scholarly journals Butterfly assemblages from Amazonian flooded forests are not more species-poor than from unflooded forests

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael M. Rabelo ◽  
William E. Magnusson
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Total Abundance ◽  
Terra Firme ◽  
Geological Age ◽  
Flooded Forests ◽  
Butterfly Assemblages ◽  
Nymphalid Butterfly ◽  
Terrain Elevation ◽  
Taxonomic Groups

AbstractThe Amazonian flooded and upland forests harbour distinct assemblages of most taxonomic groups. These differences can be mainly attributed to flooding, which may affect directly or indirectly the persistence of species. Here, we compare the density, richness and composition of butterfly assemblages in vaórzea and terra firme forests, and evaluate whether terrain elevation and flooding can be used to predict the assemblage structure. We found that the total abundance and number of species per plot is higher in vaórzea than in terra firme forests. Vaórzea assemblages showed a higher dominance of abundant species than terra firme assemblages, in which low-flying Haeterini butterflies had higher abundance. After standardizing species richness by sample size and/or coverage, species richness estimates for vaórzea and terra firme forests were similar. There was strong turnover in species composition across vaórzea and terra firme forests associated with terrain elevation, most likely due to differences in the duration of flooding. Despite a smaller total area, less defined vegetation strata, more frequent disturbances and the younger geological age of floodplain forests, Nymphalid butterfly assemblages are not more species poor there than in unflooded forests.

scholarly journals Mediterranean Red Macro Algae Mats as Habitat for High Abundances of Serpulid Polychaetes

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 265
Author(s):  
Felix I. Rossbach ◽  
Edoardo Casoli ◽  
Milan Beck ◽  
Christian Wild
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Posidonia Oceanica ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Tyrrhenian Sea ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Taxonomic Groups

The Mediterranean Sea harbors more than 17,000 eukaryotic marine species, with several ecosystems recognized as biodiversity hotspots, such as Posidonia oceanica meadows. Recent research indicates that benthic mats formed by the fleshy red alga Phyllophora crispa are also associated with high species richness. Among key groups found in these mats are sessile polychaetes, which live as epiphytes on the red algae thalli. Knowledge of abundance, species richness, and spatial variation of polychaetes associated with these habitats is still scarce. We carried out a comparative assessment focusing on serpulid polychaetes within samples from P. crispa mats and neighboring P. oceanica meadows at six different sampling sites around Giglio Island (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). A total of 17 serpulid taxa were identified. The abundance of serpulids (5665 individuals m−2 of P. crispa mat) were similar to neighboring P. oceanica meadows (2304 individuals m−2 leaves and 5890 individuals m−2 shoots). The number of serpulid taxa was significantly higher in P. crispa mats (average 6.63 ± 1.32 taxa) compared to P. oceanica beds (average 1.56 ± 0.63 and 1.84 ± 1.04 taxa in leaves and shoots, respectively). Within habitat type, there were no significant differences in species richness between sites. The most abundant species found was Josephella marenzelleri (61% of individuals), while Vermiliopsis spp. and Bathyvermilia sp. were exclusively found in P. crispa samples. Our results highlight that P. crispa mats host an exceptional diversity and that these habitats should be included in conservation strategies. Further research should focus on the significance of other important taxonomic groups within these mats and evaluate the distribution of P. crispa in different regions of the Mediterranean Sea.

scholarly journals Vertical stratification of bat assemblages in flooded and unflooded Amazonian forests

2010 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 469-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria João Ramos Pereira ◽  
João Tiago Marques ◽  
Jorge M. Palmeirim
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Vertical Stratification ◽  
Tropical Rainforests ◽  
Terra Firme ◽  
Flooded Forests ◽  
Ordination Analysis ◽  
Seasonally Flooded ◽  
Amazonian Forests ◽  
The Vertical Distribution

