Biotropica最新文献

{"title":"Morphological, Molecular, and Isotopic Approaches to Termite Ecology: A Mangrove Case Study","authors":"Robin Casalla,&nbsp;Rafik Neme,&nbsp;Judith Korb","doi":"10.1111/btp.70199","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70199","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding the structure, functional roles, and assembly of termite communities remains challenging because cryptic diversity, overlapping feeding strategies, and methodological limitations often obscure ecological differentiation. Integrating complementary approaches can address these constraints, yet their joint ability to resolve community structure remains poorly evaluated. Here, we examine how morphological, molecular, stable isotope, and phylogenetic approaches contribute, individually and in combination, to understanding termite community composition, trophic organization, and assembly mechanisms. We applied a standardized integrative framework combining transect-based sampling, morphological and molecular species identification, stable isotope analyses (δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C), and phylogenetic community metrics. This framework was assessed using a Caribbean mangrove ecosystem as a case study, where strong environmental filters provide a stringent test of methodological resolution. Six termite species were recorded, reflecting markedly lower richness than is typical of inland tropical forests. Although transect-based sampling proved effective for capturing species composition, taxonomic completeness alone did not translate into functional or structural differentiation within the community. Stable isotope analyses revealed pronounced trophic overlap and a shared reliance on C₃ plant-derived carbon, indicating substantial functional redundancy despite taxonomic distinctiveness. Phylogenetic analyses showed no significant clustering or overdispersion, suggesting that community assembly is shaped by stochastic colonization operating within a narrow set of viable functional strategies imposed by environmental filtering. Together, these results show that integrating isotopic and phylogenetic tools with standardized sampling protocols is essential for interpreting the functional meaning of diversity patterns. This combined approach provides a transferable framework for studying community assembly in environmentally constrained and low-diversity ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70199","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147615224","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":"The Potential of Generalist and Disturbance-Tolerant Seed Dispersers in the Restoration of Neotropical Degraded Areas","authors":"Rodrigo Béllo Carvalho,&nbsp;Marco A. Pizo","doi":"10.1111/btp.70197","DOIUrl":"10.1111/btp.70197","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Widespread defaunation and habitat degradation are profoundly disrupting ecological processes, notably seed dispersal, largely due to the loss of large-bodied frugivores, which are key to the dispersal of large-seeded plants. While the conservation of endangered large frugivores remains fundamental, restoration efforts should also consider the functional potential of surviving generalist and disturbance-tolerant frugivores that retain the dispersal of large-seeded plants. This study conducts an evaluation of the restoration potential of four such Neotropical species—<i>Ramphastos toco</i> (Ramphastidae), <i>Penelope superciliaris</i> (Cracidae), <i>Artibeus lituratus</i> (Phyllostomidae), and <i>Cerdocyon thous</i> (Canidae)—to restore degraded areas. Through an extensive literature review, we provide a species profile detailing ecological traits, diet, movement patterns, and habitat utilization. Together, these four frugivores consume over 300 fruit species, including numerous varieties with large seeds and those from mid- to late-successional stages. Each frugivore demonstrates broad mobility, tolerance to anthropogenic landscapes, and effective seed dispersal behavior. We contend that these resilient frugivores constitute a functional guild of “Anthropocene dispersers,” with the capacity to facilitate passive restoration of vegetation in degraded ecosystems. Acknowledging and integrating their ecological roles can significantly enhance restoration strategies, particularly in landscapes where traditional rewilding is no longer viable.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147579736","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":"Flowering Asynchrony and Temporal Mate Restriction in Tropical Peat Swamp Forest Trees","authors":"Andrew H. Aldercotte,&nbsp;Dylan T. Simpson,&nbsp;Daniel J. Naumenko,&nbsp;Griёtte van der Heide,&nbsp;Sri Suci Utami Atmoko,&nbsp;Tatang M. Setia,&nbsp;Rachael Winfree,&nbsp;Erin R. Vogel","doi":"10.1111/btp.70162","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70162","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Many tropical rainforest tree species exhibit high flowering asynchrony, with individuals differing in how often, when, and for how long they flower. Over short timescales, asynchrony is known to restrict both the quantity and diversity of outcrossing partners, affecting reproductive success and the genetic diversity of offspring. However, longer-term effects of flowering asynchrony on mating opportunities remain poorly understood, particularly for long-lived, iteroparous tropical trees. For instance, it is not known whether an individual tree's flowering phenology is consistent over time, such that the same conspecific individuals repeatedly flower together; this could result in assortative mating, or exclude some tree pairs from reproducing together. We analyzed 18 years of flowering records from 50 tree species in a Bornean tropical peat swamp forest to quantify within-species (intraspecific) flowering asynchrony. For a subset of 24 bisexually-flowering species with larger sample size (from which dioecious species were excluded because the sex of individuals was unknown), we evaluated whether the same conspecific individuals flower together across years, then extrapolated predictions of lifetime mate restriction from the observed accumulation of co-flowering partners. We found high intraspecific flowering asynchrony, and most species showed a significant tendency for the same individuals to co-flower across years. However, patterns of intraspecific variation in phenology rarely resulted in predictions of lifetime mate restriction between conspecific pairs. Exceptions were several species that flowered infrequently, i.e., with multi-year intervals between species-level flowering events, in which phenological mismatch did exclude many potential pairings.