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Dynamics of juvenile woody plant communities on termite mounds in a West African savanna landscape
(2014)
Termites are keystone species in savanna ecology, and their mounds are thought to be an important source of habitat heterogeneity and structural complexity of the savanna. Macrotermes termitaria have been shown to allow woody plant colonisation of landscapes otherwise dominated by C4 grasses. In this study, we assess how resource-rich Macrotermes mounds affect juvenile woody plant and non-woody plant species diversity, community composition, biomass and population dynamics. We repeatedly sampled paired termite mound and savanna plots in Pendjari National Park (Sudanian vegetation zone, North Benin, West Africa) over the course of two years. Despite considerable overlap in their species pools, plant communities of mound and savanna plots were clearly separated in ordinations. Species richness and diversity of juvenile woody plants was consistently higher on termite mounds, while no differences could be detected for non-woody plants. Evenness of juvenile woody plants was generally lower on mounds, whereas density and basal area were higher on mounds. In contrast, we did not detect any influence of the mound microhabitat on colonisation, mortality and turnover of woody juveniles. Therefore, we suggest that differences in the communities on and off mounds should be strongly influenced by directed diaspore dispersal through zoochory.
Elevational gradients in high mountain ranges are particularly suitable to study and understand patterns and drivers of plant community diversity and composition, yet there are only few studies that explicitly addressed this topic for the European Alps. Here we analysed an elevational gradient in grasslands of the Gran Paradiso National Park (NW Italy) from c. 1,700 to 3,100 m a.s.l. We recorded vascular plant species composition in 13 100-m² plots, each with two series of nested subplots from 0.0001 to 10 m², as well as a set of environmental parameters (topography, soil). Beta-diversity was assessed via the z-values of power-law species-area relationships, both across all plot sizes and from one plot size to the next bigger one. Diversity-environment relationships were assessed with multi-model inference based on Akaike information criterion (AIC), while scale dependence in z-values across plot sizes was analysed with an ANOVA. Life forms and three major functional traits (specific leaf area = SLA, canopy height, seed mass) were derived from trait databases to calculate fractions of life forms and community-weighted means for the metric traits. Species richness on 100 m² ranged from 17 to 65, with a mean of 43.5. The z-values were within a typical range known for European grasslands (mean: 0.227), with non-significant scale dependence. The importance of environmental factors for richness changed across grain sizes, with inclination (positive effect), mean soil depth and soil skeleton content (both: negative effect) being most influential at grain sizes of 0.0001–1 m². By contrast, soil pH was most important (with a unimodal relationship) for 10 and 100 m². After account-ing for the other environmental factors, elevation showed a moderate unimodal relationship only for the two largest grain sizes. By contrast, functional composition showed strong and mostly significant rela-tionships with elevation: hemicryptophytes and geophytes became rarer and chamaephytes more fre-quent, while community-weighted means of SLA, canopy height and seed mass decreased. Our findings highlight the scale dependence of biodiversity patterns, thus pointing to the need of multi-scale sampling to reach comprehensive understanding. Further, we could provide one of the first documentations of biodiversity and functional composition along an elevational gradient in the Alps, some in agreement with expectations, others not. This suggests that more extensive studies with a similar design in this and other regions of the Alps could be a valuable contribution to the understanding of how environmental factors drive components of biodiversity as well a functional community assembly.
Dichromatobolus, a new genus of spirobolidan millipedes from Madagascar (Spirobolida, Pachybolidae)
(2020)
A new genus, Dichromatobolus gen. nov., belonging to the genus-rich mainly southern hemisphere family Pachybolidae of the order Spirobolida, is described based on D. elephantulus gen. et sp. nov., illustrated with color pictures, line drawings, and scanning electron micrographs. The species is recorded from the spiny bush of southwestern Madagascar. Dichromatobolus elephantulus gen. et sp. nov. shows an unusual color pattern, sexual dichromatism with males being red with black legs and females being grey. Males seem to be more surface active, as mainly males were collected with pitfall traps. Females mainly come from the pet trade. The body of this species is short and very wide, being only 8 times longer than wide in the males. Live observations show the species is a very slow mover, digging in loose soil almost as fast as walking on the surface. The posterior gonopods of Dichromatobolus gen. nov. are unusually simple and well-rounded, displaying some similarities to the genera Corallobolus Wesener, 2009 and Granitobolus Wesener, 2009, from which the new genus differs in numerous other characters, e.g., size, anterior gonopods and habitus. Despite several attempts with fresh tissue samples and different primers, molecular barcoding did not work for Dichromatobolus gen. nov. Any relationships to the other 15 genera of Pachybolidae indigenous to Madagascar remain unknown.
