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Farfán-Beltrán ME, Chávez-Pesqueira M, Hernández-Cumplido J, Cano-Santana Z. A quick evaluation of ecological restoration based on arthropod communities and trophic guilds in an urban ecological preserve in Mexico City. REVISTA CHILENA DE HISTORIA NATURAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1186/s40693-022-00108-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Restoration practices usually emphasize on the structural part of the biodiversity; also, most studies have focused on plants and very few have been conducted on arthropods and its function after restoration. The Pedregal de San Angel Ecological Reserve (PSAER) is a protected area immersed in Mexico City and it has been drastically affected by different anthropogenic disturbances. The aim of this study was to compare the relative diversity, richness, and abundance of species level identification, but also the composition through an analysis of ordination of taxonomic (species, family, and order level) and functional (trophic guild) traits of arthropods in three sites subjected to ecological restoration within the PSAER. Restored sites were also compared to conserved and disturbed sites, to evaluate whether restoration efforts are effective at the reserve.
Methods
Arthropods were sampled using pan traps during September 2013 in 11 sites (three restored, four conserved and four disturbed) inside the PSAER. All sampled species were taxonomically identified at species of morphospecies (inside a family) and assigned to a trophic guild. Differences in diversity, richness and abundance were evaluated through effective number of species, comparisons of Chao’s1 estimated richness and a non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis test, respectively. Both taxonomic and trophic guild composition were evaluated using a multivariate analysis and a post hoc test.
Results
We found some differences in richness, abundance, and diversity between sites, but not a clear pattern of differentiation between restored to disturbed sites. The NMDS showed differences at species and order level, and with trophic guilds, among site types. Families were not useful to differentiate types of sites. Regarding guilds, predators were more abundant in conserved sites, while phytophagous insects were more abundant in disturbed sites.
Conclusions
Species and order level were useful to identify differences in communities of arthropods in sites with different management. The trophic guild approach provides information about the functional state of the restored sites. Nevertheless, our quick evaluation shows that restoration efforts at PSAER have not been successful in differentiate restored to disturbed sites yet.
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Abstract
In this study, we assess the potential of ants as bioindicators of riparian ecological health in two river types (upland and lowland type) located in the Catalonian region. We proposed to understand to what extent do metrics based on ant responses provide useful information that cannot be presented by traditional biophysical assessments while attempting an approach to creating an ant-based multimetric index (ant-based MMI) of the riparian ecological health. A total of 22 ant species were identified, and 42 metrics related to ant foraging activity, species richness, and functional traits were evaluated as potential core metrics of the index. Riparian features and proximal land use land cover (LULC) were used to distinguish disturbed from less disturbed sites. We found that ant communities strongly responded to human disturbance. When compared with an exclusively physical-based index for the assessment of the riparian health, the ant-based MMI was more sensitive to human disturbance, by also reacting to the effects of the surrounding LULC pressure. This study provides a preliminary approach for an ant-based assessment tool to evaluate the health of riparian corridors although additional research is required to include other river types and a wider stressor gradient before a wider application.
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Abdi-Hamecha L, Barech G, Khaldi M, Sadoudi DAA, Salem S, Zazgad I, Cagniant H. Diversité des fourmis (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) dans la forêt de Yakouren (Algérie) : Estimation de la richesse, biogéographie et taxonomie. REV SUISSE ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.35929/rsz.0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Abdi-Hamecha
- Laboratoire PSEMRVC, Faculté de Biologie et des Sciences Agronomiques, Département de Biologie animale et végétale, Université Mouloud Mammeri de Tizi Ouzou 15000, Algérie
| | - Ghania Barech
- Département des Sciences Agronomiques, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohamed Boudiaf de M'sila 28000, Algérie
| | - Mourad Khaldi
- Département des Sciences Agronomiques, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohamed Boudiaf de M'sila 28000, Algérie
| | - Djamila Ali-Ahmed Sadoudi
- Laboratoire PSEMRVC, Faculté de Biologie et des Sciences Agronomiques, Département de Biologie animale et végétale, Université Mouloud Mammeri de Tizi Ouzou 15000, Algérie
| | - Saadia Salem
- Département des Sciences Agronomiques, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohamed Boudiaf de M'sila 28000, Algérie
| | - Imane Zazgad
- Département des Sciences Agronomiques, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohamed Boudiaf de M'sila 28000, Algérie
| | - Henri Cagniant
- Professeur retraité (myrmécologue) de l'université de Toulouse, France
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Oppong SK, Nsor CA, Buabeng GK. Response of benthic invertebrate assemblages to seasonal and habitat condition in the Wewe River, Ashanti region (Ghana). Open Life Sci 2021; 16:336-353. [PMID: 33889756 PMCID: PMC8042921 DOI: 10.1515/biol-2021-0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquatic macro-invertebrates play a vital role in the food chain of river ecosystem at several trophic guilds and consumer levels, and are used as biomonitoring tools for aquatic ecosystem health. However, hydrologic conditions of these ecosystems have been severely altered because of the increase in urban development and agricultural expansion. This study examined benthic invertebrate response to processes that structure their community in the Wewe River, segmented into intact, medium, and severe condition zones. We sampled in 100 stations in a period of 4 months in the wet (June–September, 2019) and 3 months in the dry (January–March, 2020) seasons. Geometric series, rarefaction, and Hill numbers models were used to quantify invertebrate assemblages, while ordination technique, canonical correspondence analysis, was used to evaluate the influence of predictive factors on their assemblages. A total of 2,075 individuals belonging to 20 family taxa were registered. There was no significant difference in benthic assemblages between the dry and wet seasons. Predictive factors accounted for 47.04 and 50.84% variances, respectively. Taxa distribution patterns differed significantly only in the severely disturbed zone during the wet season. Neptidae, Libellulidae, and Chironomidae were the most abundant taxa, indicating their broad range habitat preference and their ability to adapt to seasonal changes. Asellidae and Perlidae were the least detected, suggesting their sensitivity to elevated levels of some water quality parameters. The findings highlight the threats to the benthic community and overall functional state of the Wewe River, with the need to consider the proposed conservation interventions indicated in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel K Oppong
- Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Collins Ayine Nsor
- Department Forest, Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Gabriel Kwabena Buabeng
- Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
