Biotropica最新文献

{"title":"A Hidden Dimension of Caribbean Reptile Ecology: First Documentation on Nesting Behavior in a Pholidoscelis Species","authors":"Julian Thibaudier,&nbsp;Adolphe O. Debrot,&nbsp;Erik M. Boman,&nbsp;Matthijs P. van den Burg","doi":"10.1111/btp.70281","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70281","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Our first assessment of <i>Pholidoscelis erythrocephalus</i> nesting behavior indicates this species creates complex communal nesting sites. Considering the novelty of our nesting data for a <i>Pholidoscelis</i> species, this new knowledge aids our understanding of the reproductive ecology, biodemographics, and conservation of this widely distributed genus.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70281","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149205585","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}

{"title":"Traveler's Palm (Ravenala spp.) Across Habitats and Its Responses to Disturbance in North-Eastern Madagascar","authors":"Yevgeniya Korol,&nbsp;Thio Rosin Fulgence,&nbsp;Rindrasoa Rajaonarimalala,&nbsp;Romual Randriamanantena,&nbsp;Florentine Romial,&nbsp;Dirk Hölscher","doi":"10.1111/btp.70279","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70279","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The genus <i>Ravenala</i> (Strelitziaceae) comprises six species of arborescent herbs endemic to Madagascar and iconic to this global biodiversity hotspot. We examined how <i>Ravenala</i> density responds to environmental gradients, land-use type, accessibility and canopy disturbance. The study was conducted in north-eastern Madagascar, a region heavily affected by deforestation in recent decades. We carried out species-specific terrestrial sampling in different land-use types (fallow land, vanilla agroforests and forest fragments) in human-modified landscapes and in old-growth forest. Visual detection in high-resolution satellite imagery extended observations of <i>Ravenala</i> at genus level across human-modified landscapes. Both, the terrestrial and the satellite-based approach indicated high but variable <i>Ravenala</i> densities. <i>Ravenala</i> density in human-modified landscapes increased with distance from settlements. The four encountered <i>Ravenala</i> species differed in response to disturbance and other factors. <i>R. grandis</i> and <i>R. menahirana</i> declined under higher disturbance levels, whereas <i>R. madagascariensis</i> increased in density with greater disturbance and reached highest densities in fallow land. In the old-growth forest, both <i>R. blancii</i>, which was recorded exclusively in the old-growth forest, and <i>R. menahirana</i> were less frequent in plots containing thicket-forming vegetation (bamboo and wild cardamom). Elevation responses diverged, with <i>R. blancii</i> increasing and <i>R. menahirana</i> decreasing in density at higher elevations. Divergent responses of different <i>Ravenala</i> species to habitat and disturbance suggest that reduction of human-induced canopy disturbance in human-modified landscapes and protection of old-growth forests are needed to safeguard all four encountered species.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70279","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149205931","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}

{"title":"Distribution of Arboreal Acarofauna in Two Species of Tropical Trees","authors":"Maria A. Minor,&nbsp;Vladimir M. Salavatulin,&nbsp;Sergey G. Ermilov,&nbsp;Alexander A. Khaustov,&nbsp;Olga L. Makarova,&nbsp;Vladimir A. Khaustov,&nbsp;Alexey A. Kudrin,&nbsp;Duc Nguyen Trung","doi":"10.1111/btp.70278","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70278","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We investigated vertical stratification of mite communities (Oribatida, Mesostigmata, and Prostigmata) along tropical tree architecture in Cát Tiên National Park, Vietnam. We examined two phylogenetically unrelated but architecturally similar tree species, <i>Haldina cordifolia</i> and <i>Dipterocarpus alatus</i>; both are tall trees with straight cylindrical trunks, fissured bark, spreading crowns, and large leaves. To investigate potential interaction between sampling method and observed ecological patterns, we compared two methods—Tullgren–Berlese and substrate washing—for extraction of mites from tree bark. Across forest floor and arboreal samples, we identified 140 species of Oribatida, 70 species of Mesostigmata, and 57 species of Prostigmata. Numerically, arboreal acarofauna was dominated by Oribatida. Tree species identity did not influence total mite species richness, community composition of all Acari and Oribatida, or Oribatida abundance. Mesostigmata and Prostigmata were more abundant on <i>H. cordifolia</i>. Microhabitat had a significant effect on the abundance of arboreal Mesostigmata and Prostigmata but not Oribatida, and on species richness and community composition of arboreal acarofauna, with certain species restricted to specific tree zones irrespective of tree species. Assemblages formed three clusters: communities of (i) soil, litter, and trunk base, (ii) bark on upper trunk, and (iii) canopy branches and leaves. Substrate washing yielded higher abundances of Oribatida and Prostigmata and a higher number of detected species than Tullgren–Berlese extraction, with each method capturing a different species assemblage. To avoid bias, a complementary combination of methods is recommended for comprehensive assessment of arboreal mite biodiversity.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70278","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149205593","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}

