Summer vegetation, deglaciation and the anomalous bird diversity gradient in eastern North America

Aim Geographic variation in the species richness of birds has been shown to be strongly associated with annual water and energy levels (actual evapotranspiration, AET) at the global scale. However, the gradient in eastern North America appears to be anomalous, because richness is greatest around the Great Lakes, whereas AET is highest in the south‐eastern US. Here I examine if birds may be responding to vegetation produced during the breeding season rather than to annual production. Location North America east of longitude 98° W. Methods The bird richness pattern was examined using climatic variables, remotely sensed estimates of annual and seasonal plant biomass, and time since areas were exposed by the retreating Laurentide ice sheet from 20,000 to 6000 yr bp . Results Average summer GVI (Global Vegetation Index, derived from NDVI) was found to be positively linearly associated with richness, explaining 82% of the variance, whereas the relationships between richness and annual measures of both AET and GVI were curvilinear. The pattern of retreat of the Laurentide ice sheet explained an additional 6% of the variance in richness, consistent with a previous analysis of Canadian birds. Main conclusions In eastern North America, a seasonal variable associated with plant production explains the diversity gradient rather than the annual measures, but it does not undermine a general conclusion that bird diversity is closely linked with plant biomass. Further, both contemporary and historical factors appear to influence the gradient, and an association between bird richness and the geographic pattern of glacial retreat is detectable in both climatic and plant‐biomass models of bird diversity.     

Large-scale biogeographic patterns of vascular plant richness in North America: an analysis at the generic level

The richness pattern of native vascular plants in North America (north of Mexico) was studied at the generic level. North America was divided into thirteen geographical regions, which were latitudinally grouped into four horizontal zones (northern, north-middle, south-middle, and southern zones); and longitudinally grouped into three vertical zones (eastern, central, and western zones). The native vascular flora of North America consisted of 1904 genera in 235 families and eighty-three orders. Along the latitudinal gradient, generic richness (in terms of the number of genera) showed a striking increase with decreasing latitude. The southern zone had more than four times as many genera as did the northern zone (with a difference of 1436 genera). 93.3% of genera in the northern zone also occurred in the southern zone. Along the longitudinal gradient, the central zone had the highest generic richness and the eastern zone had the lowest, but the difference in generic richness between the two zones was only sixty-one genera. The western and eastern zones shared 60% or more of their genera. Generic richness of vascular plants in North America was highly correlated ( r =0.965) to available environmental energy (expressed by annual potential evapotranspiration).     

Temporal bird community dynamics are strongly affected by landscape fragmentation in a Central American tropical forest region

Habitat loss and fragmentation are considered the main causes of species extinctions, particularly in tropical ecosystems. The objective of this work was to evaluate the temporal dynamics of tropical bird communities in landscapes with different levels of fragmentation in eastern Guatemala. We evaluated five bird community dynamic parameters for forest specialists and generalists: (1) species extinction, (2) species turnover, (3) number of colonizing species, (4) relative species richness, and (5) a homogeneity index. For each of 24 landscapes, community dynamic parameters were estimated from bird point count data, for the 1998–1999 and 2008–2009 periods, accounting for species’ detection probability. Forest specialists had higher extinction rates and a smaller number of colonizing species in landscapes with higher fragmentation, thus having lower species richness in both time periods. Alternatively, forest generalists elicited a completely different pattern, showing a curvilinear association to forest fragmentation for most parameters. Thus, greater community dynamism for forest generalists was shown in landscapes with intermediate levels of fragmentation. Our study supports general theory regarding the expected negative effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on the temporal dynamics of biotic communities, particularly for forest specialists, providing strong evidence from understudied tropical bird communities.     

