Biotropica最新文献

{"title":"A Response to “Shedding Light on the Relevance of Asexual Reproduction in the Savannas: Cloning in Velloziaceae” by Maracahipes et al. (2024): Biotropica 2024 https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.13343","authors":"Ruy José Válka Alves","doi":"10.1111/btp.70158","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70158","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Clonality and asexual reproduction in two species of <i>Vellozia</i> Vandelli are reported as the focus point of this interesting Natural History Field Note. It adds <i>Vellozia variabilis</i> and <i>V. tubiflora</i> to a list of species in which aboveground clonality has been formally reported and/or illustrated, namely: <i>V. auriculata</i> (Mello-Silva and Menezes <span>1999</span>); <i>V. leptopetala</i> and <i>V. epidendroides</i> (Jacobi and Del Sarto <span>2007</span>); <i>V. dracaenoides</i> and <i>V. compacta</i> (Alves et al. <span>2014</span>; Alves <span>2023a</span>, <span>2023b</span>). The latter two online books may be too recent for the authors to know. Another interesting result of this paper is the relative absence of juvenile specimens in the studied populations, which I also found in my study localities (all of my references herein).</p><p>The statement that “this is one of the first records of cloning from aboveground stems in Cerrado plant species” is an exaggeration, as exemplified by <i>Leiothrix flagellaris</i> Ruhland (Eriocaulaceae) (Figueira et al. <span>2007</span>). Aboveground clonality in the Cerrado is also well known for many bromeliads (e.g., Sampaio et al. <span>2002</span>); orchids and other epiphytes, several fern species, and some interesting Marcgraviaceae.</p><p>From outside the Cerrado, I exemplify some of the crucial works on clonality, including aboveground: Jeník (<span>1994</span>) reviewed clonality (including aboveground) in woody plants, citing many previous works, including his own; Klimeš et al. (<span>1997</span>) further elaborated on the general features of clonality; and Windisch et al. (<span>2008</span>), who described a type of clonal growth of fallen caudices of <i>Dicksonia sellowiana</i> in southern Brazil, which is very similar to the type found in many species of <i>Vellozia</i> spp. This is also the case of <i>Alsophila setosa</i> (Schmitt and Windisch <span>2006</span>).</p><p>The author declares no conflicts of interest.</p><p>The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70158","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146091341","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":"Public Participation in Tropical Conservation and Environmental Management Research: Toward a Locally Grounded and Reflexive Practice","authors":"Natalia C. Piland,&nbsp;Thiago B. A. Couto,&nbsp;Maria Pulido-Velosa,&nbsp;Juan Cruz,&nbsp;Mariana Varese,&nbsp;Gina Leite,&nbsp;Sebastian Heilpern,&nbsp;Aaron A. Koning,&nbsp;Jynessa Dutka-Gianelli,&nbsp;Sue Jackson,&nbsp;Pendo Hyera,&nbsp;Faisal Hossain,&nbsp;Tamlin Pavelsky,&nbsp;Angélica M. Gómez,&nbsp;Tun Myint,&nbsp;Wisa Wisesjindawat-Fink,&nbsp;Brenna Kays,&nbsp;Elizabeth P. Anderson","doi":"10.1111/btp.70149","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70149","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Public participation in scientific research (PPSR) is the intentional engagement of the public in scientific inquiry and is increasingly popular in conservation and related fields. It advances knowledge, participant learning opportunities, local innovation and empowerment, and more equitable natural resource management. While the published literature recognizes various PPSR types, many reviews—especially those labeled “citizen science”—have overlooked comparable experiences in tropical regions. Consequently, our current knowledge of PPSR in the tropics is limited to disparate case studies, hindering broader connections and lessons. This review aims to clarify PPSR and the interactions between institutions, the environment, and local and non-local actors by drawing from a bibliometric review and authorial experiences to illustrate the role of PPSR across the tropics. Results show that public participation has significantly contributed to tropical conservation and environmental management for at least 50 years. However, international authorities and scholarly sources only began recognizing its value and potential in the early 1990s. Most publications reviewed (383/453 papers) describe one place-based research activity, with high representation from terrestrial-oriented research, in the field of resource management, and developed countries (e.g., Australia and British, French, and US territories). We follow with vignettes to illustrate participation and make recommendations from our synthesis of lessons. These recommendations present public participation as an opportunity for tropical conservation and environmental management to better value the local context and contributions from diverse communities. This approach encourages embedding participation in more reflexive practices to enhance the overall effectiveness and inclusivity of conservation efforts.