include species that use terrestrial substrates and feed on prey commonly found in urban environments.

Morphology and multigene phylogeny reveal ten novel taxa in Ascomycota from terrestrial palm substrates (Arecaceae) in Thailand

Morphology and multigene phylogeny reveal ten novel taxa in Ascomycota from terrestrial palm substrates (Arecaceae) in Thailand

Patterns of single limb forces during terrestrial and arboreal locomotion in rosy-faced lovebirds (Psittaciformes: Agapornis roseicollis).

The biomechanical demands of arboreal locomotion are generally thought to necessitate specialized kinetic and kinematic gait characteristics. While such data have been widely collected across arboreal quadrupeds, no study has yet explored how arboreal substrates influence the locomotor behavior of birds. Parrots - an ancient arboreal lineage that exhibit numerous anatomical specializations towards life in the trees - represent an ideal model group within which to examine this relationship. Here, we quantifiy limb loading patterns within the rosy-faced lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis) across a range of experimental conditions to define the circumstances under which arboreal gaits are triggered, and how, during arboreal walking, gait patterns change across substrates of varying diameter. In so doing, we address longstanding questions as to how the challenges associated with arboreality affect gait parameters. Arboreal locomotion was associated with the adoption of a sidling gait, which was employed exclusively on the small and medium diameter poles but not terrestrially. When sidling, the hindlimbs are decoupled into a distinct leading limb (which imparts exclusively braking forces) and trailing limb (which generates only propulsive forces). Sidling was also associated with relatively low pitching forces, even on the smallest substrate. Indeed, these forces were significantly lower than mediolateral forces experienced during striding on terrestrial and large diameter substrates. We propose that the adoption of sidling gaits is a consequence of avian foot morphology and represents a novel form of arboreal locomotion where inversion/eversion is impossible. Such movement mechanics is likely widespread among avian taxa and may also typify patterns of arboreal locomotion in humans.

Positional Behavior and Substrate Use in Wild Tibetan Macaques.

Simple SummaryBody size and individual development are essential factors that affect primate movement through the canopy and access to food. However, only a few studies have been conducted on immature wild macaques. Although adults are significantly heavier than the other age groups, this study found that they did not exhibit higher frequencies of climbing and bridging. Jumps and suspensions were more frequent in juveniles than adults. We also found that juveniles exhibited rare behaviors during play, such as cling locomotion, suspensory locomotion, and bounding. We hypothesized that juveniles would exhibit diverse positional behaviors associated with altered skeletal muscle development. Diverse positional abilities facilitate habitat exploitation and the avoidance of danger.Body size and individual development significantly affect positional behavior and substrate use. However, only a few studies have been conducted on immature wild macaques. We studied wild Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) inhabiting Mt. Huangshan, China, to explore the degree of interspecific variation in positional behavior in relation to body weight and individual development. From September 2020 to August 2021, we used instantaneous scan sampling (duration 5 min, interval 10 min) to record age–sex groups, locomotions, postures, and substrate attributes. The results showed that Tibetan macaques used terrestrial substrates in nearly two-thirds of the recorded observations. The main postural modes were sitting and quadrupedal standing. The main locomotor modes were quadrupedal walking and climbing among all age–sex group records. Positional behavior and substrate use in adults only significantly differed from those in juveniles and infants. Although adult males were larger than the other age–sex groups, they did not climb and bridge more frequently than the other age–sex groups. The frequency of climbing, leaping, and suspension was significantly higher in juveniles than in adults. In addition, adult males used terrestrial and larger substrates more frequently, while juveniles and infants used arboreal substrates and terminals more frequently than adult males during traveling and feeding. We hypothesize that the more positional behavioral spectrum of Tibetan macaque juveniles’ may be related to rapid skeletal muscle development. These results suggest that differences in interspecific positional behavior may be caused by the individual development and survival needs of individuals, rather than just body size.

Response of Coastal Shewanella and Duganella Bacteria to Planktonic and Terrestrial Food Substrates.

