From ratites to rats: the size of fleshy fruits shapes species' distributions and continental rainforest assembly

Seed dispersal is a key process in plant spatial dynamics. However, consistently applicable generalizations about dispersal across scales are mostly absent because of the constraints on measuring propagule dispersal distances for many species. Here, we focus on fleshy-fruited taxa, specifically taxa with large fleshy fruits and their dispersers across an entire continental rainforest biome. We compare species-level results of whole-chloroplast DNA analyses in sister taxa with large and small fruits, to regional plot-based samples (310 plots), and whole-continent patterns for the distribution of woody species with either large (more than 30 mm) or smaller fleshy fruits (1093 taxa). The pairwise genomic comparison found higher genetic distances between populations and between regions in the large-fruited species ( Endiandra globosa ), but higher overall diversity within the small-fruited species ( Endiandra discolor ). Floristic comparisons among plots confirmed lower numbers of large-fruited species in areas where more extreme rainforest contraction occurred, and re-colonization by small-fruited species readily dispersed by the available fauna. Species' distribution patterns showed that larger-fruited species had smaller geographical ranges than smaller-fruited species and locations with stable refugia (and high endemism) aligned with concentrations of large fleshy-fruited taxa, making them a potentially valuable conservation-planning indicator.

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Dispersal Kernel Determines Symmetry of Spread and Geographical Range for an Insect

International Journal of Ecology ◽

10.1155/2009/167278 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2009 ◽

pp. 1-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jeffrey D. Holland

Keyword(s):

Sugar Maple ◽

Spatial Dynamics ◽

Geographic Range ◽

Dispersal Distance ◽

Dispersal Kernel ◽

Geographical Range ◽

Spatial Distributions ◽

Longhorned Beetle ◽

Ecological Patterns ◽

Dispersal Distances

The distance from a source patch that dispersing insects reach depends on the number of dispersers, or random draws from a probability density function called a dispersal kernel, and the shape of that kernel. This can cause asymmetrical dispersal between habitat patches that produce different numbers of dispersers. Spatial distributions based on these dynamics can explain several ecological patterns including megapopulations and geographic range boundaries. I hypothesized that a locally extirpated longhorned beetle, the sugar maple borer, has a new geographical range shaped primarily by probabilistic dispersal distances. I used data on occurrence from Ontario, Canada to construct a model of geographical range in Indiana, USA based on maximum dispersal distance scaled by habitat area. This model predicted the new range boundary within 500 m very accurately. This beetle may be an ideal organism for exploring spatial dynamics driven by dispersal.

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Spatial interactions between saithe (Pollachius virens) and hake (Merluccius merluccius) in the North Sea

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1093/icesjms/fsu120 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 71 (6) ◽

pp. 1342-1355 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Xochitl Cormon ◽

Christophe Loots ◽

Sandrine Vaz ◽

Youen Vermard ◽

Paul Marchal

Keyword(s):

North Sea ◽

Linear Models ◽

Spatial Dynamics ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Trawl Survey ◽

Spatial Interactions ◽

Merluccius Merluccius ◽

The North ◽

Sediment Types ◽

The North Sea

Spatial interactions between saithe (Pollachius virens) and hake (Merluccius merluccius) were investigated in the North Sea. Saithe is a well-established species in the North Sea, while occurrence of the less common hake has recently increased in the area. Spatial dynamics of these two species and their potential spatial interactions were explored using binomial generalized linear models (GLM) applied to the International Bottom Trawl Survey (IBTS) data from 1991 to 2012. Models included different types of variables: (i) abiotic variables including sediment types, temperature, and bathymetry; (ii) biotic variables including potential competitors and potential preys presence; and (iii) spatial variables. The models were reduced and used to predict and map probable habitats of saithe, hake but also, for the first time in the North Sea, the distribution of the spatial overlap between these two species. Changes in distribution patterns of these two species and of their overlap were also investigated by comparing species’ presence and overlap probabilities predicted over an early (1991–1996) and a late period (2007–2012). The results show an increase in the probability over time of the overlap between saithe and hake along with an expansion towards the southwest and Scottish waters. These shifts follow trends observed in temperature data and might be indirectly induced by climate changes. Saithe, hake, and their overlap are positively influenced by potential preys and/or competitors, which confirms spatial co-occurrence of the species concerned and leads to the questions of predator–prey relationships and competition. Finally, the present study provides robust predictions concerning the spatial distribution of saithe, hake, and of their overlap in the North Sea, which may be of interest for fishery managers.

