Transplanting Coral Fragments in Close Contact Enhances Their Survival and Growth on Seawalls

Accelerated urbanisation has replaced many natural shorelines with coastal defences, resulting in the loss of natural habitats. However, structures such as seawalls can support some biotic assemblages, albeit of lower species richness. Ecological engineering techniques such as coral transplantation can enhance biodiversity on these artificial structures, but its success is circumscribed by high costs. Little is known about the fusion of discrete coral colonies that could potentially improve coral transplantation success on seawalls, particularly for the slow-growing massive species that are generally well-adapted to living on seawalls. Here, we investigated the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of transplanting Platygyra sinensis on seawalls by comparing the survivability and growth of fragments transplanted adjoining with those transplanted further apart. Fragments (approximately 3 cm diameter; n = 24) derived from three individuals were randomly grouped into two treatments, transplanted at 0.5 cm and 5 cm apart. Fragments in the former treatment came into contact with each other after three months. We observed that in all cases, the contact zones were characterised by a border of raised skeletal ridges without tissue necrosis, often termed nonfusion (=histoincompatible fusion). The adjoining transplants showed better survival (75 vs. 43%) and grew at a rate that was significantly higher than fragments transplanted 5 cm apart (3.7 ± 1.6 vs. 0.6 ± 1.1 cm2 month−1). Our projections demonstrated the possibility of reducing transplantation cost (USD cm−2) by 48.3% through nonfusion. These findings present nonfusion as a possible strategy to increase the overall cost-effectiveness of transplanting slow-growing massive species on seawalls.

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Family graveyards form underappreciated local plant diversity hotspots in China's agricultural landscapes

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-80362-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Cheng Gong ◽

Liangtao Li ◽

Jan C. Axmarcher ◽

Zhenrong Yu ◽

Yunhui Liu

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Plant Species ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Plant Species Richness ◽

Agricultural Landscapes ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Landscape Features ◽

Habitat Islands ◽

Local Plant ◽

Ecological Functioning

AbstractIn the intensively farmed, homogenous agricultural landscape of the North China Plain, family graveyards form distinct cultural landscape features. In addition to their cultural value, these graveyards represent semi-natural habitat islands whose potential roles in biodiversity conservation and ecological functioning has remained poorly understood. In this study, we investigated plant species richness on 199 family graveyards of different ages and sizes. In accordance with biogeography theory, both overall and insect-pollinated plant species richness increased with area and age of graveyards. Even small graveyards show a strong potential for conserving local plant richness, and a mosaic of both large and small family graveyards could play an important role in the conservation of farmland biodiversity and related ecosystem functions. The launch of agri-environmental measures that conserve and create semi-natural habitats, in turn benefitting agricultural biodiversity and ecological functioning, has proven difficult in China due to the shortage of dispensable arable land. Given the great value of family graveyards as semi-natural habitats reflected in our study, we propose to focus preliminary efforts on conserving these landscape features as existing, widespread and culturally important semi-natural habitat islands. This would represent an effective, complementary policy to a subsequent re-establishment of other semi-natural habitats for the conservation of biodiversity and ecological functioning in agricultural landscapes.

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Bird species richness, composition and abundance in pastures are affected by vegetation structure and distance from natural habitats: a single tree in pastures matters

Emu - Austral Ornithology ◽

10.1080/01584197.2017.1398591 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 118 (2) ◽

pp. 201-211 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mauricio Neves Godoi ◽

Rudi Ricardo Laps ◽

Danilo Bandini Ribeiro ◽

Camila Aoki ◽

Franco Leandro de Souza

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Vegetation Structure ◽

Bird Species ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Single Tree

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Effect of Urbanization on Vegetation in Riparian Area: Plant Communities in Artificial and Semi-Natural Habitats

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12010204 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 204 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Yang Cao ◽

Yosihiro Natuhara

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Plant Communities ◽

Native Species ◽

Impervious Surface ◽

Riparian Areas ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Artificial Habitats ◽

