Canopy invertebrate community composition on rainforest trees: Different microhabitats support very different invertebrate communities

2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 367-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl W. Wardhaugh ◽  
Nigel E. Stork ◽  
Will Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Invertebrate Communities

scholarly journals Drivers of tropical soil invertebrate community composition and richness across tropical secondary forests using DNA metasystematics

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie M. McGee ◽  
Teresita M. Porter ◽  
Michael Wright ◽  
Mehrdad Hajibabaei
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Soil Invertebrates ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Soil Invertebrate ◽  
Secondary Forests ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Invertebrate Communities

Abstract Tropical forests are fundamental ecosystems, essential for providing terrestrial primary productivity, global nutrient cycling, and biodiversity. Despite their importance, tropical forests are currently threatened by deforestation and associated activities. Moreover, tropical regions are now mostly represented by secondary forest regrowth, with half of the remaining tropical forests as secondary forest. Soil invertebrates are an important component to the functioning and biodiversity of these soil ecosystems. However, it remains unclear how these past land-use activities and subsequent secondary forest developments have altered the soil invertebrate communities and any potential ecological consequences associated with this. DNA metabarcoding offers an effective approach to rapidly monitor soil invertebrate communities under different land-use practices and within secondary forests. In this study, we used DNA metabarcoding to detect community-based patterns of soil invertebrate composition across a primary forest, a 23-year-old secondary forest, and a 33-year-old secondary forest and the associated soil environmental drivers of the soil invertebrate community structure in the Maquenque National Wildlife Refuge of Costa Rica (MNWR). We also used a species contribution analysis (SIMPER) to determine which soil invertebrate groups may be an indication of these soils reaching a pre-disturbed state such as a primary forest. We found that the soil invertebrate community composition at class, order, family, and ESV level were mostly significantly different across that habitats. We also found that the primary forest had a greater richness of soil invertebrates compared to the 23-year-old and 33-year-old secondary forest. Moreover, a redundancy analysis indicated that soil moisture influenced soil invertebrate community structure and explained up to 22% of the total variation observed in the community composition across the habitats; whereas soil invertebrate richness was structured by soil microbial biomass carbon (C) (Cmic) and explained up to 52% of the invertebrate richness across the primary and secondary forests. Lastly, the SIMPER analysis revealed that Naididae, Entomobryidae, and Elateridae could be important indicators of soil and forest recuperation in the MNWR. This study adds to the increasing evidence that soil invertebrates are intimately linked with the soil microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and that even after 33 years of natural regrowth of a forest, these land use activities can still have persisting effects on the overall composition and richness of the soil invertebrate communities.

scholarly journals Riparian Vegetation Structure Influences Terrestrial Invertebrate Communities in an Agricultural Landscape

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 188
Author(s):  
Cristina Popescu ◽  
Mihaela Oprina-Pavelescu ◽  
Valentin Dinu ◽  
Constantin Cazacu ◽  
Francis J. Burdon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Riparian Buffers ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Terrestrial Invertebrate ◽  
Invertebrate Diversity

Stream and terrestrial ecosystems are intimately connected by riparian zones that support high biodiversity but are also vulnerable to human impacts. Landscape disturbances, overgrazing, and diffuse pollution of agrochemicals threaten riparian biodiversity and the delivery of ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. We assessed how terrestrial invertebrate communities respond to changes in riparian vegetation in Romanian agricultural catchments, with a focus on the role of forested riparian buffers. Riparian invertebrates were sampled in 10 paired sites, with each pair consisting of an unbuffered upstream reach and a downstream reach buffered with woody riparian vegetation. Our results revealed distinct invertebrate community structures in the two site types. Out of 33 invertebrate families, 13 were unique to either forested (6) or unbuffered (7) sites. Thomisidae, Clubionidae, Tetragnathidae, Curculionidae, Culicidae, and Cicadidae were associated with forested buffers, while Lycosidae, Chrysomelidae, Staphylinidae, Coccinellidae, Tettigoniidae, Formicidae, and Eutichuridae were more abundant in unbuffered sites. Despite statistically equivocal results, invertebrate diversity was generally higher in forested riparian buffers. Local riparian attributes significantly influenced patterns in invertebrate community composition. Our findings highlight the importance of local woody riparian buffers in maintaining terrestrial invertebrate diversity and their potential contribution as a multifunctional management tool in agricultural landscapes.

