Species Distribution Pattern and Their Contribution in Plant Community Assembly in Response to Ecological Gradients of the Ecotonal Zone in the Himalayan Region

The ecotonal zones support populations that are acclimated to changing, fluctuating, and unstable conditions, and as a result, these populations are better equipped to adjust to expected change. In this context, a hypothesis was tested that there must be vegetation dominated by unique indicator plant species under the influence of ecological gradients in the ecotonal zone of Manoor Valley (northwestern Himalaya), Pakistan. Keeping the aforementioned hypothesis in mind, detailed field studies were conducted during different seasons in 2015-18. Line transect sampling and phytosociological characteristics (density, frequency, cover, and their relative values and Importance Value) were implemented as ecological methods. This investigation documented 97 plant species recorded from seven sampling sites. The community distribution modelling revealed that the ecological variables separate the seven sampling sites into two major plant communities (Indigofera-Parrotiopsis-Bistorta and Ziziphus-Leptopus-Quercus) recognized by TWINSPAN. The IBP communities showed a positive and significant correlation with altitude (1789.6–1896.3 m), sandy soil texture with a slightly acidic pH (6.4–6.5), and higher phosphorous (9–13 mg kg−1). In contrast with this, the ZLQ community was recognized on the southern slope under the strong influence of high electrical conductivity (2.82–5.4 dsm−1), organic matter (1.08–1.25%), calcium carbonate (5.8–7.6 mg kg−1), potassium (202–220 mg kg−1), and temperature (28.8–31.8 °C). Hence, both communities were found on opposite axes with clear differences based on the ecological gradients. NMDS clustered different species with similar habitats and different stands with common species, showing that plant species and stands were in a linear combination with ecological gradients. The IPB community has the maximum number of plant species (87 species), Shannon value (H’ = 4), Simpson value (0.98), and Pielou’s evenness value (0.96). Thus, the multivariate approaches revealed unique vegetation with sharp boundaries between communities which might be due to abrupt environmental changes.

Termites (Insecta: Isoptera) diversity in forest conseccion areas of PT Inhutani I, Indonesia

Termites as wood biodeterioration agents have an important role in the ecosystem. This study aimed to observe termite diversity. A termites survey was conducted on Forest Concession Areas of PT. Inhutani I, South Sulawesi Indonesia. The termite specimens collected used the standardized transect sampling protocols at three different sites (forest with mixed vegetation, Pinus merkusii plantation, and logged-over area; and measurement of nine morphological characters of the soldier was conducted, i.e: head length without mandibles, head width at base of mandible, maximum width of head, left mandible length, pronotum length, maximum width of pronotum, postmentum length, postmentum width of postmentum, and the number of antenna segments. The results showed that there are four species found based on the morphological characteristics and morphometrical data, namely: Odontotermes javanicus., Nasutitermes sp., Schedorhinotermes sp. and Coptotermes curvignathus. The highest termite abundance was found in forest with mixed vegetation. The termite diversity in logged-over area and forest with mixed areas was moderate, while species diversity in pine plantation was low.

Anthropogenic evolution in an insect wing polymorphism following widespread deforestation

Anthropogenic environmental change can underpin major shifts in natural selective regimes, and can thus alter the evolutionary trajectories of wild populations. However, little is known about the evolutionary impacts of deforestation—one of the most pervasive human-driven changes to terrestrial ecosystems globally. Absence of forest cover (i.e. exposure) has been suggested to play a role in selecting for insect flightlessness in montane ecosystems. Here, we capitalize on human-driven variation in alpine treeline elevation in New Zealand to test whether anthropogenic deforestation has caused shifts in the distributions of flight-capable and flightless phenotypes in a wing-polymorphic lineage of stoneflies from the Zelandoperla fenestrata species complex. Transect sampling revealed sharp transitions from flight-capable to flightless populations with increasing elevation. However, these phenotypic transitions were consistently delineated by the elevation of local treelines, rather than by absolute elevation, providing a novel example of human-driven evolution in response to recent deforestation. The inferred rapid shifts to flightlessness in newly deforested regions have implications for the evolution and conservation of invertebrate biodiversity.

Diversity of Bivalvia, Gastropoda and Holothuroidea in Intertidal Zone of North Javan Sea Coastal, Indonesia

This study aims to know diversity of Bivalvia, Gastropoda and Holothuroidea. Measures used in this study were Density Index (D), Diversity Index (H’), Evennes Index (E’) dan Important Value Index (INP). This study used transect sampling method by 1 × 1 meter quadrant. Target species of this study were member of Bivalvia, Gastropoda and Holothuroidea that inhabit in intertidal zone of north Javan Sea coastal. This intertidal zone was divided into 3 zone; zone I is 50 meter, zone II is 75 meter and zone III is 100 meter from coastal line to sea. Total sample of this species were 1064 individual, that divided into 7 species of Bivalvia, 10 species of Gastropoda and 2 spesies of Holothuridea. The highest Diversity Index was for Gastropoda in zone I (253 individual/m2). Diversity Index was in moderate category (1< H’ < 2) while the zone III was the highest. Evennes Index of all zones were relatively similar. The highest Important Value Index was species of Clypeomorus clypeomorus, that has value 53,06%.

