IF 1.9 3区环境科学与生态学

Biotropica Pub Date : 2026-08-27 DOI: 10.1111/btp.70245

Ali Khan Faizee, Vijay Ramesh, V. V. Robin

{"title":"Western Ghat Birds Exhibit a Unique Pattern of Seasonal Elevational Shifts and a Combination of Thermal Regime Dependent Shift Strategies","authors":"Ali Khan Faizee, Vijay Ramesh, V. V. Robin","doi":"10.1111/btp.70245","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70245","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 Elevational migration is globally exhibited by montane bird species through elevational range shifts to track seasonal changes in weather patterns and resources. Studies investigating the patterns and mechanisms of such elevational shifts have been limited in spatial scale owing to the difficulty of sampling data across montane gradients. Here, we integrated data from the world's largest participatory science project (eBird) with systematic surveys to examine patterns and mechanisms that may explain bird elevational range shifts in the Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot. We calculate the extent of shifts in elevational ranges for birds present year-round in the Nilgiris between the hottest and coldest quarters and quantify the associations between these shifts and species traits using phylogenetic generalized least squares regressions. We found that 77% (54/70) of the species investigated showed seasonal shifts in their elevational ranges. Birds in the Nilgiris showed nearly equal proportions of downslope (37%) and upslope (33%) winter shifts. All species had significant range overlap between seasons but employed different shifting strategies. Species with narrow thermal regimes predominantly shifted downslope in winter (niche tracking), while those with the widest thermal regimes shifted upslope (niche switching), revealing that species adapt to climatic variability through contrasting thermal strategies. Our results suggest that climatic constraints, specifically thermal regime, could be a major driver of seasonal shifts in elevational ranges of birds in the Nilgiris. Understanding these elevational shift strategies is critical for conservation planning in tropical montane systems facing accelerating climate change.\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148849232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

引用次数: 0

Migration of the Butterfly Panacea prola (Nymphalidae: Biblidinae) in the Southeastern Peruvian Amazon 秘鲁亚马逊河流域东南部的泛蝶迁徙（蛱蝶科：蛱蝶科）

IF 1.9 3区环境科学与生态学

Biotropica Pub Date : 2026-08-27 DOI: 10.1111/btp.70253

Geoffrey Gallice, Zunilda Escalante-Arteaga, Yeison Vega, Thalia Corahua-Espinoza, Joseph See

{"title":"Migration of the Butterfly Panacea prola (Nymphalidae: Biblidinae) in the Southeastern Peruvian Amazon","authors":"Geoffrey Gallice, Zunilda Escalante-Arteaga, Yeison Vega, Thalia Corahua-Espinoza, Joseph See","doi":"10.1111/btp.70253","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70253","url":null,"abstract":"Insect migrations rival those of vertebrates in terms of numbers of migrating individuals and even biomass, although instances of the former are poorly documented relative to their share of global biodiversity. This is especially true in the world's tropics, which harbor most of Earth's insect species. Understanding these mass movements is of critical and increasing importance as global climate and land use change accelerate and interact to alter the environmental factors that underly migration, particularly in the tropics. In this study we tested whether Panacea prola, a butterfly species found throughout the western Amazon and adjacent Andean foothills, was migratory at a site in lowland southeastern Peru. We show, through direct observation of flight behavior, that P. prola migrated annually between 2021 and 2025 during the dry season at the study site. We further show that the flight path of migrating P. prola butterflies is nonrandom and roughly northeast, leading toward the central Amazon basin. The discovery of a previously undocumented migration in a widespread and conspicuous butterfly is an important contribution to our currently poor knowledge of insect migration in the Amazon, the world's largest and most biodiverse tropical forest.","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70253","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148848871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

引用次数: 0

Microhabitat Use by Tropical Tadpoles and the Effect of Riparian Vegetation Degradation 热带蝌蚪对微生境的利用及河岸植被退化的影响

