Pulling the threads together: habitat diversity

The dependence of fungi on host and habitat is emphasized and the reticulate pattern of the interactions explored. Habitat diversity, often defined by the vascular plant element, vertebrate and invertebrate associations, and non-phanerogamic mutualisms are considered. The role of man especially in changes in habitat availability is stressed. Infraspecific variability is mentioned. The diversity of habitats is as much a part of the Rio Convention as molecular, cellular and organismal variation.     

Altitude, habitat and tropical insect diversity

Sample size and species richness of a series of light-trap samples taken in a number of localities in the Republic of Panama are given. Species richness as well as sample size decreased gradually with increasing altitude over a 100–2200 m range, in contrast to data from the literature which demonstrated a maximum at intermediate elevations. It is suggested that differences in technique, especially the continuous nature of the sampling in the present case are responsible for this discrepancy. Moderate human disturbance, which leaves a relatively high tree species diversity in the area has a surprisingly little, if any, effect on insect diversity. A large perturbation of the environment does, however, decrease species richness of the insect fauna.     

麦积山风景区不同生境类型蝶类的多样性

于2003~2004年对麦积山地区不同生境类型中蝴蝶多样性进行调查研究。依据海拔高度、气候、土壤和植被的不同将该地区的蝴蝶生境划分为3种类型:林缘山地、森林林地、裸岩。共收集蝴蝶3950只,隶属8科43属64种。计算了3种生境类型中蝶类物种丰富度、相似性系数、多样性指数。其中,蝴蝶物种丰富度由大到小为森林林地(8·8359)>林缘山地(6·1442)>裸岩(1·4711),物种多样性指数由大到小为森林林地(H'=1·4068)>裸岩(H'=0·9746)>林缘山地(H'=0·9201);森林林地和林缘山地的相似性系数最高(0·2221),其次是林缘山地和裸岩(0·0869),森林林地和裸岩相似性系数最低(0·0656)。     

Effects of structural diversity and identity of patches of habitat on diversity of benthic assemblages

A fundamental problem in ecology, regardless of habitat or system, is understanding the relationship between habitats and assemblage of organisms. It is commonly accepted that differences in composition and surrounding landscape of habitats affect the diversity of assemblages, although there is not much empirical evidence because of difficulties of manipulating structure in many habitats. These relationships were examined experimentally, using habitats of artificial turfs that are colonized by diverse assemblages of gastropods. Each habitat was made of nine sub‐habitats, which were sampled individually to allow tests of hypotheses about the effect of type of habitat and the influence of other adjacent sub‐habitats on the colonizing assemblage. Turf habitats were deployed for 8 weeks on a rocky shore after which they were collected and the colonizing assemblages of gastropods sampled. Independently of the types of turfs combined to form different habitats, there were more species where there was more than one type of component in a habitat (i.e. structural diversity). The type of habitat (i.e. structural identity) itself had little or no influence on the colonizing assemblage. The number of species colonizing short‐sparse and short‐dense turfs was influenced by which type of habitat was adjacent. Thus, when units of one type (e.g. short‐sparse turf) were added to a patch of habitat of long‐sparse turfs, the number of species in short‐sparse turfs was greater than in patches of the same type. This also increased total number of taxa in the whole patch of habitat. These results show how diversity of gastropods colonizing heterogeneous patches of habitat is influenced not only by the number of types of sub‐habitats, but also by interactions with surrounding sub‐habitats. These findings reiterate the importance of investigating the role of structure of habitats and of their surrounding landscapes across different systems, irrespective of their size or associated assemblages of organisms.     

