Community structure and diversity of tropical forest mammals: data from a global camera trap network

Terrestrial mammals are a key component of tropical forest communities as indicators of ecosystem health and providers of important ecosystem services. However, there is little quantitative information about how they change with local, regional and global threats. In this paper, the first standardized pantropical forest terrestrial mammal community study, we examine several aspects of terrestrial mammal species and community diversity (species richness, species diversity, evenness, dominance, functional diversity and community structure) at seven sites around the globe using a single standardized camera trapping methodology approach. The sites—located in Uganda, Tanzania, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Suriname, Brazil and Costa Rica—are surrounded by different landscape configurations, from continuous forests to highly fragmented forests. We obtained more than 51 000 images and detected 105 species of mammals with a total sampling effort of 12 687 camera trap days. We find that mammal communities from highly fragmented sites have lower species richness, species diversity, functional diversity and higher dominance when compared with sites in partially fragmented and continuous forest. We emphasize the importance of standardized camera trapping approaches for obtaining baselines for monitoring forest mammal communities so as to adequately understand the effect of global, regional and local threats and appropriately inform conservation actions.

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Tropical mammal functional diversity increases with productivity but decreases with anthropogenic disturbance

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2020.2098 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 288 (1945) ◽

pp. 20202098

Author(s):

Daniel Gorczynski ◽

Chia Hsieh ◽

Jadelys Tonos Luciano ◽

Jorge Ahumada ◽

Santiago Espinosa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tropical Forest ◽

Observational Data ◽

Functional Diversity ◽

Primary Productivity ◽

Positive Association ◽

Camera Trap ◽

Tropical Regions ◽

Functional Richness ◽

Functional Dispersion ◽

Mammal Communities

A variety of factors can affect the biodiversity of tropical mammal communities, but their relative importance and directionality remain uncertain. Previous global investigations of mammal functional diversity have relied on range maps instead of observational data to determine community composition. We test the effects of species pools, habitat heterogeneity, primary productivity and human disturbance on the functional diversity (dispersion and richness) of mammal communities using the largest standardized tropical forest camera trap monitoring system, the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) Network. We use occupancy values derived from the camera trap data to calculate occupancy-weighted functional diversity and use Bayesian generalized linear regression to determine the effects of multiple predictors. Mammal community functional dispersion increased with primary productivity, while functional richness decreased with human-induced local extinctions and was significantly lower in Madagascar than other tropical regions. The significant positive relationship between functional dispersion and productivity was evident only when functional dispersion was weighted by species' occupancies. Thus, observational data from standardized monitoring can reveal the drivers of mammal communities in ways that are not readily apparent from range map-based studies. The positive association between occupancy-weighted functional dispersion of tropical forest mammal communities and primary productivity suggests that unique functional traits may be more beneficial in more productive ecosystems and may allow species to persist at higher abundances.

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Geographical Gradients in Argentinean Terrestrial Mammal Species Richness and Their Environmental Correlates

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1100/2012/819328 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Ana L. Márquez ◽

Raimundo Real ◽

Marta S. Kin ◽

José Carlos Guerrero ◽

Betina Galván ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Variation Partitioning ◽

Spatial Form ◽

Spatial Filters ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Terrestrial Mammal ◽

Explanatory Variables ◽

Longitudinal Gradients ◽

Partial Correlations ◽

Partitioning Procedure

We analysed the main geographical trends of terrestrial mammal species richness (SR) in Argentina, assessing how broad-scale environmental variation (defined by climatic and topographic variables) and the spatial form of the country (defined by spatial filters based on spatial eigenvector mapping (SEVM)) influence the kinds and the numbers of mammal species along these geographical trends. We also evaluated if there are pure geographical trends not accounted for by the environmental or spatial factors. The environmental variables and spatial filters that simultaneously correlated with the geographical variables and SR were considered potential causes of the geographic trends. We performed partial correlations between SR and the geographical variables, maintaining the selected explanatory variables statistically constant, to determine if SR was fully explained by them or if a significant residual geographic pattern remained. All groups and subgroups presented a latitudinal gradient not attributable to the spatial form of the country. Most of these trends were not explained by climate. We used a variation partitioning procedure to quantify the pure geographic trend (PGT) that remained unaccounted for. The PGT was larger for latitudinal than for longitudinal gradients. This suggests that historical or purely geographical causes may also be relevant drivers of these geographical gradients in mammal diversity.