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Khimoun A, Doums C, Molet M, Kaufmann B, Peronnet R, Eyer PA, Mona S. Urbanization without isolation: the absence of genetic structure among cities and forests in the tiny acorn ant Temnothorax nylanderi. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20190741. [PMID: 31992150 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Urban alteration of neutral and adaptive evolutionary processes is still underexplored. Using a genome-wide SNP dataset, we investigated (i) urban-induced modifications of population demography, genetic diversity and population structure and (ii) signature of divergent selection between urban and forest populations in the ant species, Temnothorax nylanderi. Our results did not reveal an impact of urbanization on neutral processes since we observed: (i) analogous genetic diversity among paired urban/forest sites and two control populations; (ii) weak population genetic structure explained neither by habitat (urban versus forest) nor by geography; (iii) a remarkably similar demographic history across populations with an ancestral growth followed by a recent decline, regardless of their current habitat or geographical location. The micro-geographical home range of ants may explain their resilience to urbanization. Finally, we detected 19 candidate loci discriminating urban/forest populations and associated with core cellular components, molecular function or biological process. Two of these loci were associated with a gene ontology term that was previously found to belong to a module of co-expressed genes related to caste phenotype. These results call for transcriptomics analyses to identify genes associated with ant social traits and to infer their potential role in urban adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Khimoun
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - C Doums
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), UMR 7205, MNHN, CNRS, EPHE, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France.,EPHE, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - M Molet
- Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris (iEES-Paris), UMR 7618, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Est Créteil, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, INRA, IRD, 75005 Paris, France
| | - B Kaufmann
- Université de Lyon, UMR5023 Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés, Université Lyon 1, ENTPE, CNRS, Villeurbanne 69622, France
| | - R Peronnet
- Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris (iEES-Paris), UMR 7618, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Est Créteil, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, INRA, IRD, 75005 Paris, France
| | - P A Eyer
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, 2143 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2143, USA
| | - S Mona
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), UMR 7205, MNHN, CNRS, EPHE, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France.,EPHE, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France
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6
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Fernandes K, Heyde M, Coghlan M, Wardell‐Johnson G, Bunce M, Harris R, Nevill P. Invertebrate DNA metabarcoding reveals changes in communities across mine site restoration chronosequences. Restor Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Fernandes
- ARC Centre for Mine Site Restoration, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin University Bentley WA 6102 Australia
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin University Bentley WA 6102 Australia
| | - Mieke Heyde
- ARC Centre for Mine Site Restoration, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin University Bentley WA 6102 Australia
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin University Bentley WA 6102 Australia
| | - Megan Coghlan
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin University Bentley WA 6102 Australia
| | - Grant Wardell‐Johnson
- ARC Centre for Mine Site Restoration, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin University Bentley WA 6102 Australia
| | - Michael Bunce
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin University Bentley WA 6102 Australia
| | - Richard Harris
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin University Bentley WA 6102 Australia
| | - Paul Nevill
- ARC Centre for Mine Site Restoration, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin University Bentley WA 6102 Australia
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7
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Nowrouzi S, Bush A, Harwood T, Staunton KM, Robson SKA, Andersen AN. Incorporating habitat suitability into community projections: Ant responses to climate change in the Australian Wet Tropics. DIVERS DISTRIB 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Nowrouzi
- Zoology and Ecology, College of Science and Engineering James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
- CSIRO Land and Water Darwin Northern Territory Australia
- CSIRO Land and Water Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Alex Bush
- CSIRO Land and Water Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
- Environment and Climate Change Canada University of New Brunswick Fredericton New Brunswick Canada
| | - Tom Harwood
- CSIRO Land and Water Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Kyran M. Staunton
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences James Cook University Cairns Queensland Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine James Cook University Cairns Queensland Australia
| | - Simon K. A. Robson
- School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences Central Queensland University Townsville Queensland Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Alan N. Andersen
- CSIRO Land and Water Darwin Northern Territory Australia
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin Northern Territory Australia
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8
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Gerwing TG, Campbell L, Allen Gerwing AM, Allen S, Cox K, Rogers M, Gray O, Drewes M, Juanes F. Potential impacts of logging on intertidal infaunal communities within the Kitimat River estuary. J NAT HIST 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1553249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Travis G. Gerwing
- Ecosystem Science and Management Program, University of Northern British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
- LGL Environmental Research Associates, Sidney, Canada
| | - Lily Campbell
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - Alyssa M. Allen Gerwing
- Ecosystem Science and Management Program, University of Northern British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Shaun Allen
- Ecosystem Science and Management Program, University of Northern British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kieran Cox
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - Megan Rogers
- Hidden River Environmental Management, Terrace, Canada
| | - Olivia Gray
- Hidden River Environmental Management, Terrace, Canada
| | - Mitch Drewes
- Hidden River Environmental Management, Terrace, Canada
| | - Francis Juanes
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
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9
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Asian needle ant (
Brachyponera chinensis
) and woodland ant responses to repeated applications of fuel reduction methods. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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10
