Wet Forest Habitats Research Articles

Two new genera and six new species of Terrestrial Hydrometridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from French Polynesia

The family Hydrometridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) has been previously recorded from French Polynesia based on three species in three genera: Chaetometra robusta (Hungerford, 1939) and Dolichocephalometra pacifica (Van Duzee, 1934) from the Marquesas Islands, and Hydrometra gagnei J. Polhemus & D. Polhemus, 1995 from Tahiti in the Society Islands. Based on recent surveys from montane cloud forest habitats, two new genera and and six new species of Hydrometridae are described from the Marquesas and Society Islands as follows: Marquesametra n. gen. from the Marquesas Islands, containing M. hivaoa n. sp. from Hiva Oa (Mt. Temetiu); and Prohydrometra n. gen. from the Society Islands, containing the previously described P. gagnei n. comb. from Tahiti (Tahiti Nui), and the five new species P. johnpolhemi n. sp. and P. englundi n. sp. from Raiatea (Trois Cascade and Mt. Toomaru respectively); P. tohiea n. sp. and P. moorea n. sp. from Moorea (both from Mt. Tohiea); and P. teatara n. sp. from Tahiti (Mts. Teatara). All of these new species are terrestrial, and with the exception of P. johnpolhemi, which inhabits rheocrenes, represent specialized inhabitants of upland wet forest habitats. This indicates that terrestrial ecologies have evolved multiple times within the Hydrometridae, and are the typical mode of life for species of this family occurring in the insular eastern Pacific.

Reconciling cities with nature: Identifying local Blue-Green Infrastructure interventions for regional biodiversity enhancement

Increasing urbanization degrades quantity, quality, and the functionality of spatial cohesion of natural areas essential to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning worldwide. The uncontrolled pace of building activity and the erosion of blue (i.e., aquatic) and green (i.e., terrestrial) landscape elements threaten existing habitat ranges and movability of wildlife. Local scale measures, such as nature-inspired engineered Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) are emerging mitigation solutions. Originally planned to promote sustainable stormwater management, adaptation to climate change and improved human livability in cities, such instruments offer interesting synergies for biodiversity in support of existing ecological infrastructure. BGI are especially appealing for globally declining amphibians, a rich and diverse vertebrate assemblage sensitive to urbanization. We integrated biological and highly resolved urban-rural land-cover data, ensemble models of habitat suitability, and connectivity models based on circuit theory to improve multi-scale and multi-species protection of core habitats and ecological corridors in the Swiss lowlands. Considering a broad spectrum of amphibian biodiversity, we identified distributions of amphibian biodiversity hotspots and four landscape elements essential to amphibian movability at the regional scale, namely i) forest edges, ii) wet-forest habitats, iii) soils with variable moisture and iv) riparian zones. Our work shows that cities can make a substantial contribution (e.g., up to 15% of urban space in the study area) to wider landscape habitat connectivity. We highlight the importance of planning BGI locally in strategic locations across urban and peri-urban areas to promote the permeability and availability of ‘stepping stone’ habitats in densely populated landscapes, essential to the maintenance of regional habitat connectivity and thereby enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

Tropical wet and dry forest tree species exhibit contrasting hydraulic architecture

Forest tree species in wet and dry habitats are generally considered functionally divergent in leaf and stem functional traits such as leaf area, leaf mass per area, wood density and tree height. Yet, these traits have limited utility for characterizing plant water transport adaptations and strategies. We tested the hypothesis that wet and dry forest trees are functionally divergent in their water conducting apparatus. To assess trait differences and adaptations, we sampled branch wood from nine same-genus species-pairs, each species-pair occurring respectively in the wet (>1500 mm annual rainfall) and dry forest (<800 mm annual rainfall) in tropical Queensland, Australia. From branch wood sections, we measured anatomical traits involved in water conduction (stem vessel dimensions, fractions and their spatial distributions, theoretical water conductivities), storage (parenchyma), and providing hydraulic safety functions (fibres fractions, vulnerability index). Relative to wet forest species, we found on overall that dry forest trees had trait combinations showing adaptations to aridity such as more storage tissue and greater vessel connectivity which may provide alternative pathways for water transport should vessel embolism occur. Habitat is an environmental filter that influences trait behaviour across related species. However, depending on the genera, species in both dry and wet forest habitats also exhibit various tradeoffs in trait values, highlighting the existence of diverse hydraulic strategies within wet forest and dry forest trees.

