Hummingbird abundance is related to food resources availability in a temperate forest of central Mexico

One strategy animals perform to cope scarcity of food resources is to shift in number of individuals according towards areas with available resources. This strategy can be more marked in species that are constrained by high energetic requirements such as hummingbirds. We aim to determine the extent to which the availability of food resources could be predictor of hummingbird numbers within and across hummingbird species in a temperate forest of central Mexico. We anticipate fluctuations in the number of hummingbirds grouped by species is best explained by monthly fluctuations in flowering resources species compared to pooled data. Our results indicate all seven hummingbird species fluctuate monthly in number across the year, which corresponds to monthly fluctuations of plant species they feed upon. The Basilinna leucotis and the Salvia elegans were present and interact in the study area almost all year-round, guiding the abundance pattern of both plants and hummingbirds in the study site. Generalized Linear Mixed Models indicate that although considering the abundance of the number of flowers for all plant species together could explain the fluctuation in all hummingbird species pooled together, considering both plant species and hummingbird species separately can provide a better explanation for changes in bird abundance. The model that analyzed species indicate that the interaction between the year-round species B. leucotis and S. elegans recorded the highest significant size effect. Our results highlight the fact that abundant species guiding abundance patterns could obscure by-species hummingbird trends and the processes guiding their patterns of abundance. We point out the need for performing adequate analytical approaches that can detect important biological interactions, and the likelihood of changes in habitat changing the pattern observed

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Seasonal and bathymetric effects on macrofouling invertebrates’ primary succession in a mediterraenan non-indigenous species hotspot area

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.14786 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 572 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

MARCO LEZZI ◽

ADRIANA GIANGRANDE

Keyword(s):

Community Development ◽

Species Interactions ◽

Primary Succession ◽

Mytilus Galloprovincialis ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Artificial Substrates ◽

Indigenous Species ◽

Central Mediterranean ◽

Almost All ◽

Non Indigenous Species

The present study investigates macrofouling development in the Mar Grande of Taranto (Central Mediterranean Sea), a wide confined area that has attracted considerable attention in recent years due to the establishment of numerous non-indigenous species (NIS). Different starting times of a yearly primary succession on artificial substrates were tracked so as to investigate the matching of the development pattern with contingency and/or convergence models, identifying NIS’s structural role in the community endpoint. Our results show that during the experiment all assemblages tended to converge towards multiple contingent communities according to starting times and depths. The differences are due to propagule availability which influence further species interactions. Thus the endpoint patterns are defined by a contingent community development determined by the seasonal species pool, their phenologies, pre- and post-settlement events, and species interactions. The most important structuring species was Mytilus galloprovincialis, which was present in almost all the endpoint assemblages, in particular when it recruits at early stages of the community development. Another abundant species at the endpoint was the alien Branchiomma boholense; which was a persistent structural component contributing to an alternative state in which Mytilus galloprovincialis loses its structural importance and where B. boholense becomes dominant, leading to an increase in fouling biodiversity of the endpoint assemblage.

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Cecidomyiidae (Diptera, Insecta): richness of species and distribution in Brazil

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2020-1038 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Valéria Cid Maia

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Gall Midge ◽

The Other ◽

Amazon Forest ◽

Gall Midges ◽

Species Origin ◽

Neotropical Species ◽

Fauna Composition ◽

Almost All

Abstract: Most Neotropical species of Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) have been described from Brazil, but a list of species with occurrence in the country has never been published. Little is known about their distribution and richness in the Brazilian phytogeographic domains. Additionally, a list of host plant species has never been gathered. The present study aims to fill these knowledge gaps and provides an overview of this family in Brazil. For this, data were obtained mainly from the literature, but also from the Cecidomyiidae collection of Museu Nacional and two herbaria (RB and R). Based on the site "Flora do Brasil 2020", botanical names were updated and plant species origin and distribution were verified. A total of 265 gall midge species have been recorded in Brazil, most from the Atlantic Forest (183), followed by Cerrado (60), and Amazon Forest (29). The other phytogeographic domains shelter from five to ten species. Phytophagous gall midges occur on 128 plant species of 52 families, almost all native, being 43 endemic to Brazil (21 endemic to Atlantic Forest, five to Cerrado, and one to Amazon). Although, the taxonomical knowledge is focused on the Atlantic Forest, each domain has its own fauna composition and these informations can be useful for environmental conservational purposes. About 58% of the Brazilian fauna are known only from the type-locality. In order to fill these gaps, it is necessary and important to collect in uninvestigated areas.

