Ecosystem function and species loss – a microcosm study

There are too many kinds of organisms to be able to study and manage each, yet the loss of a single species can sometimes unravel an ecosystem. Such `fusewire species'– critical in the same sense that an electrical fuse can cut out a whole circuit – would be a rewarding focus for research and management effort. However, this approach can only be effective if these `fusewires' represent but a small proportion of the number of species in the system.  

Aim

To demonstrate methods for measuring what proportion of the species in a system are critical to ecosystem function.  

Methods

The prevalence of fusewire species was measured in manipulative experiments on an aquatic microcosm.  

Results

No single genus deletion caused changes in key characteristics of the system.  

Main conclusions

Comparison of these results with other published studies shows that the proportion of critical fusewire species varies amongst different ecosystems. The oxidation pond microcosms were shown to contain no single species indispensable to system function. They appear to be ill-suited to a management strategy which focuses on priority eukaryote species. However, a single study provides no evidence that this result is general or even typical of other kinds of ecosystems; it is presented here as an empirical model. Other methods of investigation are available; they are less experimentally rigorous but more practical. These could provide important guidance in planning an approach to management in a particular ecosystem.     

Phytogeography of the bryophyte floras of oak forests and páramo of the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica

Aim Central America is a biogeographically interesting area because of its location between the rich and very different biota of North and South America. We aim to assess phytogeographical patterns in the bryophyte floras of oak forests and páramo of the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica. Location Tropical America, in particular the montane area of Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica. Methods The analysis is based on a new critical inventory of the montane bryophyte flora of Cordillera de Talamanca. All species were assigned to phytogeographical elements on the basis of their currently known distribution. Absolute and percentage similarities were employed to evaluate floristic affinities. Results A total of 401 species [191 hepatics (liverworts), one hornwort, 209 mosses] are recorded; of these, 251 species (128 hepatics, one hornwort, 122 mosses) occur in oak forests. Ninety‐three per cent of all oak forest species are tropical in distribution, the remaining 7% are temperate (4%) and cosmopolitan (3%) species. The neotropical element includes almost 74% of the species, the wide tropical element (pantropical, amphi‐atlantic, amphi‐pacific) only 19%. A significant part of the neotropical species from oak forests are species with tropical Andean‐centred ranges (27%). As compared with bryophyte species, vascular plant genera in the study region are represented by fewer neotropical, more temperate and more amphi‐pacific taxa. Bryophyte floras of different microhabitats within the oak forest and epiphytic bryophyte floras on Quercus copeyensis in primary, early secondary and late secondary oak forest show a similar phytogeographical make‐up to the total oak forest bryophyte flora. Comparison of oak forest and páramo reveals a greater affinity of the páramo bryophyte flora to temperate regions and the great importance of the páramo element in páramo. Surprisingly, oak forests have more Central American endemics than páramo. Main conclusions (1) Providing first insights into the phytogeographical patterns of the bryophyte flora of oak forests and páramo, we are able to confirm general phytogeographical trends recorded from vascular plant genera of the study area although the latter were more rich in temperate taxa. (2) Andean‐centred species are a conspicuous element in the bryophyte flora of Cordillera de Talamanca, reflecting the close historical connection between the montane bryophyte floras of Costa Rica and South America. (3) High percentages of Central American endemics in the bryophyte flora of the oak forests suggest the importance of climatic changes associated with Pleistocene glaciations for allopatric speciation.     

