Article
Entomology
Jessica A. Hartshorn, David R. Coyle
Summary: Research shows that nonnative invasive species can have complex effects on native communities, with different types of invasive species affecting native species to varying degrees.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Sergey Yu. Storozhenko, Ming Kai Tan, Trung Thanh Vu, Cuong Viet Canhle, Thai Hong Pham
Summary: This paper presents a list of 10 species from three subfamilies of Tetrigidae found in Bach Ma National Park, Thua Thien-Hue province, Vietnam. Eight of these species are newly recorded for the national park. Two new species, Miriatroides luna Tan & Storozhenko, sp. nov. and Rhopalina bachma Tan & Storozhenko, sp. nov., are described. A new synonymy is proposed: Systolederus cinereus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 = Systolederus ridleyi Hancock, 1909, syn. nov. Additionally, three species are recorded in Vietnam for the first time: Tegotettix bufocrocodil (Storozhenko & Dawwrueng, 2015), previously known from Thailand and Cambodia, Zhengitettix albitarsus Storozhenko, 2013, which was considered endemic to Thailand, and Systolederus cinereus, widely distributed in Southeast Asia.
Article
Zoology
Matthew S. Bird, David T. Bilton, Musa C. Mlambo, Renzo Perissinotto
Summary: The water beetle fauna in the Afrotemperate Forests of southern Cape region, South Africa, is poorly documented. This study provides the first record of water beetles in this region, presenting important baseline data for future research on these habitats in southern Africa.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Johanna Almasy, Franz Essl, Ambros Berger, Christian H. Schulze
Summary: The study revealed significant impacts of grazing and mowing on the species richness, composition, and abundance of grasshoppers, with less dense vegetation in grazed transects better fulfilling the habitat requirements of xero-thermophilic species. Grasshoppers rapidly respond to changing land use practices.
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Gabriel Biffi, Simone Policena Rosa, Robin Kundrata
Summary: Jurasaidae are a recently discovered family of small neotenic beetles with wingless larviform females and flying adult males. This study reports the discovery of two new species and an interesting population of a known species, as well as the first finding of a Jurasaid species in the relatively dry Atlantic Forest/Caatinga transitional zone. Considering their small size and cryptic lifestyle, it is expected that more species of Jurasaidae will be discovered in the future.
Article
Plant Sciences
Antonio Santos-Silva, Martijn Van Roie, Merlijn Jocque
Summary: An ongoing study in the cloud forests of Cusuco National Park has revealed the addition of four new beetle species and the revalidation of one species. The first-time record of a longhorned beetle species in Honduras was also documented. These findings highlight the incomplete documentation of invertebrate biodiversity in cloud forests, and suggest a significant loss of species due to ongoing deforestation.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF TAXONOMY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Cristina de Oliveira Araujo, Joaquin Hortal, Margarete Valverde de Macedo, Ricardo Ferreira Monteiro
Summary: This study characterizes the elevational and temporal variation in species richness and abundance of Scarabaeinae dung beetles in Itatiaia National Park. Results show that elevation and season correlate with species richness and abundance, with significant phenological changes at the community level associated with climatic variations between seasons.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TROPICAL INSECT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Artur R. M. Serrano, Martim Baptista, Rui Carvalho, Mario Boieiro, Sara Mendes, Marie Bartz, Sergio Timoteo, Henrique M. V. S. Azevedo-Pereira, Carlos A. S. Aguiar, Antonio Alves da Silva, Joana Alves, Maria Jesus I. Briones, Paulo A. V. Borges, Jose P. Sousa, Pedro Martins da Silva
Summary: The Gorongosa National Park is a significant protected area in Africa, known for its biodiversity and ecology restoration efforts. However, there is limited research on the invertebrate biodiversity in the park. This study aims to assess the diversity of Caraboidea beetles and provide insights for conservation planning and climate change assessment.
