Diversity,composition, and structure of tropical dry forests in Central America

Tropical dry forests have been reduced to less than 0.1% of their original expanse on the Pacific side of Central America and are considered by some to be the most endangered ecosystem in the lowland tropics. Plots 1000 m² were established in seven tropical dry forests in Costa Rica and Nicaragua in order to compare levels of species richness to other Neotropical dry forest sites and to identify environmental variables associated with species richness and abundance. A total of 204 species and 1484 individuals 2.5 cm were encountered. Santa Rosa National Park was the richest site with the highest family (33), genera (69), and species (75) diversity of all sites. Species richness and forest structure were significantly different between sites. Fabaceae was the dominant tree and shrub family at most sites, but no species was repeatably dominant based on number of stems in all fragments of tropical dry forest. Central American dry forests had similar species richness when compared to other Neotropical forests. There was no correlation between forest cover within reserves, or precipitation and plant species richness. There was a significant correlation between anthropogenic disturbance (intensity and frequency of fire, wood collection, grazing) and total species richness, tree and shrub species richness, and liana abundance. These results suggest controlling levels on anthropogenic disturbance within reserves should be a high priority for resource managers in Central America. Further research in forest fragments which examine individual and a combination of disturbance agents would help clarify the importance of anthropogenic disturbance on species richness and abundance.     

Influence of ecological and edaphic factors on biodiversity of soil nematodes

Nematodes are the most diverse and highly significant group of soil-inhabiting microorganisms that play a vital role in organic material decomposition and nutrient recycling.Diverse geographical locations and environmental gradients show a significant impact on the diversity of nematodes. Present study aims to assess the effects of ecological (altitude, temperature, moisture) and edaphic (soil pH, nutrients, soil patches) factors on the soil nematode diversity and structure at five different landscape patches (forests, apple orchards, rice fields, pastures, and alpine zone) from ten different sites of Kashmir valley (India). Differences in the altitudinal gradients results in the shift of generic nematode population. Among the soil patches, highest nematode diversity was observed in forest soil and least in alpine soil; however, bacteriovorous nematodes dominated all the soil patches. The temperature and moisture have a significant effect on nematode diversity, the highest nematode trophic levels were observed above 21°C temperature, and 30% moisture. Nematode abundance decreased from alkaline to acidic pH of the soil. Soil nutrients such as, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) have shown a detrimental effect in nematode richness at each site, where nematode diversity and richness of genera were higher at abundant soil N and P but decreased at low soil nutrients. Ecological indices like diversity index (DI), Shannon-Wiener Index (H'), enrichment index (EI), and maturity Index (MI) values demonstrated forest soil more favourable for nematodes and high soil health status than other soil patches. This study suggested that these indices may be helpful as soil monitoring tools and assessing ecosystem sustainability and biodiversity.     

The meiofauna community of two small German streams as indicator of pollution

In order to validate the results of biomarkerstudies as tools for the assessment of smallstreams, the meiofauna community and inparticular the nematodes of two small Germanstreams (Baden-Württemberg) were analysedduring 1998. One site of Krähenbach (AB)and three sites of Körsch (KA, KD, KE) weresampled in March, May, July and November. Thelimnological analysis indicates that two sitesof Körsch (KD, KA: polluted sites) weredistinctly enriched by inorganic and organicsubstances compared with KE and AB (unpollutedsites). In the Krähenbach, nematodes,chironomids, oligochaetes and tardigradesdominated the meiofauna community (92%),whereas in the Körsch nematodes andoligochaetes were dominant (93%). The totalmeiofauna density showed seasonal patterns inboth streams. Nematodes were the most abundantgroup at the four investigated locations. Themean abundance of nematodes ranged from 28individuals per 10 cm² to 1205 individualsper 10 cm² and at least 103 species wereidentified, belonging to 25 families. Nosubstantial difference occurred in thedistribution of nematode feeding-types at thepolluted and unpolluted sites. All communitieswere clearly dominated by bacteria-feedingnematodes with percentages ranging from 70% to75%. In order to assess the sediment quality,the nematode community of each sampling sitewas interpreted using the ratio ofSecernentea/Adenophorea as well as the MaturityIndex (MI). Both the percentage of Adenophoreaand the MI decreased towards the pollutedsites, detecting a more disturbed nematodecommunity at the polluted than unpollutedsites. However, there are nematode species(e.g. Tobrilus diversipapillatus) whichdo not fit in this assessment concept. In thisstudy the disturbance of the nematode communitywas related to eutrophication, rather than tothe effect of contaminants. In summary, thisinvestigation confirmed that meiofaunaorganisms and in particular nematodes aresuitable for the assessment of the sedimentquality of running waters.     

Abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi spores in different environments in a tropical rain forest, Veracruz, Mexico

 The aim of this study was to compare mycorrhizal abundance and diversity in sites with different regimes of disturbance in a tropical rain forest at Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico. Arbuscular mycorrhizal spores were quantified at two sites: closed canopy and gaps in the forest. Data were recorded during dry, rainy, and windy ("nortes") seasons. Spores of eight Glomus species, sporocarps of three Sclerocystis species, three species of Acaulospora and two of Gigaspora were found. Significant differences in the number of species and spores were found among seasons. The highest numbers of species and spores were observed during the dry season, with a marked decrease during the rainy season. Our results show that disturbance does not but seasonality does affect abundance and richness of mycorrhizal spores in this tropical wet forest. Accepted: 11 October 1998     

Spatial and temporal variations in nematode assemblages in tropical seagrass sediments

The changes in the community dynamics of infaunal nematodes associated with tropical Australian intertidal seagrasses at 4 estuarine sites were investigated through 3 seasons (autumn, winter and spring). Nematode densities were highest in winter in all but one of the sites, ranging from 1971 to 3084 inds./10 cm², with one site showing a highest density of 3411 inds./10 cm² in spring. Multiple regression revealed significant correlations between nematode density peaks and seasonal changes in temperature, salinity and surface seagrass cover. Non-metric Multi-Dimensional Scaling revealed that the communities were characterised by relatively low within-site spatial variability but relatively high temporal variability through the three seasons. This temporal variability was largely due to significant increases in abundance of epistrate-feeding species in winter and spring. An investigation of the dominant epistrate-feeding nematodes revealed that predominantly infaunal species were responsible for overall winter and spring density increases. This study provides further evidence of the role played by temperature in regulating tropical, intertidal meiobenthic communities but also indirectly provides evidence of micro-scale seagrass canopy effects (micro-algal supply and availability) that may further enhance the impacts of these larger-scale seasonal environmental changes on the infaunal nematode community.     

Tree species richness and turnover throughout New Zealand forests

Abstract. Patterns of mortality, recruitment, and forest turnover were investigated using permanent plot data from temperate forests in 14 localities throughout New Zealand. Tree mortality and recruitment rates were calculated from tagged trees ≥ 10 cm diameter at 1.4 m on individual 400 m² plots, and turnover rates were calculated as the mean of mortality and recruitment rates. Turnover rates (1.4% per year) were very similar to those recorded for tropical forests (i.e. 1.5% per year). As was shown in tropical forests, we also found significant relationships between forest turnover and species richness. In New Zealand forests there was also a decrease in species richness and turnover rates with increasing latitude. Although species richness is well known to decline with latitude, our study provides support for a possible link between seasonality and disturbance with tree turnover and species diversity. While tree mortality and recruitment rates were approximately in balance at some localities, in others there were imbalances between mortality and recruitment rates.     

