Association of common brown froglets, Crinia signifera, with clearcut forest edges in Tasmania, Australia

2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Baker ◽  
Bonnie Lauck

We examined the response of the common brown froglet, Crinia signifera, to recently clearcut forest edges in Tasmanian wet Eucalyptus obliqua forest. We established transects of pitfall traps crossing coupe edges, within coupes, and within mature forest interiors (riparian and non-riparian) at three study sites. Pitfall captures of C. signifera were greatest at the immediate logged forest edge (which corresponded with a firebreak constructed as part of standard clearfell, burn and sow silvicultural practices in Tasmania). Capture rates were lower in both the coupe interior and the immediate unlogged forest edge and declined to negligible numbers in the unlogged forest interior. Edge penetration was estimated to be generally 50–100 m. We suggest that Tasmania’s current management of wet forest may provide additional habitat for C. signifera by changing the age structure of the forest and providing additional forest edge/firebreak habitat. However, C. signifera is common and disturbance tolerant, and thus these findings should not be extrapolated to other Australian frog species that may be disadvantaged by current logging practices.

1998 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 577-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Estrada ◽  
Rosamond Coates-Estrada ◽  
Alberto Anzures Dadda ◽  
Pierluigi Cammarano

At Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, presence of dung and carrion beetles, were sampled using baited pitfall traps, at the following habitats: isolated forest fragments, forest edges, plantations (coffee, cacao, mixed, citrus and allspice), live fences and pastures. A total of 14,269 beetles representing 36 species were captured. Onthophagus batesi, Canthon femoralis, Canthidium centrale, Copris laeviceps, O. rhinolophus and Deltochilium pseudoparile accounted for 75% of the captures in the overall sample from 79 sites. Across forest fragments capture rates of species and individuals were associated positively to area and negatively to isolating distance. Rarefaction analysis showed that forest fragments were the most species-rich habitats followed by the mixed and cacao plantations, the forest edge, live fences and coffee, citrus and allspice plantations. Pastures were the least species-rich habitat. Horizontal and vertical diversity of the vegetation at the habitats studied influenced the species richness of dung and carrion beetles and the number of species in common between forest fragments and human-made habitats. A significant relationship existed between the number of non-flying mammals recorded at the study sites and the richness of species and individuals of dung beetles at the habitats investigated. The relevance of this information is discussed in the light of the ecological flexibility of dung and carrion beetle species and of possible conservation scenarios involving landscapes in which isolation of forest fragments is reduced by the presence in open areas of human-made vegetation such as plantations of cacao, coffee, cacao and coffee and live fences.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  

The Taal Volcano Protected Landscape (TVPL) encompasses a prehistoric volcano caldera that caters to many documented endemic species. Although regarded as a unique area with the potential to house a diverse ecological community, biodiversity research in TVPL is still found wanting. The present paper aims to provide baseline information and increase research interests on the herpetofaunal diversity of TVPL, in light of its many undocumented terrestrial faunal species. Twelve study sites within the municipalities of Tanauan, Mataasnakahoy, and Balete were visited during survey trips from May to November 2015. A combination of transect and opportunistic sampling techniques were utilized, with morphometric data and sexual maturity recorded for each specimen collected. This preliminary survey provided 24 newly documented species of amphibians and reptiles occurring within TVPL. A total 10 frog species (from families Bufonidae, Ceratobatrachidae, Microhylidae, Dicroglossidae, Ranidae, and Rhacophoridae) and 14 reptile species (from families Agamidae, Gekkonidae, Scincidae, Varanidae, Acrochordidae, Colubridae, Elapidae, and Tryonychidae) were documented. Of the reptiles recorded, 3 are endemic species and widespread throughout the Philippines: Gekko mindorensis, Hydrosaurus pustulatus, and Draco spilopterus. Also recorded were the Philippine endemic frogs Kaloula picta and Limnonectes woodworthi along with the Luzon endemics Platymantis mimulus and Varanus marmoratus. The species-effort curve of amphibians showed a distinct plateau whereas the species-effort curve of reptiles has shown an increasing trend suggesting that additional sampling efforts should be done in the area to further increase knowledge of the TVPL herpetofaunal diversity.


2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Boissinot ◽  
Pierre Grillet ◽  
Aurélien Besnard ◽  
Olivier Lourdais

Traditional farming landscape in western Europe is made of a complex mosaic of pastures, cultures, ponds and hedgerows connected with woods. Previous observations in the common frog species suggest that lowland populations are closely associated to wood cover and our aim was to test the validity of this assumption. We studied common frog occurrence and abundance in western central France (Deux-Sèvres department) close to the southern margin of lowland distribution. Our results pointed out that the proportion of woods surface around sampled areas (1 ha) was a critical determinant of common frog presence and abundance. Extensive farming, which maintains a mosaic of small woods, may provide a robust conservation tool for this species.


