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Investigations of niche splitting in the European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) have primarily addressed feeding habitats and foraging features and been limited to conspecific species, counting laughing dove and wood pigeon. The recent degradation of natural and suitable habitats for turtle doves, particularly in North Africa, would push this species to refuge in wetlands with a variety of other bird species. The understanding of potential cohabitation between doves and other species in these less disturbed ecosystems would help in the conservation measures of this declining game. This study, conducted from early March to September between 2015 and 2017, attempted to determine which species cohabit with turtle doves in three Northwest African wetlands in Morocco and how these species select nesting sites and trees. We used detrended corresponding analysis (DCA) to test the relevance of nest site and nesting tree variables in the nest distribution of the breeding species. The obtained results show a wide sharing of nest-niche between turtle doves and 7 breeding species, especially at the intermediate zone and downstream of the rivers. The lack of competition for food resources with neighbouring species may help in this harmonious sharing of both nesting sites and nesting trees. We further suggest guidelines for future research that seek to understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of species coexisting with turtle dove in the same habitats.

Forest and land fires occur every year in Indonesia. Efforts to handle forest and land fires have not been optimal because fires occur in too many places with unclear patterns and densities. The study analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of burned areas and fire density in fire-prone areas in Indonesia. Data of burned areas were taken from http://sipongi.menlhk.go.id/. The website collected its data from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) images. Data were analyzed using the hot spot analysis to determine the spatiotemporal patterns of the burned areas and the kernel density analysis to examine the density of land fires. Findings showed that the spatiotemporal pattern from 2016 to 2019 formed a hot spot value in the peatland area with a confidence level of 90–99%, meaning that land fires were clustered in that area. In addition, the highest density of land fires also occurred in the peatland areas. Clustered burned areas with high fire density were found in areas with low–medium vegetation density—they were the peatland areas. The peatland areas must become the priority to prevent and handle forest and land fires to reduce fire risks.

Wild edible fruit species are commonly consumed and utilized in different parts of Ethiopia for staple food, filling seasonal food shortages, emergency food during a famine, and household income generation. There is a pressing need for domestication and improvement of some wild edible fruits for increased production, diversifying income for small-scale farmers, and conservation of the diminishing wild edible fruit resources. A total of 37 widely utilized and marketed wild edible fruit species falling into 23 families were recognized as of used in different parts of the country. Of which, 26 species are identified as available in local markets in different parts of the country. Ziziphus spina-christi, Syzygium guineense, Balanites aegyptiaca, and other nine species were identified as a priority wild edible fruit species from available information based on utilization extent, preference ranking by farmers, product marketability, and conservation needs for the species. There exists a lack of scientifically planned genetic variation evaluation, superior variety selection, genetic improvement, and seedling production initiatives for indigenous wild edible fruit species in Ethiopia. All of the 37 widely utilized and marketed wild fruit species have not developed to their full potential in terms of quality, production scale, and market in the country. Identifying and selecting priority species, strengthening botanical information, germplasm collection and improvement, production and processing technologies, increasing the supply of improved planting materials, and promoting on-farm cultivation of wild edible fruit-based agroforestry systems were identified as key future strategies for domestication and wider cultivation of wild edible fruit species.

Citropsis articulata, the African cherry orange, is considered to be threatened in Ugandan forests as a result of its purported aphrodisiac properties. This study, part of an ongoing effort to address restoration needs of Mabira Central Forest Reserve in Uganda, demonstrates the feasibility of restoring depleted C. articulata populations using seedlings transplanted from nursery-grown seeds. Phenology of 20 Mabira forest plants was monitored with the aim of collecting seeds. One hundred and fifty-six ripe fruits were collected, and 233 of the extracted seeds were planted in pots in a nursery during January–March 2019. During November-December 2019, seedlings were planted near the sites from which fruits were collected. Seed germination success rate was 89%, and fifteen months after transplanting, in situ survival was 100%. These results suggest that depleted C. articulata populations may be restored in situ using nursery-grown seeds.

Material collected in 1974 during the Austrian Hydrobiological Mission of F. Starmühlner to the Comoros and during recent years by one of the authors (NM) in the course of an ongoing freshwater monitoring program in Mayotte is the basis of this first larger study of the mayfly family Baetidae in the Comoros Archipelago (Comoros, Mayotte). We identified eight different species using morphological characters, four species on both the Comoros and Mayotte, three species on the Comoros only and one species on Mayotte only. Two species, Dabulamanzia mayottensis sp. nov. and Nigrobaetis richardi sp. nov., are new to science; they are described and illustrated based on their nymphs. The nymph of Afroptilum bicorne (Ulmer, 1909) is described for the first time and its assignment to this species is discussed. The description of the previously endemic Malagasy species Potamocloeon (Aquaediva) freitagae (Gattolliat, 2001), is complemented based on the additional material from the Comoros and re-examination of the type material. A key to the nymphs of all species of Baetidae in the Comoros and Mayotte is provided and the biogeography of the family in this region is discussed.

Carissa edulis is a tropical plant belonging to the family Apocynaceae. The species is widely used in the preparation of various herbal medicines. Earlier works in Kenya show that an aqueous extract from the roots of C. edulis has remarkable anti-herpes simplex virus. Due to its medicinal value, the species has been overexploited in its natural range and requires conservation interventions. Studies show that the species has beneficial relationships with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that can enhance restoration of its population; however, no study has been undertaken to document the diversity of these AMF species. This study evaluated the genetic diversity of AMF associated with the roots of C. edulis within Lake Victoria basin ecosystem of Kenya. A cross-sectional, laboratory-based prospective study was carried out from roots of C. edulis collected from six sites within the ecosystem. Root samples were collected from 6 points (replicates) per site. AMF was assessed through morphological characterization and sequencing of small subunit of ribosomal DNA. Morphological identification identified four genera of AMF (Gigaspora, Acaulospora, Scutellospora, and Glomus) with no significant difference among the sites. Molecular analysis also revealed presence of four genera, but only two (Glomus and Acaulospora) were common for both the analyses with Glomus as the most predominant genera. In all the sites, there were large numbers of spores both in soil and in the roots confirming the association between C. edulis and AMF.

The cicada genus Tugelana Distant, 1912 is monotypic and endemic to south-eastern Africa. Material was not available for a recent molecular phylogeny of its tribe, so its precise phylogenetic placement is unestablished. Consequently, a 627 bp sequence of the cytochrome oxidase gene was obtained and its candidate relatives identified as several species of Platypleura Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843 using the BOLD Identification System and NCBI Genbank’s BLAST. Bayesian inference analyses indicated that the type species, the Maputaland Orangewing Cicada Tugelana butleri Distant, 1912, is closely related to the Dune Koko Orangewing Cicada Platypleura zuluensis Villet, 1989, which has a geographical distribution that is parapatric with T. butleri and which has aberrant genitalia for a member of Platypleura. This pair of species is placed fairly deep within the African clade of Platypleura. We therefore formally recognized Platypleura Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843 as a senior synonym of Tugelana Distant, 1912, syn. nov., and assign T. butleri Distant, 1912 to Platypleura as Platypleura butleri (Distant 1912), comb. nov. The species occurs on the wooded grasslands of the Maputaland coastal plateau east of Lebombo Mountains and south of Maputo Bay. Its Extent of Occurrence is about 6360 km2, which would qualify it as Vulnerable under the IUCN’s classification criteria for conservation status.