Liana diversity and distribution in four tropical dry evergreen forests on the Coromandel coast of south India

Liana diversity was inventoried in four tropical dry evergreen forest sites that are characterized by numerous trees, of short stature and small diameter, and a varying degree of anthropogenic disturbance, on the Coromandel coast of south India. A 1-ha plot was established in each of the four sites and was subdivided into 100 quadrats of 10 m× 10 m. All lianas 1 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) rooted within the plot were enumerated. The species richness and density of lianas, with respect to site disturbance and forest stature, varied across the sites. Liana density totaled 3307 individuals (range 497–1163 individuals ha^–1) and species richness totaled 39 species (range 24–29 species ha^–1) representing 34 genera and 24 families. Combretaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Capparaceae and Vitaceae were the well-represented families. The top five species Strychnos minor, Combretum albidum, Derris ovalifolia, Jasminum angustifolium and Reissantia indica contributed 55% of total density. The slopes of the species–area curves were different for each of the four sites and the curve stabilized in only one site. Of the four climbing modes recognized among the total 39 species, 18 were twiners (56% of the total density). Eight species (24% of density) were tendril climbers and 12 species (16% of density) were scramblers. Hugonia mystax was the only hook climber. All the 39 species and 88% of liana density were encountered within a category of 6 cm dbh or less, and a similar pattern prevailed in the individual sites. Of the three diaspore dispersal modes found among the 39 liana species, animal (64%) and wind (23%) dispersal were predominant over the autochorous mode (13%). Liana diversity and distribution in dry forest communities appear to be influenced by forest stature and site disturbance levels. In the light of the extent of liana diversity and sacred grove status of the study sites, the need for forest conservation, involving local people, is emphasized.     

Biodiversity surrogacy: indicator taxa as predictors of total species richness in Brazilian Atlantic forest and Caatinga

The use of indicator taxa as biodiversity surrogates has received widespread attention in conservation planning, but remains a highly contentious issue. Here we assess biodiversity surrogacy in the two most important biomes of tropical northeastern Brazil, Atlantic forest and Caatinga. We examine the extent to which species richness is correlated among taxonomic groups, and assess relationships between the richness of individual groups, and combinations of groups and total species richness. We introduce a new approach to dealing with autocorrelation between focal taxon richness and total species richness, using standardized data such that each taxon is given equal weight. Our Atlantic forest data covered seven taxa (bryophytes, pteridophytes, trees, ants, euglosine bees, birds, and mammals; total of 768 species) sampled from 12 sites; in Caatinga it was four taxa (trees, spiders, beetles and ants; total of 184 species) from 25 sites. Our results showed that: (1) in nearly all cases the species richnesses of individual taxa were significantly correlated with each other; (2) the species richnesses of most individual taxa were significantly correlated with total species richness in both biomes; (3) only two taxa were required for excellent (R ² > 80%) surrogacy of total species richness in both biomes; and (4) the same two taxa (trees and ants) can provide reasonable (R ² > 60%) surrogacy for total richness in these contrasting biomes. Our findings therefore suggest that the ‘shopping basket of taxa’ required for effective biodiversity surrogacy may not only need to be very small (two taxa), but may also be very limited in composition.     

Diversity of forest plant species at the community and landscape scales in Switzerland

Abstract

Conservation strategies increasingly refer to indicators derived from large biological data. However, such data are often unique with respect to scale and species groups considered. To compare richness patterns emerging from different inventories, we analysed forest species richness at both the landscape and the community scales in Switzerland. Numbers of forest species were displayed using nationwide distributional species data and referring to three different definitions of forest species. The best regression models on a level of four predictor variables ranged between adj. R ² = 0.50 and 0.66 and revealed environmental heterogeneity/energy, substrate (rocky outcrops) and precipitation as best explanatory variables of forest species richness at the landscape scale. A systematic sample of community data (n = 729; 30 m², 200 m², 500 m²) was examined with respect to nationwide community diversity and plot species richness. More than 50% of all plots were assigned to beech forests (Eu-Fagion, Cephalanthero-Fagion, Luzulo-Fagion and Abieti-Fagion), 14% to Norway spruce forests (Vaccinio-Piceion) and 13% to silver fir forests (Piceo-Abietion). Explanatory variables were derived from averaged indicator values per plot, and from biophysical and disturbance factors. The best models for plot species richness using four predictor variables ranged between adj. R ² = 0.31 and 0.34. Light (averaged L-indicator, tree canopy) and substrate (averaged R-indicator and pH) had the highest explanatory power at all community scales. By contrast, the influence of disturbance variables was very small, as only a small portion of plots were affected by this factor. The effects of disturbances caused by extreme events or by management would reduce the tree canopies and lead to an increase in plant species richness at the community scale. Nevertheless, such community scale processes will not change the species richness at the landscape scale. Instead, the variety of different results derived from different biological data confirms the diversity of aspects to consider. Therefore, conservation strategies should refer to value systems.     