Abstract Tropical rainforests usually have multiple strata that results in a vertical stratification of ecological opportunities for animals. We investigated if this stratification influences the way bats use the vertical space in flooded and unflooded forests of the Central Amazon. Using mist-nets set in the canopy (17 to 35 m high) and in the understorey (0 to 3 m high) we sampled four sites in upland unflooded forests (terra firme), three in forests seasonally flooded by nutrient-rich water (várzea), and three in forests seasonally flooded by nutrient-poor water (igapó). Using rarefaction curves we found that species richness in the understorey and canopy were very similar. An ordination analysis clearly separated the bat assemblages of the canopy from those of the understorey in both flooded and unflooded habitats. Gleaning carnivores were clearly associated with the understorey, whereas frugivores were abundant in both strata. Of the frugivores, Carollinae and some Stenodermatinae were understorey specialists, but several Stenodermatinae mostly used the canopy. The first group mainly includes species that, in general, feed on fruits of understorey shrubs, whereas the second group feed on figs and other canopy fruits. We conclude that vertical stratification in bat communities occurs even within forests with lower canopy heights, such as Amazonian seasonally flooded forests, and that the vertical distribution of bat species is closely related to their diet and foraging behaviour.

Butterfly assemblages along a human disturbance gradient in Ontario, Canada

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 739-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristy L Hogsden ◽  
T C Hutchinson
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Environmental Variable ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
Total Abundance ◽  
Disturbance Gradient ◽  
Butterfly Assemblages ◽  
Host Plant Use ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Scale Data

This study relates patterns of butterfly abundance and species richness to position along an urban disturbance gradient in southeastern Ontario, Canada. Observed assemblages along the gradient (N = 15) included butterflies from the Papilionidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, and Hesperiidae families. Of the total 26 observed species, 15 were noticeably absent from the disturbed sites. Butterfly assemblages had equal or higher number of individuals and species richness at moderately disturbed sites compared with the least disturbed sites. In relation to distribution patterns along the gradient, 28% of butterfly species were classified as disturbance adaptable and 58% as disturbance avoiders. These classifications were correlated with host-plant use and voltinism. Canonical correspondence analysis of local-scale data strongly associated disturbance avoiders with a specific environmental variable (e.g., Everes comyntas (Godart, 1824) with grasslands), whereas disturbance-adaptable species were weakly associated with any variable. One-time disturbances (i.e., mowing) during the survey resulted in pronounced changes in butterfly abundance and species composition at two sites, reducing species richness and total abundance by up to 80%. Species were patchily distributed along the gradient, suggesting that they respond differentially to disturbance in the landscape.

scholarly journals Effects of habitat heterogeneity on epiedaphic Collembola (Arthropoda: Hexapoda) in a semiarid ecosystem in Northeast Brazil

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aila Soares Ferreira ◽  
Isabel Medeiros dos Santos Rocha ◽  
Bruno Cavalcante Bellini ◽  
Alexandre Vasconcellos
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Habitat Heterogeneity ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Total Abundance ◽  
As Species ◽  
Abiotic Resources ◽  
Group A ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance

The spatial distribution of abiotic resources and environmental conditions can vary at small scales within terrestrial ecosystems, influencing the composition of soil fauna. Epiedaphic springtails (Collembola) of a semiarid Caatinga ecosystem were studied to determine if factors related to vegetation structure, such as species richness, aerial biomass, litterfall, and soil characteristics (pH, granulometry and soil organic matter), influence species richness and abundance of this group. A total of 5,513 individuals were collected of 15 species distributed in 13 genera and 9 families. The most abundant species wereTemeritassp., with 2,086 (38% of the total abundance) individuals, andNeotropiellameridionalis(Arlé, 1939), with 1,911 (35% of the total abundance) individuals. None of the variables in the regression model were significantly related to Collembola species richness, but abundance was significantly related to plant species richness, aerial biomass and soil pH. Thus, even at a small spatial scale, habitat heterogeneity influences the epiedaphic Collembola in the Caatinga ecosystem, especially their abundance.

scholarly journals The Role of River Flooding as an Environmental Filter for Amazonian Butterfly Assemblages

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael M. Rabelo ◽  
Geanne C. N. Pereira ◽  
João Valsecchi ◽  
William E. Magnusson
Keyword(s):  
Amazon Basin ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Floodplain Forests ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Geological Time ◽  
Terra Firme ◽  
Environmental Filter ◽  
Butterfly Assemblages

