Article
Ecology
Shane A. Blowes, Gergana N. Daskalova, Maria Dornelas, Thore Engel, Nicholas J. Gotelli, Anne E. Magurran, Ines S. Martins, Brian McGill, Daniel J. McGlinn, Alban Sagouis, Hideyasu Shimadzu, Sarah R. Supp, Jonathan M. Chase
Summary: This study investigates the interrelationships between changes in abundance, evenness, and richness in biodiversity metrics. The research shows that richness changes maximally when abundance and evenness change in the same direction. Site-to-site differences in abundance, evenness, and richness are often decoupled, while changes in species richness and relative abundance are strongly correlated for assemblages varying through time. The study suggests that understanding the interdependencies between changing abundance, evenness, and richness can provide new insights into biodiversity change in the Anthropocene.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ashish N. Nerlekar, Avishkar Munje, Pranav Mhaisalkar, Ankila J. Hiremath, Joseph W. Veldman
Summary: The consequences of land-use change in western Maharashtra, India, result in declines in old-growth savannas and changes in plant communities, with decreased native species richness and cover, as well as increased cover of invasive species. Among the different land-use types, tillage agriculture has the greatest dissimilarity to old-growth savannas.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrey S. Erst, Shukherdorj Baasanmunkh, Zagarjav Tsegmed, Khurelpurev Oyundelger, Mathew T. Sharples, Batlai Oyuntsetseg, Denis A. Krivenko, Irina I. Gureyeva, Roman R. Romanets, Alexander A. Kuznetsov, Alexey A. Kechaykin, Alexander I. Shmakov, Svetlana Yu. Maltseva, Tatiana Erst, Wei Wang, Hee-Young Gil, Hyeok Jae Choi
Summary: The Altai Mountains in Central and North Asia are home to a diverse range of endemic vascular plants. This study assessed the conservation status of these plants, analyzed their distribution patterns, and identified areas in need of protection. The results showed that a significant number of endemic species are potentially threatened, with hotspots of endemism found in high elevations of the Russian Altai and Kazakh Altai.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matteo Galli, Paola Tepsich, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Massimiliano Rosso, Ariadni Vafeiadou, Martha Pantelidou, Maria Cristina Fossi
Summary: This study investigates the impact of plastic pollution on biodiversity in the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and identifies potential sensitive areas of exposure.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elizabeth Y. Braatz, Zachariah J. Gezon, Kristin Rossetti, Lily T. Maynard, Jonathan S. Bremer, Geena M. Hill, Marissa A. Streifel, Jaret C. Daniels
Summary: The study found that bloom evenness has a significant impact on flower visitor richness, insect richness, and insect abundance, while bloom abundance is positively correlated with flower visitor abundance. Factors such as nearest greenspace size, distance to greenspace, plant type, and yard area were not found to be important, and plant richness, although significant, had a small effect size.
Article
Ecology
Wenhao Li, Xianglei Hou, Chunxia Xu, Mingshuo Qin, Supen Wang, Li Wei, Yanping Wang, Xuan Liu, Yiming Li
Summary: The study found that eDNA metabarcoding is more accurate in measuring anuran diversity and can reliably estimate the abundance of different species compared to traditional methods. Species-specific characteristics have a significant impact on read count variations, while physiochemical factors have little effect.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kristin M. Conrad, Valerie E. Peters, Sandra M. Rehan
Summary: This study in Costa Rica revealed differences in bee abundance, community composition and crop visitor behavior along elevation gradients. It found that certain bee species showed abundance differences by elevation within a narrow elevational range, with stingless bees being important visitors to crop species. Conservation efforts for tropical montane bee communities and pollination services should focus on elevations that support the highest numbers of each species.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Vivian Flinte, Diego G. Padua, Emily M. Durand, Caitlin Hodgin, Gabriel Khattar, Luiz Felipe L. da Silveira, Daniell R. R. Fernandes, Ilari E. Saaksjarvi, Ricardo F. Monteiro, Margarete V. Macedo, Peter J. Mayhew
Summary: This study explores the diversity of Darwin wasps in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest and finds high species richness with variation in altitudes. Low to medium elevations in tropical regions conserve the greatest number of species locally, but a wider range of elevations should be targeted for conserving maximal biodiversity.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
G. Steur, R. W. Verburg, M. J. Wassen, P. A. Teunissen, P. A. Verweij
Summary: This study examines the relationship between non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and plant diversity, finding both positive and negative connections between abundance and plant diversity indicators. It also highlights the impact of a few NTFP species on overall abundance and their association with specific floristic compositions.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Brunna Leao-Gomes, Heraldo L. Vasconcelos
Summary: This study evaluates the impact of land-use change on euglossine bees in the Cerrado region of Brazil. It finds that the conversion of natural habitats into agriculture, livestock, or plantation forestry leads to a loss of species diversity and decreased abundance of euglossines. The study also reveals changes in body size and wing fluctuating asymmetry of euglossines in converted habitats.