The population density and trap-revealed home range of short-eared possums (

Investigating how the population density of a species changes over time is an integral step in determining whether that species is stable or needs assistance from conservation managers. The short-eared possum (Trichosurus caninus) is a species that has been poorly studied with only one previous population density estimate. Short-eared possums were live-trapped between August 2020 and January 2021 in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, to estimate their current density using a spatially explicit capture–recapture (SECR) model. The average density of short-eared possums was 0.46 possums/ha (95% CI: 0.32–0.66) in temperate rainforest and 0.13 possums/ha (95% CI: 0.06–0.28) in wet sclerophyll forest. No individuals were caught in dry sclerophyll forest. Trap-based home ranges were estimated to be 12.5 ha (95% CI: 8–19) for males and 5.5 ha (95% CI: 3–11) for females. This study provides a reference for determining trends in short-eared possum population density within the Northern Tablelands in the future. Adequate conservation of temperate rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest habitat is important to the conservation of the species.

Tall grass prairie ecosystem management—a gastropod perspective

Less than 5% of the original tall grass prairie in North America remains. A portion of this remnant, composed of wetland, grassland and forest, is protected by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in southern Manitoba. This heterogeneous ecosystem has rich biodiversity; however, gastropods have not been surveyed in Canada’s tall grass prairie. We studied gastropods in Prairie, Wet Meadow, Forest, and Wet Forest habitats of the Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve that vary with respect to land management practices (prescribed burning, grazing by cattle). Gastropod community composition was unique in the Prairie where mounds of grass litter form permanently moist cavities harbouring aquatic species, while dry-habitat species colonized the upper parts of these mounds. Gastropod communities in Prairie habitats were negatively affected by grazing and burning that occurred in the five years prior to our survey. Unburned Forest patches included both forest gastropod species and edge effect influenced open-habitat species and harboured the most diverse gastropod communities. These unburned Forest patches potentially provide a species pool for post-burn prairie recolonization. The gastropod community of Wet Meadows was not affected by grazing and was composed mainly of aquatic species. In this gastropod survey five species were recorded from Manitoba for the first time. The rare Blade Vertigo (Vertigo milium) is also reported.

Regeneration of Metrosideros polymorpha forests in Hawaii after landscape‐level canopy dieback

AbstractQuestions(a) Have Metrosideros polymorpha trees become re‐established in Hawaiian forests previously impacted by canopy dieback in the 1970s? (b) Has canopy dieback expanded since the 1970s? (c) Can spatial patterns from this dieback be correlated with habitat factors to model future dieback in this area?Study SiteAn 83,603 ha study area on the eastern slopes of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes on the island of Hawaii, USA.MethodsWe analyzed very‐high‐resolution imagery to assess status of Metrosideros polymorpha forests across the eastern side of the island of Hawaii. We generated 1,170 virtual vegetation plots with a 100‐m radius; 541 plots in areas mapped in 1977 with trees dead or mostly defoliated (dieback), and 629 plots in adjacent wet forest habitat, previously mapped as non‐dieback condition. In each plot we estimated the frequency of M. polymorpha trees that were dead or mostly defoliated, and the frequency of trees with healthy crowns. These results were combined with habitat data to produce a spatial model depicting probability of canopy dieback within the study area.ResultsSeventy‐nine percent of plots mapped in 1977 in dieback condition recovered their canopy and were now considered in non‐dieback condition. Ninety‐one percent of plots in previous non‐dieback areas were found to still have a healthy M. polymorpha canopy in 2015. A spatial model allowed us to identify areas within the study area with high, medium, and low probability of experiencing this same type of canopy dieback in the future.ConclusionsMost former dieback areas mapped within the study area in 1977 now show recovery of the tree canopy through growth of new cohorts of young M. polymorpha trees. This suggests these forest communities are resilient to this type of canopy loss and tree death so long as other factors do not disrupt the natural regeneration process.