Limited effects of stocked trout on littoral invertebrates in boreal foothills lakes

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 178-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie E. Nasmith ◽  
William M. Tonn ◽  
Cynthia A. Paszkowski ◽  
Garry J. Scrimgeour
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
High Productivity ◽  
Recreational Angling ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
Littoral Zones ◽  
Littoral Invertebrates ◽  
The Impact

Stocking lakes with trout for the purposes of recreational angling is a management strategy that introduces a new predator into these systems and thus deserves careful scrutiny. To assess the impact of non-native trout on littoral invertebrates in naturally fish-bearing lakes in the boreal foothills of Alberta, Canada, we compared their community composition, abundance, and size structure in stocked (n = 5) and unstocked (n = 6) lakes over a 2-year period. We detected no clear negative effects of introduced trout on invertebrate community composition and only few taxa-specific examples of decreased or increased invertebrate abundance. Furthermore, predation by trout had inconsistent direct effects on the size structure of invertebrate populations. Indirect effects were suggested by increased abundances and sizes of some invertebrate taxa in stocked lakes and might also contribute to the limited overall differences that we observed. We propose that net effects of stocked trout on littoral invertebrates are influenced by key characteristics of receiving ecosystems. In our boreal foothills lakes, dense macrophyte cover in warm littoral zones, high productivity, abundant forage fish, and limited densities of trout all likely combine to allow littoral invertebrate communities to withstand the impact of introduced trout with minimal effects.

The effect of agriculture on cave-stream invertebrate communities

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (11) ◽  
pp. 1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierce M. McNie ◽  
Russell G. Death
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Ecological Health ◽  
Land Use Impacts ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Forested Catchments ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Agricultural Catchments ◽  
Stream Communities ◽  
The Relationship

The impacts that land-use changes have on cave-stream fauna have not been considered widely in the investigations of land-use impacts on stream ecology. The present study examines how above-ground agriculture may influence cave-stream invertebrate communities. The invertebrate communities in four cave streams and their surface counterparts were sampled in 2014–2015, including two drained predominantly agricultural catchments and two drained forested catchments. These communities were examined alongside habitat and GIS land-use data to determine the relationship between above-ground land use and the stream communities. Invertebrate community composition and ecological health for surface streams was different between the agricultural and forest catchments. These differences were less pronounced within the cave-stream communities. Sedimentation was the principal agricultural stressor in the cave streams. The overall effects of agriculture were lower within the cave streams than on the surface; this is likely to be due to the reduced number of potentially deleterious stressors on cave streams.

scholarly journals Factors Promoting Coexistence between Endemic Ants and Invasive Wasps

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Catherine Duthie
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Isotope Ratios ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Niche Shift ◽  
Niche Separation ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Nothofagus Forests ◽  
Foraging Pattern ◽  
The Impact

<p>Invasive animals can alter the community composition of native ecosystems by means of competition and predation. In this study I investigated the factors that may facilitate coexistence between endemic ants and invasive wasps. Previous research has shown that entire communities can be impacted by invasions. Endemic species subject to pressure from invasive species may undergo a niche shift to enable coexistence and minimise the impact of this pressure. The invertebrate community composition of Nothofagus forests in the South Island of New Zealand has been altered by predation from Invasive Vespula wasps. Ants and wasps in this ecosystem coexist on the same trophic level; they simultaneously fill multiple trophic roles as primary predators, secondary predators, and primary consumers. The outcome of competition between species such as ants and wasps is not easy to predict, and may vary in different communities and with different densities of competitors. In this dissertation I aimed to determine the extent to which competition occurs between native ants and invasive Vespula wasps, and to investigate the impacts of invasion on the native invertebrate community. I quantified the invertebrate community composition of Nothofagus forests and then experimentally reduced wasp numbers to investigate any changes as a result of a reduction in predation or competition. The observed changes in community composition were as a result of differing abundances of taxonomic groups within my study sites. In order to more robustly determine the community effects of wasp removal it may be necessary to reduce wasp numbers by up to 90% for many years. Even under these conditions, species that are particularly vulnerable to wasp predation or competition may have already been permanently excluded from this system. I then investigated temporal niche shifts by native ants when faced with reduced competition for food resources from invasive wasps. There was an increase in the numbers of ants foraging on honeydew when I experimentally reduced wasp numbers. This increase may be due to increases in both the quantity and quality of the available honeydew. When densities of wasps were substantially reduced there was a difference in the foraging abundances of ants and wasps; however, there was no change in the overall temporal foraging pattern of ants. Isotope ratios and consequently trophic levels of native competitors may change in response to the removal of an invasive species. To test this I examined changes in isotope ratios as a result of removal of wasps. The observed changes in the trophic levels of both ants and wasps appear to be a result of natural seasonal variation in consumption related to the nutritional requirements of the colony. Finally, I examined behavioral interactions between native ants and invasive wasps during foraging. This study has indicated that wasps may find and access resources more readily when ants are present. Native ants may facilitate foraging by wasps, as demonstrated by the increase in wasp numbers when foraging in the presence of ants. Additionally, the impact of competition between wasps and ants is likely to be density dependant. Co-occurrence between endemic and invasive competitors is possible through two important mechanisms, niche separation and behavioural adaptations. Native ants in this system are able to forage in different temporal niches than invasive wasps, and their dominant behaviour serves to diminish competitive interactions. These findings have implications for the ecology of these forests in understanding the considerable impact that invasive species may have on native ecosystems and particularly those species which have similar resource requirements.</p>