Amazonian flooded (várzea) and upland (terra firme) forests harbor distinct assemblages of most taxonomic groups. These differences are mainly attributed to flooding, which may affect directly or indirectly the persistence of species. Here, we compare the abundance, richness and composition of butterfly assemblages in várzea and terra firme forests, and evaluate whether environmental gradients between and within these forest types can be used to predict patterns of assemblage structure. We found that both total abundance and number of species per plot are higher in várzea than in terra firme forests. Várzea assemblages had a higher dominance of abundant species than terra firme assemblages, in which butterfly abundances were more equitable. Rarefied species richness for várzea and terra firme forests was similar. There was a strong turnover in species composition from várzea to terra firme forests associated with environmental change between these forest types, but with little evidence for an effect of the environmental gradients within forest types. Despite a smaller total area in the Amazon basin, less defined vegetation strata and the shorter existence over geological time of floodplain forests, Nymphalid-butterfly assemblages were not more species-poor in várzea forests than in unflooded forests. We highlight the role of flooding as a primary environmental filter in Amazonian floodplain forests, which strongly determines the composition of butterfly assemblages.

Variation in the parasite community of the sardine fishTriportheus nematurus(Actinopterygii: Characidae) from the Medalha lagoon in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil

2013 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 272-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Costa-Pereira ◽  
F. Paiva ◽  
L.E.R. Tavares
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Total Abundance ◽  
Metazoan Parasites ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Low Prevalence ◽  
Fish Hosts ◽  
Pantanal Wetland

AbstractIn July 2009 and July 2010 (two dry periods separated by an atypically large flood in the Pantanal wetland of Brazil), 34 and 33 specimens of the sardine fishTriportheus nematuruswere collected, respectively, for the study of the metazoan parasite community of this species. Parasite ecological and community descriptors were calculated for both host samples, and possible similarities were tested statistically. Five species of metazoan parasites were identified, four of which were common to both host samples. A total of 61 metazoan parasites were collected from all fish hosts (17 specimens in July 2009 (mean: 0.5 ± 0.66 parasites/fish) and 44 specimens in July 2010 (mean: 1.33 ± 1.41 parasites/fish)). The nematodeProcamallanus hilariiand the monogeneanAnacanthorussp. were the most prevalent and abundant species in 2009 and 2010, respectively. The mean total abundance and species richness were significantly higher in 2010. Parasite communities in both samples ofT. nematuruswere characterized by species with low prevalence, abundance, mean total abundance and species richness, thus indicating low parasite diversity. Significant differences in the prevalence and abundance ofP. hilariiandAnacanthorussp. between the two samples allowed the discrimination of infracommunities, which were united in two distinct groups. This appears to be the first evidence that the peculiar hydrological dynamics of the southern Pantanal wetland (Brazil) exert an important influence over the structure of the parasite community.

scholarly journals Sheep nemabiome diversity and its response to anthelmintic treatment in Swedish sheep herds

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Halvarsson ◽  
Johan Höglund
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Anthelmintic Treatment ◽  
Host Age ◽  
Larval Culture ◽  
Nematode Parasites ◽  
South Central ◽  
Nematode Diversity

Abstract Background A novel way to study the species composition and diversity of nematode parasites in livestock is to perform deep sequencing on composite samples containing a mixture of different species. Herein we describe for the first time the nematode community structures (nemabiomes) inhabiting Swedish sheep and how these are/were affected by host age and recent anthelmintic treatments. Methods A total of 158 fecal samples were collected (n = 35 in 2007 and n = 123 in 2013–2016) and cultured from groups of sheep on 61 commercial farms in the south-central part of the country where most animals are grazed. Among the samples, 2 × 44 (56%) were paired collections from the same groups pre- and post-treatment with anthelmintics such as macrocyclic lactones, benzimidazoles or levamisole. Samples were analyzed for their nemabiome using the PacBio platform followed by bioinformatic sequence analysis with SCATA. Species richness and diversity were calculated and analyzed in R. Results Nematode ITS2 sequences were found in all larval culture samples except two, even though the fecal egg counts were below the McMaster threshold in 20 samples. Sequencing yielded, on average, 1008 sequences per sample. In total, 16 operational taxonomical units (OTU), all with ≥ 98 % identity to sequences in the NCBI database, were recognized. The OTUs found represented nematode species of which ten are commonly associated with sheep. Multiple species were identified in all pre-anthelmintic treatment larval culture samples. No effects on nematode diversity were found in relation to host age. On the other hand, recent anthelmintic treatment lowered species richness, especially after use of ivermectin and albendazole. Interestingly, despite zero egg counts after use of levamisole, these samples still contained nematode DNA and especially H. contortus. Conclusions Our findings provide evidence that nemabiome analysis combined with diversity index analysis provides an objective methodology in the study of the efficacy of anthelmintic treatment as both high and low abundant species were detected.

