scholarly journals Effects of management cessation on hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) across Austrian and Swiss mountain meadows

Web Ecology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-152
Author(s):  
Ronnie Walcher ◽  
Raja Imran Hussain ◽  
Johannes Karrer ◽  
Andreas Bohner ◽  
David Brandl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Food Resource ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Mountain Regions ◽  
Higher Plant ◽  
Species Numbers ◽  
Mountain Meadows ◽  
Surrounding Landscape ◽  
Number Of Plant Species

Abstract. Extensively managed grasslands, particularly in mountain regions, are considered to be one of the most diverse agroecosystems worldwide. Their decline due to land use abandonment affects the diversity of both plants and associated pollinators. Extensive grasslands constitute an important habitat type and food resource for hoverflies (syrphids); however, not much is known about the effects of abandonment on this important pollinator group. In the present study, we investigated how abandonment affects species richness and the composition of syrphids in mountainous meadows. We recorded the richness of vascular plants, vegetation cover, flower cover and the surrounding landscape to examine whether and how syrphids are affected by plant and landscape parameters. We investigated the species richness, abundance and species composition of syrphids by sweep netting and by using observation plots in 18 semidry meadows across two Austrian regions and one Swiss region. For each region, we selected three meadows abandoned for more than 20 years and three annually mown non-fertilized meadows. Abandonment or mowing had no significant effect on the total number of syrphid species or individuals or on the number of aphidophagous and non-aphidophagous species and individuals. However, the total number of species and the number of non-aphidophagous species significantly increased with the increasing number of plant species. The surrounding landscape and other plant parameters showed no association with the assessed syrphid parameters. Although syrphids were unaffected by abandonment, higher syrphid species numbers in response to a higher plant richness in annual mown meadows suggest that the management of mountain meadows is beneficial in preserving syrphid richness.

scholarly journals A review of the influence of beaver Castor fiber on amphibian assemblages in the floodplains of European temperate streams and rivers

2020 ◽  
pp. 135-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lutz Dalbeck
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Headwater Streams ◽  
Castor Fiber ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Beaver Ponds ◽  
Species Numbers ◽  
Eurasian Beaver ◽  
Catchment Areas ◽  
Surrounding Landscape

Once widespread throughout Eurasia and hunted nearly to extinction, the Eurasian beaver Castor fiber has returned to large parts of its former range, largely through active conservation measures. Beavers can substantially alter small, low order streams and their floodplains through dam construction, burrowing activities and tree felling. Therefore, it is presumed they can significantly influence amphibian distributions, species richness and numbers. We undertook a literature review to compare the available data addressing the effects of beaver dams on amphibians in streams of central temperate and boreal Europe. All 19 amphibian species occurring in the study region were found in beaver ponds, despite their distinctly different habitat requirements. Amphibian species acting as pioneers / early colonisers were under-represented in beaver ponds compared to typical forest species. Open country and ubiquitous species showed intermediate patterns. Beaver ponds in headwater streams often supported the entire spectrum of species occurring in the surrounding landscape, and species numbers in beaver modified headwater streams were comparable to those in floodplains of larger natural rivers. In small headwater streams, beavers tended to be the primary providers of essential habitat for amphibians. In contrast, beaver ponds in the floodplains of larger rivers appeared to have less effect and supported lower average species numbers compared to beaver ponds in headwater streams. We propose that beavers and their habitat creating activities are pivotal determinants of amphibian species richness in the headwater streams, which account for 60–80 % of the water bodies in catchment areas in temperate Europe. By creating habitat for endangered amphibian species, beavers and their ability to modify habitats offer extensive opportunities to implement many aspects of the European Water Framework Directive across the continent and to restore amphibian habitats, contributing to their long-term conservation.

