Assessing woody vegetation recovery in the Rayas River following the eruption of the Chaitén Volcano in 2008

2021 ◽  
pp. SP520-2020-261
Author(s):  
Héctor Ulloa ◽  
Bruno Mazzorana ◽  
Andrés Iroumé ◽  
Susana Paula
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Vegetation Recovery ◽  
Regeneration Process ◽  
Woody Vegetation ◽  
Southern Chile ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
River Corridor

AbstractWe studied the recovery of the woody vegetation in a segment of the Rayas River, that drains the Chaitén Volcano, in southern Chile. Data collection in the river corridor was performed to assess the regeneration rates of the colonizing vegetation within the river corridor, to investigate the site-specific regeneration modes (i.e., with respect to the different morphological units), to determine the species composition and to observe potential similarities with the regeneration process on hillslopes (i.e., outside the river corridor). We first performed a sampling of the shrub and tree vegetation regenerating in the Forest adjacent to the study segment. Further samplings were executed on Islands, High bars, the Floodplain, and in association to Wood jams. Results show that nine years after the volcano's last eruption, pre-eruption remnant Islands and the Floodplain exhibited an abundant regeneration, with the highest density of recruits and species richness. In addition, a clear difference was observed between the river corridor and the Forest, both in the characteristics of the plants that were regenerating as well as in the species composition. Finally, the vegetation that has re-established after the eruption have not yet acquired the capacity to play a stabilizing role in the fluvial corridor. New insights are provided on reforestation patterns at sites impacted by Large Infrequent Disturbances.

Comparison of the floodplain forest floristic composition of two riparian corridors: species richness, alien species and the effect of water regime changes

Biologia ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Radomír Řepka ◽  
Jan Šebesta ◽  
Petr Maděra ◽  
Petr Vahalík
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Endangered Species ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Water Regime ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Floodplain Forests ◽  
Riparian Corridors ◽  
River Corridor

AbstractFloodplain forests are sensitive to changes within the surrounding environment and contain the most highly invaded habitats. The overall aim of this study was to characterise floristic composition of floodplain forest along two different riparian corridors. The studied river ecosystems were influenced by human disturbances, but they have historically different hydrological management practices (e.g., damming and water regime management). We hypothesised that different hydrological management practices affect the composition and diversity of vegetation and influence multiple ecosystem functions and services in floodplain forests. A detailed study of the vascular plant species diversity of floodplain forests in the lower parts of two riparian corridors of the Thaya and Morava Rivers (South Moravia) was conducted. Altogether, 853 species of vascular plants were recorded, including 121 species of woody plants. We found 111 species that are protected by law or threatened according to the Czech Red List. We found 230 alien species, out of which 125 are archaeophytes and 105 are neophytes. Thirty-nine species are invasive; however, the most frequent group comprises naturalised archaeophytes (78). Differences in the effects of environmental factors on species richness and the proportions of alien and endangered species were tested using generalised linear models (GLMs). Differences in species composition in the two distinct riparian corridors were examined using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Although only small differences were observed in the vegetation composition, we observed some differences in species richness and species composition between the riparian corridors. The most obvious difference was a higher proportion of alien species in the Morava River corridor than in the Thaya River corridor. In contrast, the proportion of endangered species richness was higher in the Thaya River corridor. We assume that the most probable explanation of the differences is the unique water management history for each river corridor.

scholarly journals Disentangling the Ecological Determinants of Species and Functional Trait Diversity in Herb-Layer Plant Communities in European Temperate Forests

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 552
Author(s):  
Janez Kermavnar ◽  
Lado Kutnar ◽  
Aleksander Marinšek
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Forest Stand ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Herb Layer ◽  
Bud Bank ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Stand Characteristics

Forest herb-layer vegetation responds sensitively to environmental conditions. This paper compares drivers of both taxonomic, i.e., species richness, cover and evenness, and functional herb-layer diversity, i.e., the diversity of clonal, bud bank and leaf-height-seed plant traits. We investigated the dependence of herb-layer diversity on ecological determinants related to soil properties, climatic parameters, forest stand characteristics, and topographic and abiotic and biotic factors associated with forest floor structure. The study was conducted in different forest types in Slovenia, using vegetation and environmental data from 50 monitoring plots (400 m2 each) belonging to the ICP Forests Level I and II network. The main objective was to first identify significant ecological predictors and then quantify their relative importance. Species richness was strongly determined by forest stand characteristics, such as richness of the shrub layer, tree layer shade-casting ability as a proxy for light availability and tree species composition. It showed a clear positive relation to soil pH. Variation in herb-layer cover was also best explained by forest stand characteristics and, to a lesser extent, by structural factors such as moss cover. Species evenness was associated with tree species composition, shrub layer cover and soil pH. Various ecological determinants were decisive for the diversity of below-ground traits, i.e., clonal and bud bank traits. For these two trait groups we observed a substantial climatic signal that was completely absent for taxonomy-based measures of diversity. In contrast, above-ground leaf-height-seed (LHS) traits were driven exclusively by soil reaction and nitrogen availability. In synthesis, local stand characteristics and soil properties acted as the main controlling factors for both species and trait diversity in herb-layer communities across Slovenia, confirming many previous studies. Our findings suggest that the taxonomic and functional facets of herb-layer vegetation are mainly influenced by a similar set of ecological determinants. However, their relative importance varies among individual taxonomy- and functional trait-based diversity measures. Integrating multi-faceted approaches can provide complementary information on patterns of herb-layer diversity in European forest plant communities.