Global warming scenarios indicate that in subarctic regions, the precipitation will increase in the future. Coastal bacteria will thus receive increasing organic carbon sources from land runoff. How such changes will affect the function and taxonomic composition of coastal bacteria is poorly known. We performed a 10-day experiment with two isolated bacteria: Shewanella baltica from a seaside location and Duganella sp. from a river mouth, and provided them with a plankton and a river extract as food substrate. The bacterial growth and carbon consumption were monitored over the experimental period. Shewanella and Duganella consumed 40% and 30% of the plankton extract, respectively, while the consumption of the river extract was low for both bacteria, ∼1%. Shewanella showed the highest bacterial growth efficiency (BGE) (12%) when grown on plankton extract, while when grown on river extract, the BGE was only 1%. Duganella showed low BGE when grown on plankton extract (< 1%) and slightly higher BGE when grown on river extract (2%). The cell growth yield of Duganella was higher than that of Shewanella when grown on river extract. These results indicate that Duganella is more adapted to terrestrial organic substrates with low nutritional availability, while Shewanella is adapted to eutrophied conditions. The different growth performance of the bacteria could be traced to genomic variations. A closely related genome of Shewanella was shown to harbor genes for the sequestration of autochthonously produced carbon substrates, while Duganella contained genes for the degradation of relatively refractive terrestrial organic matter. The results may reflect the influence of environmental drivers on bacterial community composition in natural aquatic environments. Elevated inflows of terrestrial organic matter to coastal areas in subarctic regions would lead to increased occurrence of bacteria adapted to the degradation of complex terrestrial compounds with a low bioavailability.

Biogenic elements in terrestrial substrates, freshwater pools and subice seamples of the Argentine islands – Kyiv peninsula region, the Maritime Antarctic

Aim. The aim was to estimate inflow of nitrogen and phosphorus to the terrestrial substrate, freshwater pools, as well as in the ice core and subglacial waters, from the sea-bird colonies, and locations of non-colonial flying birds, or individual colonial birds activity. Methods. The samples of substrates, fresh waters, ice cores and samples from the subglacial waters collected during the 25th (2019/20) and 26th (2020/21) Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions in the area of the Argentine Islands – Kyiv Peninsula were analyzed by selected indicators of ornithogenic impact – concentration of bioaviable forms of nitrogen and phosphorus. Results. The concentration for nitrogen and phosphorus are shown to be ornitogenic in samples from all explored locations. High concentrations of ornithogenic compounds were detected not only inflowing from birds colonies, in particular penguins, but also in samples without their influence. Conclusions. The obtained data confirm the high level of influence of both colonial and non-colonial birds on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems of the Argentine Islands-Kyiv Peninsula. It is shown that the edifying effect and inflow of significant amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus occurs not only in large penguin colonies, but also in single nesting or feeding and resting areas of non-colonial flying birds, or in the presence of individual colonial birds in the study area. However, in the locations of large penguin colonies, easily disolved bioavailable forms of nitrogen and phosphorus are found in much higher, hypertrophic concentrations. Relatively low concentrations of nutrients are currently found only in areas that have recently been released from the glacier and remain uninhabited, unattractive or inaccessible to birds. Such locations are currently marked only on the coast of the Kyiv Peninsula and are associated with the recent retreat of local glaciers. In case of the presence of penguins or the activity of non-colonial or individual colonial birds, all studied freshwater pools were eutrophied to varying extend. The dynamics of organic matter inflow to some of the studied freshwater pools of the region probably indicates the permanent eutrophication. Studies of the ice core of the Galindez Island Glacier and subglacial freshwaters have shown that ornithogenic effects have been observed here for a long time.Key words: eutrophication, seabirds, the Antarctic, substrates, freshwater pools.

Minimal age-related variation in bipedal behavior in Sapajus

Our understanding of how bipedalism evolved in hominins has been refined through studies of bipedal behavior in non-human primates, both in the wild and in the laboratory. Bipedal behavior in non-human primates makes up a relatively small portion of their behavioral repertoire. Understanding when bipedal behaviors occur and how bipedal behaviors emerge can provide further insight into the context in which bipedal behaviors may have evolved. Here, we examine age-related variation in bipedal behavior in wild bearded capuchins (Sapajus libidinosus). 2,209 records of bipedal posture and locomotion, activity state, and substrate used during bipedal behavior (17.2% of all records of positional behavior) were examined for individuals ranging from 3 months to 15 years or older in two groups (32 individuals in total). Apart from very young individuals that were carried by older conspecifics, individuals of all ages showed similar rates and patterns of bipedal behaviors. Bipedal postures were used predominantly during feeding and foraging, most often in arboreal settings, and most often with their prehensile tail grasping, or in contact with, the substrate. Bipedal locomotion occurred most often on terrestrial substrates and comprised only 3% of all records of bipedal behavior.