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Effects of the Trophobiont HerbivoreCalloconophora pugionata(Hemiptera) on Ant Fauna Associated withMyrcia obovata(Myrtaceae) in a Montane Tropical Forest

Psyche A Journal of Entomology ◽

10.1155/2012/783945 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Roberth Fagundes ◽

Kleber Del-Claro ◽

Sérvio Pontes Ribeiro

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Species Diversity ◽

Tropical Forest ◽

Host Plant ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Main Hypothesis ◽

Ant Assemblages ◽

Montane Tropical Forest ◽

Positive Effect ◽

Dominant Ant

Many studies have investigated the mechanisms behind the structure of arboreal ant assemblages. In this study, the objective was to evaluate the effect of availability of honeydew-producing colonies ofCalloconophora pugionata(Membracidae) on the structure of ant assemblages associated with the host plantMyrcia obovata(Myrtaceae) in an Atlantic forest of Minas Gerais (Brazil). Our experiment consisted in a gradual exclusion of hemipteran colonies out of the host plant crown and further record of the ant assemblage response (species richness, composition, and occurrence) to the presence and density of treehopper colonies. The hypothesis was that an increase in the number of trophobiont herbivores results in an increase in tending ant occurrence but a reduction in ant species diversity. Results corroborated our main hypothesis: membracids had a positive effect on the occurrence of ants but negative on species richness. Overall insect occurrence was also reduced with increasing inC. pugionatacolonies, probably due to strengthening dominant ant species territory sizes and intensification of patrolling.

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Random versus Game Trail-Based Camera Trap Placement Strategy for Monitoring Terrestrial Mammal Communities

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0126373 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. e0126373 ◽

Cited By ~ 69

Author(s):

Jeremy J. Cusack ◽

Amy J. Dickman ◽

J. Marcus Rowcliffe ◽

Chris Carbone ◽

David W. Macdonald ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Camera Trap ◽

Terrestrial Mammal ◽

Mammal Communities ◽

Trap Placement

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Geographic patterns and environmental correlates of terrestrial mammal species richness in China

Biodiversity Science ◽

10.3724/sp.j.1003.2009.09065 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 17 (6) ◽

pp. 652 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Lin Xin ◽

Wang Zhi-heng ◽

Tang Zhi-yao ◽

Zhao Shu-qing ◽

Fang Jing-yun

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Terrestrial Mammal ◽

Environmental Correlates ◽

Geographic Patterns

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An assessment of the terrestrial mammal communities in forests of Central Panama, using camera-trap surveys

Journal for Nature Conservation ◽

10.1016/j.jnc.2015.04.003 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 26 ◽

pp. 28-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Ninon F.V. Meyer ◽

Helen J. Esser ◽

Ricardo Moreno ◽

Frank van Langevelde ◽

Yorick Liefting ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Camera Trap ◽

Terrestrial Mammal ◽

Mammal Communities ◽

Central Panama

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Life in the Canopy: Using Camera-Traps to Inventory Arboreal Rainforest Mammals in Borneo

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change ◽

10.3389/ffgc.2021.673071 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

Author(s):

Jessica Karen Haysom ◽

Nicolas J. Deere ◽

Oliver R. Wearn ◽

Azniza Mahyudin ◽

Jamiluddin bin Jami ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Community Structure ◽

Forest Type ◽

Structural Diversity ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Camera Trapping ◽

Sampling Effort ◽

Species Accumulation Curves ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Sampling Effectiveness ◽

