Indirect evidence for an extinction debt of grassland butterflies half century after habitat loss

Habitat loss often leads to a substantial decline in species richness. However, the extinction of species is typically not instant, but rather involves a time lag. Species richness in recently disturbed habitats is therefore expected to reflect past rather than current habitat availability, with the set of species eventually going extinct representing extinction debt. We explored current species richness of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) and burnet moths (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae) with respect to past and current habitat characteristics. The study was conducted in calcareous grasslands, a habitat that has suffered a rapid decline in Europe during the last century. We showed that species richness of habitat specialists correlated positively with both past (75 years ago) and current habitat area, and was best explained by a model incorporating both of these variables. The independent effect of past habitat area presumably indicates the presence of extinction debt in the study region. Species requiring large habitat areas were more likely to show signs of extinction debt. Species richness of other grassland butterflies (those not confined to the focal habitat type) was not associated with past or current habitat area, the pattern indicating their lower sensitivity to changes in focal habitats. The response to habitat loss in specialist butterflies appears faster than in specialist plants, studied in the same landscape earlier. We conclude that linking patterns of species diversity with the temporal dynamics of habitats substantially improves the understanding of the variation in species diversity, and thus helps to identify species of conservation concern.     

Conservation in a city: Do the same principles apply to different taxa?

Factors shaping overall species richness and representation of endangered species of vascular flora and butterflies were determined in 48 nature reserves in Prague, Czech Republic. Total species richness of both groups, and the presence of endangered butterflies, reflect the present status of habitats, while that of endangered plants reflects habitat composition at the time of reserve establishment. Reserve area has a much stronger effect on the species richness of sessile plants than mobile butterflies which, especially endangered species, respond more positively to heterogeneity than to area. Both species richness and endangered species peak in reserves half covered with forest, likely because they harbor species of both woodland and non-woodland habitats, and edge specialists. Solely relying on area and disregarding habitat quality, or a failure to conserve small but high quality sites, may be counterproductive for conserving endangered plant and butterfly species. To conserve diversity of plants and butterflies current management practices, often aimed at maintaining large blocks of pre-selected plant communities, should change to include maintenance of fallows, edges and transient zones.     

The importance of the gravel excavation industry for the conservation of grassland butterflies

Conservation biology often relies on the protection of (semi)natural habitat remnants. However, the ever increasing human population is taking over natural resources and habitats. Here, contrary to most other studies, we ask how human-associated severe changes in the environment can be used to enrich local biodiversity. We tested if industrial activity (gravel excavation) leads to the creation of habitats that support grassland butterflies and how these areas add to the richness of local species when compared to typical semi-natural habitats (grasslands). We also identified key factors affecting the richness, abundance, diversity and commonness of butterfly species to provide practical recommendations. Species richness, diversity index and the occurrence of rare species were higher in gravel-pit shores than in grasslands. The richness of butterfly species and their abundance were positively affected by the richness of plant species, shrub density and age of the gravel-pit but negatively by the cover of water reservoirs in the surrounding area and the isolation of gravel-pits from grasslands. Butterfly diversity was positively influenced by the richness of plant species and proximity of human settlement but negatively by area of the shore and isolation. Our study is the first one to show the high value of gravel-pits for the conservation of butterflies. We recommend the inclusion of gravel-pits in a system of ecological networks and management of their surroundings to improve the colonization rate of rare species. We suggests that directing interest to the possible positive effects of industrial development on biodiversity may support conservation efforts.     

Impact of human dwellings on the distribution of the exotic Argentine ant: a case study in the Doñana National Park, Spain

The invasive Argentine ant Linepithema humile was found in close perimeters to inhabited houses situated in various habitat types in Doñana National Park (Southern Spain). We suggest that the Argentine ant is found in these sites largely due to passive importation by man, but from there may have the potential to spread into surrounding favourable natural habitats. Ant species richness and diversity around houses was similar to that in natural habitats, except in the cases where the Argentine ant dominated, where a considerable lower ant species diversity and richness was observed. The species composition of ants in the immediate vicinity of houses was very different from that of the surrounding natural habitats, although the species composition between houses was very similar, regardless of the type of surrounding natural habitat. Ant species around houses were typically generalists, opportunists or open habitat specialists. Many of these species are considered dominant in that they are characterised by having large nests, aggressive behaviour and mass recruitment in response to attack. However, these species are displaced by the Argentine ant when introduced. Not all ant species show the same responses to invasions by the Argentine ant, and some species, such as Cardiocondyla batesii, Oxyopomyrmex saulcyi or Cataglyphis floricola, may be able to persist for a period following an invasion of the Argentine ant. These species are characterised by small nests and submissive behaviour, and may survive by avoiding conflict with the invasive species.     

