scholarly journals The diversity of saproxylic beetles’ community from the Natural Reserve Voievodeasa Forest, North-Eastern Romania

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-60
Author(s):  
Nicolai Olenici ◽  
Ecaterina Fodor

Nature reserves harbour considerable richness and diversity of saproxylic organisms since dead wood is preserved in situ, this being also the case of Voivodeasa beech-spruce-fir forest in North-Eastern Romania, the area investigated under the present research. Flight interception traps were employed to capture insects during a vegetation season with the goal to characterize saproxylic Coleoptera community in terms of diversity and several other structural features. Among the captured insects, the majority pertained to obligate saproxylic species (217 species). However, the unexpected high species richness corresponded to an area with modest representation of deadwood due to previous status of commercial forest. The identified beetles were members of different habitat-guilds depending on what type of substrate they colonized: recently dead wood (23%), decomposed dead wood (41%), wood inhabiting fungi (34%) and treehollow detritus (2%). According to their trophic position, the identified saproxylic beetles pertained to the following guilds: xylophagous (40%), mycetophagous (39%), predatory (14%), and species relying on other food resources. The observed richness corresponded to the case of hyperdiverse communities where sampling never leads to the stabilization of species richness under a realistic sampling scheme. The diversity profiles constructed on Shannon, Gini-Simpson, Berger-Parker and evenness indices for the pooled inventory and for separate samples across the vegetation season indicated the aggregated saproxylic community as highly diverse and highly uneven, with rich representation of rare species, dominated by few abundant species. We assembled four bipartite, unweighted, and undirected networks to approach the temporal changes across the sampling period extended over one vegetation season. The topology of beetles’ community and of the three main trophic guilds (xylophagous, mycetophagous and predatory) networks linked to time sequences are characterized by high connectance, high nestedness and modularity, with the exception of the mycetophagous sub-network not displaying significant modularity. Among the identified species, 13% indicate high degree of naturalness of the Voievodeasa forest. 62 of the identified species are included in the Red List of European Saproxylic Beetles of which five are near threatened (Protaetia fieberi, Cucujus cinnaberinus, Crepidophorus mutilatus, Ceruchus chrysomelinus, Prostomis mandibularis), Ischnodes sanguinolentus is vulnerable and Rhysodes sulcatus is an endangered species. During the study, two Coleoptera species, new for Romanian insect fauna were identified: Denticollis interpositus Roubal, 1941 and Hylis procerulus (Mannerheim 1823).

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (12) ◽  
pp. 2494-2507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niklas Franc

For conservation of forest biodiversity, dead wood in the form of logs, snags, or cut high stumps is sometimes left or created when forests are harvested. In Scandinavia, such dead wood usually comes from conifers. For forests in temperate regions, few studies have analysed composition and species richness of beetles using dead wood of oaks ( Quercus spp). In this study in southern Sweden, I examined the occurrence of saproxylic beetles trapped at lying (logs) and standing (snags) dead wood of European oaks ( Quercus robur L. and Quercus petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl.) in 13 oak-rich mixed forests of relatively high conservation value. The assemblage of beetles differed strikingly between the lying and standing dead wood. Traps on lying dead wood, compared to traps on standing dead wood, had more fungivores and fewer primary and secondary wood boring species. Of 94 species tested for individual substrate preferences, 48 showed prevalence for different trap/substrate types. Absolute species richness was significantly higher on logs than snags, but a smaller proportion of the snag substrate or snag beetles may have been sampled. For red-listed beetles, no differences in their species richness were detected among substrates. These results suggest that logs of dead oaks are valuable and that both snags and logs of oak should be retained and, if needed, created in forestry, such that they are continuously available in stands.


Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1558
Author(s):  
Andrzej Mazur ◽  
Radosław Witkowski ◽  
Robert Kuźmiński ◽  
Roman Jaszczak ◽  
Mieczysław Turski ◽  
...  

