Diet composition of the Lessepsian bluespotted cornetfish Fistularia commersonii in the eastern Mediterranean

Adaptability is an important factor in defining success or failure of an introduced species. The bluespotted cornetfish, Fistularia commersonii , invaded the Mediterranean from the Red Sea and spread quickly, displaying an explosive growth pattern in the eastern and central Mediterranean. Stomach contents of the Lessepsian piscivore were studied from off the Lebanese coast in order to describe aspects of its feeding ecology in the new environment. Cornetfish of different sizes (25–112 cm L_t) and from various habitats and depths (1–40 m) were sampled over an 18-month period (May 2003 to November 2004). Only 29% of the individuals contained identifiable prey items. The diet of the invasive cornetfish comprised a large variety of prey (41 taxa), Spicara smaris and Boops boops being the most important. Comparisons among prey habitats showed that the invasive cornetfish fed preferably on schooling species living in the water column. A large diversity of prey species characterized autumn and winter seasons while S. smaris and B. boops dominated in the spring and summer. Diet did not vary significantly with predator size except for S. smaris , which was a more important prey to middle size-classes cornetfish. The invasion of F. commersonii might have an important effect on structure and population dynamics of native communities, however it seems premature to predict the potential impact on eastern Mediterranean ecosystems or fisheries.     

Frog species richness, composition and beta-diversity in coastal Brazilian restinga habitats.

We studied the species richness and composition of frogs in 10 restinga habitats (sand dune environments dominated by herbaceous and shrubby vegetation) along approximately 1500 km of coastal areas of three Brazilian States: Rio de Janeiro (Grumari, Maricá, Massambaba, Jurubatiba and Grussaí), Espírito Santo (Praia das Neves and Setiba) and Bahia (Prado and Trancoso). We estimated beta-diversity and similarity among areas and related these parameters to geographic distance between areas. All areas were surveyed with a similar sampling procedure. We found 28 frog species belonging to the families Hylidae, Microhylidae, Leptodactylidae and Bufonidae. Frogs in restingas were in general nocturnal with no strictly diurnal species. The richest restinga was Praia das Neves (13 species), followed by Grussaí and Trancoso (eight species in each). The commonest species in the restingas was Scinax alter (found in eight restingas), followed by Aparasphenodon brunoi (seven areas). Our data shows that richness and composition of frog communities vary consistently along the eastern Brazilian coast and, in part, the rate of species turnover is affected by the distance among areas. Geographic distance explained approximately 12% of species turnover in restingas and about 9.5% of similarity among frog assemblages. Although geographic distance somewhat affects frog assemblages, other factors (e.g. historical factors, disturbances) seem to be also involved in explaining present frog assemblage composition in each area and species turnover among areas. The frog fauna along restinga habitats was significantly nested (matrix community temperature = 26.13 degrees; p = 0.007). Our data also showed that the most hospitable restinga was Praia das Neves and indicated that this area should be protected as a conservation unit. Frog assemblage of each area seems to partially represent a nested subset of the original assemblage, although we should not ignore the importance of historical factors. This nestedness pattern, in part, probably results from the intensive fragmentation of restinga habitats. Possibly, many frog species may have been lost in some studied areas as a result of the extensive habitat degradation to which restinga habitats are presently exposed.     

Investigating genetic diversity and habitat dynamics in Plantago brutia (Plantaginaceae), implications for the management of narrow endemics in Mediterranean mountain pastures

Many factors have contributed to the richness of narrow endemics in the Mediterranean, including long-lasting human impact on pristine landscapes. The abandonment of traditional land-use practices is causing forest recovery throughout the Mediterranean mountains, by increasing reduction and fragmentation of open habitats. We investigated the population genetic structure and habitat dynamics of Plantago brutia Ten., a narrow endemic in mountain pastures of S Italy. Some plants were cultivated in the botanical garden to explore the species' breeding system. Genetic diversity was evaluated based on inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) polymorphisms in 150 individuals from most of known stands. Recent dynamics in the species habitat were checked over a 14-year period. Flower phenology, stigma receptivity and experimental pollinations revealed protogyny and self-incompatibility. With the exception of very small and isolated populations, high genetic diversity was found at the species and population level. amova revealed weak differentiation among populations, and the Mantel test suggested absence of isolation-by-distance. Multivariate analysis of population and genetic data distinguished the populations based on genetic richness, size and isolation. Landscape analyses confirmed recent reduction and isolation of potentially suitable habitats. Low selfing, recent isolation and probable seed exchange may have preserved P. brutia populations from higher loss of genetic diversity. Nonetheless, data related to very small populations suggest that this species may suffer further fragmentation and isolation. To preserve most of the species' genetic richness, future management efforts should consider the large and isolated populations recognised in our analyses.     