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Andersen AN. Responses of ant communities to disturbance: Five principles for understanding the disturbance dynamics of a globally dominant faunal group. J Anim Ecol 2018; 88:350-362. [PMID: 30280380 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Ecological disturbance is fundamental to the dynamics of biological communities, yet a conceptual framework for understanding the responses of faunal communities to disturbance remains elusive. Here, I propose five principles for understanding the disturbance dynamics of ants-a globally dominant faunal group that is widely used as bioindicators in land management, which appear to have wide applicability to other taxa. These principles are as follows: (1) The most important effects of habitat disturbance on ants are typically indirect, through its effects on habitat structure, microclimate, resource availability and competitive interactions; (2) habitat openness is a key driver of variation in ant communities; (3) ant species responses to disturbance are to a large degree determined by their responses to habitat openness; (4) the same disturbance will have different effects on ants in different habitats, because of different impacts on habitat openness; and (5) ant community responses to the same disturbance will vary according to ant functional composition and biogeographical history in relation to habitat openness. I illustrate these principles using results primarily from studies of ant responses to fire, a dominant agent of disturbance globally, to provide a common disturbance currency for comparative analysis. I argue that many of the principles also apply to other faunal groups and so can be considered as general ecological "laws." As is the case for ants, many impacts of habitat disturbance on other faunal groups are fundamentally related to habitat openness, the effects of disturbance on it and the functional composition of species in relation to it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan N Andersen
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia
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11
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Arcoverde GB, Andersen AN, Leal IR, Setterfield SA. Habitat-contingent responses to disturbance: impacts of cattle grazing on ant communities vary with habitat complexity. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 28:1808-1817. [PMID: 29939460 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Predicting community responses to disturbance is a major challenge for both ecology and ecosystem management. A particularly challenging issue is that the same type and intensity of disturbance can have different impacts in different habitats. We investigate how habitat contingency influences ant community responses to disturbance in arid Australia, testing the hypothesis that disturbance has a greater impact in more complex habitats. We also assess the effectiveness of a highly simplified ant assessment protocol that considers larger species only. We sampled ants at 46 sites from two habitats (Chandler, low chenopod shrubland; and mulga, low woodland) with contrasting complexity, using distance from water as a surrogate for variation in grazing intensity. We assessed variation in habitat structural variables (basal area of perennial grass, and cover of herbs, litter, and bare ground) and ant communities in relation to habitat and distance from water, first using data from the entire ant community and then for larger ants (>4 mm body length) only. Site species richness was almost twice as high in mulga, the more structurally complex habitat, than in Chandler, and ant communities in mulga showed far more variation in relation to distance from water. Litter cover was the key environmental variable associated with the interaction between grazing and habitat: it increased with increasing distance from water in mulga and was virtually absent from Chandler. Analysis of only larger species revealed the same patterns of variation in ant abundance, species richness and composition in relation to habitat and grazing as shown by entire ant communities. Our findings support the hypothesis that disturbance impacts on faunal communities increase with increasing habitat complexity. An appreciation of such habitat contingency is important for a predictive understanding and therefore effective management of disturbances such as rangeland grazing. Our findings also show that simplified assessment can provide robust information on the responses of highly diverse ant communities to disturbance, which enhances their feasibility for use as bio-indicators in land management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela B Arcoverde
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0909, Australia
- PMB 44, Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre, CSIRO Land & Water, Winnellie, Northern Territory, 0822, Australia
| | - Alan N Andersen
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0909, Australia
- PMB 44, Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre, CSIRO Land & Water, Winnellie, Northern Territory, 0822, Australia
| | - Inara R Leal
- Departamento de Botanica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego s/no, Recife, Pernambuco, 50670-901, Brazil
| | - Samantha A Setterfield
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0909, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
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12
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Houston WA, Melzer A. Grazing and tree ‘clearing’ alter grass-associated invertebrate assemblages in an Australian tropical grassy woodland. RANGELAND JOURNAL 2018. [DOI: 10.1071/rj18062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
To evaluate the response of invertebrates to ‘clearing’ and grazing pressure impacts, a previously grazed but uncleared grassy woodland in central Queensland was manipulated to provide four grazing pressures (destocked, low, moderate and high) and two tree treatments (with trees, i.e. untreated, and ‘cleared’, i.e. trees and saplings poisoned with herbicides), with two replicates of each, making 16 plots in total. Monitoring was carried out in 1998, approximately four years post-establishment of the treatments. Two types of samples were taken: pitfall for ground-active fauna and suction for grass-associated fauna. Overall, 23 orders of invertebrates were sampled by pitfalls and 22 by suction. Significant effects of grazing on invertebrate assemblages were detected by both methods, but no effects were detected from ‘clearing’. There was a gradation in the invertebrate assemblages from low to high grazing pressure, the invertebrate assemblages in the paddocks with the highest grazing differing most from those in the destocked and low-grazing-pressure paddocks. Notwithstanding the lack of effect of ‘clearing’ at the assemblage level, ground-active invertebrates and some grass-associated invertebrates increased in abundance following ‘clearing’, possibly reflecting an increase in the quality of the resource base. However, ground-active invertebrates and grass-associated invertebrates showed contrasting responses to grazing pressure, the former increasing, possibly reflecting changes in trapability due to the more open vegetation structure at higher grazing pressures. The abundance of grass-associated invertebrates declined by 50–80% with increased grazing – although with complex changes in assemblage structure. Despite those declines, the basic trophic pyramid remained, and, along with that, the potential for recovery of invertebrate assemblages and associated ecosystem services with reduction in grazing intensity. With 80% of Queensland grazed, the reduction in invertebrate abundance has implications for the viability of insectivores, particularly mobile fauna such as birds, at a landscape scale. It is recommended that the utility of using suction samples as a basis for assessing ecosystem functional health be investigated and that grazing pressure be reduced to increase invertebrate assemblages of rangeland pastures and to improve sustainability.