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70162","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147563938","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":"Beyond Ecology: How Environmental and Social Landscapes Shape Tropical Forest Restoration in Southeast Brazil","authors":"Érica Rodrigues da Silva,&nbsp;João Vitor Mariano Ribeiro,&nbsp;Paulo Guilherme Molin,&nbsp;Klécia Gili Massi","doi":"10.1111/btp.70184","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70184","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Ecological restoration is a key strategy for addressing global challenges, including climate change and human well-being. Although a substantial body of literature has investigated how restoration should be conducted, there is still limited understanding of how it is implemented in practice. Here, we investigated the environmental and socioeconomic context in which different restoration interventions (passive vs. active) have been implemented in the southeast Atlantic Forest biome, Brazil. We analyzed a set of environmental (e.g., land use and land cover, slope, elevation, hydrography) and socioeconomic variables (e.g., rural population, GDP per capita) derived from an official restoration database using geospatial and statistical approaches. Overall, environmental variables (such as, pasture land use, higher elevation, and steeper slopes) were more strongly associated with restoration sites than socioeconomic variables (such as agriculture holdings). Active restoration techniques were predominantly implemented in areas with low natural regeneration potential, whereas larger restoration sites were mainly located in more rural municipalities. These patterns can be explained by historical land-use and economic development trajectories, whereby intense degradation in some regions favors active methods, while pasture abandonment furthers natural regeneration. Because restoration outcomes are driven by complex interactions among socioeconomic, legal, environmental, and historical factors, integrated and transdisciplinary approaches are essential to enhance the effectiveness and benefits of restoration in tropical regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70184","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147563507","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":"Animal–Plant Interactions Under Defaunation: Consequences for Amazonian Trees of Commercial Interest","authors":"Arlison Castro,&nbsp;Rodrigo Fadini,&nbsp;Mathias Pires,&nbsp;Carlos R. Brocardo,&nbsp;Icaro Wilker,&nbsp;Clarissa Rosa","doi":"10.1111/btp.70183","DOIUrl":"10.1111/btp.70183","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The decline of medium- and large-bodied terrestrial mammal populations can compromise key ecological processes such as seed dispersal. We conducted an exclusion experiment to simulate a defaunation gradient, monitoring the removal of 1800 seeds from six plant species of commercial interest in the Amazon Forest. Overall, mammal exclusion significantly reduced seed removal, particularly under severe exclusion conditions. However, this effect was species-specific. Only <i>Lecythis lurida</i>, the species with the largest seeds, showed a significant reduction in removal under severe defaunation. <i>Proechimys</i> spp. interacted with most seeds in all experimental treatments, except for <i>L. lurida</i>, whose seeds were removed only by <i>Dasyprocta croconota</i>. While <i>Proechimys</i> spp. likely acts as a seed predator for all tested species, <i>D. croconota</i> can contribute to seed dispersal and consequently to the recruitment of a variety of plant species. Our findings reinforce that while defaunation impacts seed removal, its effects depend on plant traits and the identity of dispersers. The loss of terrestrial mammals may compromise long-term plant recruitment, especially for species that rely on larger mammals for effective seed removal. The loss of ecological interactions may jeopardize the sustainable supply of timber and non-timber products, directly affecting the income and food security of local traditional cooperatives in the Amazon.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70183","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147569881","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":"Predation on Northern Silky Anteater (Cyclopes dorsalis) by Tiger Rat Snake (Spilotes pullatus) in a Rainforest Fragment in Costa Rica","authors":"David Becker,&nbsp;Emmanuel Rojas,&nbsp;Bernal Rodríguez-Herrera,&nbsp;Ingo Grass,&nbsp;Thomas Hiller","doi":"10.1111/btp.70185","DOIUrl":"10.1111/btp.70185","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We report the first predation event of a northern silky anteater by a tiger rat snake. This predation underscores how little is known about the nocturnal anteater and its predators. As the snake is commensal with humans, anthropogenic habitat alterations might have exposed the anteater to a novel predation pressure.