Metadata provide insights on patterns of epiparasitism in mistletoes (Santalales), an overlooked topic in forest biology

Botany ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 259-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol A. Wilson ◽  
Clyde L. Calvin
Keyword(s):  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Forest Biology

Mistletoes are aerial-branch parasites belonging to one of five families in the Santalales. Usually, mistletoe hosts are autotrophic, but if the hosts themselves are parasitic, the plant parasitizing the host is an epiparasite. Three categories of epiparasites are recognized, chance-, obligate-, and auto-epiparasites. Loranthaceae and Viscaceae comprise about 97% of mistletoe species and also the largest number of epiparasites. We report frequencies and biogeographical distributions of epiparasite – parasite host combinations for Loranthaceae and Viscaceae, and we summarize epiparasitism in other mistletoe families. Parasitic hosts are primarily recruited from Loranthaceae, whereas most epiparasites are members of Viscaceae. Twenty-seven species are considered likely to be obligate epiparasites. Data suggest species abundance influences whether mistletoes serve as host to other mistletoes. We found no reports of epiparasitism in Misodendraceae and only a few reports for Santalaceae, although Santalaceae are often root-parasitic hosts. In Phacellaria (Amphorogynaceae) all species are obligate epiparasites, mainly on Loranthaceae. Epiparasitism occurs worldwide and is most common in the tropics and subtropics. The greatest number of reports is from Oceania, the smallest from Africa. Epiparasitism in mistletoes has received little research attention, yet our research shows that this life form contributes to species and structural diversity in forest ecosystems across the globe.

scholarly journals Екологічна структура угрупувань панцирних кліщів (Acariformes, Oribatei) ділянок рекультивації м. Жовті Води Дніпропетровської області

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-110
Author(s):  
А. D. Shtirts ◽  
Y. L. Kul’bachko ◽  
А. V. Nikitenko ◽  
О. A. Didur
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Ecological Structure ◽  
Technogenic Landscapes

Taxonomical composition and ecological structure of Oribatei associates in recultivated territories  located near Zhovti Vody town are investigated. The artificial arboreal planting causes increase of oribatida number in comparison with recultivated areas without arbors. Planting of trees and presence of the leaf litter promote to redistribution of oribatida life-form and change of structure in their complexes. The positive influence of artificial forest ecosystems in technogenic landscapes of different stages of technical remediation on forming of Oribatei ecological structure is shown.

scholarly journals Forest ecosystem services in the tropics: an imperfect assessment of their contribution to welfare, and environmental policy implications

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-107
Author(s):  
Martín A. López-Ramírez ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Bootstrap Method ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Production Scale ◽  
The Tropics

Introduction: The specific relation between ecosystem services (ES), land use systems productivity and welfare is complex and poorly understood.Objective: To analyze the relationship between natural capital and welfare in the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector to assess Ecosystem Services contribution to agriculture, forestry and fishing value added (GDP [Gross Domestic Product]) and analyze policy implications.Materials and methods: Using land use allocation variables, forest transition model and land use GDP for 97 tropical countries, the production function of AFOLU sector was estimated using a linear regression model and a bootstrap method. The properties of the function were analyzed, and the optimal land allocation was calculated.Results and discussion: There is a direct contribution and an indirect contribution from forest ecosystems to GDP. The direct effect is manifested through the partial elasticity of forestland (P < 0.05). The indirect effect is reflected through the production scale (P < 0.05). Partial elasticity of agriculture is significantly higher than partial elasticity of forestland (P < 0.05) and production scale increases as forestland is depleted (P < 0.05). In addition, optimal land use indicates that 75 countries have forest surplus (13.2 Mkm2) and 22 forest deficit (1.5 Mkm2).Conclusions: Forest ecosystems in the AFOLU sector in the tropics produce ecosystem services for society. However, these contributions are dwarfed by agricultural land productivity.

scholarly journals Analyzing the Biological and Structural Diversity of Hyrcanian Forests Dominated by Taxus baccata L.