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13
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Ants: Major Functional Elements in Fruit Agro-Ecosystems and Biological Control Agents. SUSTAINABILITY 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/su10010023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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14
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Kautz S, Williams T, Ballhorn DJ. Ecological Importance of Cyanogenesis and Extrafloral Nectar in Invasive English Laurel,Prunus laurocerasus. NORTHWEST SCIENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.3955/046.091.0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Kautz
- Stefanie Kautz, Trevor Williams, and Daniel J. Ballhorn, Portland State University, Department of Biology, 1719 SW 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97201
| | - Trevor Williams
- Stefanie Kautz, Trevor Williams, and Daniel J. Ballhorn, Portland State University, Department of Biology, 1719 SW 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97201
| | - Daniel J. Ballhorn
- Stefanie Kautz, Trevor Williams, and Daniel J. Ballhorn, Portland State University, Department of Biology, 1719 SW 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97201
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15
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Khan SR, Singh SK, Rastogi N. Heavy metal accumulation and ecosystem engineering by two common mine site-nesting ant species: implications for pollution-level assessment and bioremediation of coal mine soil. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2017; 189:195. [PMID: 28357721 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-017-5865-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The present study focuses on the abundance, heavy metal content, and the impact of ecosystem engineering activities of two coal mine site-inhabiting ant species, Cataglyphis longipedem and Camponotus compressus. The abundance of Ct. longipedem increased while that of C. compressus decreased, with increasing soil pollution. Correspondence analysis reveals a close association between soil heavy metal concentrations and Ct. longipedem abundance, but this association is lacking in the case of C. compressus. Cataglyphis ants which occupy stress-characterized niches appear to be pre-adapted to tolerate heavy metal pollution. Higher concentrations of Zn and Mn in Ct. longipedem may contribute to the strengthening of the cuticular structures, necessary for nest excavation in the hard, arid soil and for single load carrying. C. compressus ants appear to be pollution sensitive. Their higher Fe content may be related to metal uptake via plant-derived liquids and species-specific regulatory mechanisms. The metal pollution index and biota-to-soil accumulation factors, calculated by using the ant body metal content of the two species, indicate an overall decrease of soil heavy metal concentrations with increase of the site age, which reflects the degree of pollution related to the mine site age. The concentrations of total and available heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Mn, Pb, and Cu) were significantly lower in the ant nest debris soil as compared to the reference soil. The results of the present study highlight the role of ants as bioindicators and in bioremediation of contaminated soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shbbir R Khan
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P, 221 005, India
| | - Satish K Singh
- Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P, 221 005, India
| | - Neelkamal Rastogi
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P, 221 005, India.
