Article
Ecology
Jorg Mueller, Roland Brandl, Marc W. Cadotte, Christoph Heibl, Claus Bassler, Ingmar Weiss, Klaus Birkhofer, Simon Thorn, Sebastian Seibold
Summary: Understanding the drivers of spider community assembly in temperate forests is important for ecology. This study analyzed two independent data sets covering gradients in elevation and forest succession and found that local environmental conditions have a dominant influence on species composition, while resource availability, biotic interactions, and dispersal play a minor role.
ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Frederick Gyasi Damptey, Klaus Birkhofer, Imma Oliveras Menor, Enrique G. de la Riva
Summary: Plant functional traits are important for tracking environmental changes and determining ecosystem functioning. This study examined the effects of functional structure and soil parameters on ecosystem services in different forest ecosystems in Ghana. The results showed that functional composition and soil properties varied between different ecosystem types, and were related to ecosystem service provision and multifunctionality.
Article
Microbiology
Johannes Sikorski, Vanessa Baumgartner, Klaus Birkhofer, Runa S. Boeddinghaus, Boyke Bunk, Markus Fischer, Baerbel U. Foesel, Michael W. Friedrich, Markus Goeker, Norbert Hoelzel, Sixing Huang, Katharina J. Huber, Ellen Kandeler, Valentin H. Klaus, Till Kleinebecker, Sven Marhan, Christian von Mering, Yvonne Oelmann, Daniel Prati, Kathleen M. Regan, Tim Richter-Heitmann, Joao F. Matias Rodrigues, Barbara Schmitt, Ingo Schoening, Marion Schrumpf, Elisabeth Schurig, Emily F. Solly, Volkmar Wolters, Joerg Overmann
Summary: This study used a culture-independent niche modeling approach to investigate the ecological adaptations and evolution of Acidobacteria in grassland soils in Germany. The results revealed a pronounced ecological diversification among acidobacterial sister clades and showed that the high diversity of soil acidobacterial communities is largely sustained by differential habitat adaptation. The niche modeling approach correctly predicted the physiological properties of cultivated species of Acidobacteria and provided novel information on ecological adaptations that cannot be inferred from standard taxonomic descriptions.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Svenja Meyer, Dominika Kundel, Klaus Birkhofer, Andreas Fliessbach, Stefan Scheu
Summary: This study predicts that higher frequencies of summer droughts will change soil conditions in the future, thus affecting soil fauna communities and their interactions. The effects of drought on soil biota in agroecosystems can be influenced by different management practices that alter the availability of food resources. The study focuses on the effect of drought on soil microarthropods and their trophic niches, using stable isotope analysis. The results suggest that plant litter, root exudates, and older plant material are important resources for certain species of Collembola and Oribatida. Drought and farming systems did not affect the abundance of species, but some species showed increased isotope values in organically managed fields, indicating a higher proportion of microorganisms in their diet. Overall, the study suggests that the flexible usage of resources can buffer the effects of drought and management practices on microarthropods in agricultural systems.
Article
Microbiology
Nadja Heitmann, Michael Glemnitz, Klaus Birkhofer, Marina E. H. Mueller
Summary: The dispersal of plant pathogens by ground-dwelling arthropods can connect and shape communities. The Fusarium community on the body surface of these arthropods is more diverse compared to litter and soil communities, and is related to the composition observed in litter and soil.
Article
Zoology
Mohammadreza Lashkari, Daniel Burckhardt, Shahab Manzari
Summary: Cacopsylla nasuta, newly recorded from Iran, is morphologically similar to but distinct from Cacopsylla hippophaes. The study concludes that C. nasuta is restricted to mountain ranges in Iran, Central Asia, Siberia and probably the Caucasus, while C. hippophaes is found in Europe. It is suggested that previous records of C. hippophaes from Asia actually refer to C. nasuta.
Article
Biology
Daniel Burckhardt, Andre Nel, Manfred Raisch, Markus J. Poschmann
Summary: In this study, Permoridium fresenaci gen. et sp. nov., the oldest putative representative of the bug suborder Coleorrhyncha, was described and its position in the Hemiptera was discussed. The attribution of Permoridium to the modern Coleorrhyncha was supported by its synapomorphies and the relationships with other extinct families were also discussed.
HISTORICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Warbota Khum, Ondrej Kosulic, Klaus Birkhofer, Radek Michalko
Summary: This study found that infestation by the invasive pathogenic fungus changed the regulatory mechanisms in arthropod food webs of young ash plantations. In low infestation levels, bottom-up and top-down regulation were relatively balanced, but in highly infested plantations, spiders were bottom-up limited and there was a top-down effect of herbivores on ash leaves. As a result, the invasive fungus affected ecosystem functioning through a reduction of functional complementarity and intensification of negative intraguild interactions among predators.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Geonho Cho, Daniel Burckhardt, Seunghwan Lee
Summary: An updated checklist of Psylloidea from the Korean Peninsula is presented, including new records of five species in Korea, bringing the total to 130 species in 32 genera and six families. Synonymisations, redefined genera, and nominal species are discussed, along with proposed new combinations and reinstated previous combinations.
Article
Zoology
Gary S. Taylor, Susan E. Halbert, Ashirwad Tripathy, Daniel Burckhardt
Summary: This paper describes a new psyllid species, Acizzia convector Burckhardt & Taylor, sp. nov., originating from Australia. The species has been found in various regions, including Australia, South and Southeast Asia, and North America. It develops on Acacia auriculiformis and A. mangium, two widely planted mimosa plants in the tropics. The paper also provides a key to identify the adults of Acizzia species in the New World.
Article
Entomology
Daniel Burckhardt
Summary: Eryngiofaga perrara sp. nov., a new species found on Mount Pilatus in Switzerland, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to E. matura from Mongolia, but differs in genal processes and terminalia. Eryngiofaga consists of 13 known species, with five occurring in Central and Western Europe. This is the first record of the genus in Switzerland or the Alps.
Article
Ecology
M. Pilar Gavin-Centol, Diego Serrano-Carnero, Marta Montserrat, Svenja Meyer, Stefan Scheu, Dominika Kundel, Andreas Fliessbach, Jaak Truu, Klaus Birkhofer, Sara Sanchez-Moreno, Jordi Moya-Larano
Summary: Soil invertebrates play a crucial role in decomposition and their activity is affected by climate change. However, data on the impact of rainfall pattern shifts on soil biota and ecosystem processes are lacking. This study found that extreme drought and conventional farming reduced the feeding activity of detritivores, and soil water and mineral nitrogen contents strongly influenced their activity.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Werner Gerwin, Thomas Raab, Klaus Birkhofer, Christoph Hinz, Peter Letmathe, Michael Leuchner, Martina Ross-Nickoll, Thomas Ruede, Katja Trachte, Frank Waetzold, Frank Lehmkuhl
Summary: The German federal government's decision to cease lignite mining until 2038 or earlier will lead to various transition processes in the remaining lignite mining districts of Germany. The Rhineland and Lusatia, the two largest districts, will experience significant socioeconomic and environmental changes. This paper compares the natural and cultural settings of these regions and highlights the differences in economic situations and mining technologies, emphasizing the need for knowledge exchange and experience transfer between the two regions for successful transformation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE
(2023)
Review
Zoology
Saskia Bastin, Daniel Burckhardt, J. Alfredo Reyes-betancort, Estrella Hernandez-suarez, David Ouvrard
Summary: This study reviews the psyllid fauna of the Canary Islands based on recent field work and examination of materials in collections. It describes two new genera and 16 new species. The study increases the number of known psyllid taxa from the Canary Islands.
Article
Entomology
Taciana M. de A. Kuhn, Daniel Burckhardt, Dalva L. Queiroz, Carlos A. Antolinez, Gabriela R. Teresani, Joao R. S. Lopes
Summary: Some psyllids transmit 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum', which causes devastating plant diseases in Solanaceae and Apiaceae crops. The recent detection of Bactericera cockerelli and Lso in Ecuador poses a serious threat to these crops in South America. Through a survey in Brazil, potential psyllid vectors and risk scenarios for the spread of Lso were identified, with at least 37 species of psyllids found on Solanaceae and Apiaceae crops and associated weeds.
REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE ENTOMOLOGIA
(2023)