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 701
Author(s):  
Seyed Jalil Alavi ◽  
Razieh Veiskarami ◽  
Omid Esmailzadeh ◽  
Klaus v. Gadow
Keyword(s):  
Species Abundance ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Taxus Baccata ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Northern Iran ◽  
Hyrcanian Forests ◽  
Field Plots

The Hyrcanian Forests, well-known for its World Heritage site in the South Caspian region of Northern Iran, are refugia for a special tree flora. Some areas in particular feature a concentration of large and numerous trees of Taxus baccata, a species that has attracted the interest of many researchers given its medicinal importance. The objective of this study was to analyze the biological and structural features of these unique ecosystems based on three large tree-mapped field plots using new methods. We developed a species abundance distribution and three species–area relations, and analyzed the small-scale structural patterns of each of the 15 tree species that occur in the plots. Species-specific details are presented for each of the three field plots, including the tree densities and average tree sizes, as well as the associated structural indices “species mingling”, “dominance”, and “size differentiation”. This includes non-linear relationships between tree density and neighborhood mingling, and between the average tree size and neighborhood dominance, and a linear relation between the neighborhood dominance and the mean neighborhood differentiation. Based on the findings, we recommend the use of these methods and indices for analyzing the structure of natural forests in other regions of the world.

Ökosystemleistungen von Dauerwäldern – eine aktuelle Analyse des Waldbaus

2013 ◽  
Vol 164 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franka Huth ◽  
Sven Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Site Conditions ◽  
Services Utilization ◽  
Management Objectives ◽  
Continuous Cover Forestry ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Common

Ecosystem services and continuous cover forests – a silvicultural analysis Current concepts of “Dauerwald” or continuous cover forestry rely on complex silvicultural strategies, which are often modified according to site conditions and the management objectives of the forest owners. The preservation of continuity and the provision of an adequate structural diversity within forest ecosystems are the common underlying principles of the different concepts of continuous cover forestry. In light of the uncertainty of the predicted climatic changes, an increased risk of disturbances and changing demands regarding the services provided by forests, it is questionable whether the silvicultural strategies currently applied in the context of continuous cover forestry (e.g. “Plenterwald”) fully embrace these changes. In order to address this issue, forest structures favoured by concepts of continuous cover forestry are assessed with respect to their direct impact on different ecosystem services (utilization, conservation, recreation). The analysis illustrates that there are currently few studies dealing with the direct link between the silvicultural strategies applied in continuous cover forests, the forest structures resulting therefrom and, subsequently, the provided ecosystem services. Although continuous cover forests deliver a wide range of ecosystem services, their concept must nevertheless be developed further, because even in continuous cover forests the equitable maximization of diverse ecosystem services cannot be realized.

The Structure and Maintenance of Stationary Waves in the Winter Northern Hemisphere

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (10) ◽  
pp. 3637-3660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsing-Chang Chen
Keyword(s):  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Diabatic Heating ◽  
Velocity Potential ◽  
Stationary Waves ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Budget Analysis ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Distinct Features ◽  
East West

Abstract Previous studies of extratropical stationary waves in the winter Northern Hemisphere (NH) often focused on effects of orography and land–ocean thermal contrast on the formation, structure, and maintenance of these waves. In contrast, research attention to tropical stationary waves was attracted by the summer monsoon circulations and the ENSO-related climate variability. Consequently, the structure and basic dynamics of tropical stationary waves and the relationship of these waves with those in mid–high latitudes have long been neglected. Thus, the following several distinct features of observed winter NH stationary waves have not been explained: 1) an abrupt change in the longitudinal phase across 30°N; 2) a transition from the vertical phase reversal of tropical stationary waves to the vertically westward tilt of extratropical stationary waves; and 3) a longitudinally quarter-phase relationship between stationary waves and east–west circulations, and a reversal of this relationship across 30°N. It is inferred from a spectral streamfunction budget analysis with the NCEP–NCAR reanalyses that these wave features are caused by the transition of wave dynamics from the Sverdrup regime in the Tropics to the Rossby regime in the mid–high latitudes. Based on the simplified vorticity equations of these two dynamic regimes, analytic solutions obtained with observed velocity potential fields (which were used to portray the global divergent circulation) confirm that the aforementioned distinct features of stationary waves are attributed to the dynamics transition across 30°N. Since east–west circulations are part of the global divergent circulation, it is revealed from a diagnosis of the velocity potential maintenance equation that this circulation component is maintained in the Tropics primarily by diabatic heating and in the mid–high latitudes by both horizontal heat advection and diabatic heating. Evidently, stationary waves are maintained by diabatic heating through the divergent circulation and the dynamics transition of these waves from the Sverdrup regime to the Rossby regime is attributed to strong midlatitude westerlies.