1972 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshika Oniki ◽  
Edwin O. Willis

Abstract Birds that prey on arthropods flushed by army ants north of the eastern Amazon were studied at Serra do Navio and Reserva Ducke (Brazil) and at Nappi Creek and Bartica (Guyana). Regular ant-followers are two medium-sized antbirds (Percnostola rufifrons and Gymnopithys rufigula) and two smaller ones (Pithys albifrons and Hylophylax poecilonota), plus five woodcreepers of differing sizes (from very large Hylexetastes perrotti through Dendrocolaptes picumnus, D. certhia, and Dendrocincla merula to medium-sized Dendrocincla fuliginosa). Four other regular ant-followers occur in the region but were not found at the study areas. Forty-five species of casual or nonprofessional ant-followers, including 16 antbirds, 5 woodcreepers, and 5 manakins, also were recorded. Percnostola rufifrons tends to be at the forest edge or in second growth. Pithys albifrons works around Gymnopithys rufigula, Hylophylax poecilonota peripheral to both, in the forest interior. The large Dendrocolaptes picumnus and medium-large Dendrocincla merula often capture prey near the ground, like antbirds. Unlike antbirds, which use vertical or horizontal slender perches, the woodcreepers use thick vertical perches. Dendrocolaptes certhia and Dendrocincla fuliginosa also tend to capture prey high over the ground-foraging antbirds. The woodcreepers tend to forage lower at midday. Hylexetastes perrotti is rare, and overlaps strongly with D. picumnus. There is fairly large overlap among the 9 professional ant-followers, and large ones chase away smaller ones. Nonprofessional birds tend to forage briefly or peripherally when or slightly after the professional species are active. They also forage above the antbirds and below or above the woodcreepers, and concentrate at forest edges or in second growth. The guild of ant-following birds in this region differs fairly widely from guilds in Panamá and at Belém, Brazil; the absence of large antbirds and the predominance of large woodcreepers north of the Amazon are the major differences.


2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (10) ◽  
pp. 2616-2625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raul Rosenvald ◽  
Asko Lõhmus ◽  
Andres Kiviste

Survival of live retention trees is a key issue for stand-scale applications of natural-disturbance-based silviculture. We explored the survival of 3255 trees in 102 cut areas (mean size 2.3 ha) in Estonia for 6 years, focusing on spatial variation and preadaptation of the trees. Altogether, 35% of the trees died during the study period, contributing 4.4 m3 of downed dead trunks and 1 m3 of standing dead trees per hectare. The annual mortality rates declined over time. The main survival determinants were tree species (higher for hardwood deciduous trees), diameter (species dependent), position relative to forest edge (higher for trees near current or former forest edges), retention density (positive), and exposure (negative). The results suggest that (1) green-tree retention can effectively increase the abundance of large shade-tolerant trees, but it is equally important for producing deadwood; (2) larger individuals, former interior-forest trees near current forest edges, and preadapted trees in open conditions should be preferably retained; (3) there is no obvious necessity to modify tree-retention techniques for tree survival according to geographical region or forest site type.


THE BULLETIN ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (387) ◽  
pp. 56-64
Author(s):  
G.J. Sultangazina ◽  
◽  
А.N. Kuprijanov ◽  
О.А. Kuprijanov ◽  
R.S. Beyshov ◽  
...  

The current article presents study results made on the coenoflora of Adonis vernalis L. in Northern Kazakhstan. The materials have been gathered in the course of field research taking into account the literary data. Ontogenesis and age structure of the coenopopulations are provided on the basis of detailed-route studies. The study of age-related stages was carried out on the territory of Northern Kazakhstan (Akmola and North Kazakhstan regions) in 2018-2019. A. vernalis is a short-stem grassy polycarpic plant, it is represented in Northern Kazakhstan by the populations of dry meadows (Kokshetau Upland) and real meadows (the forest-steppe of North Kazakhstan region). Ontogenesis of A. vernalis has three periods and 7 age stages. Plants have low seed productivity. Seeds have a long endogenous peace related to the underdevelopment of a seed germ. A characteristic feature is the presence of a long pregenerative period in plants of the "steppe" type coenopopulations and its reduction in the "meadow" type coenopopulations. There have been studied thirteen coenopopulations of A. vernalis located in Akmola and North Kazakhstan regions. Coenopopulations of A. vernalis are bound to four main habitats: forest edges, meadow steppes, meadows, artificial plantations. By age, young populations are formed on forest edges, and according to the "delta - omega" classification, there are mature coenopopulations. Mature coenopopulations are mostly formed in meadow steppes, but according to the "delta - omega" classification, all coenopopulations are aging. On meadows, there are many young coenopopulations, but according to the "delta - omega" classification, they are all mature. In artificial plantings, the majority of coenopopulations are aging, but according to the "delta - omega" classification, they are all mature. Thus, changes in habitual living conditions lead to the aging of A. vernalis coenopopulations. By density (pcs/100 m2) all populations are divided into three groups: high, medium, low. All forest edge coenopopulations have a high density, in meadow steppes, the density is average, on meadows and in artificial plantings it is low. The recovery index in most coenopopulations is less than one which indicates a low recovery in A. vernalis populations. The range of age stages shows that in most coenopopulations they are normal, the exception is CP-5 (among artificial plantings) which indicates an old stage of the population and possibly its soon elimination.