Traditional salt-pans hold major concentrations of overwintering shorebirds in Southeast Asia

Shorebirds are declining worldwide due to loss and degradation of critical breeding and wintering habitats. Some human-modified habitats, particularly salt-pans which are used by shorebirds in many regions of the world, may help substitute for natural habitats lost for a wide range of species during migration. We studied the influence of landscape characteristics on species richness, abundance, and diversity of shorebirds at 20 sites covering most of the Inner Gulf of Thailand, a landscape with a long history of salt farming. Sites with salt-pans present held significantly higher species richness, abundance and diversity of shorebirds. Areas with larger proportions given over to aquaculture tended to have lower species richness, abundance and diversity. Generalized additive models indicated that landscapes with a larger proportion of tidal flats in conjunction with salt-pans were the best predictors of sites with higher species richness, abundance and diversity. Landscape configurations with higher richness, abundance and diversity of shorebirds also tended to be less fragmented and contained slightly larger patches. Shorebirds appeared to use ponds with exposed mud in salt-pans as both roosting sites and supplementary feeding grounds during high tide. Traditional salt-pans therefore proved to contribute significantly to maintenance of overwintering shorebird populations in this landscape and should be investigated elsewhere in Asian coastal zones. Collaboration between researchers, salt farmers and planning authorities as to how best to maintain salt-pans as potential shorebird roost sites such as in the Inner Gulf of Thailand is urgently needed in order to maintain habitat for shorebird populations in critical wintering and staging areas of this flyway.     

Remnant grassland habitats as source communities for plant diversification in agricultural landscapes

Lately there has been a shift in Sweden from grazing species-rich semi-natural grasslands towards grazing ex-arable fields in the modern agricultural landscape. These fields normally contain a fraction of the plant species richness compared to semi-natural grasslands. However, small remnant habitats have been suggested as important for plant species diversity and conservation as they may function as refugia for grassland specialists in fragmented and highly modified agricultural landscapes. In this study, we examined whether plant communities on small remnant habitats, i.e. midfield islets, can function as sources for grassland species to disperse out into surrounding grazed ex-fields (former arable fields). We examined species richness and grassland specialists (species favoured by grazing) and their ability to colonize fields after 5 and 11 years of grazing. The fields that had been grazed for a shorter time were fairly species-poor with few grassland specialists. A longer period of grazing had a positive effect on total and small-scale species diversity in both islets and fields. Species composition became more similar with time, and the number of grassland specialists in both habitats increased. We found that grassland specialists dispersed step-wise into the fields, and the number of grassland specialists decreased with distance from the source. Our study suggests that remnant habitats, such as midfield islets, do function as a source community for grassland specialists and enhance diversification of grassland species when grazing is introduced. For long-term conservation of plant species, incorporating small refugia into larger grazing complexes may thus enhance species richness.     