Salt stress is one of the serious abiotic stressors which limit the growth and development of important crops in agricultural lands. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been implemented as a strategy to mitigate the adverse effects due to an impact of salt stress through the structural and physiological adjustment. This study aimed to determine a relationship between salinity levels (0, 150, 300, and 450 mM NaCl) and AMF treatments (Glomus manihotis, Glomus etunicatum, and G. manihotis + G. etunicatum) to the salt tolerance of Leucaena leucocephala seedlings in a greenhouse. Salinity reduced the plant height, biomass, and root colonization by AMF. However, the inoculation of AMF, especially the consortium, ameliorated the negative effects by stabilizing the growth performance and supporting the photosynthetic outputs through optimum nutrient and mineral absorptions. These results were indicative through a significant interaction between salinity levels and the types of AMF treatment in all parameters except in the total leaf protein and proline contents from the two-way ANOVA results. Root colonization was highly correlated with the plant height, biomass, and total carbohydrate content with a maximum contribution conferred by the AMF consortium, based on Pearson’s correlation coefficient test and PCA analysis. Our study then showed the positive impact of AMF toward salt tolerance by L. leucocephala with potential application and cultivation in salt-stressed ecosystems.

The African endemic hover fly Meromacroides meromacriformis (Bezzi, 1915) (Syrphidae, Eristalinae) was described more than a century ago and its monotypic status established in 1927, but subsequent collections and publications are rare. Only the male has been described and nothing is known about its biology. We re-describe the male, including geographic variation, describe the female for the first time and provide the first DNA barcodes for the species. Despite the large range and observed variations, there is insufficient evidence to describe additional taxa in the genus. Biological observations are presented, which may shed some insight into this rare and enigmatic hover fly, whose known distribution now spans the Afrotropical Region.

Before the arrival of white-nose syndrome in North America, the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) was a common cavity-roosting bat species in central Appalachian hardwood forests. Two successive prescribed burns on the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia, in 2008 and 2009, were shown to positively affect maternity colony day-roost availability and condition in the near-term. However, whether immediate benefits were temporary and if burned forests actually experienced an accelerated loss of trees and snags possibly suitable for bats more than background loss in unburned forests became an important question following the species’ threatened designation. In 2016, we revisited 81 of 113 northern long-eared bat maternity colony day-roosts initially discovered in 2007–2009 with the objective of ascertaining if these trees and snags were still standing and thus potentially “available” for bat use. Initial tree or snag stage condition class and original year of discovery were contributory factors determining availability by 2016, whereas exposure to prescribed fire and tree/snag species decay resistance were not. Because forest managers may consider using habitat enhancement to improve northern long-eared bat survival, reproduction, and juvenile recruitment and must also protect documented day-roosts during forestry operations, we conclude that initial positive benefits from prescribed burning did not come at the expense of subsequent day-roost loss greater than background rates in these forests at least for the duration we examined.

The illegal wildlife trade has direct relevance for zoo management, animal acquisition and disposition and it has no place in modern zoo management. Zoos must not only act within the law of the country in which it is based, but they should also follow the rules and intentions of international trade regulations and, where relevant, domestic laws of the animal’s country of origin. After its rediscovery in 2012, zoos in Asia and Europe started displaying Bornean earless monitor lizards (Lanthanotus borneensis), the ‘Holy Grail of Herpetology’. Earless monitor lizards have been legally protected in each of its three range countries for over four decades and, over this period, no specimen has ever been legally exported. However, the illicit trade in the species is thriving and individuals become more affordable. Using publicly available data, I present a timeline of how and from where a total of 16 zoos acquired their earless monitor lizards, including from private individuals and non-accredited zoos. Apart from one zoo in Japan (since 2012) and one zoo in the USA (since 2021), all non-range country zoos that currently display the species are based in Europe. Their absence prior to 2021 in US zoos (despite an increasing illegal trade) could be explained as the acquisition of earless monitor lizards would have been in violation of the Lacey Act (1900) that requires buyers to ensure that imported or purchased wildlife has not been taken in violation of any foreign law. While there is no evidence that any of the zoos, their directors or their staff have broken any laws – no-one in the zoo community has been convicted for illegally trading earless monitor lizards – with more zoos speaking out against the illegal wildlife trade, it is imperative that zoos behave in an exemplary manner and set high standards. At present, some zoos do not meet this standard.

Macropropagation using cutting for larger multiplying seedlings is cheaper and efficient instead of clonal seeds for uniform plant material seedling production. However, information on root growth of Eucalyptus pellita at early development from seed and stem cutting of E. pellita seedlings is still lacking. With such information, it is useful for forest plantation company management in enhancing the understanding of strategies to optimize yield production with the appropriate agronomic or silvicultural approach in the field of planting. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to compare the root development of two different types of propagation seedlings of E. pellita and to study the effect of various nitrogen concentration levels on two different types of propagation of E. pellita seedlings. The study was conducted using E. pellita seedlings from two different types of propagation, namely, seed and stem cuttings, along with three different nitrogen concentrations (0, 50, and 200 kg N ha−1). Shoot biomass, root intensity (RI), total root intensity (TRI), root biomass, root length density (RLD), and specific root length (SRL) were recorded. Dried shoot biomass, RLD, and SRL of E. pellita seedlings using stem cutting were significantly higher ( P < 0.05 ) compared to seed, whereas there were no significant differences ( P > 0.05 ) for root biomass, TRI, and RI between the propagation types of E. pellita seedlings. In conclusion, E. pellita seedlings from stem cutting were greater in terms of root distribution compared to propagation by seeds at the nursery stage, and 50 kg N ha−1 was the optimal nitrogen concentration level from the considered levels to be applied to the E. pellita seedlings.

The aim of this study was to analyse the species composition, structures, and regeneration of woody plant species and the impacts of site factors on the natural regeneration of tree species in four study sites of MFBR. The vegetation data were collected systematically in 140 plots with the size of 400 m2 for trees; 25 m2 for seedlings, saplings, shrubs, and lianas; and 1 m2 for herbs. Individual tree and shrub DBH ≥ 5 cm were measured and counted. The diameter at breast height (DBH), frequency, basal area, importance value index (IVI), and density were used for vegetation structure description and regeneration. A total of 158 plant species belonging to 115 genera, 56 families, and 80 species (51%) trees, 26 (16%) shrubs, 19 (12%) herbs, and 33 (21%) lianas were identified and recorded. The most dominant families were Euphorbiaceae, Rubiaceae, and Moraceae, each represented by 13 species (7.4%), 12 species (6.8%), and 10 species (5.7%), respectively. The tree densities varied from 1232 to 1478 stem ha−1, sapling density 176.8 to 708.7 stem ha−1, and seedling density 534.7 to 1657.5 stem ha−1, with an average basal area of 63.6 m2 in the study sites. Dracaena afromontana was the most frequent woody species in the MFBR occurring in 90% followed by Celtis zenkeri (65%) and Pouteria altissima (62.5%). The regeneration status of all the woody plant species was categorised as “not regenerate” (9.6%), “poor” (30.7%), “fair” (59.5%), and “good” (10.8%) in all sites. The correlation result between natural regeneration and site factors revealed both positive and negative relationships. However, the main threat to the biosphere reserve is illegal logging for different purposes. Therefore, awareness creation on sustainable forest management, utilisation, conservation of priority species, and livelihood diversification to the local community and encouraging community and private woodlot plantation in the transitional zone of biosphere reserves are recommended.