Seasonality and relative abundance of Tabanidae (Diptera) captured on horses in the Pantanal, Brazil.

Once a month, from June 1992 to May 1993, collections of tabanids on horse were conducted in the Nhecolandia, Pantanal State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Tabanid catches using hand nets were conducted from sunrise to sunset at grassland and cerrad?o (dense savanna) habitats. A total of 3,442 tabanids from 21 species,12 genera, and 3 subfamilies were collected. Although species abundance varied seasonally depending on habitat, no habitat specificity was observed for the most abundant species. In the grassland, 1,625 (47.2%) tabanids belonging to 19 species were collected, while 1,817 (52.8%) tabanids from 17 species were caught in the cerrad?o. The number of tabanid species varied from 7 during winter (July/August) to 15 in the spring (October). Tabanus importunus (56%) was the most abundant species, followed by T. occidentalis (8.2%), and T. claripennis (8.1%). The tabanid peak, in October, coincided with the beginning of the rainy season. The population peak of most species, including those with higher vector potential, suggests that the rainy season can be considered as the period of potentially higher risk of mechanical transmission of pathogens by tabanids to horses in the region.     

Comparative Patterns of Plant Invasions in the Mediterranean Biome

The objective of this work was to compare and contrast the patterns of alien plant invasions in the world’s five mediterranean-climate regions (MCRs). We expected landscape age and disturbance history to have bearing on levels of invasion. We assembled a database on naturalized alien plant taxa occurring in natural and semi-natural terrestrial habitats of all five regions (specifically Spain, Italy, Greece and Cyprus from the Mediterranean Basin, California, central Chile, the Cape Region of South Africa and Southwestern - SW Australia). We used multivariate (hierarchical clustering and NMDS ordination) trait and habitat analysis to compare characteristics of regions, taxa and habitats across the mediterranean biome. Our database included 1627 naturalized species with an overall low taxonomic similarity among the five MCRs. Herbaceous perennials were the most frequent taxa, with SW Australia exhibiting both the highest numbers of naturalized species and the highest taxonomic similarity (homogenization) among habitats, and the Mediterranean Basin the lowest. Low stress and highly disturbed habitats had the highest frequency of invasion and homogenization in all regions, and high natural stress habitats the lowest, while taxonomic similarity was higher among different habitats in each region than among regions. Our analysis is the first to describe patterns of species characteristics and habitat vulnerability for a single biome. We have shown that a broad niche (i.e. more than one habitat) is typical of naturalized plant species, regardless of their geographical area of origin, leading to potential for high homogenization within each region. Habitats of the Mediterranean Basin are apparently the most resistant to plant invasion, possibly because their landscapes are generally of relatively recent origin, but with a more gradual exposure to human intervention over a longer period.     

Diversity, distinctiveness and conservation status of the Mediterranean coastal dung beetle assemblage in the Regional Natural Park of the Camargue (France)

The Mediterranean region as a whole has the highest dung beetle species richness within Europe. Natural coastal habitats in this region are among those which have suffered severe human disturbance. We studied dung beetle diversity and distinctiveness within one of the most important coastal protected areas in the west Euro‐Mediterranean region (the regional Park of Camargue, southern France) and made comparisons of dung beetle assemblages with other nearby Mediterranean localities, as well as with other coastal protected area (Doñana National Park, Spain). Our finding showed that: (1) The species richness of coastal habitats in the Camargue is low and only grasslands showed a similar level of species richness and abundance to inland habitats of other Mediterranean localities. The unique habitats of the coastal area (beaches, dunes and marshes) are largely colonized by species widely distributed in the hinterland. (2) In spite of their low general distinctiveness, dune and marsh edges are characterized by the occurrence of two rare, vulnerable, specialized and large roller dung beetle species of the genus Scarabaeus. As with other Mediterranean localities, current findings suggest a recent decline of Scarabaeus populations and the general loss of coastal dung beetle communities in Camargue. (3) The comparison of dung beetle assemblages between the Camargue and Doñana shows that, in spite of the low local dung beetle species richness in the Camargue, the regional dung beetle diversity is similar between both protected areas. Unique historical and geographical factors can explain the convergence in regional diversity as well as the striking divergence in the composition of dung beetle assemblages between both territories.     

