Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kuiling Zu, Cancan Zhang, Fusheng Chen, Zhiyong Zhang, Shahid Ahmad, Ghulam Nabi
Summary: This study examined the distribution patterns of species richness and phylogenetic diversity along the latitudinal gradients in Chinese Nature Reserves. The results showed that both species richness and phylogenetic diversity increased with latitude in China. Temperature was found to be strongly correlated with species diversity and phylogenetic structure. These findings contribute to our understanding of species diversity and provide support for biodiversity conservation in China.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Ziyan Liao, Shushi Peng, Youhua Chen
Summary: Extinction debt is the delayed process of species extinction, with the earliest signal for forest-dwelling vertebrate groups starting in the mid-19th century. The impact of global protected areas on mitigating extinction debts has a time-lag effect, and preventive actions should be taken to balance forest restoration, protected areas, and biodiversity conservation.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Reham F. El-Barougy, Ibrahim A. Elgamal, Abdel-Hamid A. Khedr, Louis-Felix Bersier
Summary: The study found that under resource-rich conditions, dissimilar aliens to natives significantly increased native diversity, while under resource-limited conditions, similar aliens to natives declined native diversity. This suggests that the assessment of alien impacts in arid regions is significantly linked to resources availability and relatedness to natives.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Pieter Johnson, Sarah E. Haas
Summary: The study revealed an increase in parasite richness and abundance across 20 degrees of latitude, exhibiting a reverse latitudinal gradient. Parasite richness was positively correlated with wetland area, land-cover diversity, and waterbird richness, while negatively correlated with amphibian taxonomic richness.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alke Voskamp, Susanne A. Fritz, Valerie Koecke, Matthias F. Biber, Timo Nogueira Brockmeyer, Bastian Bertzky, Matthew Forrest, Allie Goldstein, Scott Henderson, Thomas Hickler, Christian Hof, Thomas Kastner, Stefanie Lang, Peter Manning, Michael B. Mascia, Ian R. McFadden, Aidin Niamir, Monica Noon, Brian O'Donnell, Mark Opel, Georg Schwede, Peyton West, Christof Schenck, Katrin Boehning-Gaese
Summary: Establishing and maintaining protected areas is crucial for achieving biodiversity targets, but limited resources necessitate the selection of the most beneficial areas. We advocate for a flexible and transparent approach to select protected areas based on multiple objectives, using a global decision support tool. This tool allows users to weigh and prioritize different conservation objectives according to their preferences and compare outcomes in real-time. Our study demonstrates that decision makers often face trade-offs among conflicting objectives, but transparent decision support tools can reveal synergies and trade-offs, aiding in resolving land-use conflicts.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shinya Shimokawa, Tomokazu Murakami, Hiroyoshi Kohno
Summary: This study examines the coral distribution and diversity differences between Sakiyama and Amitori bays on Iriomote Island in Japan, using the diversity index and the intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH). In Amitori Bay, tabular and branching corals dominate different parts of the bay, resulting in maximum coral diversity in the intermediate part. In Sakiyama Bay, branching and massive corals dominate different areas, with maximum coral diversity found on the reef edge. The difference in soil inflow and geographical characteristics between the two bays significantly impact coral distribution and diversity.
GEOSCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Meseret Muche, Eyayu Molla, Boris Rewald, Berhanu abraha Tsegay
Summary: On-farm tree plantation in Kobo and Guba Lafto districts, North-eastern Ethiopia has been found to contribute to household economy and soil fertility. The study evaluated the variations in tree/shrub plantations along altitudinal gradients and plantation niches, as well as farmers' practices. Results showed that most farmers integrate trees with their crops and there is a significant reduction in taxa, stem density, richness, and diversity with increasing elevation. Ziziphus spina-christi and Cordia africana were the preferred tree species, while Fabaceae was the dominant family. The study emphasizes the need for propagation and conservation of native tree and shrub genetic resources.
