HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS AND SEASONAL ACTIVITY OF GROUND-BEETLES (COLEOPTERA, CARABIDAE) IN CENTRAL ALBERTA

1992 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 521-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jari Niemelä ◽  
John R. Spence ◽  
Deborah H. Spence
Keyword(s):  
Abundant Species ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Carabid Beetles ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Aspen Parkland ◽  
Boreal Mixedwood Forest ◽  
Habitat Generalist ◽  
Aspen Forest ◽  
Forest Habitats ◽  
Meadow Species

AbstractCarabid beetles were collected with grids of pitfall traps during two seasons in five habitats in the ecotone between aspen parkland and boreal mixedwood forest in central Alberta. The 23 abundant species (54 species in total) were divided into the following four distributional types: (1) Pterostichus adstrictus Eschz. was numerous in all five habitats (habitat generalist); (2) Platynus decentis Say, Calathus ingratus Dej., and Scaphinotus marginatus Fisch. were abundant in all four forest habitats (forest generalists); (3) another 10 species were common in one or two forest habitats (forest specialists); (4) nine species, representing mainly Agonum, Amara, and Bembidion, were restricted to a recently cleared timothy–clover grassland (meadow species). Soil moisture seemed to be important in determining habitat associations of the species among the forest types. Captures of most species were aggregated also within habitats, and the consistency of aggregation among particular traps suggests that it is mainly a response to subtle microhabitat differences. All abundant species, except S. marginatus, showed a peak of capture in May–June. Number of species, corrected for sample size by rarefaction, was highest in the meadow (27.5) and lowest in the dry upland aspen forest (11.9). Species diversity was highest in meadow and the lakeside forest habitats, but carabid assemblages of the four forest habitats were more similar to each other than to the meadow assemblage.

scholarly journals Habitat associations and seasonal activity of carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in Dongling Mountain, North China

2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Dong Yu ◽  
Tian-Hong Luo ◽  
Hong-Zhang Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Temperate Forest ◽  
North China ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Carabid Beetles ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Forest Zone ◽  
Coppice Forest

Habitat distribution and seasonal occurrence of carabid beetles were determined using pitfall traps in 1999 and 2000 in the temperate forest zone of the Dongling Mountain, North China. Eight sites differing in vegetation and moisture were selected so as to represent four habitat types. Carabid assemblages of the six forested habitats (lowland, upland and coppice) weremore similar to each other than to the two shrub assemblages. Lowland forest had the highest species richness, and coppice forest had the highest diversity (H’) and equitability (J). Of the 41 species caught, the 18 most abundant species were divided into four distribution types: habitat generalists, forest generalists, forest specialists, and shrub (or coppice) specialists. Mean catches of all beetles showed clear peaks from May to August in nearly all habitats. The catches of the six most abundant species were more or less positively correlated during the two study years, suggesting their similar habitat preferences.

Carabidae (Coleoptera) in Nova Scotia, Canada wild blueberry fields: prospects for biological control

2012 ◽  
Vol 144 (6) ◽  
pp. 779-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.C. Cutler ◽  
J.M. Renkema ◽  
C.G. Majka ◽  
J.M. Sproule
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Species Diversity ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Conservation Biological Control ◽  
Carabid Beetles ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Wild Blueberries ◽  
Wild Blueberry

AbstractThe Carabidae (Coleoptera) are a diverse family of beetles with almost 300 species identified in Nova Scotia, Canada. Carabid beetle communities have been studied in several agricultural systems, but not wild blueberries, an important crop in eastern Canada. In the interest of potentially developing conservation biological control programs in wild blueberry, we collected Carabidae in crop (fruit-bearing) and sprout (vegetative) blueberry fields in Nova Scotia in order to assess species diversity and abundance over space and time. Over 3200 specimens were collected, representing 51 species. A large portion of collected specimens (39%) were nonnative, and the most abundant species were generally predacious and synanthropic. Species diversity tended to be higher near forest edges than further into fields, but not for all abundant species. Several of the most prominent predators showed significant differences in preference of crop versus sprout fields, distribution throughout fields, and seasonable abundance. These findings have implications for conservation biological control efforts with carabid beetles against several insect pests in wild blueberry.

scholarly journals Phyllostomidae assemblage (Chiroptera: Mammalia) in altitudinal forests at the Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, Southeast of Minas Gerais, Brazil

2016 ◽  
Vol 106 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo M. Mello ◽  
Pedro H. Nobre ◽  
Marco A. Manhães ◽  
Alexmar S. Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Minas Gerais ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Mountainous Areas ◽  
Ecological Relevance ◽  
Forest Region ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Artibeus Lituratus

