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1.
Background
Rust fungi are obligate pathogens with multiple life stages often including different spore types and multiple plant hosts. While individual rust pathogens are often associated with specific plants, a wide range of plant species are infected with rust fungi. To study the interactions between these important pathogenic fungi and their host plants, one must be able to differentiate fungal tissue from plant tissue. This can be accomplished using the In situ hybridization (ISH) protocol described here.Results
To validate reproducibility using the ISH protocol, samples of Chrysanthemum × morifolium infected with Puccinia horiana, Gladiolus × hortulanus infected with Uromyces transversalis and Glycine max infected with Phakopsora pachyrhizi were tested alongside uninfected leaf tissue samples. The results of these tests show that this technique clearly distinguishes between rust pathogens and their respective host plant tissues.Conclusions
This ISH protocol is applicable to rust fungi and potentially other plant pathogenic fungi as well. It has been shown here that this protocol can be applied to pathogens from different genera of rust fungi with no background staining of plant tissue. We encourage the use of this protocol for the study of plant pathogenic fungi in paraffin embedded sections of host plant tissue.2.
Context
Despite decades of research, there is an intense debate about the consistency of the hump-shaped pattern describing the relationship between diversity and disturbance as predicted by the intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH). Previous meta-analyses have not explicitly considered interactive effects of disturbance frequency and intensity of disturbance on plant species diversity in terrestrial landscapes.Objective
We conducted meta-analyses to test the applicability of IDH by simultaneously examining the relationship between species richness, disturbance frequency (quantified as time since last disturbance as originally proposed) and intensity of disturbance in forest landscapes.Methods
The effects of disturbance frequency, intensity, and their interaction on species richness was evaluated using a mixed-effects model.Results
We found that species richness peaks at intermediate frequency after both high and intermediate disturbance intensities, but the richness-frequency relationship differed between intensity classes.Conclusions
Our study highlights the need to measure multiple disturbance components that could help reconcile conflicting empirical results on the effect of disturbance on plant species diversity.3.
Tyler R. Bonnell Ria R. Ghai Tony L. Goldberg Raja Sengupta Colin A. Chapman 《Landscape Ecology》2018,33(8):1259-1272
Context
Landscape changes can be an important modifier of disease. Habitat fragmentation commonly results in reduced connectivity in host populations and increased use of the remaining habitat. For environmentally transmitted parasites, this presents a possible trade-off between transmission potential at the local and global level.Objectives
We quantify the effects of fragmentation on the transmission of an environmentally transmitted parasite, teasing apart the relative effects of habitat composition and configuration on both host movement behaviour and subsequent infection patterns.Methods
We use a spatially-explicit epidemiological model to simulate the effects of habitat fragmentation, using, as an example, whipworm (Trichuris sp.) within a red colobus monkey population (Procolobus rufomitratus).Results
We found that habitat fragmentation did not always lead to a trade-off between population connectivity and concentration of habitat use in host movement behaviour or in final population infection patterns. However, our simulation results suggest the spatial configuration of the remaining habitat became increasingly influential on behavioural and infection outcomes as habitat was removed. Additionally, we found common fragmentation metrics provided little ability to explain variation in propagation of infections.Conclusions
Our results suggest an interaction between habitat configuration and composition should be considered when assessing disease related impacts of habitat fragmentation on environmentally transmitted parasites, especially in cases where habitat loss is high (≥?30%). We also propose that spatially-explicit simulations that capture a host’s response to fragmentation could aid in the development of novel landscape metrics targeted towards specific host-parasite-landscape systems.4.
Context
Changes in land use have disruptive effects on community structure, causing many species to disappear, though a few thrive and become pests.Objectives
To gain understanding on how anthropogenic activity changes spatial patterns of native species diversity while favoring pests, we conducted rapid biodiversity assessments of dacine fruit flies across eight regions in Southeast Asia.Methods
Male lure traps were maintained for 2 days along transects at 233 sites, in forest, agricultural and urban environments.Results
A total of 8393 individuals were collected, belonging to 57 described and 4 new or unidentified species. The majority (78 %) of individuals belonged to 14 pest species, dominated by Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). The 57 species represent 38 % of those recorded from the region, indicating effective sampling. Individual flies were collected in highest numbers in urban and agricultural sites, but species diversity was low. Forest samples yielded fewer specimens but highest species diversity, suggesting a shift in community structure after disturbance, benefiting a few pest species at the expense of the broader community, even in the same genus and ecological guild.Conclusions
Dacine fruit flies may be useful in assessing habitat quality and bait systems permit the execution of rapid biodiversity and multi-species conservation assessments. Our results apply to broader patterns concerning biodiversity loss and the emergence of pest species under increasingly intensive land use gradients, and demonstrate the remarkable loss of biodiversity over very narrow distances as forest is converted into agricultural use, hence the importance in maintaining a mosaic of native habitats.5.
