Austral Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Over- and Under- Representations of Predatory Fish Body Sizes Are Shaped by Habitat Architecture and Nutrient Loads in a Subtropical River Basin","authors":"Felipe Maresca Urioste,&nbsp;Ana Inés Borthagaray,&nbsp;Ivan González-Bergonzoni,&nbsp;Matías Arim","doi":"10.1111/aec.70037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Body size distribution reflects the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that shape biodiversity. Over- and under-representations -i.e., discontinuities- in this distribution reflect body sizes that could be favoured or limited by operating mechanisms. Although several non-exclusive hypotheses have been formulated to explain the discontinuities in body size distributions, few empirical studies have been able to advance on the determinants of these discontinuities along ecological gradients. By means of null models we assessed the existence of over-/under- representations in the body size distribution of 48 local assemblages of carnivorous fishes in the Rio Negro basin, Uruguay. Specifically, we identified the body size locations at which an over-representation and/or under-representation occurs in local communities compared to the null model distribution. Then, using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), we explicitly connect these deviations with gradients in local conditions. Over-representations at the different sites ranged from sizes of 0.1 to 28.8 g, while under-representations ranged from 0.1 to 27.1 g. Our structural equation model identified a significant connection between substrate type and nutrient loads with the location of over-representations in the size spectra, while substrate type and depth were connected to the magnitude of the over-representation. The magnitude of the over-representation influenced the size and magnitude of the under-representation. Local environmental variables exhibited strong influence on the body size distribution, being favoured over the connectivity of communities. This suggests that local filtering has a preponderant role in explaining the dependence of species performance on body size in this system. The present study highlights the existence of discontinuities in the distribution of traits in general and body size in particular as a relevant feature of biodiversity organisation, seldom considered in empirical studies. Advancing on the local and regional determinants of these features emerges as a powerful and complementary approach for unravelling the mechanisms behind biodiversity assembly and functioning.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143447191","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":"Metamorphosis: How Insects Are Changing Our WorldBy Adrian Washbourne, Erica McAlister, Clayton VIC: CSIRO Publishing, 2024. 216 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4863-1890-2","authors":"Manu E. Saunders","doi":"10.1111/aec.70036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70036","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143380882","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":"Slick. Australia's Toxic Relationship With Big Oilby Royce Kurmelovs, St Lucia, Queensland: University of Queensland Press, 2024. 342 pages, $34.99 Paperback. ISBN: 978 0 7022 6860","authors":"David Lindenmayer","doi":"10.1111/aec.70035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70035","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143362598","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":"Quantifying Past and Predicting Future Cumulative Loss of Habitat for a Critically Endangered Nomadic Bird","authors":"Ross Crates,&nbsp;Nathan Ruser,&nbsp;Robert Heinsohn","doi":"10.1111/aec.70030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70030","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cumulative impacts occur through piecemeal habitat loss and are challenging to account for in planning decisions that are made on a case-by-case basis. Quantifying cumulative impacts is particularly difficult for nomadic species with large ranges, specific habitat requirements, and irregular movement patterns. We used a Geographic Information System approach to quantify past and predict future loss of important wintering habitat for the critically endangered swift parrot <i>Lathamus discolor</i> within the Hunter-Central Coast of New South Wales—an area of high importance to the species. Based on current NSW Government biodiversity assessment method (BAM) important habitat mapping, 717 ha of BAM important swift parrot habitat has been lost over the past two decades, representing 1.4% of the extent of important habitat in the Hunter-Central Coast. Over the next two decades, between 1.9% and 17.9% of current BAM important swift parrot habitat could be lost based on current planning data. Replacing the BAM mapping with a Maxent species distribution model, 10 081 ha of potentially important swift parrot habitat has been lost in the HCC over the past two decades, representing 1.71% of the current extent. Over the coming two decades, between 3289 and 19 643 ha of Maxent important swift parrot habitat could be lost, representing 2.4%–14.1% of the current area. The estimated loss is in addition to the severe loss that has already occurred in the Hunter-Central Coast and elsewhere within the swift parrot's winter range since European colonisation. Our study highlights the risks to threatened species of small-scale but sequential habitat loss, and how estimates of the extent of habitat loss vary depending how important habitat is defined. We discuss the implications of our findings for better considering cumulative impacts in planning processes and how to minimise the cumulative loss of important habitat for endangered species.