scholarly journals Ecological Approaches to Quantifying (Bio)Diversity in Music

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
David G. Angeler ◽  
José Benavent-Corai
Keyword(s):  
Hypothesis Testing ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Ecological Approach ◽  
Gamma Diversity ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Structural Differentiation ◽  
Modeling Approaches

This paper introduces an ecological approach to quantifying diversity in musical compositions. The approach considers notations with distinct pitches and duration as equivalents of species in ecosystems, measures within a composition as equivalents of ecosystems, and the sum of measures (i.e., the entire composition) as a landscape in which ecosystems are embedded. Structural diversity can be calculated at the level of measures (“alpha diversity”) and the entire composition (“gamma diversity”). An additional metric can be derived that quantifies the structural differentiation between measures in a composition (“beta diversity”). We demonstrate the suitability of the approach in music using specifically composed examples and real songs that vary in complexity. We discuss the potential of the approach with selected examples from a potentially ample spectrum of applications within musicology research. The method seems particularly suitability for hypothesis testing to objectively identify many of the intricate phenomena in music. Because the approach extracts information present in the compositions – it lets the songs tell their structure – it can complement more complex modeling approaches used by music scholars. Combined such approaches provide opportunities for interdisciplinary research. They can help to fill knowledge gaps, stimulate further research and increase our understanding of music.

scholarly journals Biodiversity in Music Scores

Challenges ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
David G. Angeler
Keyword(s):  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Potential Application ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Gamma Diversity ◽  
Structural Differentiation ◽  
Science System ◽  
Quantitative Ecology ◽  
Art Form ◽  
Musical Genres

Nature has inspired music since the dawn of humankind and has contributed to the creation and development of music as an art form. However, attempts to use the science of nature (i.e., quantitative ecology) to inform music as a broader art-science system is comparatively underdeveloped. In this paper an approach from biodiversity assessments is borrowed to quantify structural diversity in music scores. The approach is analogous in its nature and considers notations with distinct pitches and duration as equivalents of species in ecosystems, measures within a score as equivalents of ecosystems, and the sum of measures (i.e., the entire score) as a landscape in which ecosystems are embedded. Structural diversity can be calculated at the level of measures (“alpha diversity”) and the entire score (“gamma diversity”). An additional metric can be derived that quantifies the structural differentiation between measures in a score (“beta diversity”). The approach is demonstrated using music scores that vary in complexity. The method seems particularly suitable for hypothesis testing to objectively identify many of the intricate phenomena in music. For instance, questions related to the variability within and between musical genres or among individual composers can be addressed. Another potential application is an assessment of ontogenetic structural variability in the works of composers during their lifetime. Such information can then be contrasted with other cultural, psychological, and historical variables, among others. This study shows the opportunities that music and ecology offer for interdisciplinary research to broaden our knowledge of complex systems of people and nature.

scholarly journals Unimodal Relationships of Understory Alpha and Beta Diversity along Chronosequence in Coppiced and Unmanaged Beech Forests

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sándor Bartha ◽  
Roberto Canullo ◽  
Stefano Chelli ◽  
Giandiego Campetella
Keyword(s):  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Multiple Scales ◽  
Forest Succession ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽  
Coppice Management

Patterns of diversity across spatial scales in forest successions are being overlooked, despite their importance for developing sustainable management practices. Here, we tested the recently proposed U-shaped biodiversity model of forest succession. A chronosequence of 11 stands spanning from 5 to 400 years since the last disturbance was used. Understory species presence was recorded along 200 m long transects of 20 × 20 cm quadrates. Alpha diversity (species richness, Shannon and Simpson diversity indices) and three types of beta diversity indices were assessed at multiple scales. Beta diversity was expressed by a) spatial compositional variability (number and diversity of species combinations), b) pairwise spatial turnover (between plots Sorensen, Jaccard, and Bray–Curtis dissimilarity), and c) spatial variability coefficients (CV% of alpha diversity measures). Our results supported the U-shaped model for both alpha and beta diversity. The strongest differences appeared between active and abandoned coppices. The maximum beta diversity emerged at characteristic scales of 2 m in young coppices and 10 m in later successional stages. We conclude that traditional coppice management maintains high structural diversity and heterogeneity in the understory. The similarly high beta diversities in active coppices and old-growth forests suggest the presence of microhabitats for specialist species of high conservation value.

Alpha, beta, or gamma: where does all the diversity go?