Potential effects of elevated carbon dioxide on leaf-feeding forest insects

The elevated concentration of atmospheric CO₂ may result in a decline of leaf nutritional quality (especially N) and an increase in some kinds of defensive secondary components (such as phenolics). The changes in the phytochemistry of trees, combined with the effect of elevated CO₂ per se, have a potential negative influence on insect herbivores. Here, we review the effect of elevated CO₂ on the performance of leaffeeding forest insects at individual-level and community-level. The elevated CO₂ per se have little influence on the metabolism of insects. Over half of the tree-insect experimental systems show that the performance of individual insect become poorer under high-CO₂ grown trees; but the others show that the insects have just little or no response to the treatments. The direction and magnitude of the changes in the performance of insects could be mediated by various factors. The effects of treatment are strongly species-dependent. The magnitude of changes in the phytochemistry, the sensitivity and adaptive capacity of insects to the poorer leaf quality, the differences in plant growth conditions and experimental methods, and the mediated effects of other environmental factors (such as soil nutrient availability, light, temperature, O₃) were all closely related to the final performance of insects. However, the larvae’s consumption usually increased under enriched CO₂ treatment, which was widely thought to be a compensatory response to poorer plant quality. The experiments on forest community-level found identically a reduction in herbivory, which was contrary to the results from small-scale experiments. The changes in insect population and the actual response of consumption by leaf-feeding forest insects under CO₂ enrichment remain unclear, and more field-based experiments need to be conducted. __________ Translated from Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2006, 17(4): 720–726 [译自: 应用生态学报]     

Changes in the origin and quality of soil organic matter after pasture introduction in Rondônia (Brazil)

We examined the effects of the conversion of tropical forest to pasture on soil organic matter (SOM) origin and quality along a chronosequence of sites, including a primary forest and six pastures. Bulk soil samples received a physical size-fractionation treatment to assess the contribution of each compartment to total SOM pool. Besides a general increase in total C and N stocks along the chronosequence, we observed a reduction of the relative contribution of the coarser fractions to total soil C content, and an increased concentration in the finer fractions. The origin of the C in each size fraction was established from measurements of¹³C abundance. After 80 years about 93% of the C in the least humified fraction of the top 10 cm of soil was of pasture origin, while in the most humified it was 82%. Chemical analyses indicated that the fine silt and coarse clay fractions contained the most refractory carbon.     

Influences of logging history and riparian forest characteristics on macroinvertebrates and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in headwater streams (New Hampshire, U.S.A.)

1. Logging can strongly affect stream macroinvertebrate communities, but the direction and magnitude of these effects and their implications for trout abundance are frequently region‐specific and difficult to predict. 2. In first‐order streams in northern New England (U.S.A.) representing a chronosequence of logging history (<2 to >80 years since logging), we measured riparian forest conditions, stream macroinvertebrate community characteristics and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) abundance. Principal component analysis was used to collapse forest data into two independent variables representing variation in logging history, riparian forest structure and canopy cover. We used these data to test whether logging history and associated forest conditions were significant predictors of macroinvertebrate abundance and functional feeding group composition, and whether brook trout abundance was related to logging‐associated variation in invertebrate communities. 3. Catchments with high PC1 scores (recently logged, high‐density stands with low mean tree diameter) and low PC2 scores (low canopy cover) had significantly higher total macroinvertebrate abundance, particularly with respect to chironomid larvae (low PC2 scores) and invertebrates in the grazer functional feeding group (high PC1 scores). In contrast, proportional representation of macroinvertebrates in the shredder functional feeding group increased with time since logging and canopy cover (high PC2 scores). Brook trout density and biomass was significantly greater in young, recently logged stands (high PC1 scores) and was positively related to overall macroinvertebrate abundance. In addition, three variables – trout density, invertebrate abundance and shredder abundance – successfully discriminated between streams that were less‐impacted versus more‐impacted by forestry. 4. These results indicate that timber harvest in northern New England headwater streams may shift shredder‐dominated macroinvertebrate communities supporting low trout abundance to a grazer/chironomid‐dominated macroinvertebrate community supporting higher trout abundance. However, while local effects on brook trout abundance may be positive, these benefits may be outweighed by negative effects of brook trout on co‐occurring species, as well as impairment of habitat quality downstream. Research testing the generality of these patterns will improve understanding of how aquatic ecosystems respond to anthropogenic and natural trajectories of forest change.