IF 1.9 3区环境科学与生态学

Biotropica Pub Date : 2026-08-26 DOI: 10.1111/btp.70257

Medardo Arreortúa, Edna González-Bernal

{"title":"Microhabitat Use by Tropical Tadpoles and the Effect of Riparian Vegetation Degradation","authors":"Medardo Arreortúa, Edna González-Bernal","doi":"10.1111/btp.70257","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70257","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 Understanding species' microhabitat requirements is crucial to assessing their vulnerability, particularly in regions undergoing rapid environmental change. Paradoxically, for many threatened species, this knowledge remains poorly explored. We investigated the environmental variables influencing pool use by tadpoles of Incilius spiculatus, a Mexican microendemic toad, to understand how undergoing habitat changes can affect it. We worked along reproductive sites in riverbanks where small-scale agriculture has recently increased. By measuring physical and chemical characteristics of used and unused pools, we identified the variables influencing their use. We also measured air and water temperatures across three years and water temperature changes along a canopy cover gradient. Tadpole pool use was associated with specific ranges of canopy cover, organic matter, pool depth, and water temperature. Over three years, air and water temperatures increased, and canopy cover decreased. Notably, tadpoles kept selecting available pools at a temperature range around 19°C and with canopy coverage of at least 60%, suggesting specific preferences. Measurements on water temperature in a canopy cover gradient showed that locally, temperature can increase up to 1°C with riparian vegetation reduction. We provide information of microhabitat needs for tadpoles of an endangered tropical toad whose populations are considered decreasing by fragmentation. Our results suggest tadpole vulnerability to water temperature rise exacerbated by deforestation as another threat. This is the first study focused on tadpole requirements and threats for this tropical species, a crucial knowledge to design restoration measures that incorporate habitat needs of both amphibian life stages and understand possible similar responses in other tropical amphibians.\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148848898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

引用次数: 0

From Trees to Home: How Tent-Roosting Bats Disperse Large Seeds in Disturbed Rainforests 从树到家：栖息在帐篷里的蝙蝠如何在受干扰的雨林中传播大种子

IF 1.9 3区环境科学与生态学

Biotropica Pub Date : 2026-08-25 DOI: 10.1111/btp.70255

Miguel A. Martínez-Rodríguez, Daniel Zamora-Mejías, Eduardo M. Veinticinque, Felipe P. L. Melo, Bernal Rodríguez-Herrera

{"title":"From Trees to Home: How Tent-Roosting Bats Disperse Large Seeds in Disturbed Rainforests","authors":"Miguel A. Martínez-Rodríguez, Daniel Zamora-Mejías, Eduardo M. Veinticinque, Felipe P. L. Melo, Bernal Rodríguez-Herrera","doi":"10.1111/btp.70255","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70255","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 Frugivorous bats play a key role in the ecology of seed dispersal and tropical forest regeneration. While research has traditionally focused on small ingested seeds, tent-roosting bats also disperse large, undigested seeds, potentially benefiting large-seeded forest species in disturbed areas. However, the factors influencing this dispersal remain poorly understood. At La Selva Research Station, Costa Rica, we used a hierarchical statistical framework to assess how a forest disturbance gradient (low, intermediate, high) influences host plant abundance, bat tent abundance, and large-seed dispersal. Host plant abundance did not show a statistically significant response to disturbance. Bat tent abundance and total large-seed dispersal showed higher point estimates in the intermediate-disturbance zone, but the evidence for a clear effect of disturbance was weak. The total seed output in low- and high-disturbance zones was only 6% and 7%, respectively, of that in the intermediate zone, although this pattern was not statistically confirmed. Seed dispersal efficiency per tent, however, did not vary across the gradient. Taken together, our results point to a possible concentration of bat tent abundance and large-seed dispersal in intermediate-disturbance areas, but the statistical evidence was weak and further studies are required to substantiate these patterns. Even so, the observed patterns hint that tent-roosting bats could be previously overlooked agents that contribute to the natural regeneration of degraded tropical forests. By dispersing large seeds often characteristic of old-growth species, their conservation might potentially enhance the recovery of forest structure and composition.\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148848733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

引用次数: 0

Effects of Temperature Peaks and Water Stress on Tropical Seed Germination: Experimental Trials With Species From Brazil's Northeastern Coastal Zone 温度峰值和水分胁迫对热带种子萌发的影响：以巴西东北沿海地区品种为研究样本