A century and a half since the time of Hewitson, we are experiencing a renaissance in species discovery fueled by whole genome sequencing. A large-scale genomic analysis of Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809 (Lepidoptera), including primary type specimens, reveals a deluge of species new to science. One hundred of them (one in a new genus) are described here from the New World (type localities are given in parenthesis): Drephalys (Drephalys) diovalis Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Napo), Euriphellus panador Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Esmeraldas), Euriphellus panamicus Grishin, new species (Panama: Panama), Cecropterus (Thorybes) viridissimus Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Zamora-Chinchipe), Cecropterus (Murgaria) dariensis Grishin, new species (Panama: Darien), Urbanus (Urbanus) mericuti Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Napo), Telegonus (Telegonus) pastus Grishin, new species (Panama: Panama), Autochton (Autochton) dora Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Pastaza), Astraptes centralis Grishin, new species (Panama: Colón), Aguna claxonica Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Napo), Aguna esmeralda Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Esmeraldas), Aguna lata Grishin, new species (Guyana), Ridens angulinea Grishin, new species (Peru: Cuzco), Pythonides lera Grishin, new species (Peru: Cuzco), Pythonides latemarginatus Grishin, new species (Panama: Panama), Gindanes variegatus Grishin, new species (Brazil: Mato Grosso), Milanion (Milanion) virga Grishin, new species (Brazil: Rondônia), Milanion (Milanion) furvus Grishin, new species (Panama: Panama), Milanion (Milanion) laricus Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Napo), Charidia ronda Grishin, new species (Brazil: Rondônia), Pseudodrephalys tinas Grishin, new species (Peru: Loreto), Pseudodrephalys argus Grishin, new species (Suriname: Para), Achlyodes calvus Grishin, new species (Brazil: Santa Catarina), Spioniades artemis Grishin, new species (Panama: Panama), Spioniades artemidoides Grishin, new species (Brazil: Santa Catarina), Myrinia orieca Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Orellana), Myrinia aragua Grishin, new species (Venezuela: Aragua), Myrinia maculosa Grishin, new species (Guatemala), Myrinia manchada Grishin, new species (Guyana), Polyctor (Fenops) lamperus Grishin, new species (Panama: Darien), Nisoniades (Nisoniades) lutum Grishin, new species (Mexico: Guerrero. ), Bolla (Stolla) vena Grishin, new species (Venezuela: Aragua), Staphylus (Vulga) vula Grishin, new species (Mexico: Veracruz), Staphylus (Vulga) vulga Grishin, new species (Panama: Darien), Staphylus (Staphylus) rotundalus Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Napo), Staphylus (Staphylus) yucatanus Grishin, new species (Mexico: Quintana Roo/Yucatan), Heliopetes (Heliopetes) lana Grishin, new species (Guatemala), Canesia ella Grishin, new species (Venezuela: Barinas), Paches (Paches) loxeca Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Morona-Santiago), Clito congruens Grishin, new species (Panama: Colón), Cycloglypha corax Grishin, new species (Brazil: Rio de Janeiro), Festivia peruvia Grishin, new species (Peru: Huánuco), Decinea notata Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Napo), Pompeius fuscus Grishin, new species (Brazil: Minas Gerais), Vernia clara Grishin, new species (Panama: Chiriquí), Oligoria (Oligoria) obtena Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Napo), Thespieus mandal Grishin, new species (Brazil: Rio de Janeiro), Psoralis (Saniba) magnamacus Grishin, new species (Panama: Darien), Alychna ayonis Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Napo), Wahydra banios Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Tungurahua), Wahydra cuzcona Grishin, new species (Peru: Cuzco), Cynea (Cynea) aureofimbra Grishin, new species (Ecuador), Cynea (Nycea) quada Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Napo), Cynea (Quinta) achirae Grishin, new species (Mexico: Tamaulipas), Eutus amazonicus Grishin, new species (Peru: Madre