Vegetation connectivity increases ant activity and potential for ant‐provided biocontrol services in a tropical agroforest

In natural and managed systems, connections between trees are important structural resources for arboreal ant communities with ecosystem‐level effects. However, ongoing agricultural intensification in agroforestry systems, which reduces shade trees and connectivity between trees and crop plants, may hinder ant recruitment rates to resources and pest control services provided by ants. We examined whether increasing connectivity between coffee plants and shade trees in coffee plantations increases ant activity and enhances biological control of the coffee berry borer, the most devastating insect pest of coffee. Further, we examined whether artificial connections buffer against the loss of vegetation connectivity in coffee plants located at larger distances from the nesting tree. We used string to connect Inga micheliana shade trees containing Azteca sericeasur ant nests to coffee plants to compare ant activity before and after placement of the strings, and measured borer removal by ants on coffee plants with and without strings. Ant activity significantly increased after the addition of strings on connected plants, but not on control plants. Borer removal by ants was also three times higher on connected plants after string placement. Greater distance from the nesting tree negatively influenced ant activity on control coffee plants, but not on connected plants, suggesting that connections between coffee plants and nest trees could potentially compensate for the negative effects that larger distances pose on ant activity. Our study shows that favoring connectivity at the local scale, by artificially adding connections, promotes ant activity and may increase pest removal in agroecosystems. Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.     

The assembly and importance of a novel ecosystem: The ant community of coffee farms in Puerto Rico

Agricultural ecosystems are by their very nature novel and by definition the more general biodiversity associated with them must likewise constitute a novel community. Here, we examine the community of arboreally foraging ants in the coffee agroecosystem of Puerto Rico. We surveyed 20 coffee plants in 25 farms three times in a period of one year. We also conducted a more spatially explicit sampling in two of the farms and conducted a species interaction study between the two most abundant species, Wasmannia auropunctata and Solenopsis invicta, in the laboratory. We find that the majority of the most common species are well‐known invasive ants and that there is a highly variable pattern of dominance that varies considerably over the main coffee producing region of Puerto Rico, suggesting an unusual modality of community structure. The distribution pattern of the two most common species, W. auropunctata and S. invicta, suggests strong competitive exclusion. However, they also have opposite relationships with the percent of shade cover, with W. auropunctata showing a positive relationship with shade, while S. invicta has a negative relationship. The spatial distribution of these two dominant species in the two more intensively studied farms suggests that young colonies of S. invicta can displace W. auropunctata. Laboratory experiments confirm this. In addition to the elaboration of the nature and extent of this novel ant community, we speculate on the possibilities of its active inclusion as part of a biological control system dealing with several coffee pests, including one of the ants itself, W. auropunctata.     

蚂蚁-紫胶虫兼性互利关系对蚂蚁群落多样性的影响

为了探讨蚂蚁-紫胶虫兼性互利关系对树冠上蚂蚁群落多样性的影响,作者于2009年12月至2010年5月,采用目光搜寻的方法调查了不同紫胶虫数量样地(样地Ⅰ有效枝条寄生率为60％、样地Ⅱ为30％、样地Ⅲ为10％、样地Ⅳ不放养紫胶虫)中钝叶黄檀(Dalbergia obtusifolia)树冠蚂蚁群落的多样性.结果显示,兼性互利关系能够显著提高树冠蚂蚁群落多度及物种丰富度,改变树冠上蚂蚁的群落结构;由紫胶虫数量高低导致的蜜露产量的多寡对树冠上蚂蚁的多度和群落结构均具有显著影响,但对物种丰富度无显著影响;同时紫胶虫的个体发育阶段也是影响树冠上蚂蚁多度的重要因素.本研究证明,紫胶虫对于提高树冠上蚂蚁的多样性具有显著的正面影响,紫胶林对蚂蚁多样性保护有利.     

Resilience of the natural arthropod community on apple to external disturbance

Abstract.