青海祁连地区不同生境类型蝶类多样性研究

于1997－1999年对青海祁连地区不同生境类型中蝴蝶多样性进行了研究。研究中依据海拔高度、气候、土壤和植被的不同将该地区的蝴蝶生境划分为5种类型：山缘农田、山地草原、森林草原、高寒灌丛草甸、裸岩。共收集蝴蝶4367只,隶属于6科35属53种,计算了5种生境类型中蝶类物种丰富度、相似性系数、多样性指数,其中,蝶类物种丰富度由小到大的顺序为：裸岩（6种）＜山地草原（13种）＜森林草原（14种）＜高寒灌丛草甸（22种）＜山缘农田（H′＝2.7071）、高寒灌丛草甸（H′=2.7734）;森林草原和山缘农田的相似性系数最高（0.3704）,其次为山地草原和高寒灌丛草甸（0.2500,裸岩与其他生境类型的相似性系数最低。     

城市化对蝴蝶多样性的影响:以重庆市为例

2005年5–10月,自重庆市沙坪坝区到北碚区沿城市生境梯度选取了5个断面(沙坪公园、南溪口、回头坡、鸡公山和缙云山),进行蝴蝶取样调查。共采获蝴蝶4,802只,隶属11科41属65种。统计分析表明,东方菜粉蝶(Pieriscanidia)、菜粉蝶(P.rapae)和酢浆灰蝶(Pseudozizeeriamaha)等3种为优势种,青凤蝶(Graphiumsarpedon)、宽边黄粉蝶(Euremahecabe)、连纹黛眼蝶(Lethesyrcis)、黄钩蛱蝶(Polygoniac-aureum)、点玄灰蝶(Tongeiafilicaudis)和直纹稻弄蝶(Parnaraguttata)等9种为常见种。多样性指数变化趋势为缙云山>回头坡>鸡公山>南溪口>沙坪公园。沿城市生境梯度,从人为干扰较大的沙坪公园(城市化水平较高的代表)到人为干扰较小的缙云山(城市化水平较低的代表),蝴蝶多样性指数基本呈递增趋势,且植被种类丰富度越高、覆盖率越高、日照量越高的生境,蝴蝶种类和数量越多,蝴蝶多样性指数也越高。蝴蝶的多样性特征可以作为城市生境质量和环境变化的指标。     

物种多样性对栖息地毁坏时间异质性的响应

栖息地毁坏是物种多样性丧失最重要的因素之一.通过多物种竞争共存的非自治动力模型,利用香农多样性指数,研究并比较了不同结构集合种群群落的物种多样性对不同程度和不同速度的栖息地毁坏时间异质性的响应.结果表明:在栖息地瞬间毁坏下,物种多样性先快速下降,之后得到一定程度的恢复,最终在下降中走向平衡;在栖息地持续完全毁坏下,栖息地毁坏速度对物种多样性随累积栖息地毁坏率变化的影响,只有在最强物种多度 (q)较小时比较明显,而在q较大时较小;对于栖息地持续部分毁坏,栖息地毁坏速度只影响物种多样性振荡的幅度,而不影响其变化的最终结果,并且速度越快,物种多样性振荡幅度越大,越不利于群落的稳定.     

Ecological drivers of avian diversity in a subtropical landscape: Effects of habitat diversity,primary productivity and anthropogenic disturbance

Understanding the roles of ecological drivers in shaping biodiversity is fundamental for conservation practice. In this study, we explored the effects of elevation, conservation status, primary productivity, habitat diversity and anthropogenic disturbance (represented by human population density and birding history) on taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional avian diversity in a subtropical landscape in southeastern China. We conducted bird surveys using 1‐km transects across a total of 30 sites, of which 10 sites were located within a natural reserve. Metrics of functional diversity were calculated based on six functional traits (body mass, clutch size, dispersal ratio, sociality, diet and foraging stratum). We built simultaneous autoregression models to assess the association between the ecological factors and diversity of the local avian communities. Local avian diversity generally increased with increasing habitat diversity, human population density and primary productivity. We also detected phylogenetic and functional clustering in these communities, suggesting that the avian assemblages were structured mainly by environmental filtering, rather than interspecific competition. Compared with sites outside the natural reserve, sites within the natural reserve had relatively lower avian diversity but a higher level of phylogenetic heterogeneity.     