de Dios), Eutus incus Grishin, new species (Peru: Cuzco), Eutus septemaculatus Grishin, new species (Brazil: Mato Grosso), Godmia viridicapita Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Napo), Rhomba pulla Grishin, new species (Peru: Cuzco), Niconiades victoria Grishin, new species (Mexico: Tamaulipas), Lancephallus purpurus Grishin, new genus and new species (Guyana), Mnasicles (Remella) ecua Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Pichincha), Amblyscirtes (Amblyscirtes) aeratus Grishin, new species (Mexico: Oaxaca), Amblyscirtes (Mastor) chrysoplea Grishin, new species (Mexico: Oaxaca), Amblyscirtes (Mastor) chrysomisa Grishin, new species (Mexico: Chiapas), Amblyscirtes (Flor) meridus Grishin, new species (Mexico: Veracruz), Rectava chiriquensis Grishin, new species (Panama: Chiriquí), Cobalopsis adictys Grishin, new species (Panama: Veraguas), Cymaenes melaporphyrus Grishin, new species (Mexico: San Luis Potosí), Lerema (Morys) ecuadorica Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Pichincha), Saturnus obscurior Grishin, new species (Panama: Darien), Cantha zoirodicta Grishin, new species (Peru: Madre de Dios), Cantha meiodicta Grishin, new species (Peru: Madre de Dios), Phlebodes duplex Grishin, new species (Guatemala: Cayuga), Lychnuchus (Enosis) valle Grishin, new species (Colombia: Valle), Eutychide ochoides Grishin, new species (Peru: Cuzco), Dion bora Grishin, new species (Panama: Darien), Dion occida Grishin, new species (Peru: Madre de Dios), Eprius (Eprius) veledinus Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Pichincha), Radiatus panamensis Grishin, new species (Panama: Panama), Pheraeus pulcher Grishin, new species (Peru: Madre de Dios), Callimormus rades Grishin, new species (Panama: Panama), Gubrus lubens Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Loja), Ludens labens Grishin, new species (Panama: Darien), Rigga isa Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Napo), Flaccilla lactea Grishin, new species (Peru: Cuzco), Falga athena Grishin, new species (Panama: Darien), Panoquina jay Grishin, new species (Peru: Loreto), Calpodes salianus Grishin, new species (Peru: Madre de Dios), Calpodes stingo Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Sucumbíos), Aides nobra Grishin, new species (Panama: Colón), Thracides pavo Grishin, new species (Mexico: Tabasco), Talides eluta Grishin, new species (Peru: Cuzco), Talides laeta Grishin, new species (Peru: Cuzco), Neoxeniades angustior Grishin, new species (Brazil: Rio de Janeiro), Damas zea Grishin, new species (Guyana), Tromba xantha Grishin, new species (Mexico: Veracruz), Perichares fura Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Pichincha), Carystoides (Balma) goliath Grishin, new species (Colombia: Valle), and Agathymus galeana Grishin, new species (Mexico: Nuevo Leon). Additionally, we present evidence to support 22 taxa as species (not subspecies or synonyms) and synonymize one genus and four species. Namely, the following taxa are species: Milanion pilta Evans, 1953 (not Milanion pilumnus Mabille and Boullet, 1917), Milanion latior Mabille and Boullet, 1917 (not a synonym of Milanion marciana Godman and Salvin, 1895), Charidia pilea Evans, 1953, and Charidia pocus Evans, 1953 (not Charidia lucaria (Hewitson, 1868)), Paches (Paches) gloriosus Röber, 1925 and Paches (Paches) loxana Evans, 1953 (not Paches (Paches) loxus (Westwood, 1852)), Spioniades anta Evans, 1953 (not Spioniades abbreviata (Mabille, 1888)), Decinea onasima (Hewitson, 1877) and Decinea formosus (Hayward, 1940) (not Decinea dama (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869)), Thespieus guerreronis (Dyar, 1913) (not Thespieus dalman (Latreille, [1824])), Cynea (Nycea) erebina (Möschler, 1879) and Cynea (Nycea) cleochares (Mabille, 1891) (not Cynea (Cynea) diluta (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869)), Amblyscirtes (Mastor) repta Evans, 1955 (not Amblyscirtes (Flor) florus (Godman, 1900)), Saturnus tiberius (Möschler, 1883), Saturnus conspicuus (E. Bell, 1941), Saturnus meton (Mabille, 1891), and Saturnus obscurus (E. Bell, 1941) (not Saturnus reticulata (Plötz, 