Species richness and phylogenetic diversity of seed plants across vegetation zones of Mount Kenya,East Africa

Mount Kenya is of ecological importance in tropical east Africa due to the dramatic gradient in vegetation types that can be observed from low to high elevation zones. However, species richness and phylogenetic diversity of this mountain have not been well studied. Here, we surveyed distribution patterns for a total of 1,335 seed plants of this mountain and calculated species richness and phylogenetic diversity across seven vegetation zones. We also measured phylogenetic structure using the net relatedness index (NRI) and the nearest species index (NTI). Our results show that lower montane wet forest has the highest level of species richness, density, and phylogenetic diversity of woody plants, while lower montane dry forest has the highest level of species richness, density, and phylogenetic diversity in herbaceous plants. In total plants, NRI and NTI of four forest zones were smaller than three alpine zones. In woody plants, lower montane wet forest and upper montane forest have overdispersed phylogenetic structures. In herbaceous plants, NRI of Afro‐alpine zone and nival zone are smaller than those of bamboo zone, upper montane forest, and heath zone. We suggest that compared to open dry forest, humid forest has fewer herbaceous plants because of the closed canopy of woody plants. Woody plants may have climate‐dominated niches, whereas herbaceous plants may have edaphic and microhabitat‐dominated niches. We also proposed lower and upper montane forests with high species richness or overdispersed phylogenetic structures as the priority areas in conservation of Mount Kenya and other high mountains in the Eastern Afro‐montane biodiversity hotspot regions.     

Spatial Pattern of Vascular Plant Diversity in North America North of Mexico and its Floristic Relationship with Eurasia

This paper reports: (1) patterns of taxonomic richness of vascularplants in North America (north of Mexico), an area accountingfor 16.6% of the total world land, in relation to latitudinaland longitudinal gradients; (2) floristic relationships betweendifferent latitudinal zones, longitudinal zones, and geographicregions of North America; and (3) floristic relationships betweenNorth America and Eurasia at various geographic scales. NorthAmerica was geographically divided into twelve regions, whichwere latitudinally grouped into four zones, each with threeregions, and longitudinally grouped into three zones, each withfour regions. The native vascular flora of North America consistsof 162 orders, 280 families, 1904 genera and 15352 species.Along the latitudinal gradient, species richness shows a strikingincrease with decreasing latitude (e.g. the northernmost latitudinalzone has only 11.7% of the number of species in the southernmostlatitudinal zone). However, about 63% of the species of thenorthernmost latitudinal zone are also present in the southernmostlatitudinal zone of North America. Among the three longitudinalzones, the zone on the Pacific coast has 1.48 and 1.64-timesas many species as the zones in the interior and on the Atlanticcoast, respectively. About 36% of the species in the zone ofthe Atlantic coast also occur in the Pacific coast zone. However,each of over 40% of the species in North America occupies lessthan 10% of the total land area of North America. Some 48% ofthe genera and 6.5% of the species of North America are alsonative to Eurasia. In general, the number of genera common toNorth America and Eurasia increased from the north to the southand from the west to the east of North America, whereas thenumber of species common to the two continents decreased alongthe same two geographic gradients.Copyright 1999 Annals of BotanyCompany Asia, biodiversity, Europe, floristic similarity, latitudinal and longitudinal gradients, North America, taxonomic richness.     

Bird community composition across an Andean tree‐line ecotone

Few studies have found strong evidence to suggest that ecotones promote species richness and diversity. In this study we examine the responses of a high‐Andean bird community to changes in vegetation and topographical characteristics across an Andean tree‐line ecotone and adjacent cloud forest and puna grassland vegetation in southern Peru. Over a 6‐month period, birds and vegetation were surveyed using a 100 m fixed‐width Distance Sampling point count method. Vegetation analyses revealed that the tree‐line ecotone represented a distinctive high‐Andean vegetation community that was easily differentiated from the adjacent cloud forest and puna grassland based on changes in tree‐size characteristics and vegetation cover. Bird community composition was strongly seasonal and influenced by a pool of bird species from a wider elevational gradient. There were also clear differences in bird community measures between tree‐line vegetation, cloud forest and puna grassland with species turnover (β‐diversity) most pronounced at the tree‐line. Canonical Correspondence Analysis revealed that the majority of the 81 bird species were associated with tree‐line vegetation. Categorizing patterns of relative abundance of the 42 most common species revealed that the tree‐line ecotone was composed primarily of cloud forest specialists and habitat generalists, with very few species from the puna grassland. Only two species, Thlypopsis ruficeps and Anairetes parulus, both widespread Andean species more typical of montane woodland vegetation edges, were categorized as ecotone specialists. However, our findings were influenced by significant differences in species detectability between all three vegetation communities. Our study highlights the importance of examining ecotones at an appropriate spatial and temporal scale. Selecting a suitable distance between sampling points based on the detection probabilities of the target bird species is essential to obtain an unbiased picture of how ecotones influence avian richness and diversity.     