IF 1.9 3区环境科学与生态学

Biotropica Pub Date : 2026-08-10 DOI: 10.1111/btp.70247

Hipolyana Simone de Oliveira, Alverlan Silva Araújo, Ingrid Lazaro da Silva, Ana Paula do Nascimento Prata, Flávia B. P. Moura, Luís Felipe Daibes

{"title":"Effects of Temperature Peaks and Water Stress on Tropical Seed Germination: Experimental Trials With Species From Brazil's Northeastern Coastal Zone","authors":"Hipolyana Simone de Oliveira, Alverlan Silva Araújo, Ingrid Lazaro da Silva, Ana Paula do Nascimento Prata, Flávia B. P. Moura, Luís Felipe Daibes","doi":"10.1111/btp.70247","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70247","url":null,"abstract":"Understanding the effects of high temperatures and water deficit on germination provides valuable insights into seed stress tolerance, guiding the use of native seeds in ecological restoration. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of (1) temperature peaks and (2) water stress treatments and post-stress recovery on the germination of some selected animal-dispersed species typically found in the northeastern coastal zone of Brazil. Temperature peaks were simulated in a germination chamber, varying daily from 25°C to 40°C for 15 days, compared to a constant-temperature control (Experiment 1). Water deficit was simulated using PEG 6000 (treatments: Ψ = 0, −0.4, −0.8, −1.2 MPa) over 30 days. After this period, stress was alleviated, and seeds were monitored for an additional 30 days (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, seeds of Miconia ciliata and Myrcia guianensis had a significant decrease in germination percentage following the temperature peaks, while Eschweilera ovata germinated faster. Myrciaria floribunda and Schinus terebinthifolia showed low germination in both treatments. Seeds reached 47%–57% germination in the 30-day controls in Experiment 2 (except M. floribunda, with 26%), but germination did not occur under water deficit treatments. Following stress relief, germination gradually increased until 60 days, recovering up to 40%, depending on the species. Although a proportion of the seeds recovered germinability after stress alleviation, their overall sensitivity to water deficit resulted in delayed and partial germination. This may represent a bottleneck for seedling recruitment in coastal zones, posing challenges for direct seeding and germination timing in restoration projects.","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70247","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148753217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

引用次数: 0

Mistletoe Visitation and Fruit Removal by Birds and Lemurs in a Malagasy Rainforest 马达加斯加雨林中鸟类和狐猴对槲寄生的访问和果实的摘取

IF 1.9 3区环境科学与生态学

Biotropica Pub Date : 2026-08-07 DOI: 10.1111/btp.70252

Zo S. E. Fenosoa, Onja H. Razafindratsima, Hajanirina F. Rakotomanana, Hanta Razafindraibe, Delaïd C. Rasamisoa, Rakotonirina Benja, Amy E. Dunham

引用次数: 0

Vascular Diversity in Leguminosae: Evolutionary and Ecological Insights From a Globally Distributed Lineage 豆科植物维管多样性：来自全球分布谱系的进化和生态学见解

IF 1.9 3区环境科学与生态学

Biotropica Pub Date : 2026-08-02 DOI: 10.1111/btp.70248

John Karlo C. Saddoy, Israel L. Cunha-Neto

引用次数: 0

Selecting for Seed Size Diversity Can Support a Variety of Plant Colonization Strategies in Caatinga Restoration 种子大小多样性选择可支持多种植物定殖策略

IF 1.9 3区环境科学与生态学

Biotropica Pub Date : 2026-08-02 DOI: 10.1111/btp.70249

Thomaz Rocha, Eduardo Luiz Voigt, Emerson de Medeiros Sousa, Eryhudson Pereira da Silva, Rainara Neves, Gabriel Andrade-Sousa, Danilo Flademir Alves-de-Oliveira, Marina Fagundes, Gislene Ganade