Distribution Patterns and Climatic Explanations of Species Richness of Vascular Plants in Xinjiang, China

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-ping LI ◽  
Nurbay Abdusalih ◽  
Shao-peng WANG ◽  
Zhi-heng WANG ◽  
Zhi-yao TANG
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Distribution Patterns

Distribution and habitat preference of protected reindeer lichen species (Cladonia arbuscula, C. mitis and C. rangiferina) in the Balaton Uplands (Hungary)

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-282
Author(s):  
Mónika Sinigla ◽  
Erzsébet Szurdoki ◽  
László Lőkös ◽  
Dénes Bartha ◽  
István Galambos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Lichen Species ◽  
Oak Forests ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Cladonia Rangiferina

AbstractThe maintenance of protected lichen species and their biodiversity in general depends on good management practices based on their distribution and habitat preferences. To date, 10 of the 17 protected lichen species of Hungary have been recorded in the Bakony Mts including the Balaton Uplands region. Habitat preferences of three protected Cladonia species (C. arbuscula, C. mitis and C. rangiferina) growing on underlying rocks of red sandstone, basalt, Pannonian sandstone and gravel were investigated by detailed sampling. We recorded aspect, underlying rock type, soil depth, pH and CaCO3 content, habitat type (as defined by the General National Habitat Classification System Á-NÉR), all species of lichen, bryophyte and vascular plants as well as percentage cover of exposed rock, total bryophytes, lichens, vascular plants and canopy, degree of disturbance and animal impacts. Sporadic populations of these species mostly exist at the top of hills and mountains in open acidofrequent oak forests, but they may occur in other habitats, such as closed acidofrequent oak forests, slope steppes on stony soils, siliceous open rocky grasslands, open sand steppes, wet and mesic pioneer scrub and dry Calluna heaths. Cladonia rangiferina was found to grow beneath higher canopy cover than either C. arbuscula or C. mitis in the Balaton Uplands. Furthermore, there were significant differences in canopy cover between occupied and unoccupied quadrats in the case of all three species. Cladonia rangiferina is a good indicator species of natural habitats in Hungary due to its restricted distribution and low ecological tolerance. These results may lead to the adoption of effective conservation methods (e.g. game exclusion, artificial dispersal) in the future.

scholarly journals Species Richness of Breeding Birds at a Landscape Scale: Which Habitat Type is the Most Important?

2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Skórka ◽  
Rafał martyka ◽  
Joanna D. Wójcik
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Breeding Birds

Numbers of plant species on the islands of Aldabra Atoll

1979 ◽  
Vol 286 (1011) ◽  
pp. 247-254 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Island Ecosystems ◽  
Species Numbers ◽  
Island Effect ◽  
Species Area ◽  
Number Of Plant Species

The logarithm of island area accounts for 70 % of the variance in the number of plant species occurring on 100 lagoon islands. Two components of island altitude (altitude of the island rim and the logarithm of the island’s inland altitude) are also of importance, and account for 9 % of the variation in species numbers. A further 13 variables account for only an extra 5 % of the variance in the mixed model. These results resemble the findings of other island studies. In the equation S = K A z , z = 0.345 and falls within the range of expected values. The species-area curve gives little indication of the ‘small island effect’ found for other small islands; this may reflect, among other factors, the richness of the Aldabran flora when compared with those of the small island ecosystems already studied. The curve is also compared with that compiled by Williams (1964) and a discrepancy between the two is discussed. Woody plants are largely responsible for the increase of species numbers with increasing area. Species that are restricted to islands of particular sizes are listed and the characteristics of the frequencies of occurrence of the more common species are summarized.

scholarly journals Species richness and conservation gap analysis of karst areas: A case study of vascular plants from Guizhou, China

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. e00460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Liu ◽  
Mei Zhang ◽  
W. Rainer Bussmann ◽  
Hui-ming Liu ◽  
Ying-ying Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Karst Areas

scholarly journals Birds of the family Motacillidae in Omsk and in the Omsk province: species richness, numbers and distribution

2021 ◽  
pp. 110-118
Author(s):  
O. A. Odintsev ◽  
◽  
A. A. Odintseva ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Duration Of Stay ◽  
Species Numbers ◽  
The Family

The materials of year-round bird counts conducted by the authors in Omsk from September 2006 to Au-gust 2009 in nine habitats, as well as on the territory of four municipal districts of the Omsk Province from June 1 to August 10, 2020 have been analyzed. The species richness was studied, the analysis of the species numbers and distribution was carried out, and the abundance of Motacillidae on the territory of the studied administrative districts is indicated. Species sketches are given, in the compilation of which special attention is paid to the nature and duration of stay, as well as the distribution of birds by habitat. It was found that the encountered representatives of this family inhabit all studied biotopes, but some spe-cies are not evenly distributed.

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