Grant S. Joseph Colleen L. Seymour Bernard W. T. Coetzee Mduduzi Ndlovu Luana Deng Kelly Fowler James Hagan Brian J. Brooks Jackson A. Seminara Stefan H. Foord 《Landscape Ecology》2018,33(5):731-742
Context
With global change, microclimates become important refuges for temperature-sensitive, range-restricted organisms. In African savannas, woody vegetation on Macrotermes mounds create widely-dispersed microclimates significantly cooler than the surrounding matrix, which buffer against elevated temperatures at the finer scale of mounds, allowing species to persist at the landscape scale. Termite colonies cultivate symbiotic fungi to digest lignin, but the fungi require temperatures between 29 and 32 °C, which termites strive to maintain. Mound-associated vegetation is a hot-spot for elephant herbivory, so removal of woody species cover by elephants could influence mound-associated microclimates, impacting temperature regulation by termites.Objectives
We explored the interaction between two prominent ecosystem engineers (termites and elephants) to ascertain whether elephant removal of mound woody cover affects (1) external mound-associated microclimate and (2) internal mound temperature.Methods
We surveyed 44 mounds from three sites in Kruger National Park, South Africa, during an El Niño/Southern Oscillation-induced drought and heatwave, recording whether sub-canopy, external, mound-surface and internal mound temperatures varied with vegetation removal by elephant.Results
Elephant damage to mound-associated vegetation reduces the fine-scale microclimate effect provided by vegetation on Macrotermes mounds. Despite this, termites were able to regulate internal mound temperatures, whereas internal temperatures of abandoned mounds increased with elevated surface temperatures.Conclusions
Termites can persist despite loss of mound-associated microclimates, but the loss likely increases energetic costs of mound thermoregulation. Since mound vegetation buffers against drought, loss of widely-dispersed, fine-scale microclimates could increase as megaherbivores remain constrained to protected areas, impacting climate-sensitive organisms and ecosystem function at a range of scales.6.
Context
Amphibians are declining worldwide and land use change to agriculture is recognized as a leading cause. Argentina is undergoing an agriculturalization process with rapid changes in landscape structure.Objectives
We evaluated anuran response to landscape composition and configuration in two landscapes of east-central Argentina with different degrees of agriculturalization. We identified sensitive species and evaluated landscape influence on communities and individual species at two spatial scales.Methods
We compared anuran richness, frequency of occurrence, and activity between landscapes using call surveys data from 120 sampling points from 2007 to 2009. We evaluated anuran responses to landscape structure variables estimated within 250 and 500-m radius buffers using canonical correspondence analysis and multimodel inference from a set of candidate models.Results
Anuran richness was lower in the landscape with greater level of agriculturalization with reduced amount of forest cover and stream length. This pattern was driven by the lower occurrence and calling activity of seven out of the sixteen recorded species. Four species responded positively to the amount of forest cover and stream habitat. Three species responded positively to forest cohesion and negatively to rural housing. Two responded negatively to crop area and diversity of cover classes.Conclusions
Anurans within agricultural landscapes of east-central Argentina are responding to landscape structure. Responses varied depending on species and study scale. Life-history traits contribute to responses differences. Our study offers a better understanding of landscape effects on anurans and can be used for land management in other areas experiencing a similar agriculturalization process.7.
Yohan?Charbonnier Pierre?Gaüzère Inge?van?Halder Julien?Nezan Jean-Yves?Barnagaud Hervé?Jactel Luc?Barbaro
Context
In heterogeneous landscapes, habitat complementation is a key process underlying the distribution of mobile species able to exploit non-substitutable resources over large home ranges. For instance, insectivorous bats need to forage in a diversity of habitat patches offering varied compositions and structures within forest landscape mosaics to fulfill their life cycle requirements.Objectives
We aimed at analyzing the effects of forest structure and composition measured at the stand and landscape scales on bat species richness, abundance and community composition in pine plantation forests of south-western France.Methods
We sampled bat communities at different periods of the summer season using automatic ultrasound recorders along a tree composition gradient from pine monocultures to pure oak stands. We analyzed bat species activity (as a proxy for bat abundance) and species richness with linear mixed models. Distance-based constrained ordinations were used to partition the spatio-temporal variation in bat communities.Results
Deciduous tree cover increased bat activity and modified community composition at both stand and landscape scales. Changes in bat communities were mostly driven by landscape-scale variables while bat activity responded more to stand-scale predictors.Conclusions
The maintenance of deciduous trees at both stand and landscape scales is likely critical for bat communities living in fast-growing conifer plantations, by increasing the availability and diversity of prey and roosting sites. Our study suggests that bats respond to forest composition at both stand and landscape scales in mosaic plantation landscapes, mainly through a resource complementation process.8.
