scholarly journals Functional Divergence Drives Invasibility of Plant Communities at the Edges of a Resource Availability Gradient

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Tordoni ◽  
Francesco Petruzzellis ◽  
Andrea Nardini ◽  
Giovanni Bacaro
Keyword(s):  
Drought Resistance ◽  
Resource Availability ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Functional Divergence ◽  
Environmental Filtering ◽  
Functional Space ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Niche Divergence ◽  
Functional Features

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are a serious threat to biodiversity, severely affecting natural habitats and species assemblages. However, no consistent empirical evidence emerged on which functional traits or trait combination may foster community invasibility. Novel insights on the functional features promoting community invasibility may arise from the use of mechanistic traits, like those associated with drought resistance, which have been seldom included in trait-based studies. Here, we tested for the functional strategies of native and invasive assemblage (i.e., environmental filtering hypothesis vs. niche divergence), and we assessed how the functional space determined by native species could influence community invasibility at the edges of a resource availability gradient. Our results showed that invasive species pools need to have a certain degree of differentiation in order to persist in highly invaded communities, suggesting that functional niche divergence may foster community invasibility. In addition, resident native communities more susceptible to invasion are those which, on average, have higher resource acquisition capacity, and lower drought resistance coupled with an apparently reduced water-use efficiency. We advocate the use of a mechanistic perspective in future research to comprehensively understand invasion dynamics, providing also new insights on the factors underlying community invasibility in different ecosystems.

scholarly journals Numerical assessment in the wild: insights from social carnivores

2018 ◽  
Vol 373 (1740) ◽  
pp. 20160508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Benson-Amram ◽  
Geoff Gilfillan ◽  
Karen McComb
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Playback Experiments ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Numerical Assessment ◽  
Individual Discrimination ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Assessment Skills ◽  
In The Wild

Playback experiments have proved to be a useful tool to investigate the extent to which wild animals understand numerical concepts and the factors that play into their decisions to respond to different numbers of vocalizing conspecifics. In particular, playback experiments have broadened our understanding of the cognitive abilities of historically understudied species that are challenging to test in the traditional laboratory, such as members of the Order Carnivora. Additionally, playback experiments allow us to assess the importance of numerical information versus other ecologically important variables when animals are making adaptive decisions in their natural habitats. Here, we begin by reviewing what we know about quantity discrimination in carnivores from studies conducted in captivity. We then review a series of playback experiments conducted with wild social carnivores, including African lions, spotted hyenas and wolves, which demonstrate that these animals can assess the number of conspecifics calling and respond based on numerical advantage. We discuss how the wild studies complement those conducted in captivity and allow us to gain insights into why wild animals may not always respond based solely on differences in quantity. We then consider the key roles that individual discrimination and cross-modal recognition play in the ability of animals to assess the number of conspecifics vocalizing nearby. Finally, we explore new directions for future research in this area, highlighting in particular the need for further work on the cognitive basis of numerical assessment skills and experimental paradigms that can be effective in both captive and wild settings. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘The origins of numerical abilities’.

scholarly journals University campuses can contribute to wildlife conservation in urbanizing regions: a case study from Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 16736-16741
Author(s):  
Iliyasu Simon ◽  
Jennifer Che ◽  
Lynne Baker
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Predictor Variable ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
University Campuses ◽  
Disturbed Areas ◽  
Cricetomys Gambianus

Globally, colleges and universities are increasingly mandating sustainability and environmental protection into their practices.  To date, such institutions have focused their efforts on recycling and energy-use reduction and less on the management and conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitats. However, in an increasingly urbanizing world, well-managed campuses can provide habitat and even refuge for wildlife species.  On the campus of a sustainability-minded university in Nigeria, we used camera traps to determine the presence of wildlife and used occupancy modeling to evaluate factors that influenced the detectability and habitat use of two mammals for which we had sufficient detections: White-tailed Mongoose Ichneumia albicauda and Gambian Rat Cricetomys gambianus.  Our intent was to gather baseline data on campus wildlife to inform future research and make recommendations for maintaining wildlife populations.  We detected wildlife primarily within less-disturbed areas that contained a designated nature area, and the presence of a nature area was the key predictor variable influencing habitat use.  No measured variables influenced detectability.  This study supports other research that highlights the importance of undisturbed or minimally disturbed natural habitats on university campuses for wildlife, especially in increasingly built-up and developed regions.  We recommend that institutions of higher education devote greater resources to making campuses wildlife-friendly and increase opportunities for students to engage in campus-based wildlife research and conservation and other sustainability-related programs. 

