The habitat characteristics of Sumatran Elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) in the forest of Serbajadi sub-district Aceh Province

The purpose of this study was to determine the habitat characteristics of the Sumatran Elephant in the Serbajadi District Forest. Data collection by looking at the use of habitat which is characterized by the distribution of faeces found in various habitat units in the home range of the Sumatran Elephant. The method used is observation with a track with a size of 3,600 m which is divided into 20 observation plots with a distance between plots of 100 m. The data obtained in the field were analyzed descriptively and presented in tabular form. The results of this study indicate that the Habitat Characteristics of the Sumatran Elephant in the Serbajadi District Forest chose habitat units with very dense canopy cover (>75%), moderate feed availability (26-50%), rare mineral source trees availability (< 3 trees/plot). availability of sparse scrubbing trees (<3 trees/plot), close to primary forest (0-500 m), low land elevation (0- 400 masl), gentle slope (0-20°), close to water sources (0-250m). Secondary forest/vegetation type and frequency of habitat use based on the findings of faeces that the Sumatran elephant most frequently visited was secondary forest than primary forest because the secondary forest was for feeding activities while the primary forest was used for resting and reproduction.

Effect of Host, Environment and Fungal Growth on Fungal Leaf Endophyte Communities in Taiwan

Fungal endophytes inhabit plant tissues without causing disease symptoms. They are highly diverse and distributed globally in all plants that have been investigated. Host, geographic, and environmental effects on endophyte communities have been reported in several studies, but the direct effect of fungal growth rate on endophyte composition has not been tested. To understand the relationship between foliar endophyte composition and fungal growth and to examine the effect of host, elevation, and climatic factors on the foliar endophyte communities, this study examined the foliar endophyte communities of representative gymnosperms and Rhododendron spp. across different elevations of Hehuanshan and Taipingshan forests in Taiwan. The isolation frequency and diversity of foliar endophytes were higher at low elevations than at high elevations. The foliar endophyte community structure differed as a function of host family and forest vegetation type. Elevation, mean annual temperature, and precipitation were significantly correlated with the community structure. Fungal growth rate was correlated with the endophyte abundance, which indicates that fast-growing fungi might have a competitive advantage when coexisting with other fungi in a plant host.

A conservation checklist of the herpetofauna of Morelos, with comparisons with adjoining states

Despite being one of the smallest states in Mexico, the high diversity of habitats in Morelos has led to the development of a rich biota made up of a mixture of species typical of the Neovolcanic Axis and the Sierra Madre del Sur. However, recent expansion of cities in Morelos is likely to have consequences for the state’s herpetofauna. Here a checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Morelos is provided with a summary of their conservation status and overlap with its neighboring states. Morelos is home to 139 species of amphibians and reptiles representing 32 families and 75 genera. Twenty-six of the 38 species of amphibians and 70 of the 101 species of reptiles that inhabit Morelos are endemic to Mexico. Fourteen species of amphibians and reptiles from Morelos are IUCN listed (i.e., Vulnerable, Near Threatened, or Endangered), 22 are placed in a protected category by SEMARNAT, and 41 are categorized as high risk by the EVS. The Tropical Deciduous Forest vegetation type hosts the greatest number of amphibian and reptile species in Morelos (84 species). Morelos shares the largest proportion of its herpetofauna with the State of Mexico (79.3%), Puebla (77.0%), and Guerrero (74.8%).

Nuevos registros de licofitas y helechos para el estado de Puebla, México

Resumen:Antecedentes y Objetivos: Son pocos los trabajos florísticos que se han publicado sobre licofitas y helechos (pteridofitas en conjunto) de Puebla, México, por lo que se considera muy probable que la riqueza de especies en el estado sea mayor a la que se tiene documentada hasta el momento.El objetivo de este trabajo es reportar nuevos registros de este grupo de plantas para la entidad, incluyendo su distribución municipal y altitudinal, así como el tipo de vegetación en que se presentan.Métodos: De 2010 a 2018 se efectuaron diversos viajes de recolección a distintas localidades de Puebla, durante los cuales se recolectaron y herborizaron ejemplares de licofitas y helechos, que fueron identificados y depositados en el Herbario de la Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa (UAMIZ). La información generada se confrontó con la lista de especies reportadas en la literatura para la entidad, lo que permitió reconocer los nuevos registros.Resultados clave: Se documenta por primera vez para Puebla la presencia de 32 especies y un híbrido de licofitas y helechos, la mayoría de las cuales pertenecen a las familias Pteridaceae, Dryopteridaceae y Aspleniaceae, crecen en bosque mesófilo de montaña y vegetación derivada de bosque tropical perennifolio, entre 250 y 2500 m de altura.Conclusiones: Los nuevos registros incrementan de 335 a 367 el número de especies de licofitas y helechos que habitan en el estado de Puebla y ponen en evidencia la necesidad de continuar con el trabajo de exploración en la entidad.Palabras clave: bosque mesófilo de montaña, bosque tropical perennifolio, pteridofitas, riqueza, tipo de vegetación.Abstract:Background and Aims: There are few published floristic contributions about the lycophytes and ferns (pteridophytes) from Puebla, so it is considered very likely that the specific richness of this group in the state is greater than what has been documented currently. The goal of this paper is to document the new records of this plant group for the state, including information about their municipal and altitudinal distribution and the type of vegetation they inhabit.Methods: Between 2010 and 2018, several collection trips to different localities of the state of Puebla were made to collect specimens of lycophytes and ferns. The material was identified and deposited in the Herbarium of the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa (UAMIZ). The information obtained was compared with the list of species of Puebla reported in the literature, allowing recognition of the new records.Key results: The presence of 32 species and a hybrid of lycophytes and ferns was documented for the first time for Puebla, most of which belong to the families Pteridaceae, Dryopteridaceae and Aspleniaceae, growing in cloud forest and vegetation derived from tropical evergreen forest, betweenelevations of 250 and 2500 m.Conclusions: The new records increase the number of species of lycophytes and ferns reported for Puebla from 335 to 367 and highlight the need to continue with the exploration and field work in the state.Key words: cloud forest, pteridophytes, richness, tropical evergreen forest, vegetation type.

Diversity of soil mite communities (Acari) within habitats seasonally flooded by the Vistula River (Ostromecko, Poland)

The research was carried out in three types of habitats located in the seasonally flooded area of the Vistula River within Wielka Kępa Ostromecka Reserve: Salicetum albo-fragilis, Fraxino-Alnetum and Populetum albae. In the soil of Salicetum albo-fragilis Veigaia nemorensis and Trichouropoda ovalis were abundant, while Fraxino-Alnetum was dominated by Rhodacarellus silesiacus, and Populetum albae was overwhelmed by Rhodacarellus silesiacus and Dinychus inermis. Only between the Mesostigmata communities populating Fraxino-Alnetum and Populetum albae there were no statistically significant differences recorded in the distribution of abundance. The most similar, from the qualitative, quantitative and qualitative-quantitative point of view were Mesostigmata communities inhabiting Fraxino- Alnetum and Populetum albae. The numerous occurrence of Rhodacarellus silesiacus population in the soil of Fraxino-Alnetum and Populetum albae is most probably the result of succession changes within those habitats, and the species itself can be seen as an indicator of those habitats undergoing the process of a riparian forest transforming into an oak-hornbeam forest vegetation type.