{"title":"Thermal Limits and Sensitivity of Brosimum rubescens Taub. (Moraceae): Implications for Monodominance in a Warming Climate","authors":"Igor Araújo,&nbsp;Simone Matias Reis,&nbsp;Carla H. L. Oliveira,&nbsp;Ediméia Laura Souza da Silva,&nbsp;Ludimila R. Almeida,&nbsp;Daiane Barbosa da Silva,&nbsp;Ben Hur Marimon Junior,&nbsp;Beatriz S. Marimon","doi":"10.1111/btp.70284","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70284","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>\u0000 \u0000 </p><ul>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <li>Understanding temperature tolerance is key to predicting tropical trees' responses to global warming. However, the thermal limits of monodominant tropical forests remain understudied, leaving their vulnerability to climate change unclear.</li>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <li>This study examined the thermal safety margin, tolerance parameters of PSII (<i>T</i>₅, <i>T</i>₅₀, <i>T</i>₉₅), leaf traits (e.g., leaf water mass content, leaf thickness, stomatal conductance), and temperatures of <i>Brosimum rubescens</i> Taub. (Moraceae) seedlings during the dry season in southern Amazonia, a rapidly warming and drying region.</li>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <li>We analyzed 60 seedlings and found that open-canopy conditions reduced thermal tolerance, with leaf temperatures surpassing <i>T</i>₅₀ in over 40% of seedlings under a 3°C warming scenario. The closed-canopy area exhibited more effective leaf cooling driven by trait plasticity; however, this cooling was not sufficient to maintain leaves within safe thermal limits. When temperatures exceeded 40°C, PSII performance declined sharply, particularly in the open-canopy area, resulting in reduced thermal safety margins.</li>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <li>Overall, our findings suggest that these effects may hinder the natural regeneration of <i>B. rubescens</i>, potentially affecting its role as a monodominant species and gradually influencing local dynamics and biodiversity in the long term, in response to warming and prolonged dry seasons in southern Amazonia.</li>\u0000 </ul>\u0000 \u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149205656","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}

{"title":"Integrating Bioacoustics and Community Science for Advancing Bat Research: Insights From Urban–Rural Landscapes Across Regions in Peru","authors":"Jaime Pacheco,&nbsp;Juan J. Pellón,&nbsp;Amanda Vilchez,&nbsp;Arturo Miranda,&nbsp;Jorge Rivero,&nbsp;José Luis Mena","doi":"10.1111/btp.70267","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70267","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In the tropics, rapid urbanization, scarce research, and limited resources for studying bats constrain conservation efforts, positioning community science as a practical approach to address these challenges. This study presents the first integration of community science and passive acoustic monitoring for bat research in the Neotropics, implemented across urban and rural landscapes of the Peruvian Coast, Andes, and Amazon to investigate bat community structure and environmental responses. Using low-cost AudioMoth recorders, 140 sampling sites were selected by volunteer participants and evaluated between 2020 and 2024. We conducted comparative analyses of bat communities between urban and rural areas, assessed environmental drivers of richness and activity, and compared participatory outcomes with traditional expert-led research. This community science project documented 32 species from five families, including new local records. Across all regions, urban bat communities consistently exhibited molossid acoustic dominance and moderate-to-high dissimilarity from rural communities. Artificial light at night was negatively associated with both species richness and acoustic activity. Richness also declined with increased urban cover, while activity showed region-specific responses to vegetation. Comparisons with expert-led research in one of the examined localities, Lima, showed that community science data reliably represented activity patterns of <i>Promops davisoni</i> and <i>Tadarida brasiliensis</i>. However, community-level occupancy was higher in expert-led surveys, although both approaches showed a similar positive association between Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and occupancy. Overall, our findings demonstrate that collaboration between scientists and communities is particularly promising for ecological bat research in the tropics, generating relevant data in socially and logistically challenging contexts that limit conservation efforts in our region.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70267","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149146422","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}