Preliminary Floristic Inventory of the Swamp Forest of Atan Ukwok Village in Ini L.G.A of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

The Floristic inventory of the swamp forest at Atan Ukwok was carried out using the Systematic and Transect Sampling Methods where the line transect was the main path of the forest and Sampling units were chosen along the path at a distance of 14m × 14m and 6 sampling plots were sampled. The frequency, density and abundance of the identified species were calculated using standard formulae. A total number of 61 species from 35 families were identified. The number of species recorded for the plant families were, Cyperaceae 5, Euphorbiaceae 4, Acanthaceae, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Aspidiaceae and Poaceae 3 each, Arecaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Mimosaceae, Melastomataceae, Schizaceae, Thelypteridaceae and Verbanaceae 2 each and Athyriaceae, Costaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Dracaenaceae Gleicheniaceae Araceae, Davillianaceae, Malvaceae, Commelinaceae, Clusiaceae, Selaginellaceae, Combretaceae, Convolvulaceae, Colchicaceae, Fabaceae, Moraceae, Malvaceae, Lycopodiaceae and Rutaceae 1 each. The highest species frequency and density of 66.7% and 9.5% respectively was found in Setaria megaphylla and the highest abundance value of 50.0 was found in Dracaena arborea. The frequency percentage of the plant species showed that the forest is fast loosing vegetation due to the obvious encroachment of parts of it by the inhabitants of the community for the purpose of cultivation. This calls for concerted conservation measures in order to ensure the sustainable use of the floral diversity of the forest.

Amphibians and reptiles of Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary, Napo Province, Ecuador

We conducted a long-term inventory of the herpetofauna of Wildsumaco Wildlife Sanctuary in the eastern part of the Napo Province in Ecuador. This private preserve is about 500 ha in size and is located on the southern slopes of Volc&aacute;n Sumaco. The preserve contains primary forest, secondary forest, and pasture habitats. Based mostly on nocturnal transect sampling we documented 39 species of amphibians including one species of salamander, two species of caecilians, and 36 species of frogs. Rain frogs (Pristimantis Jiminez de la Espada, 1871) were diverse with 14 species documented. A diverse species assemblage of 45 reptile species was also documented on the preserve. Six amphibian species found were listed by the IUCN Red List. At least three species exhibited substantial geographic range extensions and seven species showed elevational range extensions. We discovered several undescribed species including one salamander, three frogs, one lizard, and one snake.

Using line transect sampling to detect cetaceans and floating litter during vessel survey in western Black Sea

&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160; &amp;#160; &amp;#160; &amp;#160; &amp;#160; &amp;#160; &amp;#160; &amp;#160; The quality of the Black Sea ecosystem is partly but importantly dependent on the survival and sustainability of the top predator populations. It is difficult to foresee all consequences for the regional biodiversity if cetaceans disappear as it had happened with the Mediterranean monk seals in the past. During 7 days, between 30 September and 7 October, 2019, a joint oceanographical survey was made with a multipurpose R/V Mare Nigrum in offshore as well as deep sea locations, within the Romanian (RO), Bulgarian (BG) and western Turkish (TK) national waters of the Black Sea in the frame of ANEMONE project. The total track line was around 700 nautical miles and the sampled area covered 9754,58 km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;. Observations were made of cetaceans and floating litter, following line transect sampling method, with a single platform (2 observers, on the left and right of the vessel bridge) over 380.44 km of transects. A total of 54 cetacean sightings and 81 floating litter items were recorded. All the three species, short-beaked common dolphin (&lt;em&gt;Delphinus delphis&lt;/em&gt; ssp. &lt;em&gt;ponticus&lt;/em&gt;), Black Sea bottlenose dolphin (&lt;em&gt;Tursiops truncatus&lt;/em&gt; ssp. &lt;em&gt;ponticus&lt;/em&gt;), and Black Sea harbour porpoise (&lt;em&gt;Phocoena phocoena &lt;/em&gt;ssp. &lt;em&gt;relicta&lt;/em&gt;), were registered with a similar density (individuals/km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;), 0.012 for RO sector and 0.013 for BG-TK sector. The number of debris varied between 1 and 24 items, reaching 5.26&amp;#177; 5.93 items on average. Among the transects, 53% contained less than 5 items and only 13% were with more than 10 items. Based on these results, the average density of floating macro-litter in BG waters was found 2.43 &amp;#177; 2.4 items/km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;, 1.73 &amp;#177; 1.24 items/km&lt;sup&gt;2 &lt;/sup&gt;in the RO waters and 2.43&amp;#177;2.17 items/km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; in TR waters. This study was the first to make a joint and continuous survey effort for both cetaceans and litter simultaneously in the Black Sea.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Key words:&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;#160; Black Sea, cetaceans, marine litter, joint cruise, ANEMONE project.&lt;/p&gt;

Transect sampling promotes higher detection rates compared to discrete sampling for environmental DNA applications

The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) to monitor species in aquatic environments has rapidly increased over the past decade. eDNA has consistently outperformed other methods of detection, yet eDNA relies on an indirect measure to estimate the real distribution of a species. Therefore, understanding the environmental factors that disperse eDNA is of major importance. Here we modeled the use of transect sampling for eDNA studies and also model the impact of river advection on detection radius and the expected probability of detection. Our model suggests that transect sampling: 1) increases the detection probability for both rare and common species, thus reducing the frequency of false negatives, 2) diminishes the standard deviation of the detection probability, which in most cases means higher reproducibility of eDNA studies, 3) better estimates systemwide trends of fish population distinguishing zones of multiple fishes from zones where few fishes are present, and 4) diminishes the effects of eddies and river velocity on the detection probability and detection radius. We propose the use of transect sampling as an alternative method of eDNA sampling with benefits that surpass the disadvantages of not being able to pinpoint the exact fish location. Our model also suggests that even short transects (less than 100 m) can yield considerable benefits compared to point sampling.