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Duan D, Hang J, Wu C, Bai X, Rong Y, Hou G. Coexistence mechanism of ecological specialists and generalists based on a network dimension reduction method. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10967. [PMID: 38384818 PMCID: PMC10880134 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
As an ecological strategy for species coexistence, some species adapt to a wide range of habitats, while others specialize in particular environments. Such 'generalists' and 'specialists' achieve normal ecological balance through a complex network of interactions between species. However, the role of these interactions in maintaining the coexistence of generalist and specialist species has not been elucidated within a general theoretical framework. Here, we analyze the ecological mechanism for the coexistence of specialist and generalist species in a class of mutualistic and competitive interaction ecosystems based on the network dimension reduction method. We find that ecological specialists and generalists can be identified based on the number of their respective interactions. We also find, using real-world empirical network simulations, that the removal of ecological generalists can lead to the collapse of local ecosystems, which is rarely observed with the loss of ecological specialists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongli Duan
- School of Information and Control EngineeringXi'an University of Architecture and TechnologyXi'anChina
| | - Jiale Hang
- School of Information and Control EngineeringXi'an University of Architecture and TechnologyXi'anChina
| | - Chengxing Wu
- School of Information and Control EngineeringXi'an University of Architecture and TechnologyXi'anChina
| | - Xue Bai
- School of Information and Control EngineeringXi'an University of Architecture and TechnologyXi'anChina
| | - Yisheng Rong
- School of EconomicsNorthWest University of Politics and LawXi'anChina
| | - Gege Hou
- School of Mechanical EngineeringNorthwestern Polytechnical UniversityXi'anChina
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Betiol CFMF, Hartmann MT, Hartmann PA. Bird Fauna Composition in a Protected Area in Southern Brazil. Zool Stud 2023; 62:e55. [PMID: 38628159 PMCID: PMC11019366 DOI: 10.6620/zs.2023.62-55] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The integrity of natural landscapes is affected by human actions, mainly by the intensification and expansion of agriculture. Factors such as fragment size and the structure of the environment can determine changes in the structure and composition of bird assemblages. In this study we evaluated the bird species composition in three structurally different forest environments, defined as the Core areas, Edge areas, and Buffer areas. The surveys were performed in the Natural Park of Sertão (NPS) and its surroundings in the southern limit of the Atlantic Forest, southern Brazil. To record species composition of birds, the point count method was used. The bird species were categorized according to feeding habits, habitat use, and sensitivity to forest fragmentation. A total of 131 species of birds distributed in 18 orders and 38 families were recorded. The species composition varied between the three areas and there was a significant difference in diversity between the Core and Edge areas and the Core and Buffer areas. Omnivorous species were found more in the Buffer areas than in the Core areas. Species that use the Broad habitat were more frequent in the Buffer and Edge areas than in the Core areas. Species that use the Forest habitat were found more in the Core areas than in the Buffer areas. Most recorded species (66%) have low sensitivity to forest fragmentation. The assemblage patterns found in this study, notably the differences among the three areas in diversity and species composition, can be explained by the ecological traits and the sensitivity levels of birds to forest fragmentation, which in turn seem to reflect different forest structures in the NPS and its surroundings. Although the Edge and Buffer areas have greater diversity, the Core areas showed great importance in maintaining species that are more sensitive to forest fragmentation. Even the largest fragments (such as the NPS), considering the regional context, may have bird species that are widely distributed and less sensitive to forest fragmentation. Forested habitat species may no longer occur or be restricted to the core area of the fragments. For conservation of bird fauna in the NPS, the maintenance of the core areas is essential, especially for those species that require a structurally preserved environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila F M F Betiol
- Ecology and Conservation Laboratory, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, 99700-970, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. E-mail: (Hartmann); (Betiol); (MT Hartmann)
| | - Marilia T Hartmann