Impacts of an invasive willow (Salix × rubens) on riparian bird assemblages in south‐eastern Australia

We explored how a woody plant invader affected riparian bird assemblages. We surveyed 15 200‐m‐long transects in riparian zones in a much‐changed landscape of eastern Victoria, Australia. Abundance, species‐richness, foraging‐guild richness and composition of birds were compared in transects in three habitat types: (i) riparian zones dominated by the invasive willow Salix × rubens; (ii) riparian zones lined with native woody species; and (iii) riparian zones cleared of almost all woody vegetation. We also measured abundance and richness of arthropods and habitat structure to explore further the effects of food resources and habitat on the avifauna. We observed 67 bird species from 14 foraging guilds. Native riparian transects had more birds, bird species and foraging guilds than willow‐invaded or cleared transects. Habitat complexity increased from cleared to willow‐invaded to native riparian transects, as did abundance of native and woodland‐dependent birds. Native shrub and trees species had more foliage and branch‐associated arthropods than did willows, consistent with a greater abundance and variety of foraging guilds of birds dependent on this resource. Willow spread into cleared areas is unlikely to facilitate greatly native bird abundance and diversity even though habitat complexity is increased. Willow invasion into the native riparian zone, by decreasing food resources and altering habitat, is likely to reduce native bird biodiversity and further disrupt connectivity of the riparian zone.     

Tropical niche conservatism and the species richness gradient of North American butterflies

Aim We explore the potential role of the ‘tropical conservatism hypothesis’ in explaining the butterfly species richness gradient in North America. Its applicability can be derived from the tropical origin of butterflies and the presumed difficulties in evolving the cold tolerance required to permit the colonization and permanent occupation of the temperate zone. Location North America. Methods Digitized range maps for butterfly species north of Mexico were used to map richness for all species, species with distributions north of the Tropic of Capricorn (Extratropicals), and species that also occupy the tropics (Tropicals). A phylogeny resolved to subfamily was used to map the geographical pattern of mean root distance, a metric of the evolutionary development of assemblages. Regression models and general linear models examined environmental correlates of overall richness and for Extratropicals vs. Tropicals, patterns in summer vs. winter, and patterns in northern vs. southern North America. Results Species in more basal subfamilies dominate the south, whereas more derived clades occupy the north. There is also a ‘latitudinal’ richness gradient in Canada/Alaska, whereas in the conterminous USA richness primarily varies longitudinally. Overall richness is associated with broad‐ and mesoscale temperature gradients. The richness of Tropicals is strongly associated with temperature and distance from winter population sources. The richness of Extratropicals in the north is most strongly correlated with the pattern of glacial retreat since the more recent Ice Age, whereas in the south, richness is positively associated with the range of temperatures in mountains and the presence of forests but is negatively correlated with the broad‐scale temperature gradient. Main conclusions The tropical conservatism hypothesis provides a possible explanation for the complex structure of the species richness gradient. The Canada/Alaska fauna comprises temperate, boreal and tundra species that are nevertheless constrained by cold climates and limited vegetation, coupled with possible post‐Pleistocene recolonization lags. In the USA tropical species are constrained by temperature in winter as well as recolonization distances in summer, whereas temperate‐zone groups are richer in cooler climates in mountains and forests, where winter conditions are more suitable for diapause. The evolution of cold tolerance is key to both the evolutionary and ecological patterns.     