Article
Plant Sciences
Shuaizhi Lu, Dou Zhang, Le Wang, Lei Dong, Changcheng Liu, Dongjie Hou, Guoping Chen, Xianguo Qiao, Yuyouting Wang, Ke Guo
Summary: Understanding the mechanisms underlying the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function (BEF) is critical for ecosystem management. Differences in BEF relationships along altitudinal gradients between forests and shrublands have been poorly understood, hindering effective management and carbon storage. This study found that structural diversity mainly promotes carbon storage in forests, while species diversity has a greater positive effect on carbon storage in shrublands.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrea Paz, Leyla Hernandez, Lilian S. O. Melo, Mariana Lyra, Celio F. B. Haddad, Ana C. Carnaval
Summary: This study investigates the role of environmental filtering and biotic interactions in shaping the communities of tree frogs in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The researchers find that functional richness is high along the forest, potentially driven by niche partitioning, while environmental filtering becomes more important in extreme environments. Trait overdispersion is found in areas of vegetation contact or adjacent biomes. Considering multiple dimensions of biodiversity and environmental variation provides a more comprehensive understanding of amphibian community assembly.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhi Wen, Zuyang Jiang, Hua Zheng, Zhiyun Ouyang
Summary: Aboveground carbon storage in forests is influenced by both structural and compositional diversity of plant communities. This study analyzed data from tropical forest plots in Hainan Island, China, and found that structural diversity had a greater impact on aboveground carbon in the overstory stratum compared to compositional diversity. The relationship between diversity and carbon was slightly affected by soil nutrients but strongly influenced by altitude. Altitude indirectly affected overstory tree height and diameter diversity through species diversity, ultimately impacting aboveground carbon storage.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Muhammad Aqeel, Noreen Khalid, Ali Noman, Jinzhi Ran, Abdul Manan, Qingqing Hou, Longwei Dong, Ying Sun, Yan Deng, Sang Soo Lee, Weigang Hu, Jianming Deng
Summary: Altitude influences biodiversity and physiochemical soil attributes in terrestrial ecosystems. The distribution and interactions of plant and microbial species are determined by altitudinal variation. Different taxonomic groups show different response patterns along the altitudinal gradient, with plant and fungal diversity increasing and archaeal and bacterial diversity decreasing with increasing altitude.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kathy Martin, Tomas A. Altamirano, Devin R. de Zwaan, Kristina G. Hick, Anneka Vanderpas, Scott Wilson
Summary: Mountains are important systems for studying biodiversity due to rapid species turnover across elevation gradients. North temperate mountains have higher species richness and phylogenetic diversity, while south temperate mountains support a larger proportion of regional species pool. Functional traits and avian communities vary between the regions, with implications for conservation efforts in the face of climate change and habitat loss pressures.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Charlie J. G. Loewen, Donald A. Jackson, Benjamin Gilbert
Summary: This study found contrasting responses in species richness, phylogenetic relationships, and functional diversity along geographic temperature gradients in western North America. The results suggest that elevational and latitudinal equivalence assumptions in ecological response models, especially regarding climatic refuges for dispersing species, may not hold true. The study also revealed different patterns of environmental filters and limiting similarity in community assembly with increasing elevation and latitude. Additionally, the study found that predictions of how climate change will influence diversity differ between elevation and latitude gradients.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rebecca A. Senior, Brunno F. Oliveira, James Dale, Brett R. Scheffers
Summary: This study explores the conflicting roles of aesthetic value in biodiversity conservation by evaluating the aesthetics of passerines, the most speciose group of birds, using color metrics. The tropics are identified as global color hotspots, representing diverse and uniquely colored passerine assemblages. The pet trade, which currently affects 30% of passerines, targets uniquely colored species and related clusters. An additional 478 species are at risk of future trade based on their coloration and phylogenetic relationships. Modeling predicts localized losses of color diversity and uniqueness, highlighting the importance of proactive regulation of the bird trade to protect charismatic biodiversity and color hotspots.