Management Actions ◽

Impact Of Urbanization ◽

The Impact

Riparian areas are local hot spots of biodiversity that are vulnerable and easily degraded. Comparing plant communities in habitats with different degrees of urbanization may provide valuable information for the management and restoration of these vulnerable habitats. In this study, we explored the impact of urbanization on vegetation communities between artificial and semi-natural habitats within two rivers with different levels of development. We compared species richness, types of vegetation, and composition patterns of the plants in our study. In artificial habitats, the sites with relatively high levels of urbanization had the highest species richness, while in semi-natural habitats, the highest species richness was recorded in the less urbanized sites. Furthermore, every component of urbanization that contributed to the variation of species richness was examined in the current study. In artificial habitats, the proportion of impervious surface was the strongest predictor of the variation in species richness and was associated with the richness of alien, native, and riparian species. In semi-natural habitats, most of the richness of alien and native species were associated with the distance to the city center, and the number of riparian and ruderal species was significantly related to the proportion of impervious surface. Moreover, we found that a high level of urbanization was always associated with a large abundance of alien and ruderal species in both artificial and in semi-natural habitats. We recommend the methods of pair comparison of multiple rivers to analyze the impact of urbanization on plant species in riparian areas and have suggested various management actions for maintaining biodiversity and sustainability in riparian ecosystems.

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Environmental filtering and spillover explain multi-species edge responses across agricultural boundaries in a biosphere reserve

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-71724-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

J. van Schalkwyk ◽

J. S. Pryke ◽

M. J. Samways ◽

R. Gaigher

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Species Composition ◽

Habitat Quality ◽

Environmental Variables ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Environmental Filtering ◽

Biosphere Reserve ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Habitat Specificity ◽

Induced Changes

Abstract To ensure integrity of protected areas we need to understand how species respond to anthropogenic borders. We investigate, from a metacommunity perspective, the direct and indirect mechanisms by which transformed areas affect distribution patterns of ground-living arthropod assemblages inhabiting an extensive protected area adjacent to fruit orchards in an important biosphere reserve. Arthropods and environmental variables were sampled along transects perpendicular to natural-orchard edges. Influence of distance from orchard boundary, degree of impermeability of the boundary, orchard habitat quality (local scale land-use intensity), and edge-induced changes in local environmental variables on arthropod species richness and composition in non-crop habitats were assessed. Arthropod groups were assessed in terms of habitat fidelity: species associated with natural habitat (stenotopic species), those within crop habitat (cultural species), and those showing no preference for either habitat (ubiquitous species). Spillover resulted in higher cultural species richness near edges, but not higher overall species richness. Environmental filtering was important for stenotopic species composition, which was influenced by edge-induced changes in environmental variables. Ubiquitous species composition was determined by orchard impermeability. Increased orchard habitat quality was associated with higher cultural and ubiquitous species richness. The effects of orchards on assemblages in natural habitats can be variable, but predictable when using species habitat specificity in conjunction with a metacommunity framework. High intensity orchards may act as sink habitats, especially for species that readily disperse between crop and natural habitats. Here we recommend that local buffer strips are > 85 m wide, which will reduce the influence of cultural species spillover on sensitive natural ecosystems.

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Facing the future: the importance of substratum features for ecological engineering of artificial habitats in the rocky intertidal

Marine and Freshwater Research ◽

10.1071/mf14163 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 67 (1) ◽

pp. 131 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Louise B. Firth ◽

Freya J. White ◽

Meredith Schofield ◽

Mick E. Hanley ◽

Michael T. Burrows ◽

...

Keyword(s):

General Trend ◽

Ecological Engineering ◽

Grazing Pressure ◽

Rocky Intertidal ◽

Taxon Richness ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Artificial Habitats ◽

Warming Climate ◽

North And South

Coastal defences are proliferating in response to climate change, leading to the creation of more vertical substrata. Efforts are being made to mitigate their impacts and create novel habitats to promote biodiversity. Little is known about the effect of aspect (i.e. north–south directionality) and inclination on intertidal biodiversity in artificial habitats. Artificial and natural habitats were compared to assess the role of aspect and substratum inclination in determining patterns of biodiversity at two tidal heights (high and mid). We also compared grazing activity between north- and south-facing surfaces in natural habitats to examine the potential for differential grazing pressure to affect community structure and functioning. Results were variable but some clear patterns emerged. Inclination had no effect on biodiversity or abundance. There was a general trend towards greater taxon richness and abundance on north-facing than south-facing substrata in natural and artificial habitats. On natural shores, the abundance and grazing activity of ‘southern’ limpets (i.e. Patella depressa) was greater on south-facing than north-facing substrata, with possible implications for further range-expansion. These results highlight the importance of incorporating shaded habitats in the construction of artificial habitats. These habitats may represent an important refuge from grazing pressure and thermal and desiccation stress in a warming climate.