Species Composition and Species Richness in the Hetao Irrigation Region Drainage Ditches, Northern China

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Zhao ◽  
Xin-rong Li ◽  
Zhi-shan Zhang ◽  
Yi-gang Hu ◽  
Pan Wu
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Drainage Ditches

scholarly journals Composition and diversity of anurans in the Restinga of the Conde municipality, northern coast of the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Felipe Augusto Trindade Gondim-Silva ◽  
Alessandra Rodrigues Santos Andrade ◽  
Rafael Oliveira Abreu ◽  
Jamile Santos Nascimento ◽  
Geovane Paixão Corrêa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Diversity ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Rainy Season ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
The State ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Freshwater Wetland ◽  
Northern Coast ◽  
Anuran Species

Abstract The Conde municipality is located in the northern coast of the state of Bahia (NC), northeastern Brazil, and is part of the Atlantic Tropical domain. The anuran fauna of the northern portion of the NC is still poorly known if compared to the southern portion. The Restinga is one of the predominant environments of the coastal plains of the NC and it is characterized essentially by presenting sandy soil covered by herbaceous and shrubby vegetation. The objective of this study was to determine the anuran species composition and diversity for the Restinga of the Conde municipality. Sampling was carried out at night by active search over four periods of five consecutive days each, two over the 'main rainy season' and two in a 'lesser rainy season', using 14 sample units (SUs) and five extra sample plots (EPs). We calculated dominance and species diversity using the Berger-Parker and Shannon-Wiener H' indices, respectively. We used accumulation curves and the Jackknife 1 estimator to estimate anuran species richness, considering only the data obtained from the SUs. We recorded 713 anuran specimens distributed within 33 species, 13 genera and five families (Bufonidae, Craugastoridae, Hylidae, Leptodactylidae and Microhylidae). The Hylidae and Leptodactylidae families had the highest species richness. Considering only the SUs (Jackknife 1 estimator in brackets), we recorded 28 species in the study area (33.9 ± 2.3), 13 in Shrubby Vegetation Zones - SVZ (20.8 ± 2.9) and 25 in Freshwater Wetland Zones - FWZ (28.9 ± 1.9). The abundance and species diversity of the FWZ (n = 638 specimens; H'= 2.4) were higher than those recorded for the SVZ (n = 52 specimens; H' = 1.9). The SVZ and FWZ showed distinct dominant species, wherein Pristimantis paulodutrai was the dominant species in SVZ and Scinax fuscomarginatus in FWZ. The Restinga of the Conde municipality stands out as the one with the highest anuran species richness already recorded considering only SVZ and FWZ. Moreover, its anuran species composition represented 55% of the anuran species known for the NC and included taxa common to three different morphoclimatic domains (Tropical Atlantic, Cerrado and Caatinga).

A structural gradient in cerrado vegetation of Brazil: changes in woody plant density, species richness, life history and plant composition

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 775-794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luci Ferreira Ribeiro ◽  
Marcelo Tabarelli
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Lower Layer ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Life History Strategies ◽  
Cerrado Vegetation ◽  
Structural Types

Four structural types of cerrado vegetation were examined to test the following hypotheses: (1) there are predictable changes in woody plant density, species richness and life-history strategies from one structural type to another; and (2) plant species composition in the less-rich structural types represent particular and impoverished subsets of those found in the richer ones. The study was conducted at Fazenda Palmares (5°33′S, 42°37′W) Piauí State, Brazil. A 47% decrease in woody plant density between cerradão (forest) and the least-dense type of cerrado sensu stricto (scrub) was associated with a 40% decrease in species richness. The percentage of lower-layer species was reduced by 29% in the least dense type of cerrado sensu stricto compared to cerradão. The proportion of species that flower and fruit during the rainy season was also reduced by one third. Species were not distributed as impoverished subsets along the cerradão–cerrado sensu stricto gradient. It is argued that the reduction in woody plant density and richness is partly due to factors limiting the occurrence of species with particular life-history strategies. The species composition of structural types is affected by the ‘mass effect’ and also by surrounding biotas, which provide species that colonize particular types of cerrado vegetation. Both these processes reduce the likelihood that the species composition in the poorer structural types are simple subsets of those present in the richer types.

scholarly journals Impacts of forest fragmentation on species composition and forest structure in the temperate landscape of southern Chile

2007 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 426-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian Echeverría ◽  
Adrian C. Newton ◽  
Antonio Lara ◽  
José María Rey Benayas ◽  
David A. Coomes
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Forest Fragmentation ◽  
Forest Structure ◽  
Southern Chile

Distribution of moss-inhabiting diatoms along an altitudinal gradient at sub-Antarctic Îles Kerguelen

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niek J.M. Gremmen ◽  
Bart van de Vijver ◽  
Yves Frenot ◽  
Marc Lebouvier
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Altitudinal Gradient ◽  
Cross Validation ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Important Variable ◽  
Diatom Species ◽  
Expected Species Richness

Altitudinal gradients provide excellent opportunities to study relationships between species distribution and climatic variables. We studied the species composition of 39 samples of moss-inhabiting diatoms, collected at 50 m intervals from 100–650 m above sea level. The samples contained a total of 130 diatom species, of which 51 occurred in 10 or more samples. Altitude appeared to be the most important variable explaining variation in species composition. Of the 51 common species, 33 showed a significant relationship with altitude. Although the majority of the latter declined with increasing altitude, for nine species the probability of occurrence first increased with increasing elevation, but decreased again at higher altitudes, and four species increased systematically with elevation. As a result, expected species richness per sample decreased from an estimated 43 at 100 m to 25 species per sample at 650 m. Diatom distribution patterns proved to be suitable predictors of the altitudinal position of sample sites. Cross-validation yielded a strong relationship between predicted and observed altitudes.

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.

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