Long-term Disturbance Effects in the Nematode Communities of South Mississippi Woodlands

The effects of soil disturbance on the nematode community were assessed at 30 sites on the outer coastal plain of Mississippi, representing four ages since soil disturbance plus a control group of six undisturbed sites. Thirty-five taxa were encountered, dominated in abundance and taxonomic richness by plant and bacterial feeders. Nematodes were more abundant and more taxonomically rich in sites with a low slope and deep litter cover, distant from trees. Plant feeders were more numerous at sites with a dense herb cover, suggesting limitation by food availability. When sites were arranged as a chronosequence, herb cover, litter depth, soil organic matter, soil moisture, and tree canopy cover increased through time consistent with succession to forest. The abundance of most trophic groups decreased in the 10 to 20 years following disturbance and increased thereafter, a pattern repeated in taxonomic richness of plant and bacterial feeders. Fifty years after disturbance, nematode abundance had not returned to levels observed in control sites. These results suggest that nematode succession following soil disturbance is a gradual process regulated by establishment of aboveground vegetation. There was no evidence of dispersal limitation or facilitation by colonist nematode species.     

锦鸡儿属灌丛化对草原化荒漠区土壤线虫群落组成和代谢足迹的影响

调查了内蒙古草原化荒漠区3种锦鸡儿[垫状锦鸡儿(Caragana tibetica)、荒漠锦鸡儿(C.roborovskyi)和狭叶锦鸡儿(C.stenophylla)]灌丛内、外土壤线虫群落多样性、组成和代谢足迹,以及相关的土壤理化性质和植物群落特征,旨在探讨锦鸡儿属灌丛对土壤线虫群落的影响,并分析这种影响是否具有灌木种间差异,同时从线虫功能团水平上探究灌丛如何通过非生物因素和生物因素影响线虫群落组成。结果表明：锦鸡儿属灌丛对土壤线虫多度、丰富度和多样性无显著影响,但却显著影响土壤线虫群落组成。原因是灌丛对土壤线虫群落具有物种选择性;灌丛可能主要是通过根系分泌物、凋落物质量等因素,而不是通过土壤理化性质和林下植物影响线虫群落组成。土壤线虫组成的变化引起线虫代谢足迹发生明显变化。灌丛内土壤线虫功能代谢足迹大于灌丛外(除狭叶锦鸡儿外),说明灌丛内土壤线虫群落对碳的利用率更高。3种锦鸡儿属灌木中,狭叶锦鸡儿的结构代谢足迹最大,表明狭叶锦鸡儿对捕食杂食类线虫代谢活性的促进作用更强。土壤线虫组成的变化通过线虫代谢足迹导致土壤食物网结构发生显著性变化。狭叶锦鸡儿灌丛土壤干扰程度低,营养富集状况好...     

The herb community of a tropical forest in central Panamá: dynamics and impact of mammalian herbivores