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Nosocomial Mycobacterium gordonae Pseudoinfection From Contaminated Ice Machines

Infection Control ◽

10.1017/s0195941700063918 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 67-70 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Anand P. Panwalker ◽

Elizabeth Fuhse

Keyword(s):

Sharp Decrease ◽

Clinical Findings ◽

Deionized Water ◽

Clinical Samples ◽

Sterile Water ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Ice Water ◽

Slow Growing ◽

Culture Positive ◽

Soil And Water

AbstractThirty-two clinical specimens submitted to the laboratory during a 12-month period from July 1980 to June 1981 were reported to be culture-positive for Mycobacterium gordonae, an organism generally considered to be a slow-growing saprophyte with natural habitats which include soil and water. Only seven similar isolates had been recovered in the preceding 4½ year period. The discordance between clinical findings and the mycobacterial cultures suggested extrinsic contamination of the specimens. Contamination in the laboratory was believed unlikely because: 1) clinical samples obtained in an aseptic manner were never contaminated; 2) various surveillance cultures of reagents and deionized water used in the laboratory were negative; and 3) substitution of deionized water with sterile water did not control the outbreak. Extensive hospital-wide cultures of water sources implicated the use of ice and ice water from contaminated ice machines as the source of this pseudoepidemic. Cleaning of the ice machines resulted in a sharp decrease in the number of M. gordonae isolates. Pseudoinfection by M. gordonae from improperly maintained ice machines has not been reported before.

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Optimizing Species Richness in Mosaic Landscapes: A Probabilistic Model of Species-Area Relationships

Frontiers in Conservation Science ◽

10.3389/fcosc.2021.703260 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

Author(s):

Ola Olsson ◽

Mark V. Brady ◽

Martin Stjernman ◽

Henrik G. Smith

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Biodiversity Conservation ◽

Optimal Allocation ◽

Optimal Solution ◽

Average Density ◽

Agricultural Landscapes ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Total Size ◽

Α Diversity ◽

Species Area

Most landscapes are comprised of multiple habitat types differing in the biodiversity they contain. This is certainly true for human modified landscapes, which are often a mix of habitats managed with different intensity, semi-natural habitats and even pristine habitats. To understand fundamental questions of how the composition of such landscapes affects biodiversity conservation, and to evaluate biodiversity consequences of policies that affect the composition of landscapes, there is a need for models able to translate information on biodiversity from individual habitats to landscape-wide predictions. However, this is complicated by species richness not being additive. We constructed a model to help analyze and solve this problem based on two simple assumptions. Firstly, that a habitat can be characterized by the biological community inhabiting it; i.e., which species occur and at what densities. Secondly, that the probability of a species occurring in a particular unit of land is dictated by its average density in the associated habitats, its spatial aggregation, and the size of the land unit. This model leads to a multidimensional species-area relation (one dimension per habitat). If the goal is to maximize species diversity at the landscape scale (γ-diversity), within a fixed area or under a limited budget, the model can be used to find the optimal allocation of the different habitats. In general, the optimal solution depends on the total size of the species pool of the different habitats, but also their similarity (β-diversity). If habitats are complementary (high β), a mix is usually preferred, even if one habitat is poorer (lower α diversity in one habitat). The model lends itself to economic analyses of biodiversity problems, without the need to monetarize biodiversity value, i.e., cost-effectiveness analysis. Land prices and management costs will affect the solution, such that the model can be used to estimate the number of species gained in relation to expenditure on each habitat. We illustrate the utility of the model by applying it to agricultural landscapes in southern Sweden and demonstrate how empirical monitoring data can be used to find the best habitat allocation for biodiversity conservation within and between landscapes.

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The Effect of Anthropization on Sarcophagidae (Diptera: Calyptratae) Community Structure: An Assessment on Different Types of Habitats in the Humid Chaco Ecoregion of Argentina

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1093/jme/tjaa071 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 57 (5) ◽

pp. 1468-1479 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Matias I Dufek ◽

Dario D Larrea ◽

Miryam P Damborsky ◽

Pablo R Mulieri

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Community Structure ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Canopy Cover ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Cattle Farm ◽