Spiny invaders – Patterns and determinants of cacti invasion in Europe

In this paper, we analyse the patterns and determinants of cacti invasion in 22 European countries. We compiled a checklist for each country. Cacti were classified for each country according to their invasion status as casuals, locally established (1–5 localities of small population size) and widely established (>5 localities of considerable population size).We used generalised linear models (GLM) from the Poisson family with a log-link function and a set of seven country-specific explanatory variables to account for geographical, climatic, habitat-related and economic determinants to test which features of the recipient area determine invasion success and if distribution patterns of species at different invasion stages are governed by the same interplay of explanatory variables. Separate models were fitted with the same predictor variables for casual, locally established, widely established and all cacti. Further, we analysed the temporal invasion trend, and tested if niche breadth (expressed as the number of habitat types colonized) is influenced by the range size (measured as the number of countries invaded). Finally, we reviewed the consequences of cacti invasion for nature conservation.In total, 26 cacti species have been recorded in Europe. Ten species are more widespread and occur in at least three countries, Opuntia humifusa (six countries) being the most widespread species. The country with most cacti is Spain (21 species), whereas in 13 countries no cactus species have been recorded. By far the most important genus is Opuntia with 20 alien species. The temporal invasion pattern shows an exponential increase of the cumulative number of invasion events, increasing from three (1801–50) to nine (1951–2000) invasion events over a 50-year period.Regardless of the invasion stage, the factor explaining most of the variance in the models is the presence of the Mediterranean biogeographic region, and a significant positive effect of the country size on species numbers was identified.Considering the invasion stage, some interesting deviations in the models can be observed. Invasion of casual cacti is only influenced by the presence of the Mediterranean biogeographic region. For locally established cacti, precipitation is negatively correlated with the invasion rate, and the presence of the Alpine biogeographic region is positively correlated; the latter is due the local occurrence of few hardy cacti (Opuntia phaeacantha, O. humifusa) in low-lying valleys of the Alps. As all widely established cactus species are restricted to the Mediterranean region, only this factor was included in the model.All cacti are confined to dry, open habitats on acid siliceous bedrock. Thus, the predominant habitats invaded are rock vegetation, dry grassland, open Mediterranean scrub and dry ruderal habitats. The niche breadth of cacti increases with the numbers of countries colonized. Further, the niche breadth of cacti exhibits a geographic gradient towards the Mediterranean region.Until the 19th century, the dominant pathway of invasion was agriculture, as some cactus species had been introduced for the production of forage and fruits. However, in the last decades horticulture and deliberate planting in the wild have become the dominant pathways.The invasion of cacti in natural and semi-natural habitats in the Mediterranean region changes habitat structure and species composition. However, dense and extensive stands of cacti are restricted to few species (e.g. Opuntia ficus-indica).     

New species of mole crickets of the Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa group (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) from Israel, based on morphology, song recordings, chromosomes and cuticular hydrocarbons, with comments on the distribution of the group in Europe and the Mediterranean region

Two sibling species of mole crickets of the Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa group inhabit Israel. Both are described as new species based on differences in their morphology, acoustic behaviour, chromosome number, cuticular hydrocarbon pattern and habitats. The species with males having 2n = 23 chromosomes, described in the past as the 'Dead Sea race', is designated as G. marismortui sp.n. It is an endangered species. In morphology and chromosome number it is similar to G. cossyrensis Bacetti & Capra from Italy, but differs in the composition of cuticular hydrocarbons. Gryllotalpa marismortui occurs in a limited geographical area along the shore of the Dead Sea. Another species, with 2n = 19 chromosomes, is described as G. tali sp.n. and is found throughout Israel. The calling songs of the males of the new species differ markedly. Females of the respective chromosomal numbers discriminate in favour of the homospecific call. Their habitats are strikingly different: G. marismortui lives in hypersaline soil along the Dead Sea shore (total chloride 187.25 meq %), G. tali inhabits freshwater soil (9.31 meq %). The distribution of the twelve known sibling species and one chromosomal race (not yet described) of the G. gryllotalpa group from Europe and the eastern Mediterranean is summarized. The zoogeography and phylogeny of the group are discussed.     