Genomic characterization of three marine fungi, including Emericellopsis atlantica sp. nov. with signatures of a generalist lifestyle and marine biomass degradation

ABSTRACTMarine fungi remain poorly covered in global genome sequencing campaigns; the 1000 fungal genomes (1KFG) project attempts to shed light on the diversity, ecology and potential industrial use of overlooked and poorly resolved fungal taxa. This study characterizes the genomes of three marine fungi: Emericellopsis sp. TS7, wood-associated Amylocarpus encephaloides and algae-associated Calycina marina. These species were genome sequenced to study their genomic features, biosynthetic potential and phylogenetic placement using multilocus data. Amylocarpus encephaloides and C. marina were placed in the Helotiaceae and Pezizellaceae (Helotiales), respectively, based on a 15-gene phylogenetic analysis. These two genomes had fewer biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) and carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) than Emericellopsis sp. TS7 isolate. Emericellopsis sp. TS7 (Hypocreales, Ascomycota) was isolated from the sponge Stelletta normani. A six-gene phylogenetic analysis placed the isolate in the marine Emericellopsis clade and morphological examination confirmed that the isolate represents a new species, which is described here as E. atlantica. Analysis of its CAZyme repertoire and a culturing experiment on three marine and one terrestrial substrates indicated that E. atlantica is a psychrotrophic generalist fungus that is able to degrade several types of marine biomass. FungiSMASH analysis revealed the presence of 35 BGCs including, eight non-ribosomal peptide synthases (NRPSs), six NRPS-like, six polyketide synthases, nine terpenes and six hybrid, mixed or other clusters. Of these BGCs, only five were homologous with characterized BGCs. The presence of unknown BGCs sets and large CAZyme repertoire set stage for further investigations of E. atlantica. The Pezizellaceae genome and the genome of the monotypic Amylocarpus genus represent the first published genomes of filamentous fungi that are restricted in their occurrence to the marine habitat and form thus a valuable resource for the community that can be used in studying ecological adaptions of fungi using comparative genomics.

Kinematic adjustments to arboreal locomotion in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata).

Although biomechanical adaptations to arboreal locomotion have been well investigated in primates and other mammals in laboratory settings, the results are not consistent, and more species need to be studied to build a comprehensive picture of this. Here, we used three-dimensional videography to quantify kinematic parameters thought to be associated with locomotor stability while two Japanese macaques walked on terrestrial and simulated arboreal substrates (a horizontal pole, which was narrow relative to the animal's body width). The parameters investigated included temporal-spatial gait variables, those associated with compliant walking, the height of the shoulder and hip, and hand and foot clearance during the swing phase. We found that there were many individual differences in kinematic adjustments made by the monkeys during arboreal locomotion. More importantly, the results were consistent between the monkeys for three parameters: maximum hand clearance, maximum hip height, and maximum foot clearance. The monkeys showed lower maximum hand and foot clearances during arboreal locomotion than during terrestrial locomotion, indicating that the hands and feet were kept close to the substrate surface during the swing phase. They also showed lower maximum hip heights during arboreal locomotion, suggesting that their whole-body centers of mass were lowered. These consistent kinematic adjustments can be interpreted as strategies for enhancing stability and reducing the risk of falling from a height. Overall, these results show that Japanese macaques make significant biomechanical adaptations to arboreal locomotion that are not fully consistent with existing data for other animals.

Isolation and Characterization of Nickel-Tolerant Trichoderma Strains from Marine and Terrestrial Environments.

Nickel contamination is a serious environmental issue that requires immediate action. In this study, 23 strains of Trichoderma were isolated from terrestrial and marine environments and identified using a polyphasic approach of morphological characterization and ITS gene sequence analysis. The Trichoderma strains were tested for their tolerance and biosorption of nickel. Our results showed the growth of all Trichoderma strains on Trichoderma Selective Medium (TSM) with 50–1200-ppm nickel, indicating their tolerance of this heavy metal even at a relatively high concentration. Six Trichoderma strains (three isolated from terrestrial substrates and three from marine substates) had the highest radial growth on TSM with 50-ppm Ni. Among these fungal isolates, Trichoderma asperellum (S03) isolated from soil exhibited the best growth after 2 days of incubation. For the biosorption of nickel, the accumulation or uptake efficiency by the six selected Trichoderma was determined in Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) supplemented with 50-ppm Ni using a Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The percent uptake efficiency of the three strains of T. asperellum (S03, S08, and LL14) was computed to be up to 66%, while Trichoderma virens (SG18 and SF22) and Trichoderma inhamatum (MW25) achieved up to 68% uptake efficiency. Observation of the Trichoderma strains with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) before and after the absorption of nickel showed very minimal damage on the hyphal and conidial surface morphology, but changes in the colonial characteristics were observed. Our study highlighted the potential of terrestrial and marine strains of Trichoderma for the bioremediation of nickel pollution.

