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Ecker KT, Meier ES, Tillé Y. Integrating spatial and ecological information into comprehensive biodiversity monitoring on agricultural land. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:1161. [PMID: 37676354 PMCID: PMC10485118 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11618-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity loss on agricultural land is a major concern. Comprehensive monitoring is needed to quantify the ongoing changes and assess the effectiveness of agri-environmental measures. However, current approaches to monitoring biodiversity on agricultural land are limited in their ability to capture the complex pattern of species and habitats. Using a real-world example of plant and habitat monitoring on Swiss agricultural land, we show how meaningful and efficient sampling can be achieved at the relevant scales. The multi-stage sampling design of this approach uses unequal probability sampling in combination with intermediate small-scale habitat sampling to ensure broad representation of regions, landscape types, and plant species. To achieve broad coverage of temporary agri-environmental measures, the baseline survey on permanent plots is complemented by dynamic sampling of these specific areas. Sampling efficiency and practicality are ensured at all stages of sampling through modern sampling techniques, such as unequal probability sampling with fixed sample size, self-weighting, spatial spreading, balancing on additional information, and stratified balancing. In this way, the samples are well distributed across ecological and geographic space. Despite the high complexity of the sampling design, simple estimators are provided. The effects of stratified balancing and clustering of samples are demonstrated in Monte Carlo simulations using modelled habitat data. A power analysis based on actual survey data is also presented. Overall, the study could serve as a useful example for improving future biodiversity monitoring networks on agricultural land at multiple scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Thomas Ecker
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Research, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
| | | | - Yves Tillé
- Institute of Statistics, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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Abrahamczyk S, Kessler M, Roth T, Heer N. Temporal changes in the Swiss flora: implications for flower-visiting insects. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:109. [PMID: 36109688 PMCID: PMC9479241 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02061-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Local floristic diversity has massively decreased during the twentieth century in Central Europe even though in the 1990s diversity began increasing again in several regions. However, little is known whether this increase is equally distributed among plant groups with different reproductive traits.
Methods
Our study is based on data of the Swiss Biodiversity Monitoring Program. In this program, plant species occurrence is recorded since 2001 in 450 regularly distributed 1 km2 study sites. For all 1774 plant species registered in the study, we researched data on flower/pseudanthium type and colour, reproductive system, and groups of flower visitors. We then tested whether temporal changes in species frequency were equally distributed among species with different trait states.
Results
Species richness and functional richness significantly increased in the study sites while functional evenness decreased. The frequency of wind-pollinated species increased more strongly than that of insect-pollinated species. Further, the frequency of species with simple, open insect-pollinated flowers and pseudanthia visited by generalist groups of insects increased slightly more strongly than the frequency of species with complex flowers visited by more specialized groups of flower visitors. Additionally, the frequency of self-compatible species increased significantly more than that of self-incompatible species. Thus, the overall increase in local plant species richness in Switzerland is mostly driven by wind- and generalist insect-pollinated, self-compatible species. In contrast, species with complex flowers, which are essential for specialized groups of flower visitors and species with self-incompatible reproductive systems profited less.
Conclusions
Our study thus emphasizes the need to consider functional traits in the planning and monitoring of conservation activities, and calls for a special focus on plant species with specialized reproductive traits.
