Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity最新文献

This study aimed to establish a systematic plan for an integrated inventory of insects based on long-term faunistic research of Korean islands. Preparing the plan involved the following processes: 1) examination of 6,117 species belonging to 402 families and 29 orders occurring on 541 islands, based on a survey of the status of insect species on Korean islands; 2) identification of 498 species belonging to 110 families and 14 orders, based on preliminary faunistic surveys of 10 human-inhabited islands in 2021 for efficient research of island insects; and 3) a list of species, voucher specimen, habitat information, and image data for each species, in addition to the generation of 135 Cytochrome c Oxidase subunit I sequences of 70 species for DNA barcode analysis to resolve the identity of taxa that are challenging to identify morphologically. The results of this study may be used for establishing a long-term systematic plan for faunistic research and acquisition of comprehensive biological information on the insects native to Korean islands, while the results may also contribute to the establishment of criteria for the sustainable utilization of bioresources and the conservation of species.

Betula davurica and deciduous Quercus forests are among the principal forest types in Northeast Asia. They are found throughout continental Northeast Asia and in some mountainous regions of Central Honshu and eastern Hokkaido in the Japanese Archipelago. B. davurica–Quercus crispula forests in Japan are significant for understanding the phytogeography of Japan and Northeast Asia. However, their relationships with B. davurica–Quercus mongolica forests in continental Northeast Asia remain poorly understood. We compared the species composition of B. davurica–Q. crispula forests of Japan, with those of Q. crispula dominant forests and B. davurica–Q. mongolica forests using phytosociological methods. The results suggested that B. davurica–Q. crispula forests of Japan had a significant number of species common to the order Lespedezo bicoloris–Quercetalia mongolicae and the class Querco mongolicae–Betuletea davuricae in continental Northeast Asia than in other associations in Japan. Furthermore, our results showed that associations between B. davurica and Q. crispula forests in Central Honshu and Hokkaido are related to different orders in continental Northeast Asia. The relations of the associations between Japan and the continent are considered to have been caused by the environmental similarities, the histories of taxa, and the changes in vegetation distribution.

Given the challenges posed by climate change, ecological restoration is crucial for conserving biodiversity and improving environmental resilience. Ecological restoration aims to maintain and restore plant populations with high evolutionary capacity and facilitate beneficial genotype dispersion to adapt to environmental pressures. However, genetic diversity has been overlooked in restoration research. This study evaluated the genetic diversity of Lespedeza cuneata G. Don, a species targeted for restoration on the Korean Peninsula. Lespedeza cuneata is widely distributed in the Korean Peninsula and East Asia. However, this study confirmed that the heterozygosity of L. cuneata was relatively lower than that in studies of congeneric species. Analysis of the genetic structures on the peninsula revealed four clusters distinguished between several locations, and principal component analysis also identified clustering among four groups. Analysis of molecular variance results revealed that there was greater variation among (38.09%) than within (23.75%) populations, which is potentially due to the independent genotypes found in several of the populations. This study contributes to the understanding of genetic diversity within species targeted for restoration and provides valuable insights into the formulation of effective restoration plans integrating genetic aspects.

The present study recorded 18 species including four new records of the genus viz. Phaeophyscia hirtuosa (Kremp.) Essl., P. laciniata Essl., P. nashii Essl., and P. rubropulchra (Degel.) Essl., for Indian lichen biota. Out of 18 species of Phaeophyscia reported from India, the northern region of the country showed rich diversity of Phaeophyscia species represented by 15 species followed by eastern and southern region with 9 and 6 species, respectively. Phaeophyscia hispidula is the dominant species.

This study was conducted to determine if molecular genetics would confirm the various subspecies within the species Coreocarabus fraterculus in Korea. In the Korean peninsula, a total of eight subspecies of C. fraterculus have been recognized based on external morphology, and they are morphologically very similar and difficult to identify. In this study, we examined the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5) gene of four subspecies inhabiting Korea, including Palgong-san, Deogyu-san, Jiri-san, and 10 other locations. Based on the ND5 sequences, the phylogenetic history of the collected individuals was reconstructed using Neighbor-Joining, Maximum Likelihood, and Maximum Parsimony trees. All the three phylogenetic trees confirmed the occurrence of four groups in Korea corresponding to four subspecies.