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16
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Carew ME, Metzeling L, St Clair R, Hoffmann AA. Detecting invertebrate species in archived collections using next‐generation sequencing. Mol Ecol Resour 2017; 17:915-930. [DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa E. Carew
- School of BioSciences Bio21 Institute Victorian Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM) The University of Melbourne 30 Flemington Rd Melbourne VIC 3010 Australia
| | - Leon Metzeling
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria Ernest Jones Drive Macleod VIC 3085 Australia
| | - Rosalind St Clair
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria Ernest Jones Drive Macleod VIC 3085 Australia
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- School of BioSciences Bio21 Institute Victorian Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM) The University of Melbourne 30 Flemington Rd Melbourne VIC 3010 Australia
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17
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Hanford JK, Crowther MS, Hochuli DF. Effectiveness of vegetation-based biodiversity offset metrics as surrogates for ants. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2017; 31:161-171. [PMID: 27357951 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Revised: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/04/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity offset schemes are globally popular policy tools for balancing the competing demands of conservation and development. Trading currencies for losses and gains in biodiversity value at development and credit sites are usually based on several vegetation attributes combined to yield a simple score (multimetric), but the score is rarely validated prior to implementation. Inaccurate biodiversity trading currencies are likely to accelerate global biodiversity loss through unrepresentative trades of losses and gains. We tested a model vegetation multimetric (i.e., vegetation structural and compositional attributes) typical of offset trading currencies to determine whether it represented measurable components of compositional and functional biodiversity. Study sites were located in remnant patches of a critically endangered ecological community in western Sydney, Australia, an area representative of global conflicts between conservation and expanding urban development. We sampled ant fauna composition with pitfall traps and enumerated removal by ants of native plant seeds from artificial seed containers (seed depots). Ants are an excellent model taxon because they are strongly associated with habitat complexity, respond rapidly to environmental change, and are functionally important at many trophic levels. The vegetation multimetric did not predict differences in ant community composition or seed removal, despite underlying assumptions that biodiversity trading currencies used in offset schemes represent all components of a site's biodiversity value. This suggests that vegetation multimetrics are inadequate surrogates for total biodiversity value. These findings highlight the urgent need to refine existing offsetting multimetrics to ensure they meet underlying assumptions of surrogacy. Despite the best intentions, offset schemes will never achieve their goal of no net loss of biodiversity values if trades are based on metrics unrepresentative of total biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayne K Hanford
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Mathew S Crowther
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Dieter F Hochuli
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
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Uncovering the environmental factors that influence diversity patterns of Mediterranean terrestrial Gastropod communities: a useful tool for conservation. Ecol Res 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s11284-015-1310-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Wardle GM, Greenville AC, Frank ASK, Tischler M, Emery NJ, Dickman CR. Ecosystem risk assessment of Georgina gidgee woodlands in central Australia. AUSTRAL ECOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Glenda M. Wardle
- Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences; University of Sydney; Heydon-Laurence Building, A08 Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
- Long Term Ecological Research Network; Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network; Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Aaron C. Greenville
- Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences; University of Sydney; Heydon-Laurence Building, A08 Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
- Long Term Ecological Research Network; Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network; Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Anke S. K. Frank
- Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences; University of Sydney; Heydon-Laurence Building, A08 Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Hobart Tasmania Australia
| | - Max Tischler
- Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences; University of Sydney; Heydon-Laurence Building, A08 Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Nathan J. Emery
- Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences; University of Sydney; Heydon-Laurence Building, A08 Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
- Long Term Ecological Research Network; Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network; Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Chris R. Dickman
- Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences; University of Sydney; Heydon-Laurence Building, A08 Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
- Long Term Ecological Research Network; Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network; Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
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Grodsky SM, Iglay RB, Sorenson CE, Moorman CE. Should invertebrates receive greater inclusion in wildlife research journals? J Wildl Manage 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Grodsky
- Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program; North Carolina State University, 3120 Jordan Hall; Raleigh NC 27695 USA
| | - Raymond B. Iglay
- Department of Wildlife; Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Box 9690; Mississippi State MS 39762 USA
| | - Clyde E. Sorenson
- Department of Entomology; North Carolina State University, 3310 Gardner Hall; Raleigh NC 27695 USA
| | - Christopher E. Moorman
- Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program; North Carolina State University, 3120 Jordan Hall; Raleigh NC 27695 USA
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Heatwole H, Trémont S, Broese E. Point-diversity, a critical tool for assessing dynamics of guilds of scavenging ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): an example from a eucalypt woodland. SYST BIODIVERS 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2013.788578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Harold Heatwole
- a Department of Biology , North Carolina State University , Raleigh , NC , 27695-7617 , USA
- d Department of Zoology , University of New England , Armidale , N.S.W. , 2351 , Australia
| | - Steve Trémont
- b Biosciences, Technical and Further Education , Armidale , New South Wales , 2350 , Australia
| | - Elizabeth Broese
- c Office of Environment and Heritage , Armidale , NSW 2350 , Australia
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Azcárate FM, Seoane J, Castro S, Peco B. Drove roads: Keystone structures that promote ant diversity in Mediterranean forest landscapes. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2013.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Antunes SC, Castro BB, Moreira C, Gonçalves F, Pereira R. Community-level effects in edaphic fauna from an abandoned mining area: integration with chemical and toxicological lines of evidence. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2013; 88:65-71. [PMID: 23174268 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2012.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2012] [Revised: 10/15/2012] [Accepted: 10/29/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