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70185","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147569750","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":"Urbanization Intensity, Vegetation Cover and Plant Vigor Affects Stem Galls Occurrence and Abundance in a Widely Distributed Ruderal Tropical Plant","authors":"Luziene Seixas,&nbsp;Dalton Serafim,&nbsp;João Victor Sabino Santos,&nbsp;Kim Ribeiro Barão,&nbsp;Guilherme Ramos Demetrio","doi":"10.1111/btp.70178","DOIUrl":"10.1111/btp.70178","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Urbanization is a major driver of environmental change and biodiversity loss, impacting species and ecological interactions. Insects, as key terrestrial biodiversity components, engage in diverse interactions with plants, including gall induction. Host plant vigor often predicts higher herbivore abundance, but this relationship is understudied in urban contexts. We investigated the effects of urbanization intensity, vegetation cover, and plant vigor on the occurrence and abundance of stem galls in <i>Turnera subulata</i>, a widespread tropical ruderal species. Surveys were conducted at 14 sites across an urbanization gradient in Penedo, Brazil. For each plant, we recorded stem gall presence and abundance and measured vigor through biomass-related traits. Impervious surface area was used as a proxy for urbanization intensity, and native vegetation cover as an indicator of native vegetation. Results showed that urbanization did not influence gall occurrence but reduced gall abundance. Conversely, sites with greater vegetation cover had higher gall occurrence and abundance. Additionally, more vigorous plants, particularly those with greater stem biomass, hosted more galls, supporting the plant vigor hypothesis. These findings underscore the role of vegetation cover in maintaining specialized interactions between gall-inducing insects and host plants, mitigating urbanization's negative effects on these herbivores. Our study provides evidence that plant vigor remains a key factor influencing gall abundance in urban environments. We advocate for the conservation and strategic planning of native vegetation in tropical cities to sustain specialized ecological interactions amid ongoing urban expansion.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70178","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147568310","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":"Amphibians' Expansion to Record Elevations Influences Chytrid (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) Infection Dynamics","authors":"Emma Steigerwald,&nbsp;Cassandra Gendron,&nbsp;Juan C. Chaparro,&nbsp;Rosemary G. Gillespie,&nbsp;Allie Byrne,&nbsp;Rasmus Nielsen,&nbsp;Erica Bree Rosenblum","doi":"10.1111/btp.70165","DOIUrl":"10.1111/btp.70165","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The climate-driven range expansion of host species could impact emerging infectious disease events through several mechanisms, with repercussions for conservation and public health. For instance, infection outcomes may be affected by the different responses of hosts and pathogens to new environments. Additionally, range expansions may create novel transmission opportunities as host movement patterns change. Here, we use an integrative approach to explore how the infection dynamics of Marbled four-eyed frogs (<i>Pleurodema marmoratum</i>) with the pathogen <i>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis</i> (<i>Bd</i>) have been impacted by their elevational range expansion in the Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru. With field surveys, we establish that range expansion created new opportunities for <i>Bd</i> transmission: <i>P. marmoratum</i> are now continuously distributed along a recently deglaciated mountain pass between populations separated by heavily glaciated mountains. With sequence data, we identify <i>Bd</i> from the Vilcanota as belonging to the lineage most frequently associated with amphibian declines (<i>Bd</i>GPL) and find that it lacks genetic structure despite possessing abundant variation, consistent with high rates of local dispersal. With temperature loggers, we demonstrate that upslope expansion exposed frogs and <i>Bd</i> to challenging new thermal regimes. Finally, with size, mass, and <i>Bd</i> infection data from adult <i>P. marmoratum</i>, we find that the new elevations colonized may constrain infection intensities and influence sublethal costs of infection: at low elevations, infected frogs have lower body condition than uninfected frogs, while at high elevations, infected frogs have smaller bodies than uninfected frogs. Together, our results suggest that the climate-driven range shifts of host species may influence pathogen transmission and infection outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70165","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147568249","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":"Anti-Predation and Size-Dependent Gas Exchange Functions of Amazonian Architect Cicada Towers","authors":"Marina Mega,&nbsp;Izadora N. Gonzalez,&nbsp;Maria Luiza Busato,&nbsp;Sara S. Feitosa,&nbsp;Rodrigo F. Fadini,&nbsp;Pedro A. C. L. Pequeno","doi":"10.1111/btp.70182","DOIUrl":"10.1111/btp.70182","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Nymphs of several cicada species build clay towers before adult metamorphosis. However, tower function is poorly understood. Here, we show experimentally that towers of the Amazonian cicada <i>Guyalna chlorogena</i> reduce predation risk and display a size-dependent growth response to gas exchange obstruction. These findings support them as adaptive extended phenotypes.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70182","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147568248","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":"Estimating Sunda Clouded Leopard Lifespans From Minimum Residence Times via Long-Term Photo-Tracking","authors":"Katharina Kasper,&nbsp;Thye Lim Tee,&nbsp;Roshan Guharajan,&nbsp;Azlan Mohamed,&nbsp;Seth T. Wong,&nbsp;Jürgen Niedballa,&nbsp;Jesse F. Abrams,&nbsp;Johnny Kissing,&nbsp;Hiromitsu Samejima,&nbsp;Rahel Sollmann,&nbsp;Andreas Wilting,&nbsp;Wai-Ming Wong","doi":"10.1111/btp.70169","DOIUrl":"10.1111/btp.70169","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Sunda clouded leopard conservation requires understanding key species traits. Using photo-identification, we estimated lifespans from minimum residence times, documenting the oldest wild individual known to date—a 6.51-year-old female. We discuss methodological limitations in female detectability and transient individuals in the population and propose recommendations to improve future monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70169","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147568091","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}