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Resumo O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a composição florística e estrutural em um trecho de floresta secundária, no município de Dona Francisca - RS. Foram instaladas 50 parcelas permanentes de dimensão 10 x 20 m, de modo sistemático, distanciadas 10 m entre si e 40 m entre faixas, totalizando 1 ha. Foram amostrados todos os indivíduos que apresentassem CAP ≥ 15,7 cm e calculado os estimadores fitossociológicos. Foi realizada a curva de acumulação de espécie para verificar a suficiência amostral. Para o cálculo de diversidade e dominância, utilizou-se o Índice de Shannon (H’) e Equabilidade de Pielou (J’). Para a riqueza potencial utilizaram-se os estimadores não paramétricos Jackknife. Avaliou-se a composição florística e estrutural por meio da Análise de Correspondência Distendida (DCA). Verificou-se, também, a distribuição diamétrica e hipsométrica da comunidade arbórea, e para as espécies, com valor de importância acima de 5 %, a distribuição em classes de DAP. As análises estatísticas foram realizadas no programa R. Foram identificadas 65 espécies arbóreas e arbustivas com 2.045 indivíduos distribuídas em 31 famílias botânicas. As espécies com valor de importância acima de 5% foram Casearia sylvestris (14,04%), Nectandra lanceolata (12,86 %), Cupania vernalis (9,57 %), Guarea macrophylla (7,29 %) e Ocotea puberula (5,07 %). Os valores para a diversidade e dominância foram, respectivamente, de 2,91 nats.ind-1 e 0,69, indicando que a área possui baixa diversidade e dominância de poucas espécies. Pela DCA é possível verificar que as parcelas estão distribuídas homogeneamente no trecho florestal. A distribuição diamétrica representou o esperado para a comunidade arbórea com tendência ao J-invertido e a maioria das árvores apresentou altura concentrada no estrato intermediário da floresta. Das cinco espécies analisadas, apenas Nectandra lanceolata e Ocotea puberula não apresentaram curva exponencial negativa. Foi possível observar que há um predomínio de indivíduos nas primeiras classes de DAP e altura, o que caracteriza a resiliência da área após distúrbio. Ainda, indica as flutuações e estabilidade das espécies, na sucessão ecológica, de uma floresta em estágio intermediário de regeneração. Abstract The objective of the study was to evaluate the floristic and structural composition of an area located in a section of secondary Forest, in the municipality of Dona Francisca, RS state. To do so, 50 permanent plots with a dimension of 10 x 20 m (200 m2) were installed in a systematic way, 10 m apart and 40 m between tracks, totaling 1 ha. All individuals with CAP ≥ 15.7 cm were identified and sampled and the phytosociological estimators were calculated. The species accumulation curve was used to verify the sample adequacy. For the calculation of diversity and dominance estimators, the Shannon Index (H ‘) and Pielou Equability (J’) were used. Subsequently, the floristic and structural composition was evaluated through the Distributed Correspondence Analysis (DCA). It was also verified the diameter and histopic distribution of the tree community, and for the species, with importance value above 5%, the distribution in classes of DAP. Statistical analyzes were performed in the R program. 65 tree and shrub species were identified with 2,045 individuals distributed in 31 botanical families. The species with a value of importance above 5% were Casearia sylvestris (14, 04 %), Nectandra lanceolata (12, 86 %), Cupania vernalis (9, 57 %), Guarea macrophylla (7,29 %) and Ocotea puberula (5.07 %). The values for diversity and dominance were, respectively, 2.91 nats.ind-1 and 0.69, indicating that the area has low diversity and dominance of few species and that by DCA it is possible to verify that the plots are homogeneously distributed in the forest. The diameter distribution represented the expected behavior for the arboreal community with J-inverted tendency and the majority of the trees presented height concentrated in the middle stratum of the forest. Only Nectandra lanceolata and Ocotea puberula did not present negative exponential curve from the five species analyzed. It was possible to observe the mosaic of tree species distributed in the forest section. In addition, there is a predominance of individuals in the first classes of DBH and height, which characterizes the resilience of the area after the disturbance and its capacity for natural recovery. It also indicates the fluctuations and stability of species in ecological succession of a forest in an intermediate stage of regeneration.

In Brazil, the Amazon region comprises 99.5% of the reported malaria cases. However, another hotspot of the disease is the Atlantic Forest regions, with the sporadic occurrence of autochthonous human cases. In such context, this study sought to investigate the role of anopheline mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the residual malaria transmission in Atlantic Forest areas. Two rural areas in the Espirito Santo state were the surveyed sites. Mosquitoes were captured using Shannon trap and CDC light traps and identified into species based on morphological characters. Ecological indexes (Shannon–Wiener diversity, Simpson’s dominance, Pielou equability, and Sorensen similarity) were the tools used in the anopheline fauna characterization and comparison along with the two explored areas. The assessment of the sampling adequacy in the studied areas was possible through the generation of a species accumulation curve. A correlation test verified the influence of climatic variables on the anopheline species abundance. A total of 1471 female anopheline mosquitoes were collected from May 2019 to April 2020, representing 13 species. The species richness was higher in Valsugana Velha (hypo-endemic) than in Alto Caparao (non-endemic). There was a significant variation in the species abundance between Valsugana Velha (n = 1438) and Alto Caparao (n = 33). The most abundant species was Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii complex Dyar and Knab, 1908 representing 87% of the total anophelines collected. These results suggest that the Plasmodium spp. circulation in Brazilian Atlantic Forest areas occurs mainly due to the high frequency of Anopheles (K.) cruzii complex, considered the principal vector of simian and human malaria in the region.

Las mariposas diurnas son un grupo diverso y relativamente bien conocido en Colombia. Sin embargo, son pocos los estudios que evalúan su diversidad en los parques urbanos y periféricos, por lo tanto, se planteó esta investigación, con el fin de evaluar la riqueza y abundancia de mariposas diurnas presentes en áreas verdes urbanas del municipio de La Dorada, (Caldas). El estudio fue realizado en 4 parques urbanos de este municipio, entre los meses de julio y noviembre de 2020, con un esfuerzo de muestreo de 288 horas; las mariposas fueron recolectadas con jama y trampas Van Someren-Rydon cebadas con camarón licuado y banano en descomposición. Se colectaron 308 mariposas pertenecientes a 39 especies, siendo las más abundantes: Phoebis sennae, Phoebis argante y Ascia monuste. Los índices de Shannon y de equitatividad J, indican que el parque periférico de Guarinó es el que presenta una mayor diversidad y equitatividad, con un 87% de las especies reportadas, entre las que se destaca Parides eurimedes una especie endémica de Colombia. A su vez, la curva de acumulación de especies indica que la representatividad del muestreo estuvo el 85 y 81% respectivamente con base en los estimadores Chao 1 e ICE.

The approach to the analysis of the fauna composition and completeness of its detection through the concept of “species discovery curve” is considered. Beetles of the family Cryptophagidae were taken as a model group. The dynamics of the accumulation of the information about the composition and volume of the Cryptophagidae fauna of the Ukrainian Carpathians during the eight stages of their study (the middle XIX, late XIX and the end of XIX century, the beginning of the XX century, the period until 1930–1940; middle and second half of XX century, and the current state for 1999 and 2021) are presented. In general, the composition of the cryptophagid fauna in the Ukrainian Carpathians is estimated at 116 species. This is 16 % more compared to what was known 100 years ago, i.e. each stage of the study adds about 5 % to the known species richness of this group of beetles. The components of fauna changes are analysed separately: 1) due to the changes in the nomenclature of existing species, 2) as a result of finding rare species (i.e. strengthening research efforts), 3) due to division or vice versa – combining existing species into two or three “small” species that were previously considered as morphs, varieties, or were not distinguished.