The impact of logging on the abundance, species richness and community composition of butterfly guilds in Borneo

Abstract:  The impact of logging on the relative abundance, species richness and community composition of four butterfly guilds (generalists, herb specialists, liana specialists and tree specialists) was assessed in differentially disturbed logging treatments located within the province of Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. Logging affected the overall butterfly composition by increasing the dominance of liana specialists at the expense of tree specialists and increasing the species richness of herb specialists and, to a lesser extent, generalists. There was no significant difference, however, in the species richness of liana specialists or tree specialists across logging treatments. The species composition of all guilds differed significantly among logging treatments with the greatest difference between unlogged forest and road sites with older and recently logged forest intermediate between these extremes. Our results indicate that logging has a disparate effect on abundance and species richness within each butterfly guild. We suggest that shifts in the dominance of butterfly guilds are due to large-scale logging-induced changes in vegetation, particularly in relation to liana abundance. The higher butterfly species richness in logged areas on the other hand is probably because of butterfly species associated with open areas entering the logged forest from roads or other large open areas.     

Effects of grassland management on overwintering bird communities

Birds that depend on grassland and successional-scrub vegetation communities are experiencing a greater decline than any other avian assemblage in North America. Habitat loss and degradation on breeding and wintering grounds are among the leading causes of these declines. We used public and private lands in northern Virginia, USA, to explore benefits of grassland management and associated field structure on supporting overwintering bird species from 2013 to 2016. Specifically, we used non-metric multidimensional scaling and multispecies occupancy models to compare species richness and habitat associations of grassland-obligate and successional-scrub species during winter in fields comprised of native warm-season grasses (WSG) or non-native cool-season grasses (CSG) that were managed at different times of the year. Results demonstrated positive correlations of grassland-obligate species with decreased vegetation structure and a higher percentage of grass cover, whereas successional-scrub species positively correlated with increased vegetation structure and height and increased percentages of woody stems, forb cover, and bare ground. Fields of WSG supported higher estimated total and target species richness compared to fields of CSG. Estimated species richness was also influenced by management timing, with fields managed during the previous winter or left unmanaged exhibiting higher estimated richness than fields managed in summer or fall. Warm-season grass fields managed in the previous winter or left unmanaged had higher estimated species richness than any other treatment group. This study identifies important winter habitat associations (e.g., vegetation height and field openness) with species abundance and richness and can be used to make inferences about optimal management practices for overwintering avian species in eastern grasslands of North America. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Wildlife Management Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Wildlife Society.     

Species Richness, Community Specialization and Soil-Vegetation Relationships of Managed Grasslands in a Geologically Heterogeneous Landscape

The increasing importance of the conservation value of managed grasslands has led to many studies exploring edaphic determinants of grassland biodiversity. Most studies, however, come either from very large areas, where biogeographical factors such as dispersal limitation may play a role, or from small, but ecologically rather uniform, regions. In addition, few studies further distinguish between plant specialists and generalists in the interpretation of the observed patterns. Here we studied species richness in semi-natural, managed grasslands in the Strá?ovské vrchy Mountains in the West Carpathians, Slovakia, where there is a matrix of different bedrocks (crystalline, sandstone, claystone, limestone) on a steep altitudinal gradient. In 89 vegetation plots we sampled the species composition of vascular plants and bryophytes and measured soil chemistry, slope angle, heat index, altitude and soil depth. We further applied Ellenberg indicator values and classified species into community specialists or generalists based on the analysis of a large phytosociological database. Using cluster analysis, we delimited five vegetation types that clearly differed in response to soil characteristics. Species richness varied between 19 and 64 species per 16?m². The main compositional gradient correlated with measured soil pH and calcium, but species richness was not significantly correlated with these factors. Soil available phosphorus was not associated with species composition as has been found elsewhere, but it did correlate negatively with species richness and the richness of specialists. Overall, species richness was largely driven by the number of specialists in the plot and particular vegetation types differed conspicuously in their number. We further found significant effects of iron, potassium and sodium on species richness, species composition and the representation of specialists and generalists. Our results provide new insights into the determinants of diversity in managed grasslands as well as to the theoretical species pool concept, explaining species richness variation along a pH gradient.     