{"title":"Sit-and-Wait for the Agoutis: Dung Beetle Phoresy on Dasyprocta azarae in a Tropical Forest","authors":"Fernanda C. Souza,&nbsp;Glauco Cássio de Sousa Oliveira,&nbsp;Letícia Vieira,&nbsp;Fernando Z. Vaz-de-Mello,&nbsp;Júlio Louzada,&nbsp;Fernando Cesar Cascelli Azevedo","doi":"10.1111/btp.70275","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70275","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We document the first case of phoresy by dung beetles with a rodent, involving <i>Canthon</i> (<i>Goniocanthon</i>) <i>smaragdulus subviridis</i> and agoutis (<i>Dasyprocta azarae</i>). Camera traps set in a tropical forest recorded 21 phoretic events, with agoutis carrying 1–6 beetles each. This behavior likely enhances how beetles locate fresh dung.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70275","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149145713","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}

{"title":"Dung Beetle Functional Response and Dung Removal Rates Along an Altitudinal Gradient in Neotropical Rainforests","authors":"Vanessa Garzón-Tovar,&nbsp;Jorge Ari Noriega,&nbsp;Bryan Finegan,&nbsp;Adina Chain-Guadarrama,&nbsp;Diego Delgado","doi":"10.1111/btp.70259","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70259","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Dung beetles are a vital component of ecosystems, providing essential ecosystem services. However, the factors that regulate the functional response of dung beetles and dung removal across altitudinal gradients have been scantily explored. Along an altitudinal gradient in rainforests of the Talamanca Cordillera of Costa Rica, we assessed the structure, composition, functional diversity, and dung removal rates of the dung beetle assemblage. We sampled 10 sites between 440 and 3200 m a.s.l. using linear transects with 10 pitfall traps placed 50 m apart for 48 h, and excrement removal experiments. The relationship between altitude and abundance, species richness, and dung removal rates was assessed using quadratic regressions. In addition, beetles were classified into functional groups according to their size and food relocation categories, and six quantitative functional traits were measured. Functional diversity was determined through richness, dispersion, diversity, and functional evenness indices. Beetle abundance, species richness, functional diversity, and dung removal rates were strongly negatively correlated with altitude. Compositional change was also marked along the elevation gradient, with species tending to form two groups, lowland and highland species. There is a solid relationship between dung beetle diversity and ecological processes and altitude, suggesting that factors such as thermal tolerances, dung availability, and abiotic climate variables influence these patterns and that dung beetles are a potential indicator of climate change.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149145714","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}

{"title":"Coupled Patterns of Hummingbird and Nectar-Plant α- and β-Diversity Along a Mexican Montane Elevational Gradient","authors":"Daniela Bravo-Galindo,&nbsp;Claudia I. Rodríguez-Flores,&nbsp;Martha E. Lopezaraiza-Mikel,&nbsp;Jesús G. Padilla-Serrato,&nbsp;R. Carlos Almazán-Núñez","doi":"10.1111/btp.70270","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70270","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Elevational gradients promote ecological filters in species distributions. Along these gradients, ecological factors such as vegetation structure and the availability of food resources vary markedly and play a crucial role in structuring both alpha and beta hummingbird diversity. In this study, we examined patterns of alpha and beta diversity of hummingbirds and their nectar-producing plants along an elevational gradient in the Sierra Madre del Sur, spanning five elevational bands (1200, 1500, 1800, 2200, and 2500 m). At each elevation, we characterized hummingbird species composition and the plant species they visited and identified indicator species for both groups along the gradient based on relative abundance and frequency. We applied generalized linear models to assess the effects of floral resource availability on hummingbird richness and abundance. We found a correspondence between the distribution and turnover of hummingbirds and plants across the elevational gradient. Species richness and diversity of both groups peaked at the highest elevations, whereas species turnover was greatest among sites located at the extremes of the gradient. We also found elevation-specific associations between particular hummingbird and plant species that contributed to these turnover patterns. Plant species richness and flower abundance significantly influenced hummingbird richness and abundance across elevations. Together, these findings clarify the mechanisms structuring hummingbird-plant assemblages and highlight the need to conserve environmental heterogeneity in tropical and temperate habitats, which supports unique species combinations, maintains hummingbird diversity, and promotes spatial turnover.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149145715","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}