As a part of the Ecological Risk Assessment of a deactivated uranium mining area (Cunha Baixa), the aim of this study was to assess the drivers of litter arthropod community (ecological line of evidence) inhabiting soils with different degrees of contamination. Litter arthropods were collected in the mining area using a total of 70 pitfall traps, in the spring and autumn of 2004. Unlike information previously collected in the chemical and ecotoxicological lines of evidence, we found no clear evidence of impacts of soil contamination on the edaphic arthropod assemblage. Multivariate analyses were unable to extract relevant environmental gradients related to contamination, as most of the sites shared the same taxa overall. Given the consistency of the chemical and ecotoxicological lines of evidence, we must conclude that the litter arthropod assemblage underestimated the impacts of contamination in this abandoned mining area. In part, this could be due to the uncertainty caused by confounding factors that affect the litter arthropod community in the area. Nevertheless, despite the overall lack of responsiveness of the epigeic arthropod community data, a few taxa were negatively correlated with metal concentrations (Clubionidae and Staphylinidae), while Pseudoscorpionida were associated with the toxicological profile of the sites. These evidences suggest that community-level approaches with other animal and plant assemblages are necessary to reduce uncertainty relatively to the assessment of risks in higher evaluation tiers in the Cunha Baixa mine area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara C Antunes
- Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger L Kitching
- Griffith School of the Environment; Griffith University; Nathan; Qld; 4111; Australia
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Derstine NT, Troyer EJ, Suttles CN, Siderhurst LA, Jang EB, Siderhurst MS. Field trapping the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2012; 12:93. [PMID: 23421782 PMCID: PMC3596933 DOI: 10.1673/031.012.9301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2011] [Accepted: 11/12/2011] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Two detection methods for the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), both employing the pheromone attractant 2,5-dimethyl-3-(2-methylbutyl)pyrazine (2-MeBu-diMePy), were compared with peanut butter based detection, in order to evaluate differences in species specificity and detection reliability. Trapping was conducted using a transect through a macadamia orchard on the island of Hawaii. The transect consisted of a series of three-tree plots, each plot contained a peanut butter coated stick (the most common detection method used for W. auropunctata in Hawaii), a one-way trap treated with 2-MeBu-diMePy, and a piece of double-sided tape treated with 2-MeBu-diMePy. While there were no differences in the number of W. auropunctata counted with each detection method, and no differences in detection reliability (detecting the known presence of W. auropunctata in a plot), the pheromone-incorporating methods showed greater species specificity, retaining W. auropunctata almost exclusively. These results demonstrate the potential of pheromone-detection methods to selectively capture target ant species even when other ants are present and abundant. Combined data from all three detection methods and a previous visual survey along the transect showed a marked difference in the frequency of cohabitation among ant species. Of the 10 ant species collected, W. auropunctata was found as the sole ant species on a given tree at a significantly higher frequency than all other ant species except Pheidole fervens. 94% percent of the trees with W. auropunctata had only W. auropunctata, supporting previous observations that this species tends to displace other ant species. In addition, W. auropunctata microhabitat preferences were investigated using one-way traps containing 2-MeBu-diMePy, which were placed in three arboreal and three non-arboreal locations. While the number of ants captured did not differ by trap placement, when grouped, captures were significantly higher in arboreal than non-arboreal microhabitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan T. Derstine
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Mennonite University, 1200 Park Rd., Harrisonburg, VA 22802
| | - Elisa J. Troyer
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Mennonite University, 1200 Park Rd., Harrisonburg, VA 22802
| | - Caitlyn N. Suttles
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Mennonite University, 1200 Park Rd., Harrisonburg, VA 22802
| | - Leigh A. Siderhurst
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Mennonite University, 1200 Park Rd., Harrisonburg, VA 22802
| | - Eric B. Jang
- U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS, P.O. Box 4459, Hilo, HI 96720
| | - Matthew S. Siderhurst
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Mennonite University, 1200 Park Rd., Harrisonburg, VA 22802
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Connections between the habitat pattern and the pattern of the mosquito larval assemblages. Biologia (Bratisl) 2011. [DOI: 10.2478/s11756-011-0091-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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HOFFMANN BENJAMIND, JAMES CRAIGD. Using ants to manage sustainable grazing: Dynamics of ant faunas along sheep grazing gradients conform to four global patterns. AUSTRAL ECOL 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2010.02205.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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KWOK ALANBC, ELDRIDGE DAVIDJ, OLIVER IAN. Do landscape health indices reflect arthropod biodiversity status in the eucalypt woodlands of eastern Australia? AUSTRAL ECOL 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2010.02219.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Ives CD, Hose GC, Nipperess DA, Taylor MP. The influence of riparian corridor width on ant and plant assemblages in northern Sydney, Australia. Urban Ecosyst 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-010-0141-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Cheli GH, Corley JC, Bruzzone O, Brío MD, Martínez F, Román NM, Ríos I. The ground-dwelling arthropod community of Península Valdés in Patagonia, Argentina. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2010; 10:50. [PMID: 20572783 PMCID: PMC3014803 DOI: 10.1673/031.010.5001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2008] [Accepted: 06/29/2009] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
This is the first study based on a planned and intensive sampling effort that describes the community composition and structure of the ground-dwelling arthropod assemblage of Península Valdés (Patagonia). It was carried out using pitfall traps, opened for two weeks during the summers of 2005, 2006 and 2007. A total of 28,111 individuals were caught. Ants(Hymenoptera: Formicidae) dominated this community, followed by beetles (Coleoptera) and spiders (Araneae). The most abundant species were Pheidole bergi Mayr (Hymenoptera:Formicidae) and Blapstinus punctulatus Solier (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Two new species were very recently described as new based on specimens collected during this study: Valdesianacuriosa Carpintero, Dellapé & Cheli (Hemiptera, Miridae) and Anomaloptera patagonica Dellapé& Cheli (Hemiptera, Oxycarenidae). The order Coleoptera was the most diverse taxa. The distribution of abundance data was best described by the logarithmic series model both at the family and species levels, suggesting that ecological relationships in this community could be controlled by a few factors. The community was dominated by predators from a trophic perspective. This suggests that predation acts as an important factor driving the distribution and abundances of surface-dwelling arthropods in this habitat and as such serves as a key element in understanding desert, above-ground community structure. These findings may also be useful for management and conservation purposes in arid Patagonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germán H Cheli
- Unidad de Investigación Ecología Terrestre, CENPAT-CONICET, Bvd. Brown 2915 (9120), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina.