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Maike L. Morrison, Noah A. Rosenberg
Summary: The measurement of diversity is crucial in ecology and evolution studies. Population genetics and ecology use similar concepts and mathematical formulas to study diversity. Recent developments in mathematical constraints on the Shannon entropy statistic have improved our understanding of how standard measures depend on the most frequent allele. This study extends these constraints to specific positions in a vector of species abundances and provides new insights into the interpretation of numerical measurements of biodiversity.
JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jos H. Urquizo, Ruben M. Barquez, Ignacio Ferro
Summary: This research explores the elevation gradient of small mammal diversity on the arid slopes of the Andes in northwestern Argentina. It found that environmental factors and climate influence species richness and abundance, with the highest values occurring at 3700 meters. The joint effects of environmental heterogeneity and productivity explain most of the variation in richness and abundance.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Shakeel Ahmed, Pritpal Singh Soorae, Eissa Al Hammadi, Rashed Al Zaabi, Anitha Saji, Shahid B. Khan, Sabitha Sakkir, Ahmed Ali, Imran Khaliq, Robert E. Gubiani, Salim Javed, Khaldoun Al Omari, Shaikha Al Dhaheri
Summary: Biodiversity is facing enormous pressure from multiple threats, and establishing protected areas is one way to mitigate these threats. A study conducted in the Houbara Protected Area in Abu Dhabi found that temperature has a positive impact on species richness, indicating the importance of protection measures in promoting biodiversity.
SAUDI JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Petr Zajicek, Ellen A. R. Welti, Nathan J. Baker, Kathrin Januschke, Oliver Brauner, Peter Haase
Summary: The study analyzed ground beetle community data to investigate the potential impacts of climate change in the future, revealing that taxonomic and functional diversity show different trends in different regions, and ground beetle activity density is influenced by changes in precipitation and land use.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
H. Yilmaz, U. Akkemik, O. Y. Yilmaz, E. Ebcin
Summary: Istanbul's historical groves are important green areas consisting of large tree communities that have been protected and developed in a historical process and they meet the recreational needs of city residents. The purpose of this study is to understand whether or not the visitors notice the plant richness of the grove and to test visitors' ability to identify tree species. Results showed that the perceived plant species richness within the grove was often well below the actual richness recorded. The frequency of visits had a relationship with the visitor awareness of tree species, but it did not contribute meaningfully to the knowledge of species identification.
APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Juliano A. Bogoni, Alexandre R. Percequillo, Katia M. P. M. B. Ferraz, Carlos A. Peres
Summary: The publication of the Empty Forest paradigm three decades ago has influenced studies on biodiversity erosion. However, the evidence to date remains pessimistic about the fate of wildlife, calling for a more proactive approach by societal actors to align resource exploitation systems with the goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jorge Salazar-Bravo, Nicolas Tinoco, Horacio Zeballos, Jorge Brito, Daniela Arenas-Viveros, David Marin-C, Jose Daniel Ramirez-Fernandez, Alexandre R. Percequillo, Thomas E. Lee Jr, Sergio Solari, Javier Colmenares-Pinzon, Carlos Nivelo, Bernal Rodriguez Herrera, William Merino, Cesar E. Medina, Oscar Murillo-Garcia, Ulyses F. J. Pardinas
Summary: This study conducted an integrative study of the systematics and biogeography of the Neotropical cricetid rodents, Ichthyomyini. The results obtained are inconsistent with the currently accepted classification and understanding of the tribe. It was also found that Ichthyomyini is one of the main Andean radiations of sigmodontine cricetids with an evolutionary history dating to the Late Miocene.
Review
Ecology
Bradley J. Bergstrom, Samuel B. Scruggs, Emerson M. Vieira
Summary: Small-mammal assemblages in tropical savannas are endemic and understudied compared to other tropical habitats. They play important roles as prey, ecosystem engineers, and disease reservoirs, making it crucial to understand the factors that regulate their abundance and diversity. A review of field studies showed that small mammals in tropical savannas respond to changes in habitat structure and food availability caused by disturbances such as fire, large mammalian herbivory (LMH), and drought. Vegetative cover is found to enhance the abundance and richness of small savanna mammals, while a minority of species are disturbance-tolerant.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Nicholas F. de Camargo, Hernani F. M. de Oliveira, Juliana F. Ribeiro, Amabilio J. A. de Camargo, Emerson M. Vieira
Summary: Knowledge of individual traits' influence on interaction patterns in nature can help us understand individuals' topological roles within intrapopulation interaction networks. Our study tested hypotheses on the relationships between individuals' positions in Gracilinanus agilis networks and their body traits and also seasonal effects. We found that individuals with lower body length, better body condition, and relatively shorter tail were more specialized and less connected within the network. Additionally, specialization and connectivity were more pronounced during the warm-wet season. Our findings suggest that specialization may arise from both preferred feeding strategies and morphological constraints, and highlight the importance of individual traits in shaping interaction patterns and specialization in populations.
