Eirini Trypidaki, Silje Marie Bøe Gudmundsen, Georgios Karris, Stavros Xirouchakis, Susana V. Gonzalez, Junjie Zhang, Veerle L. B. Jaspers, Tomasz Maciej Ciesielski, Catherine Tsangaris, Alexandros G. Asimakopoulos
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are contaminants of great concern due to their ubiquitous environmental occurrence in the environment and their potential adverse effects on organisms. There is currently limited information regarding the occurrence of PFASs in Scopoli’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea). In this study, two feather samples per bird were obtained from 26 adults on Strofades colony (Ionian Sea/Greece) during the early phase of the chick-rearing period (late July 2019). The samples consisted of barbs and barbules of the primary feathers, P1 and P10, reflecting pollution pressures at the time and the place of feather growth, i.e., at the species’ breeding and wintering grounds for P1 and P10, respectively. There were 25 PFAS detected in the feathers, with detection rates ranging from 2% (perfluorododecanoic acid—PFDoDA; perfluorohexane sulfonate—PFHxS; 9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonate—9Cl-PF3ONS; 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-(1,1,2,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropoxy)propanoate—Gen-X) to 98% (sodium 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctane sulfonate; 6:2 FTSA). ∑PFAS ranged from 25.93 ng/g to 426.86 ng/g of feather sample. The highest mean concentration (109.10 ng/g feather) was reported for perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). No significant differences in PFAS concentrations with high detection rate (>20%) were found according to the sex of the birds. PFAS concentrations with a detection rate > 20% in the P1 vs. P10 feathers of Scopoli’s Shearwater adults were not significantly different, reflecting the fact that breeding grounds in the Mediterranean and wintering grounds in the Atlantic seem to be contaminated with similar PFASs levels, even though some compounds showed regional trends.
{"title":"Occurrence of Novel and Legacy Per/Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in Scopoli’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) Feathers","authors":"Eirini Trypidaki, Silje Marie Bøe Gudmundsen, Georgios Karris, Stavros Xirouchakis, Susana V. Gonzalez, Junjie Zhang, Veerle L. B. Jaspers, Tomasz Maciej Ciesielski, Catherine Tsangaris, Alexandros G. Asimakopoulos","doi":"10.3390/d16090541","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090541","url":null,"abstract":"Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are contaminants of great concern due to their ubiquitous environmental occurrence in the environment and their potential adverse effects on organisms. There is currently limited information regarding the occurrence of PFASs in Scopoli’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea). In this study, two feather samples per bird were obtained from 26 adults on Strofades colony (Ionian Sea/Greece) during the early phase of the chick-rearing period (late July 2019). The samples consisted of barbs and barbules of the primary feathers, P1 and P10, reflecting pollution pressures at the time and the place of feather growth, i.e., at the species’ breeding and wintering grounds for P1 and P10, respectively. There were 25 PFAS detected in the feathers, with detection rates ranging from 2% (perfluorododecanoic acid—PFDoDA; perfluorohexane sulfonate—PFHxS; 9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonate—9Cl-PF3ONS; 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-(1,1,2,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropoxy)propanoate—Gen-X) to 98% (sodium 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctane sulfonate; 6:2 FTSA). ∑PFAS ranged from 25.93 ng/g to 426.86 ng/g of feather sample. The highest mean concentration (109.10 ng/g feather) was reported for perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). No significant differences in PFAS concentrations with high detection rate (>20%) were found according to the sex of the birds. PFAS concentrations with a detection rate > 20% in the P1 vs. P10 feathers of Scopoli’s Shearwater adults were not significantly different, reflecting the fact that breeding grounds in the Mediterranean and wintering grounds in the Atlantic seem to be contaminated with similar PFASs levels, even though some compounds showed regional trends.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Meir Finkel, Amit Ben-Asher, Gur Shmula, Igor Armiach Steinpress, Zeana Ganem, Rami Hammouri, Erika Garcia, Tamás Szűts, Efrat Gavish-Regev
Local microgeographic sites subdivided by sharp ecological and climatic contrasts are important platforms for measuring biodiversity patterns and inferring the possible effect of climatic and ecological variables on species distributions and habitat use. Here, we report results from 24 months (September 2019–August 2021) of continuous pitfall trapping collection in Lower Nahal Keziv, Western Upper Galilee, Israel (“Evolution Canyon” II (hereafter—EC II)). This site receives an average annual rainfall of 784 mm and contains two slopes that differ markedly by solar radiation and plant formation. The first is the south-facing slope (SFS), which is characterized as a semiarid garrigue and open grassland. The second is the contrasting north-facing slope (NFS), which is characterized by a more humid East Mediterranean forest. The slopes are separated by a narrow valley bottom (VB). Analysis of ca. 1750 arachnid specimens, collected from 70 pitfall traps along the slopes and valley, indicates significantly different arachnid assemblages between the NFS and SFS, likely due to the differences in solar radiation that affect plant-cover percentage, which in turn affects the arachnid assemblage composition. In addition to 98 arachnid taxa collected and identified to species and morphospecies level, this study resulted in the discovery of two species new to science, which are described as part of this publication (100 arachnid species and 11 additional taxa that were not identified to species, a total of 111 taxa). Our study, moreover, contributes new ecological data on the spatial and temporal distribution of arachnids, and therefore attests to the importance of year-round sampling in an understudied region. Overall, our study enables a better understanding of arachnid diversity and their distributions and serves as a reference for future research aimed at testing the effect of climate change and other environmental factors that influence arachnid assemblages in natural habitats.