Article
Ecology
Peter J. McDonald, Peter Jobson, Frank Kohler, Catherine E. M. Nano, Paul M. Oliver
Summary: This study found that climate is the strongest predictor of endemism in arid mountain ranges, especially for plants. Geological substrates have a significant impact on endemism in plants and land snails in arid climates, while vertebrates are less constrained. Hotspots of endemism within different guilds do not predict endemism in other guilds effectively.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Benjamin Rutschmann, Patrick L. Kohl, Alejandro Machado, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
Summary: The diversity of endemic honeybee subspecies and ecotypes in Europe is under threat due to the promotion of a limited number of honeybee strains in modern apiculture. Assessing the status of remaining wild populations and their limiting factors is crucial for the conservation of honeybee diversity. This study presents a two-year census of native, wild-living honeybees inhabiting power poles in an intensive agricultural landscape in Galicia, NW Spain. The findings emphasize the importance of semi-natural habitats for the conservation of wild-living honeybees.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Elena Krimmer, Emily A. Martin, Andrea Holzschuh, Jochen Krauss, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
Summary: Large flower fields maintained continuously for several years are recommended to enhance natural pest control in oilseed rape fields. However, the positive effects of flower fields on pollen beetle parasitism may be hindered by pesticide use.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Felix Schilcher, Lioba Hilsmann, Lisa Rauscher, Laura Degirmenci, Markus Krischke, Beate Krischke, Markus Ankenbrand, Benjamin Rutschmann, Martin J. Mueller, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter, Ricarda Scheiner
Summary: This study investigates the effects of rearing honeybee larvae in the laboratory on the later social behavior and physiology of adult bees. The results show that laboratory-reared bees have a lower probability of performing nursing or foraging tasks compared to naturally reared bees. The duration of foraging and the number of foraging trips are also reduced in laboratory-reared bees. Furthermore, laboratory-reared bees have lower levels of juvenile hormone, which is associated with the initiation of foraging. These findings highlight the importance of the colony environment in shaping the behavior and physiology of adult honeybees.
Article
Ecology
Ian R. McFadden, Agnieszka Sendek, Morgane Brosse, Peter M. Bach, Marco Baity-Jesi, Janine Bolliger, Kurt Bollmann, Eckehard G. Brockerhoff, Giulia Donati, Friederike Gebert, Shyamolina Ghosh, Hsi-Cheng Ho, Imran Khaliq, J. Jelle Lever, Ivana Logar, Helen Moor, Daniel Odermatt, Loiec Pellissier, Luiz Jardim de Queiroz, Christian Rixen, Nele Schuwirth, J. Ryan Shipley, Cornelia W. Twining, Yann Vitasse, Christoph Vorburger, Mark K. L. Wong, Niklaus E. Zimmermann, Ole Seehausen, Martin M. Gossner, Blake Matthews, Catherine H. Graham, Florian Altermatt, Anita Narwani
Summary: Human impacts such as habitat loss, climate change, and biological invasions are drastically changing biodiversity. We propose an integrative approach to explain the differences in impacts between terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems by linking them to four fundamental processes that structure communities. Through this approach, we aim to provide insights into why human impacts and responses to them may differ across ecosystem types, using a mechanistic, eco-evolutionary framework.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Benjamin Rutschmann, Patrick L. Kohl, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
Summary: This study investigated honeybee foraging in a deciduous forest region in southern Germany by observing waggle dances. The foraging distances of bees were found to be related to forest cover, but varied depending on the season and food type. Although bees in forest-dominated landscapes had to fly further, forest cover did not significantly affect colony weight. Pollen foraging in forests was more difficult in late summer, while nectar/honeydew foraging in forests aligned with expectations in early summer.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Cassandra Vogel, Vera Mayer, Mwapi Mkandawire, Georg Kuestner, Rachel Bezner Kerr, Jochen Krauss, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
Summary: The conversion of woodland to farmland and subsequent management has negative impacts on biodiversity. The effects of agriculture on insect communities in tropical smallholder agricultural landscapes are understudied. The use of agroecological practices has social and agronomic benefits for smallholders, but their effects on biodiversity are missing, particularly in Africa.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Cassandra Vogel, Katja Poveda, Aaron Iverson, Fabian A. A. Boetzl, Tapiwa Mkandawire, Timothy L. L. Chunga, Georg Kuestner, Alexander Keller, Rachel Bezner Kerr, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