The impact of different urban conditions on structural characteristics of oribatid mite communities

Changes in the structure of oribatid mite communities were studied at six urban sites located in Bratislava, Slovakia (Central Europe). These differed in pattern and in the intensity of human impact. Soil samples were taken from each site at monthly intervals for a period of two years. A total of 139 species were identified, of which 64.8% occurred at the control site. Low numbers of species (18–26 spp.) were found at sites characterized by high anthropogenic pressure. The percentage of oribatid mites in acarocoenoses declined (in favour of other mite groups) at sites altered from their original biotope and influenced by permanent human intervention (from 70% to less than 25%). The highest abundance of mites (976.9 ind./dm2) was recorded at an urban site, where the oribatid mite percentage was only 21.2%. Species typical of wet forest and meadow habitats were found at sites with suburban and ruderal characteristics, where vegetation cover attenuates the heat island effect, whereas mainly xerothermophilous and eurypotent species formed oribatocoenoses in urban sites. Urban conditions resulted in distinctly lower values of diversity, species richness, and equitability. The species Epilohmannia cylindrica, Microppia minus, Oribatula tibialis, Protoribates capucinus, Rhysotritia ardua and Ramusella insculpta common in the European cities were recorded also in this study.

Origins of North American arid-land Verbenaceae: More than one way to skin a cat.

Verbenaceae originated and initially diversified in South America in wet forest habitats. They have diversified extensively in arid habitats in both South and North America. This study aims to understand the origin of the North American arid-land members of Verbenaceae. A phylogenetic approach is used to examine four genera (Aloysia, Citharexylum, Glandularia, Verbena) in three distinct clades with representatives in North American deserts and disjunct South and North American distributions. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches. Analyses included both plastid and nuclear DNA regions and include the first study of Citharexylum and an expanded sampling of tribe Verbeneae (Glandularia and Verbena). Ancestral areas were reconstructed for each group. North American desert species of Aloysia and Glandularia were likely derived from ancestors in arid temperate South America, perhaps by long-distance dispersal. The pattern for Verbena was less clear, with evidence from plastid DNA implicating an Andean dispersal route to the North American clade, whereas nuclear data suggest that the Andean and North American species resulted from independent dispersals from southern South America. A previously unrecognized clade of Andean Verbeneae was discovered, raising the possibility of an Andean origin of Verbena or Verbena and Glandularia. North American desert species of Citharexylum represent multiple, independent origins from mesic habitat ancestors in Mesoamerica. North American arid-zone Verbenaceae are derived from South and Central American ancestors via multiple avenues, including long-distance, amphitropical dispersal, Andean migration corridors, and in situ evolution of desert-adapted species.

Extinction debt on reservoir land-bridge islands

Large dams cause extensive inundation of habitats, with remaining terrestrial habitat confined to highly fragmented archipelagos of land-bridge islands comprised of former hilltops. Isolation of biological communities on reservoir islands induces local extinctions and degradation of remnant communities. “Good practice” dam development guidelines propose using reservoir islands for species conservation, mitigating some of the detrimental impacts associated with flooding terrestrial habitats. The degree of species retention on islands in the long-term, and hence, whether they are effective for conservation is currently unknown. Here, we quantitatively review species' responses to isolation on reservoir islands. We specifically investigate island species richness in comparison with neighbouring continuous habitat, and relationships between island species richness and island area, isolation time, and distance to mainland and to other islands. Species' responses to isolation on reservoir islands have been investigated in only 15 of the >58,000 large-dam reservoirs (dam height >15m) operating globally. Research predominantly originates from wet tropical forest habitats and focuses on mammals, with species richness being the most widely-reported ecological metric. Terrestrial taxa are, overall, negatively impacted by isolation on reservoir islands. Reservoir island species richness declines with isolation time, and although the rate of loss is slower on larger islands, all islands exhibit depauperate species richness <100years after isolation, compared to continuous mainland habitats. Such a pattern of sustained and delayed species loss following large-scale habitat disturbance is indicative of an extinction debt existing for reservoir island species: this pattern is evident across all taxonomic groups and dams studied. Thus, reservoir islands cannot reliably be used for species conservation as part of impact mitigation measures, and should instead be included in area calculations for land impacted by dam creation. Environmental licensing assessments as a precondition for future dam development should explicitly consider the long-term fate of island communities when assessing biodiversity loss vs energy output.

