scholarly journals Influence of vegetation structure, seasonality, and soil physical properties on rodent species diversity and community assemblages on West Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

Author(s):  
SUZANA THOMAS ◽  
LOTH MULUNGU ◽  
GEOFREY SOKA

A study on rodent species diversity and community assemblages in West Mt Kilimanjaro was conducted in seven different habitats, covering two dry and wet seasons. Data were collected using a combination of medium-sized Sherman’s live traps, snap and Havarhart traps, for three consecutive nights. General Linear Models (GLM) were used to analyze the effects of predictors (vegetation attributes, seasonality, soil physical properties, disturbance and altitude) on rodent species richness and abundance. Community structure analysis was conducted in the Primer v6 program and Canonical correspondence analysis for habitat association in PAST. A total of 1,393 individuals from 14 species of rodents were trapped. The most dominant rodent species were Rhabdomys pumilioPraomys delectorum, and Lophuromys verhageni which contributed to 68.86% of the total captures. Lophuromys verhageni occurred across all the habitats and seasons. Moreover, habitat types, seasonality, soil texture, ground cover, and altitude significantly influenced rodent species abundance (P< 0.05). Furthermore, habitat types, seasonality and altitude significantly influenced rodent species richness (F8, 759 = 629.7, p< 0.001, R2 = 0.87). In addition to that, two major rodent communities were formed in different habitats. The results show that rodent species richness, abundance, and community assemblages in Mt Kilimanjaro, are a result of change in vegetation structure along the altitudinal gradients. Therefore, information on habitat requirements of multiple species is crucial for the management and conservation of these communities.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 18827-18845
Author(s):  
Kismat Neupane ◽  
Mahamad Sayab Miya

A study was carried out to find the butterfly species diversity and abundance in Putalibazar Municipality, Syangja, Gandaki, Nepal, from June 2019 to July 2020. Pollard walk method was used for data collection in three different habitat types: forest, agricultural land, and settlement area. The study was performed in all seasons: pre-monsoon, monsoon, post monsoon and winter. A total of 180 butterfly species from 108 genera and six families were recorded. The overall Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H) was 4.48. The highest diversity was represented by the Nymphalidae with 67 species (H= 3.79). Butterfly diversity and species abundance was highest in the forest area (147 species, 1199 individuals; H= 4.47). The highest species richness (109 species) was observed in the monsoon season.


ISRN Zoology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masumeh Naderloo ◽  
Shahrokh Pashaei Rad

The diversity of hoverfly communities was studied in four different habitat types (river side, woodland, fruit garden, and rice field) in the years of 2008 and 2009. Adult hoverflies were collected from different habitants in Zanjan province. A total of 31 species with 750 individuals of hoverflies were collected, among which Sphaerophoria scripta (Linnaeus), Eristalis arbustorum (Linnaeus) and Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus) were found to be the most abundant. Records from these four sites were used in the diversity analysis. The results indicated that river side and rice field showed the highest and lowest degree of species richness and species diversity. Also, river side and rice field showed the highest and lowest species evenness, respectively.


2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Unstain NWJ Rembet ◽  
Mennofatria Boer ◽  
Dietriech G Bengen ◽  
Achmad Fahrudin