{"title":"Arachnid Assemblage Composition Diverge between South- and North-Facing Slopes in a Levantine Microgeographic Site","authors":"Meir Finkel, Amit Ben-Asher, Gur Shmula, Igor Armiach Steinpress, Zeana Ganem, Rami Hammouri, Erika Garcia, Tamás Szűts, Efrat Gavish-Regev","doi":"10.3390/d16090540","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090540","url":null,"abstract":"Local microgeographic sites subdivided by sharp ecological and climatic contrasts are important platforms for measuring biodiversity patterns and inferring the possible effect of climatic and ecological variables on species distributions and habitat use. Here, we report results from 24 months (September 2019–August 2021) of continuous pitfall trapping collection in Lower Nahal Keziv, Western Upper Galilee, Israel (“Evolution Canyon” II (hereafter—EC II)). This site receives an average annual rainfall of 784 mm and contains two slopes that differ markedly by solar radiation and plant formation. The first is the south-facing slope (SFS), which is characterized as a semiarid garrigue and open grassland. The second is the contrasting north-facing slope (NFS), which is characterized by a more humid East Mediterranean forest. The slopes are separated by a narrow valley bottom (VB). Analysis of ca. 1750 arachnid specimens, collected from 70 pitfall traps along the slopes and valley, indicates significantly different arachnid assemblages between the NFS and SFS, likely due to the differences in solar radiation that affect plant-cover percentage, which in turn affects the arachnid assemblage composition. In addition to 98 arachnid taxa collected and identified to species and morphospecies level, this study resulted in the discovery of two species new to science, which are described as part of this publication (100 arachnid species and 11 additional taxa that were not identified to species, a total of 111 taxa). Our study, moreover, contributes new ecological data on the spatial and temporal distribution of arachnids, and therefore attests to the importance of year-round sampling in an understudied region. Overall, our study enables a better understanding of arachnid diversity and their distributions and serves as a reference for future research aimed at testing the effect of climate change and other environmental factors that influence arachnid assemblages in natural habitats.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicholas Anderson, Steven Petersen, Robert Johnson, Tyson Terry, Jacqueline Kunzelman, David Lariviere, Val Anderson
Public lands, managed for multiple uses such as logging, mining, grazing, and recreation, also support vital environmental services like wild bee pollination. A trending decline in wild bees has heightened interest in documenting these key pollinators in their native habitats. Accurate assessment of pollinator community diversity is crucial for population monitoring and informing land management practices. In this study, we evaluate the efficiency of Malaise traps and pan traps in sampling wild bees over three growing seasons in subalpine meadow communities in central Utah. Sixteen trapping sites were established, each with a Malaise trap and an array of blue, white, and yellow pan traps, nine at each site. Weekly collections were made through summer months and a comparison of their effectiveness in capturing bee abundance and species richness was made. Malaise traps captured significantly greater abundance of bees on average, though this was species-dependent. Malaise traps were especially effective at capturing Bombus spp. and larger species. Pan traps were generally more effective with smaller species such as Hylaeus spp. White pan traps outperformed yellow and blue pan traps in terms of abundance and only yellow pan traps in terms of richness. Both methods contributed unique species to the overall collection effort, suggesting that a combination of trapping methods provides a more comprehensive understanding of bee communities. Species accumulation curves indicate that species existing within the community went unencountered in our samples and that more time or perhaps additional methods could aid in best describing the entire community.
