Austral Ecology最新文献

{"title":"The Expansion of Perna viridis Towards South Brazil: Bridging the Gap With Traditional Scientific Surveys and Citizen Science","authors":"Marcos Akira-Umeno,&nbsp;Leonardo Cirillo,&nbsp;Alexandre Ribeiro da Silva","doi":"10.1111/aec.70071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70071","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In a world of constant change, biodiversity monitoring proves essential for the conservation of native species. Many of these changes are linked to the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS), which alter ecosystem structure and community dynamics and directly impact native species. New records of NIS are often obtained through traditional scientific surveys. However, citizen science has provided significant insights into species distributions through volunteer observations by individuals outside of academia. Successful platforms for citizen science, such as iNaturalist, have revolutionised spatial and temporal understanding of biodiversity. Recently, the Green Mussel (<i>Perna viridis</i>), a NIS, was recorded in the states of Paraná, Rio de Janeiro and Ceará, Brazil. Nevertheless, there were no official records for other states along the Brazilian coast. This study aimed to use traditional scientific methods in conjunction with citizen science to update the distribution status of this species. Using traditional scientific surveys, one record of <i>P. viridis</i> was documented in the municipality of São Vicente, São Paulo state, while 42 records were obtained through iNaturalist, spanning the states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina. As a result, our study filled the distribution gap for this NIS along the southern Brazilian coast, highlighting the importance of citizen science in monitoring such species. Early detection of NIS is crucial for successful management, emphasising the utility of using non-traditional methods in biological invasion studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aec.70071","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143871746","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":"Facultative Climbing in Two Widespread Skink Species Found Along the East Coast of Australia","authors":"David A. De Angelis,&nbsp;Gio Fitzpatrick","doi":"10.1111/aec.70060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70060","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Many primarily ground-dwelling vertebrates are known to occasionally climb trees and other vertical structures. This includes, although is relatively rarely reported among, terrestrial reptiles. The functions of facultative climbing or scansoriality are generally poorly known, although the reasons for doing so may include foraging, thermoregulation, access to favourable nesting sites and predator avoidance. The garden skink (<i>Lampropholis guichenoti</i>) and weasel skink (<i>Saproscincus mustelinus</i>) are native to Australia, widely recognised as terrestrial species that shelter and forage among leaf litter and ground debris, with the former species previously regarded as rarely or not ascending more than 30 cm from the ground. However, in spring 2017, summer 2018 and summer 2025, three <i>L. guichenoti</i> were recorded climbing to heights of 164 cm, 287 cm and 125 cm, respectively. These observations demonstrate that although it may be uncommon, <i>L. guichenoti</i> is at least capable of climbing to substantially greater heights than had previously been reported. Although basking behaviour was observed in all instances, the possible reasons for facultative climbing by this species otherwise remain largely unknown. Two observations were also made of <i>S. mustelinus</i> having climbed to heights of 92 cm and 203 cm in 2022 and 2023 respectively. This species is known to regulate its body temperature primarily through thigmothermy among terrestrial microhabitats such as decomposing litter and woody debris, and in both instances of this species climbing, similar microhabitats were available at the heights the individuals were observed. The observations presented here highlight the value of publishing observational notes on previously unreported behaviours expressed by species that may otherwise be commonly encountered or well understood.</p>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aec.70060","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143871899","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":"Effects of Intraspecific and Interspecific Indirect Competition on Foraging Activity in Subtropical Facultative and Obligatory Shredder Organisms","authors":"Giovana Rech Durigon,&nbsp;Emanuel Rampanelli Cararo,&nbsp;Cássia Alves Lima-Rezende,&nbsp;Renan de Souza Rezende","doi":"10.1111/aec.70070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70070","url":null,"abstract":"<p>While the recognised influence of resource competition on the structure of aquatic ecosystems is well-established, its effects on allochthonous matter dynamics in streams, particularly regarding interspecific and intraspecific indirect competition, remain understudied and inadequately understood. In this investigation, we explored the impacts of interspecific and intraspecific indirect competition on leaf litter consumption by the shredder organisms <i>Phylloicus</i> spp. and <i>Aegla</i> spp. The effects of indirect competition were evaluated through a microcosm experimental setup, comprised of two controls and three treatments: (i) <i>Phylloicus</i> control competition-free; (ii) <i>Aegla</i> control competition-free; (iii) intraspecific competition within <i>Aegla</i>; (iv) intraspecific competition within <i>Phylloicus</i>; and (v) interspecific competition. In the competition-free controls, a single organism occupied a 2 L microcosm, whereas in indirect competitive pressure treatments, two organisms were introduced into a 4 L microcosm with a 0.05-mm mesh partition. Our findings revealed that interspecific indirect competition had a disproportionately higher impact on <i>Phylloicus</i>, whereas intraspecific indirect competition had a more pronounced effect on <i>Aegla</i>. <i>Phylloicus</i> demonstrated superior shredding efficiency compared to <i>Aegla</i>, possibly due to <i>Aegla</i>'s broader feeding range and distinctive leaf litter utilisation strategies. The presence of potential competitors led to reduced consumption rates in <i>Phylloicus</i>, highlighting its sensitivity to competition. Furthermore, <i>Aegla</i>'s predatory behaviour and cannibalism likely intensified intraspecific indirect competition within the species. These results underscore the pivotal role of indirect competition in shaping the feeding behaviour of shredder organisms in leaf litter banks, ultimately influencing plant matter fragmentation in aquatic ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aec.70070","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143871748","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":"Impacts of a Potential HPAI H5N1 Incursion on Australian Wildlife","authors":"Sara Ryding,&nbsp;Tobias A. Ross,&nbsp;Marcel Klaassen,&nbsp;Michelle Wille","doi":"10.1111/aec.70048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70048","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Avian influenza HPAI H5N1 is catastrophic and will likely have negative consequences for Australian wildlife.