Bird Species Abundance and Diversity in Montane Forest Research Station, Jos, Plateau State

Forest is the most significant habitat for birds by supporting around 75% of all bird species while only 45% of all bird species have adapted to humans modified habitats. The research was conducted in the Montane Forest Research Station, Jos, Plateau State, in other to determine the abundance, diversity and effect of habitat types on bird’s species diversity. Fifteen transects of 200m were laid in the three habitat types (riparian forest, farmland and residential area) using stratified random sampling method. The data collected were analysed using R console. Shannon Weiner diversity index was used to analyse species diversity while generalized linear model was used to determine the effect of the habitat variables on bird species diversity. The result showed a total number of 1466 individual birds belonging to 17 families and 60 bird species were sighted. The abundance of birds was highest in riparian forest (2252), farmland (1732) and Residential area (1094) with no significance difference (p=0.177). Species richness was higher in the riparian forest (57), farmland (49), and the residential area (44). It also revealed that bird diversity index was highly significant. Riparian forest had the highest diversity (4.77), and the species were more evenly distributed (0.6) as compared to the other habitat types. The higher the number of trees and canopy cover the higher the diversity of species as was observed in the riparian forest where forest species that weren’t seen in the other habitats were found. The farmland and residential areas also hold a considerable number of some generalist bird species due to some patches of vegetation found in the habitat. Therefore, conservation efforts should be directed towards keeping vegetation intact in human dominated areas, as it serves as repository for bird species which are ecologically important. Hence, planting trees (economic, fruit and ornamental) should be encouraged.

Contrasting Patterns and Drivers of Soil Fungal Communities between Two Ecosystems Divided by the Treeline

The treeline is a sensitive region of the terrestrial ecosystem responding to climate change. However, studies on the composition and formation mechanisms of soil fungal communities across the treeline are still lacking. In this study, we investigated the patterns of soil fungal community composition and interactions among functional guilds above and below the treeline using Illumina high-throughput sequencing and ecological network analysis. The results showed that there were significant differences in the soil environment and soil fungal community composition between the two ecosystems above and below the treeline. At the local scale of this study, geographic distance and environmental factors affected the composition of the soil fungal community. Soil temperature was an important environmental predictor of soil fungal community composition. Species in soil fungal communities in the subalpine meadow were more closely related to each other compared to those in the montane forest. Furthermore, the soil fungal community in montane forest was more stable. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of how mountain ecological functions respond to global climate change.

Flora Farallonensis II: Aroids from the Pico De Águila Low Montane Forest in Colombia

This is the second manuscript about a series of papers dedicated to study the flora of Los Farallones de Cali, an Andean natural region in Colombia. The general purpose is to make an inventory of plants, algae and fungi by studying different locations in Los Farallones. This paper deals with aroids (Araceae family), from a low montane forest at Pico de Águila (Valle Department, Colombia). Data about altitudinal and geographical distribution in Colombia of aroids found are presented here, along with some drawings for facilitating field identification.

Ardisia patentiradiosa (Primulaceae), a new species from southern Vietnam

Ardisia patentiradiosa C.M. Hu & Nuraliev (Primulaceae) collected from montane forest of Gia Lai Province, Vietnam, is described and illustrated. Its distinguishing characters from its closest relatives, Ardisia gracilenta C.M. Hu & J.E. Vidal and A. pitardii C.M. Hu & J.E. Vidal, are discussed.

Aposematic Coloration of Moths Decreases Strongly along an Elevational Gradient in the Andes

On tropical mountains, predation pressure decreases with elevation. Accordingly, one expects an elevational decay in the prevalence of costly defensive traits such as aposematic coloration. Using light-trap catches of Arctiinae moths (353 species, 4466 individuals), assembled along a forested gradient in the megadiverse tropical Andes of southern Ecuador, we show that the incidence of aposematic coloration decreases strongly between 1040 and 2670 m asl. While over 60% of Arctiinae moths were warningly colored at lowest sites, this fraction decreased to less than 20% in montane forest, yet increased slightly again at the highest sites in the very open Purdiaea nutans forest. In parallel, the incidence of hymenopteran mimics and of species that mimic chemically defended beetles decreased with elevation. Hymenopteran mimics accounted for less than 5% of Arctiinae moths at sites above 2100 m, and beetle mimics were essentially lacking at high elevations. These patterns coincide with a change in gross taxonomic composition of Arctiinae ensembles and with an increase in average body size towards higher elevations. Representatives of Euchromiina and Ctenuchina became scarce with altitude, whereas the prevalence of Lithosiinae increased. Our findings suggest that the variable selective pressures along the elevational gradient favor warning coloration primarily at lower sites, whereas cryptic appearance of adult moths dominates in the tropical upper montane forest.

Niveoporofomes (Basidiomycota, Fomitopsidaceae) in Tropical Africa: Niveoporofomes oboensis sp. nov. and N.widdringtoniae comb. nov., two species from Afromontane Forests

During a survey of polypores in the montane forest of the Ôbo de São Tomé National Park, in the western African, equatorial island of São Tomé, a specimen that was, a priori, related to Fomitopsis, based on the gross morphology of the basidiome and a brown rot, showed deviating features including subglobose basidiospores with a large gutta, what pointed toward Niveoporofomes. Phylogenetic inferences based on multiple loci dataset (ITS-nLSU-nSSU-tef1-rpb2) confirmed these affinities, and Niveoporofomes oboensis is described as new. The species is compared to Fomitopsis widdringtoniae, known from southeast Africa, which is characterized also by subglobose basidiospores; hence, the new combination N. widdringtoniae is proposed. The new combination Niveoporofomes globosporus (basionym Trametes globospora) is also proposed based on phylogenetic analyses. A key to the species of Fomitopsis, Niveoporofomes, Rhodofomes, and Rhodofomitopsis in Tropical Africa is presented.