Insights on the functional composition of specialist and generalist birds throughout continuous and fragmented forests

A decline in species number often occurs after forest fragmentation and habitat loss, which usually results in the loss of ecological functions and a reduction in functional diversity in the forest fragments. However, it is uncertain whether these lost ecological functions are consistently maintained throughout continuous forests, and so the importance of these functions in continuous forests remains unknown. Point counts were used to assess both the taxonomic and functional diversity of specialist and generalist birds from sampling in a continuous primary forest compared with forest fragments in order to investigate the responses of these groups to forest fragmentation. We also measured alpha and beta diversity. The responses of specialists and generalists were similar when we assessed all bird species but were different when only passerines were considered. When examining passerines we found lower total taxonomic beta diversity for specialists than for generalists in the continuous forest, while taxonomic beta diversity was higher in the fragmented forest and similar between bird groups. However, total functional beta‐diversity values indicated clearly higher trait regularity in continuous forest for specialists and higher trait regularity in fragments for generalists. Specialists showed significantly higher functional alpha diversity in comparison with generalists in the continuous forest, while both groups showed similar values in fragments. In passerines, species richness and alpha functional diversity of both specialist and generalist were explained by forest connectivity; but, only fragment size explained those parameters for specialist passerines. We suggest that considering subsets of the community with high similarity among species, as passerines, provides a better tool for understanding responses to forest fragmentation. Due to the regularity of specialists in continuous forest, their lost could highly affect functionality in forest fragments.     

Contrasting effects of habitat quantity and quality on moth communities in fragmented landscapes

Habitat loss is commonly identified as a major threat to the loss of global biodiversity. In this study, we expand on our previous work by addressing the question of how lepidopteran species richness and composition vary among remnants of North American eastern deciduous forest located within agricultural or pastoral landscapes. Specifically, we tested the relative roles of habitat quantity (measured as stand area and percent forest in the greater landscape) and habitat quality (measured as tree species diversity) as determinants of moth species richness. We sampled >19 000 individuals comprising 493 moth species from 21 forest sites in two forested ecoregions. In the unglaciated Western Allegheny Plateau, the species richness of moths with woody host plants diminished as forest stand size and percent forest in the landscape decreased, but the total species richness and abundance of moths were unaffected by stand size, percent forest in the landscape, or tree species diversity. In contrast, the overall species richness and abundance of moths in the glaciated North Central Tillplain were affected primarily by tree species diversity and secondarily by forest size. Higher tree species diversity may reduce species loss from smaller forest stands, suggesting that small, diverse forests can support comparable numbers of species to those in less diverse, large stands. Smaller forests, however, contained a disproportionate number of moth species that possess larvae known to feed on herbaceous vegetation. Thus, although woody plant feeding moths are lost from forests with changes in stand area, new species appear capable of recolonizing smaller fragments from the surrounding habitat matrix. Our study further suggests that when species replacement occurs, local patch size and habitat quality may be more important than landscape context in determining the community structure of forest Lepidoptera.     

Species diversity and structure of phytophagous beetle assemblages along a latitudinal gradient: predicting the potential impacts of climate change

Abstract.  1. Assemblages of phytophagous beetles on Acacia were examined along a 1150 km latitudinal gradient in eastern Australia to investigate the potential effects of climate change on insect communities. The latitudinal gradient was used as a surrogate for differences in temperature. Several possible confounding variables were held constant by selecting comparable sites and emphasising a single host-plant species.
2. Total species richness increased towards the tropics, but there were no significant differences among latitudes for average species density, species richness, Fisher's α , or average Chao-1 index.
3. Beetles sampled along the gradient were classified into four climate change response groups, depending on their latitudinal range and apparent host specificity: cosmopolitan species, generalist feeders , climate generalists , and specialists . These four groups might respond differently to shifting climate zones. Cosmopolitan species (22% of community, found at more than one latitude and on more than one host plant) may be resilient to climate change. Generalist feeders (16%, found only at one latitude but found on more than one Acacia species) may well feed on several species but will have to move with their climatic envelope. Climate generalists (6%, found only on Acacia falcata but found at more than one latitude) may be constrained by the host species' ability to either cope with the changing climate or move with it. Finally, specialists (55%, found only on A. falcata and at only one latitude) may be forced to move poleward concurrently with their host species, or go extinct.
4. The analyses indicate that community structure may be fairly resilient to temperature change. The displacement or local extinction of species, especially the species that are found at only one latitude and on only one host plant, however, may lead to significant changes in community composition.     