scholarly journals ‘Pre-Neolithic’ in Southeast Europe: a Bulgarian perspective

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 95-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Gurova ◽  
Clive Bonsall
Keyword(s):  
Black Sea ◽  
Resource Availability ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Balkan Peninsula ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Upper Palaeolithic ◽  
Southeast Europe ◽  
Site Distribution

 This paper discusses why large areas of the central and northern Balkans lack evidence of Mesolithic settlement and what implications this holds for future research into the Neolithization of the region. A marked shift in site distribution patterns between Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic is interpreted as a response to changing environmental conditions and resource availability. It is suggested that some important questions of the pattern, processes and timing of the transition to farming across the Balkan Peninsula may only be answered through new archaeological surveys of the Lower Danube valley and exploration of submerged landscapes along the Black Sea, Aegean and Adriatic coasts.

scholarly journals Greenhouses – urban biodiversity hotspot of alien Oribatida (Acari) species

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Mateusz OSZUST ◽  
◽  
Ziemowit OLSZANOWSKI ◽  
Marta PRZYMUSZAŁA ◽  
d Aleksandra JAGIEŁŁO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Tropical Species ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Stable Conditions ◽  
The World ◽  
Different Parts

Palm houses and other greenhouses, due to maintaining constant temperature and humidity, allow the cultivation in Europe of plants from different parts of the world, even from tropical regions. However, sometimes they are also a habitat for alien species of spiders, mites, insect, etc. These animals have been introduced accidentally with contaminated plants, seeds, seedlings, soil and thanks to stable conditions maintained in greenhouses, they may colonize these places. Example of arthropods, of which even tropical species occur in several greenhouses, are oribatid mites – minute saprophagous arachnids that mostly inhabit soil. In Europe they are represented by about 2,000 species, while worldwide – over 10,000 taxa were described. The aim of this research was to investigate the selected greenhouses for the biodiversity of oribatid mites and the presence of non-native species. In total, 49 taxa were recorded, including 23 alien species (for example, a Neotropical taxon Galumna hamifer, or Oriental Suctobelbella parallelodentata). These results confirm that greenhouses are the places of occurrence of many alien oribatid species. The obtained results may be used in future research on the biology of poorly known tropical mites.

scholarly journals Effect of Urbanization on Vegetation in Riparian Area: Plant Communities in Artificial and Semi-Natural Habitats

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Cao ◽  
Yosihiro Natuhara
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Impervious Surface ◽  
Riparian Areas ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Artificial Habitats ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Impact Of Urbanization ◽  
The Impact

Riparian areas are local hot spots of biodiversity that are vulnerable and easily degraded. Comparing plant communities in habitats with different degrees of urbanization may provide valuable information for the management and restoration of these vulnerable habitats. In this study, we explored the impact of urbanization on vegetation communities between artificial and semi-natural habitats within two rivers with different levels of development. We compared species richness, types of vegetation, and composition patterns of the plants in our study. In artificial habitats, the sites with relatively high levels of urbanization had the highest species richness, while in semi-natural habitats, the highest species richness was recorded in the less urbanized sites. Furthermore, every component of urbanization that contributed to the variation of species richness was examined in the current study. In artificial habitats, the proportion of impervious surface was the strongest predictor of the variation in species richness and was associated with the richness of alien, native, and riparian species. In semi-natural habitats, most of the richness of alien and native species were associated with the distance to the city center, and the number of riparian and ruderal species was significantly related to the proportion of impervious surface. Moreover, we found that a high level of urbanization was always associated with a large abundance of alien and ruderal species in both artificial and in semi-natural habitats. We recommend the methods of pair comparison of multiple rivers to analyze the impact of urbanization on plant species in riparian areas and have suggested various management actions for maintaining biodiversity and sustainability in riparian ecosystems.

scholarly journals Fish functional groups in a tropical wetland of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Córdova-Tapia ◽  
Luis Zambrano
Keyword(s):  
Functional Groups ◽  
Functional Group ◽  
Group Structure ◽  
Environmental Filtering ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Freshwater Wetland ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Major Step ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Niche Complementarity

ABSTRACT The characterization of species' functional traits is a major step in the understanding and description of communities in natural habitats. The classification of species into functional groups is a useful tool to identify redundancy and uniqueness. We studied the fish community of a pristine freshwater wetland in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve by analysing two multidimensional functions: food acquisition and locomotion. We investigated changes in the functional group structure between habitats (permanent and temporary pools) and seasons (dry and wet). Six functional groups with different ecological characteristics were detected, two of which had high functional redundancy and three of them were represented by single species with unique ecological functions. In permanent pools during the dry season, functional group richness and diversity were lower, while evenness was higher. During the wet season, all functional groups were detected and similar functional group structure was found between habitats. These results suggest an effect of environmental filtering during the dry season and niche complementarity during the wet season.

