查看更多>>摘要：Tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) has been reduced to riparian vegetation remnants, and small patches surrounded by different land uses and human settlements. In agricultural and highly disturbed TMCF landscapes, the conservation of species diversity depends partially on management decisions made by landowners. This study compared the influence of 15 different ranching management practices (biodiversity-friendly or unfriendly) on the species and functional diversity of dung beetles associated with TMCF in a Mexican mountainous tropical landscape. Cattle pastures were divided into six groups (G) based on management practices friendly or unfriendly to dung beetle diversity. The most common biodiversity-friendly practices were livestock intensification (animal rotation and stocking) for grass recovery, (ii) organic fertilizer use, and (iii) the presence of shade trees. In contrast, agrochemical use, percentage of grass surface coverage, use of external food supplements, and the amount of disturbance were considered to be unfriendly biodiversity practices. G1 was a technified ranch experiencing frequent use of agrochemicals, had disturbed conditions with more than 40% of grass surface coverage, and used more practices unfriendly to biodiversity. In contrast, G4 had more than 50% biodiversity-friendly practices and pasture group G6 was characterized by low animal loading, total grass surface coverage and technification. In these pastures, ranchers did not use herbicides and used local resources as food supplements. A total of 2218 beetles belonging to 19 species were captured. G2 pastures had higher species diversity, while G1 pastures had the lowest. G6 pastures had the highest diversity of large, medium and coprophagous beetles, whereas G1 pastures showed the lowest. Agrochemical applications and pasture disturbance were the key results from management decisions influencing dung beetle diversity. Implications for insect conservation Animal rotations, tree presence in grazing areas, and organic fertilizer applications were the most influential management decisions for improving conservation of dung beetles in the Mexican TMCF landscape studied. These practices should be favored by management strategies. Cattle pastures with higher frequencies of agrochemical applications and degree of disturbance showed the lowest dung beetles species diversity, and diversity of large and coprophagous species, likely implying greater negative effects on ecosystem functions and services. As such, these practices should be diminished.
Jaszayova, AlexandraJaszay, TomasCsanady, Alexander
16页
查看更多>>摘要：The present study expands knowledge on terrestrial beetles, especially those of the subterranean habitats, in Western Carpathians. All the areas are situated in the southern part of the Western Carpathians (Slovakia). The structure of the beetle communities was evaluated by characterizing the spatial and depth distribution in forested screes. Beetle assemblages were studied using subterranean traps filled with two different fixative solutions, ethylene glycol and formaldehyde, inserted at depths from 5 to 95 cm through a plastic tube. Activity of beetles was the 45.5% of all specimens recorded in 5 cm, 16.5% in 15 cm, 7.4% in 25 cm below the surface, also relative increased activity was recorded in 85 cm (4.2%) in comparison with other depths. Effectivity of fixative solutions was non-significant. In total 1027 ex. belonging to 156 species were sampled. The scarce and very interesting species Ptomaphagus sericatus (Chaudoir, 1845), Omalium validum Kraatz, 1858 and Quedius mesomelinus mesomelinus (Marsham, 1802) as well as the endemic hypogeophile species Duvalius (Duvalius) goemoeriensis (Bokor, 1922) and Duvalius bokori gelidus (Csiki, 1912) were found. The species Oxylaemus variolosus (Dufour, 1843) (Bothrideridae) is a new species for the fauna of Slovakia, and Agaricophagus reitteri Ganglbauer, 1899 (Leiodidae) is confirmed for the fauna of Slovakia after 90 years. Implications for insect conservation This study has implications for insect conservation by providing important baseline data on beetle taxa for future monitoring and assessment of this ecologically sensitive region. The data obtained on the biology can be exploited for future initiatives for the species conservation. It would be appropriate to re-evaluate the localities of the species Duvalius bokori gelidus and classify them in a higher degree of territorial conservation.
查看更多>>摘要：As growing urban populations have fewer chances to experience nature, i.e., 'the extinction of experience', the subsequent loss of emotional affinities for biodiversity (biophilia) pose major challenges to environmental conservation. Gardening, as an everyday nature interaction and window into invertebrate ecological functioning may offer opportunities to develop biophilia. However, the associations between gardening and biophilia/biophobia towards invertebrates remains untested. We conducted an online survey (n = 443) with adults in Japan about their nature and gardening experiences, demographics, and species identification knowledge in relation to their biophilia (like) and biophobia (dislike, fear, and disgust) towards invertebrates. We also asked participants about their perceptions of invertebrates as 'beneficials' or 'pests'. From responses, we ranked invertebrates according to the attitudes held towards them. We found that frequent gardeners were more likely to express biophilia and perceive invertebrates as beneficial, and generally less likely to express biophobia towards invertebrates. Frequency of visits to recreational parks, but not national/state parks was associated with increased biophilia and reduced dislike and fear of invertebrates. Our results suggest that gardening, in addition to localised nature experiences, acts as a possible pathway towards appreciation of invertebrate biodiversity. We recommend that policymakers and conservation organisations view urban gardening as a potential tool to minimise the negative impacts of the extinction of experience. Implications for insect conservation As people are more likely to conserve what they love, finding ways to nurture positive attitudes towards insects is critical for the public support needed for successful insect conservation. Considering gardening is a relatively accessible form of nature connection even in cities, our findings of the association between gardening and biophilia towards invertebrates holds promise for potential pathways towards fostering support for insect conservation now and into the future.