东北平原典型玉米种植区农业景观植物多样性研究——以昌图县为例

非耕作生境是农业景观中的重要组成部分,为生物提供食物和栖息地,对生物多样性保护具有重要意义。本文以辽宁省昌图县为例,选取了20个非耕作生境比例为0~50%的网格(1 km?1 km)为样区,采用典型样地法对调查区域内农业景观中的林地、田间路、草地、沟渠、果园5类主要非耕作生境中的植物群落进行调查,探讨不同非耕作生境类型和比例中植物多样性及其与景观异质性之间的关系。研究结果表明,随着非耕作生境比例增加,植物物种多样性和均匀度先增加后减小,在20%~30%时达到峰值;非耕作生境比例在0~40%范围内时,植物物种丰富度同样呈现先增加后减小,且在20%~30%时达到峰值;非耕作生境比例高于40%时,植物物种丰富度再次出现峰值且高于20%~30%。随着非耕作生境比例的增加,农业景观香浓多样性、香浓均匀度指数和景观斑块形状复杂程度逐渐增加,蔓延度恰好相反。不同生境中重要值最高的均为禾本科植物,但植物种不同;优势种优势度为果园沟渠草地田间路林地。果园、草地和沟渠的物种多样性和均匀度指数显著高于林地和田间路,丰富度指数为草地林地沟渠果园田间路,且草地、果园和田间路的不同调查区域间植物群落指数存在较大的变异性。草地、果园、沟渠、田间路和林地中景观异质性与物种多样性相关性顺次降低。研究结论表明,东北平原典型玉米种植区农业景观中,最适宜非耕作生境比例为20%~30%;非耕作生境中林地、沟渠对物种多样性维持、湿生植物多样性保护具有积极作用;不同生境干扰类型和方式不同,景观异质性与植物物种多样性相关性程度也不同。在今后农业景观生物多样性保护中应综合考虑非耕作生境的类型和比例,干扰的类型和方式等多种因素对生物多样性、生态服务及农业产量的影响。     

Importance of reservoirs for the conservation of freshwater molluscs in a tropical urban landscape

Freshwater species and ecosystems are gravely imperiled, particularly within urban landscapes of tropical Asia. In one of the region’s most urbanized landscapes (i.e., Singapore), we determined: (1) the importance of six different habitats (i.e., catchment reservoirs, estuarine reservoirs, forest streams, rural streams, ponds and monsoon canals) for conserving the diversity of freshwater molluscs; (2) key environmental factors (e.g., pH) affecting molluscan distribution; (3) important biogeographical determinants (e.g., area) of molluscan richness within each habitat; and (4) the habitat affinities of introduced species. High sampling saturation was achieved at most study habitats with minimal sampling effort, suggesting that the utilization of molluscs as bioindicators can expedite freshwater conservation initiatives. Estuarine reservoirs (6.0 ± 2.0) had the highest molluscan richness, vis-à-vis catchment reservoirs, forest streams, rural streams, ponds and monsoon canals (3.0 ± 1.5; 0; 3.3 ± 2.0; 1.8 ± 0.5 and 3.5 ± 0.5 respectively). Both reservoir types possessed species compositions distinct from other habitats and contained majority (76%) of the sampled species. Reservoirs therefore serve to conserve the bulk of local freshwater malacofauna, especially if they are maintained at near-neutral pH levels (i.e., ∼7.3) and contain large substrates (i.e., rocks). Area was the best predictor of molluscan richness across all habitats, implying that larger freshwater habitats require higher conservation priorities than smaller ones. Introduced (non-native) species (e.g., Pomacea canaliculata) had high affinities for reservoirs, which are in need of monitoring to curb population expansions. The interminable growth of human settlements urgently requires a reconciliatory approach, which includes the ecologically-sound design and management of modified habitats to complement reserves in sustaining native freshwater species.     

北京昌平区农业景观野生蜂多样性的时空动态分布

近年来,由于生境质量的下降和生境丧失,野生蜂多样性急剧下降,严重威胁传粉服务和农业的可持续发展。为揭示野生蜂在农业景观镶嵌体中的时空分布格局及不同生境对野生蜂保护的重要性,本研究于2016年4—9月采用网捕法调查了北京昌平农业景观4种主要生境类型(人工林、自然灌木林、荒草地和桃园)中的野生蜂,分析不同生境类型中野生蜂多样性及其时间动态变化特征。结果表明:野生蜂及其中的大体长蜂和独居蜂的物种数和个体数,以及中体长蜂的个体数均在自然灌木林中最高,人工林中小体长蜂个体数最多,野生蜂总个体数和总物种数均在桃园中最低。在不同月份,所有功能群野生蜂均在自然或半自然生境中最高,5月桃园中最低,原因可能与桃园中对地表杂草的集约化管理有关。多度最大的4个优势物种依次为黄胸彩带蜂、铜色隧蜂、黄芦蜂和隧淡脉隧蜂,其在生境间的时间动态特征不同。调查的4种生境均为野生蜂提供了可利用资源,但自然生境和半自然生境的作用更大;其中,自然灌木林维持了较多具有较高潜在传粉效率的中体长和大体长野生蜂,具有更高的保护价值。为了促进该地区农业景观中不同功能群野生蜂多样性及传粉服务,需提高生境类型的多样性,同时在野生蜂活动高峰季节采取低集约化的生境管理方式。     