甘肃小陇山林区不同生境类型蝶类多样性研究

于2006～2008年对甘肃小陇山林区不同生境类型中蝴蝶多样性进行了调查研究,研究中依据植被的不同将该林区的蝴蝶生境划分为6种类型:人工林、灌木丛和次生林、居民农田、针阔混交林、落叶阔叶林、针叶林。共获得蝴蝶标本5365只,隶属于11科116属210种。计算了6种生境类型中蝶类物种丰富度、相似性系数和多样性指数。不同生境中,灌木丛和次生林蝶类物种的多样性指数、丰富度和个体数量较高,人工林物种多样性指数、丰富度和个体数量较低;人工林与针叶林之间的相似性系数(0.4194)最高,针阔混交林与落叶阔叶林的相似性系数(0.2951)次之,人工林与灌木丛和次生林之间的相似性系数(0.0769)最低,表明各生境之间蝶类相似性系数很低。     

若尔盖不同生境植物多样性与植物竞争强度和生态位重叠度的关系

植物多样性与植物竞争强度和生态位重叠度的关系会随环境发生变化。为探究上述关系在若尔盖地区的表现形式,于2021年8月对若尔盖地区典型的水生、湿生、湿生-中生和中生植物群落进行调查,构建了新的植物竞争强度（Competition intensity,CI）公式并进行测算,计算了植物群落的植物多样性指数（包括物种丰富度、Shannon-Weiner指数、Simpson指数和Pielou均匀度指数）和生态位重叠度（Niche overlap of species,NOS）,分析了植物群落物种多样性指数与CI和NOS的关系。结果表明：1）从水生到中生生境,植物多样性指数均呈增加趋势（P<0.05）;2）湿生-中生生境的CI显著高于湿生生境（P<0.05）,湿生生境的NOS高于水生生境（P<0.05）;CI与NOS无显著相关性,但在湿生生境中两者呈倒抛物线关系（P<0.05）。3）整体来看,植物群落的物种丰富度与CI呈抛物线关系（P<0.05）,与NOS无显著关系（P>0.05）;Shannon-Weiner指数、Simpson指数和Pielou均匀度指数均与NOS呈线性正相关（P<0.05）,与CI无显著关系（P>0.05）;从单个生境看,湿生-中生生境的Simpson指数、Shannon-Weiner指数和Pielou均匀度指数与CI呈线性负相关（P<0.05）,其余生境的上述多样性指数与CI无显著关系（P>0.05）;各生境的植物多样性指数均与NOS无显著相关性（P>0.05）。本研究表明,从水生到中生生境,若尔盖地区的植物多样性呈增加趋势,但植物多样性与物种竞争强度和生态位重叠度的关系较复杂。本研究结果有助于理解若尔盖高原植物多样性的形成机制。     

Spider diversity in a tropical habitat gradient in Chiapas, Mexico

This paper presents an assessment of spider diversity in a complex landscape of southern Mexico. Eighteen different habitats were identified, measured and mapped across this fragmented landscape. Habitat types were characterized by measuring various features, including number of plant forms, tree cover and litter depth. Each month from February to April (dry season) and from June to August 2002 (wet season), spiders were sampled on each habitat by using pitfall traps and direct collection. Correlations between spider diversity and habitat characteristics were carried out to explore the relative contribution of each habitat variable as related to changes in spider composition and richness. In total, 115 spider species were recorded in 18 habitat types, and the mean number and density of species per habitat were 21 (± 3, standard error of mean) and 57 (± 9), respectively. The species recorded represent 41% of the fauna recorded in the Mexican state of Chiapas and 4% of the fauna recorded in Mexico. Relatively pristine habitats (e.g. deciduous forest) contained an important proportion of spider diversity in this fragmented landscape. Epigean spider diversity was significantly correlated with tree cover and with the diversity of plant forms during the rainy season. No correlation was detected between soil spider diversity and the habitat variables measured for any season. The results of this work suggest that in highly fragmented tropical landscapes, some habitat types (e.g. coffee plantations, hedgerows) might play an important role for the persistence of spider populations. The prevalence of relatively stable conditions in some of these habitats can allow spiders species (e.g. Nephila clavipes ) to overcome adverse conditions such as a decrease in humidity and dramatic changes in temperature and wind exposure, allowing them to recolonize when favourable conditions return.     