Historical dominance of low-severity fire in dry and wet mixed-conifer forest habitats of the endangered terrestrial Jemez Mountains salamander (Plethodon neomexicanus)

Anthropogenic alteration of ecosystem processes confounds forest management and conservation of rare, declining species. Restoration of forest structure and fire hazard reduction are central goals of forest management policy in the western United States, but restoration priorities and treatments have become increasingly contentious. Numerous studies have documented changes in fire regimes, forest stand structure and species composition following a century of fire exclusion in dry, frequent-fire forests of the western U.S. (e.g., ponderosa pine and dry mixed-conifer). In contrast, wet mixed-conifer forests are thought to have historically burned infrequently with mixed- or high-severity fire—resulting in reduced impacts from fire exclusion and low restoration need—but data are limited. In this study we quantified the current forest habitat of the federally endangered, terrestrial Jemez Mountains salamander (Plethodon neomexicanus) and compared it to dendroecological reconstructions of historical habitat (e.g., stand structure and composition), and fire regime parameters along a gradient from upper ponderosa pine to wet mixed-conifer forests. We found that current fire-free intervals in Jemez Mountains salamander habitat (116–165years) are significantly longer than historical intervals, even in wet mixed-conifer forests. Historical mean fire intervals ranged from 10 to 42years along the forest gradient. Low-severity fires were historically dominant across all forest types (92 of 102 fires). Although some mixed- or high-severity fire historically occurred at 67% of the plots over the last four centuries, complete mortality within 1.0ha plots was rare, and asynchronous within and among sites. Climate was an important driver of temporal variability in fire severity, such that mixed- and high-severity fires were associated with more extreme drought than low-severity fires. Tree density in dry conifer forests historically ranged from open (90treesha−1) to moderately dense (400treesha−1), but has doubled on average since fire exclusion. Infill of fire-sensitive tree species has contributed to the conversion of historically dry mixed-conifer to wet mixed-conifer forest. We conclude that low-severity fire, which has been absent for over a century, was a critical ecosystem process across the forest gradient in Jemez Mountains salamander habitat, and thus is an important element of ecosystem restoration, resilience, and rare species recovery.

Impact of volcanic ash deposition on foliar productivity and insect herbivory in northern Patagonia deciduous forests

Volcanism has been a major force shaping the dynamics of Andean landscapes during the Holocene. Yet we still know little about the consequences of modern volcanic events on forest functioning. Ash fall may elicit multiple direct and indirect effects on key ecosystem attributes, with disturbance severity likely varying with distance to the crater. We examined the impact of ash deposition on foliage productivity and insect herbivory after the 2011 eruption of the Volcan Puyehue-Cordon Caulle system, in Nothofagus pumilio forests of northern Patagonia, Argentina. Tree leaf litterfall, a surrogate for annual foliar production, was measured before and after the event in wet and dry forest sites, which were located 22 km and 80 km east from the crater and were affected by mass deposition of coarse- and fine-grained tephra, respectively. Leaf damage by insects was monitored over a 10-year span (2004-2013) including the volcanic event. Foliar productivity in 2012 dropped by 60% in the wet forest, but did not change in the dry forest. Leaf area damaged by insects decreased abruptly in 2012, with post-eruption herbivory levels falling outside the range of annual variation recorded before the event. The impact was most severe in the dry forest wich normally supports the highest endemic herbivory. In contrast, leaf damage remained high in another dry forest located 98 km southeast from the crater and little affected by ashfall. Changes in foliar production and insect herbivory persisted for two years after the event. Our results show a widespread disruption of canopy-herbivore interactions in areas heavily affected by tephra. Remarkably, volcanic ash acted as a broad-spectrum insecticide on canopy herbivores. In the short-term, ashfall constrained the energy flow through the forest canopy and the arthropod consumer community, and thus temporarily overwhelmed previously existing differences in productivity and herbivory between wet and dry forest habitats. (Keywords: Canopy insects, disturbance, herbivory, long-term study, Nothofagus pumilio, productivity, volcanism)

A new skink (Scincidae: Saproscincus) from rocky rainforest habitat on Cape Melville, north-east Australia.