Paleobiology ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 221-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. John Sepkoski
Keyword(s):  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Taxonomic Richness ◽  
Soft Bottom ◽  
Gamma Diversity ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽  
Community Or ◽  
Global Diversity ◽  
Measured Change

Global taxonomic richness is affected by variation in three components: within-community, or alpha, diversity; between-community, or beta, diversity; and between-region, or gamma, diversity. A data set consisting of 505 faunal lists distributed among 40 stratigraphic intervals and six environmental zones was used to investigate how variation in alpha and beta diversity influenced global diversity through the Paleozoic, and especially during the Ordovician radiations. As first shown by Bambach (1977), alpha diversity increased by 50 to 70 percent in offshore marine environments during the Ordovician and then remained essentially constant for the remainder of the Paleozoic. The increase is insufficient, however, to account for the 300 percent rise observed in global generic diversity. It is shown that beta diversity among level, soft-bottom communities also increased significantly during the early Paleozoic. This change is related to enhanced habitat selection, and presumably increased overall specialization, among diversifying taxa during the Ordovician radiations. Combined with alpha diversity, the measured change in beta diversity still accounts for only about half of the increase in global diversity. Other sources of increase are probably not related to variation in gamma diversity but rather to appearance and/or expansion of organic reefs, hardground communities, bryozoan thickets, and crinoid gardens during the Ordovician.

scholarly journals Alpha-, beta-, and gamma-diversity of bacteria varies across global habitats

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendra E. Walters ◽  
Jennifer B.H. Martiny
Keyword(s):  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Multiple Scales ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Gamma Diversity ◽  
Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽  
Alpha Beta ◽  
Beta And Gamma Diversity

AbstractBacteria are essential parts of ecosystems and are the most abundant organisms on the planet. Yet, we still do not know which habitats support the highest diversity of bacteria across multiple scales. We analyzed alpha-, beta-, and gamma-diversity of bacterial assemblages using 11,680 samples compiled by the Earth Microbiome Project. We found that soils contained the highest bacterial richness within a single sample (alpha-diversity), but sediment assemblages were the most diverse at a global scale (gamma-diversity). Sediment, biofilms/mats, and inland water exhibited the most variation in community composition among geographic locations (beta-diversity). Within soils, agricultural lands, hot deserts, grasslands, and shrublands contained the highest richness, while forests, cold deserts, and tundra biomes consistently harbored fewer bacterial species. Surprisingly, agricultural soils encompassed similar levels of beta-diversity as other soil biomes. These patterns were robust to the alpha- and beta-diversity metrics used and the taxonomic binning approach. Overall, the results support the idea that spatial environmental heterogeneity is an important driver of bacterial diversity.

scholarly journals The variability in the hydrosedimentological regime supports high phytoplankton diversity in floodplain: a 12-year survey of the Upper Paraná River

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jascieli Carla Bortolini ◽  
Sueli Train ◽  
Luzia Cleide Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Paraná River ◽  
Phytoplankton Composition ◽  
Gamma Diversity ◽  
Phytoplankton Diversity ◽  
River Floodplain ◽  
Parana River ◽  
Upper Paraná River Floodplain ◽  
Upper Paraná River

<p>The alpha, beta, and gamma diversity are important tools for conservation studies, and the distribution of species in space and time is essential to provided insights regarding diversity patterns and processes that modify the ecosystem and the community responses to such changes. Thus, a long-term ecological date was used to evaluate in 12 biotopes the phytoplankton composition and diversity within selected habitats (alpha diversity), between habitats (beta diversity) and across the upper Paraná River floodplain (gamma diversity). We evaluate the environmental variability of the hydrosedimentological cycles (limnophase and potamophase) during 12 years, associated with the water level variability and with the environmental heterogeneity as drivers of the phytoplankton composition and diversity in the upper Paraná River floodplain. Remarkable gamma diversity was recorded especially in limnophase, however, years with intense flood presented high gamma diversity, and years with extreme drought presented low gamma diversity, although without significant differences. The alpha diversity was significantly different on spatial and temporal scales. The beta diversity showed high values, however with low temporal variability and without correlation with the hydrosedimentological regime of the Paraná River. Overall, these results indicate that the variability in the hydrosedimentological regime associated with the periodicity, duration, and amplitude of limnophase and potamophase, and the pattern of mosaic of habitats in this floodplain are essential for sustaining much of the diversity phytoplankton diversity and ecosystem integrity, and that this approach is relevant and proved be useful to understand floodplain systems and associated phytoplankton community.</p>

scholarly journals Eukaryotic Communities in Bromeliad Phytotelmata: How Do They Respond to Altitudinal Differences?