BIODIVERSITY DATA JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Alexander B. Ruchin, Sergei K. Alekseev, Oleg N. Artaev, Anatoliy A. Khapugin, Evgeniy A. Lobachev, Sergei V. Lukiyanov, Gennadiy B. Semishin
Summary: This study investigated the Carabidae fauna in National Park Smolny, Russia, and found a rich diversity of ground beetles in the area. Seasonal dynamics show that the number of ground beetles is highest in spring, decreasing in biotopes by autumn.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mayre Ellen Rodrigues de Sousa, Francisco E. de L. Nascimento
Summary: This study analyzed the diversity of Cerambycidae in different phytophysiognomies within a botanical garden in Brazil. The results showed seasonal distribution patterns and differences in species composition and diversity among the different vegetation types.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Silvia Hyblerova, Juraj Medo, Marek Barta
Summary: Bark beetles are serious forest pests in Slovakia, with significant ecological and economic impacts on spruce forests. Entomopathogenic fungi are important antagonists that have the potential to regulate populations of their hosts during outbreaks. A study in the Tatra National Park in Slovakia identified three Beauveria species infecting bark beetles, with Beauveria bassiana as the dominant pathogen. The prevalence of fungal infection had little influence on bark beetle abundance.
ANNALS OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Margaret A. Mamantov, Kimberly S. Sheldon
Summary: Dung beetle communities, including multiple species, provide important ecosystem services by burying dung and enriching the soil. These communities vary across elevational and habitat gradients, with low-elevation communities being more diverse and high-elevation communities dominated by non-native species. This study conducted a census of dung beetles in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and found temporal and geographic variations in abundance and distribution.
COLEOPTERISTS BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ananza M. Rabello, Catherine L. Parr, Antonio C. M. Queiroz, Danielle L. Braga, Graziele S. Santiago, Carla R. Ribas
Summary: Land-use change affects ant species and functional groups differently based on frequency of occurrence, habitat specificity, and fidelity, with common ant species being more sensitive to habitat transformation. Different vegetation types have distinct indicator species and functional groups in native habitats compared to converted habitats. Functional groups in converted habitats show lack of specificity and fidelity in any vegetation type.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fernando A. O. Silveira, Carlos A. Ordonez-Parra, Livia C. Moura, Isabel B. Schmidt, Alan N. Andersen, William Bond, Elise Buisson, Giselda Durigan, Alessandra Fidelis, Rafael S. Oliveira, Catherine Parr, Lucy Rowland, Joseph W. Veldman, R. Toby Pennington
Summary: The study identified disparities in attention, action, and knowledge among different biomes in tropical restoration science, practice, and policy, with forests receiving more focus than open biomes. The findings suggest a need to increase awareness and recognition of the value of open biomes for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, climate change mitigation, and human livelihoods, in order to effectively achieve the goals of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yong Zhou, Jenia Singh, John R. Butnor, Corli Coetsee, Peter B. Boucher, Madelon F. Case, Evan G. Hockridge, Andrew B. Davies, A. Carla Staver
Summary: This study provides one of the first direct estimates of the impact of over 60 years of fire exclusion in African savannas, showing that fire suppression can increase whole-ecosystem carbon storage but to a lesser extent than previously assumed, with significant belowground carbon reserves being overlooked.
Article
Ecology
Yong Zhou, A. Carla Staver, Andrew B. Davies
Summary: Termites consume large amounts of plant material and produce methane as a byproduct. The methane production rates vary greatly among different termite species and feeding groups. This study reviews research articles published from 1975 to 2021 and creates a standardized list of termite methane production rates, aiming to fill data gaps and improve our understanding of termites' role in biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem processes.