The importance of gallery forests in the tropical lowlands of Costa Rica for understorey forest birds

Rivers and streams lined by narrow forest strips are common in the lowland countryside of south-western Costa Rica. We studied the importance of these gallery forests for understorey birds, especially forest species. Using mist-nets, we captured 1110 birds belonging to 90 species between June and September 2007 at 16 sites spread equally over four habitat types: forest interior, forest margin, gallery forest connected to closed forest, and isolated gallery forest. Though isolated gallery forests had the greatest number of expected species in total, they supported the lowest number of forest-specialist species, lower even than connected gallery forests. Granivorous birds showed an increase from forest to isolated gallery forest, all other feeding guilds however showed no change. The studied habitats differed from each other in their faunal composition. Assemblages of three species groups categorised by their habitat preferences (forest specialists, forest generalists, non-forest species) showed nested distribution patterns across the four habitats. There was no significant difference in the proportion of birds with brood patches or of recaptures across the studied habitat types, leading to the assumption that birds not only use gallery forests for movement and foraging but also for reproduction. Though of limited conservation value for most forest understorey birds, at least for a small fraction of forest species gallery forests constitute an important secondary habitat. More significantly, they can form corridors or stepping stones that allow movements within the matrix of human-dominated habitats, and represent an important landscape component benefiting total bird species richness in the Costa Rican countryside.     

Protecting more than the wetland: The importance of biased sex ratios and habitat segregation for conservation of the Hine’s emerald dragonfly, Somatochlora hineana Williamson

Within species habitat use may depend on age, season or sex of an individual. The distribution of males and females may vary both temporally and spatially due to differences in the costs of reproduction and the distribution of critical resources. Conservation of a species requires knowledge of the habitat use of both sexes in order to predict the population size and protect all habitats that a species requires. Adult dragonfly populations often have highly male-biased sex ratios at the breeding habitat. This bias has been attributed to females using alternative habitats to avoid male harassment, or to high female mortality. We monitored adult Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana Williamson) populations, in breeding and non-breeding habitats in Door County, Wisconsin and found significant differences in habitat use between males and females. Males primarily used wetland habitats, while females primarily used dry meadows and marginal breeding habitats, only coming into wetlands to lay-eggs or find mates. We assessed food resources in the different habitats and found that high quality insect prey (primarily adult Diptera) were more available in the wetland habitat, indicating that these areas were likely a more productive foraging area for adult dragonflies. The fact that females appear to avoid the wetland habitat is consistent with the hypothesis that male harassment alters female distribution patterns. Consideration of the patterns of habitat use by S. hineana indicates the need to develop a broader understanding of the importance of non-wetland areas in the conservation of wetland species.     

Detection of extinction debt depends on scale and specialisation

Many plants can persist in landscapes for a long time after focal habitats have disappeared or become fragmented, which might contribute to an extinction debt. Delayed responses of plant occurrence have recently received great attention, particularly in conservation, although evidence for extinction debts is incongruent. Here we asked if we could detect an extinction debt for plant species after 100 years of fragmentation, depending on regional or local (gamma or alpha respectively) diversity measure used, and if all plant species or only habitat specialists were investigated. Historical and contemporary grassland patterns were analysed in 33 rural landscapes (each 1 km² in diameter) in south-eastern Sweden. Results show that managed semi-natural grassland had declined from 39% to 3% in 100 years. Diversity measured at regional scale was best explained by grassland extent 100 years ago, for both all species and grassland specialists. Present-day management, but neither present nor past grassland extent, was important for grassland specialists’ occurrence at the local scale, although present-day grassland proportion had a positive influence on species richness at the local scale. We found evidence of an extinction debt at both local and regional scale when all species were included in the analysis, but not for grassland specialist species at the local scale. However, the extinction debt is still to be settled for grassland specialists at the regional scale, and therefore the estimation of extinction debts in fragmented habitats presents one of the greatest challenges for conservation today and in the future.     