查看更多>>摘要：Grassland ecosystems are species-rich habitats that are rapidly declining globally posing serious concerns for biodiversity conservation. This situation is particularly relevant in agricultural areas in Europe. As traditional management practices and livestock grazing regimes ceased, rewilding could be a potential avenue to tackle current biodiversity declines. To test this hypothesis, we set up a 3-year experiment where 12 horses were introduced in three 10-hectare enclosure replicates (four horses per enclosure). Horses were kept without supplementary feeding to mimic ecosystem functions of wild horses. We applied Generalized Linear Mixed Effects Models and a backward stepwise model selection procedure to elucidate factors that modulate insect richness induced by grazing. Our results show that plant species richness, the proportion of flowers and plant height play a significant role for butterfly and bumblebee richness, while the opposite effect was detected for grasshoppers. However, the effect on grasshoppers was counterbalanced by increased grasshopper species richness in habitats adjacent to horse latrines. Implications for insect conservation Rewilding with horses may offset current biodiversity declines by maintaining important functional links between plants and pollinators in grassland ecosystems. Horse grazing can however have different effects on diverse functional groups of insects. Application of integrative landscape scale approaches may be needed to elucidate the effects of rewilding for certain functional groups such as grasshoppers. With current biodiversity declines, up-scaling rewilding research and practice might be crucial to mitigate the pervasive effects on insects as their services and functions are critical for our existence.
查看更多>>摘要：The first step in monitoring and management of any taxa includes resolving taxonomic ambiguities which complicate the identification of its management units. One of the long-standing issues in saproxylic beetle taxonomy includes the case of Morimus asper (Sulzer, 1776) species complex, which comprises several protected taxa. An integrative approach based on multilocus genetic markers and geometric morphometric assessment of phenotypic characters was applied on Serbian populations of M. asper complex members and compared to published data to determine the existence of separate conservation units. The results indicate the existence of at least two evolutionarily and demographically distinct groups within M. asper complex on the Balkan Peninsula. We discuss the discordance between delimitation based on traditional morphological characters and the one rooted in novel genetic and geometric morphometric data. Implications for insect conservation With the emphasis on dead wood protection and regulation in forest ecosystems suffering from intense commercial exploitation, distinct lineages within M. asper taxonomic complex on the Balkan Peninsula should still be protected in the same manner for now, until the key missing points necessary for the improvement of the complex management are addressed in the future studies.
查看更多>>摘要：The desert sand-skipper Croitana aestiva Edwards is endemic to central Australia, a region with a semi-arid climate. The species was known from a total of eight specimens collected in 1966 and 1972 at three locations west of Alice Springs but was then not positively recorded for the next 35 years, leading to its listing nationally as an Endangered species. In February 2007 a population was rediscovered during targeted surveys following a significant rainfall event, leading to the broader question of how climate influences its life cycle. In this paper I describe the species' distribution, listing all the localities at which the species was observed during targeted surveys from 2007 to 2010. Adult phenology of one population over this period is presented, along with that for the closely related inland sand-skipper Croitana arenaria arenaria Edwards, which occurs in the same area. The desert sand-skipper is now known from 13 extant locations, of which 11 are new. This species has a calculated Extent of Occurrence of 1141 square kilometres and an Area of Occupancy of 48 square kilometres, but the true distribution is likely to be greater. Adults of both Croitana Waterhouse taxa are entirely dependent on adequate rainfall for emergence, with more adults after greater rainfall. Both taxa are threatened by the increased frequency and intensity of wildfires promoted by buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) (Poaceae) an exotic pasture grass, as well as climate change. Implications for insect conservation Baseline distributional information presented in this paper will be essential for monitoring and future assessments of conservation status. Understanding adult phenology will be crucial to future conservation efforts as the impacts of climate change in central Australia become clearer.
Duarte da Silva, Victor HugoBaumgartner, Matheus TenorioHermes, Marcel GustavoFaria, Lucas Del Bianco...