- Ecology and Conservation Laboratory, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, 99700-970, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. E-mail: (Hartmann); (Betiol); (MT Hartmann)
| | - Paulo Afonso Hartmann
- Ecology and Conservation Laboratory, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, 99700-970, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. E-mail: (Hartmann); (Betiol); (MT Hartmann)
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Rasmussen JA, Chua PYS. Genome-resolving metagenomics reveals wild western capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus) as avian hosts for antibiotic-resistance bacteria and their interactions with the gut-virome community. Microbiol Res 2023; 271:127372. [PMID: 37018898 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
The gut microbiome is a critical component of avian health, influencing nutrient uptake and immune functions. While the gut microbiomes of agriculturally important birds have been studied, the microbiomes of wild birds still need to be explored. Filling this knowledge gap could have implications for the microbial rewilding of captive birds and managing avian hosts for antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). Using genome-resolved metagenomics, we recovered 112 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from the faeces of wild and captive western capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus) (n = 8). Comparisons of bacterial diversity between the wild and captive capercaillies suggest that the reduced diversity in the captive individual could be due to differences in diet. This was further substantiated through the analyses of 517,657 clusters of orthologous groups (COGs), which revealed that gene functions related to amino acids and carbohydrate metabolisms were more abundant in wild capercaillies. Metagenomics mining of resistome identified 751 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), of which 40.7 % were specific to wild capercaillies suggesting that capercaillies could be potential reservoirs for hosting ARG-associated bacteria. Additionally, the core resistome shared between wild and captive capercaillies indicates that birds can acquire these ARG-associated bacteria naturally from the environment (43.1 % of ARGs). The association of 26 MAGs with 120 ARGs and 378 virus operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) also suggests a possible interplay between these elements, where putative phages could have roles in modulating the gut microbiota of avian hosts. These findings can have important implications for conservation and human health, such as avian gut microbiota rewilding, identifying the emerging threats or opportunities due to phage-microbe interactions, and monitoring the potential spread of ARG-associated bacteria from wild avian populations.
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Forest cover positively affects the occurrence of understory insectivorous Passeriformes in bird communities of the Atlantic Forest. COMMUNITY ECOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s42974-023-00137-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
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Simões Oliveira H, dos Anjos L. Reduced vegetation integrity in selectively logged Atlantic rainforest affects bird diversity: higher taxonomic and functional diversity, but increased niche overlap. J Nat Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
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Nest density of Atta sexdens (Linnaeus, 1758) in Atlantic Forest restoration sites depends on the surrounding landscape. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467422000517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Herbivory is an important ecological filter, affecting plant establishment in restoration sites. One group of herbivores whose abundance has been increasing with environmental changes are the leaf-cutting ants (LCA). Here we evaluated the influence of the surrounding landscape on Atta sexdens nest density in restoration sites, by testing the hypothesis that sites farthest from forest fragments or with less surrounding habitat cover have higher nest density. The study was conducted in eleven reforestations with native species, amidst an agricultural matrix in southern Brazil. For each site, we estimated LCA nest density (active, inactive and total) and landscape metrics (distance to nearest forest fragment, surrounding habitat area and an index combining both distance and surrounding habitat area, the Proximity Index). There were negative relationships between active and total nest density and surrounding habitat area. These results suggest that increased isolation from forest fragments is a factor contributing to the relaxation of top-down control. Therefore, the increase in A. sexdens population density in restoration sites is a result, at least in part, of low pressure from natural enemies, since LCA are not limited by resource availability.
