Habitat associations, resources, and predators of an assemblage of Brachinus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from southeastern Arizona

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (7) ◽  
pp. 1683-1691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven A. Juliano
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Factors ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Temporary Ponds ◽  
Temporary Pond ◽  
Reproductive Phenology ◽  
Host Use ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Assemblage Composition ◽  
Water Beetle

Bombardier beetles (Brachinus) at margins of ponds across gradients of elevation and pond permanence were studied to describe habitat associations and resource use and to form hypotheses concerning the ecological factors affecting these beetles. Assemblage composition differed significantly among pond types, with more permanent ponds dominated by Brachinus lateralis, high-elevation temporary ponds dominated by Brachinus mexicanus, and Brachinus javalinopsis and Brachinus lateralis codominant at a low-elevation temporary pond. Brachinus mexicanus was sometimes found at dry temporary pond sites, but none of the other species was ever found at dry sites. These species shared at least two potentially limiting resources: food for adults (carrion and arthropods) and hosts for ectoparasitoid larvae (water beetle pupae). Reproductive phenology, host use, and diets overlapped extensively. Host abundances and host-assemblage composition varied among sites and most hosts went unparasitized. Predation on adults by vertebrates appeared to be very rare. Although some predatory arthropods ate Brachinus in the laboratory, these predators were either rare or ineffective in natural situations.

scholarly journals Small mammal assemblage composition and habitat associations across an elevational gradient in southern California

2019 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-106
Author(s):  
Aviv Karasov-Olson ◽  
Douglas A Kelt
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammal ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Seasonal Effects ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Assemblage Composition

Abstract Elevational gradients coincide with expansive climatic gradients and diverse plant and animal communities. We evaluated the small mammal assemblages in eight distinct vegetation types across an elevational gradient in southern California, the Deep Canyon Transect, to determine how assemblage composition changes across the gradient and to identify species with similar habitat associations. Livetrapping efforts (4,800 trap-nights) yielded 1,097 captures of 713 individuals, representing 14 heteromyid and cricetid species. Heteromyids dominated the six lower-elevation vegetation types (< 1,300 m a.s.l.), whereas cricetids dominated the upper end of the gradient. Richness and diversity exhibited bimodal responses to elevation, which do not conform to mid-domain effect null predictions. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that 75% of the variation in small mammal abundances was explainable by habitat characteristics, and cluster analysis grouped small mammals into three ecologically distinct groups based on their habitat associations. One contained only Chaetodipus penicillatus, while the others were comprised of low- and high-elevation species, respectively. The low-elevation species exhibit unusual levels of sympatry (and syntopy) among closely related species of pocket mice (Chaetodipus). Further efforts should investigate the mechanisms of coexistence for Chaetodipus species with nearly identical associations and seasonal effects on richness and diversity. Repeated surveys of entire gradients such as the Deep Canyon Transect will help refine our understanding of temporal dynamics of community assemblage and diversity.

Exploring the Ecological Factors Affecting the Employment of People with Disabilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 69-93
Author(s):  
Young-soo Kim ◽  
◽  
Su-yon Kim ◽  
Won-sup Ryu ◽  
Soo-eun Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Factors ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Factors Affecting

Ecological factors affecting gene flow in the Brachionus plicatilis complex (Rotifera)

Oecologia ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 111 (3) ◽  
pp. 350-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Africa Gómez ◽  
María José Carmona ◽  
Manuel Serra
Keyword(s):  
Gene Flow ◽  
Brachionus Plicatilis ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Factors Affecting

Factors Affecting the Occurrence of Saugers in Small, High-Elevation Rivers near the Western Edge of the Species' Natural Distribution

2005 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
pp. 160-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig J. Amadio ◽  
Wayne A. Hubert ◽  
Kevin Johnson ◽  
Dennis Oberlie ◽  
David Dufek
Keyword(s):  
High Elevation ◽  
Natural Distribution ◽  
Factors Affecting

scholarly journals Protocol for a quasi-experimental study examining the effect of a ball skills intervention on four domains of preschooler development

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Wu ◽  
Wichai Eungpinichpong ◽  
Hui Ruan ◽  
Xinding Zhang ◽  
Sansan Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Motor Development ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ball Skills