Mammals are hypothesized to either promote plant diversity by preventing competitive exclusion or limit diversity by reducing the abundance of sensitive plant species through their activities as browsers or disturbance agents. Previous studies of herbivore impacts in plant communities have focused on tree species and ignored the herbaceous community. In an experiment in mature-phase, tropical moist forest sites in central Panamá, we studied the impact of excluding ground-dwelling mammals on the richness and abundance of herbs in 16, 30×45-m plots. Within each plot, we censused the herbaceous community in 28, 2×2-m subplots (1,792 m² total area sampled). We identified over 54 species of herbs averaging 1.21 ramets m⁻² and covering approximately 4.25% of the forest floor. Excluding mammals for 5 years had no impact on overall species richness. Within exclosures, however, there was a significant two-fold increase in the density of rare species. Overall herbaceous density and percent cover did not differ between exclosures and adjacent control plots, although cover did increase over time. Mammalian exclusion significantly increased the total cover of three-dominant herb species, Pharus latifolius, Calathea inocephala, and Adiantum lucidum, but did not affect their density. This study represents one of the most extensive herbaceous community censuses conducted in tropical forests and is among a few that quantify herbaceous distribution and abundance in terms of both density and cover. Additionally, this work represents the first community level test of mammalian impacts on the herbaceous community in a tropical forest to date. Our results suggest that ground dwelling mammals do not play a key role in altering the relative abundance patterns of tropical herbs in the short term. Furthermore, our results contrast sharply with prior studies on similar temporal and spatial scales that demonstrate mammals strongly alter tree seedling composition and reduce seedling density. Thus, we question the pervasiveness of top–down control on tropical plant communities and the paradigm that defaunation will inexorably lead to widespread, catastrophic shifts in plant communities.     

Soil nematode biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems

A review of the literature on nematode diversity (=number of species identified) of soil inhabiting nematodes was undertaken and analysed with regard to distance from the equator, vegetation type and sampling effort. After applying a correction factor for sampling effort the results indicated that species richness was greatest in temperate broadleaf forest (61.7 species per sample) followed by cultivated soil, grassland, tropical rainforest, temperate coniferous forests and polar vegetation. The maintenance of high biodiversity in cultivated soils is unexpected but may reflect the impact of dominance in calculating many indices. Species richness was greatest between latitudes 30–40° (93.9 species per sample) and least above 70°, the mean richness near the equator (i.e. 0–10°) was 80.6 species per sample. While these data would suggest that nematode diversity is not necessarily greatest at the equator, and evidence to support a 'humped back' theory of species richness is not conclusive, they contradict the suggestion that nematode diversity increases with increased latitude.     

氮沉降对土壤线虫群落影响的研究进展

综述了主要陆地生态系统(草原、农田和森林)土壤线虫群落对氮沉降增加的响应格局和机制。总体上,氮沉降增加对线虫数量一般无显著影响,但增加了土壤中富集机会主义者(即低营养级的r-策略者)数量,降低了线虫群落成熟度指数(MI),表明氮沉降增加可能会使土壤食物网简化。氮沉降增加主要通过改变土壤微环境(如增加含氮离子浓度、降低土壤pH)直接影响土壤线虫群落,或者改变植物地上地下资源的输入和线虫与其他土壤动物的关系,间接影响线虫群落。最后,根据目前研究现状,指出了当前研究存在的局限性,包括研究时间和空间尺度上以及研究技术手段上的局限。建议综合多个全球环境变化因子,并结合室内试验及分子手段的方法对土壤线虫群落进行研究。     

雪被厚度对色季拉山急尖长苞冷杉林土壤线虫群落的影响

为了解雪被覆盖对青藏高原高寒森林土壤线虫群落的影响,选取藏东南色季拉山急尖长苞冷杉林为研究区,采用高通量测序技术分析不同雪被厚度0、10、20、30 cm下土壤线虫群落特征。结果表明：随着雪被增厚,有机质和全氮含量显著降低(P<0.05),全钾含量显著升高(P<0.05)。雪被增厚对线虫群落Shannon指数、Simpson指数、Pielou指数以及成熟度指数、线虫通路比值(NCR)均未产生显著影响,但NCR值有升高的趋势。雪被增厚使刺嘴纲(Enoplea)及食细菌性线虫的相对丰度增多,同时使20 cm和30 cm雪被下土壤线虫群落结构发生显著变化(P<0.05)。土壤有机质、全氮和全钾含量是影响土壤线虫群落的最关键的3个土壤环境因子。研究表明雪被厚度会对青藏高原色季拉山急尖长苞冷杉林土壤线虫群落产生影响,雪被增厚意味着较为稳定和温暖的土壤环境,利于土壤细菌数量增加,继而利于土壤有机质分解及钾的释放,为刺嘴纲及食细菌性线虫的增多提供了资源与环境条件。目前仍需对青藏高原地区土壤进行系统调查,以更深入的了解该生态脆弱区土壤线虫分布及其响应环境变化的规律。     

Granite Rock Outcrops: An Extreme Environment for Soil Nematodes?