Beginning in 2015, the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) National Estuary Program (NEP) started a collaboration with partners in seven estuaries along the East Coast (Barnegat Bay; Casco Bay), West Coast (Santa Monica Bay; San Francisco Bay; Tillamook Bay), and the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Coast (Tampa Bay; Mission-Aransas Estuary) of the United States to expand the use of autonomous monitoring of partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) and pH. Analysis of high-frequency (hourly to sub-hourly) coastal acidification data including pCO2, pH, temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen (DO) indicate that the sensors effectively captured key parameter measurements under challenging environmental conditions, allowing for an initial characterization of daily to seasonal trends in carbonate chemistry across a range of estuarine settings. Multi-year monitoring showed that across all water bodies temperature and pCO2 covaried, suggesting that pCO2 variability was governed, in part, by seasonal temperature changes with average pCO2 being lower in cooler, winter months and higher in warmer, summer months. Furthermore, the timing of seasonal shifts towards increasing (or decreasing) pCO2 varied by location and appears to be related to regional climate conditions. Specifically, pCO2 increases began earlier in the year in warmer water, lower latitude water bodies in the GOM (Tampa Bay; Mission-Aransas Estuary) as compared with cooler water, higher latitude water bodies in the northeast (Barnegat Bay; Casco Bay), and upwelling-influenced West Coast water bodies (Tillamook Bay; Santa Monica Bay; San Francisco Bay). Results suggest that both thermal and non-thermal influences are important drivers of pCO2 in Tampa Bay and Mission-Aransas Estuary. Conversely, non-thermal processes, most notably the biogeochemical structure of coastal upwelling, appear to be largely responsible for the observed pCO2 values in West Coast water bodies. The co-occurrence of high salinity, high pCO2, low DO, and low temperature water in Santa Monica Bay and San Francisco Bay characterize the coastal upwelling paradigm that is also evident in Tillamook Bay when upwelling dominates freshwater runoff and local processes. These data demonstrate that high-quality carbonate chemistry observations can be recorded from estuarine environments using autonomous sensors originally designed for open-ocean settings.

Planting high-quality seedlings with desirable growth attributes are associated with successful survival and growth performance following outplanting. Considering that most tree species from the Dipterocarpaceae family are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, proper conservation of such species is necessary. Very little is known with no clear consensus regarding whether increasing the seedling production period enhances outplanting survival and growth potential of tropical dipterocarp species planted under enrichment planting in Malaysia. In this study, one potential Bornean tropical indigenous species, Shorea macrophylla (de Vriese) P.S. Ashton, was produced in the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak nursery and outplanted at Sampadi Forest Reserve, Sarawak. Different nursery production periods (3, 6, 9, and 24 months) were tested for the species at the time of planting as well as for the subsequent growth performance after 12, 24, and 42 months of outplanting. The findings revealed that older (9- and 24-month-old) S. macrophylla seedlings were morphologically larger from younger (3- and 6-month-old) seedlings. Nonetheless, the overall pooled mean survival rates declined from 61.7 to 44.6% after 12, 24, and 42 months of outplanting. For the 42-month period, the survival rate for the 9-month-old seedlings was significantly higher than that for the 3-, 6-, and 24-month-old seedlings. Notwithstanding, the relative growth rate of the stem diameter was higher for the 3- and 9-month-old seedlings than for the 6- and 24-month-old seedlings after 42 months of outplanting. Thus, maintaining plant material from the seedlings produced at 3, 6, and 9 months of age would be beneficial for the initiation of transplantation in restoration programmes in Sarawak. The 24-month-old seedlings will also be useful, especially during irregular flowering and unpredictable fruiting intervals. A further experimental study on other environmental factors that could influence the outplanting performance of the seedlings in the tropical forest restoration area of Sarawak, Malaysia, is necessary.

Juniperus procera is an important tree species in Ethiopia. Increasing demand for fuelwood and construction material has also created markets for J. procera products. The impact of cypress aphid, Cinara cupressi, on J. procera is becoming catastrophic in the country. However, the level of cypress aphid damage on J. procera has never been studied in Entoto Mountain forest and Gullele Botanical Garden (GBG) in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to assess the cypress aphid densities and extent of damage caused by the cypress aphid on solely and mixed planted J. procera in Entoto Mountain forest and GBG in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by evaluating aphid adult and nymph densities and damage to J. procera trees. Eight plots of 50 m ∗ 50 m planted with pure J. procera and mixed J. procerawere selected at each site. Five 5 m ∗ 5 m subplots were formed. To assess aphid density hthree tree twigs per whorl were sampled from each tree in the subplots randomly. The collected samples were examined in the laboratory for the presence of nymph and adult cypress aphid. Tree damage was assessed by visually observing the percentage of infestation in the tree crown and was scored on a 1–5 scale. The results showed significant differences in aphid densities between the sites. The highest aphid count was observed at Entoto Mountain. Besides, the solely planted J. procera trees had higher cypress aphid numbers than the mixed plantation. The mean percentage of aphid-infested trees in Entoto and GBG was 53.6 and 46.4, respectively. Tree mortality was extremely low in both sites and planting systems. The level of aphid damage was also significantly different between the planting systems, where mixed plantations had a lower aphid infestation level. Tree damage was directly correlated with the density of aphids collected. In conclusion, cypress aphid was apparent in both sites, and most of the trees were infested by this pest. However, the extent of damage varied with the planting system. Therefore, it is recommended to consider a mixed plantation of trees as one of cypress aphid management tools in J. procera.

Turbot (Scophthalmus maximusL., 1758) is a valuable commercial fish species classified as endangered. The conservation and sustainability of the turbot populations require knowledge of the population’s genetic structure and constant monitoring of its biodiversity. The present study was performed to evaluate the population structure of turbot along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast using seven pairs of microsatellites, two mitochondrial DNA (COIII and CR) and 23 morphological (15 morphometric and 8 meristic) markers. A total of 72 specimens at three locations were genotyped and 59 alleles were identified. The observed number of alleles of microsatellites was more than the effective number of alleles. The overall mean values of observed (Ho) and expected heterogeneity (He) were 0.638 and 0.685. A high rate of migration between turbot populations (overall mean of Nm = 17.484), with the maximum value (19.498) between Shabla and Nesebar locations, was observed. This result corresponded to the low level of genetic differentiation amongst these populations (overall mean Fst = 0.014), but there was no correlation between genetic and geographical distance. A high level of genetic diversity in the populations was also observed. The average Garza-Williamson M index value for all populations was low (0.359), suggesting a reduction in genetic variation due to a founder effect or a genetic bottleneck. Concerning mitochondrial DNA, a total number of 17 haplotypes for COIII and 41 haplotypes for CR were identified. The mitochondrial DNA control region showed patterns with high haplotype diversity and very low nucleotide diversity, indicating a significant number of closely-related haplotypes and suggesting that this population may have undergone a recent expansion. Tajima’s D test and Fu’s FS test suggested recent population growth. Pairwise Fst values were very low. The admixture and lack of genetic structuring found pointed to the populations analysed probably belonging to the same genetic unit. Therefore, a proper understanding and a sound knowledge of the level and distribution of genetic diversity in turbot is an important prerequisite for successful sustainable development and conservation strategies to preserve their evolutionary potential.

Humpback whales wintering in the northern Philippines and Okinawa, Japan, belong to the western North Pacific subpopulation, now recognised as a distinct population segment. The numbers for this subpopulation are low hence it is being proposed to be listed as endangered. Although previous research revealed movements between breeding grounds, the relationship between these areas remain little understood. Recent survey efforts in the Philippines resulted in a total of 234 photo-identified individuals from 1999-2016 while Okinawa had 1,445 from 1991-2014. Within the seasons a total of 100 matches were found between the two breeding grounds including 38 males and 24 females while the rest were unknown. Within these matches, eight individuals were recorded moving within seasons, including two individuals moving across seasons multiple times. The two whales were both males, where one was recorded in both breeding grounds in three different seasons (2005, 2008 and 2012). The shortest duration of recorded sightings between grounds was one whale seen in the Philippines in late March 2012 and in Okinawa 13 days later. More females with calves were sighted in the Philippines than in Okinawa and this may indicate the Philippines as a preferred nursing ground.