scholarly journals Modern methodical approaches to evaluation of the state of park forest ecosystems

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 308-314
Author(s):  
N. V. Miroshnyk ◽  
O. V. Tertychna ◽  
I. K. Teslenko
Keyword(s):  
Forest Ecosystem ◽  
Integrated Assessment ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Large City ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
The State ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Anthropogenic Loading ◽  
Functional Components

Aim. The aim of the research is to improve the methodological bases of the integrated the assessment of park forest ecosystems under the conditions of anthropogenic loading and to determine the direction of processes occurring in them. Methods. The methodology is based on the methods of systematic, comparative analysis, statistics, analytical, mathematical and subsequent mapping of actual and stock materials related to the formation and development of park ecosystems within a large city. Results and conclusions. At an integrated assessment of the state of park forest ecosystems, it is proposed to apply systemic, structural approaches involving the inclusion of three vectors of organization of complex systems (structural-functional, organization of levels in the live, differentiation by ecological niches). The application of criteria of parks structural organization on the basis of the modified index of structural diversity of forest ecosystem is proposed. Keywords: park forest ecosystem, structural and functional components.

scholarly journals Effects of tourist visitation and supplementary feeding on fish assemblage composition on a tropical reef in the Southwestern Atlantic

2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 651-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Di Iulio Ilarri ◽  
Allan Tainá de Souza ◽  
Paulo Roberto de Medeiros ◽  
Renato Grotta Grempel ◽  
Ierecê Maria de Lucena Rosa
Keyword(s):  
Fish Assemblage ◽  
Trophic Structure ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Coastal Communities ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Food Provisioning ◽  
Southwestern Atlantic ◽  
Tropical Reef ◽  
The Tropics

The effects of tourist visitation and food provisioning on fish assemblages were assessed by visual censuses (stationary technique) carried out in a tropical reef in Northeastern Brazil. Comparisons of species abundance, richness, equitability, and trophic structure in the presence (PT) and absence (AT) of tourists suggest that tourist visitation and supplementary food influenced the structure of the fish assemblage, as follows: (a) diversity, equitability and species richness were significantly higher on the AT period, while the abundance of a particular species was significantly higher during PT; (b) trophic structure differed between the AT and PT periods, omnivores being more abundant during the latter period, while mobile invertivores, piscivores, roving herbivores and territorial herbivores were significantly more abundant on AT. Reef tourism is increasingly being regarded as an alternative to generate income for human coastal communities in the tropics. Therefore, closer examination of the consequences of the various components of this activity to reef system is a necessary step to assist conservation and management initiatives.

scholarly journals Taxonomic, structural diversity and carbon stocks in a gradient of island forests

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lurdes Silva ◽  
Diogo Cláudio Pavão ◽  
Rui Bento Elias ◽  
Mónica Moura ◽  
Maria Anunciação Ventura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Carbon Stocks ◽  
Tree Level ◽  
Water Protection ◽  
Carbon Sinks ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Aesthetic Value ◽  
Soil Carbon Stocks ◽  
Economic Assets

