Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Microtopography and vegetation generate uneven predation pressure on forest insects","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104031","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104031","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Predation plays an important role in the coexistence of multiple species within forest ecosystems. It is spatially heterogeneous and influenced by the surrounding environment at different spatial scales. Studies focusing on multiple environmental factors in systems with high spatial complexity are lacking, but elucidating the effects of local environmental factors within a forest could assist in understanding the effects of local differences in predation pressures on multispecies coexistence. Here, we examined the effects of microtopography and vegetation on predation pressure using the model caterpillar method. We hypothesized that differences in microtopography and vegetation types would result in different predation pressures on invertebrates within a forest. Insect attacks were dominant throughout the study period. The attack rates on the model caterpillars were also lower on hill tops and evergreen deciduous trees. Predation pressure within the forest was heterogeneous and independently influenced by topography and vegetation type. Our results suggest that environmental heterogeneity within forests may lead to highly variable predation pressures and affect multispecies coexistence. This study suggests that microtopography and vegetation types within forests should be considered for biological control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142326433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relationship between seagrass community structure and carbon stocks on the coasts of Karimunjawa Marine National Park, Indonesia","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104030","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104030","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The seagrass ecosystem is considered one of the most effective coastal ecosystems in storing carbon. Carbon stock estimation for a certain ecosystem is highly affected by factors such as species diversity and habitat type. This study aims to investigate the relationship between plant community structure and carbon stocks in the seagrass ecosystem using a case study of six coastal sites in Karimunjawa Marine National Park, Indonesia. In this region, eight seagrass species were recorded, i.e., <em>Enhalus acoroides, Thalassia hemprichii, Cymodocea rotundata, Halodule pinifolia, Halophila ovalis, Halophila minor, Syringodium isoetifolium,</em> and <em>Oceana serrulata</em>. From the six study sites, the highest estimated carbon stock was 426.2 Mg C ha⁻¹ (Site 5; Telaga, dominated by <em>E. acoroides</em>). Meanwhile, the lowest estimated carbon stock was 127.4 Mg C ha⁻¹ (Site 4; Koin, dominated by <em>T. hemprichii</em>)<em>.</em> The density of <em>E. acoroides</em> was positively correlated with the total seagrass biomass carbon stocks (r = 0.97; p &lt; 0.01), while its dominance was positively correlated with sediment carbon stocks (r = 0.92; p &lt; 0.05) and total seagrass ecosystem carbon stocks (r = 0.92; p &lt; 0.05). Seagrass ecosystems with different community structures showed different carbon storage capacities. Seagrass ecosystems dominated by large-sized species such as <em>E. acoroides</em> showed higher estimated carbon stocks thus suggesting the importance of considering the variability of community structure in managing seagrass ecosystems for carbon sequestration and storage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142322057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal changes in altitudinal patterns of bird species richness in a temperate low-elevation mountain","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104033","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104033","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mountain environments change rapidly over short distances along altitudinal gradients, providing an ideal system for exploring the mechanisms that shape biodiversity gradients. Species richness is the most studied diversity metric in mountains, and altitudinal patterns and their shaping mechanisms have been investigated worldwide. Although the altitudinal patterns of species richness in breeding bird assemblages have been extensively studied, less attention has been paid to seasonal changes in patterns between winter and summer. Furthermore, the effects of severe climate in high-elevation areas on seasonal changes in the altitudinal pattern of species richness in insular mountains remain unclear. We investigated changes in the pattern between the breeding and wintering seasons using field and literature surveys in Mount Tsukuba (877 m a.s.l.), central Japan. Temperatures at the middle elevations of the slope are relatively higher than those at the foot of the mountain in winter. The mountain is covered with forests up to its summit. We found that the altitudinal pattern of species richness was the low-plateau during the wintering season. Low-elevation areas were havens for wintering species, whereas high-elevation areas were impoverished in wintering species. Conversely, there was no association between elevation and species richness during the breeding season. Our study suggests that the relaxation of severe climates in high-elevation areas during winter and verdant forests in the highlands during summer are critical mechanisms driving seasonal changes in the altitudinal pattern of species richness. Furthermore, we highlight that comprehensive monitoring, including wintering seasons, is essential for detecting the changes in the diversity patterns of mountain bird assemblages due to the shift in the peak of wintering species richness under ongoing climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142322070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Keystone species in an urban environment: Do raptors control the Mexican gray squirrel in Mexico City?","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104034","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104034","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urbanization has forced animals to respond to novel environments. One of the basic questions in urban ecology is if ecological processes that occur in natural conditions also occur in urban environments. In natural ecosystems, key predators can limit