Background: Resources of dying and dead trees, decaying fragments of stems, stumps and branches, i.e., coarse woody debris (CWD), are an important structural element of biocenoses and are drivers of biodiversity. The aim of this study was to describe assemblages of saproxylic beetles in pine stands of western Poland in view of dead wood resources. We present faunistic (species identity) and quantitative (species and individual counts) data from two types of stands: 1. unmanaged pine stands, in which no trees have been extracted for over 30 years, with processes connected with tree dying and self-thinning of stands being undisturbed, 2. managed pine stands, in which routine tending operations extracting trees are performed in accordance with forest management plans and naturally dying trees are removed in the course of tending and sanitary logging; Methods: Beetles were captured in the years 2013–2014 using window flight traps. Assemblages of saproxylic beetles were assessed based on the indices of dominance, diversity (the Shannon–Weiner index), and species richness (Margalef’s index) as well as the estimated habitat fidelity index, feeding habits, and zoogeographical distribution. Similarity between the assemblages was evaluated applying cluster analysis. Dependence between dead wood resources and the diversity and species richness indices were analysed; Results: A total of 2006 individuals classified to 216 species were captured. Assemblages show considerable similarity on the local scale. Higher values of species diversity indicators were observed in unmanaged stands, in which no sanitation cuttings are performed; Conclusions: The decision to refrain from sanitation logging in pine monocultures results in increased CWD resources, which nevertheless does not lead to a marked increase in the values of biodiversity indicators. Unmanaged stands were characterised by a high share of zoophagous, mycetophagous, and saproxylic species. In contrast, managed stands were characterised by a high share of xylophagous beetles.


2005 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars-Ove Wikars ◽  
Erik Sahlin ◽  
Thomas Ranius

AbstractThe amount of dead wood in forests has decreased owing to modern forest practices, and many species associated with this habitat are currently threatened. In Sweden during the last decade, naturally downed logs have been retained and, at clearcuts, high stumps have been artificially created to maintain saproxylic (dead wood dependent) insects. We tested how much these types of dead wood are used by sampling saproxylic beetles in dead wood of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.; Pinaceae) in managed forests in central Sweden. To analyse how surveys should be conducted in these kinds of studies, we compared three methods over an entire growing season. We found that the relationship between the type of dead wood and species richness was statistically significant when we used bark sieving and emergence traps, but not when we used window traps. It is impossible to ascertain whether beetles collected with window traps are related to the type of dead wood on which they are found and, therefore, such traps are less useful in studies of specific substrates. The yield from sieving was highest in spring and autumn, whereas species richness in window trap samples peaked in June and July and that in emergence traps peaked from May to July. With emergence traps we collected, on average, about twice the number of species over the whole season as we did by sieving on a single occasion in the spring. Both emergence trapping and sieving reveal what is present in individual pieces of dead wood, but these methods sample partly different faunas. We found fewer species on artificially created high stumps (on clearcuts); however, these stumps seem to be useful for some red-listed species.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Halvarsson ◽  
Johan Höglund

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.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 3858
Author(s):  
Milan Hodošček ◽  
Nadia Elghobashi-Meinhardt

A combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and computational analyses uncovers structural features that may influence substrate passage and exposure to the active sites within the proteolytic chamber of the 20S proteasome core particle (CP). MD simulations of the CP reveal relaxation dynamics in which the CP slowly contracts over the 54 ns sampling period. MD simulations of the SyringolinA (SylA) inhibitor within the proteolytic B 1 ring chamber of the CP indicate that favorable van der Waals and electrostatic interactions account for the predominant association of the inhibitor with the walls of the proteolytic chamber. The time scale required for the inhibitor to travel from the center of the proteolytic chamber to the chamber wall is on the order of 4 ns, accompanied by an average energetic stabilization of approximately −20 kcal/mol.


2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leila Bendifallah ◽  
Kamel Louadi ◽  
Salaheddin Doumandji

Abstract Coriander Coriandrum sativum L. (Apiaceae) is a year-round condiment and aromatic Mediterranean plant. It is cultivated in several countries in North Africa, in Europe, and Western Asia. In the El Harrach area of Algiers, the insect fauna visiting crop flowers includes Diptera (Syrphidae), Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera such as Chrysididae, Vespoidea, and Apoidea (Bees). The latter super-family comprises the majority of insect pollinators. Visiting bees belong to four families: Apidae, Andrenidae, Halictidae, and Colletidae. The main visitors are honeybees and six species of Andrenidae: Andrena flavipes, Andrena thoracica, Andrena lagopus, Andrena bimaculata, Andrena discors, and Andrena cinerea elliptica. The three species Andrena lagopus, Andrena bimaculata, and Andrena cinerea elliptica have 100% pollinating visits while Apis mellifera has only 63%. Andrena cinerea elliptica is the most frequent and the most abundant species.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (15) ◽  
pp. 8272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Girish Gogoi ◽  
Vipin Parkash