scholarly journals Environmental filtering and spillover explain multi-species edge responses across agricultural boundaries in a biosphere reserve

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. van Schalkwyk ◽  
J. S. Pryke ◽  
M. J. Samways ◽  
R. Gaigher
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Habitat Quality ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Environmental Filtering ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Habitat Specificity ◽  
Induced Changes

Abstract To ensure integrity of protected areas we need to understand how species respond to anthropogenic borders. We investigate, from a metacommunity perspective, the direct and indirect mechanisms by which transformed areas affect distribution patterns of ground-living arthropod assemblages inhabiting an extensive protected area adjacent to fruit orchards in an important biosphere reserve. Arthropods and environmental variables were sampled along transects perpendicular to natural-orchard edges. Influence of distance from orchard boundary, degree of impermeability of the boundary, orchard habitat quality (local scale land-use intensity), and edge-induced changes in local environmental variables on arthropod species richness and composition in non-crop habitats were assessed. Arthropod groups were assessed in terms of habitat fidelity: species associated with natural habitat (stenotopic species), those within crop habitat (cultural species), and those showing no preference for either habitat (ubiquitous species). Spillover resulted in higher cultural species richness near edges, but not higher overall species richness. Environmental filtering was important for stenotopic species composition, which was influenced by edge-induced changes in environmental variables. Ubiquitous species composition was determined by orchard impermeability. Increased orchard habitat quality was associated with higher cultural and ubiquitous species richness. The effects of orchards on assemblages in natural habitats can be variable, but predictable when using species habitat specificity in conjunction with a metacommunity framework. High intensity orchards may act as sink habitats, especially for species that readily disperse between crop and natural habitats. Here we recommend that local buffer strips are > 85 m wide, which will reduce the influence of cultural species spillover on sensitive natural ecosystems.

scholarly journals Clarifying mid-brain organoids: Application of the CLARITY protocol to unperfusable samples

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Magliaro ◽  
Arti Ahluwalia
Keyword(s):  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
3D Imaging ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Specific Data ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
Human Brains ◽  
Human Specific

The aim of this study was to apply a workflow, integrating delipidation methods and advanced 3D imaging techniques for mapping of the global neuronal organization of brain organoids. These are self-organizing constructs in vitro generated from human pluripotent stem cells encased in a Matrigel shell, which resemble downscaled structural and functional features of human brains. In particular, we focused on midbrain organoids, widely considered a promising tool for studying dopaminergic neuron degeneration in Parkinson’s Disease. The evaluation of the microanatomical alterations at a patient-level will potentially guide future research of this neuropathy, providing meaningful human specific data in line with the European Directives and the 3Rs principles.

Effects of resource availability and propagule supply on native species recruitment in sagebrush ecosystems invaded by Bromus tectorum

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 513-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mónica B. Mazzola ◽  
Jeanne C. Chambers ◽  
Robert R. Blank ◽  
David A. Pyke ◽  
Eugene W. Schupp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resource Availability ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Bromus Tectorum ◽  
Propagule Supply ◽  
Species Recruitment

scholarly journals Pteris multifida (spider brake).

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanine Velez-Gavilán
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Alien Invasive Species ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
High Dispersal ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Pteris Multifida ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Noxious Weed

Abstract Pteris multifida is a herbaceous fern native to temperate and tropical eastern Asia and naturalized on many continents as a result of being widely cultivated. Although it is an urban weed, it is not considered by most countries as an invasive or noxious weed. There is no information available on the species affecting native species or natural habitats. Although one source lists P. multifida as an invasive species in many countries outside of Africa due to it being easily dispersed by spores, there are no references or further information to support this statement. It is reported as an alien invasive species in Germany, but only as occurring in sheltered sites, growing on light-vents in cellars and walls. A species assessment for Florida, USA indicates, P. multifida is neither a weed of natural habitats nor of agriculture. The species has not been listed as an invasive plant in any state or natural areas of the USA. However, P. multifida has been assigned a Tier II Invasive Species status (defined as having moderate negative impacts on wildlife or natural communities in Louisiana), but of limited concern and/or extent in Louisiana. Pteris multifida is recorded in Cuba as potentially invasive being categorized as a species with a tendency to proliferate in some areas and capable of producing vast amounts of diaspores with high dispersal potential. No further details are given about potential invasiveness.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document