Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Differences in foraging phenology dampen the impact of an invasive slug on ant-mediated seed dispersal of understory forest plants","authors":"K. Tan ,&nbsp;R.A. Ines ,&nbsp;C.M. Buono ,&nbsp;Q. Evans ,&nbsp;T.H.Q. Powell ,&nbsp;K.M. Prior","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104041","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104041","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Seed-dispersal mutualisms are important ecosystem functions that, if disrupted, influence plant fitness and community structure. Anthropogenic stressors such as invasive species and climate change may independently or synergistically influence animal-mediated seed dispersal. <em>Aphaenogaster</em> sp. ants are the primary dispersers of myrmecochorous plants that produce diaspores or seeds with lipid-rich appendages (elaiosomes) that make them attractive to ants in eastern North American forest understories. An invasive slug, <em>Arion</em> sp., damages diaspores by consuming elaiosomes, rendering seeds unattractive to ants. Here, in one forest site, we examine if slugs negatively affect seed dispersal by assessing interactions between seed-dispersing ants and invasive slugs on four species of myrmecochores that release diaspores at different times. We performed an exclusion experiment, excluding slugs and ants to diaspores on depots, when diaspores of four myrmecochore species were released from fruits. We also conducted a similar experiment presenting diaspores of all species at one time in the field and slug preference trials in the lab to determine if particular myrmecochore species are vulnerable to the invasive slug. We found that slugs did not reduce dispersal by ants despite slugs damaging diaspores. This was because peak ant and slug activity differed, with slugs damaging most diaspores of early-dehiscing <em>Sanguinaria canadensis</em>, and ants dispersing most diaspores of later-dehiscing <em>Trillium grandiflorum</em>. When diaspores were presented at the same time, ants and slugs preferred the same species, <em>T. grandiflorum</em>. While we did not find overlap in the phenology of ant and slug interactions in this study, phenological interactions are likely context-dependent. Thus, high-preference species may be vulnerable to invasive slugs if interacting species overlap in different contexts, including under climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":"126 ","pages":"Article 104041"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142748502","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":"Ant utilization of tree trunks in relation to environmental factors in a temperate forest","authors":"Kanata Sakaya Inoue ,&nbsp;Kohei Nakatsuji ,&nbsp;Satoshi Koyama ,&nbsp;Yuta Kobayashi ,&nbsp;Tomohiro Yoshida","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104039","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104039","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forests exhibit complex three-dimensional structures, wherein abiotic factors vary both vertically and horizontally. The interaction between organisms and these factors drives the remarkable biodiversity within forests. Tree trunks serve as vital conduits for organisms moving vertically within the forest, facilitating biodiversity maintenance. Organisms moving vertically through tree trunks in forests face varying abiotic conditions, which may enhance their resilience to long-term environmental changes. Despite numerous studies comparing canopy and ground communities, the distribution of organisms across multiple strata remains poorly understood. Here, we explore the correlation between the horizontal distribution of ants in a forest and environmental factors (topography, tree size, tree species), with a specific focus on their presence on tree trunks. Visual observations were conducted to document ant species richness on tree trunks, supplemented by pitfall traps to quantify soil arthropod biomass, serving as an indicator of protein availability. The results revealed that ant species richness on tree trunks varied based on topography and tree species, showing a positive correlation with tree size. However, no significant relationship emerged between soil arthropod biomass and ant richness on tree trunks. Furthermore, no discernible trend suggesting that certain species were less likely to co-occur was observed; instead, a tendency for some species to co-occur was found. These findings highlight the horizontal heterogeneity in the distribution of ants with respect to topography, tree species, and tree size within the forest.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 104039"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142706829","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":"Understorey-nesting bird community responses to land use in the Korup National Park, an Afrotropical rainforest in South-Western Cameroon","authors":"Jean Tonleu ,&nbsp;Noelline Tsafack ,&nbsp;Kadiri S. Bobo ,&nbsp;Sebastien Lhoumeau ,&nbsp;Wilfried G.T. Lontchi ,&nbsp;Cyrille L.T. Tanebang ,&nbsp;Mpoame Mbida","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104040","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104040","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tropical forest biodiversity is under immense pressure due to a combination of global and local factors, including climate change and intensive land use. Birds play an important role in tropical forest ecosystems, contributing significantly to various ecosystem services. This study examined the impact of deforestation on the richness and abundance of understorey-nesting bird communities along a land-use intensification gradient in the peripheral zone of Korup National Park, Southwest Cameroon. We selected 30 sampling plots, each covering 4 ha, across five habitat types: near-primary forest, secondary forest, disturbed forest, cocoa/coffee plantations, and annual food crop fields. A total of 236 understorey bird nests were identified, representing 16 species. Our findings revealed that land use intensity significantly influenced bird species richness and abundance. Primary and secondary forests provided 75% of the nesting species and 71% of