Diversity and Distribution Patterns of Geometrid Moths (Geometridae, Lepidoptera) in Mongolia

Geometrids are a species-rich group of moths that serve as reliable indicators for environmental changes. Little is known about the Mongolian moth fauna, and there is no comprehensive review of species richness, diversity, and distribution patterns of geometrid moths in the country. Our study aims to review the existing knowledge on geometrid moths in Mongolia. We compiled geometrid moth records from published scientific papers, our own research, and from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) to produce a checklist of geometrid moths of Mongolia. Additionally, we analyzed spatial patterns, species richness, and diversity of geometrid moths within 14 ecoregions of Mongolia and evaluated environmental variables for their distribution. In total, we compiled 1973-point records of 388 geometrid species. The most species-rich ecoregion in Mongolia was Daurian Forest Steppe with 142 species. Annual precipitation and maximum temperature of the warmest month were the most important environmental variables that correlated with NMDS axes in an analysis of geometrid assemblages of different ecoregions in Mongolia.

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Distribution Patterns of Odonate Assemblages in Relation to Environmental Variables in Streams of South Korea

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects9040152 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 152 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Da-Yeong Lee ◽

Dae-Seong Lee ◽

Mi-Jung Bae ◽

Soon-Jin Hwang ◽

Seong-Yu Noh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

South Korea ◽

Habitat Heterogeneity ◽

Environmental Variables ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Self Organizing Map ◽

Factors Affecting

Odonata species are sensitive to environmental changes, particularly those caused by humans, and provide valuable ecosystem services as intermediate predators in food webs. We aimed: (i) to investigate the distribution patterns of Odonata in streams on a nationwide scale across South Korea; (ii) to evaluate the relationships between the distribution patterns of odonates and their environmental conditions; and (iii) to identify indicator species and the most significant environmental factors affecting their distributions. Samples were collected from 965 sampling sites in streams across South Korea. We also measured 34 environmental variables grouped into six categories: geography, meteorology, land use, substrate composition, hydrology, and physicochemistry. A total of 83 taxa belonging to 10 families of Odonata were recorded in the dataset. Among them, eight species displayed high abundances and incidences. Self-organizing map (SOM) classified sampling sites into seven clusters (A–G) which could be divided into two distinct groups (A–C and D–G) according to the similarities of their odonate assemblages. Clusters A–C were characterized by members of the suborder Anisoptera, whereas clusters D–G were characterized by the suborder Zygoptera. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) identified forest (%), altitude, and cobble (%) in substrata as the most influential environmental factors determining odonate assemblage compositions. Our results emphasize the importance of habitat heterogeneity by demonstrating its effect on odonate assemblages.

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Preliminary Analysis of European Small Mammal Faunas of the Eemian Interglacial: Species Composition and Species Diversity at a Regional Scale

Quaternary ◽

10.3390/quat1020009 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 9 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Anastasia Markova ◽

Andrey Puzachenko

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Eastern Europe ◽

Small Mammal ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Regional Scale ◽

Forest Steppe ◽

Limited Area ◽

Last Interglacial ◽

Mammal Faunas ◽

Eemian Interglacial

Small mammal remains obtained from the European localities dated to the Eemian (Mikulino) age have been analyzed for the first time at a regional scale based on the present biogeographical regionalization of Europe. The regional faunas dated to the warm interval in the first part of the Late Pleistocene display notable differences in fauna composition, species richness, and diversity indices. The classification of regional faunal assemblages revealed distinctive features of small mammal faunas in Eastern and Western Europe during the Eemian (=Mikulino, =Ipswichian) Interglacial. Faunas of the Iberian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula, and Sardinia Island appear to deviate from the other regions. In the Eemian Interglacial, the maximum species richness of small mammals (≥40 species) with a relatively high proportion of typical forest species was recorded in Western and Central Europe and in the western part of Eastern Europe. The lowest species richness (5–14 species) was typical of island faunas and of those in the north of Eastern Europe. The data obtained make it possible to reconstruct the distribution of forest biotopes and open habitats (forest-steppe and steppe) in various regions of Europe. Noteworthy is a limited area of forests in the south and in the northeastern part of Europe. In these regions, it seems likely that under conditions of relatively high temperatures characteristic of the Last Interglacial and an insufficient moisture supply there could exist open forest stands or forest-steppe landscapes, as suggested by the presence of species indicative of forest-steppe and steppe north of the forest zone. The results obtained are useful in modeling changes in the mammal faunas as well as environmental changes in entire Europe due to global climatic changes (including the global warming recorded at present).