&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Eryngium&lt;/em&gt; (Apiaceae, Saniculoideae) in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil&lt;/strong&gt;

Eryngium has about 220 species, mostly distributed in subtropical and temperate regions of all continents. With about 60 species, the genus is widely distributed in Brazil, being present in all states of the country. Its species are perennial or biennial plants that preferentially colonize terrestrial, aquatic and rocky substrates. They usually have an erect or creeping habit, with rosulate leaves and white, blue or purple flowers. Within Apiaceae, the genus can be easily distinguished from the other genera by its capitulate inflorescences and by having a single bract per flower. We present the first taxonomic treatment for the genus in the state of Paraná, which is based on herbarium collections and fieldwork across the state. In total, 25 species were recorded. Of these, seven are endemic to Brazil. Eryngium aloifolium and E. regnelli are new records for Paraná. Fifteen species grow in native grasslands at high elevations, whereas one species is restricted to remnants of savannas in the northern portion of the state (E. rochei). Identification key, descriptions, illustrations, distributions maps, and taxonomic comments are provided.

Lack of congruence between terrestrial and epiphytic lichen strata in boreal forests

AbstractLichens occupy diverse substrates across tremendous ranges of environmental variation. In boreal forests, lichen communities co-occur in ‘strata’ defined by terrestrial or arboreal substrates, but these strata may or may not be interchangeable as bioindicators. Do co-occurring lichen strata have similar community structures and environmental responses? Could one stratum serve as a proxy for the other? We assessed variation in species richness and community compositions between ground-layer versus epiphyte-layer lichen strata in boreal forests and peatlands of interior Alaska. Species richness was lower and more spatially structured in the ground layer than the epiphyte layer. Richness of strata was not correlated. The most compositionally unique ground-layer communities were species-poor but contained regionally rare species not common in other plots. Variation in community compositions (ordination scores) were not congruent between strata (Procrustes congruence &lt; 0.16 on 0–1 scale); the largest departures from congruence occurred where ground layers were species-poor. The best predictors of ground-layer community compositions were hydrological and topographic, whereas epiphytes were most associated with macroclimate and tree abundances. We conclude that lichens on different substrates ‘move in different circles’: compositional gradients did not agree and the environmental gradients most important to each lichen stratum were not the same. The conditions which strongly influence one vegetation stratum may have little bearing upon another. As global changes modify habitats, an incremental change in environment may lead community trajectories to diverge among lichen strata.

Anurans of the Parque Municipal de Piraputangas, on the western border of the Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil&amp;nbsp;

We present an annotated list of anuran species found in the Parque Municipal de Piraputangas, a protected area of&amp;nbsp;a semi-deciduous forest located in Corumb&amp;aacute;, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Fieldwork was conducted three times per&amp;nbsp;month between August 2012 and July 2013. We recorded 29 species from six families (Bufonidae, Dendrobatidae,&amp;nbsp;Hylidae, Leptodactylidae, Microhylidae, and Phyllomedusidae), representing 30% of the anuran species known to&amp;nbsp;occur in Mato Grosso do Sul and 50% of the anurans recorded in this state&amp;rsquo;s semi-deciduous forests. Microhylids,&amp;nbsp;leptodactylids, and bufonids were associated with terrestrial substrates, whereas most hylids and phyllomedusids were&amp;nbsp;found perched on vegetation. This study will fill gaps in the knowledge on the anuran fauna of the western border of the&amp;nbsp;Pantanal and will serve as a basis for additional studies that are needed to understand how species respond to habitat&amp;nbsp;loss or fragmentation, such as landscape conversions, commercial logging, or mining.

Oldest colobine calcaneus from East Asia (Zhaotong, Yunnan, China)

Apart from a juvenile hominoid, the locality of Shuitangba (southwestern China, 6.5–6.0 Ma) has yielded a mandible and proximal femur attributed to the colobine genus Mesopithecus. A complete colobine calcaneus also accompanies this material, but its association with the other Mesopithecus material remains to be confirmed. These fossil elements are very important as they represent the oldest known colobines from East Asia, extend the dispersal of Mesopithecus to southwestern China, and underscore its close affinities and potential ancestry to the odd-nosed colobines. The present article focuses on the functional morphology of this complete calcaneus to reconstruct the positional habits, infer the paleocology, and understand the dispersal patterns of this fossil colobine. The studied characters corroborate the attribution of this element to colobines and support potential affinities with the Mesopithecus remains of the same locality. Functionally, characters such as the long and narrow tuber calcanei, the short proximal calcaneal region, and the relatively extended and long and narrow proximal calcaneoastragalar facet appear to enable habitual pedal flexion with conjunct inversion that accommodate the foot on diversely oriented and differently sized arboreal substrates. On the other hand, the relatively short distal calcaneal region is functionally related to (mainly terrestrial) quadrupedal activities, wherein thrust and rapid flexion are required. This combination of characters suggests that the Shuitangba colobine could move at ease on arboreal substrates and was also able to occasionally use terrestrial substrates. The potential affinities of this calcaneus to Mesopithecus and its positional profile most likely imply an eastward migration via forested corridors. In Shuitangba, this fossil colobine could trophically and positionally exploit a wide range of habitats successfully coexisting with resident hominoids.