Species Richness And Diversity ◽

Environmental Impact Assessments ◽

Spatial Turnover ◽

Main Driver

Abstract Sarcophagidae (Diptera) are of great interest from a veterinary, medical, and forensic viewpoint, and are potential bioindicators for environmental impact assessments. In this study, we evaluated changes in abundance, species richness, and diversity of flesh flies in different habitat types in the Humid Chaco ecoregion of South America: 1) anthropized habitats: urban, cattle farm, and alfalfa crop, and 2) natural habitats: savanna and forest. We hypothesized that sarcophagid fly community parameters are affected by the anthropization and that spatial turnover will contribute more to the overall beta diversity than nestedness between habitats. In each habitat, samplings were conducted monthly from March 2015 to February 2016 in 25 sites, 5 per habitat, totaling 300 independent samples at the end of the study. We collected 5,790 Sarcophagidae (55 species). Community parameters of Sarcophagidae were evaluated and compared. The ecological effects of anthropization and habitat type were observed in the present study. As expected, our results showed the highest abundance, species richness, and diversity in the savanna and forest habitats (natural), whereas the lowest values were registered in the urban and alfalfa crop habitats, supporting the hypotheses of anthropization as the main driver of diversity loss. In addition, sarcophagid assemblages differed between all habitats and the overall dissimilarity was structured by spatial turnover. The main conclusion of this research is that flesh fly community structure is greatly affected by anthropization and habitat type, and this would be related to canopy cover and microclimate conditions of each environment.

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Species Richness and Nesting Success of Migrant Forest Birds in Natural River Corridors and Anthropogenic Woodlands in Southeastern South Dakota

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/108.1.140 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 108 (1) ◽

pp. 140-153

Author(s):

Dale J. Gentry ◽

David L. Swanson ◽

Jay D. Carlisle

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Nesting Success ◽

Forest Birds ◽

Individual Species ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Riparian Corridors ◽

Neotropical Migrant ◽

Riparian Woodlands ◽

Migrant Birds ◽

River Corridors

AbstractForest fragmentation is thought to be partially responsible for declines in many Neotropical migrant birds due to the combined effects of higher rates of brood parasitism and increased predation near forest edges. A majority of the forested habitat in the northern prairie region is found in riparian corridors, but this native habitat has been much reduced from its historical extent. However, additional woodland nesting habitat has been established within the last century in the form of isolated woodlots on farms. We compared abundance, species richness, and nesting success of migrant forest birds breeding in native riparian corridors and anthropogenic woodlots. The two habitats had similar bird abundances but native riparian woodlands were more species-rich than woodlots. We located a total of 650 nests, with 320 nests of 15 species in woodlots and 331 nests of 25 species in riparian corridors. Nesting success was not significantly different between the two habitats for all species combined or for individual species with ≥15 nests in each habitat. Nests above 5 m were more successful than lower nests, but distance to woodland edge did not influence nesting success. Nests initiated in the middle and late portions of the nesting season were more successful than early season nests, significantly so in woodlots. Thus, anthropogenic woodlots were as suitable as natural habitats for successful nesting. However, many of the Neotropical migrants occurring in riparian habitats were absent from woodlots, which suggests that riparian corridors are especially important habitats for breeding birds in the northern prairie region.

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Contribution of the Cerrado as Habitat for Sunflower Pollinating Bees

Sociobiology ◽

10.13102/sociobiology.v67i2.4865 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 67 (2) ◽

pp. 281

Author(s):

Mayra Layra Santos Almeida ◽

Gabriel Santos Carvalho ◽

Júlia Rodrigues Novais ◽

Danielle Storck Tonon ◽

Márcio Luiz Oliveira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Food Source ◽

Seed Mass ◽

Agricultural Landscapes ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Mato Grosso ◽

Sunflower Crop ◽

Bee Diversity ◽

Floral Visitors ◽

Pan Traps

Agricultural landscapes sometimes include natural habitats which can support the ecosystem by enhancing the pollination of crops, thus boosting the productivity. This research was conducted between May and July 2017, in the municipality of Tangará da Serra, Mato Grosso, Brazil, to assess the Cerrado from the perspective of it being a crucial habitat to sustain the sunflower-pollinating bees (Helianthus annuus L.). The bees were sampled using entomological nets and pan traps, in specifically marked out plots (20 m x 150 m), in the Cerrado, and in a sunflower crop, at different distances from the Cerrado border. The assessment was done in terms of the composion and species richness, abundance of individuals and the mass (g) of the sunflower chapters exposed and isolated from the floral visitors. While species richness showed no differences between the Cerrado and sunflower crop, a difference was observed for abundance, with more numbers of individuals in the sunflower crop, most likely because of the food source supply. In the sunflower crop, the bee diversity decreased proportionally as the distance from the border increased. The seed mass of the sunfl ower chapters was significantly higher in the flowers open to visitors than in those of the isolated chapters open for visitation. From the results, it was evident that the bees presente in the Cerrado visit the sunflower crop to gather pollen and nectar, and thus assist in cross-pollinating them and raising the productivity.

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