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Stem Endophytic Mycobiota in Wild and Domesticated Wheat: Structural Differences and Hidden Resources for Wheat Improvement

Journal of Fungi ◽

10.3390/jof6030180 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 180

Author(s):

Xiang Sun ◽

Evsey Kosman ◽

Amir Sharon

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Crop Improvement ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Fungal Endophyte ◽

Wild Plants ◽

Wheat Improvement ◽

Structural Differences ◽

Alternaria Infectoria ◽

Candida Sake ◽

Generation Sequencing

Towards the identification of entophytic fungal taxa with potential for crop improvement, we characterized and compared fungal endophyte communities (FECs) from domesticated bread wheat and two wheat ancestors, Aegilopssharonensis and Triticumdicoccoides. Data generated by next generation sequencing identified a total of 1666 taxa. The FECs in the three plant species contained high proportions of random taxa with low abundance. At plant species level, the majority of abundant taxa were common to all host plants, and the collective FECs of each of the three plant species had similar diversity. However, FECs from the wild plants in specific sites were more diverse and had greater richness than wheat FECs from corresponding specific fields. The wild plants also had higher numbers of differentially abundant fungal taxa than wheat, with Alternaria infectoria being the most abundant species in wild plants and Candida sake the most abundant in wheat. Network analysis on co-occurrence association revealed a small number of taxa with a relatively high number of co-occurrence associations, which might be important in community assembly. Our results show that the actual endophytic cargo in cultivated wheat plants is limited relative to wild plants, and highlight putative functional and hub fungal taxa with potential for wheat improvement.

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Anabaenopsis morphospecies (Cyanobacteria, Nostocales) from Los Patos shallow lake (Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.272.3.1 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 272 (3) ◽

pp. 173 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

ANABELLA AGUILERA ◽

JIŘĺ KOMÁREK ◽

RICARDO O. ECHENIQUE

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Species Richness ◽

Shallow Lake ◽

Algal Blooms ◽

Buenos Aires ◽

Morphological Diversity ◽

Abundant Species ◽

American Continent ◽

First Report ◽

Almost All

The genus Anabaenopsis comprises about 20 morphospecies distributed in plankton of tropical, subtropical and temperate regions during warm periods. The morphological diversity and population dynamics of Anabaenopsis species from one artificial shallow lake from the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was studied during summer 2005 and 2006; and from April 2012 to May 2014. The most common and abundant species were identified as A. elenkinii and A. cf. cunningtonii (first report in Argentina). Anabaenopsis circularis and A. milleri (first report in the American continent and Argentina) were less common, whereas A. nadsonii was rarely observed. Almost all species contributed to algal blooms during warm periods. However, some species were registered even under the lowest temperatures recorded (7.5 °C) and sustained biovolume also during winter (A. milleri, A. elenkinii and A. cf. cunningtonii). These results indicate that some species of the genus are capable of growing at temperatures much lower than 20°C. The species richness noted in this study suggests that there is likely much more diversity remaining on this genus to be reported in Argentina.

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Effects of the coastal brown ant Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius), on the ant fauna of the Perth metropolitan region, Western Australia

Pacific Conservation Biology ◽

10.1071/pc000081 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 81 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

J. E. May ◽

B. E. Heterick

Keyword(s):

Western Australia ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Pitfall Trap ◽

The Other ◽

Metropolitan Region ◽

Pheidole Megacephala ◽

Apparent Displacement ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Almost All

This paper reports on the apparent displacement of native and exotic ants from gardens in the Perth Metropolitan region by the coastal brown ant (Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius)). Twelve gardens were sampled, four with P. megacephala present, and eight (the controls) where the ant was judged to be absent. Eight out of the 26 ant species recorded (including the coastal brown ant) were introduced. Ninety-two per cent of pitfall trap contents comprised the four most abundant species: P. megacephala, lridomyrmex chasei (Forel), Tetramorium simillimum (F. Smith) and Paratrechina ?obscura (Mayr). Three of the four P. megacephala-dominated gardens were depauperate of almost all other ant species. The fourth P. megacephala-infested garden had a relatively small number of coastal brown ants (104), and the highest number of ant species was found in that garden. The removal of this outlier garden left an average range of one to three species for the other three P. megacephala-infested gardens. Control gardens had between five and 12 ant species. Total ant abundance ranged from an average of 1 027 per P. megacephala-infested garden (increasing to 1 171 if the outlier garden is removed) to 146 at control gardens. There was a significant difference both in ant richness and ant abundance between the controls and P. megacephala-infested gardens (P < 0.05). This remained the case when figures for coastal brown ants were excluded from calculations.