青海玉树高原不同生境类型蝶类群落结构与多样性

2016年和2017年的5—8月,在玉树市选取森林、灌木、高寒灌丛、高寒草甸草原和裸岩5种生境进行蝴蝶种类资源和群落多样性的调查,共记录到蝶类个体数1580头,62种,隶属于7科40属。其中古北界19种,占总种数的30%,东洋界2种,占总种数的3%,两界共有种(广布种) 41种,占总种数的67%。蛱蝶科(535只)个体数量最多,占蝶类个体总数的34%。计算并分析了5种生境中蝴蝶多样性指数(H')、优势度指数(D)、物种丰富度指数(R)、均匀度指数(J)和相似性系数(I),结果表明:灌木生境具有最高的多样性指数,较高均匀度指数和物种丰富度指数以及最低的优势度指数;高寒草甸草原蝶类的多样性指数、均匀度指数、物种丰富度指数均为最低,而优势度指数最高。     

罗霄山脉翼手目物种多样性及适生区预测

罗霄山脉位于中国大陆东南部, 是一条南北走向的大型山脉, 面积约6.76万km²。该山脉位于欧亚大陆东部季风区, 生物多样性丰富, 是亚洲东部第三纪冰期动物重要的避难所。为了解罗霄山脉翼手目物种多样性状况, 本研究组于2013-2018年, 使用雾网、手网和竖琴网等工具开展了针对性调查与标本采集, 同时运用形态分类学和分子系统发生学方法鉴定物种。根据调查结果并结合文献记载: 罗霄山脉地区现有翼手目物种4科14属40种, 其中罗霄山脉翼手目新记录种25种, 省级翼手目分布新记录种9种。同时, 本研究基于5年的调查采集位点, 使用生物多样 性与气候变化虚拟实验室(the Biodiversity & Climate Change Virtual Laboratory)在线生境预测平台, 对罗霄山脉翼手目物种当前的适生区, 以及3种不同量温室气体排放情景下(representative concentration pathway, RCP 2.6 / 6.0 / 8.5) 2050年的适生区进行预测, 其中随机森林算法(random forest)的模型解释力较优, 其预测结果显示: 影响该区域翼手目分布的主要环境因子为降水季节性和年平均温度; 山脉中部及南部为翼手目的高适生区, 面积约为罗霄山脉的30%; 与当前适生区相比, RCP 2.6情景下2050年该类群适生区有所扩增, RCP 6.0和RCP 8.5情景下均会导致翼手目适生区急剧缩减, 且分布区将迁移至高海拔区域以响应气候变化。而本项目的开展不仅初步掌握了罗霄山脉翼手目物种多样性本底状况, 也为开展后续的翼手目研究和保护管理提供了参考。     

Influences of habitat complexity on the diversity and abundance of epiphytic invertebrates on plants

SUMMARY 1. The compound influence of habitat complexity and patch size on stream invertebrate assemblages associated with submerged macrophytes was investigated through field sampling of two natural macrophyte species with contrasting leaf morphologies (complex, Ranunculus yezoensis; simple, Sparganium emersum) and an experiment with two artificial plants with different levels of morphological complexity. 2. The artificial plant experiment was designed to separate the effects of habitat area (patch size) and habitat complexity, thus enabling a more rigorous assessment of complexity per se than in previous studies where only a single patch size was used. Simple and complex artificial plants were established with five different patch sizes corresponding to the range found in natural plants. 3. Invertebrates occurred on both complex and simple forms of natural and artificial plants at similar abundances with dipterans and ephemeropterans being predominant. Taxon richness was higher on structurally complex Ranunculus than on simple Sparganium and was similarly higher on the complex artificial plant than on the simple one, over the entire range of habitat patch sizes. Thus, architectural complexity affected the taxon richness of epiphytic invertebrates, independently of habitat scale. 4. On the natural plants there was no difference in the abundance (both number of individuals and biomass) of invertebrates between simple and complex forms, while on artificial plants more invertebrates occurred on complex than on simple forms. The amount of particulate organic matter, >225 μm (POM) and chlorophyll a showed mixed patterns on natural and artificial plants, suggesting that the availability of these resources is not an overriding proximate factor controlling invertebrate abundance on plants. The difficulty of extrapolating from experimental results involving use of artificial plants is discussed, especially when considering the relationship between habitat structure and the occurrence of epiphytic invertebrates on natural plants.     