scholarly journals Marked Differences in Butterfly Assemblage Composition between Forest Types in Central Amazonia, Brazil

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 942
Author(s):  
Isabela Freitas Oliveira ◽  
Fabricio Beggiato Baccaro ◽  
Fernanda P. Werneck ◽  
Thamara Zacca ◽  
Torbjørn Haugaasen
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Spatial Arrangement ◽  
High Water ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
Terra Firme ◽  
Central Amazonia ◽  
Forested Areas ◽  
Contrasting Habitats ◽  
Seasonally Flooded

Amazonia comprises a mosaic of contrasting habitats, with wide environmental heterogeneity at local and regional scales. In central Amazonia, upland forest (terra firme) is the predominant forest type and seasonally flooded forests inundated by white- and black-water rivers (várzea and igapó, respectively) represent around 20% of the forested areas. In this work, we took advantage of a natural spatial arrangement of the main vegetation types in central Amazonia to investigate butterfly assemblage structure in terra firme, várzea and igapó forests at the local scale. We sampled in the low- and high-water seasons, combining active and passive sampling with traps placed in both the understory and canopy. Terra firme supported the highest number of butterfly species, whereas várzea forest provided the highest number of butterfly captures. The high species richness in terra firme may reflect that this forest type is floristically richer than várzea and igapó. Várzea is a very productive environment and may thus support a higher number of butterfly individuals than terra firme and igapó. Most butterfly species (80.2%) were unique to a single forest type and 17 can be considered forest type indicator species in this landscape. Floodplain forest environments are therefore an important complement to terra firme in terms of butterfly species richness and conservation in Amazonia.

Effect of extremely severe winters on under-ice phytoplankton development in a mesotrophic lake (Eastern Poland)

2014 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Władysława Wojciechowska ◽  
Tomasz Lenard
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Biomass Concentration ◽  
Thermal Conditions ◽  
Ice Cover ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Blue Green Algae ◽  
Cyanobacteria And Algae ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
The Vertical Distribution

AbstractThe research was carried out in a mesotrophic and dimictic lake during winters with ice cover. In the last forty years, the development of phytoplankton was analyzed in five extreme winter seasons. The studies of phytoplankton characteristics in the water column took into account values of biomass, concentration of chlorophyll-a and species composition, including dominant species. Differences in the vertical distribution of flagellate and non-flagellate species belonging to cyanobacteria and algae were analyzed in the gradient of light and thermal conditions. The phytoplankton biomass was low and vertically differentiated, with the lowest values at the deeper part of the water column. Flagellate species from the group of Cryptophyceae, Chrysophyceae and Dinophyceae were most abundant. Species biodiversity was low but every winter the dominant species represented different taxonomic groups. In some periods, larger non-motile phytoplankton species from green or blue-green algae dominated. The research proved that the development of phytoplankton under the ice cover was limited mainly by light and, to a lesser extent, by temperature.

scholarly journals Species richness and composition of epiphytic bryophytes in flooded forests of Caxiuanã National Forest, Eastern Amazon, Brazil

2017 ◽  
Vol 89 (3 suppl) ◽  
pp. 2371-2382 ◽  
Author(s):  
GABRIELA R. CERQUEIRA ◽  
ANNA LUIZA ILKIU-BORGES ◽  
LEANDRO V. FERREIRA
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
National Forest ◽  
Flooded Forests
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