Saproscincus skinks are restricted to wet forest habitats of eastern Australia. Eleven species have previously been described, with most having small distributions in disjunct areas of subtropical and tropical rainforest. The localized distributions and specific habitat requirements of Saproscincus have made them a key group for understanding the biogeographic history of Australia's rainforests. Here I describe a new species of Saproscincus from the Melville Range on Cape Melville, north-east Australia. The Melville Range is composed of boulder-fields and areas of rainforest in the uplands, and is highly isolated from other areas of elevated rainforest. All individuals of the new species were found on a moist ridgeline, active on boulders under a rainforest canopy or on boulder-field immediately adjacent to rainforest. Saproscincus saltus sp. nov. is highly distinct in morphology and colour pattern. Of particular interest are its long limbs and digits compared to congeners, which in conjunction with the observed ecology, suggest a long history of association with rock. The discovery of S. saltus sp. nov. extends the distribution of the genus over 100 km north from the nearest congeners in the Wet Tropics region. This species brings the number of vertebrates known to be endemic to the Melville Range to six, which is remarkable for such a small area.

AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF EXOTIC AND INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES IN SRI LANKA's FLORA AND THEIR IMPACTS

Globally, exotic naturalized plants that behave invasively and occupy wildlands areresponsible for greater losses of biodiversity than any other factor except habitat loss anddirect exploitation of plant species by people. About I - 2% of naturalized exotic speciesbecome invasive in behavior, infesting and sometimes destroying parks, preserves andrefuges. This occurs because the invasive plant species: have no natural enemies ordiseases present; spread rapidly due to high reproductive and dispersal capabilities; and outcompete native species.Publications relating to the Sri Lankan flora, and Master's theses available in the library ofDept. of Forestry and Enviromental Science at the University of Sri Jayewardenepuraregarding various Sri Lankan biological communities, provide the opportunity for anexamination of Sri Lanka's exotic flora and an initial attempt to assess their impact on SriLanka's plant communities. Tallying herbs and woody species by life form, habitatpreference and origin (indigenous, endemic or exotic) revealed the following. Twenty-fivepercent of Sri Lanka's flora is exotic species (15.6% herbacious and 9.4% woody species)not including cultivated species not known to escape. Herbacious (34.6%) and liana's Ivines (19.5%) are the life forms with the highest percentage exotics. The largestproportion of the total number of exotic species is found in disturbed (22.6%) and wetforest (18.4%) habitats. Amongst herbacious species the proportion of exotics is also highin aquatic habitats (44.2%). Certain plant taxa contain species which readily naturalize inSri Lanka. Four plant families, Fabaceae, Verbeneaceae, Myrtaceae, and Rutaceae contain&gt;55% of all woody exotics. The Poaceae, alone account for 28.6% of all exotic herbs.Species lists from Masters theses done on two wet zone forest reserves indicate seed bankscontain about 30% exotic species, while mature wet zone forests contain only 5 - 11%exotic species. If seed banks contain the seeds of exotic species underwhich the native ormature forest species can not germinate or survive, this would be cause for much concern.I! is certainly something that merits further research.Initial observations in the field were made of % cover by indigenous + endemic and exoticspecies along 7 randomly located transects in several different habitat types. Fieldmeasurements indicate Sri Lankan wetzone forests are highly resistant to exotics andinhibit potential invasive behavior. Except in young forest gaps (where up to 20% of covercan be exotic species) almost all cover is indigenous+endemic species. In disturbed lands,wet and low zone grasslands and aquatic habitat (fresh water pond) in Sri Lanka the casewas quite different. Greater than 80% of the cover was exotic species in random transectssampled in these three habitat typesThe total impact of the diverse assemblage of exotic species in Sri Lankan's should be ofsome concern. The exotics are competing with each other in some habitats which preventsanyone of them from taking over and forming a monospecific stand, but the indigenousspecies are forced out regardless. How widespread this is in other habitats in Sri Lankamerits further research so management recommendations can made.

Patterns and processes in complex landscapes: testing alternative biogeographical hypotheses through integrated analysis of phylogeography and community ecology in Hawai'i

The Island of Hawai'i is a dynamic assemblage of five volcanoes with wet forest habitat currently existing in four distinct natural regions that vary in area, age and geographical isolation. In this complex landscape, alternative assumptions of the relative importance of specific habitat characteristics on evolutionary and ecological processes predict strikingly different general patterns of local diversity and regional similarity. In this study, we compare alternative a priori hypotheses against observed patterns within two distinct biological systems and scales: community composition of wet forest vascular plant species and mitochondrial and nuclear genes of Drosophila sproati, a wet-forest-restricted endemic. All observed patterns display strong and similar regional structuring, with the greatest local diversity found in Kohala and the windward side of Mauna Loa, the least in Ka'ū and Kona, and a distinctive pattern of regional similarity that probably reflects the historical development of this habitat on the island. These observations largely corroborate a biogeographical model that integrates multiple lines of evidence, including climatic reconstruction, over those relying on single measures, such as current habitat configuration or substrate age. This method of testing alternative hypotheses across biological systems and scales is an innovative approach for understanding complex landscapes and should prove valuable in diverse biogeographical systems.