Abstract Assessment of forest ecosystems and their services is seen as a key action for the advancement of biodiversity objectives, and to inform the development and implementation of related policies and planning. We assessed biodiversity, structure and carbon stocks in a gradient of three forest types (Natural Forest-NF; Exotic Woodland-EW and Production Forest-PF) in three of the Azores islands. We used biodiversity indices and found that NF harbored the highest plant biodiversity levels and PF the lowest. Diversity levels were lower for structural than for taxonomic data, particularly for PF. The highest tree carbon stock was found at EW in one of the islands, while PF consistently exhibited relatively high tree carbon stocks in the three islands. The largest soil carbon stocks were found at EW, while leaf litter carbon stocks were higher at PF. We concluded that NF play a fundamental role as biodiversity hotspots but have lower relevance as carbon stocks. PFs provide economic assets and act as carbon sinks, while EWs play a major role as carbon sinks in soil, but also at tree level in the oldest forests. A full quantification of forest value would also include ecosystem services such as water protection, recreation and aesthetic value.

scholarly journals Soil seed banks in successional stages of forest ecosystems in the Belém, Pará, Brazil, metropolitan region

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 314
Author(s):  
Fernanda Pantoja Souza ◽  
Walmer Bruno Rocha Martins ◽  
Richard Pinheiro Rodrigues ◽  
Vanda Maria Sales de Andrade ◽  
Nayara Nazare Arraes Araujo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Metropolitan Region ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Forest Disturbances ◽  
Soil Seed Banks ◽  
Vismia Guianensis ◽  
Seed Bank Dynamics

The seed bank is essential for the initiation of natural forest regeneration, especially in ecosystems in the early stages of development, where there have been anthropogenic or natural disturbances. The objective of the current study was to evaluate seed bank dynamics in three forest ecosystems, two in Utinga State Park (PEUt) and one on the Federal Rural University of Amazonia (UFRA) campus, both in Belém, Pará, Amazonian Brazil. The ecosystems were: primary forest (PF), early successional forest (ESF), and late successional forest (LSF). For seed bank evaluation, five plots were installed in each forest ecosystem, and in each plot 5 soil samples were removed at a depth of 0-0.05 m. In the three ecosystems, the most abundant species in the seed bank were Cecropia obtusa, Phyllanthus tenellus and Vismia guianensis. Zoochoria was the dominant dispersion syndrome with 1,041 (67.8%) individuals. In the PF and LST ecosystems the predominant life form was tree, followed by shrub, whereas in the ESF the shrub life form predominated, followed by tree. Thirtyone species were recorded in PF, 26 in ISF, and 32 in LSF. In general, pioneers were most frequent ecological group, with 289 individuals (93.2%) in PF, 288 individuals (88.7%) in LSF, and 188 (75.06%) in ESF. Thus, all ecosystems possessed a high potential for resilience in case of possible forest disturbances, and the PF seed bank was considered the most diverse in terms of arboreal species.

Plant diversity increases with the strength of negative density dependence at the global scale

Science ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 356 (6345) ◽  
pp. 1389-1392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph A. LaManna ◽  
Scott A. Mangan ◽  
Alfonso Alonso ◽  
Norman A. Bourg ◽  
Warren Y. Brockelman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Density Dependence ◽  
Rare Species ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Biotic Interactions ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Latitudinal Shift ◽  
Negative Density Dependence ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
The Relationship

Theory predicts that higher biodiversity in the tropics is maintained by specialized interactions among plants and their natural enemies that result in conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD). By using more than 3000 species and nearly 2.4 million trees across 24 forest plots worldwide, we show that global patterns in tree species diversity reflect not only stronger CNDD at tropical versus temperate latitudes but also a latitudinal shift in the relationship between CNDD and species abundance. CNDD was stronger for rare species at tropical versus temperate latitudes, potentially causing the persistence of greater numbers of rare species in the tropics. Our study reveals fundamental differences in the nature of local-scale biotic interactions that contribute to the maintenance of species diversity across temperate and tropical communities.

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