ABSTRACTCommunity structure of target fishes was analyzed to understand their response to different conditions of coral reefs in several places of Hugow and Putus-Putus islands. This study focused on species abundance and diversity including Shannon-Wiener’s species diversity (H’), species richness (SR), species evenness (J’) and dominance (d) indices, respectively. A multivariate analysis was used for the classification or correspondence factorial analyses. The result recorded 4,501 individuals belonging to 52 species of target fishes. Both cluster and correspondence analyses clearly recognized 3 groups of target fish with 2 major controlling factors for the development of these 3 ecological groups, i.e. coral reef conditions and geographic position to the hydrodynamic condition.ABSTRAKStruktur komunitas ikan target dianalisis untuk melihat respon ikan target terhadap perbedaan kondisi terumbu karang di beberapa lokasi Pulau Hogow dan Putus-Putus. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada bulan Oktober 2010 dengan pengambilan data di 6 stasiun. Dalam penelitian ini telah dikaji variabel komunitas seperti kelimpahan dan keanekaragaman spesies termasuk indeks keanekaragaman spesies Shannon-Wiener (H’), indeks kekayaan spesies (SR), indeks kemerataan spesies (J’) dan indeks dominasi (d). Untuk melihat assemblage ikan target dilakukan analisis multivariat baik analisis klasifikasi maupun analisis faktorial koresponden. Dalam penelitian ini diperoleh 4501 indidu yang termasuk dalam 52 spesies ikan target. Analisis multivariat baik analisis cluster maupun analisis koresponden telah memisahkan dengan jelas 3 grup ikan target, dimana terdapat dua faktor utama pengendali pembentukan 3 grup ekologis ini yakni faktor kondisi terumbu karang dan faktor posisi lokasi terhadap kondisi hidrodinamika perairan.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Ziyad Jemal ◽  
Zerihun Girma ◽  
Girma Mengesha

Background: Birds are one component of biodiversity. Ethiopia is rich in biodiversity resources. The avian diversity record is far from complete. There is no scientifically documented information on bird species composition and abundance at Nensebo forest. The objective of the study was to assess species composition, relative abundance and distribution of birds at Nensebo forest in southern Ethiopia. Methods: We employed a stratified random sampling technique with our study area stratified into two dominant habitat types: moist Afromontane forest and modified habitat. Within strata, we established 20 transect lines of 1km length and 0.25km width to sample 27.75% of the study area. We used line transect count methods aided by binoculars to estimate avian species diversity and distribution. We employed quantitative biodiversity indices, such as Shannon wiener diversity indexes to compare species diversity among habitat types and two way ANOVA to analyze the effect of season and habitat on bird species richness and abundance. Results: A total of 105 bird species consisting of 1 endemic, 8 near endemic, 1 globally threatened and 9 Palearctic migrants were recorded in Nensebo forest. Species richness and abundance varied between habitat types in Nensebo forest with mean species richness greater in modified habitat (mean= 4.70 ±1.65) as compared to moist Afromontane forest habitat (mean= 3.95 ±4.12, F=94.66 P<0.001). Additionally, modified habitat (Shannon diversity index= 4.131) harbored higher diversity of birds as opposed to Afromontane forest habitat (Shannon diversity index=3.79). Conclusion: The Nensebo forest has high avian species diversity including several endemic and endangered species revealing the importance of this site for bird conservation. Although we found that habitat heterogeneity favored bird species diversity, moist Afromontane habitat is critical for forest obligate species. Hence, sustainable bird conservation strategies including land use planning should be initiated for this area.


Revista CERES ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
pp. 443-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidiane Martins da Costa ◽  
Marta Sandra Drescher

ABSTRACT The intensive use of land based on non-conservation practices contributes to the reduction of soil quality. In this sense, the objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of farming systems on clayey Oxisol in the northwest of the state of Rio Grande do Sul on the epigeic fauna and on the soil physical properties. The treatments were composed of land use with Native field, Pasture, Transition, Crop and livestock integration, No-tillage and No-tillage system. The epigeic fauna was evaluated by the installation of seven traps per treatment. The physical properties of density, total porosity, microporosity, macroporosity and soil resistance to penetration were evaluated in samples with undisturbed structure at the 0- 0.07, 0.07-0.15 and 0.15- 0.22m depths, with four replicates. The results indicated that land use only for crop production reduced the abundance of organisms in comparison to the crop-livestock integration. The conversion of the Pampa Biome to the crop system altered its soil physical and biological properties with the transition area presenting intermediate characteristics to both environments. Grazing in the remaining areas of the Pampa Biome, without native field improvement strategies, reduced species abundance and richness. No-tillage and No-tillage system promoted the compaction of the 0.07 -0.15 m layer in a clayey Oxisol.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana Zarazúa-Carbajal ◽  
Luis Daniel Avila-Cabadilla ◽  
Mariana Yólotl Alvarez-Añorve ◽  
Julieta Benítez-Malvido ◽  
Kathryn E. Stoner