• 1 A naturally evolved arthropod community in a 6-year-old apple orchard was treated with three applications of permethrin; a second naturally evolved community was studied as an untreated control. Disturbance to the community was measured with Shannon's index of species diversity for the phytophagous and beneficial portions of the community.
• 2 Initially, there was a reduction in diversity of both phytophagous and beneficial arthropods because of the insecticide. Reduction in diversity was a result of both lower number of species and lower evenness of species abundance.
• 3 Two months after the last permethrin spray, there was no difference between diversity in the phytophagous community, but the beneficial community was more diverse in the treated orchard than in the untreated control.
• 4 The year after treatment there were few differences between the phytophagous communities, but the beneficial community was more diverse in the treated orchard than in the untreated orchard in May and early June; however, by September the beneficial community was less diverse in the treated orchard.
• 5 Although diversity statistics of the phytophagous communities were similar 15 months after treatment, differences still remained with the treated community being dominated by more r-selected species and the control orchard dominated by more K-selected species.
• 6 The arthropod community on apple has a high level of stability as reflected by its resilience to a severe external disturbance. This stability would allow for large, but infrequent, disturbances for pest management and still maintain long-term ecological equilibrium in the community.

     

Effects of long‐term fox baiting on species composition and abundance in an Australian lizard community

Abstract We report on the effects of almost a decade of 1080‐fox baiting on a lizard community in a mosaic Australian habitat. Replicated comparisons of baited versus non‐baited control areas with near‐identical histories of bush fires, grazing and climate showed a higher density of red fox tracks (Canis vulpes) in the non‐baited areas. Furthermore, the fox‐baited areas showed a more than five times higher density of sand goannas (Varanus gouldii), a species that strongly overlaps the red fox in food niche breadth and is itself a direct target of fox predation, in particular its eggs and young. Exclusion of predators from a natural habitat led to significant increases in the density of small lizards, suggesting that predation can drive lizard population dynamics in this ecosystem. Replicated pitfall‐trapping in three habitats in the control areas (with high fox and low goanna density) versus the baited areas (with low fox and high goanna density) showed that fox baiting had positive effects on the density of diurnal scincid lizards in open grassland, whereas the control areas showed higher density of nocturnal gecko lizards. Our interpretation is that fox removal may result in a shift in the top predator towards the sand goanna. Historically, this indigenous, endemic species was the natural top predator. It has co‐evolved with its prey and that may have moulded it into a more efficient lizard predator per encounter than the introduced fox.     

Long‐term response of temperate canopy trees to removal of browsing from an invasive arboreal herbivore in New Zealand

Defoliation of forest tree canopies by herbivores and other agents, leading to tree mortality and reduced productivity, threatens the ecological stability of forests globally. This study shows that long‐term control of a mammalian arboreal folivore (brushtail possums; Trichosurus vulpecula Phalangeridae) reduces crown dieback and increases foliage cover in browsing‐damaged canopy trees. We monitored indices of possum density, possum browsing, tree foliage cover and crown dieback for 20 years following initiation of possum control in 1994 that repeatedly reduced possum densities to near zero every 5–6 years and kept the population below 35% of pre‐control levels over the entire period. Observable possum browsing was recorded on 20–49% of individuals of three palatable tree species at the time of first control. Those percentages fell to zero after control and never exceeded 2–10% for individual species over the next 19 years. We recorded significant increases in foliage cover attributable to recovery from defoliation by possums for all three species during the first 10 years. Large increases in foliage cover occurred on individuals that were heavily browsed in 1994 (mean increases: 36–89%), but mean population increases were modest (3–19%) because only 10–19% of trees were initially heavily browsed. Twenty‐year mortality rates were similar for plants with, or without, initial possum browsing, indicating no residual impact of pre‐control browsing on tree mortality. Times for full recovery of crown foliage cover varied from 10 years for the youngest trees and faster growing species to more than 20 years for mature individuals of the slowest growing species.     

