scholarly journals Moth species richness in an upland tropical rainforest: A citizen scientist assisted study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David YP Tng ◽  
Deborah MG Apgaua ◽  
Nicholas J Fisher ◽  
Victor W Fazio
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Survey Period ◽  
Wet Tropics ◽  
General Locality ◽  
Moth Species ◽  
World Heritage Area ◽  
One Year ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Diversity Studies

Diversity studies on moths in Australia are rare, presenting various shortfalls in knowledge that impedes and understanding of their biodiversity values and their conservation. In particular, the Wet Tropics of Australia deserves attention, given the paucity of systematic moth surveys in the region and its World Heritage Area status. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted a study to observe moths on 191 nights over a main one-year survey period at an upland rainforest locality, and uploaded all observations on iNaturalist. We also compiled other incidental observations in the general locality by other observers and observations outside the survey period. In total, we document 4,434 observations of moths represented by 1041 distinct moth morphospecies. Of these, 703 are formally named species of moths, 146 to genus and 255 to higher taxonomic designations above genus level. Despite the rather intensive main survey effort, our results suggest that we have yet to reach a plateau in documenting the moth species richness of the locality. Using this study as a model, we show that the iNaturalist platform serves as an effective means to document and digitally curate biodiversity values at a locality, whilst providing complete data transparency and enabling broader community engagement of citizen scientists. We recommend the use of iNaturalist for future moth inventories, and as a resource for follow up meta-analyses of regional moth diversity and distributions.

Linking fish and crustacean taxonomic composition with seasonal contrasts in the soft-bottom intertidal zone

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Gondal ◽  
S. Iqbal ◽  
U. Atique ◽  
N. U. Saher ◽  
N. A. Qureshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Water Temperature ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Fish Species Composition ◽  
One Year ◽  
Sw Monsoon

Abstract The primary objective of this study was to investigate the seasonal fish and crustacean variations concerning taxonomic composition, species richness, and diversity in sandy beach habitat. For this purpose, we investigated the Sonmiani Hor lagoon area during four distinct seasons, i.e., northeast (NE) monsoon, pre-monsoon, south-west (SW) monsoon, and post-monsoon for one year. During each haul, the net was pulled about 100m along the beach in 0.5m depth. The results showed a strong linear correlation between the diversity index and equitability in fishes (r = 0.978). The diversity index was strong negatively correlated with the abundance and biomass (r = -0.978, -0.972, respectively). The physical attributes like sea surface water temperature and salinity showed a strong negative effect on species assemblages (r = -0.981 and -0.943, respectively). The mean air and water temperature illustrated approximately 3°C difference during NE and pre-monsoon seasons. However, salinity, pH, and electrical conductivity did not show any significant seasonal variabilities. Under the ecological indices, the fish species displayed higher diversity (H’ = 3.19) during SW monsoon, whereas the lowest diversity was observed during pre-monsoon (H’ = 1.58). The equitability and species richness, however, remained more noticeable during SW monsoon (J’ = 0.81). The total number of individuals of fish and crustaceans reached 4799 with 3813 fish individuals and 986 individuals of crustaceans. A total of 27 families of fish while five crustacean families comprising of 30 genera and 38 fish species while ten genera and 17 species of crustaceans were recorded. Liza subviridis displayed the highest abundance among the sampled fish species. In conclusion, fish species constituted a significant part of the coastal fauna in the study area. The seasonal variations displayed distinct variations in fish species composition and diversity.

scholarly journals Quality of Diet Among Community-Dwelling Elders Participating in the Mobility and Vitality Lifestyle Program

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 841-841
Author(s):  
Jessica Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Disease Prevention ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Group Intervention ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Quality Score ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
One Year

Abstract Dietary choices play an important role in disease prevention both through its effect on weight and independent of it. Improving diet can be an effective means of disease prevention among older adults. Participants (n=303) were recruited from the Allegheny County, PA area and received nutritional education in group sessions led by trained community health workers over one year. Diet quality was captured at baseline and final endpoint (either 9 or 13 months) using the Rate Your Plate (RYP) instrument for assessing healthfulness of diet and includes 24 items that can be summed to generate a total quality score. The mean RYP diet quality score improved from baseline (RYP=50.87) to endpoint (RYP=54.85) (p<.001). Over the course of the intervention, 30.9% of participants made enough improvement in diet to move to a better RYP category. A community-based group intervention for older adults was effective in inducing improvements in diet quality.

scholarly journals Evaluation of UAV LiDAR for Mapping Coastal Environments

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 2893 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Chun Lin ◽  
Yi-Ting Cheng ◽  
Tian Zhou ◽  
Radhika Ravi ◽  
Seyyed Hasheminasab ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Volume Loss ◽  
Coastal Environments ◽  
Average Volume ◽  
Survey Period ◽  
Shoreline Changes ◽  
Point Density ◽  
One Year

