The ecology of bats in south-east Australian forests and potential impacts of forestry practices: a review

1995 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley S. Law
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Radio Telemetry ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Mature Trees ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Forestry Practices ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Species Specific

Bats are important contributors to Australia's mammal diversity and are ecologically diverse, feeding on insects, fish, small vertebrates, nectar, pollen and fruit. As such they are likely to play key ecological roles as regulators of invertebrate populations and pollinators of forests. Although somewhat contradictory, current evidence suggest that logging impacts on the species richness and activity of insectivorous bats when forest structural complexity and the number of available roosting hollows are reduced. Inconsistent results concerning impact on species richness stem from methodological problems with bat surveys. "Rare" species are often recorded in low numbers, preventing habitat preferences and disturbance impacts from being determined. Radio-telemetry has demonstrated that roosts in hollows of mature trees are a critical resource for many species of bats due to species specific requirements. However, it is not yet possible to state whether bat populations are directly limited by the availability of hollows in areas where a mosaic of logged and unlogged forest exists. Although data on foraging areas are extremely limited, some species appear to be flexible, capable of flying across open areas and exploiting those rich in invertebrates. Some species (e.g., Vespadelus) show a high degree of site attachment, possibly indicating a susceptibility to logging, however, the extent of site fidelity for most species is unknown. As pollinators, megachiropteran bats are likely to play a key role in maintaining the genetic diversity currently present in eucalypts by facilitating long-distance movement of pollen. Areas that are productive in nectar and pollen have a high conservation value for these bats and many other nectarivores, however, the age at which important nectar-producing trees flower is generally not known. The extent to which wildlife prescriptions, such as habitat trees and mosaics of small reserves, mitigate these impacts on bat species requires urgent research.

scholarly journals Factors influencing early restoration progress of a Eucalyptus tereticornis open forest on former agricultural land.

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Lewis ◽  
David Taylor ◽  
Scott Swift ◽  
Valerie Debuse
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Regeneration ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Eucalyptus Tereticornis ◽  
Mature Trees ◽  
Litter Biomass ◽  
Open Forest

We monitored an area that was revegetated with the goal of restoring a Eucalyptus tereticornis open forest on former agricultural land in central, eastern Queensland. Revegetation involved: (1) planting 60 ha of previously cleared and heavily grazed land with eight local trees species; and (2) removing cattle grazing to encourage natural regeneration in areas where some mature trees remained. We compared the revegetation site to native pasture that had also been previously cleared, with only scattered paddock trees remaining, and continued to be managed for livestock production (an area similar to the revegetation site, prior to planting) and a remnant forest (reference area). Nine years since revegetation began there was some evidence that the revegetated site was diverging from pasture in terms of understorey plant composition, sapling density and topsoil C and N. There was little divergence in terms of plant species richness (native, introduced, grass, forb and woody plant richness), herbaceous biomass and woody plant regeneration. Some monitoring plots were subject to fire (prescribed fire and or wildfire) over the period of monitoring. With increasing time since fire, the richness of native species, introduced species and grass species (both native and introduced) declined, and forb and grass species richness declined with increasing litter biomass, suggesting that the occurrence of fire and the associated removal of litter biomass has a positive influence on herbaceous diversity in this ecosystem. Woody plant regeneration persisted through lignotubers at the revegetation site and at the pasture, but this regeneration was stunted at the pasture presumably due to livestock grazing. Hence areas of former E. tereticornis forest showed promising regenerative capacity where mature trees remained and where livestock grazing was removed.

scholarly journals Effects of reindeer grazing and recovery after cessation of grazing on the ground-dwelling spider assemblage in Finnish Lapland

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7330
Author(s):  
Teemu Saikkonen ◽  
Varpu Vahtera ◽  
Seppo Koponen ◽  
Otso Suominen
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Ground Vegetation ◽  
Total Abundance ◽  
Finnish Lapland ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
The Impact