the nests. However, 19% of the species either appeared or increased in cocoa/coffee plantations and annual crop fields. Among the feeding groups, frugivores were the most sensitive group to deforestation. This study corroborates the adverse effects of forest destruction on birds communities and highlights the urgent need to address the rapid and extensive forest conversion occurring within Korup National Park. Allowing secondary forests to regenerate and preserving large patches of primary forest are essential strategies to help understorey-nesting bird communities mitigate the impacts of global changes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 104040"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142706828","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":"Climatic seasonality and dominant species drive the temporal dynamics in a lizard assemblage in the Arid Chaco - Monte ecotone","authors":"Rodrigo Gómez Alés ,&nbsp;Franco Valdez Ovallez ,&nbsp;Oscar A. Stellatelli ,&nbsp;Ana E. Victorica Erostarbe ,&nbsp;Rodrigo Nieva Cocilio ,&nbsp;Ana P. Galdeano ,&nbsp;Graciela M. Blanco ,&nbsp;Juan Carlos Acosta","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104038","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104038","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lizard assemblages are dynamic, influenced by both seasonal climatic changes and intrinsic population shifts. Climate plays a crucial role in shaping lizard phenology, or the timing of their biological events, which critically affects the spatiotemporal structure of sympatric populations. Understanding how species richness and abundance fluctuate over time, and how these changes are influences by temporal factors, is essential for distinguishing between variations caused by unpredictable external factors and underlying natural changes. This study aimed to characterize lizard assemblage structure and dynamics, as well as species demographics, over three consecutive years within an Arid Chaco - Monte ecotone in central-western Argentina. We also sought to assess the effects of environmental drivers (e.g., temperature, precipitation) on assemblage and population dynamics. Monthly samples were taken using pitfall traps from October 2015 to May 2018 within the protected area of the Valle Fértil Multiple Use Reserve. We captured 1446 lizards, representing 12 species. <em>Liolaemus chacoensis</em> was dominant in the assemblage, followed by <em>Teius teyou</em> and <em>Aurivela longicauda</em>. Species richness and diversity varied seasonally, peaking during summer and autumn. The lizard assemblage exhibited activity throughout all seasons, with significant temporal niche overlap between species. Reproduction and activity in lizards were highly seasonal, primarily occurring in spring and summer, likely due to low winter temperatures and highly seasonal rainfall. Our study shows that climate seasonality and the demographics of the dominant species significantly influence the temporal dynamics of lizard assemblages in the Arid Chaco-Monte ecotone of Argentina.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 104038"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142706905","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":"Functional divergence exists in mucilage-mediated seed dispersal, but not in germination of myxospermic Lepidium campestre and Lepidium draba (Brassicaceae)","authors":"Said Mohammed ,&nbsp;Klaus Mummenhoff","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104042","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104042","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aim of this study was to compare the role of mucilage in seed dispersal and germination of the two closely related invasive weed species, <em>Lepidium campestre</em> and <em>Lepidium draba</em>. The study investigated the staining patterns of mucilage and its effects on seed germination, water uptake, dehydration, adherence to sand particles and dispersal by wind, water and animals following standard protocols. The mucilaginous seeds of <em>L. campestre</em> had a higher pectin and cellulose content than <em>L. draba</em>. This difference has a significant effect on water uptake and retention. The mucilage increased water uptake in both species, with <em>L. campestre</em> seeds absorbing significantly more water (836% compared to 75% in <em>L. draba</em>). Remarkably, the mucilage of both species had very little effect on seed germination. Significantly, the seeds of <em>L. draba</em> readily germinated under dry conditions, suggesting that this species may have developed different germination strategies. In addition, the seeds and fruits of <em>L. draba</em> showed a higher potential for dispersal via water and wind, whereas those of <em>L. campestre</em> adhered to animals. Further, <em>L. campestre</em> seeds showed significantly stronger adherence to sand particles (1872%) compared to those of <em>L. draba</em> (445%). This suggests that <em>L. campestre</em> seeds are more likely to disperse locally and possibly adhere to animals or soil particles. Our results suggest that mucilage produce by the two invasive weed species results in different methods of dispersal, which may help explain differences in their distribution patterns.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 104042"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142706856","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":"The resilience of heathland ecosystems: A working hypothesis","authors":"Christian Damgaard,&nbsp;Jesper Leth Bak,&nbsp;Morten Strandberg,&nbsp;Rikke Reisner Hansen","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ecosystem stability and resilience are vital characteristics for understanding key ecosystem dynamics, conservation management and restoration issues. However, for heathlands and other semi-natural ecosystems investigating stability and resilience demands a different approach from that of more stable ecosystems closer to a successional climax state, since we need to distinguish between 1) <em>disturbances</em> that are needed to maintain the ecosystem in a habitat-characteristic state, and 2) <em>pressures</em> that may perturb the ecosystem away from a characteristic