Disentangling effects of habitat diversity and area on orthopteran species with contrasting mobility

Loss of semi-natural grasslands and reduction of habitat diversity are considered major potential threats to arthropod diversity in agricultural landscapes. The main aim of this study was to investigate how area and habitat diversity, mediated by shrub encroachment after grassland abandonment, affect species richness of orthopterans in island-like grasslands, and how contrasting mobility might alter species richness response to both factors. We selected 35 isolated patches in landscapes dominated by arable land (durum wheat) in order to obtain two statistically uncorrelated gradients: (i) one in habitat area ranging from 0.2 to 55 ha and (ii) one in habitat diversity ranging from patches dominated by one habitat (either open grasslands or shrublands) to patches with a mosaic of different habitats. Habitat loss due to land-use conversion into arable fields was associated with a substantial loss of species with a positive species-area relationship (SAR), with sedentary species having a steeper and stronger SAR than mobile species. Halting habitat loss is, therefore, needed to avoid further species extinctions. Shrub encroachment, triggered by abandonment, presented a hump-shaped relationship with habitat diversity. An increase in habitat diversity enhanced species richness irrespective of patch area and mobility. Maintaining or enhancing habitat diversity, by cutting or burning small sectors and by reintroducing extensive sheep grazing into abandoned grassland, are suggested as complementary strategies to mitigate further decline of orthopteran diversity in the remnant patches. This would be equally important in both small and large patches.     

Factors maintaining species diversity in satoyama, a traditional agricultural landscape of Japan

Satoyama is a traditional agricultural landscape in Japan. It contains many kinds of organisms, including endangered species. Satoyama is composed of several habitat types, including paddy fields, secondary forests, secondary grasslands, ponds, and streams. High species richness has been sustained in most habitats by anthropogenic disturbances of intermediate impact, mainly activities related to agriculture. The variety of habitats and connectivity among them have contributed to the high species diversity within satoyama. These factors allow organisms to move among habitats and use different habitat types to obtain different resources. The connectivity among habitats is often more vulnerable than the specific habitats themselves under anthropogenic influences. In satoyama, species that require connectivity among habitats (e.g., grey-faced buzzard [Butastur indicus] and Genji firefly [Luciola cruciata]) have tended to decrease. The grey-faced buzzard is categorized as a “vulnerable” species in the Japanese Red List. It usually nests in forest trees and forages in habitats such as paddy fields, grasslands, and forests. Its foraging locations shift seasonally depending on food availability. It is thought that the degradation of either paddy fields or forests in a landscape may result in the disappearance of this species. The Genji firefly spends its larval period in stream water, pupates underground along streams, and flies near streams after emergence. This species requires not only the integrity of streams and nearby areas, but also connectivity between these areas. The ecology of these species suggests that the variety of habitats and connectivity among them are critical factors for their survival.     

Ground beetles (Carabidae) and edge effect in oak-hornbeam forest and grassland transects

We evaluated ground beetle diversity in relation to forest edge between an oak-hornbeam forest and adjacent herbaceous grassland. To test our hypothesis that the diversity of ground beetles was higher in the forest edge than the interior, pitfall trap samples were taken along two forest-grassland transects in northern Hungary. The diversity of ground beetles was significantly higher at the forest edge and in the grassland than in the forest interior. Ground beetle assemblages in the forest interior, forest edge and grassland could be separated from each other by ordination. Indicator species analysis detected five groups of species: habitat generalists, grassland-associated species, forest generalists, forest specialists, and edge-associated species. Rank correlation indicated leaf litter, herb, canopy cover, and prey abundance as the most important factors influencing carabid diversity. The high diversity of the forest edge resulted from the presence of edge-associated species and of species characteristic of adjacent habitats. Forest edges seem to play an important role in maintaining diversity. Serving as source habitats, edges also contribute to the recolonisation by ground beetles after habitat destruction or other disturbance in the adjacent habitats.     

