scholarly journals Climate warming drives divergence of montane butterfly communities in Southern Italy

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Santorufo ◽  
Annamaria Ienco ◽  
Stefano Scalercio
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
Lower Altitude ◽  
Temperature Index ◽  
Mountainous Regions ◽  
Butterfly Communities ◽  
Two Indices ◽  
Over Time

AbstractBecause of climate change, many insect species are shifting their altitudinal and latitudinal ranges, including Mediterranean butterflies, particularly in mountainous regions. In this study, we evaluated changes in butterfly communities over time, sampled in 1975, 2004, and 2012, in relation to their altitude and two indices representing the climate envelopes of species within a given community: CTI (Community Temperature Index) and CPI (Community Precipitation Index). The study took place in a protected area where we found strong changes in community compositions over the 37-year study period. There was no vertical stratification of communities in 1975, but became significantly so in 2004 and 2012. Likewise, CTI and CPI were correlated with altitude only in 2004 and 2012. Over time, CTI increased at lower altitudes, indicating an increase in species associated with higher temperatures, and was stable or decreased at higher altitudes. CPI showed opposing trends, decreasing at lower altitude of communities and increasing in higher altitude communities. This resulted in asymmetric changes along the altitudinal gradient. The highest elevations (>1900 m) shifted towards butterfly species that are more associated with colder, wetter habitats, and lower elevations shifted towards species more associated with hotter, drier habitats. In conclusion, changes in butterfly communities were consistent with expectations from observed changes of temperatures and precipitations at low altitudes and mid-altitudes, but not at the highest altitudes. This counter-intuitive result may be due to land-use changes following creation of a national park in 1993 that encompassed the sample sites, but we lack the data to test this hypothesis.

scholarly journals Impacts of land use changes on soil erosion in Pa Deng sub-district, adjacent area of Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 10-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Wijitkosum
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
National Park ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Adjacent Area ◽  
Erosion Risk ◽  
Study Results

Soil erosion has been considered as the primary cause of soil degradation since soil erosion leads to the loss of topsoil and soil organic matters which are essential for the growing of plants. Land use, which relates to land cover, is one of the influential factors that affect soil erosion. In this study, impacts of land use changes on soil erosion in Pa Deng sub-district, adjacent area of Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand, were investigated by applying remote sensing technique, geographical information system (GIS) and the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The study results revealed that land use changes in terms of area size and pattern influenced the soil erosion risk in Pa Deng in the 1990–2010 period. The area with smaller land cover obviously showed the high risk of soil erosion than the larger land cover did.

Leaf litter copepods from a cloud forest mountain top in Honduras (Copepoda: Cyclopidae, Canthocamptidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 3630 (2) ◽  
pp. 270-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANK FIERS ◽  
MERLIJN JOCQUE
Keyword(s):  
Central America ◽  
Leaf Litter ◽  
National Park ◽  
New World ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Mountainous Regions ◽  
Distributional Range ◽  
Litter Sample ◽  
Forest Mountain

Five different species of Copepoda were extracted from a leaf litter sample collected on the top (at 2000 m a.s.l.) of a cloud forested mountain in El Cusuco National Park, Honduras. Three of them, one Cyclopidae and two Canthocamptidae are new to science, and are described herein. Olmeccyclops hondo sp. nov. is the second representative thus far known of this New World genus. Moraria catracha sp. nov. and Moraria cusuca sp. nov. are the first formally described members of the genus occurring in Central America. The concept of a “Moraria-group” is considered to be an artificial grouping and is limited here to the genera Moraria and Morariopsis only. The distributional range of this group is essentially Holarctic, with the mountainous regions inHonduras, and probably in westNicaragua, as the southernmost limits in theNew World.

scholarly journals Rapid Spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern 202012/01 in Southern Italy (December 2020–March 2021)

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4766
Author(s):  
Daniela Loconsole ◽  
Francesca Centrone ◽  
Caterina Morcavallo ◽  
Silvia Campanella ◽  
Anna Sallustio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Gene Target ◽  
The Third ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
Pharmaceutical Interventions ◽  
Over Time

Epidemiological and virological studies have revealed that SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) are emerging globally, including in Europe. The aim of this study was to evaluate the spread of B.1.1.7-lineage SARS-CoV-2 in southern Italy from December 2020–March 2021 through the detection of the S gene target failure (SGTF), which could be considered a robust proxy of VOC B.1.1.7. SGTF was assessed on 3075 samples from week 52/2020 to week 10/2021. A subset of positive samples identified in the Apulia region during the study period was subjected to whole-genome sequencing (WGS). A descriptive and statistical analysis of the demographic and clinical characteristics of cases according to SGTF status was performed. Overall, 20.2% of samples showed SGTF; 155 strains were confirmed as VOC 202012/01 by WGS. The proportion of SGTF-positive samples rapidly increased over time, reaching 69.2% in week 10/2021. SGTF-positive cases were more likely to be symptomatic and to result in hospitalization (p < 0.0001). Despite the implementation of large-scale non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), such as the closure of schools and local lockdowns, a rapid spread of VOC 202012/01 was observed in southern Italy. Strengthened NPIs and rapid vaccine deployment, first among priority groups and then among the general population, are crucial both to contain the spread of VOC 202012/01 and to flatten the curve of the third wave.