Article
Zoology
Caio S. Nogueira, Nicholas F. Camargo, Joao A. F. Pantaleao, Rogerio C. Costa
Summary: Through geometric morphometrics analyses, this study revealed that Macrobrachium amazonicum and Macrobrachium pantanalense, two closely related freshwater prawn species, can be distinguished by the carapace and telson structures.
ZOOLOGISCHER ANZEIGER
(2023)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Bradley J. Bergstrom, Christopher R. Dickman, Ara Monadjem, Emerson M. Vieira
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Heloisa Oss Boll, Matheus de Castro Leitao, Aisel Valle Garay, Ana Carolina Campos Batista, Sophia Garcia de Resende, Leonardo Ferreira da Silva, Viviane Castelo Branco Reis, Emerson Monteiro Vieira, Cintia Marques Coelho
Summary: Synthetic biology combines engineering and biology to design and create living organisms and systems for new or improved functionalities. However, teaching synthetic biology can be challenging due to a lack of specific educational materials and techniques. This study demonstrates the use of computer-assisted design (CAD) and 3D printing to create molecular models of a synthetic biological circuit, the genetic toggle switch, which positively impacted students' learning process and understanding.
FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Clarice Vieira Souza, Agueda Lourenco, Emerson Monteiro Vieira
Summary: Fire occurrence influences the distribution of key resources for fauna in natural ecosystems. Understanding how species respond to fire-induced changes is crucial for fire management strategies suitable for biodiversity conservation. This study investigated the impact of fire regimes on the space used by medium and large mammals in a fire-prone savanna ecosystem, and found that different mammal species responded differently to fire-related variables.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Deborah Faria, Jose Carlos Morante-Filho, Julio Baumgarten, Ricardo S. Bovendorp, Eliana Cazetta, Fernanda A. Gaiotto, Eduardo Mariano-Neto, Marcelo S. Mielke, Michaele S. Pessoa, Larissa Rocha-Santos, Alesandro S. Santos, Leiza A. S. S. Soares, Daniela C. Talora, Emerson M. Vieira, Maira Benchimol
Summary: The pace of deforestation in tropical forests has reached unprecedented levels, requiring effective and easily understandable conservation measures. A large-scale project in the threatened Atlantic Forest has revealed the significant impacts of deforestation on habitat quality, biodiversity, and ecological processes. After a decade of research, evidence shows changes in forest characteristics, reduced biodiversity, and disruptions in ecological processes.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Bruna A. Nunes, Andre Cunha, Emerson M. Vieira
Summary: This study investigated the effects of a large unplanned wildfire on medium and large mammals in the Cerrado area of Brazil. The results showed that the wildfire led to changes in community composition, particularly affecting the abundance of herbivores and carnivores for up to three years after the fire.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WILDLAND FIRE
(2023)
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andre Faria Mendonca
Article
Zoology
Alexandre Reis Percequillo, Marcelo Weksler
Summary: This study discovered a new species of the genus Euryoryzomys in the Brejos de altitude of north-eastern Brazil, which is distinct from other species and has a unique geographical distribution.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Clement Harmange, Cyntia Cavalcante Santos, Fabio de Oliveira Roque, Franco Leandro Souza, Damien Arvor, Manon Bonnet, Emerson M. Vieira, Olivier Pays
Summary: Tropical ecosystems, which harbor the highest biodiversity on the planet, are facing significant land conversion for agriculture. Previous studies have focused on the impacts of forest cover loss on tropical biodiversity, neglecting the role of habitats surrounding forest fragments. This study found that the composition and abundance of small-mammal communities are closely related to the land cover surrounding forest fragments, emphasizing the importance of maintaining native vegetation in human-modified landscapes.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Inae Guion de Almeida, Alexandre Reis Percequillo, Mario Manoel Rollo
Summary: Accurate demographic data are crucial for implementing conservation strategies and identifying key areas for species preservation. This study estimated the population abundance and density of Sotalia guianensis in the Cananeia estuarine-lagoon complex in Brazil using distance sampling. The results showed heterogeneous distribution of the species in different areas, emphasizing the importance of the region for conservation.
JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
(2023)