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based remote sensing techniques have demonstrated great potential for monitoring rapid shoreline changes. With image-based approaches utilizing Structure from Motion (SfM), high-resolution Digital Surface Models (DSM), and orthophotos can be generated efficiently using UAV imagery. However, image-based mapping yields relatively poor results in low textured areas as compared to those from LiDAR. This study demonstrates the applicability of UAV LiDAR for mapping coastal environments. A custom-built UAV-based mobile mapping system is used to simultaneously collect LiDAR and imagery data. The quality of LiDAR, as well as image-based point clouds, are investigated and compared over different geomorphic environments in terms of their point density, relative and absolute accuracy, and area coverage. The results suggest that both UAV LiDAR and image-based techniques provide high-resolution and high-quality topographic data, and the point clouds generated by both techniques are compatible within a 5 to 10 cm range. UAV LiDAR has a clear advantage in terms of large and uniform ground coverage over different geomorphic environments, higher point density, and ability to penetrate through vegetation to capture points below the canopy. Furthermore, UAV LiDAR-based data acquisitions are assessed for their applicability in monitoring shoreline changes over two actively eroding sandy beaches along southern Lake Michigan, Dune Acres, and Beverly Shores, through repeated field surveys. The results indicate a considerable volume loss and ridge point retreat over an extended period of one year (May 2018 to May 2019) as well as a short storm-induced period of one month (November 2018 to December 2018). The foredune ridge recession ranges from 0 m to 9 m. The average volume loss at Dune Acres is 18.2 cubic meters per meter and 12.2 cubic meters per meter within the one-year period and storm-induced period, respectively, highlighting the importance of episodic events in coastline changes. The average volume loss at Beverly Shores is 2.8 cubic meters per meter and 2.6 cubic meters per meter within the survey period and storm-induced period, respectively.

scholarly journals Can anthropic fires affect epigaeic and hypogaeic Cerrado ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) communities in the same way?

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernesto Oliveira Canedo-Júnior ◽  
Rafael Gonçalves Cuissi ◽  
Nelson Henrique De Almeida Curi ◽  
Guilherme Ramos Demetrio ◽  
Chaim José Lasmar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Recovery Time ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Control Area ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Ant Communities ◽  
Fire Event ◽  
Biological Communities ◽  
One Year

Fire occurrences are a common perturbation in Cerrado ecosystems, and may differently impact the local biodiversity. Arthropods are one of the taxa affected by fires, and among them, ants are known as good bioindicators. We aimed to evaluate the effect of anthropic fires on epigaeic and hypogaeic ant communities (species richness and composition) in Cerrado areas with different post-fire event recovery periods. We conducted the study in four Cerrado areas during two weeks of 2012 dry season: one unburned and three at different post-fire times (one month, one and two years). We sampled ants with pitfall traps in epigaeic and hypogaeic microhabitats. We collected 71 ant morpho-species from 25 genera. In the epigaeic microhabitat we sampled 56 morpho-species and 42 in the hypogaeic microhabitat. The area with the shortest recovery time presented lower epigaeic ant species richness (4.3 ± 2.00) in comparison to the other areas (8.1 ± 2.68 species on one year area; 10.3 ± 2.66 species on two years area; 10.4 ± 2.31 species on control area), but recovery time did not affect hypogaeic ant species richness. Regarding ant species composition, fire did not directly affect hypogaeic ant species, which remained the same even one month after fire event. However, two years were not enough to reestablish ant species composition in both microhabitats in relation to our control group samples. Our study is the first to assess anthropic fire effects upon epigaeic and hypogaeic ants communities; highlighting the importance of evaluating different microhabitats, to more accurately detect the effects of anthropic disturbances in biological communities. We concluded that ant communities are just partially affected by fire occurrences, and epigaeic assemblages are the most affected ones in comparison to hypogaeic ants. Furthermore the study provides knowledge to aid in the creation of vegetation management programs that allow Cerrado conservation.

Overlap in avian communities produces unimodal richness peaks on Bornean mountains

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan C. Burner ◽  
Alison R. Styring ◽  
Chandradewana Boer ◽  
Frederick H. Sheldon
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Sufficient Evidence ◽  
Altitudinal Distribution ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Point Counts ◽  
Habitat Gradient ◽  
Quantitative Analyses ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Replicated Systems

Abstract:Altitudinal gradients provide tractable, replicated systems in which to study changes in species richness and community composition over relatively short distances. Previously, richness was often assumed to follow a monotonic decline with altitude, but recent meta-analyses show that more complex patterns, including mid-altitude richness peaks, are also prevalent in birds. In this study, we used point counts to survey birds at multiple altitudes on three mountains on the island of Borneo in Sundaland, an area for which quantitative analyses of avian altitudinal distribution are unavailable. In total we conducted 1088 point counts and collected associated habitat data at 527 locations to estimate species richness by altitude on Mt Mulu (2376 m), Mt Pueh (1550 m) and Mt Topap Oso (1450 m). On Mulu, the only mountain with an intact habitat gradient, bird species richness peaks at 600 m. Richness appeared to peak at 600 m on Totap Oso as well, but on Pueh it peaked several hundred metres higher. The richness peak on Mulu differs from that predicted by null models and is instead caused by the overlap of distinct lowland and montane avifaunas, supporting the faunal overlap hypothesis. This finding provides further evidence that a lack of coincidence between peak turnover and peak richness is not sufficient evidence to rule out faunal overlap as a causal factor.