</p>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aec.70048","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143871747","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":"Habitat Exploration and Foraging in a Dominant Hover Fly (Melangyna) is Sex-Dependent","authors":"Manuel E. Lequerica Támara,&nbsp;Tanya Latty,&nbsp;Caragh G. Threlfall,&nbsp;Dieter F. Hochuli","doi":"10.1111/aec.70067","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70067","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Distinct behaviours between males and females within the same species can promote differences in the use of resources between sexes, which can have profound consequences on ecosystem processes, such as pollination. Despite this, studies on floral visitation often focus on the relationships between floral visitors and plants at the species level, neglecting the intraspecific differences between male and female insect floral visitors. This study investigates intraspecific differences in the use of floral resources by male and female <i>Melangyna</i>, a dominant group of hover flies. Our year-long observations reveal distinct behaviours in hovering and foraging between the sexes and among the seasons. We also present evidence of sexual dimorphism, with males being larger than females. These behavioural and physical differences lead to distinct use of floral resources by each sex, which could have significant implications for plant reproduction. Our findings underscore the need to consider intraspecific sexual differences in future studies on floral visitation and pollination.</p>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aec.70067","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143871696","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":"Soil Seed Bank of Levee Forests of the Paraná River Frontal Delta (Argentina)","authors":"Horacio Sirolli,&nbsp;Sebastián Andrés Torrella","doi":"10.1111/aec.70062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70062","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A seed bank is made up of all viable and nongerminated seeds that are present in an environment, and its study is relevant to understanding a plant community. The levee forests of the Paraná River Frontal Delta are primary and secondary riparian forests that develop on relatively high banks and have been described in terms of their vegetation and successional behaviour. However, its seed bank has not been characterised, so the objective of the present work was to describe it in order to understand the regeneration potential of native and exotic species in the levees. To do this, soil samples were collected throughout the four seasons of a year in eight plots of 10 by 10 m (0.03 m² per plot, total sampled area 0.99 m²). Each sample included leaf litter up to 10 cm in depth. These were put to germinate for a year, both with their structure intact and disturbed. Results indicated that the seed bank of the forests under study is similar to that of other subtropical forests. It has greater species richness in autumn and greater total density in winter. Species with transient (genera <i>Ligustrum</i> and <i>Ficus</i>) and permanent (genera <i>Rubus</i>, <i>Cyrtocymura</i> and <i>Morus</i>) banks could be classified. Woody life forms are more abundant than herbaceous life forms, but the latter have a greater number of species. Alien species add a greater number of seeds, but the native ones are richer.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143871701","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":"Fostering Biodiversity in Neotropical Savannahs: Fire as a Diversity Driver for Fruit-Feeding Butterfly Assemblages in the Cerrado","authors":"Geraldo de Brito Freire-Jr,&nbsp;André Elias-Paiva,&nbsp;Danilo Bandini Ribeiro,&nbsp;Raquel Fernandes Araujo,&nbsp;Chanchanok Sudta,&nbsp;Elizabeth S. de Araújo,&nbsp;Hernani F. M. Oliveira,&nbsp;Fabrício Escarlate-Tavares,&nbsp;Fabricius M. C. B. Domingos","doi":"10.1111/aec.70053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70053","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fire has significantly shaped the dynamics of Brazilian Cerrado fauna and flora, but the interference of human activities and climate change has disrupted the natural fire regime, imperilling multiple animal and plant populations. Our study, performed at Reserva Ecológica do Roncador (RECOR-IBGE) in Brasília-Brazil, examined the influence of fire frequency and post-fire intervals on diversity patterns of fruit-feeding butterflies in savannah woodlands. We sampled 1059 individuals from 16 butterfly species, in which Biblidinae and Charaxinae were the most representative clades. Sites with higher fire frequency and shorter post-fire intervals exhibited higher taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity compared to sites with longer intervals. Sites with longer post-fire intervals were primarily dominated by Biblidinae, whereas charaxines and satyrines mostly occurred in sites with shorter post-fire intervals. Species exhibiting wing eyespots thrived in sites with recent fires. These findings emphasise fire's pivotal role in maintaining open vegetation, crucial for conserving butterfly assemblages, particularly charaxines and satyrines. Importantly, fire suppression leads to fuel accumulation, elevating the risk of severe wildfires in the Cerrado. In conclusion, our results underscore the adverse impact of a zero-fire policy on insect communities, including fruit-feeding butterflies, within this unique ecosystem.