ABSTRACT Many studies have demonstrated the ecological relevance and great biodiversity of bats in Brazil. However, mountainous areas have been disproportionately less sampled, mainly in the Southeast. The aim of this study was to identify and compare the richness and diversity of Phyllostomidae, the most diverse bat family, in different forest types in Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, trying to understand the causes of possible differences. The Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca is inserted in the Serra da Mantiqueira's domain, in an Atlantic Forest region known as "Zona da Mata", state of Minas Gerais, with an altitudinal range between 1200-1784 meters. The study was conducted in two forest types, classified as "Nanofloresta Nebular" and "Floresta Nebular", whose respective data on richness and diversity were compared. The bats were captured with 8-10 mist nets for 14 months (April 2011 to May 2012) and four nights per month totaling 62,171.25 m2h of capture effort. A total of 392 captures (12 species) belonging to the Phyllostomidae family were obtained. The most abundant species were Sturnira lilium (59.9%), Platyrrhinus lineatus (11.3%), Artibeus lituratus (8.7%) and Carollia perspicillata (7.6%). The two sampled areas presented differences in bat richness, diversity and species composition, and this difference was predominantly influenced by S. lilium. It is likely that the observed difference in the assembly of bats between the two study sites depends on the variation in floristic composition. The records of A. lituratus and P. lineatus in a few months of the year and close to Ficus mexiae bearing ripe fruits suggests that at least these species move to the park for a few periods of the year in search of food resources, possibly moving through the altitudinal landscapes.

scholarly journals Recover and They’ll Come: Flower Visiting Bees Benefit from the Continuous of Micro-Environments Set by Regenerating Forest Fragments

Sociobiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 5861
Author(s):  
Ana Isabel Sobreiro ◽  
Lucas Lopes da Silveira Peres ◽  
Jessica Amaral Henrique ◽  
Rosilda Mara Mussury ◽  
Valter Vieira Alves-Junior
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Agricultural Activity ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Continuous Forest ◽  
Flower Visiting ◽  
Bee Communities ◽  
Forest Habitats

Forest habitats are important sources of food and nesting resources for pollinators, primarily in urban areas and landscapes with intense agricultural activity. The forest fragmentation and environmental changes occurring in these green refuges are known to impose survival challenges to pollinating bees, leading to species loss. However, it is not well known how the species of bees that visit flowers are distributed in forest micro-environments. To fill this gap, we sampled flower visiting bees in a continuous forest matrix with micro-environments of two forest types (mature and regenerating forest). We examined how the local environmental changes and climatic conditions affect the composition and uniformity of bee communities in the different micro-environments. Our results indicated that both abundance and richness were similar between forest types studied here, however climatic conditions and plant flowering patterns affect the composition of bees. Thus, our results demonstrated that the continuous micro-environments can favor floral visits and the reintegration of bee communities, and still, that this strategy can be used to minimize the impacts of environmental changes at local scales.

scholarly journals Effect of Disturbance Regimes on Spatial Patterns of Tree Species in Three Sites in a Tropical Evergreen Forest in Vietnam

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Do Thi Ngoc Le ◽  
Nguyen Van Thinh ◽  
Nguyen The Dung ◽  
Ralph Mitlöhner
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Patterns ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Interspecific Interactions ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Evergreen Forest ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Disturbance Regimes ◽  
Tropical Evergreen Forest ◽  
Disturbed Forest

The effects of disturbance regimes on the spatial patterns of the five most abundant species were investigated in three sites in a tropical forest at Xuan Nha Nature Reserve, Vietnam. Three permanent one-ha plots were established in undisturbed forest (UDF), lightly disturbed forest (LDF), and highly disturbed forest (HDF). All trees ≥5 cm DBH were measured in twenty-five 20 m × 20 m subplots. A total of 57 tree species belonging to 26 families were identified in the three forest types. The UDF had the highest basal area (30 m2 ha−1), followed by the LDF (17 m2 ha−1) and the HDF (13.0 m2 ha−1). The UDF also had the highest tree density (751 individuals ha−1) while the HDF held the lowest (478 individuals ha−1). Across all species, there were 417 “juveniles,” 267 “subadults,” and 67 “adults” in the UDF, while 274 “juveniles,” 230 “subadults,” and 36 “adults” were recorded in the LDF. 238 “juveniles,” 227 “subadults,” and 13 “adults” were obtained in the HDF. The univariate and bivariate data with pair- and mark-correlation functions of intra- and interspecific interactions of the five most abundant species changed in the three forest types. Most species indicated clumping or regular distributions at small scale, but a high ratio of negative interspecific small-scale associations was recorded in both the LDF and HDF sites. These were, however, rare in the UDF.