Context
In response to predominantly local and private approaches to landscape change, landscape ecologists should critically assess the multiscalar influences on landscape design.Objectives
This study develops a governance framework for Nassauer and Opdam’s “Design-in-Science” model. Its objective is to create an approach for examining hierarchical constraints on landscape design in order to investigate linkages among urban greening initiatives, patterns of landscape change, and the broader societal values driving those changes. It aims to provide an integrative and actionable approach for landscape sustainability science.Methods
This framework is examined through an ethnographic study of public policy processes surrounding the urban tree initiatives in Boston, MA; Philadelphia, PA; and Baltimore, MD.Results
These initiatives demonstrate the impact of political and economic decentralization on urban landscape patterns. Their collaborative governance approach incorporates diverse resources to implement programming at a fine-scale. The predominant tree giveaway program fragments the urban and regional forest.Conclusion
Spatial and temporal fragmentation undermines the long-term security of urban greening programs, and it suggests reconsideration of the role of state regimes in driving broad scale spatial planning.9.
José M. Herrera Isa de Sá Teixeira Javier Rodríguez-Pérez António Mira 《Landscape Ecology》2016,31(4):731-743
Context
Seed dispersal is recognized as having profound effects on the distribution, dynamics and structure of plant populations and communities. However, knowledge of how landscape structure shapes carnivore-mediated seed dispersal patterns is still scarce, thereby limiting our understanding of large-scale plant population processes.Objectives
We aim to determine how the amount and spatial configuration of forest cover impacted the relative abundance of carnivorous mammals, and how these effects cascaded through the seed dispersal kernels they generated.Methods
Camera traps activated by animal movement were used for carnivore sampling. Colour-coded seed mimics embedded in common figs were used to know the exact origin of the dispersed seed mimics later found in carnivore scats. We applied this procedure in two sites differing in landscape structure.Results
We did not find between-site differences in the relative abundance of the principal carnivore species contributing to seed dispersal patterns, Martes foina. Mean dispersal distance and the probability of long dispersal events were higher in the site with spatially continuous and abundant forest cover, compared to the site with spatially aggregated and scarcer forest cover. Seed deposition closely matched the spatial patterning of forest cover in both study sites, suggesting behaviour-based mechanisms underpinning seed dispersal patterns generated by individual frugivore species.Conclusions
Our results provide the first empirical evidence of the impact of landscape structure on carnivore-mediated seed dispersal kernels. They also indicate that seed dispersal kernels generated strongly depend on the effect that landscape structure exerts on carnivore populations, particularly on habitat-use preferences.10.
P.-A. Herrault L. Larrieu S. Cordier U. Gimmi T. Lachat A. Ouin J.-P. Sarthou D. Sheeren 《Landscape Ecology》2016,31(4):877-893
Context
Hoverflies are often used as bio-indicators for ecosystem conservation, but only few studies have actually investigated the key factors explaining their richness in woodlands.Objectives
In a fragmented landscape in southwest France, we investigated the joint effects of woodland area, structural heterogeneity, connectivity and history on the species richness of forest-specialist hoverflies, and whether there was a time lag in the response of hoverflies to habitat changes, and tested the effect of spatiotemporal changes.Methods
Current species richness was sampled in 48 woodlands using 99 Malaise traps. Structural variables were derived from a rapid habitat assessment protocol. Old maps and aerial photographs were used to extract past and present spatial patterns of the woodlands since 1850. Relationships between species richness and explanatory variables were explored using generalized linear models.Results
We show that current habitat area, connectivity, historical continuity and the average density of tree-microhabitats explained 35 % of variation in species richness. Species richness was affected differently by changes in patch area between 1979 and 2010, depending on woodland connectivity. In isolated woodlands, extinction debt and colonization credit were revealed, showing that even several decades are not sufficient for hoverflies to adapt to landscape-scale habitat conditions.Conclusions
These findings emphasise the importance of maintaining connectedness between woodlands, which facilitates the dispersion in a changing landscape. Our results also highlight the benefits of using a change-oriented approach to explain the current distribution patterns of species, especially when several spatial processes act jointly.11.