The African region has untapped bamboo resource potential with immense socioeconomic, cultural, and ecological significances. Despite the long history of bamboo in the region, its contribution is at the infant stage. Therefore, the present study aimed at reviewing the existing literature supported by research experience on bamboo resource in the region. The review process mainly focused on four main specific objectives. These include (1) review extensively African countries that owned the resource and identify the species in each country, (2) identify and document species, generic, and taxonomic tribes of each bamboo species, (3) assess and report bamboo area coverage from available nations, and (4) highlight the existing experiences of special opportunities, challenges, and successful achievements on bamboo resource in representative African countries. The review process found out that a total of 4.56 million ha total bamboo area and 115 bamboo species are reported from 48 African countries. Hence, the African region shares 12.3% of the global bamboo resource and contributed 7.3% of the total bamboo species. Of this, 89.6% of the region is endowed with indigenous bamboo species. Among indigenous species, O. abyssinica is the most widely distributed in 38 African countries. Madagascar ranked first with 37 indigenous species, while Ethiopia led by 25 introduced bamboo species. Nowadays, Ethiopia has 1.44 million ha total indigenous bamboo area coverage, which accounted for 31.6% of the African region and 3.89% of the world total. Therefore, more detail and comprehensive research on species taxonomy, resource base inventory, silvicultural applications, and socioeconomic study is recommended.

The need for ecologically sustainable management of natural forests has assumed greater prominence in conservation and climate change discourses. However, the identification of deadwood, a critical component of natural forests, continues to receive little attention around the world. Through a review of the existing literature, this study sought to promote consciousness and awareness on the value of deadwood using the case of Kenya’s natural forests in the wider context of biodiversity conservation and climate change. Results substantiate that deadwood in natural forests performs a vital function in forest biological and ecological functions. However, forest degradation through the removal of deadwood, even though widely neglected, results in considerable biodiversity loss and might alter natural forest ecosystems, thereby exacerbating the impacts of climate change. In Kenya, despite the recent sophistication of forest management tools, including the development of the Draft Forest Policy, 2020, and enactment of the Forest Conservation and Management Act, 2016, to increasingly recognize the more progressive forest management paradigms such as participatory forest management in natural forest management, the current deadwood management practice is faulty and could yield outcomes contrary to the policy intentions and the wider provisions of ecologically sustainable forest management. It is because major policy documents lack robust and explicit guidelines on achieving ecologically sustainable management of deadwood despite its centrality in providing ecosystem services and as a highly dependable source of energy resources for over 70% of the Kenyan population. Moreover, deadwood management appears to be affected by many complex biological, technical, policy, and socioeconomic factors that appear to be acting together against sustainable deadwood management. Still, perhaps most importantly, the absence of research on the topic is the most outstanding challenge. Therefore, in the future, improving the sustainable management of natural forests will require the restoration of deadwood and increasing consciousness on the value of deadwood through more research studies.

The numbers of visitors to greenspaces in the United Kingdom has increased over the last few years as the health benefits of spending time in greenspaces have become better known. This has led to problems for conservation ecologists due to increased numbers of reported human-wildlife encounters. Deer are often found in public spaces and are of particular concern. Previous research suggests elevated levels of stress hormones (e.g., cortisol) in deer is a result of increased human activity. This has been linked to several negative effects on the deer’s health. From a practitioner’s point of view, it is therefore important to implement effective management strategies that are based on scientific evidence to help ensure the welfare of managed deer populations. In an effort to identify the impact of visitor numbers on faecal cortisol concentrations, samples from 2 red deer (Cervus elaphus) herds in Lyme Park (Cheshire), United Kingdom, were collected and analysed. A predictive spatial model was developed based on logistic regression to identify areas within the park of low and high human-deer encounter probability. The faecal cortisol levels were found to be significantly higher on days with a high number of visitors. In addition, landscape features such as buildings and roads increased the probability of human-deer encounters, whereas woodland and scrub decreased the probability. However, human-deer encounter probability changed with distance to the features. By providing local park managers with this scientific data, these findings can directly inform current management efforts to reduce deer stress levels in Lyme Park. In addition, the spatial modelling method has the capacity to be implemented in other parks across the country with minimal cost and effort.

Sap beetles of the genus Omosita Erichson are stored-product pests that are also associated with carrion, potentially making them biosecurity risks and forensic tools. The discovery of a specimen of the Nearctic species Omosita nearctica Kirejtshuk in South Africa prompted an investigation a decade later to determine if this species had established itself in the country, which was confirmed by the collection of further breeding specimens that also facilitated the first description of mature larvae of O. nearctica. A new key to adults of all Omosita species is presented.

Construction of cascade dams has been shown to have impacts on fish assemblages and biodiversity. Yet, there is no literature on fish assemblages in the Murum River that connects the cascading Bakun and Murum dams in Sarawak, Malaysia. Hence, study on this modified ecosystem is necessitated to better understand the effects of the cascade dam construction on fish fauna. For this, fish samples were caught at five stations located along the river during both dry and wet seasons. Environmental parameters were taken concurrently with fish sampling. Length-weight relationship, condition factors, and diet composition of selected fish species in the river were also determined. The present study demonstrated that there are indications of the impact of cascading dams on the formation of a complex ecosystem in the Murum River, that is, changing from the shallow downstream of the Murum Dam to the deep transitional and inundated zone of the Bakun reservoir. The transitional zone in the Murum River exhibited the lowest fish species diversity, richness, and evenness during the dry season due to low pH and DO coupled with high turbidity. The biological indices improved when the water quality improved during the wet season. On the contrary, the diversity and evenness indices at the inundated tributary station decreased remarkably during the wet season, likely due to the migration of fish during the onset of the rainy season. This study showed that Barbonymus schwanenfeldii has a wider feeding habit which contributes to its higher distribution and abundance in the Murum River. The growth patterns of B. schwanenfeldii, Cyclocheilichthys apogon, Hampala macrolepidota, Lobocheilos ovalis, and Osteochilus enneaporos were better during wet than dry season. Overall, the condition factor of all native fish species in the Murum River was in poor to fair condition, whereas the exotic species, Oreochromis mossambicus, exhibited excellent condition (K value > 2) for both seasons. The increase in the number of O. mossambicus coupled with its high condition factor indicates biological intrusion and a potential threat to the native fish species in the Murum River. Continuous monitoring is essential to detect in-time risk issues associated with environmental degradation and biological invasion in this regulated and inundated river ecosystem.

Vocalizations are one of the most important communication modalities in amphibian biology, and advertisement call is the type of vocalization mostly emitted by anurans (frogs and toads). In the present study, we carried out a scientometric analysis of the advertisement call in species of anurans in Colombia to determine the state of knowledge of this science in the country. We recorded the number of call descriptions and its trend throughout more than 60 years; in addition, we identified how many species there are with the call described per taxonomic family, geographic units and threat status. According to our review, between 1958 and June 30 of 2021, at least 296 studies have been published that describe the advertisement call of 307 species (of 785 in the country); only 130 descriptions come from recordings to individuals in Colombian populations. Leptodactylidae and Hylidae are the families with the highest percentage of species whose call has been described (84.6% and 68.4%, respectively). On the contrary, Bufonidae (19.5%) and Craugastoridae (12.9%) exhibit a low percentage of described calls. The Central and Eastern cordilleras were the regions with the best knowledge of advertisement calls, while the least known were the Caribbean – interAndean valleys, Orinoquía, and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. In terms of the threat status, the species with the least concern (LC) were the ones that presented the highest number of species with the call described. Despite an increase in the most recent two decades, our findings still reveal notable gaps in knowledge of the advertisement calls in Colombian anurans, which constitutes an incentive to develop future research on this subject. Finally, based on this meta-analysis, we highlight some recommendations that we hope that we hope stimulate new studies in ecoacoustics, using anurans in Colombia as a study model.