13页
查看更多>>摘要：In ecology, dealing with sample design is a constant challenge, especially in interaction networks, where most studies suffer from undersampling. Different sampling methods are used in interaction networks, from continuous observations over time to observations at the peak of flowering of plants. However, species richness and abundance vary crucially over time. Therefore, there is significant uncertainty about how far we are from complete sampling. This study used data from a biweekly sampling of insect-plant interactions in a highly diverse biome over an entire year to quantify this uncertainty by identifying the required effort to achieve sampling completeness. We also extended this investigation to each of the four seasons. We used accumulation curves based on abundance data to estimate the sampling deficiency. In addition, we fit nonlinear models to estimate the sampling effort required to achieve completeness based on six network-level metrics. Subsequently, we sought to identify the factors responsible for the difference in sampling completeness. We found that the sampling effort carried out was sufficient to record most animals and blooming plants throughout all seasons. As for interactions, a substantial increase in sampling effort would be required to achieve sampling completeness, especially in fall and spring. Furthermore, we have seen that the dissimilarity of interactions between seasons is the main factor that influences the completeness of the sampling. Finally, we observed that the main factor influencing the dissimilarity of interactions was the links turnover and that such alterations possibly occur due to changes in species composition, especially of plants Implications for insect conservation Our results show that the sampling effort to be carried out in each season is different, due to the interactions dissimilarity between seasons. In this sense, it is important to carry out studies with interaction networks covering the different seasons of the year, in order to understand the effects of seasonality on plant-floral visitor interactions and the role of temporal dynamics of interactions in the conservation of species in highly diverse tropical areas.
查看更多>>摘要：The presence of Palingenia longicauda was considered to be restricted to the Tisza River basin (sub-basin of the Danube River Basin) and the Raba River (Austria and Hungary), but new reports indicate its presence in the Danube River (Hungary), the Danube Delta (Romania and Ukraine), and in the Prut River and the Dniester River (Republic of Moldova). We assessed the genetic diversity of the species by analysing the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (mtCOI) and large ribosomal subunit 16S rRNA (mt16S LSU) sequences of individuals from Romanian, Ukrainian, and Hungarian populations. The identified high number of endemic haplotypes that are confined to the Danube Delta and the Prut River, and the statistically significant differentiation found between the populations, suggest that the populations of these two rivers had independent histories. These results confirm the survival and recovery of Palingenia longicauda in Southeastern Europe. The species is an indicator of good ecological conditions of large rivers, therefore, this recovery may be related to the hydro-morphological integrity of the studied river sections. Large colonies of larvae were found only on near-natural steep clay banks that were under the protection of local natural parks and biodiversity reserves, close to the state borders, where human activities are more restricted. Implications for insect conservation The genetically differentiated populations from Romania can contribute to conservation and long-term survival of P. longicauda. As freshwater ecosystems are under constant anthropogenic pressure, our results lay the basis for a scientifically well-documented management of the conservation of the species in its whole range.
查看更多>>摘要：The artificial light sources are useful tools for sampling night active insects, however, they also possess potential environmental risks in their habitats. To test their applicability and evaluate environmental risk for caddisflies (Trichoptera), the attractivity of different portable light traps working with LED, UV and mixed-white light sources was studied and compared with attractivity of traditionally used mercury-vapour lamp (in Jermy-type light trap), which is tool of sampling and street-light. Analysing 1135 caught individuals of 19 species light sources emitting different wavelength spectra showed different attractivity and selectivity on caddisflies both on species and family levels. Attractivity of mercury-vapour lamp was generally lower than the other tested light sources. We found that the most attractive wavelength range for caddisflies is between 360 and 407 nm. One of the tested LED and mixed-white lamps together could cover this spectrum and a high and wide spectral peak of mixed-white light source between 375 and 391 nm resulted additional catches considering both species and number of individuals. Lamps emitting between 360 and 407 nm may be both a useful tool for sampling caddisflies and dangerous source of light pollution along lowland water courses where the sampled species are common and widespread.
查看更多>>摘要：Integrating aspects of larval lepidopteran behavior that enhance survival into conservation plans could increase the overall impact of the efforts. We previously recommended that where possible, maintaining 2-4 ramets of closely-spaced common milkweed would support the development of at least one monarch through pupation, based on a seemingly innate behavior in which monarch larvae (Danaus plexippus) abandon their natal milkweed ramet (Asclepias sp.). Here, we explored the impact of intraspecific competition on larval ramet abandonment behavior and fitness of monarch larvae in small artificial milkweed patches. We observed larvae reared under direct and indirect intraspecific competition, and larvae reared alone. We found no influence of intraspecific competition; however, our study provides further support that milkweed ramet abandonment is a seemingly innate behavior. This behavior occurs before all of the available leaf biomass on a ramet is consumed and prior to the pre-pupal wandering stage. Implications for insect conservation: Results from our study suggest that in the absence of predation, parasitism, and interspecific competition, and when sufficient plant biomass is present to support larval development, the presence of an intraspecific competitor does not influence larval behavior or fitness. Based on milkweed ramet abandonment behavior, we continue to suggest maintaining small patches of 2-4 milkweed ramets when possible.
NSTL
Springer Nature