W. Ullmann C. Fischer K. Pirhofer-Walzl S. Kramer-Schadt N. Blaum 《Landscape Ecology》2018,33(9):1505-1517
Context
Movement is one of the key mechanisms for animals to deal with changes within their habitats. Therefore, resource variability can impact animals’ home range formation, especially in spatially and temporally highly dynamic landscapes, such as farmland. However, the movement response to resource variability might depend on the underlying landscape structure.Objectives
We investigated whether a given landscape structure affects the level of home range size adaptation in response to resource variability. We tested whether increasing resource variability forces herbivorous mammals to increase their home ranges.Methods
In 2014 and 2015 we collared 40 European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) with GPS-tags to record hare movements in two regions in Germany with differing landscape structures. We examined hare home range sizes in relation to resource availability and variability by using the normalized difference vegetation index as a proxy.Results
Hares in simple landscapes showed increasing home range sizes with increasing resource variability, whereas hares in complex landscapes did not enlarge their home range.Conclusions
Animals in complex landscapes have the possibility to include various landscape elements within their home ranges and are more resilient against resource variability. But animals in simple landscapes with few elements experience shortcomings when resource variability becomes high. The increase in home range size, the movement related increase in energy expenditure, and a decrease in hare abundances can have severe implications for conservation of mammals in anthropogenic landscapes. Hence, conservation management could benefit from a better knowledge about fine-scaled effects of resource variability on movement behaviour.12.
Background
Protein phosphorylation is one of the most important post-translational modifications catalyzed by protein kinases in living organisms. The advance of genome sequencing provided the information of protein kinase families in many organisms, including both model and non-model plants. The development of proteomics technologies also enabled scientists to efficiently reveal a large number of protein phosphorylations of an organism. However, kinases and phosphorylation targets are still to be connected to illustrate the complicated network in life.Results
Here we adapted Pro-Q® Diamond (Pro-Q® Diamond Phosphoprotein Gel Stain), a widely used phosphoprotein gel-staining fluorescence dye, to establish a rapid, economical and non-radioactive fluorescence detection in tube (FDIT) method to analyze phosphorylated proteins. Taking advantages of high sensitivity and specificity of Pro-Q® diamond, the FDIT method is also demonstrated to be rapid and reliable, with a suitable linear range for in vitro protein phosphorylation. A significant and satisfactory protein kinase reaction was detected as fast as 15 min from Wheat Kinase START 1.1 (WKS1.1) on a thylakoid ascorbate peroxidase (tAPX), an established phosphorylation target in our earlier study.Conclusion
The FDIT method saves up to 95% of the dye consumed in a gel staining method. The FDIT method is remarkably quick, highly reproducible, unambiguous and capable to be scaled up to dozens of samples. The FDIT method could serve as a simple and sensitive alternative procedure to determine protein kinase reactions with zero radiation exposure, as a supplementation to other widely used radioactive and in-gel assays.13.
Context
Understanding connectivity patterns in relation to habitat fragmentation is essential to landscape management. However, connectivity is often judged from expert opinion or species occurrence patterns, with very few studies considering the actual movements of individuals. Path selection functions provide a promising tool to infer functional connectivity from animal movement data, but its practical application remains scanty.Objectives
We aimed to describe functional connectivity patterns in a forest carnivore using path-level analysis, and to explore how connectivity is affected by land cover patterns and road networks.Methods
We radiotracked 22 common genets in a mixed forest-agricultural landscape of southern Portugal. We developed path selection functions discriminating between observed and random paths in relation to landscape variables. These functions were used together with land cover information to map conductance surfaces.Results
Genets moved preferentially within forest patches and close to riparian habitats. Functional connectivity declined with increasing road density, but increased with the proximity of culverts, viaducts and bridges. Functional connectivity was favoured by large forest patches, and by the presence of riparian areas providing corridors within open agricultural land. Roads reduced connectivity by dissecting forest patches, but had less effect on riparian corridors due to the presence of crossing structures.Conclusions
Genet movements were jointly affected by the spatial distribution of suitable habitats, and the presence of a road network dissecting such habitats and creating obstacles in areas otherwise permeable to animal movement. Overall, the study showed the value of path-level analysis to assess functional connectivity patterns in human-modified landscapes.14.