The species-area relationship (SAR) is one of the most investigated patterns in ecology and conservation biology, yet there is no study testing how different levels of urbanization influence its shape. Here we tested the impact of urbanization on avian SARs along a rural-urban gradient using the breeding birds of Rome (Central Italy). We divided the city into 360 cells of 1 km2. Each cell was classified as rural, suburban or urban using the proportion of impervious surface calculated from remote sensing data. For each of these three landscape categories, we constructed a SAR as a species accumulation curve (Gleason function) using bird species distribution data. SAR intercepts (i.e. the number of species per unit area) decreased from rural to urban areas, which indicates that urbanization depressed the number of species, reflecting the loss of specialized species strictly associated with natural habitats. The slope was highest for the rural curve, indicating that natural landscapes have the highest turnover due to their higher habitat heterogeneity. A higher slope for the urban cells, compared to the suburban ones, can be explained by the presence of green spaces embedded in the built-up matrix which host different avian communities. Previous studies that compared whole cities with natural areas failed to find differences in the respective SARs. Our study, which constructed SARs for different levels of urbanization, indicated significant changes in the SARs along the rural-urban gradient. Further analyses in other cities and taxa will be useful to test how general are our findings.

Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape (RSPL), considered the last frontier within the Central Visayas region, is an ideal location for flora and fauna research due to its rich biodiversity. This recent study was conducted to determine the plant species composition and diversity and to select priority areas for conservation to update management strategy. A field survey was carried out in fifteen (15) 20 m x 100 m nested plots established randomly in the forest over limestone of RSPL from July to October 2019. Three hundred and sixty eight (368) species of plants were identified up to species level. This represented 327 angiosperms, one gymnosperm and 40 pteridophytes. Common plant families with more than 10 representative species were Moraceae, Meliaceae, Lauraceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Rubiaceae, Myrtaceae, Phyllanthaceae, Annonaceae, Araceae and Lauraceae. There were 93 (28%) endemic and 46 (14%) threatened species (vulnerable to critically endangered) observed. The cluster analysis and species accumulation curve suggests that plant species are not homogeneously distributed which implies that different management and conservation strategies should be implemented across RSPL. These results not only indicate the importance of RSPL, but also highlights areas with higher diversity and concentration of threatened and endemic species as a special area of concern. Furthermore, areas with high biodiversity value were recommended for immediate protection, while areas with low biodiversity value were recommended for reforestation programmes using species with high importance value.

We present a taxonomic inventory, including ecological aspects, of poroid fungi from the Floresta Nacional de Silvânia, a conservation unit representative of the Brazilian Savanna (Cerrado) biome. Basidioma collection was sampled randomly (active search), between 2005 to 2012, considering the conservation unit area, and occurred along or outside pre-existing trails, mainly within forest formations. Totally we found 27 species, distributed into 22 genera, 9 families and 3 order. The α diversity (Hꞌ) was 2.86; the maximum diversity estimated (H max) was 3.29 and the Pielou equability (Jꞌ) was 0.87. These data, added to species accumulation curve, indicate that the number of species of poroid fungi found has not yet exhausted the real diversity of the area and it may increase with the increase in collections (sampling effort). About 37% of the species were found in both living and decaying wood; 33% exclusively in dead and 22% exclusively in live wood. Among these, 44% were classified as rare in the area, 33% occasional, 15% common and 7% abundant. The most frequent species were those that occurred in both living and decaying wood, while the rare ones occurred exclusively in one type of wood (living or dead). The present work is one of the pioneers in the study of poroid fungi in Central Brazil, increasing the knowledge of this biodiversity in the Brazilian Savanna, which can be used as support to update the management plan of the conservation unit.

Dung beetles present a high specificity degree to certain habitat types and they are widely used as bioindicators of environmental changes. Pitfall traps usually baited with human feces are the main method for collecting these insects. However, despite dung beetles being good flyers and actively move in the environment, collections with flight intercept traps have been little used in inventories of these insects in the wild. The fact that the intercept trap usually does not use any attractants, randomly capturing individuals can minimize sampling artifacts related with bait, light or other attractive methods. Here, we use flight intercept traps to analyze the dung beetle assemblages in different habitats in the Amazon rainforest. Dung beetles were sampled weekly from March 2017 to February 2018 in an Amazon forest fragment under anthropic pressure, cupuacu orchard, and exotic pasture in Porto Velho, Rondonia, Brazil. A total of 1041 individuals belonging to 35 species of dung beetles were collected. The species accumulation curve showed no significant difference in the number of species among the three different habitats. The dung beetle species composition found in the forest fragment and cupuacu orchard was similar, but the community of these two habitats was different from the exotic pasture. Our study provides a list of dung beetle species sampled using a method that is still little used in ecological studies using dung beetles as a study model. Finally, the flight intercept trap is a useful tool for dung beetle inventories in different habitats in the Amazon rainforest.

The Gulf of Guinea belongs to the most scarcely sampled marine basins in the oceans of the world. We have analyzed diversity and distribution patterns of cumacean communities on the shelf and slope, along the coast of Ghana. The material was collected in October and November of 2012 using a van Veen grab (0.1 m2) on nine transects. Six stations were located at each transect (25, 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1,000 m). Sixty-three species of Cumacea were recorded withLeuconandEocumaas the most speciose genera, with 12 and eight species, respectively. Comparisons of species richness with literature data pointed that the Ghanaian coast hosts very diverse communities. About 95% of species were new to science, and the number of cumacean species known from the West Africa increased by over 100%. Nevertheless, most of the species had extremely low abundance, 13 singletons and 15 doubletons were found. Mean density of cumaceans was estimated at only 1.5 ind./0.1 m2. Species accumulation curve did not reach the asymptotic level, suggesting undersampling, despite the fact that sampling effort was high (250 samples). The highest species richness was recorded in the inner shelf (25–50 m) and on the slope (1,000 m). Cluster analysis separated shallow water communities from deeper regions on the shelf and upper slope. The most unique species composition was found at 1,000 m. Principal component analysis showed the importance of oxygen, sediments, and human-related disturbance for distribution of cumacean communities. In the shallows, oxygen content and presence of gravel were the most important factors structuring communities. In the deeper bottom areas (250–1,000 m), cumacean fauna was affected by local pollution, mainly by higher concentration of barium, other heavy metals, and THC.

Brazil presents the biggest mammal diversity in the world, 755 species, of which 110 are classified under some degree of threat. In the São Paulo State is an estimated 350 taxa richness, however, this number can be even higher due to the gap of sampling over large extensions. In addition, many urban green areas are not studied because their value is underestimated for biodiversity conservation. In this way, the present study aimed to survey the medium and large-sized terrestrial mammals in a Municipal Conservation Unit located in the urban area of Franca, SP. Using cameras trap, sand plots, and active search, in the period between May and July 2019, 16 mammals were sampled. The highest number of species was identified through sand plots (12), followed by active search (7) and cameras trap (4). The sampled community is mostly composed of opportunistic and generalist species with few predators. Among species found, the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is classified nationally as vulnerable to extinction. Despite the significant number of sampled species, the species accumulation curve obtained did not reach its asymptote. Thus, it is concluded that Zoobotanic Garden, despite suffering strong anthropic pressure, develop an important role in the regional medium and large-sized terrestrial mammals conservation, acting as a refuge area for these species. Brasil tiene la mayor diversidad de mamíferos del mundo, 755 especies, de lãs cuales 110 están clasificadas bajo algún grado de amenaza. En el Estado de São Paulo, se estima que 350 taxones son ricos, sin embargo, ese número puede ser aún mayor debido a la brecha de muestreo en áreas extensas. Además, muchas áreas verdes urbanas no se estudian porque se subestima su valor para La conservación de la biodiversidad. Así, el presente estúdio tuvo como objetivo el relevamiento de mamíferos terrestres medianos y grandes en una Unidad de Conservación Municipal ubicada en el área urbana de Franca, SP. Utilizando cámaras trampa, parcelas de arena y búsqueda activa, de mayo a julio de 2019, se muestrearon 16 mamíferos. El mayor número de especies se identificó mediante parcelas de arena (12), seguido de búsqueda activa (7) y cámara trampa (4). La comunidad muestreada está compuesta principalmente por especies oportunistas y generalistas com pocos depredadores. Entre las especies encontradas, el lobo de crin (Chrysocyon brachyurus) está clasificado a nivel nacional como vulnerable a la extinción. A pesar del importante número de espécies muestreadas, la curva de acumulación de espécies obtenida no alcanzó su asíntota. Así, se concluye que el Jardín Zoobotánico, a pesar de sufrir una fuerte presión antrópica, juega un papel importante en la conservación de los mamíferos terrestres regionales medianos y grandes, actuando como área de refugio para estas especies. O Brasil apresenta a maior diversidade de mamíferos do mundo, 755 espécies, das quais 110 estão classificadas sob algum grau de ameaça. No Estado de São Paulo, estima-se a riqueza de 350 táxons, no entanto, esse número pode ser ainda maior devido à lacuna de amostragem em grandes extensões. Além disso, muitas áreas verdes urbanas não são estudadas porque seu valor é subestimado para a conservação da biodiversidade. Desta forma, o presente estudo teve como objetivo fazer um levantamento dos mamíferos terrestres de médio e grande porte em uma Unidade de Conservação Municipal localizada na zona urbana de Franca, SP. Usando armadilhas fotográficas, parcelas de areia e busca ativa, no período de maio a julho de 2019, foram amostrados 16 mamíferos. O maior número de espécies foi identificado por meio de parcelas de areia (12), seguido de busca ativa (7) e armadilha fotográfica (4). A comunidade amostrada é composta principalmente por espécies oportunistas e generalistas com poucos predadores. Dentre as espécies encontradas, o lobo-guará (Chrysocyon brachyurus) é classificado nacionalmente como vulnerável à extinção. Apesar do número significativo de espécies amostradas, a curva de acumulação de espécies obtida não atingiu sua assíntota. Assim, conclui-se que o Jardim Zoobotânico, apesar de sofrer forte pressão antrópica, desempenha papel importante na conservação dos mamíferos terrestres regionais de médio e grande porte, atuando como área de refúgio para essas espécies.