{"title":"Selecting for Seed Size Diversity Can Support a Variety of Plant Colonization Strategies in Caatinga Restoration","authors":"Thomaz Rocha, Eduardo Luiz Voigt, Emerson de Medeiros Sousa, Eryhudson Pereira da Silva, Rainara Neves, Gabriel Andrade-Sousa, Danilo Flademir Alves-de-Oliveira, Marina Fagundes, Gislene Ganade","doi":"10.1111/btp.70249","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70249","url":null,"abstract":"Seed traits offer valuable insights into colonization strategies under climatic unpredictability. In seasonally dry tropical forests, such traits help explain species adaptations to water availability, which is critical for effective restoration. This study analyzed seeds from 22 native species in a Brazilian dry forest to evaluate whether trait-based approaches can guide the selection of germination pre-treatments for restoration purposes. Laboratory experiments using 400 seeds per species tested the effects of mechanical, chemical, and thermal scarification on germination performance. We used generalized linear models to evaluate treatment effects on germination for each species and to test how seed size and water content predict dormancy, while generalized linear mixed models tested whether these seed traits influence the efficacy of pre-treatments. Seed sizes ranged from 5.5 to 2483.2 mg/seed−1, with water content between 4.8% and 16.3%. Nine species exhibited physical dormancy, while thirteen lacked physical dormancy. Germination percentage increased with seed size following seed coat scarification. Small seeds germinated fast and synchronously in response to mechanical and chemical treatments, whereas larger seeds showed slow and non-synchronous germination. These patterns suggest that seed size reflects germination strategies and can inform the selection of effective pre-treatments. Trait-based approaches may enhance restoration outcomes by accelerating germination of stored seeds. Incorporating a range of seed sizes can support varied regeneration strategies, with non-synchronous germination helping species cope with rainfall unpredictability and optimize establishment during favorable conditions.","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70249","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148652451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

引用次数: 0

Large Seeds, Bats, and Tents: A Neotropical Dispersal Story 大种子、蝙蝠和帐篷：一个新热带传播的故事

IF 1.9 3区环境科学与生态学

Biotropica Pub Date : 2026-07-18 DOI: 10.1111/btp.70232

Debora Elías-Díaz, Ricardo Sánchez-Calderón, Diego Salas-Solano, Miguel A. Martínez-Rodríguez, Kate Good, Silvia Alvarez-Clare, Eduardo Venticinque, Rodrigo A. Medellín, Bernal Rodríguez-Herrera

{"title":"Large Seeds, Bats, and Tents: A Neotropical Dispersal Story","authors":"Debora Elías-Díaz, Ricardo Sánchez-Calderón, Diego Salas-Solano, Miguel A. Martínez-Rodríguez, Kate Good, Silvia Alvarez-Clare, Eduardo Venticinque, Rodrigo A. Medellín, Bernal Rodríguez-Herrera","doi":"10.1111/btp.70232","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70232","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 The story of seed dispersal by frugivorous bats (Family: Phyllostomidae) in Neotropical ecosystems has been extensively documented over the years, with most studies focusing on small seeds that can be ingested and dispersed during flight. However, other components of bat-mediated seed dispersal have been rarely studied. Through our review, we highlight the understudied role of bats as dispersers of large seeds and present the remarkable group of tent-roosting bat species as a model to review the existing evidence of this ecological process. We provide evidence on the key role of eight species of tent-roosting bats in the dispersal of 104 plant species, belonging to 77 genera and 40 families. We show that Artibeus and Dermanura bat genera play a key role in the topology of large-seeded dispersal networks, with core plant genera, including Brosimum and Spondias. Our results show that tent-roosting bats consume fruits with a wide diversity of colors, shapes, and sizes, but there are predominant traits within plant species dispersed. In addition, a total of 26 plant species had at least one recorded use and trade category, and three plant species were identified as having a threatened status. While this review makes significant progress towards understanding the role of this diverse and abundant group of bats across the Neotropical region, more information is needed in order to better understand this fascinating and complex ecological process.\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148467629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

引用次数: 0

Research Skills and Challenges for Graduate Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity: A Latin American Perspective 生态学和生物多样性研究生的研究技能和挑战：拉丁美洲视角

IF 1.9 3区环境科学与生态学

Biotropica Pub Date : 2026-07-12 DOI: 10.1111/btp.70243

Federico Garrido-de León, Lucía Sosa-Panzera

引用次数: 0

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