Abstract Background: Preschooler inactivity and insufficient motor development have serious long-term consequences. The Chinese Ministry of Education launched a nationwide football-focused pilot project aimed at kindergartens in 2019 and issued the policy “Notice on the Establishment of National Football Kindergartens” in 2020. However, the impact of fundamental movement skills (FMS) interventions on other aspects of child development is unclear. Aim: This study will evaluate the effects of ball skills physical education projects on the development of Chinese preschoolers’ physical, motor, cognitive, and social competencies and examine the influencing factors. Method: This is a quasi-experimental study evaluating how well the “Hello Sunshine” curriculum project promotes children’s development over 10 weeks. The trial will be conducted from September 2021 to November 2021 in 12 classes from 3 kindergartens with a total of 249 children aged 4 to 6 years in Haikou, China. Pre- and posttest analyses will include tests on participants’ physical fitness, FMS, cognitive self-regulation, and emotional competence. Participants’ background information will be collected through questionnaires answered by parents and teachers. The intervention will focus on game-based basic ball skills. Findings: If this intervention provides evidence that these skills improve children’s multidimensional development, it will support the promotion of similar programs in China. We will also outline the social-ecological factors affecting the intervention’s results, providing further information for improving pedagogical methods related to preschool ball skills.

scholarly journals Acquisition of fungi from the environment modifies ambrosia beetle mycobiome during invasion

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e8103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Rassati ◽  
Lorenzo Marini ◽  
Antonino Malacrinò
Keyword(s):  
Biological Invasions ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Ambrosia Beetle ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Bottleneck Effect ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Microbial Symbionts ◽  
Insect Fungi ◽  
Native Fungi

Microbial symbionts can play critical roles when their host attempts to colonize a new habitat. The lack of symbiont adaptation can in fact hinder the invasion process of their host. This scenario could change if the exotic species are able to acquire microorganisms from the invaded environment. Understanding the ecological factors that influence the take-up of new microorganisms is thus essential to clarify the mechanisms behind biological invasions. In this study, we tested whether different forest habitats influence the structure of the fungal communities associated with ambrosia beetles. We collected individuals of the most widespread exotic (Xylosandrus germanus) and native (Xyleborinus saxesenii) ambrosia beetle species in Europe in several old-growth and restored forests. We characterized the fungal communities associated with both species via metabarcoding. We showed that forest habitat shaped the community of fungi associated with both species, but the effect was stronger for the exotic X. germanus. Our results support the hypothesis that the direct contact with the mycobiome of the invaded environment might lead an exotic species to acquire native fungi. This process is likely favored by the occurrence of a bottleneck effect at the mycobiome level and/or the disruption of the mechanisms sustaining co-evolved insect-fungi symbiosis. Our study contributes to the understanding of the factors affecting insect-microbes interactions, helping to clarify the mechanisms behind biological invasions.

scholarly journals Realities of rarity: climatically and ecologically restricted, critically endangered Kandian Torrent Toads (Adenomus kandianus) breed en masse

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madhava Meegaskumbura ◽  
Nayana Wijayathilaka ◽  
Nirodha Abayalath ◽  
Gayani Senevirathne
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Isolated Populations ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Suitable Habitats ◽  
Wide Geographic Distribution ◽  
Forest Habitats

Endemic to Sri Lanka, genus Adenomus contains two torrent-associated toad species whose ecology and natural history in the wild is virtually unknown. Adenomus kelaartii is relatively common, with a wide geographic distribution. Its sister species, A. kandianus, however, is restricted to two isolated populations in fast-disappearing montane and sub-montane forests. Formally declared extinct after not being recorded for over a century, a few A. kandianus were rediscovered in 2012 and redescribed as "the world's rarest toad". Here we report the results of a two-year study of the occurrence, habits and habitat associations of adult and larval A. kandianus using both general surveys and quadrat sampling. We show this to be a secretive species with a patchy distribution. Non-breeding female toads dwell in primary-forest habitats, but after heavy and sudden downpours they form large mating congregations in large streams. Amplexed pairs swim synchronously, enabling them to traverse fast currents. Egg-laying sites remain unknown, but the ability to dive and vocalize underwater, and characteristics of the eggs, suggest that they lay eggs in dark recesses of the stream. Tadpoles show microhabitat partitioning within the stream, with the greatest diversity of stages in slow-flowing rocky areas. The more robust stages possessing sucker discs exploit rocky-rapids, while metamorphic stages inhabit stream margins. We use DNA-barcoding to show the existence of two disparate toad populations. Distribution modeling with forest-cover layers added, predict a very small remaining area of suitable habitats. Conservation of this climatically and ecologically restricted species hinge largely on the preservation of high-elevation primary and riparian forests and unpolluted torrents.

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