{"title":"Riparian Amphibian and Reptile Assemblages in Streams Along a Forest Regeneration Gradient in the Ecuadorian Chocó","authors":"Moira L. M. Wiedebusch,&nbsp;Omar Torres-Carvajal,&nbsp;Mark-Oliver Rödel","doi":"10.1111/btp.70250","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70250","url":null,"abstract":"<p>While primary forests are declining, regenerating habitats are becoming increasingly common. In fragmented environments, streams may function as corridors between forest remnants for riparian and aquatic species. However, the responses of stream-associated species to forest regeneration remain understudied. In this study, we compared the abundance, diversity, and species composition of stream-obligate amphibians and reptiles along 17 stream sites, surrounded by habitats at different forest regeneration stages. These sites included actively used cacao plantations and pasture, forest regenerating from former cacao and pasture land, and old-growth forest. We collected environmental data and conducted time-standardized visual and auditory surveys along stream transects. Diversity indices and multivariate community analyses were used to assess the influence of habitat variables on assemblage composition. Streams in regenerating forests supported higher herpetological richness and diversity than primary forests, whereas actively used sites had the lowest diversity; however, these differences were not significant. Amphibian diversity was higher in pasture regeneration streams than in actively used pastures, whereas reptiles showed no significant differences. Canopy and understory vegetation densities were the strongest predictor for stream amphibian assemblage differences, whereas broader environmental conditions and correlated climate and structural variables shaped stream reptile distributions. Amphibians showed more pronounced species shifts between regeneration states, demonstrating higher sensitivity to disturbance than reptiles. Our findings highlight the importance of riparian vegetation and water availability in both active and regenerating sites for sustaining stream herpetofaunal diversity in tropical landscapes.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70250","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149146866","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}

{"title":"Run to the Caves: Frog Refuges From Harsh Environments","authors":"Rafael de Fraga,&nbsp;Cassia de Carvalho Teixeira,&nbsp;Valéria da Cunha Tavares,&nbsp;Xavier Prous,&nbsp;Gilmax Ferreira,&nbsp;Carlos Eduardo de Araújo Batista,&nbsp;Leonardo Carreira Trevelin","doi":"10.1111/btp.70266","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70266","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The use of caves by primarily nontroglobiont organisms can be critical when the conditions of surrounding epigean habitats deteriorate as a result of synergic effects of climate changes and degradation of native vegetation cover. Under scenarios of unbalanced temperatures, high solar incidence, low humidity and reduced shelter availability in the external landscapes, caves may become attractive refuges, particularly for desiccation-sensitive animals such as the amphibians. We investigated the role of 96 iron caves in the southeastern Amazon as shelters for frogs, testing the hypotheses that species abundance in caves is higher during the dry season than the rainy season; species abundance during the dry season depends on interactions between resource availability within caves and natural and anthropogenic landscape features; and the relative dominance of turnover versus nestedness components of the beta-diversity shifts seasonally in response to climatic variation. We documented five frog species using caves, two of which were more abundant during the dry season. Overall, generalized linear models provided evidence supporting our hypotheses and revealed that cave use is highly species-specific. Therefore, the biology of species should be considered to understand the structure of frog assemblages within caves. Our findings also indicate that frogs act as trogloxenes, using caves opportunistically when they are available and when epigean habitats become unfavorable rather than exclusively relying on caves for completing their life cycles.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70266","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149146867","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}