A quarter of a century succession of epigaeic beetle assemblages in remnant habitats in an urbanized matrix (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

We studied the long-term (23-24 years) species turnover and succession of epigaeic beetle assemblages (Coleoptera: Carabidae, incl. Cicindelinae) in three remnant habitats [cottonwood (Populus spp.) and oak (Quercus spp.) stands, and old fields] that are embedded within highly urbanized areas in central Minnesota. A total of 9,710 beetle individuals belonging to 98 species were caught in three sampling years: 1980, 1981 and 2005 in pitfall traps in identical locations within each habitat. Results indicate that there were 2-3 times greater trap catches in 2005 than in 1980 (cottonwood and oak stands, and old fields) and 1.4-1.7 times greater species diversity of beetles in 2005 than in the 1980-1981 suggesting increased habitat association by beetles over time. Although there were no significant differences in catches between 2005 and 1981 (only cottonwood stands and old fields), there was a trend where more beetles were caught in 2005. At the species-level, 10 times more of an open-habitat carabid species, Cyclotrachelus sodalis sodalis LeConte, was caught in 2005 than in 1980. However, trap catches of five other abundant carabid species [Pterostichus novus Straneo, Platynus decentis (Say), Platynus mutus (Say), Calathus gregarius (Say), and Poecilus lucublandus lucublandus (Say)] did not change indicating population stability of some beetle species. These remnant habitats were increasingly colonized by exotic carabid species as Carabus granulatus granulatus Linneaus, Clivina fossor (Linneaus) and Platynus melanarius (Illiger), that were trapped for the first time in 2005. Species composition of epigaeic beetles was quite distinct in 2005 from 1980 with 39 species reported for the first time in 2005, indicating a high turnover of assemblages. At the habitat-level, greatest species diversity was in cottonwood stands and lowest was in old fields, and all habitat types in 2005 diverged from those in 1980s, but not cottonwood stands in 1981. As our sampled areas are among some of the last remnants of the original oak savanna habitats in central Minnesota, we hypothesize that conservation of these sites may be critical to maintaining epigaeic beetle assemblages under increased urbanization pressure.     

The impact of climate change on the future geographical distribution range of the endemic relict tree Gleditsia caspica (Fabaceae) in Hyrcanian forests

The Caspian locust (Gleditsia caspica) is an endemic relict tree that occurs in Hyrcanian forests. Many of its habitats have been destroyed in the last half-century. This study was performed to map past geographic distributions and estimate the suitable areas and potential risks of remaining populations under future climate change. Eight bioclimatic scenarios (one with current conditions, three with future climates, and four with past conditions) were tested using the maximum entropy algorithm. The most significant factors influencing the distributions of G. caspica were precipitation in the driest month and temperature seasonality. Even under the most optimistic model (RCP2.6), many stands of G. caspica may become endangered in the eastern and central parts of the range, and the distribution of this species will probably shift to the west of the Hyrcanian forest area. Considering the increasing destruction of habitats of this species due to human activities and the expected negative effects of climate change in the future, it is recommended that nature reserves be established to protect the habitat of G. caspica. Additionally, ex situ conservation strategies, such as storing seeds using cryopreservation techniques, can ensure the long-term survival of this species in the future.     

Spatiotemporal changes of beetle communities across a tree diversity gradient

Aim Plant and arthropod diversity are often related, but data on the role of mature tree diversity on canopy insect communities are fragmentary. We compare species richness of canopy beetles across a tree diversity gradient ranging from mono‐dominant beech to mixed stands within a deciduous forest, and analyse community composition changes across space and time. Location Germany’s largest exclusively deciduous forest, the Hainich National Park (Thuringia). Methods We used flight interception traps to assess the beetle fauna of various tree species, and applied additive partitioning to examine spatiotemporal patterns of diversity. Results Species richness of beetle communities increased across the tree diversity gradient from 99 to 181 species per forest stand. Intra‐ and interspecific spatial turnover among trees contributed more than temporal turnover among months to the total γ‐beetle diversity of the sampled stands. However, due to parallel increases in the number of habitat generalists and the number of species in each feeding guild (herbivores, predators and fungivores), no proportional changes in community composition could be observed. If only beech trees were analysed across the gradient, patterns were similar but temporal (monthly) species turnover was higher compared to spatial turnover among trees and not related to tree diversity. Main conclusions The changes in species richness and community composition across the gradient can be explained by habitat heterogeneity, which increased with the mix of tree species. We conclude that understanding temporal and spatial species turnover is the key to understanding biodiversity patterns. Mono‐dominant beech stands are insufficient to conserve fully the regional species richness of the remaining semi‐natural deciduous forest habitats in Central Europe, and analysing beech alone would have resulted in the misleading conclusion that temporal (monthly) turnover contributes more to beetle diversity than spatial turnover among different tree species or tree individuals.     