1883)), Phlebodes sifax Evans, 1955 (not Phlebodes campo (E. Bell, 1947)), Eutychide ochus Godman, 1900 and Eutychide rogersi (Kaye, 1914) (not a subspecies and a synonym, respectively, of Eutychide subcordata (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869)), Falga mirabilis Evans, 1955, Falga jacta Evans, 1955, and Falga ombra Evans, 1955 (not Falga jeconia (A. Butler, 1870)); and the following taxa are junior subjective synonyms: Libra Evans, 1955 (of Phemiades Hübner, [1819]), Papilio clito Fabricius, 1787 of Milanion hemes hemes (Cramer, 1777), Pamphila hycsos Mabille, 1891 of Cynea (Nycea) erebina (Möschler, 1879), Hesperia olympia Plötz, 1882 of Eutychide subcordata (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869), and Hesperia ocrinus Plötz, 1882 of Aides aegita (Hewitson, 1866). Furthermore, we propose new combinations for genus-species: Lychnuchus (Enosis) ponka (Evans, 1955) (not Thoon Godman, 1900), and species-subspecies: Charidia pocus mayo Evans, 1953 (not Charidia lucaria (Hewitson, 1868)), Decinea onasima boliviensis (E. Bell, 1930) (not Decinea dama (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869)), Cynea (Nycea) erebina somba Evans, 1955 (not Pamphila hycsos Mabille, 1891), Saturnus tiberius suffuscus (Hayward, 1940) (not Saturnus reticulata (Plötz, 1883)), and Falga mirabilis odol Evans, 1955 (not Falga jeconia (A. Butler, 1870)). Then, Milanion pilumnus var. hemestinus Mabille and Boullet, 1917 is a junior subjective synonym of Milanion pilumnus pilumnus Mabille and Boullet, 1917, not of Milanion leucaspis (Mabille, 1878). Lectotypes are designated for nine taxa (names in original combinations below): Pellicia bromias Godman and Salvin, 1894 (Mexico: Veracruz, Atoyac), Nisoniades perforata Möschler, 1879 (Colombia), Helias ascalaphus Staudinger, 1876 (central Panama), Pamphila hycsos Mabille, 1891 (Colombia), Amblyscirtes fluonia Godman, 1900 (Mexico: Guerrero, Xocomanatlan), Mastor anubis Godman, 1900 (Mexico: Guerrero, Omiltemi), Eutychide ochus Godman, 1900 (Mexico: Veracruz, Atoyac), Cobalus subcordata Herrich-Schäffer, 1869 (Southeast Brazil), and Thracides xanthura Godman, 1901 (Panama: Chiriquí Province, Bugaba). A neotype is designated for Eudamus briccius Plötz, 1881 (Guyana: Iwokrama Forest).
ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:ACDF923B-906D-460E-9707-259E0ECDBCA8
Description of three new Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) species from Ecuador
(2023)
Three new species of Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) are described from Napo province, Ecuador: Anisopodus micromaculatus new species; Parabaryssinus katerinae new species; and Paracleodoxus minutus new species. A key to species of Paracleodoxus Monné and Monné (2010) is provided.
ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E7C66DA1-6F5F-4F94-922E-43E0B83331DD
A comprehensive checklist of Habenaria from Chapada dos Veadeiros, State of Goiás, was performed alongside morphologic and molecular phylogenetic studies, revealing three new taxa endemic to this region. A total of 61 taxa (59 species and two varieties) of Habenaria are recorded for Chapada dos Veadeiros, representing a two-fold increase compared to previous lists and comprising one of the greatest diversities of the genus in Brazil. Of this total, four taxa are locally endemic. Habenaria cultellifolia, until recently known only from the type collection, was rediscovered in the region after 127 years without records and represents this species’ only known extant population. Three proposed new taxa of Habenaria (H. minuticalcar J.A.N. Bat. & Bianch. sp. nov., H. proiteana J.A.N. Bat., A.A. Vale & Bianch. sp. nov., and H. lavrensis var. xanthodactyla J.A.N. Bat. & Bianch. var. nov.) are corroborated by molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear and plastid markers. They are described, illustrated, tentatively assessed as threatened, and compared to phylogenetically and morphologically related species. Since some areas of this mountain range have not yet been floristically sampled, additional taxonomic novelties and new records are still expected in the future.