Spatial congruence between ecotones and range-restricted species: implications for conservation biogeography at the sub-continental scale

Aim To examine whether at a sub‐continental scale range‐limited species tend to occur close to areas of transition between vegetation boundaries more often than expected by chance. Location South Africa and Lesotho. Methods We examined the relationship between the distance of a grid square to ecological transition areas between vegetation types and both avian and frog range‐limited species richness in the quadrat. We used quadrats at a spatial resolution of quarter degree (15′ × 15′≈ 676 km²). Spatial congruence between areas representing range‐restricted species and those representing ecological transition zones was assessed using a random draw technique. Results Species richness and range size rarity are generally negatively correlated with distance to transition areas between vegetation communities when analysed for the whole region for both groups. Although this relationship becomes weaker after controlling for environmental energy and topographical heterogeneity, the explanatory power of distance to transition areas remains significant, and compared to the different biomes examined, accounts for most of the variation in bird richness (20%), frog richness (18%), range‐restricted bird species (17%) and range‐restricted frog species (16%) in the savanna biome. The random draw technique indicated that areas representing range‐restricted species were situated significantly closer in space to those areas representing transition areas between vegetation communities than expected by chance. Main conclusions We find that at the sub‐continental scale, when examined for South Africa, areas of transition between vegetation communities hold concentrations of range‐limited species in both birds and frogs. We find that South African endemic/range‐limited birds and frogs are located closer to ecological transition zones than endemics and non‐endemics combined. This has important implications for ongoing conservation planning in a biogeographical context.     

How forest edge-center transitions in the herb layer interact with beech dominance versus tree diversity

Aims Forest fragmentation and the associated augmentation of forest edge zones are increasing worldwide. Forest edges are characterized by altered plant species richness and community composition. As the tree layer and its species composition has been shown to influence herb layer composition, changes in tree species composition or richness may weaken or strengthen edge effects in forest ecosystems. We studied effects of the edge–center transition, tree species composition and their potential interaction on the understory vegetation in the Hainich National Park, Germany's largest connected deciduous forest, allowing to cover large edge–center transects.Methods We established 12 transects in an area of 75 km 2 of continuous forest, 6 beech-dominated and 6 in multispecies forest stands. Each transect reached from the forest edge up to 500 m into the forest interior. Vegetation relevés were conducted in regular, logarithmic distances along each transect.Important findings Herb species richness was influenced by an interaction of edge effects and tree diversity level. With increasing distance from the forest edge, herb species richness remained constant in multispecies forest stands but rapidly decreased in beech-dominated forest stands. Further, herb richness was higher in the interior of multispecies forest stands. Percent forest specialists increased and percent generalists decreased with distance from the edge and this contrasting pattern was much more pronounced in beech-dominated transects. By using structural equation modeling, we identified litter depth mediated by tree species composition as the most important driver of herb layer plant species richness.     

Remnant Trees Affect Species Composition but Not Structure of Tropical Second-Growth Forest

Remnant trees, spared from cutting when tropical forests are cleared for agriculture or grazing, act as nuclei of forest regeneration following field abandonment. Previous studies on remnant trees were primarily conducted in active pasture or old fields abandoned in the previous 2–3 years, and focused on structure and species richness of regenerating forest, but not species composition. Our study is among the first to investigate the effects of remnant trees on neighborhood forest structure, biodiversity, and species composition 20 years post-abandonment. We compared the woody vegetation around individual remnant trees to nearby plots without remnant trees in the same second-growth forests (“control plots”). Forest structure beneath remnant trees did not differ significantly from control plots. Species richness and species diversity were significantly higher around remnant trees. The species composition around remnant trees differed significantly from control plots and more closely resembled the species composition of nearby old-growth forest. The proportion of old-growth specialists and generalists around remnant trees was significantly greater than in control plots. Although previous studies show that remnant trees may initially accelerate secondary forest growth, we found no evidence that they locally affect stem density, basal area, and seedling density at later stages of regrowth. Remnant trees do, however, have a clear effect on the species diversity, composition, and ecological groups of the surrounding woody vegetation, even after 20 years of forest regeneration. To accelerate the return of diversity and old-growth forest species into regrowing forest on abandoned land, landowners should be encouraged to retain remnant trees in agricultural or pastoral fields.     