A new treefrog (Hylidae: Litoria) from Kroombit Tops, east Australia, and an assessment of conservation status.

The Litoria phyllochroa species-group are small hylid frogs that occur in wet forests of south-east Australia. This group has had a long history of taxonomic confusion and has received little attention in the last decade. A population of this species-group at Kroombit Tops, several hundred kilometers north of all other populations, has been recognised for some time as being genetically highly distinct. Here we describe this population as a new species, L. kroombitensis sp. nov. This species is most similar to L. barringtonensis and L. pearsoniana but is readily distinguished based on differences in morphology, colour pattern, mating call and genetics. Litoria kroombitensis sp. nov. is restricted to Kroombit Tops, an isolated area of wet forest in south-east Queensland. The species inhabits slow and intermittently flowing streams in rainforest and adjoining wet sclerophyll forest. The tadpole of L. kroombitensis sp. nov., described herein, is similar in morphology and behaviour to the tadpoles of other species within the Litoria phyllochroa species-group, in particular L. pearsoniana. Li toria kroombitensis sp. nov. has a very small distribution, with all records coming from the headwaters of five streams, Extensive surveys since the mid-1990s have revealed population declines, attributable to amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). Other threats include degradation of riparian habitat due to invasive weeds, feral pigs and livestock, and fire. Further, the extent of wet forest habitats at Kroombit Tops is likely to be reduced by climate change impacts. Litoria kroombitensis sp. nov. meets IUCN Red List criteria for critically endangered CR B lab (i-v) due to its small geographic range, naturally fragmented distribution, and observed and projected decline in populations. In this paper we also assess the validity of the names L. barringtonensis, L. pearsoniana and L. piperata. We conclude that the names L. barringtonensis and L. pearsoniana are valid but the validity of L. piperata requires further investigation.

Updates to the taxonomy of Swartzia (Leguminosae) in extra-Amazonian Brazil, with descriptions of five new species and a regional key to the genus

In advance of an updated monographic revision of Swartzia (Leguminosae), we discuss the taxonomy of the genus in extra-Amazonian Brazil and present descriptions of five new species. All of the new species are narrowly distributed in eastern Brazil in threatened Atlantic wet forest and coastal scrub habitats. Four of them—S. alagoensis, S. arenophila, S. revoluta, and S. submontana—belong to the diverse and taxonomically challenging section Acutifoliae, which has undergone extensive evolutionary radiation in the region. The fifth, S. thomasii, is a member of the otherwise Amazonian section Glabriplantae and is only subtly distinct from the Amazonian species S. reticulata. The new species and other recent additions to the genus are incorporated in a key to the species of Swartzia of extra-Amazonian Brazil.

Molecular and Fossil Evidence on the Origin of Angiosperms

Molecular data on relationships within angiosperms confirm the view that their increasing morphological diversity through the Cretaceous reflected their evolutionary radiation. Despite the early appearance of aquatics and groups with simple flowers, the record is consistent with inferences from molecular trees that the first angiosperms were woody plants with pinnately veined leaves, multiparted flowers, uniovulate ascidiate carpels, and columellar monosulcate pollen. Molecular data appear to refute the hypothesis based on morphology that angiosperms and Gnetales are closest living relatives. Morphological analyses of living and fossil seed plants that assume molecular relationships identify glossopterids, Bennettitales, and Caytonia as angiosperm relatives; these results are consistent with proposed homologies between the cupule of glossopterids and Caytonia and the angiosperm bitegmic ovule. Jurassic molecular dates for the angiosperms may be reconciled with the fossil record if the first angiosperms were restricted to wet forest understory habitats and did not radiate until the Cretaceous.