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Biodiversity Status of the Immediate Vicinity of an Iron and Steel Recycling Factory in Ile-Ife, South-Western Nigeria

Notulae Scientia Biologicae ◽

10.15835/nsb719420 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 45-51

Author(s):

Oludare Oladipo AGBOOLA ◽

Olalekan Oluwatoyosi SALAMI ◽

Stephen OYEDEJI

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Native Species ◽

Floristic Composition ◽

Common Species ◽

Line Transect ◽

Panicum Maximum ◽

Iron And Steel ◽

Reported Study ◽

Plant Families ◽

Almost All

Floristic composition of vegetation communities of 27 plots established along a line transect in the four major directions was investigated in the vicinity of an Iron and Steel factory in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The aim of the study was to document the plant species composition (biodiversity) of the plant communities found within the 350 m perimeter of the facility in the study area, which will serve as a reference data, as there was no reported study for the area prior to the establishment of the factory. Plant species were identified to species level in a 10 x 10 m plot and the occurrence of each species was described in semi-quantitative terms. The vegetation is heterogeneous in nature having 31 species of tree saplings and climbers, 26 of shrubs, 15 of herbaceous plants and 4 of grasses. These 107 plant species belong to forty six (46) plant families. The dominant families included Apocynaceae and Papilionaceae (9 species), Sapindaceae (8 species), Euphorbiaceae (6 species), Asteraceae, Cucurbitaceae, Malvaceae, Poaceae, Sterculiaceae and Verbenaceae (4 species). Among the diverse species recorded, Chromolaena odorata formed a ticket in almost all the plots. Other common species included Albizia zygia, Alchornea laxiflora, Aspilia africana, Cnestis ferruginea, Combretum sp., Icacina tricantha, Ipomoea involucrata, Momordica foetida, Panicum maximum, Paullinia pinnata, Simicrata welwitschii and Vigna gracilis. The index of similarity of the plots ranged from 6.1 to 71.8%. The potential and vulnerability of the species were highlighted. Adherence to and enforcement of environmental regulations was recommended for preservation of the native species.

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Ectomycorrhizal pre-inoculation of Pinus hartwegii and Abies religiosa is replaced by native fungi in a temperate forest of central Mexico

Symbiosis ◽

10.1007/s13199-017-0498-z ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 74 (2) ◽

pp. 131-144 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Dulce Flores-Rentería ◽

Victor L. Barradas ◽

Javier Álvarez-Sánchez

Keyword(s):

Temperate Forest ◽

Central Mexico ◽

Pinus Hartwegii ◽

Native Fungi ◽

Abies Religiosa

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Analysis of the feeding habits of the swallow-tailed hummingbird, Eupetomena macroura (Gmelin, 1788), in an urban park in southeastern Brazil

Brazilian Journal of Biology ◽

10.1590/s1519-69842008000200027 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 68 (2) ◽

pp. 419-426 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

MCB. Toledo ◽

DM. Moreira

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Feeding Habits ◽

Mangifera Indica ◽

Food Resources ◽

Plant Part ◽

Southeastern Brazil ◽

Urban Park ◽

Territorial Defense ◽

The City

The aim of this work was to observe and describe the feeding habits and available food resources of the swallow-tailed hummingbird, Eupetomena macroura. The study was carried out in a municipal park located in the city of Taubaté, in the state of São Paulo. The observations took place between December 2003 and October 2004, recording the following variables: 1) the plant species visited for feeding and territorial defense; 2) the kinds of food resources; and 3) the kinds of flight to procure and obtain food. E. macroura visited 12 plant species. For territorial defense, Mangifera indica was the most visited, whereas Malvaviscus arboreus was most visited for feeding. The foliage was the plant part that received the most frequent visits. In order to obtain nectar, the only species visited was M. arboreus; to obtain arthropods, the species most visited were Mangifera indica and Hymenaea stilbocarpa. In the dry season, the hummingbirds visited flowers, whereas in the rainy season they visited leaves to acquire food. The arthropod groups most frequently found on leafy branches were Homoptera and Psocoptera. Finally, the results of the type of flight analysis showed that flight used to capture food was more often observed than were flights to search for food. In conclusion, these observations suggest that E. macroura shows plasticity in feeding behavior, which can help it to persist in urban areas.