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Biogeography and Independent Diversification in the Protist Symbiont Community of Heterotermes tenuis

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution ◽

10.3389/fevo.2021.640625 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Francesca De Martini ◽

Nicole L. Coots ◽

Daniel E. Jasso-Selles ◽

Jordyn Shevat ◽

Alison Ravenscraft ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Regional Differences ◽

Amplicon Sequencing ◽

Genetic Distances ◽

Species Level ◽

Mantel Tests ◽

Geographical Distances ◽

Host Phylogeny ◽

Single Cell Isolation ◽

Host Genetic ◽

Protist Species

The eukaryotic microbiome of “lower” termites is highly stable and host-specific. This is due to the mutually obligate nature of the symbiosis and the direct inheritance of protists by proctodeal trophallaxis. However, vertical transmission is occasionally imperfect, resulting in daughter colonies that lack one or more of the expected protist species. This phenomenon could conceivably lead to regional differences in protist community composition within a host species. Here, we have characterized the protist symbiont community of Heterotermes tenuis (Hagen) (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) from samples spanning South and Central America. Using light microscopy, single cell isolation, and amplicon sequencing, we report eight species-level protist phylotypes belonging to four genera in the phylum Parabasalia. The diversity and distribution of each phylotype’s 18S rRNA amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) mostly did not correlate with geographical or host genetic distances according to Mantel tests, consistent with the lack of correlation we observed between host genetic and geographical distances. However, the ASV distances of Holomastigotoides Ht3 were significantly correlated with geography while those of Holomastigotoides Ht1 were significantly correlated with host phylogeny. These results suggest mechanisms by which termite-associated protist species may diversify independently of each other and of their hosts, shedding light on the coevolutionary dynamics of this important symbiosis.

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Genetic diversity of three Aegla species (Decapoda, Anomura) revealed by AFLP and mtDNA markers

Crustaceana ◽

10.1163/15685403-00003873 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 92 (4) ◽

pp. 445-462

Author(s):

Bianca L. Zimmermann ◽

Jober V. De Vargas Machado ◽

Sandro Santos ◽

Marlise L. Bartholomei-Santos

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Genetic Distances ◽

Species Level ◽

Taxonomic Resolution ◽

Similar Species ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Low Levels ◽

Management And Conservation ◽

Mtdna Markers

Abstract Representatives of the genus Aegla present a conserved morphology; thus, the increased use of molecular markers has raised many taxonomic issues. We used AFLP and mtDNA to investigate the genetic differentiation and phylogenetic relationships of morphologically similar species with overlapping distribution areas in southern Brazil: A. georginae, A. ludwigi, and A. platensis. While A. platensis is widely distributed, the critically endangered A. georginae and A. ludwigi have limited distributions. Although both markers showed populations with low levels of genetic variability, they differed markedly in revealing relationships between populations; according to AFLP, the genetic distances between A. platensis populations were as high as those between distinct species, a result not observed when considering mtDNA data. We emphasize that the use of multiple lines of evidence is necessary for defining correct levels of genetic diversity and a good species-level taxonomic resolution. Such features are essential for the management and conservation of Aegla species.

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VEGETATION COMPOSITION, STRUCTURE AND PATTERNS OF DIVERSITY: A CASE STUDY FROM THE TROPICAL WET EVERGREEN FORESTS OF THE WESTERN GHATS, INDIA

Edinburgh Journal of Botany ◽

10.1017/s0960428608004952 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 65 (3) ◽

pp. 447-468 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

A. Giriraj ◽

M. S. R. Murthy ◽

B. R. Ramesh

Keyword(s):

Western Ghats ◽

Forest Type ◽

Local Level ◽

Basal Area ◽

Woody Species ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Diversity Indices ◽

Evergreen Forests ◽

Composition Structure ◽

The Western Ghats

The composition, abundance, population structure and distribution patterns of the woody species having a girth at breast height of ≥ 10 cm were investigated in the tropical wet evergreen forests of the Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in the southern Western Ghats, India. A 3 ha plot was established with an altitudinal range of 1170 to 1306 m. In the study plot 5624 individuals (mean density 1875 ha−1) covering 68 woody species belonging to 52 genera and 27 families were enumerated. The mean basal area was 47.01 m2 ha–1 and the Shannon and Simpson diversity indices were 4.89 and 0.95, respectively. Of these woody species nearly 51% are endemic to the Western Ghats. The four dominant species, Cullenia exarillata, Palaquium ellipticum, Aglaia bourdillonii and Myristica dactyloides, account for 34% of the trees and 67% of the basal area, and therefore constitute the main structure of the forest. Within this forest type, five species assemblages corresponding to altitudinal gradient were identified using correspondence analysis. Management of such mid elevation evergreen forests necessarily depends on knowledge of recognisable community types and their environmental variables. The present study provides essential background for formulating strategies for sustainable conservation of forest communities at the local level.