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146091074","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":"Little Overlap in Symbiotic Bacteria of Coquí Frogs in Hawaii and Puerto Rico","authors":"Chava L. Weitzman,&nbsp;Kimberley Day,&nbsp;Katherine M. Gorman,&nbsp;Karen Gibb,&nbsp;Gregory P. Brown,&nbsp;Keith Christian","doi":"10.1111/btp.70156","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70156","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Amphibian skin bacteria are important for host health by protecting against pathogens, but communities can vary greatly among host populations, influenced by environmental factors, habitats, and ecological interactions. Understanding this variation is key to studying how amphibians adapt and remain healthy across diverse environments. In this study, we sampled skin bacteria on coquí frogs (<i>Eleutherodactylus coqui</i>) from two sites in each of two regions: Puerto Rico, where they are native, and Hawaii, where they are introduced. We tested the hypothesis that bacterial communities differ between regions but are relatively more similar within each region. We also expected that comparing bacteria at the genus level would show more similarity than at the level of unique sequences, indicating the importance of microdiversity and functional roles. Beta diversity provided mixed support for these hypotheses, showing differences between sites that became less pronounced within each region at the bacterial genus level. Interestingly, one Hawaiian site stood out as distinct in multiple analyses. Despite predicted variation, we expected to find core (prevalent) bacteria shared across sampling locations, which was confirmed for a few taxa, suggesting they play important functional roles and may be selected by the host. Microbial community variation on coquí frogs is influenced by their habitat-generalist nature, with habitat likely affecting environmental bacterial sources, but can also be shaped by invasion history, disease, development stages, and season. This research enhances our understanding of how environmental and biological factors shape amphibian microbiomes, which is valuable for conservation efforts and studying invasive species.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70156","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146091511","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":"Historical Evidence of Fruit-Bats Foraging on the Ground","authors":"Anthony S. Cheke","doi":"10.1111/btp.70154","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70154","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>DePasquale et al.'s camera-trap observations of ground-feeding by fruit-bats is the first photographic evidence of such behavior. However, it has been reported previously since the 1970s in both Old World and New World species variously in captivity and in the wild. Whereas DePasquale's bats appear to have foraged on the ground opportunistically, most reports of wild <i>Pteropus</i> flying-foxes ground-feeding were after a storm had stripped fruit from trees.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146096520","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":"Network Models Suggest Compensatory Responses of Mangrove Ecosystem to Extreme Climate Events","authors":"Kai Ching Cheong,&nbsp;Christina A. Buelow,&nbsp;César Herrera,&nbsp;Maria Fernanda Adame,&nbsp;Christopher J. Brown","doi":"10.1111/btp.70155","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70155","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Mangrove loss to extreme weather events is becoming increasingly prevalent, particularly in the tropics of the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. Predicting mangrove ecosystem responses to extreme climate events is difficult due to complex biotic and abiotic interactions. Using qualitative network models, we simulated the impacts of tropical storms, heatwaves, and floods on mangrove ecosystem components and their supported ecosystem services. We developed progressively more complex models incorporating biotic group disaggregation and sediment dynamics, based on literature-derived interactions among trees, crabs, shrimp, birds, bivalves, fish, and sediment. Our analysis revealed distinct vulnerability patterns across components, with infaunal bivalves showing higher resilience than epifaunal bivalves, and mobile species exhibiting unexpected vulnerability despite dispersal ability. Crabs exhibited resilience during tropical storms despite the loss of trees. Carbon storage and coastal protection services showed strong coupling in their responses, while fisheries provision services showed modest negative responses. We developed a biodiversity balance index and revealed that heatwaves and floods triggered community structure imbalance. Complex models that had animal taxa disaggregation into more functional groups exposed important compensatory mechanisms, though at the cost of decreased model stability. This study demonstrates the utility of qualitative modeling in understanding ecosystem responses to climate extremes, which is particularly valuable in data-limited contexts for informing conservation strategies.