Paired Design

Arboreal mammals form a diverse group providing ecologically important functions such as predation, pollination and seed dispersal. However, their cryptic and elusive nature, and the heights at which they live, makes studying these species challenging. Consequently, our knowledge of rainforest mammals is heavily biased towards terrestrial species, limiting our understanding of overall community structure and the possible impacts of human-induced disturbance. We undertook the first in-depth appraisal of an arboreal mammal community in Southeast Asia, using camera-traps set in unlogged and logged tropical rainforest in Sabah, Borneo. Using paired canopy and terrestrial camera-traps at 50 locations (25 in unlogged forest, 25 in logged), we assessed the effectiveness of camera-trapping at characterising the arboreal versus terrestrial community, and tested the influence of strata and forest type on community structure and composition. The paired design detected 55 mammal species across 15,817 camera-trap nights (CTNs), and additional canopy sampling in a subset of trees added a further two arboreal species to the inventory. In total, thirty species were detected exclusively by terrestrial camera-traps, eighteen exclusively by canopy camera-traps, and nine by units set at both heights, demonstrating significant differences between arboreal and terrestrial communities. This pattern was strongest in unlogged forest, reflecting greater structural diversity of this habitat, but held in logged forest as well. Species accumulation curves revealed that canopy camera-trapping significantly boosted species inventories compared to terrestrial-only sampling, and was particularly effective at detecting gliding mammals, rodents and primates. Canopy inventories took longer to reach an asymptote, suggesting that a greater sampling effort is required when deploying canopy camera-traps compared to those set on the ground. We demonstrate that arboreal mammals in Borneo’s rainforest form a diverse and distinct community, and can be sampled effectively using canopy camera-traps. However, the additional costs incurred by sampling in the canopy can be substantial. We provide recommendations to maximise sampling effectiveness, while bringing down costs, to help encourage further study into one of the last frontiers of tropical forest research.

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Carabid community structure in northern China grassland ecosystems: Effects of local habitat on species richness, species composition and functional diversity

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.6197 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e6197 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Noelline Tsafack ◽

François Rebaudo ◽

Hui Wang ◽

Dávid D. Nagy ◽

Yingzhong Xie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Community Structure ◽

Species Composition ◽

Functional Diversity ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Northern China ◽

Regional Level ◽

Habitat Characteristics ◽

Environmental Characteristics ◽

Local Habitat

Background Most carabid beetles are particularly sensitive to local habitat characteristics. Although in China grasslands account for more than 40% of the national land, their biodiversity is still poorly known. The aim of this paper is to identify the main environmental characteristics influencing carabid diversity in different types of grassland in northern China. Methods We investigated the influence of vegetation (plant biomass, cover, density, height and species richness), soil (bulk density, above ground litter, moisture and temperature) and climate (humidity, precipitation and temperature) on carabid community structure (species richness, species composition and functional diversity—measured as body size, movement and total diversity) in three types of grasslands: desert, typical and meadow steppes. We used Canonical correspondence analysis to investigate the role of habitat characteristics on species composition and eigenvector spatial filtering to investigate the responses of species richness and functional diversities. Results We found that carabid community structure was strongly influenced by local habitat characteristics and particularly by climatic factors. Carabids in the desert steppe showed the lowest richness and functional diversities. Climate predictors (temperature, precipitation and humidity) had positive effects on carabid species richness at both regional and ecosystem levels, with difference among ecosystems. Plant diversity had a positive influence on carabid richness at the regional level. Soil compaction and temperature were negatively related to species richness at regional level. Climatic factors positively influenced functional diversities, whereas soil temperature had negative effects. Soil moisture and temperature were the most important drivers of species composition at regional level, whereas the relative importance of the various environmental parameters varied among ecosystems. Discussion Carabid responses to environmental characteristics varied among grassland types, which warns against generalizations and indicates that management programs should be considered at grassland scale. Carabid community structure is strongly influenced by climatic factors, and can therefore be particularly sensitive to ongoing climate change.

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Effect of disturbance on plant species diversity in moist tropical forest of eastern Nepal

Our Nature ◽

10.3126/on.v16i1.21558 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tilak Prasad Gautam ◽

Tej Narayan Mandal

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Species Diversity ◽

Tropical Forest ◽

Biological Diversity ◽

Wiener Index ◽

Diversity Pattern ◽

Shorea Robusta ◽

Key Factor ◽

Disturbed Forest ◽

The Stability

Species diversity is a key factor for the stability of ecosystems but the increasing disturbances in tropical forests resulted in the shrinkage of biological diversity. This study was conducted in undisturbed and disturbed stands of Sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.) dominated moist tropical forest of Sunsari district, eastern Nepal in order to understand the herb, shrub and tree diversity. Present study reported the 47, 16 and 60 species of herbs, shrubs and trees, respectively. The species richness and the Shannon–Wiener index for tree species were higher in undisturbed forest (9.11 and 3.08, respectively), while the Simpson’s index (index of dominance) was higher in disturbed forest (0.11). On the other hand, reverse case was found for shrubs and herbs where species richness and Shannon–Wiener index were higher but index of dominance was lower in disturbed forest. Changes in species diversity pattern reflect the effect of disturbance.

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