Effects of habitat degradation on the abundance, richness and diversity of raptors across Neotropical biomes

Population growth and human development result in biodiversity loss and biological homogenization not only in developed countries, but increasingly in the less developed countries as well. In those countries, where urbanization and agricultural intensification occur at a faster rate than in developed countries, habitat degradation appears to be the leading cause of wildlife loss. During the breeding seasons of 2002–2005 we conducted road surveys across five biomes of Argentina to detect variations in raptor community attributes as potential indicators of broad scale habitat degradation. Abundance of individuals, richness and diversity of species were calculated to assess the effects of habitat transformation and patch size on these community attributes. Raptor communities strongly varied in relation to habitat transformations, with lower abundance of individuals, richness and diversity of species in more transformed landscapes. Small patches of natural vegetation and locations in which natural and cultivated lands where interspersed showed lower richness and diversity of raptors than large patches. Fragmentation was the main cause of reductions in abundance of individuals. Although the relative contribution of our two estimates of habitat degradation to abundance, richness and diversity of raptors varied among biomes, these community attributes proved useful as predictors of habitat degradation. This was especially true in habitats where raptor communities are more complex although overall patterns remained constant across biomes, from forests to deserts. Taking into account current trends of habitat transformation (drastic increments in monocultures, urban areas, and habitat patchiness), the conservation of raptor communities in these biomes could be seriously compromised. In terms of species-specific responses of raptors to habitat degradation, a rapid process of homogenization can be expected, resulting in only a few winner species within a general scenario of losers.     

Effects of age and intensity of urbanization on farmland bird communities

Urban sprawl is now occurring worldwide and considered as a major large-scale perturbation on ecosystems. Consequently, urban territory is replacing other habitats such as agricultural areas. As farmland biotic communities are already reported to be declining, it seems necessary to assess the urbanization impact on them. We conducted a bird survey on 92 plots of 1 × 1 km chosen after stratification on the proportion of urban area and farmland habitat (either 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%), focusing on farmland habitat. Two aspects of urbanization were studied: its intensity and its age. We found that farmland bird species richness did not vary with increasing proportion of urbanized habitat. Non-farmland bird species richness increased from 0% to 25% classes and was constant for other classes. No effect of the urbanization age on farmland bird species richness was found, whereas a positive one was found on the non-farmland birds’ species richness. Abundance of the most specialized farmland birds decreases with urbanization intensity and age. We also found that, the more urbanized and the more recently urbanized the plots, the more similar bird communities. A strong difference in farmland bird’s communities’ compositions was found between 0% and 25% of urbanization, whereas no distinction was found between 50% and 75%. Altogether, our results suggest that to maintain for farmland birds, it is better to add new urban habitat in place where it already exist, rather than to spread it in small lots throughout the landscape.     

Hedgerows in an agri-natural landscape: Potential habitat value for native bees

Recent declines in North American honeybee populations have highlighted the importance of native bee conservation, and the need for research on the ecological requirements of native bees in farmland. In this study, we investigated the value of hedgerows as foraging habitat for native bees in mosaics of small-scale agriculture and natural vegetation in two riparian landscapes in southeast Arizona, USA. In the summers of 2002 and 2003, we surveyed bees and flowers in four habitats: hedgerows, agricultural fields, woodlots, and native woodland. We asked: (1) How do hedgerows compare to other available habitats in bee abundance and species richness? (2) How does bee species composition in hedgerows compare to species composition in agricultural fields and woodland? (3) How do flower resources in hedgerows compare to those in fields and woodland?We found that hedgerows were attractive foraging habitat for native bees, especially in early summer, when hedgerows tended to have higher species richness than other agricultural or natural habitats. Cumulative species richness was highest in agricultural fields, although cumulative species richness did not significantly differ among fields, hedgerows, and woodland. While bee faunas overlapped among habitats, bee assemblages in hedgerows were more similar to those in woodland than to those in fields. The hedgerow herbaceous flora was roughly intermediate to that of fields and woodland; hedgerows also supported high densities of woodland-characteristic shrubs. These flowering shrubs were important in attracting bees that were otherwise uncommon in the landscape, including some species that are potentially valuable pollinators of agricultural crops.     