The scarcity of studies on fauna inventories, especially those addressing insects, is a large problem in many regions of Brazil. To contribute to taxonomic knowledge and broaden the distribution of the order Odonata, we present a survey of odonate fauna of the Maracaju Hills in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Ten samplings were performed between September 2013 and April 2015, totaling 38 h of active searches. A total of 386 individuals belonging to five families, 21 genera and 37 species were collected. Eleven species belonged to the suborder Zygoptera and 26 belonged to the suborder Anisoptera. The family Libellulidae was the richest and most abundant (25 species; 285 individuals), followed by Coenagrionidae (nine spp.; 81 individuals). Lestidae, Gomphidae and Calopterygidae were each represented by a single species and totaled little more than 5% of the overall sample. Among the genera, Erythrodiplax stood out in terms of richness (eight spp.), followed by Erythemis (three spp.). The most abundant species were Erythrodiplax paraguayensis (N = 75), Erythrodiplax famula (n = 50), Ischnura fluviatilis (N = 48) and Micrathyria spuria (N = 45). The sampling effort represented by the species accumulation curve indicated that the richness of Odonata is close to actual richness, since the curve approached the asymptotic one. Aphylla molossus, Erythemis mithroides and Oxyagrion basale constitutes new records for the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, raising the richness of the state to 212 species.

Using the trap camera monitoring method, the medium and large mammal populations of the Reserva Biologica Alberto Manuel Brenes were recorded and analyzed on the La Fila trail. This reserve is located at the south of the Cordillera de Tilaran in Costa Rica, and this trail is located in the premontane humid tropical forest. The study was from February 2017 to February 2018. The use of trap cameras allowed obtaining video records, to analyze: relative abundance, diversity and activity patterns in medium and large mammals on the trail, during the dry and rainy season. Regarding relative abundance, a sampling effort of 1393 trap days was carried out, in which 410 individuals were recorded, with a total of 17 mammal species, in six orders and 11 families. The Carnivorous order was dominant with eight different species and Artiodactyla with 249 individuals. Pecari tajacu (IAR = 17.157, r = 239) and with a lower Mazama temama record (IAR = 0.071, r = 1). Among the threatened species were Tapirus bairdii (IAR = 0.9, r = 9) and Leopardus pardalis (IAR = 2.01, r = 28). In relation to diversity, the total specific richness of the sample was S = 17, the Margalef index indicates that diversity is high (dry season, Dmg = 3.18, rainy season, Dmg = 2.89), Pielou index showed, that in both seasons an abundance of diversity from medium to high (dry season, e = 0.63, rainy season e = 0.52) and Shannon-Wiener index shows a moderate diversity, with a total index of H'= 1.66, of a maximum of H'max = 2.7, (dry season H '= 1.79, rainy season H'= 1.46). The Hutchenson test shows that the Shannon Wiener index is significant in accepting that the rainy season does not have the same diversity as the dry season (n = 17, t = 2.41 p = 0.016, gl = 351). P. tajacu presented diurnal activity (7:00 - 19:00). Sciurus variegatoides, had its activity at night (20:00 - 06:00), L. pardalis presented nocturnal activity (20:00 - 06:00). The sampling carried out in this study allowed us to obtain significant information with 88.2% of the species of medium and large mammals present in the La Fila trail (ReBAMB), is based on the species accumulation curve.

Eastern Amazonia is an area with great biological diversity that has suffered rapid deforestation and forest fragmentation over the years. Because of the scarcity of data on the fauna and flora, the northwest of the state of Maranhão has become a priority area for studies that seek to gain a better understanding of bee fauna. Between August 2013 and December 2014, in collections at two-month intervals, a total of 1047 bees belonging to 70 species were collected using two methods (an insect net and scent-baited traps). Apinae was the most abundant subfamily and had the greatest species richness (63 species and 1039 individuals); the most notable tribes in this subfamily were Meliponini (20 species and 445 individuals) and Euglossini (24 species and 452 individuals). In all, 62.8% of the total richness was sampled with an insect net and 34.2% with bait traps. Bees were present in every collection month, and August and December were the months with the greatest richness and abundance, respectively. Although the species accumulation curve did not stabilize, the results were positive as three new species were recorded for the Maranhão state: Bombus transversalis (Olivier, 1789); Xylocopa suspecta Moure and Camargo, 1988; and Xylocopa macrops Lepeletier, 1841, and eleven for the Amazonian region of the state.

The first data on the species diversity of testate amoebae of the Coco River in the provinces of Quang Nam and Da Nang (Vietnam) are presented. A total of 55 species and subspecies of testate amoebae belonging to nine genera and six families have been identified in 28 samples. Species diversity of testate amoebae in plankton is higher than in benthic samples. Centropyxis aculeata (64.3%), Netzelia wailesi (39.3%), Difflugia acuminata (32.1%), Arcella discoides scutelliformis (28.6%), and Lesquereusia modesta (28.6%) are characterized by the highest frequency of occurrence. Difflugia (25), Arcella (12), Centropyxis (5), and Netzelia (4) are the most species-rich genera. The species accumulation curve based on the entire dataset is unsaturated and is described by the equation y = 12.56N0.46. The average species richness of testate amoebae per sample in plankton (13.0 ± 3.1) is statistically higher than in benthic samples (1.8 ± 1.5) (p < 0.001). The result of the redundancy analysis shows that the studied hydrochemical water parameters (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, and salinity) explain only 31.6% of the variation of testate amoeba diversity; the first and second axes explain 11 and 10.2% of this variation, respectively.

Biodiversity provides support for life, vital provisions, regulating services and has positive cultural impacts. It is therefore important to have accurate methods to measure biodiversity, in order to safeguard it when we discover it to be threatened. For practical reasons, biodiversity is usually measured at fine scales whereas diversity issues (e.g. conservation) interest regional or global scales. Moreover, biodiversity may change across spatial scales. It is therefore a key challenge to be able to translate local information on biodiversity into global patterns. Many databases give no information about the abundances of a species within an area, but only its occurrence in each of the surveyed plots. In this paper, we introduce an analytical framework (implemented in a ready‐to‐use R code) to infer species richness and abundances at large spatial scales in biodiversity‐rich ecosystems when species presence/absence information is available on various scattered samples (i.e. upscaling). This framework is based on the scale‐invariance property of the negative binomial. Our approach allows to infer and link within a unique framework important and well‐known biodiversity patterns of ecological theory, such as the species accumulation curve (SAC) and the relative species abundance (RSA) as well as a new emergent pattern, which is the relative species occupancy (RSO). Our estimates are robust and accurate, as confirmed by tests performed on both in silico‐generated and real forests. We demonstrate the accuracy of our predictions using data from two well‐studied forest stands. Moreover, we compared our results with other popular methods proposed in the literature to infer species richness from presence to absence data and we showed that our framework gives better estimates. It has thus important applications to biodiversity research and conservation practice.