Abstract:Riparian forests (RF) provide shelter, feeding resources and commuting areas and are fundamental for local fauna during long drought periods in tropical dry forests. Nevertheless, information regarding vertebrate ecology in tropical RF is scarce. The studies of bats in riparian habitats have been mostly focused on insectivorous assemblages in non-tropical regions. We contrasted the occurrence of frugivorous bats between RF and upland dry forest (UDF) in a Neotropical dry forest region and evaluated how vegetation structure modulates frugivorous bat presence and abundance. We sampled bat ensembles and vegetation structure in three UDF and three RF sites in Jalisco, Mexico. Bat ensembles and populations were analysed with generalized linear models, including as independent factors: (1) habitat and (2) vegetation attributes. In 72 nights we captured 840 bats belonging to seven species. No effect of habitat type or vegetation structure on species richness was found, but habitat type did affect bat species composition and abundance. Moreover, vegetation structural traits affected frugivorous bat abundance. Frugivore abundance was higher in RF than in UDF probably because RF provides greater resources and more roosting sites. Riparian forests also present more canopy cover and accessible flight spaces. Our results support the importance of RF for frugivorous bats in terms of abundance and composition. Additionally, the lack of differences in species richness between UDF and RF highlights the importance of both habitats for maintaining frugivorous bats, as well as the related ecosystem processes and services in tropical dry forest landscapes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Jorge Luiz da Silva ◽  
Ricardo José da Silva ◽  
Izaias Médice Fernandes ◽  
Wesley Oliveira de Sousa ◽  
Fernando Zagury Vaz-de-Mello

Although dung beetles are important members of ecological communities and indicators of ecosystem quality, species diversity, and how it varies over space and habitat types, remains poorly understood in the Brazilian Cerrado. We compared dung beetle communities among plant formations in the Serra Azul State Park (SASP) in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Sampling (by baited pitfall and flight-interception traps) was carried out in 2012 in the Park in four habitat types: two different savanna formations (typical and open) and two forest formations (seasonally deciduous and gallery). A total of 5,400 individuals collected comprised 57 species in 22 genera. Typical savanna had the greatest species richness and abundance, followed by open savanna and deciduous forest, while the gallery forest had the fewest species but high abundance. Tunnelers (one of three main nesting behavior guilds) showed the greatest richness and abundance (except in the gallery forest, where one dweller species was extremely abundant) in all plant formations. We found that species richness and abundance of the dung beetle community are influenced by differences among plant formations. Habitat heterogeneity in the different plant formations along with anthropic influences (fire, habitat fragmentation) are cited as important factors that explain guild and species richness and distribution patterns. These results emphasize the importance of protected areas, such as SASP, for the maintenance and conservation of species diversity in the Brazilian Cerrado.


2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 605-616
Author(s):  
NUR JOHANA JOHARI ◽  
AMIRRUDIN AHMAD ◽  
EHWAN NGADI ◽  
MUZZNEENA AHMAD MUSTAPHA ◽  
LARRY LEE GRISMER ◽  
...  