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146002524","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":"Chimpanzees and Elephants Can Be Used as Reliable Flagship-Umbrella Species for Eco-Labels","authors":"Claire Auger,&nbsp;Frédérique Montfort,&nbsp;Beatriz Bellón,&nbsp;John Justice Tibesigwa,&nbsp;Harold Rugonge,&nbsp;Raymond Katumba,&nbsp;Cédric Rabany,&nbsp;Sabrina Krief","doi":"10.1111/btp.70143","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70143","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Eco-labels are effective financial tools for implementing biodiversity-based land management near protected areas. When eco-labels market flagship species conservation, it is essential to ensure that these species also serve as umbrella species, benefiting broader biodiversity. This study assessed the potential of flagship species, chimpanzees and elephants, to act as umbrella species by analyzing their co-occurrence with other species and evaluating species-specific responses to anthropogenic pressures. Using 61,348 camera trap clips and illegal activities recorded during 4 years in Sebitoli protected forest (Kibale National Park, Uganda) surrounded by a highly anthropized landscape, we built a joint Species Distribution Model for chimpanzees, elephants, and 29 other taxa, including five threatened taxa. The co-occurrence matrix showed that chimpanzees and elephants were respectively co-occurrent with 26 and 20 other taxa, including respectively four and three threatened taxa. The intensity of illegal activities targeting wildlife (snaring) was significantly negatively impacting the detection of 18 of the taxa studied, including chimpanzees and elephants and three other threatened taxa. The intensity of illegal activities targeting flora had a significant negative impact on the detection of eight taxa, including elephants. Co-occurrence patterns supported the potential umbrella species role of chimpanzees and elephants through the shared benefits of their habitat conservation. Results allowed us to recommend the reduction of illegal activities, especially snaring, as a relevant shared conservation action to promote within future label standards. Although chimpanzees co-occurred with more species than elephants, elephants appeared as better surrogates for anthropogenic threats than chimpanzees, underlining their complementarity as umbrella species.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70143","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146002390","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":"Fallen Logs Act as Natural Bridges Over Rivers in a Tropical Wet Forest","authors":"Juan S. Vargas Soto,&nbsp;Carolina Pinto,&nbsp;Eleanor J. Flatt,&nbsp;Andrew Whitworth","doi":"10.1111/btp.70152","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70152","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Streams and rivers are ubiquitous in tropical forests and can act as barriers for animal movement. This role as barriers can be modulated by connecting features like fallen logs. While logs are commonly observed across rivers, their role as natural bridges has rarely been highlighted. We used motion-activated cameras to characterize how mammals and terrestrial birds use logs across rivers and streams in the Osa peninsula, southern Costa Rica. We investigated factors that influence the frequency and probability of crossing and analyzed interactions like temporal avoidance/attraction or communication. We detected 20 terrestrial mammal species; on most detections (80%) animals used logs to get across the river. Crossing probability depended mostly on the species: species adapted to climbing like tamanduas (<i>Tamandua mexicana</i>), coatis (<i>Nasua narica</i>), and common opossums (<i>Didelphis marsupialis</i>) were more likely to cross than strictly terrestrial species like agoutis (<i>Dasyprocta punctata</i>) and pacas (<i>Cuniculus paca</i>). Animals also crossed logs that were wider, longer, and higher above the water. The diversity of species that used logs suggests they could be important drivers of movement, defining routes across the forest. We found evidence of temporal attraction between coatis, skunks (<i>Conepatus semistriatus</i>), and opossums, probably influenced by scent-marking, observed for 6 of 20 species, suggesting logs also act as inter and intra-specific communication sites. Our results provide evidence of the potential importance of logs and branches and suggest they could be critical features that influence daily movements and long-term space use of many terrestrial vertebrate species in tropical forests.