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Distribution patterns of tropical woody species in response to climatic and edaphic gradients

Journal of Ecology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2745.2011.01890.x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 100 (1) ◽

pp. 253-263 ◽

Cited By ~ 81

Author(s):

Marisol Toledo ◽

Marielos Peña-Claros ◽

Frans Bongers ◽

Alfredo Alarcón ◽

Julio Balcázar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Woody Species ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Edaphic Gradients

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Morphological, biogeographical and molecular evidence of Carpocoris mediterraneus as a valid species (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3609.4.2 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3609 (4) ◽

pp. 392-410 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

ROLAND LUPOLI ◽

FRANÇOIS DUSOULIER ◽

ASTRID CRUAUD ◽

SANDRINE CROS-ARTEIL ◽

JEAN-CLAUDE STREITO

Keyword(s):

Western Europe ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Species Level ◽

Valid Species ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

Cytochrome C Oxidase I ◽

European Species ◽

Genetic Lineages ◽

Phylogenetic Reconstructions ◽

First Time

Carpocoris mediterraneus Tamanini, 1958, synonymized with Carpocoris fuscispinus (Boheman, 1851) by Ribes et al. (2007), is restored to the species level. The shape of the pronotum is a good diagnostic character to distinguish the two species. The existence of two valid species is supported by geographical distribution patterns in Western Europe: Medi-terranean-Atlantic for C. mediterraneus, and Continental for C. fuscispinus. In France and Spain, in some areas, the two species are found in sympatry (sometimes even on the same plant). Morphological observations are confirmed at the mo-lecular level by sequencing of the mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase I standard barcode fragment. Indeed, inter-specific divergence largely exceeded intra-specific divergence and our phylogenetic reconstructions reveal that Carpocoris medi-terraneus and Carpocoris fuscispinus form two reciprocally monophyletic genetic lineages. A morphological identifica-tion key is proposed for all the European species of the genus Carpocoris, to facilitate identification. Carpocoris fuscispinus is first time recorded from Portugal.

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Hidden diversity within the Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex (Opiliones: Nemastomatidae) Part I: Morphological evidence

European Journal of Taxonomy ◽

10.5852/ejt.2021.777.1561 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 777 ◽

pp. 1-67

Author(s):

Tone Novak ◽

Ljuba Slana Novak ◽

Peter Kozel ◽

Miriam Gudrun Schaider ◽

Christian Komposch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Distribution Patterns ◽

Species Level ◽

Morphological Evidence ◽

Contact Zones

Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 is a complex of closely related litter-dwelling harvestmen, characterized by a penis glans with two pairs of lateral lancet-like spines, and a femur IV with a saw-like series of pointed tubercles. Here we a) revise the hitherto known taxa within the N. bidentatum complex, and b) analyze in detail the relations among the taxa in Slovenia. The study revealed that the N. bidentatum complex consists of four species: N. bidentatum Roewer, 1914 s. str., N. relictum Gruber & Martens, 1968 stat. nov., N. pluridentatum (Hadži, 1973) stat. nov. and N. kozari Novak, Kozel, Podlesnik & Raspotnig sp. nov. Moreover, N. bidentatum s. str. consists of six subspecies: N. bidentatum bidentatum Roewer, 1914, N. bidentatum sparsum Gruber & Martens, 1968, N. bidentatum gruberi Novak, Slana Novak, Kozel & Raspotnig ssp. nov., N. bidentatum martensi Novak, Slana Novak & Raspotnig ssp. nov., N. bidentatum schmidti Novak, Raspotnig & Slana Novak ssp. nov. and N. bidentatum sneznikensis Novak, Komposch, Slana Novak & Raspotnig ssp. nov. In Slovenia, the six subspecies of N. bidentatum form a parapatric complex around N. bidentatum schmidti. Hybrids occur in the contact zones between adjacent subspecies, but they are missing between distant subspecies. The taxonomic distinction of lineages / subspecies is congruent with their distribution patterns. With six of the nine taxa present, Slovenia is considered the center of the N. bidentatum complex speciation. At the time being, this complex is the most diversified harvestman group on a subspecific and young-species level and provides important details on speciation processes in Opiliones.