植被和梯田对黄土高原小流域泥沙连通性的影响

黄土高原经过长期水土流失治理,泥沙问题得到有效解决,但植被恢复和梯田修建对泥沙空间输移的影响尚未完全揭示。通过土地利用数据和Landsat影像确定梯田分布和植被覆盖情况,使用能表征植被和梯田对泥沙输移的阻滞作用的植被覆盖与作物管理因子和工程因子计算泥沙连通性指数(IC),分析泥沙连通性的时空动态变化,量化植被与梯田共同影响下黄土高原第三副区典型流域泥沙连通性。调整权重因子模拟不同情景下泥沙连通性指数的计算,分析植被与梯田对泥沙连通性的单独影响。结果表明由于植被快速恢复和梯田大面积修建,IC在35年间(1986—2020年)从-3.42到-9.17显著下降。情景模拟发现,在1986—1999年间,梯田为泥沙连通性减弱主要驱动因素,1999年后植被与梯田共同作用。植被影响下的IC从1986年到2020年下降73.05%,在1986—2020年间梯田影响下IC下降26.75%。在空间上梯田及高植被覆盖度区域呈弱泥沙连通性,中下游主沟及部分支沟区域为强泥沙连通性。总体而言,植被恢复和梯田修建减弱泥沙输移能力,流域输沙路径集中于主沟中下游及部分支沟区域。研究结果有助于深化黄土丘陵区小流域植被恢复...     

Testing ant predation on the coffee berry borer in shaded and sun coffee plantations in Colombia

Soil‐dwelling ants, many of which are generalist predators, are more diverse in shaded than in sun coffee plantations without trees. We compared ant predation on the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in three shaded and three sun coffee plantations in Apía, Colombia, in both the wet and the dry seasons. We found that H. hampei adults exposed to ants for 5 days suffered higher removal in shaded plantations and in the wet season. In the laboratory, we observed that ants killed 74–99% of H. hampei adults over the course of 5 days. Ants appear to be important predators of H. hampei, particularly in shaded coffee plantations and in the wet season.     

黄河三角洲典型潮沟系统水文连通性对大型底栖动物群落结构的影响

潮沟系统水文连通是滨海湿地的关键生态过程,也是维护和修复滨海湿地的重要途径。了解水文连通性如何影响生物在生境之间的扩散潜力,对于恢复和维持区域和局地生物多样性至关重要。分别于2021年春季（5月）和秋季（10月）对黄河三角洲湿地三条水文连通梯度明显的潮沟进行野外调查和原位观测,探讨不同水文连通梯度下大型底栖动物群落的时空变化特征及其影响因素。结果表明：调查共采集大型底栖动物50种,隶属4门8纲39科45属,包括环节动物23种、软体动物18种、节肢动物5种和纽形动物1种;大型底栖动物群落密度、生物量和多样性指数春季高于秋季,春季以体型小、适应能力较强的软甲类、多毛类和双壳类为主,秋季以活动能力较强的甲壳类、腹足类为主;大型底栖动物群落物种数、密度及生物量和多样性随水文连通性的升高有升高趋势,最高值出现在中等水文连通区域。研究表明潮沟系统水文连通性对大型底栖动物的栖息生境和群落结构及多样性均具有明显的影响,但群落结构及多样性随水文连通梯度的变动规律在季节间存在差异。研究结果有助于进一步了解滨海湿地水文连通对生物群落的影响机制,并为湿地环境保护和修复提供一定科学依据。     

Evaluating community effects of a Keystone Ant,Azteca sericeasur,on Inga micheliana leaf litter decomposition in a shaded coffee agro-ecosystem