</p>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aec.70030","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143362599","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":"Lithium Ore Tailings May Increase the Invasion Potential of Melinis minutiflora in Native Areas Around to Mining Sites","authors":"Nayara Magry Jesus Melo,&nbsp;João Paulo Souza","doi":"10.1111/aec.70034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70034","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The growing demand for lithium has led to an increased focus on understanding the impact of mining waste on ecosystems in the surrounding area. This study aimed to investigate the effect of con the growth and establishment of an invasive C₄ herbaceous species (<i>Melinis minutiflora</i>) and a native C₃ herbaceous species (<i>Stylosanthes capitata</i>) from native areas of Brazil. We grow plants in three substrates: soil without LOT, a mixture of 50% soil and 50% LOT (soil + LOT) and only LOT. <i>Melinis minutiflora</i> plants grown in the soil + LOT treatment showed higher growth and vegetative biomass production than <i>S</i>. <i>capitata</i> plants in the same treatment. Also, <i>M</i>. <i>minutiflora</i> plants grown in soil + LOT and LOT had a higher chlorophyll <i>b</i> index than <i>S. capitata</i> plants. The findings suggest that invasive <i>M</i>. <i>minutiflora</i> plants may benefit from soils contaminated with LOT. In areas surrounding LOT, <i>M</i>. <i>minutiflora</i> could establish, grow and spread faster, potentially affecting ecosystem processes. Understanding the impact of environmental disturbances on native areas and their consequences for the growth of invasive and native species is crucial for ecosystem management and preservation.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143362597","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":"Bird Diversity of the Dry Chaco: Impacts of Land Use Change on Communities and Soundscapes","authors":"Romina Cardozo,&nbsp;Ricardo B. Machado","doi":"10.1111/aec.70032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70032","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Agricultural expansion has had negative impacts on biodiversity worldwide. Regions with high human pressure, such as the Dry Chaco in South America, require rapid studies to understand the environmental impacts and potential biodiversity loss. Ecoacoustics has been proposed as an efficient method for promoting rapid assessment of threatened regions. Using a unique field-based bird community dataset, we evaluated the performance of two commonly used acoustic indices (acoustic diversity index and acoustic complexity index) on representing avian richness in continuous forest and forest corridors of the Paraguayan Dry Chaco. Our results from manual identification of recordings showed a higher species richness in continuous forest sites (40–61 species) than in forest corridors (22–36 species). In contrast, we found no difference in acoustic indices between sites in continuous forest or corridors. Contrary to our initial expectation, there was not a significant association between acoustic indices and bird species richness when considered across all sites. However, we found a partial and weak correlation between species richness and index values for forest corridors. We argue that habitat fragmentation and edge effects might have altered the soundscape of forest corridors, favouring bird activity rather than richness, which affects the acoustic indices response. Our study suggests that acoustic indices must be considered cautiously because other variables, besides species richness, are involved in soundscape characterisation (e.g., species vocal activity).</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143248392","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":"Ordinal-Level Resilience of Invertebrates After Fire Events in Eucalypt Woodlands of South-Eastern Australia","authors":"Lauren K. Common,&nbsp;Paul S. Kotz,&nbsp;Diane Colombelli-Négrel,&nbsp;Sonia Kleindorfer","doi":"10.1111/aec.70024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70024","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fire disturbance is an integral part of many ecosystems. However, some taxa may not be resilient to the increasing size, intensity, and frequency of fire events due to climate change. We investigated how terrestrial invertebrate Ordinal-level community structure and the abundance of six Orders (Acarina, Araneae, Coleoptera, Collembola, Diptera, Hymenoptera: Formicidae) changed following three natural fire events over two decades (2007–2022) in Kangaroo Island and mainland South Australia. We collected invertebrates using two methods (pitfall traps and sweep nets) at four sites (two burnt and two unburnt) every 6 months, before and after three fire events (2007, 2019, 2021). Ordinal-level community structure generally showed signs of recovery nearing pre-fire conditions within 20–22 months post-fire. The pitfall samples showed increased abundance in Coleoptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera (Formicidae) following fire, and no change in Acarina abundance. The sweep net samples showed no recovery to pre-fire conditions on mainland South Australia, but recovery to baseline after 20–22 months on Kangaroo Island. There were significant shifts in invertebrate community structure across time-since-fire with a return to pre-fire conditions at burnt sites after 20–22 months. These findings demonstrate the apparent ordinal-level resilience of invertebrates in South Australian eucalypt woodlands, particularly of ground-dwelling species, but also point to Order specific differences that warrant future study.