Various habitats found on Langkawi Island such as agricultural fields, peat swamps, lowland forests, upland forests, and riverine forests are occupied by many species of anuran fauna. These variations provide a platform to explore species diversity, distribution, and other ecological parameters to understand the distribution patterns and to facilitate the management of important species within particular areas. The objective of this study was to compare species richness of anuran species in different types of habitat on Langkawi Island, Malaysia. We surveyed seven types of habitat, namely agriculture (AG), coastal (CL), forest (FT), pond (PD), fisherman village near estuarine mangrove (FVM), riparian forest (RF), and river (RV). A total of 775 individuals were recorded, representing 23 species from 14 genus and six families known to occur on Langkawi Island. Forest (FT) and riparian forest (RF) (both forest habitats) indicated relatively high values of Shannon Index (H’), 2.60 and 2.38 respectively, compared to the other non-forest habitats, CL (1.82), RV (1.71), FVM (1.56), PD (1.54), and AG (1.53). Rank abundance curves showed that the majority of disturbed habitats displayed geometric series models and broken stick models, whereas forest habitat types (FT and RF) represented log normal models. The performance of species richness estimators varied but Chao 1 estimator performed well for many sampled habitat types and showed the tendency to coalesce with Sobs (Mao Tau) curves except for CL and FVM. As expected, the forested habitat (FT and RF) was more diverse in species diversity compared to those of non-forest groups. Nevertheless, non-forested species were found in abundance, highlighting the relevance of these habitats in supporting the amphibian fauna. This study highlights the importance of habitat types in structuring species diversity and community structures and suggest that the information may be useful to improve conservation practices of inland amphibian habitats.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernard Eromosele Omomoh ◽  
Victor AJ Adekunle

Abstract BackgroundWe examine the recruitment drive of overstorey and undergrowth of tropical forested reserve by assessing the tree diversity, species composition, species richness, and growth form of the undergrowth on 17 years of post-disturbance. ResultThe result show an increase in the diversity and even distribution of the species of the overstorey, compared to the undergrowth. Conversely, the overstorey has a lower in species richness as compared to the level of undergrowth. One way ANOVA results shows that there is no significant difference (P = 0.341). However, undergrowth density (individual/ha) is found to be significantly (P = 0.000) higher than the overstorey trees.ConclusionsIt is evident that the forest trees and saplings are dissimilar in species abundance, which implies that sapling recruitment is a key determinant of the tree species composition of the forest. It is then concluded that the method adopted for restoration encouraged species diversity in this successional forest.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guang Feng ◽  
Jihong Huang ◽  
Yue Xu ◽  
Junqing Li ◽  
Runguo Zang

As a transitional vegetation type between evergreen broadleaved forest and deciduous broadleaved forest, evergreen-deciduous broadleaved mixed forest is composed of diverse plant species. This distinctive forest is generally distributed in mountainous areas with complex landforms and heterogeneous microenvironments. However, little is known about the roles of environmental conditions in driving the species diversity patterns of this forest. Here, based on a 15-ha plot in central China, we aimed to understand how and to what extent topographical characteristics and soil nutrients regulate the number and relative abundance of tree species in this forest. We measured environmental factors (terrain convexity, slope, soil total nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations) and species diversity (species abundance distribution and species richness) in 20 m × 20 m subplots. Species abundance distribution was characterized by skewness, Berger–Parker index, and the proportion of singletons. The generalized additive model was used to examine the variations in diversity patterns caused by environmental factors. The structural equation model was used to assess whether and how topographical characteristics regulate species diversity via soil nutrients. We found that soil nutrients had significant negative effects on species richness and positive effects on all metrics of species abundance distribution. Convexity had significant positive effects on species richness and negative effects on all metrics of species abundance distribution, but these effects were mostly mediated by soil nutrients. Slope had significant negative effects on skewness and the Berger–Parker index, and these effects were almost independent of soil nutrients. Soil nutrients and topographical characteristics together accounted for 9.5–17.1% of variations in diversity patterns and, respectively, accounted for 8.9–13.9% and 3.3–10.7% of the variations. We concluded that soil nutrients were more important than topographical factors in regulating species diversity. Increased soil nutrient concentration led to decreased taxonomic diversity and increased species dominance and rarity. Convexity could be a better proxy for soil nutrients than slope. Moreover, these abiotic factors played limited roles in regulating diversity patterns, and it is possible that the observed patterns are also driven by some biotic and abiotic factors not considered here.


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