2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 117-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Frederico Duarte Rocha ◽  
Helena Godoy Bergallo ◽  
Carla Fabiane Vera y Conde ◽  
Emerson Brum Bittencourt ◽  
Hilda de Carvalho Santos

We analyzed richness, composition and mass of snakes in two sites in the Atlantic forest of Ilha do Cardoso (25º 03' S and 47º 53' W), an island (22,500 ha), Cananéia municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil. A monthly index of arthropod availability (in mm³) was estimated in each site through capture rates in pit-fall traps. Fallen fruits were collected along trails in the study sites (mass of fruit gave an index of fruit availability) and small mammals were sampled in grids with 120 traps which covered the lowland (5.2 ha) and in the slope forests (3.6ha). The abundance and mass of small mammals were standardized for the size of each sampled area (in g.ha-1). To sample snakes we established 20 pit-fall traps in each area and performed monthly transects in four consecutive days (totaling 1000 m long) along trails in the study sites. Snakes found were measured, weighted marked and released. Abundance and total mass of snakes were standardized by the size of each area. The areas differed consistently in in the productivity of arthropods, fruits and small mammals, and also in richness, composition and total mass of snakes. We found 36 individuals (total mass = 9884 g) of 12 snake species belonging to three Families (Colubridae, Elapidae and Viperidae) in the lowland forest, whereas in the slope forest we sampled only 9 individuals of 2 species (total mass = 1820 g). Our results suggest that the area of lowland forest, showing higher productivity of arthropods, fruits and small mammals, maintains a snake community with a higher richness, diversity and biomass than its slope forest counterpart.


2009 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-187
Author(s):  
Dong-Sung Cho ◽  
Se-Yeon Ahn

What are the common characteristics of the founder and CEO succession process at long-lived companies? And how do these characteristics help companies survive long periods of time? This inductive study of 26 Korean long-lived companies led to propositions exploring these questions. Long-lived companies had long-tenured founders, less frequent successions, high ratio of insider succession and a formal succession process to secure management stability and competitiveness. It was also observed that the founding vision had an emphasis on corporate social responsibilities and that founding philosophy has succeeded to current management philosophy in most long-lived companies. The study results imply that the heritage of founding stages may play a crucial role for companies to achieve future longevity.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Minoru Tsuji-Nishikido ◽  
Marcelo Menin

This study aimed to evaluate how environmental variables (width of valley, stream size, forest edge distance, and leaf-litter depth) affect the abundance and richness of species of frog species in riparian areas of an urban forest fragment in Central Amazonia. The study was conducted at the campus of the Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil, between May 2008 and April 2009, when three nocturnal and diurnal samples were taken from ten plots. A total of 17 species belonging to seven families were registered. The number of species recorded per plot varied from seven to 14. We detected a relationship between the edge distance and richness: the plots with lower richness were located near the fragment border. The variables had no significant effect on abundance of each species.


The Condor ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 595-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Ryan Norris ◽  
Bridget J. M. Stutchbury ◽  
Trevor E. Pitcher

Abstract We tested whether Hooded Warblers (Wilsonia citrina) avoided abrupt forest edges by radiotracking males breeding in small, isolated forest patches (0.5–2.0 ha) in northwest Pennsylvania. Because territory edges were synonymous with abrupt forest edges in all cases, we compared space use patterns with males radiotracked in a nearby continuous forest (150 ha), where we defined edge from territorial boundaries. Based on the proportion of edge to core area, males in both habitats avoided the area within 20 m of the edge, implying that males responded to the presence of territory edge rather than forest edge. Surprisingly, however, males in isolated fragments used the edge area significantly more than males in continuous forest, even when measured against the relative amount of edge area within each territory. Elevated levels of edge use were not related to distance of nests to edges, nest stage, or time of day. We conclude that the presence of physical edges is not the sole determinant of territorial space use in this species and there are likely additional social factors influencing occupancy rates in small, isolated woodlots. Therefore, definitions of forest-interior species based on edge use need to be reconsidered.


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