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 326
Author(s):  
Eduardo Malfatti ◽  
Pedro M.A. Ferreira ◽  
Laura R. P. Utz
Keyword(s):  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Ecological Studies ◽  
Gamma Diversity ◽  
Diversity Partitioning ◽  
One Year

Bromeliad phytotelmata are habitats for different organisms and models for ecological studies. Although poorly known, these environments are widely distributed in tropical ecosystems, harboring cosmopolitan and endemic species. Here, we investigated the diversity of the eukaryotic community in bromeliad phytotelmata considering the influence of altitude. We randomly sampled three bromeliad individuals (twice per season over one year) at four altitudinal strata (20 m, 400 m, 910 m, and 915 m) through a mountain range in southern Brazil. Species richness of phytotelmata community was higher at intermediate altitude while community-wide multivariate analyses revealed differences in phytotelmata communities at each height. Winter was the season with highest community richness, but a peak in summer was observed. Diversity partitioning in different spatial components showed that gamma diversity decreased linearly with altitude, whereas alpha diversity peaked at intermediate altitudes, and beta diversity decreased with height. The relative importance of the components of beta diversity showed different patterns according to the altitude: turnover was more important at intermediate and lower levels, while higher altitude communities were more nested. Our results indicate that differences in height affect diversity patterns of bromeliad phytotelmata communities, which were more diverse at lower altitudes in comparison with more homogeneous communities at higher levels.

Beta diversity and similarity of lichen communities as a sign of the times

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo GIORDANI ◽  
Giorgio BRUNIALTI ◽  
Marco CALDERISI ◽  
Paola MALASPINA ◽  
Luisa FRATI
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Atmospheric Pollutants ◽  
Gamma Diversity ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Epiphytic Lichen ◽  
Lichen Community

AbstractCurrently, change in lichen community structure depends on a combination of several pollutants instead of just one. Consequently, alpha lichen diversity no longer represents an effective response variable for assessing trends in atmospheric pollutants over time. Here we investigated the value of the relationship between alpha diversity and different aspects of gamma diversity (similarity, replacement and differences in richness of species) together with that of beta diversity (calculated as the sum of replacement and difference in richness of species), for assessing complex variations in epiphytic lichen communities in response to a changing pollution scenario. We considered an area subjected to extreme variation in atmospheric pollution in recent decades and explored temporal and spatial aspects of lichen community succession over short-, intermediate- and long-term reference periods. We found that variation in lichen communities for long- and intermediate-term reference periods was strongly dependent on the alpha diversity of single trees at the beginning of the observation period. The occurrence of nitrophytic species, which responded to the decrease in SO2 concentrations, contribute to this trend. The effect of land use was observed only over long observation periods, with trees in urban areas showing less variation than those located in rural areas. In particular, the analysis of similarity, species replacement and differences in richness of tree pairs demonstrated that trends and patterns within lichen communities are neither always nor to the same extent associated with alpha diversity. Our results show that a thorough study of gamma diversity, including beta diversity and similarity, is required to detect changes in air quality in long-term biomonitoring surveys.

scholarly journals Habitat Fragmentation Increases Overall Richness, but Not of Habitat-Dependent Species

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan Chetcuti ◽  
William E. Kunin ◽  
James M. Bullock
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Fragmentation ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Gamma Diversity ◽  
Generalist Species ◽  
Species Groups ◽  
Per Se

Debate rages as to whether habitat fragmentation leads to the decline of biodiversity once habitat loss is accounted for. Previous studies have defined fragmentation variously, but research needs to address “fragmentation per se,” which excludes confounding effects of habitat loss. Our study controls for habitat area and employs a mechanistic multi-species simulation to explore processes that may lead some species groups to be more or less sensitive to fragmentation per se. Our multi-land-cover, landscape-scale, individual-based model incorporates the movement of generic species, each with different land cover preferences. We investigate how fragmentation per se changes diversity patterns; within (alpha), between (beta) and across (gamma) patches of a focal-land-cover, and if this differs among species groups according to their specialism and dependency on this focal-land-cover. We defined specialism as the increased competitive ability of specialists in suitable habitat and decreased ability in less suitable land covers compared to generalist species. We found fragmentation per se caused an increase in gamma diversity in the focal-land-cover if we considered all species regardless of focal-land-cover preference. However, critically for conservation, the gamma diversity of species for whom the focal land cover is suitable habitat declined under fragmentation per se. An exception to this finding occurred when these species were specialists, who were unaffected by fragmentation per se. In general, focal-land-cover species were under pressure from the influx of other species, with fragmentation per se leading to a loss of alpha diversity not compensated for by increases in beta diversity and, therefore, gamma diversity fell. The specialist species, which were more competitive, were less affected by the influx of species and therefore alpha diversity decreased less with fragmentation per se and beta diversity compensated for this loss, meaning gamma diversity did not decrease. Our findings help to inform the fragmentation per se debate, showing that effects on biodiversity can be negative or positive, depending on species’ competitive abilities and dependency on the fragmented land cover. Such differences in the effect of fragmentation per se would have important consequences for conservation. Focusing conservation efforts on reducing or preventing fragmentation in areas with species vulnerable to fragmentation.