We studied soil nematode communities from the surface of granite flatrock outcrops in the eastern Piedmont region of the United States. The thin soils that develop here experience high light intensity and extreme fluctuations in temperature and moisture and host unique plant communities. We collected soils from outcrop microsites in Virginia (VA) and North Carolina (NC) in various stages of succession (Primitive, Minimal, and Mature) and compared soil properties and nematode communities to those of adjacent forest soils. Nematodes were present in most outcrop soils, with densities comparable to forest soils (P > 0.05). Nematode communities in Mature and Minimal soils had lower species richness than forest soils (P < 0.05) and contained more bacterial-feeders and fewer fungal-feeders (P < 0.05). Primitive soils contained either no nematodes (NC) or only a single species (Mesodorylaimus sp., VA). Nematode communities were similar between Mature and Minimal soils, according to trophic group representation, MI, PPI, EI, SI, and CI (P > 0.05). Forest soils had a higher PPI value (P < 0.05), but otherwise community indices were similar to outcrop soils (P > 0.05). Outcrop nematode communities failed to group together in a Bray-Curtis cluster analysis, indicating higher variability in community structure than the Forest soils, which did cluster together. A high proportion of the nematodes were extracted from outcrop soils in coiled form (33-89%), indicating that they used anhydrobiosis to persist in this unique environment.     

Assessing the disturbance impact on vegetation and lizard communities of fluoride pollution interacting with fire and mining in eastern Australia

The effects of atmospheric fluoride pollution on the lizard fauna of the open forest of coastal dunes in New South Wales, Australia were examined. Lizards were pitfall-trapped at sites with background fluoride levels (< 0.25 μmol F.g^–1), or subject to low (1.85–3.4 μmol F.g^–1) or high (8.00–13.2 μmol F.g^–1) levels of fluoride pollution. Sites had been disturbed by fire or mineral sand-mining 4 or 8 years prior to the study. Fluoride pollution resulted in significant changes to canopy cover, understorey vegetation density and ground cover. Where fluoride levels were low in unmined forest, there was significantly higher species richness, total lizard abundance and abundance of the most common species, Lampropholis guichenoti and Lampropholis delicata (Scincidae), compared with areas of high or background fluoride levels. Both the present and previous studies show that fluoride pollution is significantly correlated with increased abundance of the most common lizard species in sand-mined areas, Ctenotus robustus, Ctenotus taeniolatus (Scincidae) and Amphibolurus muricatus (Agamidae). A discriminant function model of background-fluoride mined sites was used to predict lizard abundances based on vegetation density, leaf litter density and soil hardness. The model was verified by using it to predict similarities between background-fluoride sites and fluoride-affected sites. The sites within each predicted group were more similar in lizard species composition than when grouping of sites was done by time since mining or fire. With this analysis, a close relationship between vegetation variables and the lizard fauna, irrespective of the type of disturbance or time since disturbance, is demonstrated. Discriminant function analysis suggested that Ctenotus would be unlikely to use unmined forest sites that had been burned within 12 months previously. Thus it seems unlikely that the original open forest of these coastal dunes would have supported populations of either C. robustus or C. taeniolatus. In conclusion, the original source of Ctenotus that colonized sand-mined areas is more likely to have been the relatively small areas of heath vegetation in the area. Therefore, sand-mining and atmospheric fluoride pollution result in landscape-scale changes to the relative abundance of lizard species, with forest species becoming less common and lizard species from open areas becoming more common.     