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Roth T, Kohli L, Rihm B, Meier R, Amrhein V. Negative effects of nitrogen deposition on Swiss butterflies. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1766-1776. [PMID: 33829544 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) deposition from agriculture and combustion of fossil fuels is a major threat to plant diversity, but its effects on organisms at higher trophic levels are unclear. We investigated how N deposition may affect species richness and abundance (number of individuals per species) in butterflies. We reviewed the peer-reviewed literature on variables used to explain spatial variation in butterfly species richness and found that vegetation variables appeared to be as important as climate and habitat variables in explaining butterfly species richness. It thus seemed likely that increased N deposition could indirectly affect butterfly communities via its influence on plant communities. To test this prediction, we analyzed data from the Swiss biodiversity monitoring program for vascular plants and butterflies in 383 study sites of 1 km2 that are evenly distributed throughout Switzerland. The area has a modeled N deposition gradient of 2-44 kg N ha-1 year-1 . We used traditional linear models and structural equation models to infer the drivers of the spatial variation in butterfly species richness across Switzerland. High N deposition was consistently linked to low butterfly diversity, suggesting a net loss of butterfly diversity through increased N deposition. We hypothesize that at low elevations, N deposition may contribute to a reduction in butterfly species richness via microclimatic cooling due to increased plant biomass. At higher elevations, negative effects of N deposition on butterfly species richness may also be mediated by reduced plant species richness. In most butterfly species, abundance was negatively related to N deposition, but the strongest negative effects were found for species of conservation concern. We conclude that in addition to factors such as intensified agriculture, habitat fragmentation, and climate change, N deposition is likely to play a key role in negatively affecting butterfly diversity and abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Roth
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Hintermann Weber AG, Reinach, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Reto Meier
- Air Pollution Control and Chemicals Division, Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), Bern, Switzerland
| | - Valentin Amrhein
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Roth T, Kohli L, Bühler C, Rihm B, Meuli RG, Meier R, Amrhein V. Species turnover reveals hidden effects of decreasing nitrogen deposition in mountain hay meadows. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6347. [PMID: 30755829 PMCID: PMC6368833 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) deposition is a major threat to biodiversity in many habitats. The recent introduction of cleaner technologies in Switzerland has led to a reduction in the emissions of nitrogen oxides, with a consequent decrease in N deposition. We examined different drivers of plant community change, that is, N deposition, climate warming, and land-use change, in Swiss mountain hay meadows, using data from the Swiss biodiversity monitoring program. We compared indicator values of species that disappeared from or colonized a site (species turnover) with the indicator values of randomly chosen species from the same site. While oligotrophic plant species were more likely to colonize, compared to random expectation, we found only weak shifts in plant community composition. In particular, the average nutrient value of plant communities remained stable over time (2003-2017). We found the largest deviations from random expectation in the nutrient values of colonizing species, suggesting that N deposition or other factors that change the nutrient content of soils were important drivers of the species composition change over the last 15 years in Swiss mountain hay meadows. In addition, we observed an overall replacement of species with lower indicator values for temperature with species with higher values. Apparently, the community effects of the replacement of eutrophic species with oligotrophic species was outweighed by climate warming. Our results add to the increasing evidence that plant communities in changing environments may be relatively stable regarding average species richness or average indicator values, but that this apparent stability is often accompanied by a marked turnover of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Roth
- Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Hintermann & Weber AG, Reinach, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Reto Meier
- Air Pollution Control and Chemicals Division, Federal Office for the Environment, Bern, Switzerland
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Roth T, Allan E, Pearman PB, Amrhein V. Functional ecology and imperfect detection of species. Methods Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Roth
- University of BaselZoological Institute Basel Switzerland
- Hintermann & Weber AG Reinach Switzerland
| | - Eric Allan
- University of Bern Institute of Plant Sciences Bern Switzerland
| | - Peter B. Pearman
- Department of Plant Biology and EcologyFaculty of Sciences and TechnologyUniversity of the Basque CountryUPV/EHU Leioa Spain
- IKERBASQUEBasque Foundation for Science Bilbao Spain
| | - Valentin Amrhein
- University of BaselZoological Institute Basel Switzerland
- Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach Switzerland
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Roth T, Kohli L, Rihm B, Meier R, Achermann B. Using change-point models to estimate empirical critical loads for nitrogen in mountain ecosystems. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 220:1480-1487. [PMID: 27839990 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2016] [Revised: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
To protect ecosystems and their services, the critical load concept has been implemented under the framework of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (UNECE) to develop effects-oriented air pollution abatement strategies. Critical loads are thresholds below which damaging effects on sensitive habitats do not occur according to current knowledge. Here we use change-point models applied in a Bayesian context to overcome some of the difficulties when estimating empirical critical loads for nitrogen (N) from empirical data. We tested the method using simulated data with varying sample sizes, varying effects of confounding variables, and with varying negative effects of N deposition on species richness. The method was applied to the national-scale plant species richness data from mountain hay meadows and (sub)alpine scrubs sites in Switzerland. Seven confounding factors (elevation, inclination, precipitation, calcareous content, aspect as well as indicator values for humidity and light) were selected based on earlier studies examining numerous environmental factors to explain Swiss vascular plant diversity. The estimated critical load confirmed the existing empirical critical load of 5-15 kg N ha-1 yr-1 for (sub)alpine scrubs, while for mountain hay meadows the estimated critical load was at the lower end of the current empirical critical load range. Based on these results, we suggest to narrow down the critical load range for mountain hay meadows to 10-15 kg N ha-1 yr-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Roth
- University of Basel, Zoological Institute, Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland; Hintermann & Weber AG, Austrasse 2a, 4153 Reinach, Switzerland.