Soil seed bank in different habitats of the Eastern Desert of Egypt

The floristic composition and species diversity of the germinable soil seed bank were studied in three different habitats (desert salinized land, desert wadi, and reclaimed land) in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. Moreover, the degree of similarity between the seed bank and the above-ground vegetation was determined. The seed bank was studied in 40 stands representing the three habitats. Ten soil samples (each 25 × 20 cm and 5 cm depth) were randomly taken per stand. The seed bank was investigated by the seedling emergence method. Some 61 species belonging to 21 families and 54 genera were identified in the germinable seed bank. The recorded species include 43 annuals and 18 perennials. Ordination of stands by Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) indicates that the stands of the three habitats are markedly distinguishable and show a clear pattern of segregation on the ordination planes. This indicates variations in the species composition among habitats. The results also demonstrate significant associations between the floristic composition of the seed bank and edaphic factors such as CaCO₃, electrical conductivity, organic carbon and soil texture. The reclaimed land has the highest values of species richness, Shannon-index of diversity and the density of the germinable seed bank followed by the habitats of desert wadi and desert salinized land. Motyka’s similarity index between the seed bank and the above-ground vegetation is significantly higher in reclaimed land (75.1%) compared to desert wadi (38.4%) and desert salinized land (36.5%).     

Foraging patterns of breeding Dolphin Gulls Larus scoresbii at Punta Tombo, Argentina

The Dolphin Gull Larus scoresbii is a little-known, rare species endemic to southern South America. Knowledge of its feeding ecology is essential for development of management and conservation strategies. To obtain information on their use of food resources and on the frequency and duration of their foraging trips, we followed seven individuals by radiotelemetry during the breeding season of 2002 at the Punta Tombo Reserve, Argentina. In 99% of mapped locations ( n  = 4069) the Gulls were within 2.4 km of their colony. Dolphin Gulls foraged mostly at the colonies of three other species, feeding on Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus magellanicus and Imperial Cormorant Phalacrocorax atriceps regurgitates and on Southern Sea Lion Otaria flavescens faeces. The sea lion colony was the most frequently visited foraging area, accounting for 64% of the total ( n  = 260 trips). A similar trend was observed during both the incubation (60%, n  = 38 trips) and the chick (64%, n  = 40 trips) stages. The mean number of trips per day was 3.8 (range = 3–5), with a mean duration of 123 min (sd = ±27). Trip duration differed between foraging areas, being significantly longer at the sea lion than at the penguin and cormorant colonies. The small foraging range given by its particular feeding strategy suggests that Dolphin Gulls, in contrast to most other seabirds that range over large expanses of ocean in search of food, may be effectively conserved within protected areas during the breeding season.     

Feeding activity and dietary composition of roe deer at the southern edge of their range

We studied feeding activity and dietary components of hand-reared European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Israel. Our ultimate goal was to assess habitat suitability for future reintroduction of the species, which has been locally extinct for nearly a century. Activity patterns, diet composition, and body mass of four does were monitored in two (fenced) typical east Mediterranean habitats: mature forest and scrubland recovering from fire. Food supplements were provided between trials. Throughout the year, the deer exhibited diurnal and nocturnal activity, mostly at dawn and dusk. Diet composition varied considerably between seasons and habitats, demonstrating the opportunistic flexibility of the deer. In both habitats, the deer fed on over 85% of the plant species but preferred a particular plant species or parts. In summer and early autumn, fruits and seeds became the dominant portion of their diet. In our semi-natural experimental setup, deer maintained body mass through the winter and spring. Weight loss occurred as the dry season advanced, but the animals rapidly regained mass when annuals and grasses became available following the first rains. In the east Mediterranean habitats, water availability seems more problematic for deer survival than food availability.     