state. Here, we suggest methods to measure and predict resilience in Atlantic dry heathland ecosystems. This will be achieved by outlining a working hypothesis of the most important factors that regulate the stability and resilience of semi-natural heathland ecosystems. At the center of the proposed hypothesis is the amount of nitrogen in the soil that is available for plant growth and how the nitrogen-cycling pathway is formed by dominant species of heathland ecosystems. Furthermore, we will discuss possible ways to quantify semi-natural ecosystem resilience and suggest a research program that would allow us to test the outlined working hypothesis in semi-natural ecosystems and provide quantitative information for making ecological predictions on heathland stability and resilience. This investigation has direct consequences for how heathland conservation may be planned in a way that protects both resilience, structure, function and the characteristic species of heathlands. It could also form an ecological basis for investigating anthropogenic practices and ways to protect its associated culture-historical values.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 104037"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142534389","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":"Caves’ environmental stability shaping subterranean biodiversity in the neotropics","authors":"Rafael Costa Cardoso,&nbsp;Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira,&nbsp;Marconi Souza-Silva","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104036","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104036","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Caves, once thought to be isolated ecosystems\", are now understood to have intricate connections with surface environments, particularly evident at their entrances. These connections can significantly affect the microclimate within caves, leading to varying degrees of environmental stability. Our research explores the impact of microclimate conditions, specifically related to cave environmental stability, on biodiversity changes. We surveyed subterranean invertebrates during two different seasonal periods in 17 limestone caves in three karst regions in southeastern Brazil. Our analysis aimed to understand how environmental stability influences the overall richness of cave invertebrates and troglobitic species richness (restricted to subterranean habitats). We hypothesized that more stable caves would experience less fluctuation in relative species richness and lower turnover between seasons. Additionally, we anticipated that caves with greater environmental stability would harbor a higher richness of cave-restricted species in the function of their length. Our findings support these hypotheses, revealing a significant positive correlation between cave environmental stability and species richness. Caves with higher environmental stability demonstrated lower species turnover rates between seasons, indicating enhanced community stability. While environmental stability significantly affected species richness, its influence on cave-restricted species was comparatively less pronounced. This suggests a complex interplay of factors shaping the unique fauna of caves. Nonetheless, the implications of climate change underscore the importance of preserving the environmental stability of these ecosystems. Using environmental stability as a guide can help protect cave biodiversity from the adverse effects of climate change, contributing to broader conservation efforts for these unique habitats.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 104036"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142534381","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":"Hyperpredation as a mechanism responsible for the impact of introduced populations on native biodiversity","authors":"Marcelo H. Cassini,&nbsp;Luciano Rivas","doi":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104035","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actao.2024.104035","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Species that have been introduced into regions outside their native range can damage biodiversity and natural ecosystems. Hyperpredation is the process by which an introduced primary prey enables a generalist predator to increase dramatically in numbers leading to sustained abnormally high predation of secondary native prey. Testing the hyperpredation model is a challenging task because it has several assumptions but no exclusive predictions that are inconsistent with alternative hypotheses, for which data supporting several predictions are required to validate this hypothesis. We reviewed studies that postulate hyperpredation as a mechanism explaining the impact of introduced species. We used Scopus and Google Scholar databases for finding publications and Prisma protocol for selecting them. No one of the 44 selected publications provided enough information to demonstrate hyperpredation as the mechanism responsible for the impact of introduced prey populations on native biodiversity because (i) in all studies there were other ecological mechanisms that could explain the observed decline of native prey; (ii) no study have considered all the assumptions of the hyperpredation model, nor found positive results for all its predictions, and (iii) most studies used observational, descriptive method instead of field experiments that explicitly try to refute alternative hypotheses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55564,"journal":{"name":"Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 104035"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142534369","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":"Microtopography and vegetation generate uneven predation pressure on forest insects","authors":"Kohei Nakatsuji ,&nbsp;Yuta Kobayashi ,&nbsp;Tomohiro Yoshida","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":"125 ","pages":"Article 104031"},"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":"Amelia S.N. Kumala,&nbsp;Devi N. Choesin,&nbsp;Ichsan Suwandhi","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":"125 ","pages":"Article 104030"},"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}