Birds in the matrix: the role of agriculture in avian conservation in the Taita Hills,Kenya

Agricultural conversion of tropical forests is a major driver of biodiversity loss. Slowing rates of deforestation is a conservation priority, but it is also useful to consider how species diversity is retained across the agricultural matrix. Here, we assess how bird diversity varies in relation to land use in the Taita Hills, Kenya. We used point counts to survey birds along a land‐use gradient that included primary forest, secondary vegetation, agroforest, timber plantation and cropland. We found that the agricultural matrix supports an abundant and diverse bird community with high levels of species turnover, but that forest specialists are confined predominantly to primary forest, with the matrix dominated by forest visitors. Ordination analyses showed that representation of forest specialists decreases with distance from primary forest. With the exception of forest generalists, bird abundance and diversity are lowest in timber plantations. Contrary to expectation, we found feeding guilds at similar abundances in all land‐use types. We conclude that whilst the agricultural matrix, and agroforest in particular, makes a strong contribution to observed bird diversity at the landscape scale, intact primary forest is essential for maintaining this diversity, especially amongst species of conservation concern.     

Species richness in plant genera disjunct between temperate eastern Asia and North America

The species richness of 109 amphi-Pacific disjunct genera was examined in eastern Asia and North America. Although the entire flora of eastern Asia contains approximately one-third more species than that of North America, the difference in species richness among disjunct taxa is less. When woody and herbaceous genera are considered separately, the former exhibit a strong diversity bias favouring eastern Asia whereas there is no significant difference in diversity between continents among herbaceous genera. This result is not due to habitat differences between woody and herbaceous genera, because the disjunct herbs inhabit primarily moist forests and woodlands. This result is also not related to relative phylogenetic advancement, even though older major lineages of plants tend to have a predominance of woody taxa. Woody genera are distributed in lower latitudes than herbaceous genera on both continents, and both woody and herbaceous genera are distributed in lower latitudes in eastern Asia than in North America. The North American temperate flora is primarily a relict of a flora form 7 more widespread throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Contemporary patterns of diversity suggest that the effects of climate changes in the late Tertiary were less severe in eastern Asia and promoted diversification, but were more severe in North America and may have caused widespread extinction. The difference in the effect of climate change on diversity in herbaceous and woody lineages reflects the different ecological relationships of species having these contrasting life forms. Clearly, the contemporary floras of eastern Asia and North America bear the imprint of history and emphasize the important interface between ecological relationships and evolutionary responses.     

Distribution of carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) across a forest-grassland ecotone in southwestern China

This paper studied the occurrence of carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the forest edge, the adjacent forest interior, and the surrounding grassland in southwestern China. Beetles were collected with pitfall traps along five replicated transects. Forest species rarely penetrated into the grassland from the forest interior, and the grassland specialists were not found in the forest interior. The forest edge hosted additional species from the adjacent grassland that increased its overall species richness. Nearly all forest species (23 of 24 species) and grassland species (13 of 15 species) can be found in the forest edge. Carabids of the forest edge were more similar to those of the forest interior than to those of the grassland by ordination and cluster analysis. Based on the specificity and fidelity, carabids can be distinguished into five species groups: habitat generalists, grassland-associated species, forest generalists, forest specialists, and edge-associated species. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that canopy cover and/or shrub cover were the most important factors in determining the richness, abundance, and diversity of carabids. The forest edge may serve as a transition zone for dispersal and re-colonization of carabid beetles from adjacent habitats and therefore is important for natural conservation.