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Conexões biogeográficas de savanas brasileiras: partição da diversidade marginal e disjunta e conservação do trópico ecotonal setentrional em um hotspot de biodiversidade

Revista Brasileira de Geografia Física ◽

10.26848/rbgf.v12.7.p2407-2427 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 2407

Author(s):

Joxleide Mendes Costa-Coutinho ◽

Mário Augusto Jardim ◽

Antônio Alberto Jorge Farias Castro ◽

Arleu Barbosa Viana-Junior

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Woody Species ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Biodiversity Hotspot ◽

Decision Makers ◽

Similar Composition ◽

Cerrado Vegetation ◽

Β Diversity ◽

Neotropical Savannas ◽

High Degree

As savanas neotropicais estão distribuídas predominantemente no território brasileiro na forma de fitofisionomias que variam de campo cerrado a cerradão. A variabilidade na riqueza é tão marcante que menos de 15% da diversidade é mantida ao longo de sua abrangência. Para contribuir com o entendimento dos padrões de distribuição da vegetação do cerrado e com a diferenciação das comunidades ecotonais setentrionais, utilizou-se um banco de dados com 482 comunidades de cerrado sensu lato, em diferentes expressões florísticas, que acumulou 1221 espécies lenhosas. Calculou-se padrões de composições similares entre comunidades (floras areais), destacando as concentrações florísticas setentrionais, e evidenciou-se elevado grau de β-diversidade mediante a formação de nove floras sinareais. Tais níveis de rotatividade atestam que numerosas unidades de conservação em diferentes regiões são necessárias para proteger toda a diversidade de espécies, fisionomias e funcionalidades dos cerrados. Os resultados fornecem uma atualização e complementação científica na qual os tomadores de decisão nacionais podem contextualizar o significado mesológico dos cerrados brasileiro como condutores ambientais conectados a um sistema em maior escala. Biogeographic connections of Brazilian savannas: partition of marginal and disjunct diversity and conservation of northern ecotonal tropics in a biodiversity hotspot A B S T R A C TThe neotropical savannas are distributed predominantly in the Brazilian territory in the form of phytophysiognomies that vary from Campo limpo of Cerrado to Cerradão. The variability in richness is so remarkable that less than 15% of diversity is maintained throughout its range. To contribute to the understanding of the distribution patterns of the Cerrado vegetation and to the differentiation of northern ecotonal communities, a database of 482 communities of Cerrado sensu lato, in different floristic expressions, that accumulated 1.221 woody species was used. Similar composition patterns were calculated between communities (“areal” floras, typical of each area), highlighting the northern floristic concentrations, and a high degree of β-diversity was evidenced by the formation of nine synareal floras. These levels of turnover attest that numerous protected areas in different regions are necessary to protect all species diversity, physiognomies and functionalities of the cerrados. The results provide an update and scientific complementation in which national decision makers can contextualize the mesological meaning of Brazilian cerrados as environmental conductors connected to a larger scale system.Keywords: Cerrado, beta diversity, phytogeography, ecotone, synareal flora, marginal and disjunct savannas

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Model-assisted comparison of sugar accumulation patterns in ten fleshy fruits highlights differences between herbaceous and woody species

Annals of Botany ◽

10.1093/aob/mcaa082 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 126 (3) ◽

pp. 455-470 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Coffi Belmys Cakpo ◽

Gilles Vercambre ◽

Valentina Baldazzi ◽

Léa Roch ◽

Zhanwu Dai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soluble Sugars ◽

Woody Species ◽

Sugar Concentration ◽

Coarse Grained ◽

Synthesis Rate ◽

Sugar Accumulation ◽

Primary Metabolism ◽

Starch Metabolism ◽

Metabolic Processes ◽

Fleshy Fruits

Abstract Background and Aims Sugar concentration is a key determinant of fruit quality. Soluble sugars and starch concentrations in fruits vary greatly from one species to another. The aim of this study was to investigate similarities and differences in sugar accumulation strategies across ten contrasting fruit species using a modelling approach. Methods We developed a coarse-grained model of primary metabolism based on the description of the main metabolic and hydraulic processes (synthesis of compounds other than sugar and starch, synthesis and hydrolysis of starch, and water dilution) involved in the accumulation of soluble sugars during fruit development. Key Results Statistical analyses based on metabolic rates separated the species into six groups according to the rate of synthesis of compounds other than sugar and starch. Herbaceous species (cucumber, tomato, eggplant, pepper and strawberry) were characterized by a higher synthesis rate than woody species (apple, nectarine, clementine, grape and kiwifruit). Inspection of the dynamics of the processes involved in sugar accumulation revealed that net sugar importation, metabolism and dilution processes were remarkably synchronous in most herbaceous plants, whereas in kiwifruit, apple and nectarine, processes related to starch metabolism were temporally separated from other processes. Strawberry, clementine and grape showed a distinct dynamic compared with all other species. Conclusions Overall, these results provide fresh insights into species-specific regulatory strategies and into the role of starch metabolism in the accumulation of soluble sugars in fleshy fruits. In particular, inter-specific differences in development period shape the co-ordination of metabolic processes and affect priorities for carbon allocation across species. The six metabolic groups identified by our analysis do not show a clear separation into climacteric and non-climacteric species, possibly suggesting that the metabolic processes related to sugar concentration are not greatly affected by ethylene-associated events.

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