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Biogeography of polychaete worms (Annelida) of the world

Marine Ecology Progress Series ◽

10.3354/meps13531 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 657 ◽

pp. 147-159

Author(s):

J Pamungkas ◽

CJ Glasby ◽

MJ Costello

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Sampling Bias ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Natural Phenomenon ◽

Global Biodiversity Information Facility ◽

Sea Temperature ◽

Polychaete Species ◽

The North ◽

The World ◽

Biogeographic Regions

The global biogeography of polychaete worms has never been assessed previously. In the present study, we studied the world distribution patterns of polychaetes based on datasets obtained from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, the Ocean Biogeographic Information System and our recently published checklist of Indonesian polychaete species. Polychaete biogeographic regions were visualized using ‘Infomap Bioregions’, and the latitudinal species richness gradient of the animals was examined using 3 metrics, i.e. alpha, gamma and estimated species richness (the last metric was adjusted for sampling bias). We identified 11 major polychaete biogeographic regions. The North Atlantic, Australia and Indonesia were the top 3 species-rich biogeographic regions in the world. The total number of polychaete species was higher in the southern hemisphere (~2100 species, 67 families) than in the northern hemisphere (~1800 species, 75 families) despite significantly more data in the latter (>500000 records compared to >26000 records). Contrary to the classical idea of a unimodal distribution pattern, the latitudinal gradient of polychaetes was generally bimodal with a pronounced dip north of the Equator (15°N). We suggest that the slightly higher peak of species richness in the southern (30°S) than in the northern (60°N) hemisphere reflects higher southern endemicities. These patterns are unlikely to be due to sampling bias but rather represent a natural phenomenon, and we found them most significantly correlated with sea temperature.

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What shapes ground beetle assemblages in a tree species-rich subtropical forest?

ZooKeys ◽

10.3897/zookeys.1044.63803 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1044 ◽

pp. 907-927

Author(s):

Pascale Zumstein ◽

Helge Bruelheide ◽

Andreas Fichtner ◽

Andreas Schuldt ◽

Michael Staab ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Environmental Variables ◽

Woody Plant ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Ph Value ◽

Ground Beetle ◽

Ground Beetles ◽

Subtropical Forest ◽

Stand Age ◽

Beetle Assemblages

As woody plants provide much of the trophic basis for food webs in forests their species richness, but also stand age and numerous further variables such as vegetation structure, soil properties and elevation can shape assemblages of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae). However, the combined impact of these numerous variables on ground beetle diversity and community structure has rarely been studied simultaneously. Therefore, ground beetles were studied in 27 plots in a highly diverse and structurally heterogeneous subtropical forest ecosystem, the Gutianshan National Park (southeast China) using pitfall traps and flight interception traps. Both trapping methods collected partly overlapping species spectra. The arboreal fauna was dominated by lebiines and to a smaller extent by tiger beetles and platynines; the epigeic fauna comprised mostly representatives of the genus Carabus and numerous tribes, especially anisodactylines, pterostichines, and sphodrines. Ground beetle species richness, abundance, and biomass of the pitfall trap catches were analyzed with generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs), fitted with seven environmental variables. Four of these variables influenced the ground beetle assemblages: Canopy cover, herb cover, pH-value of the topsoil and elevation. Contrary to our expectations, woody plant species richness and stand age did not significantly affect ground beetle assemblages. Thus, ground beetles seem to respond differently to environmental variables than ants and spiders, two other predominantly predatory arthropod groups that were studied on the same plots in our study area and which showed distinct relationships with woody plant richness. Our results highlight the need to study a wider range of taxa to achieve a better understanding of how environmental changes affect species assemblages and their functioning in forest ecosystems.