Studies have been devoted to describing the diet of D. monticola. However, knowledge of how D. monticola utilizes food resources through ontogeny remains unknown. We characterized D. monticola general dietary patterns and tested for ontogenetic diet shifts. We also inferred on juvenile recruitment patterns. We examined the stomach contents of 120 specimens ranging in size from 20 to 154 mm in standard length (SL). To infer on recruitment periodicity, we examined the size of specimens deposited in museum collections to compile size frequencies by month. We assume that the occurrence of smaller-size class categories will shed light on their recruitment time. Our results show that D. monticola is an omnivore that largely feeds on aquatic insects but also includes detritus, terrestrial material, fishes and crustaceans. Our analysis did not detect strong changes in diet through ontogeny, instead some changes were detected but mainly on the percentage of some food items included at different size category classes. In regards to the recruitment periodicity, we found younger D. monticola (20–40 mm SL) throughout most of the year, suggesting that they may be reproducing for longer periods of time than those previously reported from Honduras.

Aquatic macroinvertebrates are widely used as indicators of water quality. However, in the Andean region of Ecuador, little is known about how the macroinvertebrate community assemblage responds to changes in the habitat where they occur. One of the main drawbacks is taxonomy, where classifying organisms on a full taxonomic scale becomes complicated. To resolve this point, in a in a NMDS (non-metric multidimensional scaling) ordination analysis, the abundance of macroinvertebrates obtained in 12 monitoring stations in the Cajas Massif, southern Ecuador, was used. The rankings were contrasted using the trophic guilds approach versus the family taxonomic approach (the maximum taxonomic classification available). The ordering analyzes showed a more differentiated spatial organization with the trophic guilds approach than with the family-level approach. When explaining the organization of the communities, the ABI (Andean Biotic Index) and the elevation, significantly explains the organization of the community from the trophic guilds approach; although, only the elevation explains the ordering from the family scale approach. The results suggest that, from the trophic guilds approach, a better approximation of the general ecological role of the macroinvertebrate community associated with environmental services such as water quality is represented. Guilds such as shredders, scrapers, and detritivores adjust to increasing ABI (i.e. water quality). Consequently, monitoring with a focus on the trophic guilds can be used in studies of water quality and its relationship with the community.

Alligator lizards of the genus Abronia are a clade of arboreal and terrestrial squamates distributed throughout much of the highlands of Mexico and Central America. Here, we report a new record of the Mexican endemic A. martindelcampoi that represents the easternmost limit of the species and the lowest known elevational record. We briefly discuss the biogeographical hypotheses that have been proposed in the past concerning this and other related genera.

Forecasting the effects of climate change on the distribution of Andean trees (Polylepis, Rosaceae) is important to understand how species respond to climate variability and to assess their resilience to the ongoing climate crisis. Here, paleodistribution modelling is used to assess distribution shifts of 17 Polylepis species during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), mid-Holocene (MH), and the Anthropocene in the central Andes. Species distribution models (SDMs) were computed by combining presence records and current climatic conditions using Maxent and projected onto three climatic scenarios for the LGM (~22,000 yr BP), the MH (~6,000 yr BP), and the Anthropocene (1,970–2,000). Subsequently, current refugia hotspots were identified by intersecting suitable habitat over the LGM, MH, and anthropogenic conditions for all the studied species. SDMs for the LGM and MH showed a contraction of climate suitable habitat for most of the species in comparison to the Anthropocene. Four current refugia hotspots were identified: central Cordillera of Peru, Lake Titicaca basin, western Cordillera of Bolivia, and northern Chile. In general, SDMs were consistent with patterns proposed with pollen records, and partially with available phylogeographic studies. Current hotspots are highly important areas for the conservation of Polylepis and associated biota. This study assists in understanding distribution shifts over millennia of Andean tree species in response to climate change and identifying key conservation areas for the delineation of future conservation strategies.

A taxonomic review of the Grey-necked Wood-Rail Aramides cajaneus remarked on a “previously unnoticed” parapatric distribution of this species with respect to Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail Aramides saracura. It was postulated that the two might act to exclude each other and that this isolating mechanism might have driven the evolution of a coastal species A. avicenniae Stotz, 1992. Here we demonstrate that Grey-necked and Slaty-breasted Wood-Rails are widely sympatric in Paraguay (a portion of the species range that was not discussed by the authors) and propose that this pattern probably extends to other areas of the species range too. We consider that the theory of parapatry between both species is an artefact of insufficient data, and that any proposed evolutionary processes based on that theory thus require re-evaluation.

Acoustic monitoring is used to assess biodiversity across large spatial and temporal scales. However, extracting meaningful information from large data sets might be exceedingly time consuming. For this reason, acoustic indices have been proposed as proxies for biodiversity monitoring. Although acoustic indices hold great promise for standardizing acoustic data analysis, the complexity of acoustic conditions requires careful examination of the relationship between an index and the underlying process of interest. We evaluated 11 acoustic indices at two operational levels: (1) acoustic community level (an aggregation of species that produces sound), using birds as an example to assess how well acoustic indices predict bird indices (abundance, richness, evenness and diversity); and (2) soundscape level (the collection of biological, geophysical and anthropogenic sounds from a landscape), using acoustic indices to classify the study sites according to their ecological condition. To study the relationship among these variables, we selected two study sites with different ecological conditions (in terms of vegetation structure and traffic noise) within the Braulio Carrillo National Park (BCNP), Costa Rica. We sampled the soundscape and bird community using 12 sampling points and four visits to each study site from June 2017 to August 2018. We continuously recorded sounds at sunrise and sunset, and for 10 minutes every hour, during two consecutive days per visit. In addition, we performed four bird counts per visit (sunrise and sunset). We performed a correlation analysis between 11 acoustic indices and 4 community bird indices. We analyzed the ability of acoustic indices to predict bird indices. Furthermore, we used acoustic indices to classify the two sites according to their ecological condition. Bird abundance and richness were positively correlated with acoustic evenness indices and negatively correlated with the acoustic diversity index, but the whole set of acoustic indices predicted bird indices weakly. However, the classification of the sites using acoustic indices was conducted with a high average precision of 0.93 (sd = 0.08). Acoustic indices appear to be more promising for evaluating the ecological condition of a site than abundance, richness or diversity of specific animal groups, in this case birds, in tropical rainforests.