Article
Ecology
Evan G. Hockridge, Jenia Singh, Peter B. Boucher, Andrew B. Davies
Summary: Fire regimes have varying impacts on termite mound size and distribution, but overall, termite mounds are resistant to changes in fire seasonality and frequency.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Tyler C. Coverdale, Andrew B. Davies
Summary: Vegetation structural complexity (VSC), the three-dimensional distribution of plants, is an important ecological trait. Recent research shows that VSC is associated with stronger ecosystem functioning and more diverse plant communities tend to be more structurally complex. Active remote sensing technology has facilitated VSC research and provides evidence for the positive relationship between phytodiversity and VSC.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Zhengyang Wang, Jimmy Zeng, Hao Ran, Weilin Meng, Shanyi Zhou, Andrew B. Davies, Cong Liu
Summary: By monitoring online pet ant sales in China, we found that a total of 58,937 ant colonies from 209 species were sold by 206 sellers in 89 cities across the country in six months. More than a quarter of the traded species were not native to China. The most sought-after ants were found to have higher invasive potential than less popular species based on trait-based analysis.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Review
Biology
Michael D. Voysey, P. J. Nico de Bruyn, Andrew B. Davies
Summary: Megaherbivores, especially the common hippopotamus, play vital roles as ecosystem engineers in Africa. However, despite the importance of their engineering activities, hippos have received the least scientific and conservation attention. This review aims to assess the evidence for hippos as ecosystem engineers, their ecological impacts, and the factors critical to their conservation.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jenia Singh, Peter B. Boucher, Evan G. Hockridge, Andrew B. Davies
Summary: Fire regime characteristics, such as frequency and season of burn, have unknown effects on the vegetation structure, biomass, and tree abundance in savanna ecosystems. This study uses LiDAR technology to investigate the long-term effects of fire manipulation on savanna vegetation in Kruger National Park, South Africa.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tercia Strydom, Izak P. J. Smit, Navashni Govender, Corli Coetsee, Jenia Singh, Andrew B. B. Davies, Brian W. W. van Wilgen
Summary: Woody thickening or 'bush encroachment' is a global concern in savannas, and high-intensity fires were initially thought to reverse it. However, after 10 years of monitoring, it was found that the different fire treatments did not result in a significant difference in woody encroachment, indicating that high-intensity fires may not be an effective solution.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Florian Reiner, Martin Brandt, Xiaoye Tong, David Skole, Ankit Kariryaa, Philippe Ciais, Andrew Davies, Pierre Hiernaux, Jerome Chave, Maurice Mugabowindekwe, Christian Igel, Stefan Oehmcke, Fabian Gieseke, Sizhuo Li, Siyu Liu, Sassan Saatchi, Peter Boucher, Jenia Singh, Simon Taugourdeau, Morgane Dendoncker, Xiao-Peng Song, Ole Mertz, Compton J. Tucker, Rasmus Fensholt
Summary: The continuous monitoring of trees is crucial for sustainable land management, but current systems lack consistent coverage. This study uses high-resolution imagery from the PlanetScope nanosatellite constellation to map tree cover in Africa, revealing that 29% of trees are found outside traditionally classified forest areas. This accurate mapping at the individual tree level has the potential to redefine land use impacts and contribute to natural climate solutions.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Peter B. Boucher, Evan G. Hockridge, Jenia Singh, Andrew B. Davies
Summary: The flexibility of UAV-lidar remote sensing provides new opportunities for studying savanna ecology, but also introduces customizable variables that can impact data quality. By comparing lidar point clouds collected with different flight patterns and sensor parameters, it was found that altitude and pattern have significant impacts on vegetation metrics, with altitude having the largest impact.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Oswald J. Schmitz, Magnus Sylven, Trisha B. Atwood, Elisabeth S. Bakker, Fabio Berzaghi, Jedediah F. Brodie, Joris P. G. M. Cromsigt, Andrew B. Tilker, Shawn J. Leroux, Frans J. Schepers, Felisa A. Smith, Sari Stark, Jens-Christian Svenning, Andrew B. Tilker, Henni Ylanne
Summary: The authors argue for the importance of including animals in natural climate solutions, as the restoration and conservation of wild animals and their functional roles can enhance natural carbon capture and storage. They believe that this approach can contribute to preventing climate warming beyond 1.5 degrees C. However, they point out that the current understanding undervalues the role animals play in controlling the carbon cycle.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Nicholas J. J. Russo, Andrew B. B. Davies, Rachel V. V. Blakey, Elsa M. M. Ordway, Thomas B. B. Smith
Summary: Vegetation structure and animal ecology form a feedback mechanism, where each influences the other. By integrating separate lines of research and utilizing remote sensing and animal tracking technologies, we can understand the consequences of these feedback loops for ecosystem functioning. Understanding how animals interact with vegetation structure in feedback loops is crucial for conserving ecosystems facing disruptions from climate and land-use change.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yong Zhou, Barbara Bomfim, William J. J. Bond, Thomas W. W. Boutton, Madelon F. F. Case, Corli Coetsee, Andrew B. B. Davies, Edmund C. C. February, Emma F. F. Gray, Lucas C. R. Silva, Jamie L. L. Wright, A. Carla Staver
Summary: A case study in South Africa combined with a synthesis of global data on tropical savannas shows that grasses contribute more than half of the soil organic carbon (SOC) across these regions. The assumption that increasing tree cover leads to significant gains in SOC may not reflect the actual changes, as SOC in savannas is also derived from grasses. The study highlights the substantial contribution of grasses to SOC and the uncertainty in SOC responses to increasing tree cover in tropical savannas.