Summary: Smallholder farming in the tropics, which characterizes biodiverse landscapes, has understudied effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services. This study in Malawi assessed the impacts of different crop types and landscape elements on biodiversity and ecosystem services. The results suggest that a tailored approach based on landscape context and smallholders' priorities is needed to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem services.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Fairo F. Dzekashu, Christian W. W. Pirk, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Alice Classen, Nkoba Kiatoko, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter, Marcell K. Peters, H. Michael G. Lattorff
Summary: In this study, plant-bee interaction networks were observed across an elevation gradient in the Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot region in Kenya for a full year. It was found that the nestedness and bee species specialization of these networks increased with elevation and varied between the cold-dry and warm-wet seasons. Network modularity and plant species specialization were higher at lower elevations, particularly during the warm-wet seasons. Additionally, flower and bee species diversity and abundance were found to be better predictors of network architecture than climate variables.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Justine Vansynghel, Evert Thomas, Carolina Ocampo-Ariza, Bea Maas, Carlos Ulloque-Samatelo, Dapeng Zhang, Teja Tscharntke, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
Summary: The cacao tree is a valuable crop species, but its yields are limited by pollination deficits. Manual pollen supplementation with different genotypes can improve both yield quantity and quality of the fruits. However, this method is labor-intensive and costly to implement.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Patrick L. Kohl, Benjamin Rutschmann, Luis G. Sikora, Norbert Wimmer, Volker Zahner, Paul D'Alvise, Martin Hasselmann, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
Summary: In Germany, feral honeybees still colonize managed forests, but their survival rate is too low to maintain viable populations. The lack of spacious but well-protected nesting cavities and the shortage of food are currently more important than parasites in limiting populations of wild-living honeybees in German forests.
Article
Ecology
Patrick L. Kohl, Paul D'Alvise, Benjamin Rutschmann, Sebastian Roth, Felix Remter, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter, Martin Hasselmann
Summary: Bee parasites pose a major threat to apiculture and pollinator conservation. This study found that feral honeybees, which have escaped from apiaries, have lower parasite burden compared to managed colonies. Therefore, feral colonies are unlikely to contribute significantly to the spread of bee diseases.
ECOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS AND EVIDENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Friederike Gebert, Kurt Bollmann, Nele Schuwirth, Peter Duelli, Dominique Weber, Martin K. Obrist
Summary: While some studies indicate a decline in insect diversity, others show stable, fluctuating, or increasing trends. To comprehensively understand insect trends and their impact on ecosystem functioning, it is important to assess insect richness, abundance, and biomass, and report trends for multiple taxa. This study analyzed data from 42 sites in Switzerland from 2000 to 2007, and found stable or increasing trends for insect richness, abundance, and biomass over an 8-year period. Habitat types were the most significant predictor for temporal patterns, followed by climate- and vegetation-related factors.
INSECT CONSERVATION AND DIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Federico Ronchetti, Carlo Polidori, Thomas Schmitt, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter, Alexander Keller
Summary: This study investigated the bacterial gut microbiome of seven aculeate species in four brood parasite-host systems, revealing species-specific microbiomes with limited influence of host phylogenetic relatedness and significant contribution of shared microbes between hosts and parasites. Different patterns were observed between bee-parasite systems and the wasp-parasite system.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Friederike Gebert, Martin K. Obrist, Rosi Siber, Florian Altermatt, Kurt Bollmann, Nele Schuwirth
Summary: Recent studies have reported both decreases and increases in insect richness. In this study, nationwide monitoring data from Switzerland was analyzed to understand trends and underlying mechanisms. The results showed that the richness of aquatic insects remained stable or increased, with warm-adapted and pesticide-tolerant taxa showing increasing patterns. Climate and land-use factors were identified as important explanatory variables.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Pia Ditzel, Sebastian Koenig, Peter Musembi, Marcell K. Peters
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between coral reef condition and the diversity and abundance of fishes in a heavily fished coral reef in Gazi Bay, Kenya. The results showed that coral genus richness was negatively correlated with the abundance of macroalgae, while coral cover was positively correlated with herbivorous invertebrate abundance and fish family richness. The study highlights the importance of understanding the relationship among different components of coral reef ecosystems in overfished reefs.
OCEANS-SWITZERLAND
(2022)