Animal species diversity driven by habitat heterogeneity/diversity: the importance of keystone structures

Aim In a selected literature survey we reviewed studies on the habitat heterogeneity–animal species diversity relationship and evaluated whether there are uncertainties and biases in its empirical support. Location World-wide. Methods We reviewed 85 publications for the period 1960–2003. We screened each publication for terms that were used to define habitat heterogeneity, the animal species group and ecosystem studied, the definition of the structural variable, the measurement of vegetation structure and the temporal and spatial scale of the study. Main conclusions The majority of studies found a positive correlation between habitat heterogeneity/diversity and animal species diversity. However, empirical support for this relationship is drastically biased towards studies of vertebrates and habitats under anthropogenic influence. In this paper, we show that ecological effects of habitat heterogeneity may vary considerably between species groups depending on whether structural attributes are perceived as heterogeneity or fragmentation. Possible effects may also vary relative to the structural variable measured. Based upon this, we introduce a classification framework that may be used for across-studies comparisons. Moreover, the effect of habitat heterogeneity for one species group may differ in relation to the spatial scale. In several studies, however, different species groups are closely linked to ‘keystone structures’ that determine animal species diversity by their presence. Detecting crucial keystone structures of the vegetation has profound implications for nature conservation and biodiversity management.     

Environmental factors influencing liana community diversity,structure and habitat associations in a tropical hill forest,Malaysia

Background: Although lianas are important in forest ecosystems, information on the environmental factors influencing their diversity, structure and habitat associations is scanty.

Aims: This study had the aim of determining variation in liana diversity, structure and habitat associations across different topographic habitats, and the environmental factors influencing them, in the Penang Hill Forest Reserve, Malaysia.

Methods: Liana diversity, structure and habitat associations were examined in 30 plots, 40 m × 40 m, randomly demarcated within three topographic habitats (flatland, slope and valley). The physico-chemical properties of the soils in the plots were determined and the altitude and slope of the plots recorded.

Results: Liana species richness, diversity and structure varied significantly among the topographic habitats. Liana species richness, diversity and abundance variations were related to soil moisture, phosphorus content, pH and altitude, whereas liana diameter and basal area were associated with soil magnesium and slope. A total of eight species had a positive association with the habitat and a further six showed a negative association. Four species had a positive association with the flatland habitat, but only three and two species, respectively, with slope and valley habitats. The slope habitat gave the highest number of species that showed a negative association.

Conclusions: Liana diversity and structure varied between habitats. Some liana species showed different associations with specific habitats. Environmental variables were identified that influence liana diversity, structure and habitat associations. The study provides important information about the factors influencing liana success, and these will be of value in liana conservation and management in tropical forests.     

栖息条件对中华蜜蜂遗传多样性的影响

为了评估不同栖息条件对中华蜜蜂(简称中蜂)种群遗传多样性的影响,本研究运用微卫星标记的方法,对皖南山区4个不同采样点120个中华蜜蜂群体的2400只工蜂样本进行了分析.结果表明:与天然林野生中蜂群相比,单一茶树种植结构下,皖南中蜂群的等位基因数、平均期望杂合度和多态信息含量的差异均不显著;人工驯养中蜂群的等位基因数、多态信息含量差异显著,平均期望杂合度差异不显著;2006年采集的野生中蜂群与天然林野生中蜂群的等位基因数、平均期望杂合度和多态信息含量均差异显著.各种群间存在极显著的遗传分化,平均分化系数为0.32.说明皖南地区茶树单一化种植不会影响中蜂的遗传结构与资源保护.     