Mediterranean Lithophyllum stictiforme (Corallinales,Rhodophyta) is a genetically diverse species complex: implications for species circumscription,biogeography and conservation of coralligenous habitats

Lithophyllum species in the Mediterranean Sea function as algal bioconstructors, contributing to the formation of biogenic habitats such as coralligenous concretions. In such habitats, thalli of Lithophyllum, consisting of crusts or lamellae with entire or lobed margins, have been variously referred to as either one species, L. stictiforme, or two species, L. stictiforme and L. cabiochiae, in the recent literature. We investigated species diversity and phylogenetic relationships in these algae by sequencing three markers (psbA and rbcL genes, cox2,3 spacer), in conjunction with methods for algorithmic delimitation of species (ABGD and GMYC). Mediterranean subtidal Lithophyllum belong to a well‐supported lineage, hereby called the L. stictiforme complex, which also includes two species described from the Atlantic, L. lobatum and L. searlesii. Our results indicate that the L. stictiforme complex consists of at least 13 species. Among the Mediterranean species, some are widely distributed and span most of the western and central Mediterranean, whereas others appear to be restricted to specific localities. These patterns are interpreted as possibly resulting from allopatric speciation events that took place during the Messinian Salinity Crisis and subsequent glacial periods. A partial rbcL sequence from the lectotype of L. stictiforme unambiguously indicates that this name applies to the most common subtidal Lithophyllum in the central Mediterranean. We agree with recent treatments that considered L. cabiochiae and L. stictiforme conspecific. The diversity of Lithophyllum in Mediterranean coralligenous habitats has been substantially underestimated, and future work on these and other Mediterranean corallines should use identifications based on DNA sequences.     

Regional assessment of plant invasions across different habitat types

Questions: 1. Which habitats have the highest degree of invasion? 2. Do native species-rich communities have also a high degree of invasion? 3. Do the patterns of association between native and alien species richness vary between habitats. Location: Catalonia region (NE Spain). Methods: We conducted a large regional analysis of 15655 phytosociological relevés to detect differences in the degree of invasion between European Nature Information System (EUNIS) habitats representative of temperate and Mediterranean European areas. Results: Alien species were present in less than 17 % of the relevés and represented less than 2% of the total number of species per habitat. The EUNIS habitats with the highest alien species richness were arable land and gardens followed by anthropogenic forb-rich habitats, riverine and lakeshore scrubs, southern riparian galleries and thickets and trampled areas. In contrast, the following habitats had never any alien species: surface running waters, raised and blanket bogs, valley mires, poor fens and transition mires, base-rich fens, alpine and sub-alpine grasslands, sub-alpine moist or wet tall-herb and fern habitats, alpine and sub-alpine scrub habitats and spiny Mediterranean heaths. There was a unimodal relationship between the mean native and mean alien species richness per EUNIS habitat with a high number of aliens in habitats with intermediate number of native species and a low number of aliens at both extremes of the native species gradient. Within EUNIS habitats, the relationship was positive, negative or non-significant depending on the habitat type without any clear pattern related to the number of native species. Alien species richness was not related to plot size, neither between habitats nor within habitats. Conclusions: The analysis emphasised that the habitats with a higher degree of invasion were the most disturbed ones and that in general habitats rich in native species did not harbour less invaders than habitats poor in native species.     

Community homogenization and the invasiveness of commensal species in Mediterranean afforested landscapes

The ecological consequences of homogenization remain relatively unexplored. One example of landscape-homogenizing is the establishment of plantations. We studied the effect of human-made forests by contrasting plant and small-mammal community composition between planted tree stands and adjacent natural habitat in two different Mediterranean habitats in Israel: (1) inland habitat where we focused on pine (Pinus halepensis) and carob (Ceratonia siliqua) stands, and (2) coastal sand dune habitat where we focused on planted acacia (Acacia saligna) stands. We first wanted to verify whether planted trees modify plant species composition, and second, if and how the small-mammal community is affected by the different habitat conditions created in plantations with different canopy cover. We were especially interested in the abundance of the commensal house mouse (Mus musculus). All tree stands underwent biotic homogenization indicated by abundance of house mice coupled with lower diversity of indigenous vegetation and small-mammal abundances and diversities. Habitat structural diversity was positively related with small-mammals diversity and was lower in artificial tree stands in both habitats. Our results suggest that using the abundance of commensal generalist species such as the house mouse relative to other more specialist small-mammals is a good approach to determine ecosystem integrity. Pre-commercial thinning treatment is a potential management tool to maintain a proportion of native tree species within the canopy of planted tree stands. However, until sufficient data is available for making generalizations, the exact level of thinning necessary to reverse the homogenization processes in man-made plantations and keeping indigenous small-mammal communities diverse and less prone to invasion must be determined empirically.     