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Using oligochaeta assemblages as an indicator of environmental changes

Brazilian Journal of Biology ◽

10.1590/s1519-69842012000500014 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 72 (4) ◽

pp. 873-884 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

RDL. Behrend ◽

AM. Takeda ◽

LC. Gomes ◽

SEP. Fernandes

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Environmental Variables ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Substrate Type ◽

Human Occupation ◽

The Family ◽

Surrogate Taxa ◽

Significant Spatial Variation ◽

Iguaçu River

We designed a field survey (the entire river length; not dammed: First and Second plateaus; dammed: Third Plateau) to test the hypothesis that the cascade of reservoirs promoted a reduction in species richness and changed the composition of Oligochaeta assemblage along the Iguaçu River. Changes in environmental variables and in richness and composition of Oligochaeta were summarized by Canonic Correspondence Analysis. Along the Iguaçu River, conductivity, and altitude decreased, whereas temperature increased. Oligochaeta composition showed a significant spatial variation, with higher abundances of the family Tubificidae and the genus Dero (Naididae) occurring in the First Plateau. In the Second and Third plateaus, few species were dominant, with increases in the presence of species of Naididae below dams. We found a clear decrease in species richness along the Iguaçu River. Moreover, we found that Oligochaeta assemblage was influenced by some environmental variables such as altitude, conductivity, substrate type and temperature, and by anthropogenic activities (human occupation and damming). The results supported the use of Oligochaeta as surrogate taxa to predict environmental changes along impacted (dammed and eutrophic) rivers. The validity of this was indicated by the strong and significant gradient registered, from the headwater to mouth of the Iguaçu River.

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Aplicación de índices filogenéticos para la definición de prioridades de conservación en los páramos del noroeste de los Andes

Revista de Biología Tropical ◽

10.15517/rbt.v66i4.31049 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 66 (4) ◽

pp. 1353

Author(s):

Fernando Alzate ◽

Astrid Álvarez ◽

Daniel Rafael Miranda-Esquivel ◽

Juan J. Morrone

Keyword(s):

Information System ◽

Species Richness ◽

Conservation Priorities ◽

Global Biodiversity Information Facility ◽

Subsequent Loss ◽

Global Biodiversity ◽

The Individual ◽

Available Information ◽

Biodiversity Information ◽

Data Priority

Paramos are High Andean ecosystems that harbor a diverse biota and have high endemicity, as a result of their extreme environmental conditions. We used different phylogenetic indices to define conservation priorities in the paramos of the department of Antioquia, Colombia, based on measures of their evolutionary individuality and richness complimentary. To perform the analyses, we generated a data base including 416 angiosperm taxa and 1 951 localities for a total of 12 897 distributional records compiled from surveys and reviews. Additionally, the available information in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and the Colombian Biodiversity Information System were included. From these data, priority areas for the conservation of the paramos located in the state of Antioquia were identified, using measures of evolutionary individuality based on nodes and biotic complementarity. Taking into account only the individual phylogenetic indices, the most important paramo for conservation was Frontino-Urrao, followed by Farallones de Citará. If biotic complementarity is considered, the second most important paramo is Sonsón. Priority classifications of areas based on individuality are congruent with areas of greatest species richness. We conclude that it is necessary and urgent to preserve the paramos given their vulnerability and the subsequent loss of the ecosystem services that they provide, if they are exposed to degradation or disappearance.

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What Determine the Distribution and Richness of Wild Spices in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Benin, West Africa?