The effect of reindeer Rangifer tarandus L. grazing on the ground-dwelling spider assemblage in Northern Finland was studied. Changes in species richness, abundance and evenness of spider assemblages were analyzed in relation to changes in vegetation and environmental factors in long term grazed and ungrazed sites as well as sites that had recently switched from grazed to ungrazed and vice versa. Grazing was found to have a significant impact on height and biomass of lichens and other ground vegetation. However, it seemed not to have an impact on the total abundance of spiders. This is likely caused by opposing family and species level responses of spiders to the grazing regime. Lycosid numbers were highest in grazed and linyphiid numbers in ungrazed areas. Lycosidae species richness was highest in ungrazed areas whereas Linyphiidae richness showed no response to grazing. Four Linyphiidae, one Thomisidae and one Lycosidae species showed strong preference for specific treatments. Sites that had recovered from grazing for nine years and the sites that were grazed for the last nine years but were previously ungrazed resembled the long term grazed sites. The results emphasize the importance of reindeer as a modifier of boreal forest ecosystems but the impact of reindeer grazing on spiders seems to be family and species specific. The sites with reversed grazing treatment demonstrate that recovery from strong grazing pressure at these high latitudes is a slow process whereas reindeer can rapidly change the conditions in previously ungrazed sites similar to long term heavily grazed conditions.

scholarly journals Migratory orientation in a narrow avian hybrid zone

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3201 ◽  
Author(s):  
David P.L. Toews ◽  
Kira E. Delmore ◽  
Matthew M. Osmond ◽  
Philip D. Taylor ◽  
Darren E. Irwin
Keyword(s):  
Hybrid Zone ◽  
Genetic Background ◽  
Migratory Restlessness ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Mountain Valley ◽  
Migratory Orientation ◽  
Isotopic Studies ◽  
Migratory Routes ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Migratory Divide

Background Zones of contact between closely related taxa with divergent migratory routes, termed migratory divides, have been suggested as areas where hybrid offspring may have intermediate and inferior migratory routes, resulting in low fitness of hybrids and thereby promoting speciation. In the Rocky Mountains of Canada there is a narrow hybrid zone between Audubon’s and myrtle warblers that is likely maintained by selection against hybrids. Band recoveries and isotopic studies indicate that this hybrid zone broadly corresponds to the location of a possible migratory divide, with Audubon’s warblers migrating south-southwest and myrtle warblers migrating southeast. We tested a key prediction of the migratory divide hypothesis: that genetic background would be predictive of migratory orientation among warblers in the center of the hybrid zone. Methods We recorded fall migratory orientation of wild-caught migrating warblers in the center of the hybrid zone as measured by video-based monitoring of migratory restlessness in circular orientation chambers. We then tested whether there was a relationship between migratory orientation and genetic background, as measured using a set of species-specific diagnostic genetic markers. Results We did not detect a significant association between orientation and genetic background. There was large variation among individuals in orientation direction. Mean orientation was towards the NE, surprising for birds on fall migration, but aligned with the mountain valley in which the study took place. Conclusions Only one other study has directly analyzed migratory orientation among naturally-produced hybrids in a migratory divide. While the other study showed an association between genetic background and orientation, we did not observe such an association in yellow-rumped warblers. We discuss possible reasons, including the possibility of a lack of a strong migratory divide in this hybrid zone and/or methodological limitations that may have prevented accurate measurements of long-distance migratory orientation.

Muskellunge Management: Fifty Years of Cooperation Among Anglers, Scientists, and Fisheries Biologists

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Aquatic Vegetation ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Radio Telemetry ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Vegetation Coverage ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Spawning Habitat ◽  
Green Bay ◽  
Natural Reproduction