This paper assesses the distribution and community structure of coral species in six locations along the west coast of Sumatra, namely Mentawai, Bengkulu, Nias, Padang Pariaman, Simeulue, and Central Tapanuli. Data collected using Line Intercept Transect (LIT) method obtained from 55 sites at six locations. The ordination analysis by using PRIMER 7 software indicates the corals do not distributed evenly. In this case, almost all of the corals distributed mainly in Central Tapanuli and followed by Bengkulu, making it the most diverse corals location in the west coast. Mentawai and Padang Pariaman were less diverse and relatively similar as clustered together, but Padang Pariaman reefs had more Montipora and Pocillopora while Mentawai reefs is mainly featured by Pavona and Psammocora . Although Nias reefs clustered into two different clusters, the main reef features were Porites and Pavona . Simeulue reefs appeared characterized by Porites and Psammocora . Porites known as a very common genus of coral and are found in the widest area of the world's coral reefs. The within-site species richness determined by using species accumulation curve. K-dominance curve showed that Bengkulu and Mentawai seemed to have the lowest cumulative abundance but then crossed over Central Tapanuli at the third most abundance species . There were 52 genera found from six locations, eight of them distributed in all locations. Approximately 90% of which were found in Central Tapanuli. There were no differences between live coral coverage within locations, yet Caswell’s neutral model showed that Mentawai and Bengkulu had more coral species than other locations, indicating that there were likely were less stress environmental conditions occurring in these two locations.

The species–area relationship (SAR) has been described as one of the few general patterns in ecology. Although there are many types of SAR, here we are concerned solely with the so-called species accumulation curve (SAC). The theoretical basis of this relationship is not well established. Here, we suggest that extreme value theory, also known as the statistics of extremes, provides a theoretical foundation for, as well as functions to fit, empirical species accumulation curves. Among the several procedures in extreme value theory, the appropriate way to deal with the species accumulation curve is the so-called block minima procedure. We first provide a brief description of this approach and the relevant formulas. We then illustrate the application of the block minima approach using data on tree species from a 50 ha plot in Barro Colorado Island, Panama. We conclude by discussing the extent to which the assumptions under which the extreme types theorem occurs are confirmed by the data. Although we recognize limitations to the present application of extreme value theory, we predict that it will provide fertile ground for future work on the theory of SARs and its application in the fields of ecology, biogeography and conservation. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

As borboletas (Lepdoptera), por serem coloridas e de fácil visualização, são ótimas bandeiras para conservação. Também são boas indicadoras ambientais e úteis no monitoramento de ecossistemas. O objetivo desse estudo foi realizar análise da composição, riqueza e abundância das borboletas do Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico (MHNJB) UFMG, relacionando esses parâmetros com a sazonalidade. As coletas foram realizadas bimestralmente durante um ano (entre junho de 2016 e maio de 2017). Cada amostragem foi realizada por dois dias, com o uso de redes entomológicas em cada uma das quatro áreas predeterminadas, num total de 48 horas de esforço amostral. Foram coletadas 571 borboletas de 95 espécies, sendo 40 singletons e 14 doubletons. A abundância e a riqueza não variaram entre os meses (F = 1,227, p = 0,337; F = 1,34, p = 0,378, respectivamente) e nem entre as estações (F = 0,7749, p = 0,388; F = 1,0045, p = 0,327, respectivamente). Já a composição das espécies diferiu entre os meses (p = 0,003) e entre as estações (p = 0,017). A curva de acúmulo de espécies não se estabilizou, indicando que há mais espécies para serem amostradas nas matas (áreas T1, T2, T3 e T4) do Museu.

The objective of this study was to determine the structure and composition of the molluscan community in two different intertidal profiles of the Bhitarkanika mangrove ecosystem of Odisha. Investigations on four study stations revealed the occurrence of 37 molluscan species represented by 25 gastropods and 12 bivalves. The comparative assessment demonstrated that molluscan species assemblage and diversity varied in the two different intertidal profiles with significantly higher abundance (P-value = 2.912e-11) at the mid-intertidal zone than the high intertidal zone. The species accumulation curve also indicates higher species accumulation in the mid intertidal zone as compared to the high intertidal zone. The two different zones were also found to differ significantly in physico-chemical parameters. Taken together, the observations demonstrated that hydrological and soil environmental conditions such as salinity, temperature, pH, electron conductivity and soil biomass carbon may influence the dispersion and distribution of benthic molluscan faunal assemblages among different mangrove habitats. The results highlighted the need for long-term studies and perspective when evaluating conservation practices in mangrove ecosystems.

The goal of this work was to study the species composition, the use of breeding sites, and the seasonal patterns of breeding activity of the anuran fauna from Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho - Núcleo Sete Barras, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. Fieldwork was carried out from September 2005 to October 2007 through two main methods: active visual search inside a 10 ha- permanent plot and aural and visual search in seven previously selected aquatic breeding habitats. Species richness was related to the sampling effort by means of species accumulation curve and through non-parametric estimators. Thirty-three species distributed in 12 families were recorded, from which 69% are endemic to the Atlantic Forest. Trachycephalus mesophaeus represents a new record for the park. Cycloramphus lutzorum is included as Data Deficient in the IUCN list. The species accumulation curve did not stabilize, showing some tendency to rise. The use of breeding sites by 20 species was compared using cluster analysis, which revealed two major groups: the first with five species (two habitat generalists and three stream specialists) and the second composed by the other species (with different reproductive modes associated with flooded environments). The breeding period of most species was associated to the rainy season (October to February), and only Scinax hayii showed continuous breeding activity during the entire period of study. Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a composição de espécies, o uso de habitats reprodutivos e os padrões sazonais de atividade reprodutiva da anurofauna do Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho - Núcleo Sete Barras, estado de São Paulo, sudeste do Brasil. O trabalho de campo foi desenvolvido de setembro de 2005 a outubro de 2007 por meio de dois métodos principais: procura visual ativa no interior de uma parcela permanente de 10 ha e busca visual e acústica em sete habitats aquáticos de reprodução previamente selecionados. A riqueza de espécies foi relacionada com o esforço amostral por meio de curvas de acumulação de espécies e estimadores não-paramétricos. Foram registradas 33 espécies distribuídas em 12 famílias, 69% das quais são endêmicas da Mata Atlântica. Trachycephalus mesophaeus representa um novo registro para o parque. Cycloramphus lutzorum está incluída como Deficiente em Dados na lista da IUCN. A curva de acumulação de espécie não se estabilizou, mostrando alguma tendência de crescimento. A similaridade no uso dos ambientes aquáticos por 20 espécies foi avaliada por meio de uma análise de agrupamento, que revelou dois grupos: o primeiro com cinco espécies (duas generalistas de habitat e três especialistas de riachos) e o segundo formado pelas demais espécies (com diferentes modos reprodutivos associados a ambientes aquáticos lênticos). O período reprodutivo da maioria das espécies esteve associado à estação chuvosa (outubro a março), e apenas Scinax hayii mostrou atividade reprodutiva contínua durante todo o período de estudo.

Pandey N, Khanal L, Chapagain N, Singh KD, Bhattarai BP, Chalise MK. 2021. Bird community structure as a function of habitat heterogeneity: A case of Mardi Himal, Central Nepal. Biodiversitas 22: 262-271. Community structure of birds at different habitat types is underexplored in the montane environment of the central Himalaya. Therefore, this study explored bird community structure in different habitat types in Mardi Himal of the Annapurna Conservation Area, central Nepal, and tested association of different feeding guilds with the habitats. Data on the avian richness and abundance were collected in the winter and the summer of 2019 by point count method along the elevational gradient in every 100 m rise and analyzed using ordination methods. A total of 673 individuals of 112 bird species from 35 families under 13 orders were recorded. Among the observed orders and families, the order Passeriformes (77 species) and family Muscicapidae (16 species) were the most dominant. A linear species accumulation curve was obtained in both seasons. Species richness and abundance were found higher at forest edges of mid-elevations and insectivores were the most abundant birds. Frugivorous and carnivorous birds showed no specific association with habitat types, whereas, insectivores and omnivores were more abundant in pastureland and forest, respectively. Our results revealed that the community composition of birds varies with the habitat types and their feeding specialization is one of the major determinants.