A checklist with preliminary conservation assessments of native South American species of Acalypha is presented. This work is supported by the study of ca 6500 herbarium specimens and an in-depth literature review. As a result, 87 species (83 native and four introduced) and eight subspecies are accepted, and a further 395 names are considered synonyms. Geographical distribution, habitat, and altitudinal range for all species are also indicated. Brazil is the richest country in number of species of Acalypha (40), followed by Peru (32), Bolivia (29), Colombia and Ecuador—including Galapagos Islands—(24), Venezuela (18), Argentina (17), Paraguay (13), Guyana (8), Uruguay (5), French Guiana (4), and Suriname (3). The presence of the genus Acalypha in Chile is reported for the first time, alongside new country records of A. poiretii in Peru and A. venezuelica in Guatemala. The specimens previously identified as A. plicata from Colombia and Venezuela, are here considered belonging to A. cuspidata. The red list provided follows IUCN criteria and includes 39 species and three subspecies, 47% of total native species of Acalypha in South America: 16 species and one subspecies Critically Endangered (nine of them probably extinct), 15 species and two subspecies Endangered, and eight species Vulnerable.
Our recent surveys of the herpetological diversity of the West African Togo Hills documented a total of 65 reptile and amphibian species, making Kyabobo National Park one of the most diverse sites surveyed in Ghana. We provide accounts for all species recorded along with photographs to aid in identification. We recorded 26 amphibians, including six new records for Kyabobo N. P., one of which is a record for the Togo Hills. Our collection of reptile species (22 lizards, 16 snakes, and one crocodile) also provides new records and range extensions for Kyabobo N. P., such as the first observation of the dwarf crocodile, Osteolaemus tetraspis. Amphibian species still lacking from our surveys in the Togo Hills include several species that are adapted to fast running water or large closed forests, like the Togo toad, Bufo togoensis and the slippery frog, Conraua derooi. Appropriate habitat for such species still remains in Kyabobo, highlighting the need for additional survey work. We draw attention to the importance of conserving forest stream habitats, which will in turn help ensure the persistence of forest-restricted species. We also highlight those species that may prove most useful for evolutionary studies of West African rain forest biogeography.
An annotated catalogue of the type specimens of the family Cerambycidae Latreille, 1802 (Coleoptera) housed at the Zoological Museum of Hamburg (ZMH), Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB) is provided: one holotype and nine secondary types were found deposited at the ZHM. A list of the primary types lost during the bombardment in the Second World War is also provided, including types of 103 names, 14 of Cerambycinae, 87 of Lamiinae, and two of Prioninae. In addition, we report secondary types that have been found, corresponding to names of subspecific rank and unavailable names with infrasubspecific rank.
Making agriculture sustainable is a global challenge. In the European Union (EU), the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is failing with respect to biodiversity, climate, soil, land degradation as well as socio‐economic challenges.
The European Commission's proposal for a CAP post‐2020 provides a scope for enhanced sustainability. However, it also allows Member States to choose low‐ambition implementation pathways. It therefore remains essential to address citizens' demands for sustainable agriculture and rectify systemic weaknesses in the CAP, using the full breadth of available scientific evidence and knowledge.
Concerned about current attempts to dilute the environmental ambition of the future CAP, and the lack of concrete proposals for improving the CAP in the draft of the European Green Deal, we call on the European Parliament, Council and Commission to adopt 10 urgent action points for delivering sustainable food production, biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation.
Knowledge is available to help moving towards evidence‐based, sustainable European agriculture that can benefit people, nature and their joint futures.
The statements made in this article have the broad support of the scientific community, as expressed by above 3,600 signatories to the preprint version of this manuscript. The list can be found here (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3685632).
A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.