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.

scholarly journals Spatial, temporal and ontogenetic variation in the association of fishes (family Labridae) with rocky-reef habitats

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (7) ◽  
pp. 870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason K. Morton ◽  
William Gladstone
Keyword(s):  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Rocky Reef ◽  
Habitat Variability ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
Multiple Spatial Scales ◽  
Habitat Specialisation ◽  
Rocky Reefs

Habitat variability is an important factor structuring fish assemblages of rocky reefs in temperate Australia. Accepting the generality of this model requires that habitat-related variation is consistent through time, across multiple spatial scales, and applies to all life-history stages. We used repeated underwater visual surveys at multiple spatial scales over a 22-month period to test whether three distinct rocky-reef habitats had different wrasse assemblages and whether these assemblages were subject to spatial, temporal and ontogenetic variability. Overall, the strongest and most consistent habitat association was with sponge gardens, which had the most distinct assemblage, and the greatest species richness and density of individuals. Habitat associations in fringe and barrens were less consistent. A substantial increase in the abundance of small individuals, coinciding with warmer sea temperatures, contributed to temporal fluctuations in the density of wrasses. Overall, habitats were not strongly partitioned among larger individuals of the most abundant species, suggesting that adults are largely habitat generalists whereas small, recruiting individuals showed greater habitat specialisation. The present study emphasises the importance of incorporating spatial, temporal and ontogenetic variability into surveys of fish assemblages to understand more fully the dynamics of temperate rocky-reef systems.

Influence of habitat and microhabitat on carabid (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages in four stand types

2003 ◽  
Vol 135 (3) ◽  
pp. 337-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.L. Pearce ◽  
L.A. Venier ◽  
J. McKee ◽  
J. Pedlar ◽  
D. McKenney
Keyword(s):  
Coarse Woody Debris ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Litter Layer ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Disturbed Habitat ◽  
Northwestern Ontario ◽  
Spruce Stands ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Important Habitat

AbstractStudies based on presence/absence of a species may provide insight into habitat associations, allowing the distribution of species to be predicted across the landscape. Our objective was to characterize the carabid fauna in three mature boreal forest types (conifer, mixedwood, and deciduous) and a disturbed habitat (clearcut) to provide baseline data on the carabid species inhabiting the major forest types of boreal northwestern Ontario. Only spring-active carabids were considered for logistical reasons. We further identified the coarse woody debris structure and microhabitat characteristics within these stand types to try to refine our ability to predict the within-stand occurrence of carabids. We found the carabid composition of deciduous stands (mixedwood and aspen) similar and typical of the carabid fauna found in mixedwood forest in other nearby studies. The important feature of these forest types may be the presence of a deciduous leaf litter layer. In contrast, spruce stands contained fewer species and individuals and a distinct carabid fauna. As predicted, the clearcut habitats were dominated by open habitat species, although the fauna was dissimilar to what was recorded in clearcut habitats in other studies within northwestern Ontario. Coarse woody debris appeared to be an important habitat attribute for several carabid species in clearcut habitats.

Cattle herbage utilization patterns under high-density rotational grazing in the Aspen Parkland

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 541-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Asamoah ◽  
E. W. Bork ◽  
B. D. Irving ◽  
M. A. Price ◽  
R. J. Hudson
Keyword(s):  
Low Frequency ◽  
High Density ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Grazing Behavior ◽  
Aspen Parkland ◽  
Utilization Patterns ◽  
Grazing Period ◽  
Aspen Forest ◽  
Riparian Meadows

Native Aspen Parkland landscapes consist of a complex mosaic of plant communities, including riparian meadows, upland grasslands, and forests. Sustainable livestock production in this environment depends on an understanding of livestock grazing behavior among communities, particularly under contemporary, intensive management rotational grazing systems. This study examined seasonal patterns of absolute (kg ha-1) and relative (%) herbage utilization, as well as plant community visitation, across a Parkland landscape by 150 heifers in two rotations of a high-intensity, low-frequency grazing system. Graminoids constituted more than 92% of the total herbage utilized. Absolute graminoid utilization within each grazing period was greater (P < 0.05) throughout the growing season from riparian meadows (2003 to 2114 kg ha-1) than from upland grasslands (762 to 1041 kg ha-1) or forests (782 to 800 kg ha-1). In contrast, relative graminoid utilization remained similar (P > 0.05) among communities in either rotation, suggesting heifers grazed in proportion to graminoid availability (57–61% in first rotation, 44–54% in second rotation). Although riparian meadows represented a small fraction of the landscape (~ 4%), and provided up to 9.5% of the total forage used, the majority of herbage removal at the paddock level continued to originate from upland grasslands and forests. Patterns of visitation indicated heifers initially visited riparian meadows more often within each 3–4 day grazing period, regardless of entry date. While upland grasslands were least visited in June, forests were least visited in August. Based on these utilization and visitation patterns, we discuss the implications of using high-density, rotational livestock grazing for the sustainable management of Aspen Parkland rangelands. Key words: Aspen forest, cattle grazing, forage quality, herbage utilization, riparian meadow, rotational grazing, upland grassland

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