Rebecca E. Hewitt Alec P. Bennett Amy L. Breen Teresa N. Hollingsworth D. Lee Taylor F. Stuart ChapinIII T. Scott Rupp 《Landscape Ecology》2016,31(4):895-911
Context
Forecasting the expansion of forest into Alaska tundra is critical to predicting regional ecosystem services, including climate feedbacks such as carbon storage. Controls over seedling establishment govern forest development and migration potential. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF), obligate symbionts of all Alaskan tree species, are particularly important to seedling establishment, yet their significance to landscape vegetation change is largely unknown.Objective
We used ALFRESCO, a landscape model of wildfire and vegetation dynamics, to explore whether EMF inoculum potential influences patterns of tundra afforestation and associated flammability.Methods
Using two downscaled CMIP3 general circulation models (ECHAM5 and CCCMA) and a mid-range emissions scenario (A1B) at a 1 km2 resolution, we compared simulated tundra afforestation rates and flammability from four parameterizations of EMF effects on seedling establishment and growth from 2000 to 2100.Results
Modeling predicted an 8.8–18.2 % increase in forest cover from 2000 to 2100. Simulations that explicitly represented landscape variability in EMF inoculum potential showed a reduced percent change afforestation of up to a 2.8 % due to low inoculum potential limiting seedling growth. This reduction limited fuel availability and thus, cumulative area burned. Regardless of inclusion of EMF effects in simulations, landscape flammability was lower for simulations driven by the wetter and cooler CCCMA model than the warmer and drier ECHAM5 model, while tundra afforestation was greater.Conclusions
Results suggest abiotic factors are the primary driver of tree migration. Simulations including EMF effects, a biotic factor, yielded more conservative estimates of land cover change across Alaska that better-matched empirical estimates from the previous century.15.
Rita Bastos António T. Monteiro Diogo Carvalho Carla Gomes Paulo Travassos João P. Honrado Mário Santos João Alexandre Cabral 《Landscape Ecology》2016,31(4):701-710
Context
Land-use/land-cover (LU/LC) dynamics is one of the main drivers of global environmental change. In the last years, aerial and satellite imagery have been increasingly used to monitor the spatial extent of changes in LU/LC, deriving relevant biophysical parameters (i.e. primary productivity, climate and habitat structure) that have clear implications in determining spatial and temporal patterns of biodiversity, landscape composition and ecosystem services.Objectives
An innovative hierarchical modelling framework was developed in order to address the influence of nested attributes of LU/LC on community-based ecological indicators.Methods
Founded in the principles of the spatially explicit stochastic dynamic methodology (StDM), the proposed methodological advances are supported by the added value of integrating bottom-up interactions between multi-scaled drivers.Results
The dynamics of biophysical multi-attributes of fine-scale subsystem properties are incorporated to inform dynamic patterns at upper hierarchical levels. Since the most relevant trends associated with LU/LC changes are explicitly modelled within the StDM framework, the ecological indicators’ response can be predicted under different social-economic scenarios and site-specific management actions. A demonstrative application is described to illustrate the framework methodological steps, supporting the theoretic principles previously presented.Conclusions
We outline the proposed multi-model framework as a promising tool to integrate relevant biophysical information to support ecosystem management and decision-making.16.
Peilei Fan Guanghua Wan Lihua Xu Hogeun Park Yaowen Xie Yong Liu Wenze Yue Jiquan Chen 《Landscape Ecology》2018,33(2):323-340
Context
Walkability is an important element for assessing the sustainability of urban landscapes. There are increased concerns that as the world becomes more urbanized, cities become less walkable.Objectives
We aim to develop a composite walkability index to evaluate the spatio-temporal pattern of the walkability of cities. By using the index to evaluate four major cities China, we also aim to provide policy implications.Methods
A comprehensive walkability index is developed to integrate five aspects of the urban built environment: dwelling density, street connectivity, land-use mix, access to public transit, and flatness. Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chongqing, and Lanzhou are chosen as case studies to evaluate the spatio-temporal patterns and changes of walkability in the context of rapid urban expansion.Results
Great variations exist among the four cities in terms of speed, scale, and locations of changes of walkability. During 2000–2010, the inner cities of Hangzhou, Chongqing, and Lanzhou and the entire cities of Shanghai and Chongqing increased their walkability index, whereas the inner city of Shanghai had decreased walkability. Furthermore, while inner cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou experienced decreased or stable walkability, the inner cities of Lanzhou and Chongqing enjoyed moderate to high increases in walkability. For inner cities, Shanghai had the highest average walkability index, whereas Lanzhou held the lowest in 2010.Conclusions
The spatiotemporal changes in walkability seem to be closely associated with governmental policies and planning. The walkability index method can be widely implemented for any urban landscape because of its comprehensiveness, simplicity, and flexibility.17.