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Wike LD, Martin FD, Paller MH, Nelson EA. Impact of forest seral stage on use of ant communities for rapid assessment of terrestrial ecosystem health. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2010; 10:77. [PMID: 20673195 PMCID: PMC3383427 DOI: 10.1673/031.010.7701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2008] [Accepted: 02/10/2009] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Bioassessment evaluates ecosystem health by using the responses of a community of organisms that integrate all aspects of the ecosystem. A variety of bioassessment methods have been applied to aquatic ecosystems; however, terrestrial methods are less advanced. The objective of this study was to examine baseline differences in ant communities at different seral stages from clear cut to mature pine plantation as a precursor to developing a broader terrestrial bioassessment protocol. Comparative sampling was conducted at nine sites having four seral stages: clearcut, 5 year recovery, 15 year recovery, and mature stands. Soil and vegetation data were also collected at each site. Ants were identified to genus. Analysis of the ant data indicated that ants respond strongly to habitat changes that accompany ecological succession in managed pine forests, and both individual genera and ant community structure can be used as indicators of successional change. Ants exhibited relatively high diversity in both early and mature seral stages. High ant diversity in mature seral stages was likely related to conditions on the forest floor favoring litter dwelling and cold climate specialists. While ants may be very useful in identifying environmental stress in managed pine forests, adjustments must be made for seral stage when comparing impacted and unimpacted forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn D. Wike
- Savannah River National Laboratory, Savannah River Site, Aiken, SC, USA 29808
| | - F. Douglas Martin
- Current address: Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina — Aiken, University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801
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LOVELL SJ, HAMER ML, SLOTOW RH, HERBERT D. Assessment of sampling approaches for a multi-taxa invertebrate survey in a South African savanna-mosaic ecosystem. AUSTRAL ECOL 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2009.02052.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Bridle K, Fitzgerald M, Green D, Smith J, McQuillan P, Lefroy T. Relationships between site characteristics, farming system and biodiversity on Australian mixed farms. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2009. [DOI: 10.1071/an09042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
A collaborative project between researchers, regional natural resource management organisations and landholders set out to explore three questions about the relationships between biodiversity and land use in Australia’s mixed-farming landscapes: (1) the extent to which farm-scale measures of biodiversity were related to agricultural production; (2) the influence of the type and intensity of agricultural production on native biodiversity on farms; and (3) the relative influence of site and farming system on selected measures of biodiversity. Four land-use types on 47 mixed farms across nine regions, derived from several of Australia’s 56 natural resource management regions, were surveyed in autumn and spring 2006 and 2007. Surveys of birds, surface invertebrates (beetles, ants, spiders), vegetation and soils were undertaken on four land classes on each farm; crop, ‘rotation’ (break crop/pasture phase), perennial pasture and remnant vegetation. Data were collected by participating regional staff, using a standard protocol, which were sent to a central collection point for collation, analysis and interpretation.
Species richness, functional diversity and vegetation structure were assessed. This introductory paper focuses on results relating to species richness, which for most taxa was greater in remnant vegetation than other land-use classes and declined along a disturbance gradient (remnant, pasture, rotation, crop). Properties with a greater proportion of perennial pastures recorded higher species richness than properties that were dominated by crop. Properties that recorded high wheat yields (t/ha) also recorded lower species richness for spiders and birds. The presence of insectivorous birds and beneficial invertebrates (spiders, beetles and ants) in all land-use classes suggests the potential to apply integrated pest management approaches to mixed-farming systems across the country.
Site and system features were found to be important determinants of biodiversity, with their relative importance varying with the scale of investigation and the taxa. At the landscape scale, bird species richness was correlated with the amount of remnant vegetation within a 5-km radius of the farm boundary, and with the condition of native vegetation on the farm. The average size of remnant vegetation patches was 5 ha or less on nearly half of the properties surveyed. At the farm scale, ant species richness was correlated with site features, while beetles were correlated with management/system features such as the presence and fertility of perennial pastures.
Analyses at the functional group level will provide more detailed information on relationships between different land-use types. Further experimental work needs to be undertaken to qualify the suggested impact of land management practices on different taxa, while repeated surveys will allow for the collation of datasets over time, from which population dynamics may be determined.