Abstract 16037: Hybrid Convergent Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
suvash shrestha ◽  
David DeLurgio ◽  
Andy Kiser ◽  
Saumil Oza ◽  
Yisachar Greenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Patient Monitoring ◽  
Event Rate ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Adverse Event Rate ◽  
Likelihood Estimator ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Limited Effectiveness ◽  
One Year ◽  
Meta Analyses

Introduction: Hybrid convergent epicardial/endocardial ablation was developed in response to the limited effectiveness of endocardial catheter ablation for persistent (PersAF) and longstanding PersAF (LSPAF). The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of reported safety and efficacy outcomes with convergent procedures. Methods: Predefined search terms were used in PubMed; the initial search was performed in June 2019 and updated in May 2020. Abstracts and full text in English were reviewed for peer-reviewed, primary clinical studies of hybrid convergent procedures in PersAF/LSPAF. Meta-analysis was performed with using a random effects model with a restricted maximum likelihood estimator and forest plots. Heterogeneity was tested using Cochran’s Q-test. Results: The updated search yielded 325 unique results. Two articles from meta-analyses were added. Nineteen articles met inclusion with safety and/or efficacy data. Three overlapping studies were excluded. Results from the randomized CONVERGE trial were added, for a total of 1084 patients in 17 studies; 94% had PersAF or LSPAF. The 30-day major adverse event rate was 3.1% (95% CI 1.9% - 4.3%; n=1084; 17 studies), excluding pericardial effusions (PE) (non-emergent inflammatory response) and 5.1% (95% CI 3.6% - 6.6%) overall. The PEs may be mitigated by anti-inflammatory prophylaxis, pericardial drainage and appropriate patient monitoring. Freedom from AF/atrial arrhythmia at one year or later was 75.0% (95% CI 66.0%-83.9%; n=805; 14 studies) regardless of anti-arrhythmic drugs (AAD) and 64.9% (95% CI 54.7%-75.1%; n=494; 8 studies) off AADs/ absent increased dosage of failed AADs. Heterogeneity across studies was detected for effectiveness (p<0.0001), but not for safety (p=0.12). Conclusions: This meta-analysis shows high efficacy of hybrid convergent ablation at one year, even off AADs, and a reasonable safety in mostly persistent or long-standing persistent AF.

Caridina malanda, a new species of freshwater shrimp (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the Wet Tropics World Heritage area, north–eastern Queensland, Australia

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4652 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-125
Author(s):  
SATISH CHOY ◽  
TIMOTHY J. PAGE ◽  
VALENTIN DE MAZANCOURT ◽  
BENJAMIN MOS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Wet Tropics ◽  
World Heritage Area ◽  
Heritage Area ◽  
A New Species

Integrated molecular and morphological studies of newly collected and curated specimens of the genus Caridina from the Atherton Tablelands, Wet Tropics World Heritage Area in north–eastern Queensland, Australia indicated the presence of an undescribed species belonging to the Caridina zebra Short 1993 complex. This species is somewhat intermediate, although distinct on the basis of molecular data and morphology, from two known sympatric species, Caridina zebra and C. confusa Choy & Marshall 1997, and an allopatric species, C. spinula Choy & Marshall 1997, from the Cape York Peninsula, about 500 km north. It is described here as a new species, C. malanda sp. nov., and compared with similar congeners. A key for the identification of the species, as well as notes on its distribution, ecology, and conservation, are provided. 

scholarly journals Changes in small mammal assemblage structure across a rain forest/open forest ecotone

1998 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEPHEN E. WILLIAMS ◽  
HELENE MARSH
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Rain Forest ◽  
Habitat Heterogeneity ◽  
Large Change ◽  
Open Forest ◽  
Live Trapping ◽  
Sclerophyll Forest ◽  
World Heritage Area ◽  
Forest Ecotone

The effect of the change in vegetation structure from closed rain forest to tall open forest on the small mammal assemblage was studied by live trapping at three sites where the ecotone was very narrow (> 20 m) near the southern end of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area of Australia. Habitat heterogeneity was significantly higher in the mixed open forest/ecotone area than in the adjacent rain forest. There was a large change in the struture of the small mammal assemblage coincident with the vegetation discontinuity. Although the species richness of small mammals was relatively constant across the gradient, the evenness and diversity of the assemblage declined across the transition from open forest into rain forest and biomass increased, largely due to the high abundance of Rattus fuscipes in the rain forest. The results suggest that the species richness of the small mammal assemblage was not determined by the spatial heterogeneity of the vegetation struture. The species composition of the rain forest is probably related to the historical biogeography of the area whereas the species richness of the wet sclerophyll forest is probably due to a mass-area effect from the adjcant large areas of rain forest and dry sclerophyll forest. However, the evenness, and therefore the diversity of the assemblage, was strongly affected by habitat heterogeneity.

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