Our research examined the effect of Azteca sericeasur, a keystone arboreal ant, on the decomposition of leaf litter of the shade tree, Inga micheliana, in coffee agro-ecosystems. This interaction is important in understanding spatial heterogeneity in decomposition. We hypothesized that A. sericeasur could affect leaf litter decomposition by excluding other ants, which could release decomposers, like collembolans, from predation pressure. Determining the relative strengths of these interactions can illuminate the importance of A. sericeasur in decomposition and nutrient cycling processes. We assessed the ant and arthropod communities surrounding 10 pairs of trees, where each pair included one shade tree with an established A. sericeasur nest. Tuna baits were used in conjunction with pitfall traps to assess the ant and arthropod community, and litterbags with I. micheliana leaf litter were used to assess rates of decomposition. The species richness of ants did not change in proximity to A. sericeasur nests, though the ant communities were distinct. Abundance of Collembola and community composition of other invertebrates did not change in the presence of A. sericeasur nests, and there were no differences in leaf litter decomposition rates. This contradicts past studies that suggest A. sericeasur reduces ant species richness in its territory. We suggest that other ants may avoid A. sericeasur by moving within and beneath the leaf litter. Our results indicate that there is no net effect of A. sericeasur on leaf litter decomposition.     

紫胶园异质性栖境下的蚂蚁共存机制

为了弄清紫胶园中蚂蚁群落共存的机制,在云南省墨江县雅邑乡紫胶园中调查了蚂蚁群落组成、蚂蚁发现及掌握食物资源的能力,并探讨了蚂蚁身体大小与其在不同栖境类型中发现食物能力的相关性.紫胶园中共存的6种主要蚂蚁类群为飘细长蚁、粗纹举腹蚁、立毛举腹蚁、黑可可臭蚁、邻居多刺蚁和巴瑞弓背蚁.6种蚂蚁头宽(x)与后足长(y)呈异速生长关系,其回归方程为y=0.56+1.02x+5.97x²-10.85x³.不同种类蚂蚁在不同的栖境中发现食物资源的实际次数和相对次数均存在显著差异,但其实际掌握食物资源的次数无显著差异.头宽、身体大小指数大的蚂蚁发现简单栖境中食物资源的能力强,头窄、后足短、身体大小指数小的蚂蚁发现复杂栖境中食物资源的能力强.栖境的异质性使蚂蚁共存,身体较小的蚂蚁生活于复杂栖境中,身体较大者则生活于简单栖境中;数量占优势的蚂蚁类群不能占据所有资源,从而给其他种类蚂蚁获得资源的机会,实现共存.     

蚂蚁群落与栖境关系研究进展及新趋势

生物群落与栖境的关系是生态学研究的核心之一,蚂蚁群落由于在陆地生态系统中的生物量、分布以及具备的生态功能的重要性,是研究这种关系的理想对象。在查阅大量文献的基础上,简述了蚂蚁物种多样性与栖境关系研究现状。介绍了蚂蚁功能群划分以及在不同尺度上与栖境关系的应用研究,评述了功能群应用的限制。阐明了功能特征的定义以及基于形态特征和营养级方面的蚂蚁群落功能特征与栖境的研究,并对功能特征的研究趋势进行了展望。     

Effects of physical disturbance and canopy cover on attached diatom community structure in an Idaho stream

A field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of disturbance frequency on diatom communities established on artificial substrates within an open canopy site and a closed canopy site of a 3rd order stream. The open canopy site (OCS) had a total of 80 diatom taxa colonizing the substrates, while the closed canopy site (CCS) had only 55 taxa. Cluster analysis revealed that the two sites had distinct diatom communities, although the most common species were similar between sites. There was no effect of disturbance frequency on species diversity (H') at OCS, however species diversity significantly decreased as disturbance frequency increased at CCS. At OCS, Amphora perpusilla increased in abundance as disturbance frequency increased, while Navicula lanceolata abundance decreased as disturbance increased. At CCS, Cocconeis placentula v. euglypta remained dominant regardless of disturbance frequency. The results suggest that some diatom species may be shade adapted, which may explain the site-specific responses. In addition, diatom growth-forms may explain the within site taxon-specific responses to disturbance. For example, Achnanthes sp. and Cocconeis sp., small horizontal forms, were predominant on the high disturbance substrates. Vertical or large horizontal forms may be mechanically removed by frequent physical disturbance allowing such small horizontal forms to become abundant. Frequent disturbance, by maintaining the community in an early stage of development, directly influences the diatom assemblage on rocks in streams.     