In mountain ecosystems, temperature and precipitation change along elevation and determine the lower and upper limits of tree species which form forests. Early life performance of tree species has been assessed along elevational gradients as a proxy for several environmental variables. Here, we attempt to answer the following question: How does elevation provenance influence seed mass, viability, and germination of Queñoa (Polylepis spp.)? We worked with four species from two contrasting environments from northwest Argentina. We gathered seeds along elevation gradients, seeds were weighed, tested for viability (Triphenyltetrazoliumchlorid; TTC) and germination percentage in a controlled environment. The analysis was performed using Generalized Linear Models (GLM). We found low germination percentages in all species, probably related to low seed viability. The two species from humid environments had lower seed mass and higher germination percentages than the two species from dry environments. The effect of elevational provenance negatively affected the germination of two species, while the other two species were not affected. We conclude that although the four species studied belong to the same genus, their early life characteristics differ between environments and along elevational gradients according to species. Trends regarding future temperatures suggest increases in germination for two of our study species and no effects on the other two species., En los ecosistemas de montaña, la temperatura y la precipitación cambian a lo largo de la elevación y determinan los límites superior e inferior de las especies de árboles que forman los bosques. El rendimiento en la vida temprana de las especies de árboles de montaña se ha evaluado a lo largo de gradientes de elevación como proxy de varias variables ambientales. En este trabajo contestamos la siguiente pregunta: ¿Cómo influye la elevación sobre la masa, la viabilidad y la germinación de las semillas de Queñoa (Polylepis spp)? Trabajamos con cuatro especies de dos ambientes contrastantes del noroeste argentino. Recolectamos semillas a lo largo de gradientes de elevación y probamos la viabilidad (cloruro de trifeniltetrazolio; TTC) y la germinación (ambiente controlado). Pesamos las semillas e incluimos la variable individuo para desarrollar modelos lineales generalizados (GLM). Encontramos bajos porcentajes de germinación en todas las especies, probablemente relacionados con la baja viabilidad de la semilla. Encontramos diferencias significativas entre los porcentajes de germinación de ambientes contrastantes. El efecto de la procedencia elevacional afectó negativamente la germinación de dos especies, mientras que las otras dos especies no se vieron afectadas. Concluimos que aunque las cuatro especies estudiadas pertenecen al mismo género, sus características de vida temprana difieren entre ambientes y a lo largo de gradientes de elevación según la especie. Las tendencias con respecto a las temperaturas futuras sugieren aumentos en la germinación para dos de las especies de nuestro estudio y ningún efecto en las otras dos especies., Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Madera

Anemophilous species depend on wind for sexual reproduction. When plants do not receive enough pollen and/or pollen has poor quality, they may experience pollen limitation. This can reduce the production of fruits and seeds with negative consequences on population dynamics. The self-compatibility system also plays an important role on the likelihood of a species suffering pollen limitation as it determines if plants can produce fruits and seeds in the absence of compatible mates. Here, we studied the breeding system of the Andean anemophilous tree Polylepis incarum, a critically endangered species endemic to Lake Titicaca. We conducted controlled experimental pollination experiments and florescence microscopy analysis to assess whether pollen limitation and the incompatibility system constrain fruit and seed production. Results showed that the seed set is limited by pollen availability, that P. incarum exhibits a pre-zygotic compatibility system and early inbreeding depression manifested during seed development. Therefore, self-pollination is a factor that could be partially associated with the production of non-viable seeds.

12 páginas Estudiamos la historia natural de Osteocephalus castaneicola en el suroeste de la Amazonia. Usamos observaciones de un experimento no exitoso pero relevante, entre enero de 2009 y enero de 2010 en la Fazenda Experimental Catuaba, así como de registros de diez recipientes para almacenamiento de látex entre enero y marzo del 2011 y 2012 en la Fazenda Bonal. Los datos de campo de ambas áreas y de colecciones biológicas permitieron mostrar aspectos de su reproducción en fitotelmata, variación fenotípica, canto de anuncio y generar un mapa de distribución actual de Osteocephalus castaneicola. Esta especie evidenció una gran plasticidad reproductiva en los tipos de fitotelmata, desde la preferencia de bambús muertos y cápsulas de castaña brasileña (Bertholletia excelsa) en el suelo, hasta huecos de árboles en diferentes estratos cerca al dosel. Hubo diferencia en el número de huevos y tipo de cuidado parental para congéneres restantes. Registramos reproducción estacional restringida a la época lluviosa y especializada con renacuajos caníbales con suministro facultativo de huevos tróficos. Su canto de anuncio está compuesto por 23.4 cantos promedio por minuto y una frecuencia dominante que oscila entre 0.486 y 0.904 kHz. La distribución de esta especie fue ampliada de la previamente conocida, mostrando una gran plasticidad ecológica en diferentes hábitats. Resumen. Introducción. Materiales y métodos. Resultados. Discusión. Conclusiones finales. Referencias bibliográficas

Charybdis hellerii is an invasive swimming crab widely disseminated in the western Atlantic. This species became a threat to colonized ecosystems, competing with local species for resources. The extension of distribution and increasing population size of C. hellerii has been associated with the scarcity of indigenous predators and cases of predation report octopuses as the main native predators. In this study, we present the first evidence that native fish can consume C. hellerii. 53 individuals of the goldspotted snake eel, Myrichthys ocellatus, were collected at seagrass and macroalgal beds in Pernambuco State, Brazil, and had their stomach contents analyzed. Three juvenile C. hellerii were found along with native prey. Myrichthys ocellatus feeds mainly on small crabs, thus C. hellerii individuals were consumed before reaching sexual maturity. Oppositely to octopuses and other crab predators, M. ocellatus is of little fishing interest and is commonly found in macroalgae beds, seagrass meadows and sandy areas near reefs. Our results suggest that a higher number of carcinophagous taxa may prey on this invasive crab and we emphasize that the conservation of these species is paramount for controlling C. hellerii populations in invaded areas.

We describe a new species of Pristimantis from the Comunidad Río Blanco, Cordillera del Cóndor, Ecuador. Pristimantis ledzeppelin sp. nov. is characterized by a snout–vent length of 23.9–24.6 mm in adult males (n = 2) and 36.1 mm in one adult female and is compared morphologically with Pristimantis muscosus and other similar species of Pristimantis. The new species is characterized by having skin on dorsum and flanks finely tuberculate to tuberculate, a distinctive scapular fold, skin on venter coarsely areolate; snout rounded with a small rostral papilla; discs on the digits truncate, three times the width of the digits; groin and hidden surfaces of thighs yellowish-cream with distinctive brownish-black marks and/or orange irregular blotches; and coppery red iris.

Seven oceanographic expeditions were carried out between 2013 and 2018 to explore the taxonomic diversity and ecological attributes of copepods of the Caribbean Oceanic Ecoregion (CAO). One hundred and forty zooplankton samples were collected in four depth ranges, between 0 and 1000 m depth. A total of 133 species were identified, 33 of which are new records for the Colombian Caribbean Sea and 50 species have amplified their geographical distribution. This information increasing the list of species of marine copepods recorded for the Colombian Caribbean Sea from 214 to 247 species. Carnivorous species (32.33%) and herbivorous-omnivorous species (27.06%) were the most important trophic guilds in the CAO ecoregion, due to the fact that it is an oligotrophic system that presents low productivity where regenerated production can occur. This study obtained relevant information on the richness and diversity of copepods in the offshore system, providing key information to describe the ecological processes and increase knowledge in this important taxonomic group.

Habitat fragmentation is a severe problem that negatively affects forests around the world. This phenomenon has consequences at a genetic level in populations such as genetic diversity and gene flow reduction. As a result, population fitness decreases, and the possibility of extinction increases. Polylepis (Rosaceae) forests are endemic to the Andes and their distribution reflects hundreds of years of human activities. Polylepis microphylla is the most endangered species of the genus in Ecuador and is represented by only two known forests in Chimborazo province, separated from each other by 1,6 km. The present study focused on i) exploring the genetic structure and connectivity, ii) analyzing the genetic diversity patterns in these two forests of P. microphylla. Parameters such as Fixation index, molecular variance (AMOVA) and genetic diversity estimators were calculated from the haplotypic sequences of one chloroplastic DNA region (trnG intron), one nuclear DNA region (ITS), and the concatenation of both. We found that DNA regions used were highly polymorphic with a total of nine, four and thirteen segregation sites, respectively, and nine, six and fifteen haplotypes, respectively. Also, we detected that both forest work as a single population unit due to low fixation index values (Fst = 0,03822, −0,03883 and −0,00469, respectively), which indicate high gene flow between these two forests. In addition, we detected high genetic diversity reflected by haplotype diversity in both forest (hd = 0,54204, 0,63664 and 0,81682, respectively). Likewise, haplotype relationships were visualized in networks, which demonstrated limited spatial structuring between haplotypes, corroborating the low genetic differentiation among these forests. In conclusion, our results suggest there is a single population unit of P. microphylla in Ecuador. Habitat fragmentation does not seem to have negative effects on the genetic diversity of this species. Nevertheless, the species may be vulnerable to rapid environmental fluctuations despite having relatively high genetic diversity. Its long generational time causes increased susceptibility of P. microphylla to environmental changes and may eventually lead to the extinction of the species in Ecuador.

