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Giménez Gómez VC, Verdú JR, Zurita GA. Thermal niche helps to explain the ability of dung beetles to exploit disturbed habitats. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13364. [PMID: 32770033 PMCID: PMC7414905 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70284-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In terrestrial ecosystems, insects face a wide range of temperatures among habitats and time; consequently, the thermal niche is one of the main determinants of habitat selection and temporal patterns of activity. The replacement of native forests changes micro-climatic conditions and reduces the diversity of dung beetles; however, the physiological mechanisms behind these changes are not clear. We explore the role of the thermal niche in dung beetles to explain the ability of native species to exploit human-created habitats. Using infrared thermography, we measured variables associated with the thermal niche in 17 native species and used linear mixed-effects model and ANOVAs to compare disturbed habitats and the native forest. Endothermy and body mass explained the ability of dung beetles to exploit human-created open habitats. Small and diurnal species with very low endothermy were able to exploit deforested open habitats; evening/nocturnal/crepuscular species showed similar body mass and high endothermy in all habitats. Regarding thermoregulation mechanisms, none of the species (except one) showed defined or efficient mechanisms of physiological thermoregulation. In view of the accelerated process of forest replacement and climate change, a more profound understanding of the physiological requirements of species is essential to predict and mitigate future extinctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria C Giménez Gómez
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Universidad Nacional de Misiones-CONICET, Bertoni 85, 3370, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina.
| | - José R Verdú
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación - Centro Iberoamericano de la Biodiversidad, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Gustavo A Zurita
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Universidad Nacional de Misiones-CONICET, Bertoni 85, 3370, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Nacional de Misiones-CONICET, El Dorado, Misiones, Argentina
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Gangenova E, Giombini MI, Zurita GA, Marangoni F. Morphological responses of three persistent native anuran species after forest conversion into monoculture pine plantations: tolerance or prosperity? Integr Zool 2020; 15:428-440. [PMID: 32297462 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Species loss by habitat replacement operating as an ecological filter is a well-known consequence of modern human activities. In contrast, the ecological and evolutionary response of species overcoming those filters in converted habitats has not been thoroughly explored. Species that persist are subject to novel and potentially stressful conditions that may induce certain morphological changes. We evaluated changes in the functional morphology of three anuran species persisting after the conversion of areas of the Atlantic Forest into pine plantations. We specifically evaluated differences in body size and body condition indices, head width, and hind legs' length between adult individuals from both habitats and sexes. Habitat conversion and sexual dimorphism affected the morphology of the three anurans, with varying effects upon species and traits. Regarding the effect of habitat conversion, Elachistocleis bicolor increased body condition in plantations with no changes in the other traits, Physalaemus cuvieri showed only a marginal increment in residual body mass in plantations, and Odontophrynus americanus exhibited a substantial increment in body size while maintaining its body condition in plantations. Remarkably, none of the results suggested these persistent anurans were stressed by forest conversion. This study shows that habitat conversion may induce intraspecific morphological changes in ecologically relevant traits of persistent species, and that disturbed areas do not necessarily imply stressful, low quality habitats affecting all persistent native species negatively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Gangenova
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Universidad Nacional de Misiones-CONICET, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
| | - Mariano I Giombini
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Universidad Nacional de Misiones-CONICET, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
| | - Gustavo A Zurita
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Universidad Nacional de Misiones-CONICET, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Nacional de Misiones, Eldorado, Misiones, Argentina
| | - Federico Marangoni
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Naturales y Agrimensura, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste (UNNE), Corrientes, Argentina
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Santoandré S, Filloy J, Zurita GA, Bellocq MI. Taxonomic and functional β-diversity of ants along tree plantation chronosequences differ between contrasting biomes. Basic Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2019.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Soto CS, Giombini MI, Giménez Gómez VC, Zurita GA. Phenotypic differentiation in a resilient dung beetle species induced by forest conversion into cattle pastures. Evol Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-019-09987-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Martínez-Falcón AP, Zurita GA, Ortega-Martínez IJ, Moreno CE. Populations and assemblages living on the edge: dung beetles responses to forests-pasture ecotones. PeerJ 2018; 6:e6148. [PMID: 30581687 PMCID: PMC6295328 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Edge effects alter insect biodiversity in several ways. However, we still have a limited understanding on simultaneous responses of ecological populations and assemblages to ecotones, especially in human modified landscapes. We analyze edge effects on dung beetle populations and assemblages between livestock pastures and native temperate forests (Juniperus and pine-oak forests (POFs)) to describe how species abundances and assemblage parameters respond to edge effects through gradients in forest-pasture ecotones. In Juniperus forest 13 species avoided the ecotones: six species showed greater abundance in forest interior and seven in pasturelands, while the other two species had a neutral response to the edge. In a different way, in POF we found five species avoiding the edge (four with greater abundance in pastures and only one in forest), two species had a neutral response, and two showed a unimodal pattern of abundance near to the edge. At the assemblage level edge effects are masked, as species richness, diversity, functional richness, functional evenness, and compositional incidence dissimilarity did not vary along forest-pasture ecotones. However, total abundance and functional divergence showed higher values in pastures in one of the two sampling localities. Also, assemblage similarity based on species’ abundance showed a peak near to the edge in POF. We propose that conservation efforts in human-managed landscapes should focus on mitigating current and delayed edge effects. Ecotone management will be crucial in livestock dominated landscapes to conserve regional biodiversity and the environmental services carried out by dung beetles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Paola Martínez-Falcón