<em>Abstract</em>.—The identification, protection, and restoration of spawning habitat for Muskellunge <em>Esox masquinongy </em>in Green Bay, Lake Michigan are vital steps for re-establishing a self-sustaining population. This study was designed to locate spawning areas, document and model spawning habitat preferences, assess natural recruitment, and determine if suitable habitat was found throughout Green Bay (Fox River, lower Green Bay, Menominee River, and Little Sturgeon Bay). Radio transmitters were inserted into the oviduct of mature female Muskellunge prior to spawning and expelled transmitters were later located using radio telemetry to identify spawning locations. Between 2009 and 2010, 26 of 37 (70%) implanted transmitters were located as deposited at spawning locations. Using identified spawning locations, habitat selection was estimated for key environmental variables, and MaxEnt (maximum entropy) was utilized to model Muskellunge spawning habitat in the Menominee River, as it was the only study area where natural reproduction was documented. Menominee River Muskellunge showed significant preferences for spawning in areas with shallow bottom slopes (5%), with medium-to-high submerged aquatic vegetation coverage (>33%), where coarse woody debris was present, and where dominant substrates were sand or cobble. MaxEnt modeling predicted a ~2.5 magnitude greater likelihood of spawning at an average spawning location compared to an average background location. Comparisons of available habitat among study areas showed the Menominee River contained more spawning habitat with preferred characteristics. Results from this study are important steps in identifying spawning habitat as a potential limiting factor to successful Muskellunge reintroduction and models could be used to locate suitable areas to stock and guide delineation of critical spawning habitat to designate for protection.

scholarly journals The Role of Plasticity and Adaptation in the Incipient Speciation of a Fire Salamander Population

Genes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 875
Author(s):  
Joana Sabino-Pinto ◽  
Daniel J. Goedbloed ◽  
Eugenia Sanchez ◽  
Till Czypionka ◽  
Arne W. Nolte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Phenotypic Plasticity ◽  
Local Adaptation ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Genetic Change ◽  
Incipient Speciation ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Reciprocal Transfer ◽  
High Degree

Phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation via genetic change are two major mechanisms of response to dynamic environmental conditions. These mechanisms are not mutually exclusive, since genetic change can establish similar phenotypes to plasticity. This connection between both mechanisms raises the question of how much of the variation observed between species or populations is plastic and how much of it is genetic. In this study, we used a structured population of fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra), in which two subpopulations differ in terms of physiology, genetics, mate-, and habitat preferences. Our goal was to identify candidate genes for differential habitat adaptation in this system, and to explore the degree of plasticity compared to local adaptation. We therefore performed a reciprocal transfer experiment of stream- and pond-originated salamander larvae and analyzed changes in morphology and transcriptomic profile (using species-specific microarrays). We observed that stream- and pond-originated individuals diverge in morphology and gene expression. For instance, pond-originated larvae have larger gills, likely to cope with oxygen-poor ponds. When transferred to streams, pond-originated larvae showed a high degree of plasticity, resembling the morphology and gene expression of stream-originated larvae (reversion); however the same was not found for stream-originated larvae when transferred to ponds, where the expression of genes related to reduction-oxidation processes was increased, possibly to cope with environmental stress. The lack of symmetrical responses between transplanted animals highlights the fact that the adaptations are not fully plastic and that some level of local adaptation has already occurred in this population. This study illuminates the process by which phenotypic plasticity allows local adaptation to new environments and its potential role in the pathway of incipient speciation.

scholarly journals Meta-analysis of cyathostomin species-specific prevalence and relative abundance in domestic horses from 1975–2020: emphasis on geographical region and specimen collection method