</p>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/btp.70152","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145993946","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":"Influence of Bracken Fronds and Leaf Litter Management on Soil Seed Bank Characteristics in a Fire-Disturbed Tropical Montane Forest","authors":"Emili A. Jimenez,&nbsp;Cecilia L. López,&nbsp;Alfredo F. Fuentes,&nbsp;Isabell Hensen,&nbsp;Silvia C. Gallegos","doi":"10.1111/btp.70151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70151","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The bracken fern <i>Pteridium</i> spp. dominates postfire vegetation in tropical montane forests, where fronds, litter, allelopathy, and dispersal limitation hinder forest regeneration. However, this species' effect on soil seed bank remains poorly understood. We investigated the effects of bracken fronds and litter on the abundance, richness, and species diversity of the soil seed bank in a tropical montane fire-deforested area in Bolivia. At eight study sites (1800–2350 a.s.l), soil samples were collected under five treatments: (a) fronds and litter intact (F + L+), (b) fronds intact and litter removed (F + L−), (c) fronds removed and litter intact (F−L+), (d) fronds and litter removed (F−L−), and (e) forest. Using the seedling emergence method, samples were assessed every 20 days over 8 months (September 2021–May 2022). Compared to intact bracken, forest areas showed 2.6, 1.7, and 1.5-fold greater abundance, species richness, and diversity of zoochorous species, respectively. Among bracken treatments, abundance, richness, and diversity of zoochorous species decreased by 2.7, 2.6, and 2 times, respectively, when fronds and litter were removed, compared to the intact bracken treatment, but were not significantly different when only litter was removed. Our findings indicate that in bracken-dominated environments, fronds and litter improve microclimatic conditions, maintaining the viability of zoochorous species in the soil seed bank. The removal of litter without cutting fronds reduces light interception and seed trapping while maintaining zoochorous seed germination capacity in the soil, and might be a better management strategy than removing fronds and litter to promote seedling recruitment from the soil seed bank.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145887822","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":"Intraspecific Trait Variation Predicts Species Distributions and Niche Occupancy of Seedlings in a Tropical Wet Forest","authors":"Vikhyath Premugh,&nbsp;Rajaditya Das,&nbsp;Ashish Nambiar,&nbsp;Meghna Krishnadas","doi":"10.1111/btp.70150","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70150","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Functional traits enable comparison among species to elucidate general patterns and processes. While most work on trait-mediated ecology employs variation among species, recent studies show that intraspecific trait variation (ITV) can significantly affect community dynamics. We examined the extent of ITV in seedlings of woody plants and its influence on abundance patterns and niche parameters in a tropical wet forest. Using 14 species that had at least 5 individuals across 150 2 × 2-m plots arrayed across a gradient of light and water availability, we estimated species' niche properties (breadth and position) and abundance. We measured eight functional traits corresponding to morphological and allocational features of leaves, stems and roots, from which we estimated ITV and functional position of species. We used variance partitioning to determine the relative extent of trait variation at different ecological levels and used linear models to assess the relationship between ITV, abundance, and niche properties. ITV accounted for 30–100% of trait variation. Only leaf dry matter content showed a significant link between abundance and ITV via niche breadth along light and soil moisture gradients and via niche position along soil organic carbon gradients. While ITV of no other trait correlated with abundance, root, stem, and leaf mass fractions showed significant relations with niche breadth. Overall, ITV in seedlings was substantial and shaped niche properties, but this did not consistently translate to patterns in abundance. Future work should link ITV to species' performance to better comprehend the mechanisms underlying plant community dynamics.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145887684","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":"Response to Colwell's Commentary: Biotropica 58 e70140","authors":"Carlos Garcia-Robledo","doi":"10.1111/btp.70142","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70142","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8982,"journal":{"name":"Biotropica","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145887685","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}