Purple longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) is a new longan cultivar that arose in Soc Trang province, Vietnam. Although the economic value of purple longan has been revealed, genomic data have not been explored. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of purple longan was sequenced and characterized, which was 160,763 bp in length. The genome had a quadripartite structure, including a large single copy (85,628 bp), a small single copy (18,247 bp), and two inverted repeat (28,444 bp) regions. This genome contained 79 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNAs, and four ribosomal RNAs, of which, 16 genes were duplicated in inverted repeat regions. Comparative genomic analysis revealed 11 highly variable regions (including matK-trnK_UUU, psbK-trnG_UCC, atpH-atpI, psbZ-rps14, pafI-trnL_UAA, psbJ-petG, clpP, rpl36-rpl14, rpl32-ccsA, rps15-ycf1, and ycf1). Additionally, 100 insertion and deletion sites were identified in the purple longan chloroplast genome. This study provided the first report on the complete chloroplast genome of purple longan, which is useful for further studies on cultivar identification, germplasm conservation, and plant breeding in the Dimocarpus genus and Sapindaceae family.

We surveyed the pygmy grasshoppers (Tetrigidae) of Nee Soon Swamp Forest (NSSF), the last substantial freshwater swamp habitat in Singapore, and found nine species from seven genera, including new locality records for Potua coronata Bolívar, 1887 and Thoradonta nodulosa (Stål, 1861). Overall, four subfamilies were represented: Cladonotinae, Metrodorinae, Tetriginae, and Scelimeninae. Here, we document the diversity and describe the intra-specific variation in Loxilobus insidiosus (Bolívar, 1887), Thoradonta nodulosa (Stål, 1861), and Coptotettix spp. as well as report natural history observations of these species related to their behavior in the semi-aquatic environment). We also provide a key to the species of Tetrigidae from NSSF.

The Philippines has suffered tremendous deforestation due to rampant anthropogenic impacts such as mining. In particular, the forests of Homonhon Island are threatened by mining activities. In this study, we assessed its ultramafic vegetation's floristic composition and diversity to initiate its conservation efforts on Homonhon Island. In five sampling areas on the island, we have documented 181 species in 148 genera and 83 families, with 176 native species. Twenty-two species are classified as threatened based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature. On the other hand, in DENR-DAO 2017-11, 38 species are classified as threatened. Homonhon Island exhibits a very high species diversity overall, and the forests in Barangay Bitaugan revealed the highest species diversity among the sampled areas. Alstonia macrophylla and Terminalia surigaensis chiefly dominates the island's forests. Despite being threatened by mining, Homonhon Island's ultramafic forests exhibit a diverse floristic composition worthy of protection. It serves as a sanctuary for many of the Philippines' highly threatened species. Its local government agencies should implement strict protection and management policies to prevent further disturbance to its flora. We can anticipate this study to be used in the restoration, rehabilitation, and conservation of the remaining forests on the island.

Muttukadu backwaters cover an area of 215.36 acres and lies between 12.8006°N latitude and 80.2363°E longitude. It is situated in Chengalpet district of Tamilnadu, India. This backwater forms a network of microhabitats for different kind of birds. The exchange of seawater and freshwater in this region regulates salinity and nutrient levels, increasing the diversity of baseline producers and consumers in the ecosystem, which attracts and sustains waterbirds. Bird survey was conducted during July 2021–March 2023 using block count and total count method. Identification was done up to species level by using standard field guides. The objective of this study is to prepare a checklist of avian species in different microhabitats based on their habitat preference, feeding habits, migratory, and conservation status. During the present study, a total of 124 species belonging to 19 orders and 45 families were recorded. Among them, seven near-threatened species were recorded. The presence of significant number of migrants and threatened species indicates the importance, both ecologically and biologically of the study area for resident and migratory birds. The current checklist represents the first attempt to compile a comprehensive list of the birds found in the Muttukadu backwaters.

To meet the specific targets of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation of 2020 (GSPC-2020), data of species traits for each plant species are investigated. This study investigated a Korean endemic plant (Syringa fauriei H. Lev.) in terms of its current distribution across the southern-central regions of the Korean peninsula, vegetative conditions in natural habitats, distributional characteristics, and population structure. Syringa fauriei was located at the river borders, where vegetative conditions were either limestone and non-limestone zones. The upstream limestone zones offered suitable areas for the distribution of S. fauriei and were epicenters of their distribution. The mature individuals produced seeds. The population structure displayed a stable, reverse J-shape, consisting of an abundance of seedlings and young plants with a few fertile plants that supplied the seeds for population growth; this was termed the ‘ecological founder effect’. In the limestone zones, the S. fauriei community formed on the borders of streams with water flow, implying that the cycle of community generation, growth, and extinction was repeated according to the stream disturbance dynamics. For S. fauriei conservation, naturality of stream environments should be maintained.