Syrphid flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are a cosmopolitan group of flower-visiting insects, though their diversity and importance as pollinators is understudied and often unappreciated. Data on 1,477 Syrphid occurrences and floral associations from three years of pollinator collection (2017-2019) in the Southern Illinois region of Illinois, United States, are here compiled and analyzed. We collected 69 species in 36 genera off of the flowers of 157 plant species. While a richness of 69 species is greater than most other families of flower-visiting insects in our region, a species accumulation curve and regional species pool estimators suggest that at least 33 species are yet uncollected. In order to further the understanding of Syrphidae as pollinators in the Southern Illinois region, we produced a NMDS ordination of floral associations for the most common syrphid species. The NMDS did not sort syrphid species into discrete ecological guilds, and syrphid floral associations generally fit those predicted by traditional pollination syndromes. We also conducted a preliminary analysis of the pollen-carrying capacity of different syrphid taxa, which found severalEristalisspecies to carry pollen loads comparable to the European Honey Bee,Apis mellifera, and showed significant differences in the pollen-carrying capacity of various syrphid species. Notably, the extremely common genusToxomerusand other small Syrphinae species carried very little pollen, while large and pilose Eristalinae species carried large pollen loads.

Rachman A. 2020. Checklist and estimation of total number of phytoplankton species in Pari, Tidung, and Payung Islands, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 2446-2454. A checklist of phytoplankton species from an anthropogenically pressured ecosystem has become a necessity to study the marine ecosystem changes and to detect the presence of introduced species in the area. This study aimed to list and describe the phytoplankton community in the Tidung, Pari, and Payung Islands and to estimate the total number of phytoplankton species in those islands. Sampling was conducted in May 2019 in 10 sites, consisted of 5 sites around Pari Island, 1 site next to Payung Island, and 4 sites around Tidung Island. As many as 150 species of phytoplankton, consisted of 109 species of diatoms, 38 species of dinoflagellates, 3 species of cyanobacteria, were recorded in this study. However, up to 47 phytoplankton species were estimated to be missing from the current sampling effort. Three diatom species, Chaetoceros curvisetus, Chaetoceros distans, and Chaetoceros affinis were the most abundant and most common species in the studied areas. Dinoflagellates were found in low density and have limited distribution compared to diatoms. Tripos trichoceros, Tripos fusus, and Tripos macroceros were the three most common dinoflagellates in the studied islands. Several notable harmful species, such as Pseudo-nitzschia spp., Alexandrium sp., Tripos furca, Cochlodinium sp., Dinophysis miles, Prorocentrum lima, and Noctiluca scintillans, were present albeit with low cell density. However, concern on future blooms of those harmful species in the greater water regions (i.e. Seribu Island or Jakarta Bay) should be noted, as it might cause environmental damages, including a shift in species dominance and disappearance of some native phytoplankton species from the ecosystem in the future.

The Guareí River is a tributary of the Paranapanema River (Brazil), located in the upper portion of the Jurumirim Reservoir. Fish fauna studies in this watershed began in the 2000s, but they were restricted to a few waterbodies. This work conducted a broad survey of the fish fauna in tributary streams and the main channel of the Guareí River. Sampling occurred between February 2017 and November 2018 at 36 sites and using different collection methods. We captured 2,169 specimens belonging to 50 species, 16 families and 6 orders. The species accumulation curve tended to stabilize but indicated that species richness is underestimated. Almost all species are native (46); only three were non-native (Hyphessobrycon eques, Oreochromis niloticus and Poecilia reticulata) and one was undefined (Gymnotus pantanal). Among the native species, two are unknown to science (Bryconamericus aff. iheringii and Hypostomus sp. n.) and three are migratory (Leporinus friderici, Megaleporinus obtusidens and Pimelodus maculatus). In this paper, we provide images of species collected. Results indicate that the Guareí River basin is a hotspot of fish diversity in the Upper Paranapanema River, stressing the need for adequate management and conservation actions. Resumo: O Rio Guareí é um afluente do Rio Paranapanema (Brasil), localizado na parte superior do reservatório de Jurumirim. Os estudos da fauna de peixes nesta bacia hidrográfica começaram nos anos 2000, mas estão restritos a poucos corpos d’água. Este trabalho realizou um amplo levantamento da ictiofauna em tributários e no canal principal do Rio Guareí. As amostragens ocorreram entre Fevereiro de 2017 e Novembro de 2018 em 36 sítios e utilizando diferentes métodos de coleta. Capturamos 2.169 espécimes pertencentes a 50 espécies, 16 famílias e 6 ordens. A curva de acumulação de espécies tendeu a se estabilizar, mas indicou que a riqueza de espécies está subestimada. Quase todas as espécies são nativas (46); apenas três não nativas (Hyphessobrycon eques, Oreochromis niloticus, e Poecilia reticulata) e uma não definida (Gymnotus pantanal). Entre as espécies nativas, duas são desconhecidas da ciência (Bryconamericus aff. iheringii e Hypostomus sp. n.) e três migradoras (Leporinus friderici, Megaleporinus obtusidens e Pimelodus maculatus). Neste artigo, fornecemos imagens das espécies coletadas. Os resultados indicam que a bacia do Rio Guareí é uma região importante em termos de diversidade de peixes no alto Rio Paranapanema, enfatizando a necessidade de ações adequadas de manejo e conservação.

Although the Kimberley coast situated in north-western Australia has been recognized as one of the world’s least human-impacted coastal areas, many knowledge gaps remain and the diversity and extent of marine life in the Kimberley nearshore habitats, north-west Australian remains. One region that has not been comprehensively surveyed is the King George River, far north-eastern Kimberley. Consequently, a multi-taxon biodiversity and habitat survey was conducted in 2014. The survey included 146 stations ranging from the base of the King George River twin waterfalls to the mouth of the river and 15 km offshore into the Timor Sea. The King George River region contains at least eleven habitat types. As the river bends some four and a half kilometres upstream from the mouth, there are extensive stands of mangroves. Rocky shores occur along the coast. Lesueur Islet is a low, vegetated islet surrounded by a fringing coral reef. Subtidally, the reef supports a diverse coral fauna and algal flora. Deep-water sedimentary and filter feeder communities occur offshore around and beyond Lesueur Islet. A total of 1374 animal and plant lots were collected, comprising about 3500 specimens. A total of 796 species were recorded. There were at least nine new species discovered of which five have since been named. The new species comprised five crustaceans and four echinoderms. In addition, there were eleven new records for Australia (one Cnidarian, two Echinoderms, multiple molluscs, eight crustaceans) and eighteen new records for Western Australia (all Crustaceans.) Our species accumulation curve analyses suggest true species richness may have been much higher than this and that we sampled a small area from a highly diverse community. Total richness is anticipated to be far higher. It is likely that the results are, in part, due to under sampling of hard bottom substrate in the region.

Resumo. Os esfingídeos são considerados um grupo bioindicador, com espécies indicadoras de continuidade da vegetação original e outras indicadoras de perturbação. O objetivo do presente estudo é realizar análise faunística das comunidades de Sphingidae em dois fragmentos de mata secundária na Região Leste maranhense. Foram realizadas coletas mensais em fragmentos de mata secundária, nos municípios de Caxias e Codó, entre fevereiro/2015 e outubro/2016. Os espécimes foram obtidos por meio de armadilha luminosa. Foram calculadas a frequência relativa, abundância, constância, dominância, diversidade, estimativas de riqueza e obteve-se a curva de acúmulo de espécies. Foram obtidos 254 espécimes de 33 espécies, distribuídas em 16 gêneros. No fragmento localizado em Caxias (Povoado Chapada-PC), três espécies são predominantes e sete espécies são raras; em Codó (Fazenda Santa Rita-FSR), duas espécies são predominantes e cinco são raras. O fragmento FSR expressa maior diversidade que o PC, no entanto, os estimadores de riqueza apontam para menor possibilidade de acréscimo no número de espécies da comunidade da FSR. As comunidades estudadas possuem maior similaridade com outras comunidades mais distantes que entre si. Os dados comprovam a heterogeneidade da composição faunística existente no Maranhão denota alta diversidade, mas também alta fragilidade.Sphingidae (Lepidoptera) Occurrents in The East of Maranhão, BrazilAbstract. The hawkmoths is considered a bioindicator group with indicator species of continuity of the original vegetation and other indicators of disturbance. The objective of this study is analysis of faunal Sphingidae communities in two secondary forest fragments in the Eastern Region Maranhão. Monthly collections were carried out in fragments of secondary forest, in the municipalities of Caxias and Codó, between February/2015 and October/2016. The specimens were obtained by light trap. Relative frequency, abundance, constancy, dominance, diversity, richness estimates were calculated and the species accumulation curve was obtained. 254 specimens were obtained from 33 species, distributed in 16 genera. In the fragment located in Caxias (Pavoado Chapada-PC), three species are predominant and seven species are rare; in Codó (Fazenda Santa Rita-FSR), two species are predominant and five are rare. The FSR fragment expressed greater diversity than the PC, however, the richness estimators indicate less likely to increase in the number of species of the FSR community. The communities studied have greater similarity with other communities more distant than each other. The data prove the heterogeneity of the existing fauna composition in Maranhão, denoting high diversity but high fragility.