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Šipek M, Kutnar L, Marinšek A, Šajna N. Contrasting Responses of Alien and Ancient Forest Indicator Plant Species to Fragmentation Process in the Temperate Lowland Forests. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3392. [PMID: 36501431 PMCID: PMC9738540 DOI: 10.3390/plants11233392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Fragmentation is one of the major threats to biodiversity. In a fragmented landscape, forest specialists are losing suitable forest habitats with specific site and microclimate conditions, which results in their local extinction. Conversely, the invasion of alien species is facilitated by open forest areas and increased boundaries between forest fragments and adjacent land. We studied the effect of fragmentation in terms of fragment size impact on overall plant species richness and on selected ecologically important groups' richness, composition, and diversity. We surveyed vegetation in the interior of 47 fragments of various sizes and one unfragmented reference forest. Our results reveal that the effect of fragmentation is complex and differs for studied plant groups. Decreasing fragment size negatively affects the overall plant richness and richness of native and ancient forest indicator plants as well as their diversity, while the effect is positive for alien plants. The highest proportion of ancient forest indicator plant species and the lowest proportion of alien plants in the unfragmented forest underline the great conservation value of forest fragments. At the same time, our results reveal that large and diverse forest ecosystems are susceptible to biological invasions as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjana Šipek
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Lado Kutnar
- Slovenian Forestry Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Nina Šajna
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
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Wolfe E, Hammill E, Memmott J, Clements CF. Landscape configuration affects probability of apex predator presence and community structure in experimental metacommunities. Oecologia 2022; 199:193-204. [PMID: 35523981 PMCID: PMC9120115 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05178-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate, highlighting the urgent requirement for well-designed protected areas. Design tactics previously proposed to promote biodiversity include enhancing the number, connectivity, and heterogeneity of reserve patches. However, how the importance of these features changes depending on what the conservation objective is remains poorly understood. Here we use experimental landscapes containing ciliate protozoa to investigate how the number and heterogeneity in size of habitat patches, rates of dispersal between neighbouring patches, and mortality risk of dispersal across the non-habitat ‘matrix’ interact to affect a number of diversity measures. We show that increasing the number of patches significantly increases γ diversity and reduces the overall number of extinctions, whilst landscapes with heterogeneous patch sizes have significantly higher γ diversity than those with homogeneous patch sizes. Furthermore, the responses of predators depended on their feeding specialism, with generalist predator presence being highest in a single large patch, whilst specialist predator presence was highest in several-small patches with matrix dispersal. Our evidence emphasises the importance of considering multiple diversity measures to disentangle community responses to patch configuration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie Wolfe
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.
| | - Edd Hammill
- Department of Watershed Sciences and the Ecology Center, Utah State University, Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Jane Memmott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
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Melo MA, Sanches PM, Silva Filho DF, Piratelli AJ. Influence of habitat type and distance from source area on bird taxonomic and functional diversity in a Neotropical megacity. Urban Ecosyst 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-021-01169-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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He X, Brown C, Lin L. Relative importance of deterministic and stochastic processes for beta diversity of bird assemblages in Yunnan, China. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xuelian He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming650223China
- National Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna Menglun Mengla Yunnan666303China
| | - Calum Brown
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK‐IFU) Garmisch‐Partenkirchen Germany
| | - Luxiang Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming650223China
- National Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna Menglun Mengla Yunnan666303China
- Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences Menglun Mengla Yunnan666303China
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Simamora T, Purbowo S, Laumonier Y. Looking for indicator bird species in the context of forest fragmentation and isolation in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
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Melo MA, Silva MAGDA, Piratelli AJ. Improvement of vegetation structure enhances bird functional traits and habitat resilience in an area of ongoing restoration in the Atlantic Forest. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2020; 92:e20191241. [PMID: 33174914 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202020191241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological restoration is a traditional option for recovering biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Birds perform pollination, seed dispersal, and pest-control services, which catalyze increases in habitat structure. Habitat complexity changes bird composition, but there is little evidence of its effects on bird functional diversity in Neotropical restorations. We tested whether bird functional diversity and composition respond to increased habitat complexity. Point-counts were performed (January-December 2015) in an area undergoing restoration (536 ha) in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, in restorations with less and more structured vegetation and pastures and forest-fragments. The functional bird traits considered were diet, habitat, biomass, environmental sensitivity, and foraging strata. Increased habitat complexity was evaluated using plant characteristics (exotic grass, canopy, herbaceous cover, and diameter at breast height). A total of 172 bird species (5% endemic; 12% migratory) were recorded. Increased vegetation structure in both restored sites and forest-fragments drove a reorganization and addition of functional bird traits, which positively influenced functional richness, dispersion, and evenness. Shifts in plant-characteristics rearranged bird functional traits (diet-forest-dependence and diet-strata-foraging). The rapid development of vegetation structure is a key factor for restoration because it provides additional habitat for semi-dependent forest birds and enhances resilience and sustainability in new man-made forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos AntÔnio Melo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Conservação da Fauna, Universidade Federal de São Carlos/UFSCar, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Rodovia Washington Luiz, Km 235, 13565-905 São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Marco AurÉlio G DA Silva
- Save Brasil - Sociedade para a Conservação das Aves do Brasil, Rua Fernão Dias, 219, 05427-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Augusto JoÃo Piratelli
- Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia para a Sustentabilidade, Departamento de Ciências Ambientais, Rodovia João Leme dos Santos Km 110, Itinga, 18052-780 Sorocaba, SP, Brazil
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