不同生境对蚂蚁功能群的影响* ——以云南省绿春县为例

为探究土地利用变化主导的生境变化对蚂蚁功能群的影响,采用陷阱法和Winkler袋法调查了云南省绿春县天然次生林(N)、桉树林(E)、紫胶林(L)、橡胶林(R)、紫胶-玉米混农林(M)、旱地(D)和农田(F)7种生境类型的蚂蚁群落。共采集蚂蚁37 891头,隶属于8亚科52属137种;依据竞争关系、生境要求、行为优势以及对环境压力和干扰的响应等4个生态学特性,将52属划分为7个功能群:优势臭蚁亚科(DD)、从属弓背蚁族(SC)、广义切叶蚁亚科(GM)、机会主义者(O)、隐蔽物种(C)、气候特化种(CS)和专业捕食者(SP)。不同功能群的物种丰富度排序为机会主义者(10属32种)气候特化种(15属29种)广义切叶蚁亚科(3属24种)隐蔽物种(14属21种)从属弓背蚁族(2属16种)专业捕食者(6属14种)优势臭蚁亚科(2属2种)。从属弓背蚁族、气候特化种、隐蔽物种3个功能群的蚂蚁多度在天然次生林、桉树林和紫胶林中所占比例较高,而优势臭蚁亚科功能群则在干扰多的农田中比例较高;除优势臭蚁亚科仅2属2种外,在天然次生林、桉树林、紫胶林和紫胶-玉米混农林中大多数功能群的蚂蚁物种丰富度明显高于农田,而专业捕食者功能群蚂蚁物种丰富度在不同生境中差异不大。桉树林和紫胶林蚂蚁功能群的群落结构与天然次生林较为接近,橡胶林、紫胶-玉米混农林和旱地蚂蚁功能群的群落结构相似。气候特化种、广义切叶蚁亚科、机会主义者和从属弓背蚁族在不同类型样地中的物种组成变化程度大于同一类型生境重复样地间的变化程度。广义切叶蚁亚科、机会主义者和从属弓背蚁族3个功能群的蚂蚁群落在不同生境中变化明显,整体上表现为桉树林、紫胶林和天然次生林的蚂蚁群落与旱地和农田不相似;隐蔽物种和气候特化种仅在桉树林和紫胶林蚂蚁群落较为相似;专业捕食者功能群蚂蚁群落在不同生境中的变化不明显。蚂蚁功能群能够指示生境变化,广义切叶蚁亚科、从属弓背蚁族和机会主义者的指示效果较好,实质上是不同功能群中不同物种的多度及功能群内的群落组成变化对生境变化导致的干扰及资源可利用程度的响应有差异。     

区域景观中生境特异性对昆虫多样性的影响——以西双版纳为例

生境特异性(habitat-specific)在维持生物多样性上发挥着重要作用。本研究旨在了解在区域景观中,不同类型生境对不同类群昆虫多样性的贡献及群落结构差异,从大尺度上探讨昆虫多样性分布格局和维持机制。于2019年8—9月,在西双版纳地区利用样线调查法,调查了保护区、次生林、人工林和农田4种生境中蝴蝶、蝽和甲虫的物种数、特有物种数,分析了昆虫群落的生境特异性指数、群落结构相似性及物种丰富度与生态因子的关系。共采集昆虫2588头,其中蝴蝶94种(744头),蝽197种(1094头),甲虫129种(750头),保护区的昆虫物种数和特有物种数均高于其余类型生境。保护区昆虫群落的生境特异性指数实测值高于期望值,而其余类型生境昆虫群落的生境特异性指数实测值均低于期望值;不同类型生境间,3个类群的昆虫群落汇总的生境特异性指数不存在显著差异(F_(3,57)=2.054),甲虫生境特异性指数差异显著(F_(3,55)=3.478),蝴蝶(F_(3,38)=1.504)和蝽类(F_(3,53)=1.153)生境特异性指数差异不显著。群落结构相似性分析显示,保护区和农田的3个类群昆虫群落汇总的群落结构差异显著;次生林和人工林的蝴蝶群落结构差异显著,保护区和次生林的蝽类群落结构差异显著,甲虫昆虫群落结构差异不显著。本研究还发现,只有生境类型对昆虫群落的物种丰富度产生的影响极显著(P0.01),而其他生态因子的影响不显著。在大尺度区域景观中,保护区对昆虫群落的多样性影响最大,生境类型与昆虫群落的物种丰富度密切相关,保护较好的天然林是维持区域昆虫群落分布格局和多样性的重要机制。