A study on amphibian community at Gunung Raya, Pulau Langkawi was conducted in order to identify amphibian species richness and species distribution pattern along an elevation gradient. Species richness and distribution pattern of amphibians along an elevational gradient could explain factors that determine ecological processes in a particular highland. Passive sampling method by using two types of traps namely Drift- fenced pitfall trap and PVC pipe trap were used from February 2014 until January 2015. 100 individual comprise of 10 species amphibian were recorded. Leptobrachium smithii were the most abundant (n=37) followed by Megophrys aceras (n=28). Rank abundance curve for amphibian community show a Broken Stick pattern (χ2=12.67, p=0.12). Species accumulation curve does not level off to an asymptote, indicating insufficient sample size despite intensive sampling effort. Estimation analysis by using Chao 1 predictor produces 12 amphibian species based on 100 pooled individuals. A weak positive exponential function fits the distribution pattern of amphibian abundance (y=0.0028x+13.39), reflecting species domination towards the peak. A negative exponential function fits distribution pattern of amphibian species number across the elevation gradient (y=-0.0091x+7.247), due to the lack of permanent water resource at the upper elevation. These results indicated that by understanding the upland ecology of amphibians, important decisions may be critical for designing conservation efforts and planning land use.

Bat surveys at Gunung Gading National Park (GGNP) were conducted for 29 non-consecutive nights, which consisted of five separate sampling sessions from November 2011 until November 2015. A total of 378 individuals representing 36 species from six families were captured, from an accumulated effort of 435 trapping nights. This corresponds to approximately 39% (n=36) of the total species recorded in Borneo. The most commonly captured species in GGNP for insectivorous bats was Rhinolophus affinis (20.1%), whereas for frugivorous bats Penthetor lucasi (14.3%) dominated the capture. Species accumulation curve reached asymptote on the 24th sampling night suggesting that sampling saturation has been achieved for the trapping sites studied here. The species diversity (H’= 2.75) showed relatively high diversity of bat species in the park compared to other actively surveyed sites in western Sarawak including Bako National Park (Bako NP), Kubah National Park (Kubah NP) and Mount Penrisen (Mt Penrisen). This was further supported through rarefaction analysis showing that GGNP has largest value of estimated species compared to other actively surveyed sites in western Sarawak. Lunar phase and bat capture rate correlation analysis showed that there is no statistically significant relationship between lunar phase and the bat capture rate at GGNP. This suggests that bat activity reported here were not affected by moonlight. The results from these surveys provided the most comprehensive list of bats for GGNP. Our study highlights the importance of GGNP as an important habitat for bat conservation including the rare bat species found in Borneo, Phoniscus atrox.

The current account presents the results of a 14-day amphibian survey at Maliau Basin Conservation Area (MBCA). With a total of approximately 170 man-hrs, 44 species were detected at four study sites during the field period; four more species were later discovered outside the two-week campaign. The results are compared to the results of previous surveys. Apart from adults, we present the first photographic documentation of the larval stages ofChiromantisinexpectatusand BorneanPhrynoidisjuxtaspera, along with a brief tadpole description; the better-known tadpoles of four more species were recorded. The results of our expedition suggest that nine more species are present at MBCA than reported by previous studies. We present an updated list of known species in the MBCA, comprising 61 species. The species accumulation curve over the 14 days period of the core survey did not show signs of asymptotic saturation. We conclude that the definitive species number for MBCA amphibians has the potential to increase with more thorough surveys in the future.

1. The invasion of alien plants into natural ecosystems in South Africa is a substantial conservation concern. The primary reason for the introduction of alien plants has been ornamental horticulture, and urban centres are the main sources of invasions. Small towns have high edge: area ratios which favour the launching of invasions into surrounding areas. There is, however, a shortage of information at the global and local scale on the occurrence, distribution, and status of alien plants in an urban context. 2. We surveyed all alien plants in the small town of Riebeek Kasteel in the Western Cape, South Africa, to gain insights on where to find alien plant species, and to assist with future studies and the management of alien floras in small towns. 3. We surveyed publically accessible land, recording the abundance of all alien plant species every 10 m of road. A species accumulation curve was compiled to show the rate at which new species were encountered. This approach was used to test the efficacy of different sampling strategies. 4. Two hundred and ninety eight alien plant taxa were recorded in five land-use types. Half of the alien plant species recorded were naturalised within the town, while a third were invasive in the region (the Berg River catchment). 95% of the taxa, including many invasive species, occurred in gardens or adjoining road-sides, highlighting the invasion risk posed by ornamental horticulture. The most efficient way of collecting data on alien plant distribution for this town would have been to survey roads in the town centre first, rather than urban-edge roads and industrial areas. 5. Synthesis and applications: The gardens of small towns in South Africa harbour a high diversity of alien plants, many of which are already invasive or are potentially invasive. As the alien flora differs markedly between gardens, it is difficult to extrapolate generalised rules of thumb on where to survey. This means that compiling accurate inventories of alien plants in urban areas requires substantial search effort and taxonomic expertise.

The Humid Chaco has a high mammalian biodiversity. As habitats are threatened due to exploitation and environmentaldegradation, protected areas can act as refuges for wild animals. In 2006, ca 1,100 ha of gallery forest wereestablished as the “Owl Monkey Reserve” within the private cattle ranch “Estancia Guaycoléc”. The mammalianspecies richness and composition of the reserve was determined using direct observations, camera traps, and indirectevidence. The camera traps also allowed us to determine the activity periods of 20 of the species. Forty-two specieswere recorded. A fourth of those species (24%) are categorized under some risk of extinction in Argentina. While mostspecies showed usual activity periods, 2 species (Mazama americana and Tayassu pecari) were not as exclusivelynocturnal as reported from other sites, possibly due to reduced hunting pressure. The presence of various endangeredspecies highlights the importance of protected private reserves.

1. For managed temperate forests, conservationists and policymakers favour fine-grained uneven-aged management over more traditional coarse-grained even-aged management, based on the assumption that within-stand habitat heterogeneity enhances biodiversity. There is, however, little empirical evidence to support this assumption. We investigated for the first time how differently grained forest management systems affect the biodiversity of multiple above- and below-ground taxa across spatial scales. 2. We sampled 15 taxa of animals, plants, fungi and bacteria within the largest contiguous beech forest landscape of Germany and classified them into functional groups. Selected forest stands have been managed for more than a century at different spatial grains. The even-aged (coarse-grained management) and uneven-aged (fine-grained) forests are comparable in spatial arrangement, climate and soil conditions. These were compared to forests of a nearby national park that have been unmanaged for at least 20 years. We used diversity accumulation curves to compare γ-diversity for Hill-numbers 0D (species richness), 1D (Shannon diversity) and 2D (Simpson diversity) between the management systems. Beta diversity was quantified as multiple-site dissimilarity. 3. Gamma diversity was higher in even-aged than in uneven-aged forests for at least one of the three Hillnumbers for six taxa (up to 77%), while eight showed no difference. Only bacteria showed the opposite pattern. Higher γ-diversity in even-aged forests was also found for forest specialists and saproxylic beetles. 4. Between-stand β-diversity was higher in even-aged than in uneven-aged forests for one third (all species) and half (forest specialists) of all taxa, driven by environmental heterogeneity between age-classes, while α-diversity showed no directional response across taxa or for forest specialists. 5. Synthesis and applications. Comparing even-aged and uneven-aged forest management in Central European beech forests, our results show that a mosaic of different age-classes is more important for regional biodiversity than high within-stand heterogeneity. We suggest reconsidering the current trend of replacing even-aged management in temperate forests. Instead, the variability of stages and stand structures should be increased to promote landscape scale biodiversity.