Phylogeographic divergence in the widespread delicate skink (Lampropholis delicata) corresponds to dry habitat barriers in eastern Australia

BackgroundThe mesic habitats of eastern Australia harbour a highly diverse fauna. We examined the impact of climatic oscillations and recognised biogeographic barriers on the evolutionary history of the delicate skink (Lampropholis delicata), a species that occurs in moist habitats throughout eastern Australia. The delicate skink is a common and widespread species whose distribution spans 26° of latitude and nine major biogeographic barriers in eastern Australia. Sequence data were obtained from four mitochondrial genes (ND2, ND4, 12SrRNA, 16SrRNA) for 238 individuals from 120 populations across the entire native distribution of the species. The evolutionary history and diversification of the delicate skink was investigated using a range of phylogenetic (Maximum Likelihood, Bayesian) and phylogeographic analyses (genetic diversity, ΦST, AMOVA, Tajima's D, Fu's F statistic).ResultsNine geographically structured, genetically divergent clades were identified within the delicate skink. The main clades diverged during the late Miocene-Pliocene, coinciding with the decline and fragmentation of rainforest and other wet forest habitats in eastern Australia. Most of the phylogeographic breaks within the delicate skink were concordant with dry habitat or high elevation barriers, including several recognised biogeographic barriers in eastern Australia (Burdekin Gap, St Lawrence Gap, McPherson Range, Hunter Valley, southern New South Wales). Genetically divergent populations were also located in high elevation topographic isolates inland from the main range of L. delicata (Kroombit Tops, Blackdown Tablelands, Coolah Tops). The species colonised South Australia from southern New South Wales via an inland route, possibly along the Murray River system. There is evidence for recent expansion of the species range across eastern Victoria and into Tasmania, via the Bassian Isthmus, during the late Pleistocene.ConclusionsThe delicate skink is a single widespread, but genetically variable, species. This study provides the first detailed phylogeographic investigation of a widespread species whose distribution spans virtually all of the major biogeographic barriers in eastern Australia.

Three New Distichous-bracted Species ofCalathea(Marantaceae) from Panama

Three species of Calathea G. Mey. with distichous bracts, assigned to Calathea sect. Calathea (Marantaceae), are described as new from Panama: C. carlae H. Kenn., C. chiriquensis H. Kenn., and C. fredgandersii H. Kenn. All three are found in montane wet or cloud forest habitats at middle to higher elevations, 800–1400 m. Calathea carlae also occurs in Costa Rica, while the other two are endemic to Panama. Calathea carlae differs from related species by the leaf length:width ratios of 1.7–2.13:1, cream-colored bracts, claviculate bracteoles, yellow corollas, and yellow or pink-purple staminodes. Calathea chiriquensis is distinguished by the light green bracts, leaf length:width ratios of 1.3–1.56:1, absence of bracteoles, flowers borne singly rather than in pairs, and yellow flowers. Calathea fredgandersii is distinguished by the subround leaf, leaf length:width ratios of 1.15–1.55:1, a purple band along the leaf margin, a deep purple leaf sheath, verruculose petioles, white bracts, membranous bracteoles, white corollas, and white or pale pink to lilac staminodes.

Assemblages of carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in humid forest habitats of different stages of succession in the Puszcza Knyszyńska Forest (northeastern Poland)

During a period of three years (2006–2008) the carabid fauna in wet and humid forest habitats of different stages of succession was studied at the Puszcza Knyszynska (north-east part of Poland). The aim of this study was to determine how the assemblages of the carabid fauna change in relation to the ongoing process of succession. Using pitfall traps, 24 plots were sampled. The plots were located in stands of different age, from two year old plantations to more than 100 year old forests. Additionally, the stands were ordered in three moisture classes (wet, humid and very humid) and two classes of soil richness. As indicators for change in the carabid fauna in relation to age of the stands Mean Individual Biomass (MIB), species diversity and share of forest species were used. By applying multivariate statistics the relation of the different habitat characteristics to changes in the carabid fauna was examined. During the study 8903 individuals belonging to 57 species were collected. Pterostichus niger represented 28% of the total catches and therefore the most common species. Another common species, Pterostichus melanarius, contributed to 13% of the total catch. This species was caught at every plot, even in the old forests. In contrast to the results obtained by Szyszko (1990) for fresh and dry pine stands, in this study the relation of MIB with the age of forest was not significant. Although the number of species was rather constant, the number of individuals belonging to the group of forest species significantly increased with the ageing of the forest. The multivariate analysis showed a relationship with ageing of the stands and soil richness rather than with moisture and size of the forest. According to the present paper, clear cuttings in wet and humid habitats do not cause a strong degradation of the carabid fauna.