scholarly journals The dynamics of questing ticks collected for 164 consecutive months off the vegetation of two landscape zones in the Kruger National Park (1988–2002). Part II. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Rhipicephalus zambeziensis

2011 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur M. Spickett ◽  
Gordon J. Gallivan ◽  
Ivan G. Horak
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
National Park ◽  
Rhipicephalus Appendiculatus ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Large Herbivore ◽  
Questing Ticks ◽  
Over Time

The study aimed to assess the long-term population dynamics of questing Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Rhipicephalus zambeziensis in two landscape zones of the Kruger National Park (KNP). Ticks were collected by dragging the vegetation monthly in three habitats (grassland, woodland and gully) at two sites in the KNP (Nhlowa Road and Skukuza) from August 1988 to March 2002. Larvae were the most commonly collected stage of both species. More R. appendiculatus were collected at Nhlowa Road than at Skukuza, with larvae being most abundant from May to August, while nymphs were most abundant from August to December. Larvae were most commonly collected in the gullies from 1991 to 1994, but in the grassland and woodland habitats from 1998 onwards. Nymphs were most commonly collected in the grassland and woodland. More R. zambeziensis were collected at Skukuza than at Nhlowa Road, with larvae being most abundant from May to September, while nymphs were most abundant from August to November. Larvae and nymphs were most commonly collected in the woodland and gullies and least commonly in the grassland (p < 0.01). The lowest numbers of R. appendiculatus were collected in the mid-1990s after the 1991/1992 drought. Rhipicephalus zambeziensis numbers declined after 1991 and even further after 1998, dropping to their lowest levels during 2002. The changes in numbers of these two species reflected changes in rainfall and the populations of several of their large herbivore hosts, as well as differences in the relative humidity between the two sites over time.

scholarly journals Suelos Y Karst, Origen De Inundaciones Y Hundimientos En Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Fragoso-Servón ◽  
Alberto Pereira-Corona
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Growth Rate ◽  
Population Growth Rate ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Quintana Roo ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Mexican Caribbean ◽  
The City ◽  
Over Time

The Mexican Caribbean and its main cities have the highest population growth rate in Mexico. This work goal was to analyze the growth of the city of Chetumal and the geopedological characteristics in which it has been developed, to identify potential hazards and thereby improve development programs. The methodology consisted in the study of geopedological characteristics and the analysis of land use changes in the city over time. The main problems of Chetumal are floods and subsidence. Floods are more common in areas where Gleysols soils are found in low-lying areas. The subsidence is associated to Leptosols with a phreatic mantle at a shallow depth where the precipitations favors dissolution of rock. The extrapolation of the relationships between geopedological conditions and the area occupied by the city, allows us to suppose that areas which the current Urban Development Program proposes for future city expansion will develop the same problems of subsidence and flooding as the areas already built in sites with similar conditions.

scholarly journals Rainfall as a significant contributing factor to butterfly seasonality along a climatic gradient in the neotropics

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
María F. Checa ◽  
Elisa Levy ◽  
Jaqueline Rodriguez ◽  
Keith Willmott
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
Climatic Gradient ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Precipitation Regimes ◽  
Butterfly Communities ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Seasonal Forests

AbstractWe analyzed the dynamics of multi-species butterfly communities along a climatic gradient with varying precipitation regimes for three consecutive years, and determine how climatic variables associate with observed butterfly seasonality. To provide a baseline for future studies of how climate change might affect these butterfly populations, we additionally explored the role of butterfly seasonality as a potential contributing factor for their susceptibility to climate variation. As far as we know, this represents the first study that simultaneously sampled and described seasonality patterns of tropical butterfly communities across ecosystems with varying climatic seasonality. A 3-year survey was carried out at three sites (i.e., wet, transition and dry forests) across a climatic gradient in western Ecuador. Butterflies were sampled using traps baited with rotting banana and prawn every two months from Nov 2010 to Sep 2013. Traps were set up at two heights, in the understory and canopy. In total, 7046 individuals of 212 species were sampled over 180 sampling days.Butterfly communities exhibited conspicuous intra and inter-annual variation in temporal dynamics with certain elements (e.g., maximum abundance recorded) of seasonality patterns likely synchronized in seasonal forests (i.e., transition and dry forest) across years but not in aseasonal forests (i.e., wet forest). In addition, the highest numbers of species and individuals occurred during the wet season across all study sites and years; indeed, rainfall was significantly positively associated with temporal abundance. Likewise, butterfly species displaying stronger seasonality were significantly associated with higher rainfall periods in seasonal forests. Variation in precipitation regimes might significantly affect more seasonal species.