</p>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aec.70053","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143689285","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":"Taxonomic Attributes and Functional Feeding Groups (FFG) of Chironomidae to Assess the Ecological Status of Floodplain Lakes in the Trombetas and Tapajós River Basins, Brazilian Amazon","authors":"Marcio Vieira do Nascimento,&nbsp;Lívia Maria Fusari,&nbsp;Sheyla Regina Marques Couceiro","doi":"10.1111/aec.70047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70047","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Chironomidae is a group of insects widely distributed in aquatic ecosystems, where they are generally abundant and highly diverse, performing important ecosystem functions. These insects can serve as biomonitoring tools because they respond readily to environmental changes, especially those of human origin. In this study, we tested whether changes in land use and land cover (LULC), as well as environmental variables, would affect the functional feeding groups (FFG) and the Chironomidae community in floodplain lakes within the Trombetas and Tapajós river basins. Nine lakes were sampled in these areas. The collected material was sorted in the laboratory and mounted on semi-permanent slides for identification and classification into functional feeding groups. A total of 3536 individuals, distributed across 33 genera, were identified. Generally, environments characterised by non-forest natural formations, forested areas, and temperature were positively correlated with the Chironomidae community. Conversely, the variables electrical conductivity, urban area, and conductivity showed negative correlations with the community. Regarding the FFG, collector-gatherers were the most abundant, followed by predators, shredder-herbivores, and collector-filterers. When evaluating the influence of environmental variables and land use and cover on the FFG, we found that urban areas and non-forest natural formations negatively impacted predators and shredder-herbivores, while also increasing electrical conductivity. Additionally, low dissolved oxygen concentrations negatively affected collector-filterers, and collector-gatherers were negatively influenced by forested areas. Thus, our results corroborate the importance of environmental variables and changes in land use on the Chironomidae community, providing information that can contribute to the conservation of floodplain lakes, with biomonitoring of these lakes and information for public policies.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143689286","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":"New Mutualisms at New Ecosystems: Seed Dispersal Assessment of Invasive Shrubs by Native and Non-Native Mammals","authors":"Antonella De Luca,&nbsp;Verónica A. Quiroga,&nbsp;David L. Vergara-Tabares","doi":"10.1111/aec.70051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70051","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Biological invasions are a significant driver of global biodiversity decline in the Anthropocene. The success of plant invasions often depends on mutualistic relationships, such as animal-mediated seed dispersal. While the role of birds in dispersing invasive plants is well documented, the involvement of mammals in new ecosystems remains largely unclear. In the mountains of Central Argentina, <i>Pyracantha</i> species are among the most prominent invasive plants, and their seed dispersal by birds has been extensively studied. In this study, we assessed the role of mammals within a novel assemblage (comprising native, invasive, and domestic species) in the seed dispersal process of invasive <i>Pyracantha angustifolia</i> and <i>P. crenulata</i> shrubs. Specifically, we identified which mammal species are legitimate seed dispersers, evaluated their impact on seed germination, and determined where they deposit the seeds using a combination of observational and experimental approaches. Through camera traps and faecal analyses, we identified the following mammals consuming <i>Pyracantha</i> fruits: (1) domestic species: cattle and horses; (2) native species: grey fox, common hog-nosed skunk, and collared peccary; and (3) invasive species: European hare, wild boar, and invasive deer (red or spotted deer). We included two additional native mammals (i.e., collared peccaries and brown brocket deers) to perform germination trials due to their presumably frugivorous behaviour. The germination experiment revealed that seed ingestion by captive horses, grey foxes, collared peccaries, brown brocket deer, red deer and exotic deer enhanced seed germination. Principal Component Analysis indicated no specific association between mammal species and seed deposition sites, suggesting non-directed dispersal. This research highlights the emergence of new mutualisms in anthropogenic systems that may influence plant community structure through the promotion of plant invasions. Understanding these novel mutualisms is crucial for predicting community rearrangements and improving management actions against plant invasions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143689284","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":"Necrophagy in Aspidoscelis lineattissimus (Cope, 1878) and Incilius marmoreus (Wiegmann, 1833) by the Dung Beetle Canthon cyanellus (LeConte, 1859) in a Dry Tropical Forest of Mexico","authors":"Juan M. Díaz-García,&nbsp;Renato P. Salomão","doi":"10.1111/aec.70046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70046","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The carcasses of invertebrates and small to medium-sized vertebrates are the main food source of necrophagous beetles; however, little is known about the consumption of herpetozoan carcasses by these beetles. In this note, we present the first reports of the consumption of a carcass of a lizard, <i>Aspidoscelis lineattissimus</i> (Teiidae) and a carcass of a toad, <i>Incilius marmoreus</i> (Bufonidae) by the dung beetle <i>Canthon cyanellus</i> (Scarabaeidae) in the Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. Our reports suggest that amphibian and reptile carcasses may be relevant to the reproduction and feeding behaviours of carrion beetles in tropical forests.</p>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aec.70046","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143689365","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}