人工固沙植被恢复对地表节肢动物群落组成及多样性的影响

人工绿洲是干旱区主要的自然景观之一,为了维护绿洲稳定而营建的防护林强烈改变地表生态水文过程,进而影响着地上和地下生物多样性。然而,以往的研究对地上植被关注较多,而对土壤动物研究较少。以张掖绿洲外围人工固沙植被群落和天然固沙植被群落为研究对象,探讨人工固沙植被恢复对荒漠地表节肢动物群落组成及多样性的影响及不同动物类群对植被变化的响应模式。研究表明,天然固沙植被群落转变为人工固沙植被群落显著降低了地表节肢动物数量,但提高了地表节肢动物类群丰富度和多样性,这在5月份表现尤为明显。植被类型对地表节肢动物群落的影响不同,8月人工柽柳林群落地表节肢动物活动密度、类群丰富度和多样性均显著高于人工梭梭林群落。人工固沙植被恢复显著降低了适应荒漠环境的拟步甲科甲虫,而蚁科和部分蜘蛛的数量显著增加,它们对人工固沙植被恢复的响应模式不同决定了群落结构及多样性的变化规律。此外,研究还发现一些地表节肢动物类群对不同生境具有强烈的指示作用,如拟步甲科等可指示荒漠生境,潮虫科等可指示梭梭林生境,而蠼螋科和狼蛛科等可指示柽柳林生境。综上所述,人工栽植固沙灌木形成的固沙植被群落导致了一些适应荒漠环境的地表节肢动物类群的数量降低,但也为更多的地表节肢动物类群提供了适应栖居环境和充足的食物资源等,从而提高了地表节肢动物的多样性。     

腾格里沙漠固沙植被区蚂蚁群落分布特征及其对土壤理化性质的影响

为了阐明固沙过程中蚂蚁群落结构分布特征及其对土壤性质的影响,在腾格里沙漠固沙植被区选取流动沙地以及5 a、8 a、34 a和57 a固沙植被区为研究样地,对不同样地蚂蚁群落的个体数、类群数以及蚁丘内外土壤理化性质进行测定,进而分析了不同样地蚂蚁群落分布特征及其与土壤因子间的关系。结果表明:(1)固沙植被区蚂蚁群落中的优势类群为掘穴蚁(Formica cunicularia),个体数占比为78.87%。(2)57 a固沙植被区蚂蚁密度显著低于8 a和34 a固沙植被区(P < 0.05);5 a固沙植被区蚂蚁类群数显著低于其他植被区(P < 0.05)。(3)57 a固沙植被区蚁丘中土壤含水量、土壤黏粒和土壤全钾显著高于非蚁丘,而土壤电导率和土壤粉粒显著低于非蚁丘(P < 0.05)。8 a和57 a固沙植被区蚁丘中土壤pH显著高于非蚁丘,8 a固沙植被区蚁丘中土壤有机碳显著高于非蚁丘,8 a和34 a固沙植被区蚁丘中土壤全氮显著高于非蚁丘(P < 0.05)。(4)蚂蚁群落组成与土壤粒径、电导率、pH、有机碳、全氮、全磷和有效磷含量的相关关系显著;偏RDA 结果表明,蚂蚁类群数是影响固沙区土壤理化性质的主要限制因子。综合表明,腾格里沙漠不同固沙年限植被区蚂蚁群落组成差异较大,更丰富的蚂蚁群落有利于改善土壤质地,促进土壤理化性质向良好的方向发展,对实现荒漠生态系统恢复起到推进作用。     