Effects of habitat fragmentation on the functional diversity of insects in Thousand Island Lake,China

Due to habitat fragmentation, the loss of species diversity has been extensively studied. On the contrary, the effects of habitat fragmentation on functional diversity is still poorly understood. In the Thousand Island Lake, we conducted studies of insect functional diversity on a set of 29 isolated islands. We used 10 functional diversity indices from three aspects (functional richness, functional evenness and functional divergence) to respectively describe functional diversity of insects on sample islands. We found the following results: (i) The functional indices selected could reflect the functional diversity of sample islands and it is further proved that in general, three components of functional diversity were independent of each other; (ii) Sample islands could be divided into two categories, island JSD and the remaining islands; (iii) Functional richness increased with island area and shape index, but had no significant correlation with isolation. Likewise, both functional evenness and functional divergence had no significant correlation with island attributes. The conclusion to emphasize from our research is that: (i) habitat fragmentation reduced the biological functional diversity to some extent, further demonstrating the importance of habitat continuity in biodiversity protection; and (ii) for functional diversity protection of insects in a fragmented landscape, an island which has high approximate shape index values of at least hundred hectare magnitude order has a critical promoting effect.     

When humans work like beavers: riparian restoration enhances invertebrate gamma diversity and habitat heterogeneity

Restoration has the potential to increase habitat heterogeneity through the creation of unique habitat patches that, in turn, increase regional species richness or gamma diversity. While biological diversity and habitat heterogeneity are important factors to consider under a shifting climate, restoration actions and outcomes rarely examine these components. In this study, we examined the effects of riparian beaver dam analog (BDA) restoration on aquatic invertebrate diversity and habitat heterogeneity. Although the effects of BDAs on hydrology, geomorphology, and salmonid habitat have been explored, we are unaware of any studies assessing their effects on aquatic invertebrate diversity and the food web that supports them. We sampled aquatic invertebrates, basal carbon resources, dissolved nutrients, turbidity, and water temperature in pre- and post-BDA pond, side channel, and mainstem habitat over a three-year period. The BDAs functioned similarly to natural beaver dams and created slow-water environments that accumulated fine particulate organic material and increased pelagic phytoplankton production. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling, permutation multivariate analysis of variance, and Mantel's tests demonstrated that these changes led to the formation of a unique invertebrate community populated by lentic macroinvertebrates and zooplankton, which increased beta-diversity and gamma diversity. Further, BDAs in our study maintained high densities of invertebrates and buffered water temperatures in comparison to adjacent lotic habitats. These results support our hypothesis that BDAs can enhance invertebrate beta and gamma diversity through the creation and colonization of unique pond habitat and improve habitat and resource heterogeneity for native fishes under variable climate conditions.     

The role of habitat diversity in generating the small-island effect

The small-island effect (SIE) has become a widespread pattern in island biogeography and biodiversity research. However, in most previous studies only area is used for the detection of the SIE, while other causal factors such as habitat diversity is rarely considered. Therefore, the role of habitat diversity in generating SIEs is poorly known. Here, we compiled 86 global datasets that included the variables of habitat diversity, area and species richness to systematically investigate the prevalence and underlying factors determining the role of habitat diversity in generating SIEs. For each dataset, we used both path analysis and breakpoint regressions to identify the existence of an SIE. We collected a number of system characteristics and employed logistic regression models and an information–theoretic approach to determine which combination of variables was important in determining the role of habitat diversity in generating SIEs. Among the 61 datasets with adequate fits, habitat diversity was found to influence the detection of SIEs in 32 cases (52.5%) when using path analysis. By contrast, SIEs were detected in 26 of 61 cases (42.6%) using breakpoint regressions. Model selection and model-averaged parameter estimates showed that Number of sites, Habitat range and Species range were three key variables that determined the role of habitat diversity in generating SIEs. However, Area range, Taxon group and Site type received considerably less support. Our study demonstrates that the effect of habitat diversity on generating SIEs is quite prevalent. The inclusion of habitat diversity is important because it provides a causal factor for the detection of SIEs. We conclude that for a better understanding of the causes of SIEs, habitat diversity should be included in future studies.