Context
This short communication responds to calls for greater input from agronomists into landscape research as a means of contributing to managing the positive and negative effects of farming systems. This was recognised in New South Wales, Australia in relation to the management of soil acidity in landscapes of variable topography.Objective
The response was the development of a structured course (Landscan) aimed at educating land managers to match land use with landscape capability. The course characteristics are briefly presented in terms of reading, measuring and interpreting landscape features, understanding degradation processes, assessing available management tools and prioritising actions to balance production, profit and sustainability.Method
The main features of the course content and mode of delivery are detailed including evaluation of participants in regards to increased knowledge, skills and potential changes in practice.Results
Over 1000 land managers have completed the course with most indicating that they will alter priorities, change strategies and adjust goals as a result and 97 % indicated they would recommend the workshops to others. The Landscan framework also provides a means for researchers to incorporate their results for rapid uptake as well as identifying research gaps. The course has been used to deliver integrated group outcomes in areas of soil health, biodiversity, water quality and weed management.Conclusion
The framework addresses the issue of greater involvement of agronomists in landscape research and has successfully initiated dialogue with other disciplines. While the emphasis to date has been on livestock production in variable landscapes the model should be applicable in other farming systems.18.
Quantifying landscape pattern and ecosystem service value changes in four rapidly urbanizing hill stations of Southeast Asia 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
Context
Hill stations are known for their favorable cool climate and natural environments which generate valuable ecosystem services that benefit the local population, tourists and visitors. However, rapid urbanization threatens the sustainability of these highly valued fragile landscapes.Objectives
We aim to characterize and quantify the changes in the landscape patterns and ecosystem service values (ESVs) of Baguio (Philippines), Bogor (Indonesia), Dalat (Vietnam), and Pyin Oo Lwin (Myanmar), and discuss their implications to landscape sustainability.Methods
We used remote sensing imagery to map land-use/cover (2001 and 2014), and spatial metrics and gradient analysis to characterize the changes in landscape pattern. We employed a benefit transfer method to estimate the changes in ESV and human-to-ESV ratio. A land-change model was used to simulate different scenarios of future built-up expansions (2014–2030).Results
The landscapes of Dalat and Pyin Oo Lwin are becoming more fragmented, while those of Baguio and Bogor are getting more aggregated. Dalat had the highest decrease (absolute change) in ESV and H-ESV ratio, while Bogor had the highest percentage decrease (2001–2014).Conclusions
Rapid urbanization has been a major factor in the landscape transformation of Baguio, Bogor, Dalat and Pyin Oo Lwin. If the current built-up expansion rate will speed up, the decline in future ESV and H-ESV ratio (2014–2030) will be higher than if the rate will continue or slow down. Unless the concept of landscape sustainability is taken seriously in landscape and urban planning, the respective ‘values’ of these precious hill stations will become less and less.19.
Elsa Aggemyr Alistair G. Auffret Love Jädergård Sara A. O. Cousins 《Landscape Ecology》2018,33(12):2273-2284
Context
Understanding how landscape patterns affect species diversity is of great importance in the fields of biogeography, landscape ecology and conservation planning, but despite the rapid advance in biodiversity analysis, investigations of spatial effects on biodiversity are still largely focused on species richness.Objectives
We wanted to know if and how species richness and species composition are differentially driven by the spatial measures dominating studies in landscape ecology and biogeography. As both measures require the same limited presence/absence information, it is important to choose an appropriate diversity measure, as differing results could have important consequences for interpreting ecological processes.Methods
We recorded plant occurrences on 112 islands in the Baltic archipelago. Species richness and composition were calculated for each island, and the explanatory power of island area and habitat heterogeneity, distance to mainland and structural connectivity at three different landscape sizes were examined.Results
A total of 354 different plant species were recorded. The influence of landscape variables differed depending on which diversity measure was used. Island area and structural connectivity determined plant species richness, while species composition revealed a more complex pattern, being influenced by island area, habitat heterogeneity and structural connectivity.Conclusions
Although both measures require the same basic input data, species composition can reveal more about the ecological processes affecting plant communities in fragmented landscapes than species richness alone. Therefore, we recommend that species community composition should be used as an additional standard measure of diversity for biogeography, landscape ecology and conservation planning.20.