Initial response of understorey vegetation to fire severity and salvage‐logging in the southern boreal forest of Québec

Abstract. In this study we compared the effects of fire on understorey vegetation in the Québec southern boreal forest with effects of salvage‐logging (clear‐cutting after fire). All 61 400‐m² sampling sites were controlled for overstorey composition (Deciduous, Mixed and Coniferous) and disturbance type, which consisted of three fire impact severity (FIS) classes (Light, Moderate and Extreme) and two harvesting techniques (Stem‐only and Whole‐tree Harvesting). Percent‐cover data of vegetation and post‐disturbance environmental characteristics were recorded in the field during the first two years after fire as well as soil texture. Ordination of fire alone demonstrated that, on Coniferous sites, fire initiates a succession whereby the understorey Coniferous sites approaches that of Deciduous‐Mixed sites, due to the release of the understorey from Sphagnum spp. dominance, this pattern being a function of FIS. On Deciduous‐Mixed stands, increased FIS resulted in a transition from herb to shrub dominance. Ordination of all five disturbance types showed that the impact of salvage‐logging on understorey composition was within the range of fire, but marginalized to the extreme end of the FIS spectrum. Variance partitioning demonstrated that overstorey and soil texture were the most important explanatory variables of fire alone, while disturbance type explained the largest independent fraction of understorey variation when salvage‐logging was introduced. Salvage‐logging also results in significant reductions in understorey abundance, richness and diversity, while indicator species analysis suggests that it favours mesoxerophytic to xeric species. Results are interpreted in light of shade‐tolerance dynamics, forest floor disturbance and soil moisture regimes. Implications for sustainable forest management are discussed.     

Effects of Degradation and Replacement of Southern Brazilian Coastal Sandy Vegetation on the Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

In this paper we address the effects of anthropogenic disturbance and replacement of Brazilian Coastal sandy vegetation (restingas) on dung beetles communities. We sampled dung beetles in the four main vegetative physiognomies of Guriri Island, Espírito Santo State: forest restinga, restinga Clusia, disturbed restinga (from burning events), and pastures. We placed four sets of two pitfall traps (baited with horse and human dung) in four independent areas of each vegetation type, and collected 14,534 individuals of 13 dung beetle species. Neither log₁₀ of individuals nor log₁₀ of species richness were good predictors of restinga disturbance. However, a significant amount of variation in dung beetle abundance and richness could be explained by bait type. Ordination of these sites using hybrid multidimensional scaling revealed a gradient of habitat disturbance from undisturbed restinga samples to pasture. Dung beetle communities along this gradient demonstrated a complete turnover in species composition, from restinga‐specialists to invasive and generalists species respectively. This complete turnover signals the local extirpation of forest‐adapted species in disturbed and converted areas. Only a single dung beetle species in preserved restingas is protected by Brazilian law (Dichotomius schiffleri). Given the extent of the clearing of restinga habitat, the conservation status of dung beetles associated with restinga forest gives cause for concern.     

High Bird Species Diversity in Structurally Heterogeneous Farmland in Western Kenya

Tropical ecosystems are globally important for bird diversity. In many tropical regions, land‐use intensification has caused conversion of natural forests into human‐modified habitats, such as secondary forests and heterogeneous agricultural landscapes. Despite previous research, the distribution of bird communities in these forest‐farmland mosaics is not well understood. To achieve a comprehensive understanding of bird diversity and community turnover in a human‐modified Kenyan landscape, we recorded bird communities at 20 sites covering the complete habitat gradient from forest (near natural forest, secondary forest) to farmland (subsistence farmland, sugarcane plantation) using point counts and distance sampling. Bird density and species richness were on average higher in farmland than in forest habitats. Within forest and farmland, bird density and species richness increased with vegetation structural diversity, i.e., were higher in near natural than in secondary forest and in subsistence farmland than in sugarcane plantations. Bird communities in forest and farmland habitats were very distinct and very few forest specialists occurred in farmland habitats. Moreover, insectivorous bird species declined in farmland habitats whereas carnivores and herbivores increased. Our study confirms that tropical farmlands can hardly accommodate forest specialist species. Contrary to most previous studies, our findings show that structurally rich tropical farmlands hold a surprisingly rich and distinct bird community that is threatened by conversion of subsistence farmland into sugarcane plantations. We conclude that conservation strategies in the tropics must go beyond rain forest protection and should integrate structurally heterogeneous agroecosystems into conservation plans that aim at maintaining the diverse bird communities of tropical forest‐farmland mosaics.