Importance of semi-natural habitats for the conservation of butterfly communities in landscapes dominated by pine plantations

While the area of plantation forests continues to increase worldwide, their contribution to the conservation of biodiversity is still controversial. There is a particular concern on the central role played by natural habitat remnants embedded within the plantation matrix in conserving species-rich insect communities. We surveyed butterflies in maritime pine plantation landscapes in south-western France in 83 plots belonging to seven habitat types (five successional stages of pine stands, native deciduous woodlands and herbaceous firebreaks). The effect of plot, habitat and landscape attributes on butterfly species richness, community composition and individual species were analysed with a General Linear Model (GLM), partial Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) and the IndVal method. The most important factors determining butterfly diversity and community composition were the presence of semi-natural habitats (deciduous woodlands and firebreaks) at the landscape scale and the composition of understorey vegetation at the plot scale. Pure effects of plot variables explained the largest part of community variation (12.8%), but landscape factors explained an additional, independent part (6.7%). Firebreaks were characterized by a higher species richness and both firebreaks and deciduous woodlands harboured species not or rarely found in pine stands. Despite the forest-dominated landscape, typical forest butterflies were rare and mainly found in the deciduous woodlands. Threatened species, such as Coenonympha oedippus and Euphydryas aurinia, were found in pine stands and in firebreaks, but were more abundant in the latter. In the studied plantation forest, the conservation of butterflies depends mainly on the preservation of semi-natural habitats, an adequate understorey management and the maintenance of soil moisture levels.     

The effect of windthrow, wild fire, and management practices on epigeic Collembola in windthrown forest stands of the High Tatra Mts (Slovakia)

Epigeic communities of Collembola were studied after a windthrow in differently managed spruce forest stands in the High Tatras, Slovakia. Investigations were carried out in following treatments: reference forest stands (REF), windthrown stands left to natural regeneration (NEX), windthrown stands from which fallen wood had been extracted (EXT), and windthrown stands from which fallen wood had been removed and which had been affected by fire (FIR). A Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric ANOVA revealed significant differences of Collembola community composition and activity between the treatments studied, which was also further supported by the results from NMS ordination and cluster analysis using indicator species analysis. EXT stands had communities with remarkably high activity and diversity of Collembola, whereas FIR stands had low species richness and diversity indices compared to other treatments (REF, NEX, EXT). Windthrown stands had greater collembolan activity and diversity (NEX, EXT) than intact forest stands. However, forest specialists and bryophilous species were sensitive to forest clearing and fire disturbance and were replaced by xeroresistant and generalist species, or species preferring open habitats. The collembolan community most similar to that found in REF stands, in terms of community homogeneity and the magnitude of diversity indices, was found in NEX stands.     

Floristic diversity of the Tagdempt region,Tiaret Mountains,Algeria

Tiaret massif forest offers a very interesting model for studying the evolution of the flora in the region, with a variety of very remarkable vegetation distribution conditioned by a significant number of ecological factors (climate and anthropogenic activities). A floristic study was carried out in Tagdempt sector, characterized by semi-arid Mediterranean climate and forming a natural barrier against steppe development.The floristic analysis based on the method of Braun-Blanquet with a minimum surface of 100 m² allowed us to draw up a list of 126 species belonging to 100 genera of 40 families. The most dominant family was Asteraceae with 23 species (18.3%), followed by Fabaceae and Poaceae with 12 (9.5%) and 9 species (7.1%), respectively. Among life forms, annual herbs represented 53.2%, followed by perennial shrub species (32.5%) and finally trees (14.3%). Biogeographically, the Mediterranean was the most dominant type (49.6%), whereas other types had low percentages. Moreover, out of the plants identified, six with different status were rare (4.76%), nine were endemic (7.14%) and only five of the taxa have official protection status under the Algerian legislation (3.96%).