10.1101/680660 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

K.M. Kafoutchoni ◽

R. Idohou ◽

K.V. Salako ◽

C. Agbangla ◽

A.E. Assogbadjo

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Clay Content ◽

Global Biodiversity Information Facility ◽

Base De Données ◽

Precipitation Seasonality ◽

Zanthoxylum Zanthoxyloides ◽

Global Biodiversity ◽

Richness Patterns ◽

Systèmes D’Information ◽

Biodiversity Information

AbstractIn Benin, most of the spices used for food, medicine and ceremony are gathered from the wild as little attempt has been made so far for their domestication and cultivation. Consequently, many wild spices are prone to overexploitation and threatened by habitat loss. Also, little information is available regarding their occurrence areas and the factor determining their geographical distribution and richness. This study aimed at i) mapping the distribution and the richness of 14 wild spices, and ii) assessing the drivers of their distribution and richness patterns in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Benin. Data were collected during field exploration and from the database of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Species distribution was mapped, and a grid of 10 × 10 km cells and a circular neighborhood option with a radius of 10 km was used to assign points to grid cells, then species richness was mapped. The species were unequally distributed across the study area. High species richness occurs in Bassila and Zou phytodistricts. Three spice-rich areas are needed to capture all the wild spices at once. Interaction of mean temperature of driest quarter, altitude, and precipitation seasonality significantly shaped the distributional range of three wild spices (Aframomum alboviolaceum, Uvaria chamae and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides), while the same factors in addition to clay content between 5-15 cm, contributed significantly to create appropriate conditions for the cooccurrence of several species.RésuméAu Bénin, la plupart des épices utilisées pour l’alimentation, en médecine et pour les cérémonies sont collectées dans la nature car très peu de tentatives ont été faites pour leur domestication et leur culture. Par conséquent, de nombreuses espèces d’épices sauvages sont surexploitées et se retrouvent menacées par la destruction de leur habitat. Aussi, peu d’informations sont disponibles sur leurs zones d’occurrence et les facteurs influençant leur distribution géographique et leur richesse. Cette étude visait à i) cartographier la distribution et la richesse de 14 épices sauvages, et à ii) évaluer les facteurs influençant leurs distribution et richesse dans la zone Soudano-Guinéenne du Bénin. Les données ont été collectées au cours d’explorations sur le terrain et à partir de la base de données du Global Biodiversity Information Facility. La distribution des espèces a été cartographiée et une grille de 10×10 km a servi de base pour la cartographie de la richesse en espèces. Les espèces étaient inégalement distribuées dans la zone d’étude. Des zones de grande richesse en épices sont présentes dans les phytodistricts de Bassila et du Zou. Trois zones de forte diversité en épices sont nécessaires pour capturer toute la diversité du groupe fonctionnel des épices sauvages. L’interaction de la température moyenne du trimestre le plus sèche, l’altitude, et la saisonnalité des précipitations ont significativement influencé la distribution de trois épices sauvages (Aframomum alboviolaceum, Uvaria chamae et Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides). Ces trois facteurs, ajoutés au taux d’argile dans le sol, ont contribué à la création des conditions favorables pour la cooccurrence de plusieurs espèces d’épices sauvages.Mots clésarbre d’inférence conditionnelle, épices sauvages, espèces négligées et sousutilisée, SIG, systèmes d’information géographiques,

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Game of Tops: Trends in GBIF’s Community of Users

Biodiversity Information Science and Standards ◽

10.3897/biss.3.37187 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

Author(s):

Nora Escribano ◽

David Galicia ◽

Arturo H. Ariño

Keyword(s):

Information Exchange ◽

Full Range ◽

Open Data ◽

Biodiversity Informatics ◽

Biodiversity Data ◽

Global Biodiversity Information Facility ◽

Research Areas ◽

Scientific Papers ◽

Opening Up ◽

Biodiversity Information

Building on the development of Biodiversity Informatics, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) undertook the task of enabling access to the world’s wealth of biodiversity data via the Internet. To date, GBIF has become, in many respects, the most extensive biodiversity information exchange infrastructure in the world, opening up a full range of possibilities for science. Science has benefited from such access to biodiversity data in research areas ranging from the effects of environmental change on biodiversity to the spread of invasive species, among many others. As of this writing, more than 7,000 published items (scientific papers, reviews, conference proceedings) have been indexed in the GBIF Secretariat’s literature tracking programme. On the basis on this database, we will represent trends in GBIF in the users’ behaviour over time regarding openness, social structure, and other features associated to such scientific production: what is the measurable impact of research using GBIF data? How is the GBIF community of users growing? Is the science made with, and enabled by, open data, actually open? Mapping GBIF users’ choices will show how biodiversity research is evolving through time, synthesising past and current priorities of this community in an attempt to forecast whether summer—or winter—is coming.

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