| | - Lukas Kohli
- Hintermann & Weber AG, Austrasse 2a, 4153 Reinach, Switzerland
| | - Beat Rihm
- Meteotest, Fabrikstrasse 14, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Reto Meier
- Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), Air Pollution Control and Chemicals Division, 3003 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Beat Achermann
- Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), Air Pollution Control and Chemicals Division, 3003 Bern, Switzerland
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Roth T, Kohli L, Rihm B, Amrhein V, Achermann B. Nitrogen deposition and multi-dimensional plant diversity at the landscape scale. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2015; 2:150017. [PMID: 26064640 PMCID: PMC4448879 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.150017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Estimating effects of nitrogen (N) deposition is essential for understanding human impacts on biodiversity. However, studies relating atmospheric N deposition to plant diversity are usually restricted to small plots of high conservation value. Here, we used data on 381 randomly selected 1 km(2) plots covering most habitat types of Central Europe and an elevational range of 2900 m. We found that high atmospheric N deposition was associated with low values of six measures of plant diversity. The weakest negative relation to N deposition was found in the traditionally measured total species richness. The strongest relation to N deposition was in phylogenetic diversity, with an estimated loss of 19% due to atmospheric N deposition as compared with a homogeneously distributed historic N deposition without human influence, or of 11% as compared with a spatially varying N deposition for the year 1880, during industrialization in Europe. Because phylogenetic plant diversity is often related to ecosystem functioning, we suggest that atmospheric N deposition threatens functioning of ecosystems at the landscape scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Roth
- Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, Basel 4051, Switzerland
- Hintermann and Weber AG, Austrasse 2a, Reinach 4153, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Kohli
- Hintermann and Weber AG, Austrasse 2a, Reinach 4153, Switzerland
| | - Beat Rihm
- Meteotest, Fabrikstrasse 14, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Valentin Amrhein
- Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, Basel 4051, Switzerland
| | - Beat Achermann
- Air Pollution Control and Chemicals Division, Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), Bern 3003, Switzerland
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Steinmann K, Eggenberg S, Wohlgemuth T, Linder H, Zimmermann N. Niches and noise—Disentangling habitat diversity and area effect on species diversity. ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecocom.2011.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Nobis MP, Jaeger JAG, Zimmermann NE. Neophyte species richness at the landscape scale under urban sprawl and climate warming. DIVERS DISTRIB 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2009.00610.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Chiarucci A, Bacaro G, Vannini A, Rocchini D. Quantifying species richness at multiple spatial scales in a Natura 2000 network. COMMUNITY ECOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1556/comec.9.2008.2.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Rocchini D, Wohlgemuth T, Ghisleni S, Chiarucci A. Spectral rarefaction: linking ecological variability and plant species diversity. COMMUNITY ECOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1556/comec.9.2008.2.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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