Bat species in Neotropical regions are known to reach a high diversity. The Chiropteran fauna contributes significantly to the ecological dynamics of tropical forests and are excellent indicators of the state of conservation. The Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz has suffered severe habitat degradation and forest fragmentation in the last four decades, mostly due to anthropogenic activities. The main objective of the present study was to describe in terms of species richness, feeding guild, biomass, and dominance, the little known bat community of the Parque de Flora and Fauna Silvestre Tropical (PAFFASIT) in the municipality of Catemaco, Veracruz. We expected that after nearly 30 years of ambient protection that this study site would maintain its functional diversity, as well as complexity in the bat understory assemblage. Since the relationship between richness and abundance is regulated by area size and the structural complexity of the vegetation, we hypothesize that in the PAFFASIT, a small number of species in the understory are dominant in terms of abundance and biomass. Fieldwork was conducted from November 2007 to November 2008. Sixteen mist nets were operated on four consecutive nights monthly from dusk until 0300 hours. All bats captured were processed and released in the field. We estimate the overall species diversity. A species accumulation curve over time was constructed. All species were assigned a feeding guild. Sampling effort totaled 1344 net/hours. We captured a total of 509 individuals, which represented 22 species. The Phyllostomidae family accounted for 98% of the total captures. Four species of this family, Sturnira parvidens, Carollia sowelli, Artibeus jamaicensis and Glossophaga soricina, alone accounted for 79 % of the total captures. The frugivore guild had the highest number of species (68 % of total captures). Two species, S. parvidens and C. sowelli, represented 57 % of the total gross biomass of the sample. The Shannon-Wiener Index value was 1.97 for the overall sample. New species were added slowly each month, but after nine months the accumulation curve tended to reach an asymptote. Nine species were added to the bat inventory for this site. In PAFFASIT due to the slow accumulation of species the number of bat species may increase as more surveys are carried out. In our study, we initially hypothesized a dominance by a few species. Our results concur with our prediction; as we found four species, S. parvidens, C. sowelli, A. jamaicensis and G. soricina that dominated the bat assemblage. In agreement with our hypothesis, results revealed the presence of a rich understory assemblage of bat species, which is similar to other findings in neotropical forests, but with a different species composition. The four species, belonging to the Phyllostomidae family accounted for 79 % of all captures, as well as 68 % of the total captures of the frugivore guild. The PAFFASIT forest reserve probably serves as an important link between two large areas of relatively well-preserved rainforest immersed in an anthropogenic landscape. The bat community, we observed at the PAFFASIT seems to be a simplification of that of mature rainforests in Los Tuxtlas, and it is noteworthy the absence of rare or sensitive animalivorous bat species such a as Chrotopterus auritus, Lophostoma evotis, Trachops cirrhosus and Vampyrum spectrum.

Nature-based tourism is a growing industry in recent years, including underwater trails in clear headwater streams. These activities, however, bring little known impacts, most of them in the individual and population levels. To investigate if human presence can affect the fish community, we compared similar reference and tourism areas in terms of species accumulation curve, ecological indicators (richness, total abundance, diversity and dominance), composition similarity and indicator species. Only fish abundance did not differ between reference and tourism areas. Richness, diversity and dominance were all higher in tourism areas. Fish species composition also differed between reference and tourism, guided by species substitution. We add ecological data to previous behavioral studies that have already evidenced the effects of tourism on fish. We also suggest a strict control of the number and permanence of visitors in the water, the forbiddance of fish feeding and maintenance of the riparian coverage to avoid irreversible damages to these fragile environments.

Effective planning for marine protected areas should be based on conservation targets that are representative of underlying habitats and species distributions. Here, we present the results of an investigation into using species-area relationships (SARs) to define habitat conservation targets for two dominant taxonomic groups (fish and molluscs) using data from the Port Stephens estuary in New South Wales, Australia. Results demonstrated that planning conducted using variable habitat targets, based on SARs, provided significant improvements in representation of habitats and species, compared to planning using uniform (fixed percentage) habitat targets. Planning based on SARs was also found to provide significant improvements in species protection for fish and molluscs when compared with planning implemented without the benefit of detailed biodiversity information. However, SAR targets were found to be sensitive to the function type chosen to represent species distributions (i.e. power-law and exponential), and to the method used for estimation of species richness. Therefore, where SARs are used to set targets in conservation planning, it is important to ensure that they are representative of underlying species distributions. Overall, the improved performance of conservation planning based on SARs indicates the potential for broader application of this technique in planning marine protected areas.

The coastal plain of Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil, presents as characteristic large expanses of wetlands. Some of these environments are of a temporary nature, and thus have a community adapted to periods with water and periods of drought. Among these communities we can highlight the Cladocera, which have the capacity to form structures of dormancy, and due to this adaptation are effective at colonizing these environments. This study aims to identify the Cladocera species present in the temporary aquatic environments of the southern coastal region of Brazil. Samples were collected in 14 temporary aquatic environments using a classical filtering methodology. As results we obtained 64 Cladocera taxa, representing 54% of the total number of species described in Brazil. The number of taxa was high, the species accumulation curve showed a tendency to stabilization, demonstrating that this region possesses a greater richness.

The diversity of tropical marine invertebrates is poorly documented, especially those groups for which collecting adults is difficult. We collected the planktonic tornaria larvae of hemichordates (acorn worms) to assess their hidden diversity in the Neotropics. Larvae were retrieved in plankton tows from waters of the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of Panama, followed by DNA barcoding of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 16S ribosomal DNA to estimate their diversity in the region. With moderate sampling efforts, we discovered six operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the Bay of Panama on the Pacific coast, in contrast to the single species previously recorded for the entire Tropical Eastern Pacific. We found eight OTUs in Bocas del Toro province on the Caribbean coast, compared to seven species documented from adults in the entire Caribbean. All OTUs differed from each other and from named acorn worm sequences in GenBank by >10% pairwise distance in COI and >2% in 16S. Two of our OTUs matched 16S hemichordate sequences in GenBank: one was an unidentified or unnamed Balanoglossus from the Caribbean of Panama, and the other was an unidentified ptychoderid larva from the Bahamas. The species accumulation curves suggest that nearly all the species have been collected and only one more species might still remain undetected in the Pacific. In contrast, the Caribbean species accumulation curve suggests that further sampling could yield more than 10 additional OTUs. Tornaria from the 14 OTUs exhibited typical planktotrophic morphologies, and, in some cases, may be distinguished by differences in pigmentation and by the number of telotrochal ciliary bands, but in general, few diagnostic differences were detected.

Much of the Bornean rainforest has been converted to oil palm plantation. This has resulted in forest fragmentation, which in turn has led to changes in avian assemblages in these fragments. This study: (1) examines the diversity of understorey birds at the edge, in forest fragments, and in neighbouring oil palm plantation; (2) compares the bird assemblages along distance gradients from the forest edge; 3) identifies the species common to both forest and oil palm plantation; and 4) examines seasonal variation (dry and wet season) in bird diversity. Understorey birds were mist-netted from November 2013 to April 2015 (22 680 net-hours). A total of 342 individuals comprising 58 species from 25 families were captured. Sampling effort did not yield an asymptotic species accumulation curve and an estimated 77% of all species were captured. Species diversity was greatest at the edge compared to the forest interior and oil palm interior. Species composition differed along the forest-oil palm gradient, with some species confined to the edge, oil palm and forest habitat. Those edge species that also occurred in the oil palm plantation were relatively abundant. Regular surveys of avian assemblage will aid monitoring of habitat quality and change, as well as ecosystem functionality and the maintenance of vital ecosystem services that benefit both native vegetation and oil palm.