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In-silico Exploration of Channel Type and Efflux Silicon Transporters and Silicification Proteins in 80 Sequenced Viridiplantae Genomes

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants9111612 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 1612

Author(s):

Muhammad Amjad Nawaz ◽

Farrukh Azeem ◽

Alexander Mikhailovich Zakharenko ◽

Xiao Lin ◽

Rana Muhammad Atif ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

In Silico ◽

Structural Integrity ◽

Green Plant ◽

Rich Domain ◽

Anion Transporter ◽

Transporter Family ◽

Gene Structures ◽

Almost All ◽

Channel Type

Silicon (Si) accumulation protects plants from biotic and abiotic stresses. It is transported and distributed within the plant body through a cooperative system of channel type (e.g., OsLsi1) and efflux (Lsi2s e.g., OsLsi2) Si transporters (SITs) that belong to Noduline-26 like intrinsic protein family of aquaporins and an uncharacterized anion transporter family, respectively. Si is deposited in plant tissues as phytoliths and the process is known as biosilicification but the knowledge about the proteins involved in this process is limited. In the present study, we explored channel type SITs and Lsi2s, and siliplant1 protein (Slp1) in 80 green plant species. We found 80 channel type SITs and 133 Lsi2s. The channel type SITs characterized by the presence of two NPA motifs, GSGR or STAR selectivity filter, and 108 amino acids between two NPA motifs were absent from Chlorophytes, while Streptophytes evolved two different types of channel type SITs with different selectivity filters. Both channel type SITs and Lsi2s evolved two types of gene structures each, however, Lsi2s are ancient and were also found in Chlorophyta. Homologs of Slp1 (225) were present in almost all Streptophytes regardless of their Si accumulation capacity. In Si accumulator plant species, the Slp1s were characterized by the presence of H, D-rich domain, P, K, E-rich domain, and P, T, Y-rich domain, while moderate Si accumulators lacked H, D-rich domain and P, T, Y-rich domains. The digital expression analysis and coexpression networks highlighted the role of channel type and Lsi2s, and how Slp1 homologs were ameliorating plants’ ability to withstand different stresses by co-expressing with genes related to structural integrity and signaling. Together, the in-silico exploration made in this study increases our knowledge of the process of biosilicification in plants.

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Composition, density and biomass of fish community from the surf zone as a function of the lunar cycle at Miramar Beach in Cabedelo, Paraíba

Neotropical Ichthyology ◽

10.1590/1982-0224-20170042 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Willy Vila Nova Pessoa ◽

Jonas de Assis Almeida Ramos ◽

Paulo Guilherme Vasconcelos de Oliveira

Keyword(s):

Surf Zone ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Lunar Cycle ◽

Species Group ◽

Biological Interactions ◽

The Moon ◽

Group I ◽

The Mean ◽

New Moon ◽

Density And Biomass

ABSTRACT The influence of the moon cycles on the ichthyofauna has been little studied in the surf zone. In this study, the number of species, density and biomass were evaluated as a function of the moon. A total of 49 species distributed in 24 families were captured in two areas of Miramar beach. The mean density was significant high in the weaning and low in the new moon, while density and biomass together showed differences for areas. The most abundant species were Anchoa tricolor and Trachinotus falcatus (new moon), and Anchovia clupeoides showed significant differences in the waning moon. The RDA indicates that turbidity influenced significantly the presence of two species group. The group I were represented by Stellifer brasiliensis, Trachinotus goodei, A. clupeoides, Chilomycterus spinosus and Conodon nobilis that occurred on the waning and new phases in both areas, while the group II were represented by Polydactylus virginicus and Haemulopsis corvinaeformis in the full moon. The surf zones may also be strongly governed by the lunar phases. Therefore, the results found in this study, showed that the biological interactions between the species with turbidity and moon might explain the density and biomass variations for some species in the surf zone.

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