prey abundance and have a widespread effect on trophic levels. Here, we examine a predator-prey interaction in Mexico City, an urban ecosystem where prey can be evaluated in the presence or absence of apex predators. Nearly all original ecosystems in Mexico City have been transformed for human purposes. Many of the green spaces in the city contain populations of the Mexican gray squirrel, a species native to this area. These green spaces are also inhabited by different species of raptors, the most frequent being Harris's hawk, Cooper's hawk, and sharp-shinned hawk. Little is known about the interactions between raptors and squirrels, particularly how different environmental factors influence this ecological relationship. We do know, however, that raptors prey on squirrels. We predicted that in parks where raptors were present, there would be fewer squirrels than in parks where there were no raptors. We studied the relationship between raptors and squirrels using occupancy models, which also allowed us to evaluate environmental factors that affect the presence of both squirrels and raptors. We also tested if the presence of raptors influenced the occupancy probability of squirrels, and vice versa. Lastly, we estimated the abundance of squirrels in parks, both where raptors were present and where they were absent. Contrary to our predictions, in our first two sampling periods we found a positive relationship between the presence of raptors and squirrel abundance, but this relationship was absent during our second two survey periods, which was due to a decline in squirrel abundance in parks where raptors were present. These results suggest that predator-prey interactions occur in urban settings much as they do under natural conditions, but that other factors unique to urbanization can also impact the abundance of raptors and squirrels. Our findings also suggest that raptors might be an effective means of controlling squirrel populations under some conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142319727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Christmas-related moss harvesting promotes the recruitment of the endangered conifer Abies hickelii","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104032","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104032","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The harvesting of mosses for ornamental purposes is a common activity worldwide. In some parts of Latin America and Europe, this activity is directly linked to the Catholic tradition of making nativity scenes at Christmas. At the end of each year, rural communities extract the moss layer from temperate forests and sell it in regional markets. The ecological impacts of this activity on temperate ecosystems and the vascular plants that inhabit them are poorly documented in the literature. Here, we determine the effects of moss layer harvest on the recruitment of the endangered species <em>Abies hickelii</em> in eastern Mexico. To this end, we conducted a series of in situ studies to determine the effects of moss layer harvest on (i) seeds and established seedlings, (ii) seedling emergence and (iii) seedling establishment of this conifer. We found that moss layer removal had positive and neutral effects on the early life stages of <em>A. hickelii</em>. Moss harvesting had minimal impact on the total seed input from the 2017–2018 mast event, as it occurred weeks before the peak of <em>A. hickelii</em> seed dispersal. After two years, the absence of the moss layer was associated with a higher number of emerged and established seedlings. We discuss the ecological implications of our findings and make recommendations for Christmas-related moss harvesting and future <em>A. hickelii</em> conservation efforts. Finally, although we found no significant negative effects of moss harvesting on <em>A. hickelii</em>, we only studied this one species, and the effects of this activity on other species are still unknown, so we recommend a cautious approach to moss harvesting.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1146609X24000547/pdfft?md5=32d7691439ac89d5e85ab30a7922e713&pid=1-s2.0-S1146609X24000547-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142314098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Winners and losers: Competition and the invasive grass Bromus inermis","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Competition can cause the loss of certain species and concurrent dominance of other species, especially with invasive species. Here we explore the mechanisms behind competition between an invasive grass species, smooth brome <em>Bromus inermis</em>, and two dominant native grass species, big bluestem <em>Andropogon gerardi</em> and little bluestem <em>Schizachyrium scoparium. Bromus inermis</em> is now found in all contiguous states in the United States and may outcompete native species in North America, particularly when grazed. Grazing was simulated by cutting the plants once per year and three times per year, done monthly in the summer (plus an uncut control treatment). We grew all three species in the greenhouse as monocultures, as well as in a mix of <em>B. inermis</em> + <em>A. gerardi</em> and <em>B. inermis</em> + <em>S. scoparium</em>. We found that there was considerable yield suppression when smooth brome competed with both big- and little bluestem mixes with <em>B. inermis</em> after three cuts. Non-structural carbohydrates and total nitrogen declined considerably aboveground for the <em>B. inermis</em> + <em>A. gerardi</em> mix after three cuts. The clearest overall impact was that of cutting frequency, with plants receiving three cuts per season having lowest biomass. We conclude that the maintenance of biomass in <em>B. inermis,</em> despite the level of simulated herbivory, was probably the reason that they remained competitively dominant over the two native bluestem species.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141945162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of litter decomposition and nutrient release from shrub litter on enzymatic activity and C/N/P stoichiometry of soils in a temperate pine forest","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104020","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Forest litter is an important factor in shaping the soil environment. In the temperate climate zone, there is a lack of research on the impact of shrubs on the properties of forest soils. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of litter decomposition and nutrient release from litter with an admixture of shrubs on enzymatic activity and C/N/P stoichiometry of soils. The study included pine monocultures and pine stands with an admixture of rowan or alder buckthorn or European hazelnut. In our experiment, we determined the chemical properties of litter of various shrub species. We determined the chemical composition of leachates from decomposing litter and the rate of decomposition of litter of different species. We determined the C/N/P stoichiometry and enzymatic activity of soils affected by litter of various species of shrubs. The quality of litter and the rate of its decomposition is an important factor shaping the properties of forest soils. Components released from the decomposition of litter with the shrubs had a positive effect on the C/N/P stoichiometry of soils and enzyme activity. The results obtained in this experiment confirm the possibility of using shrubs, especially alder buckthorn and European hazelnut, to improve the properties of forest soils. As a result of the decomposition of alder buckthorn or European hazelnut litter, the soil becomes enriched with nutrients. The decomposition of litter with shrub admixture occurs much faster compared to pine litter, which has a positive effect on the C/N/P stoichiometry and the enzymatic activity of soils.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1146609X24000420/pdfft?md5=8cd56496992a7db299225a63565ee9d5&pid=1-s2.0-S1146609X24000420-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141776900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Climate and soil nutrients generate distinct diversity patterns across four elevational gradients within the same region","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Numerous researchers have endeavored to discover a general explanation for elevational diversity gradients, but we remain unclear whether similar diversity patterns and driving factors exist for the same life-forms along different elevational gradients within the same region. In the Ili Valley of the Central Asia Biodiversity Hotspot, we selected four elevational gradients with similar species pools and evolutionary histories to assess the factors influencing of elevational diversity pattern. Our findings indicate distinct patterns of species diversity for the same life-forms along the four elevational gradients within the same region. The species richness and abundance of woody plants are primarily controlled by climate-based factors (i.e., minimum temperature, temperature seasonality, mean annual precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration) along four elevational diversity gradients in the Ili Valley, while the species richness and abundance of herbaceous plants are primarily influenced by both climate and soil nutrients (i.e., soil organic carbon). In conclusion, climate is an important driver of species diversity for woody plants, and that the driving mechanisms of herbaceous plant diversity along elevational gradients should consider both climate and soil nutrients.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141880691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Population density affects propensity to share gall space in a primitively social aphid","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In the vast majority of gall insects, solitary establishment of a gall is the rule, but the primitively social aphid <em>Tamalia coweni</em> exhibits communal gall occupation under conditions of increased competition for gall sites. Here we tested the hypothesis that gall-sharing rates are a function of variable population densities in galls and on leaves of the host plant. Current results, observed under natural density and temporal variation, demonstrate that population density is a strong predictor of co-occupation rates. Although basal leaf positions were more frequently chosen as gall-induction sites than distal ones, there was no evidence these sites were more likely to be co-occupied. In addition to spatial constraints, temporal constraints may be important in mediating primitive sociality in <em>T. coweni</em>.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141732115","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biodiversity of polypores inhabiting Populus tremula L. within regenerating stands of the Białowieża Primeval Forest (E Poland)","authors":"Grzegorz Kuryło ,&nbsp;Piotr T. Zaniewski ,&nbsp;Leszek Bolibok ,&nbsp;Andrzej Szczepkowski","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2024.104010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Human-induced disturbances have a significant impact on populations of polypores. In the 20th century, Białowieża Primeval Forest (BPF) was strongly affected by harvesting disturbance. As a result of natural regeneration, forest stands are composed predominantly of pioneer species regenerated in harvested areas. We asked how substrate type, stand age, site conditions, substrate size, and decay stage of post-clearcut stands affect species richness and composition of polypore communities inhabiting aspen <em>Populus tremula</em>.</p><p>Data was collected in broadleaf stands representing two levels of site conditions (mesic and wet) and two categories of age (young 30–60 years and old 80–110 years old), seven stands for each factor combination, a total of 28. In each forest stand 11 sampling plots were systematically established where basidiomata were registered on a 4-m fragment of the nearest log and up to a 4-m height of the nearest living aspen tree, a total of 308 samples for each substrate category. Due to the hierarchical structure of data, the influence of environmental variables on number of species registered was modeled with mixed effect models. The influence of environmental factors on polypore composition was assessed with db-RDA models.</p><p>Twenty-five species of polypores were found, including seven red-listed and one legally protected in Poland. The number of observed polypore species was significantly higher on logs and in older stands, but site conditions did not influence it. The stand age influenced the number of species on living trees but not on logs. The increase in log diameter and moderately advanced decay stage positively affected species number. The same factors were found to impact polypore community composition. The results confirm the high importance of aspen for polypore diversity maintenance.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141595569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}