International audience; Beta diversity has long been used to summarize the amount of variation in species composition among a set of N sampling units. However, while classical beta diversity provides an estimate of multiple-site dissimilarity among all sampling units, it is not informative on the changes of multiple-site dissimilarity as a function of sampling effort. For gamma diversity, this pattern is usually represented as a species accumulation curve, which is the graph of the number of observed species when the number of plots varies from 1 to N. Here, we will show that species accumulation curves may also be used to summarize directional and non-directional beta diversity as a function of sampling effort. The behavior of the proposed measures of beta diversity is illustrated with one worked example on plant species in Mediterranean coastal vegetation. We believe this approach to the measurement of beta diversity provides a relevant contribution to summarize multiple-site dissimilarity as the result of a species turnover process, rather than as a static indicator. For directional species accumulation curves, the method, for which we provide a custom R function, further allows summarizing the spatial autocorrelation in species composition among plots along an a-priori defined spatial, temporal or environmental gradient.

The species–area relationship (SAR) constitutes one of the most general ecological patterns globally. A number of different SAR models have been proposed. Recent work has shown that no single model universally provides the best fit to empirical SAR datasets: multiple models may be of practical and theoretical interest. However, there are no software packages available that a) allow users to fit the full range of published SAR models, or b) provide functions to undertake a range of additional SAR‐related analyses. To address these needs, we have developed the R package ‘sars’ that provides a wide variety of SAR‐related functionality. The package provides functions to: a) fit 20 SAR models using non‐linear and linear regression, b) calculate multi‐model averaged curves using various information criteria, and c) generate confidence intervals using bootstrapping. Plotting functions allow users to depict and scrutinize the fits of individual models and multi‐model averaged curves. The package also provides additional SAR functionality, including functions to fit, plot and evaluate the random placement model using a species–sites abundance matrix, and to fit the general dynamic model of oceanic island biogeography. The ‘sars’ R package will aid future SAR research by providing a comprehensive set of simple to use tools that enable in‐depth exploration of SARs and SAR‐related patterns. The package has been designed to allow other researchers to add new functions and models in the future and thus the package represents a resource for future SAR work that can be built on and expanded by workers in the field.

Recent progress in understanding the early evolution of eukaryotes was tied to morphological identification of flagellates and heliozoans in the natural samples, isolation of their cultures and genomic and ultrastructural investigations. These protists are the smallest and least studied microbial eukaryotes but play an important role in functioning of microbial food webs. Using light and electron microscopy, we have studied the diversity of heterotrophic flagellates and centrohelid heliozoans from marine waters of Curacao (The Netherlands Antilles), and provide micrographs and morphological descriptions of observed species. Among 86 flagellates and 3 centrohelids encountered in this survey, five heterotrophic flagellates and one Centrohelid heliozoan were not identified even to the genus. Some flagellate protists have a unique morphology, and may represent undescribed lineages of eukaryotes of high taxonomic rank. The vast majority (89%) of identified flagellates are characterized by wide geographical distribution and had been reported previously from all hemispheres and various climatic regions. More than half of the species were previously observed not only from marine, but also from freshwater habitats. The parameters of the species accumulation curve indicate that our species list obtained for the Curacao study sites is far from complete, and each new sample should yield new species.

Aim The relationship between number of species and area is a well-known macro-ecological property that can be used as an indicator of human impact on natural communities. This relationship can be described by species–area relationships. We explored the application of species–area relationships to data sets of bottom trawl surveys to determine their ability to capture fishing-induced changes in demersal fish communities. Location Australia. Methods We performed numerical simulations to investigate whether species–area relationship was sensitive to changes in community properties, such as richness, species abundances and spatial distribution. Then, we analysed a data set of bottom trawl surveys carried out in south-east Australia spanning 20 years. These data provided information on demersal fish communities at different stages of fishing exploitation. We built species–area relationships along spatial and temporal gradients of community exploitation and used the rate of species accumulation to characterize community structure. Linear mixed effects (LME) models were used to quantify the effect of fishing exploitation on species accumulation rates, while controlling for environmental and sampling factors. Results Numerical simulations showed that species–area relationships can capture changes in community properties. Observed species accumulation rate decreased with increasing exploitation and was sensitive to environmental variation along a latitudinal and depth gradient and to changes in sampling. Main conclusions Species–area relationships applied to trawl survey data can capture fishing-induced changes in the structure of demersal fish communities. We propose that species–area relationships can be used to inform on the status of demersal fish communities and aid community monitoring. If applied to data sets of bottom trawl surveys available world-wide, species–area relationships could be used to rank demersal fish communities for their level of exploitation.

Plant species inventories provide the foundation for more complex analytical studies and are the basis of monitoring programmes; however, if they are to provide reliable information in the long term, their level of completeness needs to be estimated. This work assessed the completeness of inventories of climbing plants and vascular epiphytes in swamp forest remnants of the Araucania region of south-central Chile, which has been severely disturbed by agroforestry expansion. We sampled 30 sites using transects, with observations from ground level to a height of 2.3 m up the trees. To assess the potential existence of unrecorded species we drew rarefaction curves based on sample trees and extrapolated them towards one of the most intensely sampled sites. We then calculated the asymptotic species richness with the Chao 1 estimator. The results showed: (1) a total richness of 16 species of epiphytes and 17 species of climbing plants; (2) the rarefaction curve differentiated only two categories of sampl...

Aim The relationship between species number and area is of fundamental importance in macroecology and conservation science, yet the implications of different means of quantitative depiction of the relationship remain contentious. We set out (1) to establish the variation in form of the relationship between two distinct methods applied to the same habitat island datasets, (2) to explore the relevance of several key dataset properties for variation in the parameters of these relationships, and (3) to assess the implications for application of the resulting models. Locations Global. Methods Through literature search we compiled 97 habitat island datasets. For each we analysed the form of the island species–area relationship (ISAR) and several versions of species accumulation curve (SAC), giving priority to a randomized form (Ran-SAC). Having established the validity of the power model, we compared the slopes (z-values) between the ISAR and the SAC for each dataset. We used boosted regression tree and simulation analyses to investigate the effect of nestedness and other variables in driving observed differences in z-values between ISARs and SACs. Results The Ran-SAC was steeper than the ISAR in 77% of datasets. The differences were primarily driven by the degree of nestedness, although other variables (e.g. the number of islands in a dataset) were also important. The ISAR was often a poor predictor of archipelago species richness. Main conclusions Slopes of the ISAR and SAC for the same data set can vary substantially, revealing their non-equivalence, with implications for applications of species–area curve parameters in conservation science. For example, the ISAR was a poor predictor of archipelagic richness in datasets with a low degree of nestedness. Caution should be employed when using the ISAR for the purposes of extrapolation and prediction in habitat island systems.

Amphipod species collected during three oceanographic campaigns (2010–2012) were analyzed to describe their spatiotemporal community distribution trends and their relationships with bottom water and sediment variables. The results show that the species richness (117 spp.) did not reach its maximum value according to the species accumulation curve (up to 187 spp.). Multivariate analyses and constrained ordinations techniques detected three main amphipod assemblages along the longitudinal gradient (i.e., Western Caribbean, Mid-Yucatan, and West-Yucatan) and during two temporal hydrographic scenarios (i.e., upwelling in 2010–2011 and non-upwelling in 2012). In 2010–2011, low values in species richness and abundance from the Western Caribbean and eastern Mid-Yucatan assemblages were associated with relatively low bottom-water temperatures from the upwelling systems. In 2012, the absence of upwelling and the occurrence of a warm-core anticyclonic eddy seemed to cause an increase in species richness and abundance in the three assemblages. The hydrographic variability and sediment characteristics are suggested as the major environmental drivers that shapes the soft-bottom amphipod community structure and diversity in the Yucatan continental shelf.

Copepods have successfully penetrated the groundwater realm through a series of morphological diversifications and adaptations. Research on this taxon has increased over the past decade because of its potential in revealing the status of groundwater environmental health and biodiversity. Despite efforts in documenting this group in other regions, groundwater copepods in South-East Asia remain barely studied. To date, only 47 species belonging to 22 genera from Harpacticoida, Cyclopoida and Calanoida have been documented from groundwater and groundwater-dependent habitats across the region. The steep species accumulation curve from 1980 up to the present indicates a high possibility of discovering more new species. Spatial distribution shows high local endemicity than regional scales, where some species considered to be rare and endemic were actually common in local habitats. Overall, the low number of records in the region is because of the lack of experts and limited accessibility to groundwater and dependent ecosystems, like aquifers and groundwater wells. A more intensive effort in documenting the diversity and distribution of groundwater copepods and building collaborations between experts in the region is highly needed. This information is important in drafting future conservation and management policies for the groundwater resources in the region.