scholarly journals Green roof and ground-level invertebrate communities are similar and are driven by building height and landscape context

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacinda R Dromgold ◽  
Caragh G Threlfall ◽  
Briony A Norton ◽  
Nicholas S G Williams
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Surrounding Environment ◽  
Native Grassland ◽  
Family Level

Abstract Green roofs are increasingly promoted for urban biodiversity conservation, but the value of these novel habitats is uncertain. We aimed to test two hypotheses: (i) green roofs can support comparable invertebrate family and order richness, composition and abundances to ground-level habitats and (ii) green roofs planted with native species from local habitats will support a richer invertebrate community at family and order level than other green roofs. We sampled the invertebrate community on green roofs dominated by native grassland or introduced succulent species in Melbourne, Australia, and compared these to the invertebrate community in ground-level sites close by, and sites with similar vegetation types. The only significant differences between the invertebrate communities sampled on green roofs and ground-level habitats were total abundance and fly family richness, which were higher in ground-level habitats. Second hypothesis was not supported as invertebrate communities on green roofs supporting a local vegetation community and those planted with introduced Sedum and other succulents were not detectably different at family level. The per cent cover of green space surrounding each site was consistently important in predicting the richness and abundance of the invertebrate families we focussed on, while roof height, site age and size were influential for some taxa. Our results suggest that invertebrate communities of green roofs in Melbourne are driven largely by their surrounding environment and consequently the effectiveness of green roofs as invertebrate habitat is highly dependent on location and their horizontal and vertical connection to other habitats.

scholarly journals Salinity Affects Freshwater Invertebrate Traits and Litter Decomposition

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 599
Author(s):  
Manuela Abelho ◽  
Rui Ribeiro ◽  
Matilde Moreira-Santos
Keyword(s):  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Seawater Intrusion ◽  
High Salinity ◽  
Species Traits ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Freshwater Invertebrate ◽  
Physiological Adaptations ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Salinity Levels

We evaluated the effect of seawater intrusion in coastal ecosystems on the freshwater invertebrate community and on leaf litter decomposition under realistic scenarios in six outdoor freshwater mesocosms containing fauna and flora, to which increasing volumes of seawater were added. The resulting salinity values were 0.28 (control, freshwater only), 2.0, 3.3, 5.5, 9.3, and 15.3 mS cm−1. The effect of salinity was assessed for 65 days after seawater intrusion, by computing the deviation of values in each treatment in relation to the control. Our results show that seawater intrusion into freshwaters will affect the invertebrate communities and organic matter decomposition, with salinities of up to 3.3–5.5 mS cm−1 having opposite effects to salinities of more than 9.3 mS cm−1. There was a net negative effect of the two highest salinities on mass loss and richness of the invertebrates associated with the decomposing leaves. Regarding the invertebrate communities of the mesocosms, there was a net negative effect of the intermediate salinity levels on abundance and richness. Invertebrate life cycle traits conferring resilience and resistance tended to increase with low and decrease with high salinity values, while avoidance traits showed an opposite trend, and these responses were more pronounced on the later stage community. These wave-like responses of the invertebrate species traits to increasing salinity suggest that the life-history and physiological adaptations most suitable to cope with osmotic stress will differ between low and high salinity levels.

Are nesting seabirds important determinants of invertebrate community composition on subantarctic Adams Island?

Polar Biology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 531-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. E. Bassett ◽  
G. P. Elliott ◽  
K. J. Walker ◽  
S. Thorpe ◽  
J. R. Beggs
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Invertebrate Community
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