This study aimed to investigate the leaf anatomy of Jacquinia armillaris plants in two different Venezuelan xeric shrublands to evaluate possible variations caused by the environments, which differ in rainfall and soil salinity. Leaf samples were collected in two sites: La Tortuga Island, a dryer and salty environment than the other collecting site, Turpialito, a coastal location in the mainland. The epidermis and the mesophylls were observed with a light microscope and measured with an ocular micrometer inserted in one of the eyepieces. The results show that J. armillaris has many characteristic anatomical traits of xerophytes, among them: thick cuticles and thick epidermis in both leaf surfaces, stomata only in the abaxial side and epidermal depressions lodging a glandular trichome. Leaves are bifacial and present multistratified palisade parenchyma facing the adaxial epidermis and abaxial spongy parenchyma with abundant intercellular spaces. Furthermore, the hypodermis is composed of one or two cell layers below the upper epidermis. Leaf lamina dimension, petiole, cuticles, epidermis and hypodermis cells, as well as the stomatal occlusive cells and number of trichomes, had differences in size and number when the plants of both sites were compared, being higher in plants from La Tortuga. On the other hand, palisade parenchyma and stomatal density were higher in Turpialito plants. Plants collected in La Tortuga Island showed characteristics that suggest adaptation to the island’s saline and more arid conditions in comparison to plants from Turpialito, which presented more leaf traits related to adaptations to water deficit. These results demonstrate the phenotypic plasticity of J. armillaris plants that grow in two different xeric shrublands.

Myrcia machinazana, a new species from southern Amazonia in Ecuador is described and illustrated; additionally a distribution map is presented and its conservation status and relationships with other species are discussed. This new species is similar to Myrcia gigantifolia, but differs by its reddish to dark-brown indumentum on new growth (vs. new growth glabrous in M. gigantifolia) and dense panicles with compactly arranged flowers and fruits (vs. panicles lax, flowers and fruits loosely arranged in M. gigantifolia). A key to the Ecuadorian species of Myrcia is provided.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:42:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-01-01 We describe two new species of terrestrial-breeding frogs from the Cordillera de Colán, in northeastern Peru. We used Parsimony and Maximum Likelihood approaches to infer a molecular phylogeny on a dataset composed of 75 terminals, including three terminals representing the new species, and 4202 bp of concatenated mtDNA and nuDNA fragments. Our phylogenetic analyses support the placement of the two new species in Lynchius and Oreobates, respectively. The new species of Lynchius occurs in two localities from 1,977 to 2,006 m a.s.l., and is characterized by having a dorsum covered by conical tubercles and a brown dorsal coloration lacking a pattern of blotches on the hidden surfaces of flanks and hindlimbs. The new species of Oreobates is only known from one location at 2608 m a.s.l. and is characterized by the absence of axillary and inguinal glands, and the presence of white or cream blotches on the dark brown hidden surfaces of the body. Instituto Peruano de Herpetología (IPH) División de Herpetología Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad (CORBIDI) Huarango Nature – Conservamos Ica (CÓNICA). Ica Department of Biological Sciences Florida International University Departamento de Biodiversidade Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Departamento de Biodiversidade Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)

Riparian forests provide high amounts of leaf litter to tropical headwater streams (1–3 order) and its decomposition is controlled by interactions between leaf quality and macroinvertebrate activity. However, few studies have been conducted in North Andean streams. We conducted a leaf litter decomposition experiment using three native tree species (Heliocarpus americanus, Nectandra sp., and Cecropia telealba) in two headwater streams in the Colombian Coffee-growing Eco-Region. The interactive roles of intrinsic factors (quality) and extrinsic factors (presence/absence of macroinvertebrates) on decomposition rates were tested. Three single-species treatments, a species-mixture treatment, and an artificial substrate treatment were incubated in either coarse-pore mesh or fine-pore mesh bags to allow or exclude macroinvertebrate colonization, respectively. Bags were removed from the streams 7, 14, 28 and 56 days after starting the study. Toughness and chemical quality of senescent leaves of each species were determined in order to test their effect on the decomposition rates. The k-values for the three single-species and the species-mixture treatments indicated that decomposition occurred at medium to fast rates (0.009–0.01 day−1). H. americanus showed the greatest mass loss at the end of the trial, followed by C. telealba and Nectandra sp. Leaf toughness was positively correlated with carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C: N) and carbon-to-phosphorus ratio (C: P) and, in turn, the three characteristics were negatively correlated with breakdown rate. A total of 3876 individuals from 13 orders, 35 families, and 47 genera colonized leaf-litter bags. Chironomidae, Lumbriculidae, and Hydropsychidae were the families with the highest abundance. The abundance and richness of macroinvertebrates in the leaf-litter bags showed no correlation with the descriptors of intrinsic characteristics (leaf quality). These results indicate that among the three tree-species in the study, the intrinsic characteristics of senescent leaves determine their mass loss rates, while the macroinvertebrate abundance or richness play a secondary role, probably due to the fact that shredders were not abundant.

Mammalian dung represents a primary feeding and reproductive resource for most dung beetle species. Competition for the trophic resource is common among the subfamily Scarabaeinae showing different habits depending on the quantity and quality of food available. In this study, we evaluated the dung of six species of mammal native to Chiapas (Mexico) as attractants for sampling dung beetles. The six species have different feeding habits (carnivores, herbivores and omnivores) and the feces used were obtained from Zoo animals fed a standard diet. Sampling efficiency was over 99% for each of the attractants. Tapirus bairdii feces attracted the highest abundance, while Canis latrans attracted the highest richness and diversity was higher in Procyon lotor. The captured species showed no affinity for a specific attractant, and differences in richness, abundance, diversity, and species composition between baits were largely non-significant. These results suggest that when food availability is high, Scarabaeinae assemblages maintain very abundant populations with generalists feeding habits. However, other aspects such as the quality and quantity (volume) of the food may be important when choosing a resource. Hence, the use of different types of attractants that meet these characteristics offers the possibility of improving results in the monitoring of dung beetle communities in tropical forests, allowing the capture of those inconspicuous or rare species that inhabit the landscape.

Habitat loss and fragmentation can devastate biodiversity, especially at regional and global scales. However, generalizing to individual species is challenging given the wide variety of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that shape species-specific responses – particularly among species that are specialists, generalists, or adapted to naturally patchy landscapes. In this study, we examined how patch and landscape attributes affected bird communities within Polylepis forest ecosystems, which are patchily distributed within landscapes of Puna grasslands and shrublands in the High Andes of Peru (3,300–4,700 m). We surveyed birds in 59 Polylepis patches and 47 sites in the Puna matrix, resulting in 13,210 observations of 88 bird species, including 15 species of conservation concern specialized on Polylepis. Data were analysed using Multi-Species Occupancy-Models (MSOM) and cumulative species-area curves. Species richness was generally greatest at mid-to-low elevations, within small fragments, and in landscapes with comparatively little forest cover; this was especially true for birds associated with the Puna matrix. Consistent with the hypothesis that Polylepis specialists are adapted to naturally patchy landscapes, we found no evidence that Polylepis specialists were sensitive to patch size, though two of nine species were positively related to forest cover within 200 m. Our work shows that small patches of Polylepis have high ecological value and that conservation of species of concern may depend more on retaining at least 10% forest cover within landscapes than on the presence of large patches of Polylepis.