</p>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aec.70024","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143111414","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":"‘I Am Going Hungry': Natural History Notes of Adult Butterflies Exploiting Unusual Food Sources","authors":"André Nogueira Thomas,&nbsp;André Victor Lucci Freitas,&nbsp;Augusto Henrique Batista Rosa,&nbsp;Bárbara Letícia Botura Schunemann,&nbsp;Eduardo Tarnowski Siemionko,&nbsp;Milton de Souza Mendonça Jr.,&nbsp;Thamara Zacca,&nbsp;Cristiano Agra Iserhard","doi":"10.1111/aec.70028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70028","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) are among the most well-studied organisms, with a vast literature covering their ecology, evolution, and natural history. However, many aspects of their biology continue to be discovered and rediscovered, including their wild feeding behaviours, preferences, causes and consequences. Here, we present and describe photographic and video records of adult butterflies exploiting unusual sources, including previously undocumented feeding behaviours for some species, and supporting natural history note novelties in already known feeding behaviours for others. We gathered a total of 23 records of primarily nectar- and fruit-feeding butterfly species exploiting diverse sources, including fungi, flowering plants, withered plant parts, and a dead caterpillar. All records were made in different regions of Brazil, during field expeditions and naturalist walks, and were classified according to the butterfly species/groups involved, the type of resource exploited, and the location of the record. These records reinforce that butterflies can exhibit various feeding behaviours and may be involved in interspecific interactions and/or respond to food availability due to anthropogenic actions. Furthermore, this compilation of records reinforces the importance of publishing and sharing natural history observations to support and enhance the quality of ecological and taxonomic studies.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143121501","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":"Stress-Testing Monitoring Design to Lock in Conservation Success","authors":"S. Taylor,&nbsp;F. Alves,&nbsp;J. Potts,&nbsp;L. Rayner,&nbsp;D. Stojanovic","doi":"10.1111/aec.70025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70025","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Effective monitoring of threatened species is key to identifying trends in populations and informing conservation management decisions. However, clearly defined monitoring questions that are informed by local circumstances and species traits are commonly neglected. We propose a decision framework as a guide to prioritise what data to collect and methods to use for population monitoring. We applied our decision framework to trial monitoring of Gang-gang Cockatoos (<i>Callocephalon fimbriatum</i>), a threatened, iconic species in Southeast Australia. To meet our program objectives, we trailed distance sampling surveys to estimate population abundance across the urban landscape in the Australian Capital Territory. Despite consistently high reporting rates in the study area, detection rates were too low to estimate the abundance of Gang-gang Cockatoos. As part of assessing the appropriateness of distance sampling as an approach, we simulated surveys under a hypothetically inflated survey effort and population size. Simulations show that even if our field survey effort was doubled or if the population size of Gang-gang Cockatoos was improbably high, detections would remain too low for distance sampling to be a practical approach. We then revisit our decision framework to make new recommendations for future monitoring of Gang-gang Cockatoos and demonstrate the importance of a clear monitoring framework when evaluating how best to achieve conservation goals in the context of methodological uncertainty. The first steps of designing and implementing a monitoring program are crucial—our decision framework offers practitioners a clear, reasoned approach to deciding which methods are needed to address their conservation objectives, along with contingencies for when plans go awry.</p>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aec.70025","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143120998","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":"Uruguayan Grasslands: A Threatened Natural Asset","authors":"Anaclara Guido,&nbsp;Luis López-Mársico,&nbsp;Claudia Rodríguez,&nbsp;Federico Gallego,&nbsp;Felipe Lezama,&nbsp;Santiago Baeza,&nbsp;Pedro Pañella,&nbsp;Cecilia Ríos,&nbsp;Beatriz Costa,&nbsp;Fabiana Pezzani,&nbsp;Silvina García,&nbsp;Gervasio Piñeiro,&nbsp;Gastón Fernández,&nbsp;Andrea Tommasino,&nbsp;Ana Laura Mello,&nbsp;Alice Altesor,&nbsp;José Paruelo","doi":"10.1111/aec.70031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70031","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Grasslands are often mis-defined, mainly due to the legacy of colonial narratives in several regions, which have described them as deforested, unproductive or wastelands. They have been largely ignored in global conservation and protection policies, leading to increased exploitation. Although there is much accumulated evidence on the ecosystem services that grasslands provide, in Uruguay, this ecosystem is still neglected in parts of society and for most sustainability policies. Twenty percent of Uruguayan grasslands have been replaced by other land uses (crops and forestry) in recent decades. Nevertheless, large areas of natural grasslands still remain and their preservation is crucial. The aim of this work was to show the value of Uruguayan grasslands through a brief review of their natural history and their multiple natural assets (i.e., biodiversity, ecosystem services, cultural identity and economic activities). We also outline some of the advances in public policy initiatives, but emphasise that such policies are critically underdeveloped in terms of conservation, threatening the existence of grasslands in Uruguay for future generations.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8663,"journal":{"name":"Austral Ecology","volume":"50 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143120996","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}