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas-Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingenierías, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Mineral de la Reforma, Hidalgo, Mexico
| | - Gustavo A Zurita
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical-Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Nacional de Misiones-CONICET, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
| | - Ilse J Ortega-Martínez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas-Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingenierías, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Mineral de la Reforma, Hidalgo, Mexico
| | - Claudia E Moreno
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas-Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingenierías, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Mineral de la Reforma, Hidalgo, Mexico
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Giménez Gómez VC, Lomáscolo SB, Zurita GA, Ocampo F. Daily Activity Patterns and Thermal Tolerance of Three Sympatric Dung Beetle Species (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Eucraniini) from the Monte Desert, Argentina. Neotrop Entomol 2018; 47:821-827. [PMID: 29214545 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-017-0567-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Tolerance to extreme temperatures, thermal limits, and the mechanisms of thermoregulation are related to internal functions of insects and partly define their ecological niche. We study the association between daily activity of dung beetles from the Monte Desert in Argentina and their tolerance to high temperatures. Results indicate that for all three sympatric species studied, Eucranium belenae Ocampo, Anomiopsoides cavifrons (Burmeister), and Anomiopsoides fedemariai Ocampo, daily activity is associated to ground temperature. Eucranium belenae is active when ground temperature is relatively low and it is less tolerant to long periods of activity at high temperatures in the lab, while A. cavifrons and A. fedemariai are active when ground temperatures are higher, and they tolerate high temperatures for longer periods of time than E. belenae in the lab. These species coexist and use similar food sources, and this eco-physiological study may help to explain how they differentiate under the same environmental conditions. The Monte Desert is considered an extreme environment, and studies on thermal tolerance offer testable predictions to understand how species would respond to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- V C Giménez Gómez
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Univ Nacional de Misiones - CONICET, Moisés Bertoni 85, 3370, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina.
- Instituto de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas (IADIZA), CCT - CONICET Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina.
| | - S B Lomáscolo
- Instituto de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas (IADIZA), CCT - CONICET Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina
- Instituto de Ecología Regional, Residencia Universitaria Horco Molle, Univ Nacional de Tucumán, Yerba Buena, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - G A Zurita
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Univ Nacional de Misiones - CONICET, Moisés Bertoni 85, 3370, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Univ Nacional de Misiones, Eldorado, Misiones, Argentina
| | - F Ocampo
- Instituto de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas (IADIZA), CCT - CONICET Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina
- AgIdea, Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Ramos CS, Santoandré S, Sánchez AF, Zurita GA, Filloy J. Expansion of the geographic range of Cyatta abscondita Sosa‑Calvo et al., 2013 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). cl 2016. [DOI: 10.15560/12.5.1970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of the recently described fungus-farming ant genus and species Cyatta abscondita is reported in the northwestern region of Misiones Province in Argentina. A single worker of C. abscondita was collected in a pitfall trap in a mature plantation of Pinus taeda in the Atlantic Forest biome. This finding expands the distribution of the genus and species, extending it farther south in the Neotropics.
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Bellocq MI, Filloy J, Zurita GA, Apellaniz MF. Responses in the abundance of generalist birds to environmental gradients: The rufous-collared sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) in the southern Neotropics. Écoscience 2015. [DOI: 10.2980/18-4-3431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Pe'er G, Zurita GA, Schober L, Bellocq MI, Strer M, Müller M, Pütz S. Simple process-based simulators for generating spatial patterns of habitat loss and fragmentation: a review and introduction to the G-RaFFe model. PLoS One 2013; 8:e64968. [PMID: 23724108 PMCID: PMC3665680 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Accepted: 04/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Landscape simulators are widely applied in landscape ecology for generating landscape patterns. These models can be divided into two categories: pattern-based models that generate spatial patterns irrespective of the processes that shape them, and process-based models that attempt to generate patterns based on the processes that shape them. The latter often tend toward complexity in an attempt to obtain high predictive precision, but are rarely used for generic or theoretical purposes. Here we show that a simple process-based simulator can generate a variety of spatial patterns including realistic ones, typifying landscapes fragmented by anthropogenic activities. The model “G-RaFFe” generates roads and fields to reproduce the processes in which forests are converted into arable lands. For a selected level of habitat cover, three factors dominate its outcomes: the number of roads (accessibility), maximum field size (accounting for land ownership patterns), and maximum field disconnection (which enables field to be detached from roads). We compared the performance of G-RaFFe to three other models: Simmap (neutral model), Qrule (fractal-based) and Dinamica EGO (with 4 model versions differing in complexity). A PCA-based analysis indicated G-RaFFe and Dinamica version 4 (most complex) to perform best in matching realistic spatial patterns, but an alternative analysis which considers model variability identified G-RaFFe and Qrule as performing best. We also found model performance to be affected by habitat cover and the actual land-uses, the latter reflecting on land ownership patterns. We suggest that simple process-based generators such as G-RaFFe can be used to generate spatial patterns as templates for theoretical analyses, as well as for gaining better understanding of the relation between spatial processes and patterns. We suggest caution in applying neutral or fractal-based approaches, since spatial patterns that typify anthropogenic landscapes are often non-fractal in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Pe'er
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Conservation Biology, Leipzig, Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria I. Bellocq
- CONICET; Departamento de Ecología; Genética y Evolución; FCEN; Universidad de Buenos Aires; Ciudad Universitaria; Pab. 2, Piso 4, (C1428EHA); Buenos Aires; Argentina
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