<p>Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary is comprised of five distinct compartments.  A total of 138 species of gilled mushrooms belonging to 48 genera, 23 families, five orders of the class Agaricomycetes, division Basidiomycota, have been collected and analyzed. The order Agaricales was was found with the highest number of species (113), followed by Russulales (14), Polyporales (5), Cantharellales (4) and Boletales (2). The species <em>Coprinellus disseminatus </em>and <em>Megacollybia rodmani</em> have shown the highest (8.26) and the lowest density (0.05), respectively.  A total of 24 species, e.g., <em>Termitomyces albuminosus, Marasmius curreyi, Marasmiellus candidus, Leucocoprinus medioflavus, Mycena leaiana, Hygrocybe miniata, Collybia chrysoropha, Gymnopus confluens</em> were common with frequency percentage of 11.9, whereas <em>Megacollybia rodmani</em> with less frequency percentage (2.4) was found only in few quadrates of the sanctuary.  The highly abundant species were <em>Termitomyces medius</em> (91.7) and <em>Coprinellus disseminatus </em>(86.8), and less abundant species were <em>Psilocybe wayanadensis</em> (1.0) and <em>Lepiota</em> sp. (1.0) in the study site.  The order of the species richness index (<em>R</em>) compartment wise was 2&gt;3&gt;4&gt;5&gt;1. Both the Shannon diversity index and Simpson diversity index of agarics was maximum (1.88, 0.98) in compartment 2, whereas minimum (1.72, 0.95) in compartment 1 and 5, respectively.  Moreover, the compartment 2 was found very much similar with compartment 3 and very less similar with compartment 1.</p><div> </div>


2001 ◽  
Vol 133 (6) ◽  
pp. 843-855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis J. Fielding ◽  
M.A. Brusven ◽  
Bahman Shafii ◽  
William J. Price

AbstractThe objectives of this study were to determine whether the spatial distribution of Melanoplus sanguinipes F., the most abundant species of grasshopper on rangeland in southern Idaho, varied annually in response to changing patterns of grazing and to investigate how vegetation affects the spatial distribution of low-density populations of M. sanguinipes at scales relevant to most rangeland-management activities. A lattice of 72 sites was established across nine pastures, covering approximately 5000 ha. At each site, densities of M. sanguinipes, percent canopy coverage by plant species, and percent forage utilization by livestock were estimated twice per year, in June when M. sanguinipes was in the nymphal stage and in August during the adult stage, for 4 years, 1991–1994. Spatial analyses of variance were used to evaluate the influence of grazing and vegetation type on densities of M. sanguinipes. In August of each year, densities of M. sanguinipes were lower on heavily grazed sites than on lightly grazed sites, except in 1993, when the opposite trend was observed. Above-normal precipitation in 1993 resulted in abundant growth of annual forbs and regrowth of grazed plants. The distribution of nymphs in June of 1993 and 1994 reflected the grazing patterns of the previous summer. Densities of M. sanguinipes were lower on crested wheatgrass habitats than on annual grasslands for every sampling period from June 1991 to June 1993, after which no differences were observed. We interpret the results to suggest that grazing effects on low-density populations of M. sanguinipes were contingent on weather conditions; under dry conditions, grazed habitats were less favorable to M. sanguinipes but, during relatively cool wet summers, grazing created conditions that were more favorable to M. sanguinipes.


2004 ◽  
Vol 64 (3a) ◽  
pp. 501-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. K. Siqueira-Souza ◽  
C. E. C. Freitas

The fish community of the Solimões floodplain lakes was studied by bimonthly samples taken from May 2001 to April 2002. These were carried out at lakes Maracá (03º51'33"S, 62º35'08,6"W), Samaúma (03º50'42,1"S, 61º39'49,3"W), and Sumaúma and Sacambú (03º17'11,6"S and 60º04'31,4"W), located between the town of Coari and the confluence of the Solimões and Negro rivers. Collections were done with 15 gillnets of standardized dimensions with several mesh sizes. We collected 1,313 animals distributed in 77 species, belonging to 55 genera of 20 families and 5 orders. Characiformes was the most abundant Order, with a larger number of representatives in the Serrasalmidae and Curimatidae. The most abundant species in the samplings were Psectrogaster rutiloides (132 individuals), Pigocentrus nattereri (115 individuals), and Serrasalmus elongatus (109 individuals). Lakes Samaúma, Sacambú, and Sumaúma were adjusted to logarithmic and lognormal series. The diversity exhibited an inverse gradient to the river flow, showing the highest diversity at Lake Sumaúma, followed by Samaúma, Sacambú, and Maracá. Species richness estimated through the jackknife technique ranged from 78 to 107 species.


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