scholarly journals Dispersão de Espécie Exótica no Parque Nacional da Lagoa do Peixe e Seu Entorno (Dispersion of Exotic Vegetation Into and Around the Lagoa do Peixe National Park)

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luana Portz ◽  
Rogério Portantiollo Manzolli ◽  
Dejanira Luderitz Saldanha ◽  
Iran Carlos Stalliviere Correa
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
National Park ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Multispectral Images ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Field Verification ◽  
Exotic Vegetation ◽  
Manual Classification ◽  
Natural Dispersal ◽  
Over Time

O Parque Nacional da Lagoa do Peixe está localizado no litoral sul do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Dentre os conflitos existentes dentro da área do parque e no seu entorno, o aumento e a dispersão da vegetação exótica, vem gerando inúmeras discussões. Neste contexto o objetivo do presente trabalho foi identificar a distribuição espacial, ao longo do tempo, das áreas de plantações de Pinus sp. Para tanto foram utilizadas imagens multiespectrais de sensoriamento remoto (TM-Landsat 5), com datas entre 1986 e 2009, sendo realizada a classificação manual por meio da vetorização, verificação de campo e análise quantitativa e qualitativa dos resultados obtidos. O problema principal da dispersão natural de Pinus sp. é encontrado na margem da lagoa principal, margeada por banhados e por pinus, cuja dispersão espontânea está competindo com o crescimento da vegetação natural e alterando o cenário típico da região. De 1986, data de criação do parque, até hoje a área de pinus, no entorno desta lagoa, cresceu de 61 para 252 ha. Este aumento da área de ocorrência de Pinus sp, em mais de 4 vezes, torna necessária a sua extração, a fim de preservar as espécies nativas da região, bem como a diversidade biológica a ela associada. A expansão da silvicultura é preocupante, pois assumiu uma grande proporção em área, não se encontrando ações que indiquem uma desaceleração deste processo. Além de diminuir o valor estético da paisagem natural esta invasão poderá comprometer o potencial turístico e principalmente de preservação ambiental ao qual o título de Parque Nacional exige.Palavras chaves: Pinus sp., Landsat, impactos. Dispersion of Exotic Vegetation Into and Around the Lagoa do Peixe National Park  ABSTRACTLagoa do Peixe National Park presents a great variety of fragile ecosystems. Among the conflicts present into and around the Park is the increase and dispersion of exotic vegetation, that is generating several discussions. In this context, the objective of this paper was identifying the spatial distribution, over time, of the Pinus sp. plantations in this area. For both researches, it was used multispectral images (Landsat), with dates between 1986 and 2009, and performed the manual classification, field verification and analysis of quantitative and qualitative results. The main problem related to the natural dispersal of Pinus sp. is found on the shore of the park’s main lagoon. This area is bordered by marshes and Pinus sp. whose spontaneous dispersion is competing with the natural vegetation and altering the typical scenery of this region. Since the creation of the park (1986) until today, the area of pinus, around the lagoon, has grown from 61 to 252 ha. This increase, more than four times, makes it necessary its extraction in order to preserve the native species and the biodiversity associated. The expansion of forestry in the Lagoa do Peixe National Park is worrisome because it has been taking a great extent of the area, and there are no actions that indicate a slowdown of this process.Keyword: Pinus sp., Landsat, impact.

scholarly journals Identifying Rare Montane Meadow Parnassian Butterfly Populations Across Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

2013 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
pp. 88-93
Author(s):  
Kimberly Szcondronski ◽  
Diane Debinski
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
National Forest ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Habitat Occupancy ◽  
Preferred Habitat ◽  
Flight Season ◽  
Parnassius Smintheus ◽  
Montane Meadow ◽  
The Ideal

The pristine, protected ecosystem of Grand Teton National Park (GRTE) is the ideal location to study the relationships between butterfly populations and the habitats on which these insects depend. Two montane meadow butterfly species, Parnassius clodius and Parnassius smintheus, were investigated in this study to identify patterns of habitat occupancy relating to variables across GRTE and into the surrounding territory of Bridger–Teton National Forest (BTNF). Population dynamics of P. clodius have been intensively studied by our research group over several consecutive years in one isolated population in Grand Teton National Park. However, little has been investigated regarding the Parnassian butterflies’ population range across the GRTE ecosystem. For this study, presence-absence butterfly surveys were conducted across 45 meadow sites in preferred habitat during the Parnassius flight season (June – July 2013). We found that P. clodius occupied 80% of the meadows surveyed, which was far greater than was originally predicted. P. smintheus, the more rare Parnassian butterfly in the GRTE ecosystem, was only found at 9% of the meadows surveyed. Understanding population ranges and habitat limits of these butterfly populations will be useful for managers and scientists within GRTE, and will assist conservation efforts for other related Parnassian species that are threatened or endangered worldwide due to habitat loss and climate change.

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