Dryadella mocoana which was hitherto thought to be endemic to Mocoa, Putumayo department in Colombia has now been reported for the first time in the lower montane forests of Zamora-Chinchipe province, southern Ecuador. A Lankester composite digital plate (LCDP), photos, taxonomic comments, and an updated description of the species based on the examined material is provided.

The high Andean Polylepis woodlands are home to a unique biota, including an outstanding avifauna. They are one of the most threatened mountain ecosystems worldwide; accordingly, they have been the object of the first restoration initiatives in South America. Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of 20-year Polylepis australis woodland restoration efforts to recover the woodland bird communities. We recorded bird diversity and abundance in an ongoing restoration site (with a high proportion of woodland) and in a control site, where no active restoration efforts were made (with a high proportion of grasslands and bare soil), 15 and 20 years after the start of the restoration project. We compared the avifauna of these sites with that of reference mature woodlands, using published records of the study region. At the ongoing restoration site, bird diversity increased over time, as well as abundances of species associated with P. australis, whereas those parameters remained stable at the control site. Our results are the first evidence that active restoration of P. australis entails passive restoration of the avifauna occurring in these unique upland forests.

Humpback whales perform long migrations from their breeding and nursing areas at low latitudes to feeding grounds at high latitudes. Nonetheless, this strictly dichotomous paradigm of migration is challenged by accumulating examples of occasional or regular feeding at low latitudes for several stocks worldwide. Here, we report multiple evidences of “Stock G” humpback whales feeding in coastal waters, at low latitudes of the Southeast Pacific Ocean. Lunge feeding behavior and defecation were observed in Ecuador, while both lunge- and trap feeding in pursuit of Peruvian anchovy was documented in northern Chile. A photographically re-sighted individual feeding at different latitudes of Chile suggested potential site fidelity to two foraging areas. Whether these feeding behaviours are novel due to changes in prey distribution, intensifying competition from a growing humpback whale population, or simply reflect vastly increased research effort remains unknown. Further research into the feeding ecology of Stock G should help reveal historic and potentially new feeding grounds, prey composition and precise migration paths. Competition from anchovy fisheries, vessel collision and net entanglement are suspected threats.

Leaf traits are analyzed as essential drivers for the evolutionary and ecological role of plant defense mechanisms. Plants show leaf trait variation as a response to the diverse environmental conditions, like different successional stages. Those variations can impact leaf herbivory rates and drive changes in the allocation of plant resources. In this study, we aimed at comparing the expression of leaf defenses in established plants over different successional stages in a tropical dry forest to understand how these defenses modify the plant–herbivore interactions based on herbivory rates. We analyzed physical leaf traits (specific leaf area, thickness, and density), nutrient content (N, P, and K), total phenolic compounds, and leaf herbivory, of the native tree species Aspidosperma pyrifolium and Cenostigma pyramidale, in early- and late-successional stage areas. Results showed that the plant investment in defenses varies according to the successional stage and that both species have similar defense strategies, confirming the resource availability hypothesis. Individuals from the early stage adopt a strategy to lower sclerophylly, higher nutrient content and less phenolic compounds, while the late-stage individuals showed an opposite behaviour. For both species in this study, the average percentage of leaf herbivory observed was 40% higher in the early compared to the late-stage area. Our data indicate that plant defenses are tightly coupled to sclerophylly and investments in secondary metabolites, and the environmental conditions of different successional stage drive that plasticity in such leaf traits.

Primary productivity (PP) is a vital oceanographic process generated by photoautotrophic organisms that transform inorganic carbon into organic macronutrients and micronutrients via photosynthesis. While in situ studies have shed light onto the spatial and seasonal variations of chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration, and thus PP, in specific study sites, there are no comprehensive monitoring programs to assess its long-term variation nor its seasonal patterns in broader areas of coastal Ecuador. The main objective of the present study is to evaluate changes in Chl a concentration along the coast of Ecuador and examine how these changes correspond to changes in Sea Surface Temperature (SST). Eighteen offshore and nearshore sampling sites along the Ecuadorian coast were studied over 15 years, using satellite measurements of MODIS-Aqua and MUR. Results show mean Chl a concentration in coastal Ecuador is rather low (1.5 mg m−3) in comparison with other oceanic regions. Puerto Bolivar, Gulf of Guayaquil and Esmeraldas were characterized by the highest mean Chl a concentration; while Galera San Francisco Marine Reserve, Cojimies and Cabuyal were characterized by the lowest. A positive trend in Chl a concentration was detected at the southernmost (Puerto Bolivar and Gulf of Guayaquil) and northernmost (Esmeraldas) study sites, with a seasonal trend following the observed seasonal SST trend. Chl a is high in areas under the influence of both the Humboldt upwelling system and river discharge. The positive correlation between Chl a and SST is likely a response to increased precipitation during warmer months. These results highlight the importance of improving our understanding of the effects of climate change on coastal PP, and the potential for these effects to influence the health of commercial and threatened marine species. Further research should assess the implications of changes in PP and SST for species of commercial and conservation importance along the coast of Ecuador.

Monitoring wildlife roadkills is a valuable method to identify critical areas where animals are more susceptible to collision with vehicles, likewise, this type of work can let us know which species are more vulnerable to this human impact. Besides these relevant utilities used for mitigation purposes, this eort can provide very important information about the biology, ecology and biogeography of species. In this paper, we report new geographic records found while working on a road ecology study. These data increase the distribution of six snakes’ species (Anilius scytale, Drymarchon corais, Erythrolamprus breviceps, Micrurus lemniscatus, Oxyrhopus vanidicus and Trilepida anthracina), from which, four show scarce and almost inexistent historical records (Anilius scytale, Drymarchon corais, Erythrolamprus breviceps, and Trilepida anthracina). We encourage researchers, especially road ecologists, to notice and report these observations, which can be highly valuable for expanding the knowledge of species distributions, a key factor forconducting integral studies of fauna

Studies on model organisms such as butterflies are useful tools for conservation decision-making. However, in tropical ecosystems with an intrinsic high diversity a full understanding of biotic communities is difficult to obtain. Bait trap samplings have traditionally been used for community appraisals related to ecological and conservation issues. Nonetheless, in the Andes Mountains, there is little knowledge related to the effectiveness of bait traps for butterfly sampling. In this study, we tested the success of fermented fruits and rotten fish baits for butterfly sampling in four land-cover types (páramo, cloud forests, mixed, and pasture) in the upper Rio Chico basin of the northern Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. A butterfly survey was conducted between 2011 and 2014, in an elevation range of 2650 to 3300 masl, within a total of 132 field days. Three sampling units for each land cover were established with four standard Van Someren-Rydon traps (VSR) per sampling unit. Traps were baited alterna-tively with fermented fruits and carrion (rotten fish). All 57 recorded species were captured using rotten fish, while approximately 65% (37 species) were collected from fermented fruit. Moreover, species richness was higher in all sampled land covers using rotten fish bait, but the dominant species in the land covers differed between baits. The rotten fish bait proved to be highly effective for butterfly sampling in páramo and cloud forest, although the combination of traps baited with fermented banana and rotten fish, allowed the collection of data suitable for comparison among all studied land cover.