scholarly journals Forest quality, forest area and the importance of beta-diversity for protecting Borneo’s beetle biodiversity

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam C. Sharp ◽  
Maxwell V. L. Barclay ◽  
Arthur Y. C. Chung ◽  
Guillaume de Rougemont ◽  
Edgar C. Turner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Forest Area ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Degraded Forest ◽  
Gamma Diversity ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Rove Beetles ◽  
Logged Forest

SummaryThe lowland forest of Borneo is threatened by rapid logging for timber export and clearing for the expansion of timber and oil palm plantations. This combination of processes leaves behind landscapes dotted with small, often heavily-degraded forest fragments. The biodiversity value of such fragments, which are easily dismissed as worthless, is uncertain. We collected 187 taxa of rove beetles across a land-use gradient in Sabah, Malaysia, spanning pristine tropical lowland forest to heavily-degraded forest. Using these data, we identified shifts in alpha-, beta-, and gamma-diversity in response to forest quality and distance, then applied our findings from continuous expanses of forest to make predictions on hypothetical forest areas. We found that maintaining high forest quality is more important than forest area for conserving rare taxa (those important for conserving biodiversity per se), and that very small areas (10 ha) are likely to harbour the same richness of rove beetles as larger areas (100 ha) of equal forest quality. We estimate a decline in richness of 36% following heavy logging (removal of 95% of the vegetation biomass) from a forest area of 100 ha or less. Maintaining large forest area as well as high forest quality is important for conserving community composition, likely to be more important for conserving ecosystem functioning. We predict a decline of 35% in community diversity in conversion of a 100 ha area of unlogged forest to a 10 ha area of heavily-logged forest. Despite significant declines in alpha-diversity, beta-diversity within small rainforest areas may partially mitigate the loss of gamma-diversity, reinforcing the concept that beta-diversity is a dominant force determining the conservation of species in fragmented landscapes. In contrast to previous findings on larger animals, our results suggest that even small fragments of degraded forest might be important reservoirs of invertebrate biodiversity in tropical agriculture landscapes. These fragments, especially of lightly-logged forest, should be conserved where they occur and form an integral part of management for more sustainable agriculture in tropical landscapes.

scholarly journals Assessing different components of biodiversity across a river network using eDNA

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elvira Mächler ◽  
Chelsea J. Little ◽  
Remo Wüthrich ◽  
Roman Alther ◽  
Emanuel A. Fronhofer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
River Network ◽  
List Type ◽  
Taxon Richness ◽  
Gamma Diversity ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Novel Technique

AbstractAssessing individual components of biodiversity, such as local or regional taxon richness, and differences in community composition is a long-standing challenge in ecology. It is especially relevant in spatially structured and diverse ecosystems. Environmental DNA (eDNA) has been suggested as a novel technique to accurately measure biodiversity. However, we do not yet fully understand the comparability of eDNA-based assessments to previously used approaches.We sampled may-, stone-, and caddisfly genera with contemporary eDNA and kicknet methods at 61 sites distributed over a large river network, allowing a comparison of various diversity measures from the catchment to site levels and providing insights into how these measures relate to network properties. We extended our survey data with historical records of total diversity at the catchment level.At the catchment scale, eDNA and kicknet detected similar proportions of the overall and cumulative historically documented species richness (gamma diversity), namely 42% and 46%, respectively. We further found a good overlap (62%) between the two contemporary methods at the regional scale.At the local scale, we found highly congruent values of local taxon richness (alpha diversity) between eDNA and kicknet. Richness of eDNA was positively related with discharge, a descriptor of network position, while kicknet was not.Beta diversity between sites was similar for the two contemporary methods. Contrary to our expectation, however, beta diversity was driven by species replacement and not by nestedness.Although optimization of eDNA approaches is still needed, our results indicate that this novel technique can capture extensive aspects of gamma diversity, proving its potential utility as a new tool for large sampling campaigns across hitherto understudied complete river catchments, requiring less time and becoming more cost-efficient than classical approaches. Overall, the richness estimated with the two contemporary methods is similar at both local and regional scale but community composition is differently assessed with the two methods at individual sites and becomes more similar with higher discharge.

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