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Bellaw ◽  
Martin K. Nielsen
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
North America ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Geographical Region ◽  
Mixed Linear Models ◽  
Collection Method ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract Background Cyathostomins infect virtually all horses, and concomitant infections with 10 or more species per horse is standard. Species-specific knowledge is limited, despite potential species bias in development of disease and anthelmintic resistance. This is the first meta-analysis to examine effects of geographical region and cyathostomin collection method on reported composition of cyathostomin communities. Methods Thirty-seven articles published in English in 1975 or later, in which adults of individual species were systematically enumerated, were included. Seven regions; North America, South America, eastern Europe, western Europe, northern Europe, southern Africa, and Oceania, and three cyathostomin collection methods; (i) standard necropsy recovery from the large intestine, (ii) critical test collection from post-treatment feces and necropsy, and (iii) diagnostic deworming recovery solely from post-treatment feces, were considered. Generalized mixed linear models analyzed the effects of region and collection method on species-specific prevalence and relative abundance. Species richness was analyzed by mixed linear models. Results Definitively, the most prevalent and relatively abundant species were Cylicocyclus nassatus (prevalence = 93%, relative abundance = 20%), Cylicostephanus (Cys.) longibursatus (93%, 20%), and Cyathostomum catinatum (90%, 16%). A bias toward horses with high infection intensities and cyathostomin collection from feces resulted in North American critical tests and eastern European diagnostic deworming overestimating the species-specific prevalence and underestimating the relative abundance of rare/uncommon species compared to respective intra-regional standard necropsies. North American critical tests underestimated species richness due partially to identification key errors. Inter-regional standard necropsy comparisons yielded some species-specific regional differences, including a significantly higher Cys. longibursatus prevalence and relative abundance in North America (92%, 33%) than in eastern Europe (51%, 7%) (P > 0.0001). Localization of critical tests to North America and diagnostic deworming to Eastern Europe precluded expansive ‘region by collection method’ interaction analyses. Conclusion We provide substantial data to inform study design, e.g. effect and study size, for cyathostomin research and highlight necessity for method standardization and raw data accessibility for optimal post-factum comparisons.

scholarly journals Long-Distance Movement of mRNAs in Plants

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Xia ◽  
Cankui Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Vascular System ◽  
Physiological Characteristic ◽  
Small Peptides ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Systemic Signaling ◽  
Long Distance Transport ◽  
Specific Mrnas ◽  
Multiple Species ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Long Distance Movement

Long-distance transport of information molecules in the vascular tissues could play an important role in regulating plant growth and enabling plants to cope with adverse environments. Various molecules, including hormones, proteins, small peptides and small RNAs have been detected in the vascular system and proved to have systemic signaling functions. Sporadic studies have shown that a number of mRNAs produced in the mature leaves leave their origin cells and move to distal tissues to exert important physiological functions. In the last 3–5 years, multiple heterograft systems have been developed to demonstrate that a large quantity of mRNAs are mobile in plants. Further comparison of the mobile mRNAs identified from these systems showed that the identities of these mRNAs are very diverse. Although species-specific mRNAs may regulate the unique physiological characteristic of the plant, mRNAs with conserved functions across multiple species are worth more effort in identifying universal physiological mechanisms existing in the plant kingdom.

scholarly journals Seascape context modifies how fish respond to restored oyster reef structures

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 1131-1139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben L Gilby ◽  
Andrew D Olds ◽  
Christopher J Henderson ◽  
Nicholas L Ortodossi ◽  
Rod M Connolly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Oyster Reef ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
Oyster Reefs ◽  
Total Abundance ◽  
Fish Recruitment ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract The seascape context of coastal ecosystems plays a pivotal role in shaping patterns in fish recruitment, abundance, and diversity. It might also be a principal determinant in structuring the recruitment of fish assemblages to restored habitats, but the trajectories of these relationships require further testing. In this study, we surveyed fish assemblages from 14 restored oyster reefs and 14 control sites in the Noosa River, Queensland, Australia, that differed in the presence or absence of seagrass within 500 m, over four periods using baited cameras. Fish assemblages at oyster reefs differed from those at control sites, with higher species richness (1.4 times) and more individuals of taxa that are harvested by fishers (1.8 times). The presence or absence of seagrass nearby affected the abundance of a key harvestable fish species (yellowfin bream Acanthopagrus australis) on oyster reefs, but not the overall composition of fish assemblages, species richness, or the total abundance of harvestable fishes overall. These findings highlight the importance of considering species-specific patterns in seascape utilization when selecting restoration sites and setting restoration goals, and suggest that the effects of restoration on fish assemblages might be optimized by focusing efforts in prime positions in coastal seascapes.

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