Effects of Mixed Cropping on a Soil Nematode Community in Honduras

Nematode-resistant tropical legumes are effective in reducing populations of plant-parasitic nematodes when used in rotation systems. Mixed cropping is a common practice of many small farmers in Central America, but little is known about the effects of tropical legumes on nematode communities under these systems. To examine the effects of intercropping on the nematode fauna associated with squash (Cucurbita pepo) and cucumber (Cucumis sativa) in Honduras, two field experiments were conducted to compare nematode density and diversity in soil under cucurbits grown as a monocrop with that in soil under cucurbits intercropped with alfalfa (Medicago sativa) or hairy indigo (Indigofera hirsuta). A parallel series of field tests compared soil nematode communities associated with a cucurbit monocrop and a cucurbit intercropped with marigold (Tagetes patula), which may decrease nematode populations through the production of toxic root exudates. Among all four tests, over a period of 90 days, there were no consistent differences in densities of various nematode genera or trophic groups in intercropped versus monocropped plants, nor were there consistent differences in community diversities among treatments.     

亚热带稻田弃耕湿地土壤因子对植物群落结构的影响

采用冗余分析法对弃耕一年稻田湿地生态系统的植物群落与土壤因子进行了分析.结果表明：在亚热带湿地生态系统中,土壤水分条件、有效钾、有效磷和pH是影响物种分布的最主要土壤因子.试验区的主要植物物种可以划分为3个物种组:丁香蓼-水竹叶物种组(组1)、牛鞭草-圆叶节节菜-稻槎菜物种组(组2)和小白酒草-辣蓼-双穗雀稗物种组(组3).其中,组1主要分布于土壤有效钾含量较高的区域;组2主要分布于阶段性淹水区域;组3主要分布于排水区域,且与土壤有效磷和pH呈正相关.物种多样性与土壤pH、植被地上生物量与土壤全钾含量呈显著正相关,均匀度与土壤有效氮含量呈显著负相关,与其他指标的相关性均不显著.     

夏季栾树群落冠层结构对其环境温湿度的调节作用

为探究栾树群落降温增湿作用与其冠层结构参数的相关性在一天中的变化趋势,于天气晴朗的夏季对北京奥林匹克森林公园栾树群落内部和对照点的温度、相对湿度、群落冠层结构参数进行了铡定.结果表明:栾树群落的郁闭度与叶面积指数、平均叶倾角呈显著相关,且叶面积指数与平均叶倾角呈显著相关;在夏季8:00-18:00,栾树群落可降低空气温度0.43～7.53℃,在12:00左右达到降温最大值,增加相对湿度1％ ～ 22％,且在10:00左右增湿作用最显著,而在18:00-次日8:00降温增湿效果不明显;9:00-12:00,郁闭度和叶面积指数显著影响栾树群落的降温增湿作用;12:00-14:00,仅郁闭度与降温增湿作用显著相关;直到18:00,郁闭度和叶面积指数共同决定了栾树群落的降温增湿作用.因此,影响栾树群落降温增湿作用的冠层结构参数在一天中随着时间的推移发生变化.     

麦套夏播转Bt基因棉R93-6对昆虫群落的影响

以转Bt(Bacillusthuringiensis)基因棉品系R93-6为试验材料,以中棉所16号为对照,研究了在麦套夏播条件下转基因棉对昆虫群落的影响。结果表明,转基因棉田昆虫群落、害虫和天敌亚群落的多样性指数和均匀度指数均低于常规棉田,而优势集中性则高于常规棉田,所以转基因棉田昆虫群落、害虫和天敌亚群落的稳定性不如常规棉田,某种害虫大发生的可能性较大。对季节性变化格局的研究表明,转基因棉田昆虫群落可以划分为前期(6月初至7月下旬)、中期(7月底至8月底)和后期(9月份以后)三个发展阶段,根据不同阶段害虫和天敌发生的特点, 提出了害虫综合治理的策略。即前期害虫的防治应以生物生态调控为主;中期以化学防治为主,以生物生态调控为辅,协调好生物防治和化学防治的矛盾;后期应以生物生态调控为主,并加强农业防治。