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Yek SH, Willliams SE, Burwell CJ, Robson SK, Crozier RH. Ground dwelling ants as surrogates for establishing conservation priorities in the Australian wet tropics. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2009; 9:12. [PMID: 19613441 PMCID: PMC3011884 DOI: 10.1673/031.009.1201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2007] [Accepted: 02/21/2008] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to identify a set of areas with high biodiversity value over a small spatial scale within the Australian Wet Tropics. We identified sites of high biodiversity value across an altitudinal gradient of ground dwelling ant communities using three measures of biodiversity. The three measures considered were estimated species richness, complementarity between sites and evolutionary history. The latter measure was derived using the systematic nomenclature of the ants to infer a surrogate phylogeny. The goal of conservation assessments could then be achieved by choosing the most diverse site combinations. This approach was found to be valuable for identifying the most diverse site combinations across an altitudinal gradient that could ensure the preservation of terrestrial ground dwelling invertebrates in the Australian Wet Tropics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sze Huei Yek
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811, Australia
| | - Stephen E Willliams
- Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change, School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811, Australia
| | - Chris J. Burwell
- Entomology Section, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, 4101, Australia
| | - Simon K.A. Robson
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811, Australia
| | - Ross H. Crozier
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811, Australia
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Riedel R, Marinoni R, Martins-Op N. Spatio-Temporal Trends of Insect Communities in Southern Brazil. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.3923/je.2008.369.380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Mata RAD, Roque F, Tidon R. Drosophilids (Insecta, Diptera) of the Paranã Valley: eight new records for the Cerrado biome. BIOTA NEOTROPICA 2008. [DOI: 10.1590/s1676-06032008000100006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The Paranã Valley, located in the Central Brazil Plateau, within the domain of the Cerrado biome, is frequently cited as a center of endemism and diversity. Nonetheless, this region is poorly known, mainly considering its invertebrate fauna. Here, drosophilid flies were used as biological tools to contribute to a broader inventory, whose goals were mapping the Cerrado biodiversity and identifying areas to be conserved. Three previously unsampled areas in the Paranã Valley were sampled. Amongst the 12,297 specimens collected 45 species were identified, which represents 50% of the drosophilid species previously recorded in the Cerrado. Moreover, this sampling presented eight new occurrences for the biome (Drosophila annulosa, D. calloptera, D. papei, D. neomorpha, D. roehrae, Gitona bivisualis, Rhinoleucophenga lopesi, and the genus Diathoneura) and three species that had only one record for the biome, or that were recorded only in a specific area. Therefore, this study confirms the importance of the Paranã Valley as a center of biodiversity in the Cerrado biome, and recommends the establishment of conservation units in this region.
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Castro-Luna AA, Sosa VJ, Castillo-Campos G. Quantifying phyllostomid bats at different taxonomic levels as ecological indicators in a disturbed tropical forest. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2007. [DOI: 10.3161/1733-5329(2007)9[219:qpbadt]2.0.co;2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Michaels KF. Using staphylinid and tenebrionid beetles as indicators of sustainable landscape management in Australia: a review. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1071/ea06197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The review examines a range of global literature concerning the beetle families Staphylinidae and Tenebrionidae, to evaluate their potential as indicators of sustainable landscape management in the Australian context. Both beetle families are diverse, widespread, easily collected and functionally important in a wide range of habitats in Australia. Both families are responsive to changes in environmental conditions, although the nature of the response depends on the environmental condition and often on the individual species. The response of staphylinids and tenebrionids to environmental change has reflected that of other invertebrate species or groups in some instances. Sustainability indicators need to be linked to management objectives and land managers need to be involved in the indicator selection process. Sampling, identification and assessment methods designed to match land managers’ capabilities should result in an increase in the use of staphylinids and tenebrionids as sustainability indicators.
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Urbini A, Sparvoli E, Turillazzi S. Social paper wasps as bioindicators: a preliminary research with Polistes dominulus (Hymenoptera Vespidae) as a trace metal accumulator. CHEMOSPHERE 2006; 64:697-703. [PMID: 16406481 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2005.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2005] [Revised: 11/02/2005] [Accepted: 11/08/2005] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The wasps of the genus Polistes (paper wasps), have a worldwide distribution and are widespread in human-built areas. Like other social wasps, they are at the top of food chains and are therefore exposed to the dangers of biomagnification, given that the larvae are fed predominantly with prey that consist of herbivorous insects. The larval faeces, larval fecal masses, in the form of a semi-solid ball, are made up of the residues of the diet of the larva, which are emitted and compressed on the floor of the cell during the larval metamorphosis. Larval fecal masses may accumulate lead (up to 36 times with respect to the adult body), therefore they were used as substrate for the analysis. From the analysis of sample nests of Polistes dominulus in various sites of the urban area of Florence, it emerges that the larval fecal masses are an analytical substrate with which it is possible to distinguish zones with differing degrees of lead pollution. The lead concentration measured in the larval fecal masses turns out to be directly correlated with vehicle traffic density, the main lead source in Florence when the survey was carried out. The notable increase in the lead concentration of larval fecal masses from the rural to the urban nest (11.15 times), in contrast with the much more limited level of pupae (4.39 times), seems to indicate the efficiency of the excretion and/or barrier mechanisms. These wasps seem to be a promising species for biomonitoring lead pollution in order to better understand its dynamics in anthropic ecosystems after the progressive diffusion of unleaded gasoline.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Urbini
- Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e Genetica, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Romana 17, 50125 Firenze, Italy.
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Hodkinson ID, Jackson JK. Terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates as bioindicators for environmental monitoring, with particular reference to mountain ecosystems. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2005; 35:649-66. [PMID: 15920671 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-004-0211-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The use of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates as a management tool for monitoring change in ecosystems is reviewed and critically evaluated. Their suitability and value for assessing a range of environmental problems from pollution impacts, through habitat evaluation for conservation to the long-term degradation and recovery of ecosystems, is critically discussed. Guidelines are provided for the choice of appropriate bioindicators. Examples of the use of a broad spectrum of invertebrates to assess a variety of environmental problems are summarized. The particular potential of invertebrates for monitoring montane ecosystems is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian D Hodkinson
- School of Biological and Earth Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3, AF, UK.
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Majer JD, Shattuck SO, Andersen AN, Beattie AJ. Australian ant research: fabulous fauna, functional groups, pharmaceuticals, and the Fatherhood. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1326-6756.2004.00435.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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