2
|
Serrano ARM, Baptista M, Carvalho R, Boieiro M, Mendes S, Bartz M, Timóteo S, Azevedo-Pereira HM, Aguiar CA, Alves da Silva A, Alves J, Briones MJI, Borges PAV, Sousa JP, Martins da Silva P. Inventory of tiger- and ground-beetles (Coleoptera, Caraboidea, Cicindelidae and Carabidae) in two sampling seasons of the Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. Biodivers Data J 2023; 11:e101280. [PMID: 38327324 PMCID: PMC10848835 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.11.e101280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The Gorongosa National Park (Mozambique) is one of the most emblematic protected areas in Africa, well known for its vertebrate biodiversity and restoration ecology efforts following the Mozambican civil war in 1992. The invertebrate biodiversity of Gorongosa National Park is still poorly studied, although the scarce information available indicates the existence of a rich number of species, namely in the case of tiger- and ground-beetles (Coleoptera, Caraboidea). Moreover, the study of arthropod assemblages is key for designing conservation practices since they are potentially accurate biodiversity and ecological indicators. Hence, the diversity assessment of Caraboidea beetles using standardised methodologies is likely to provide a new insight for future conservation planning and help to quantify the effects of climate change in areas identified as vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures, such as the Gorongosa National Park. New information We report the occurrence of five tiger beetles (Cicindelidae) and 93 ground-beetles (Carabidae) species/morphospecies in Gorongosa National Park from a field survey funded by the ECOASSESS project. Sampling was performed in the four main habitat types present in the Park (miombo tropical forest, mixed dry forest, transitional forest and grasslands) between 25 October and 25 November 2019. In this sampling window, the turnover of Caraboidea species from the dry season to the wet season was recorded for the first time. Twenty-eight species of ground-beetles are new records to Mozambique, including three new subgenera and three new genera. Additional information on species phenology and habitat preferences is also provided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Artur R. M. Serrano
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Rua Ernesto de Vasconcelos Ed. C2, Campo Grande, 1749- 016, Lisbon, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Rua Ernesto de Vasconcelos Ed. C2, Campo Grande, 1749- 016LisbonPortugal
| | - Martim Baptista
- Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, PortugalUniversidade de LisboaLisbonPortugal
| | - Rui Carvalho
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da UrzeAngra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
| | - Mário Boieiro
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da UrzeAngra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
| | - Sara Mendes
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, PortugalCentre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456CoimbraPortugal
| | - Marie Bartz
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, PortugalCentre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456CoimbraPortugal
| | - Sérgio Timóteo
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, PortugalCentre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456CoimbraPortugal
| | - Henrique M.V.S. Azevedo-Pereira
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, PortugalCentre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456CoimbraPortugal
| | - Carlos A.S Aguiar
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Rua Ernesto de Vasconcelos Ed. C2, Campo Grande, 1749- 016, Lisbon, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Rua Ernesto de Vasconcelos Ed. C2, Campo Grande, 1749- 016LisbonPortugal
| | - António Alves da Silva
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, PortugalCentre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456CoimbraPortugal
| | - Joana Alves
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, PortugalCentre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456CoimbraPortugal
| | - Maria Jesús I. Briones
- Departamento de Ecologia y Biologia Animal, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, SpainDepartamento de Ecologia y Biologia Animal, Universidad de VigoVigoSpain
| | - Paulo A. V. Borges
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da UrzeAngra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
- IUCN SSC Mid-Atlantic Islands Specialist Group, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalIUCN SSC Mid-Atlantic Islands Specialist GroupAngra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
| | - José P. Sousa
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, PortugalCentre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456CoimbraPortugal
| | - Pedro Martins da Silva
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, PortugalCentre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456CoimbraPortugal
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Remote Sensing and GIS-Based Suitability Mapping of Termite Habitat in the African Savanna: A Case Study of the Lowveld in Kruger National Park. LAND 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/land11060803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Termites (Isoptera) are among the most globally dominant macroinvertebrates in terrestrial environments and are an ecologically important group of soil biota in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. These insects function as essential ecosystem engineers that facilitate nutrient cycling, especially in the regulation of the physical and chemical properties of soil and the decomposition of organic matter that maintains heterogeneity in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. Termites, like all living organisms, require certain environmental parameters to support the distribution, abundance, and activities of the species. South Africa’s Kruger National Park (KNP)—one of the most important protected areas in the world and a popular safari tourist destination—is an extraordinary savanna ecosystem in which termite mounds, or termitaria, are widely distributed. A range of biotic and abiotic factors found in the natural environment of KNP provide highly suitable ecological conditions for termite habitat range, and thus the development of termitaria. Previous research has shown that the most important factors affecting habitat suitability for termites and the geographic distribution of termitaria include climate factors, land cover, and other environmental characteristics such as soil composition and plant-litter biomass. However, the specific environmental mechanisms that regulate termite occurrence and the spatial distribution of termitaria in KNP are not fully understood, especially in the context of climate and land-cover changes. The present study examines the relationship between the spatial distribution of termitaria and selected climate and environmental factors in the Kruger Lowveld region, which contains one of the largest numbers of termitaria in KNP. Using high-resolution satellite imagery, 8200 training points of termitaria occurrence were collected throughout the study area to train classifiers and produce land-cover-classification maps for the Kruger Lowveld region of interest. We then applied a hybrid approach through the integration of remote sensing (RS) and a GIS-based analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and frequency-ratio (FR) methods to model the relationship between the spatial distribution of termitaria and selected environmental variables and to produce suitability maps. To our knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to examine the influence of combined sets of environmental attributes on the spatial distribution of termitaria in the Lowveld region of KNP. The results indicate that moderately and highly suitable conditions for termite range tolerance and termitaria development are correlated with undulating plains with clay soils, greater distance to drainage streams, high solar radiation, and low depth of groundwater. The findings of this study shed light on the need for future research that investigates the impact of climate and land-cover changes on termite habitat range and spatial distribution and that can inform park managers and policymakers about Kruger National Park and other protected areas with similar environmental conditions.
Collapse
|