{"title":"Pan Trapping and Malaise Trapping: A Comparison of Bee Collection Techniques in Subalpine Meadows","authors":"Nicholas Anderson, Steven Petersen, Robert Johnson, Tyson Terry, Jacqueline Kunzelman, David Lariviere, Val Anderson","doi":"10.3390/d16090536","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090536","url":null,"abstract":"Public lands, managed for multiple uses such as logging, mining, grazing, and recreation, also support vital environmental services like wild bee pollination. A trending decline in wild bees has heightened interest in documenting these key pollinators in their native habitats. Accurate assessment of pollinator community diversity is crucial for population monitoring and informing land management practices. In this study, we evaluate the efficiency of Malaise traps and pan traps in sampling wild bees over three growing seasons in subalpine meadow communities in central Utah. Sixteen trapping sites were established, each with a Malaise trap and an array of blue, white, and yellow pan traps, nine at each site. Weekly collections were made through summer months and a comparison of their effectiveness in capturing bee abundance and species richness was made. Malaise traps captured significantly greater abundance of bees on average, though this was species-dependent. Malaise traps were especially effective at capturing Bombus spp. and larger species. Pan traps were generally more effective with smaller species such as Hylaeus spp. White pan traps outperformed yellow and blue pan traps in terms of abundance and only yellow pan traps in terms of richness. Both methods contributed unique species to the overall collection effort, suggesting that a combination of trapping methods provides a more comprehensive understanding of bee communities. Species accumulation curves indicate that species existing within the community went unencountered in our samples and that more time or perhaps additional methods could aid in best describing the entire community.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Every year, several hundred million birds cross the Mediterranean on their migration from Eurasia to their wintering quarters in Africa. As many migrants travel at night or at high altitudes, direct observations of bird migration are difficult and thus our information about migrating species, numbers and timing is incomplete. An indirect way to assess autumn migration is the analysis of prey remains of Eleonora’s Falcons (Falco eleonorae). These falcons breed in large colonies on islands in the Mediterranean and on the Canary Islands. Many migrants have to pass these islands on their flight to their African wintering quarters. Eleonora’s Falcons appear to be adapted to the autumn bird migration and raise their young between August and October, when migrating birds are abundant. When nestlings have to be fed, falcons exclusively hunt small birds of 10 to 150 g body mass, whereas they prey mostly on aerial invertebrates (Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Odonata, Lepidoptera) from November to July. We studied Eleonora’s Falcons from 1965 to 2001 on a rocky islet, north of Crete, which harboured a colony of about 200 breeding pairs. In 1969, 1971, 1977, and 1988 we systematically monitored and collected the pluckings and cached food items in 22 to 36 nest sites each year. Pluckings were systematically analysed later in Germany using a reference collection of bird feathers for identification. In total, we determined more than 111 prey species (mostly Passerines) comprising more than 13,450 individuals. The top 12 prey species were: Willow Warbler (27.8% of all prey items), Red-backed Shrike (10.7%), Spotted Flycatcher (9.9%), Whinchat (8.8%), Common Whitethroat (5.1%), Wood Warbler (3.8), Tree Pipit (2.9%), Icterine Warbler (2.5%), Greater Short-toed Lark (2.5%), Northern Wheatear (1.8%), Common Nightingale (1.6%), and European Pied Flycatcher (1.5%). Eleonora’s Falcons are selective hunters to some degree; thus, the phenology and abundance data derived from the plucking analyses are biased towards slow-flying species or smaller birds (only up to a body mass of 150 g). When the young falcons develop and grow, food demand increases concomitantly. Comparing the total weight of prey over time indicates a correlation with food demand and in consequence with the number of prey items brought to the nest sites by the falcons.
{"title":"The Diet of Eleonora’s Falcons (Falco eleonorae) during the Autumn Migration of Passerine Birds across the Aegean Sea","authors":"Dietrich Ristow, Michael Wink","doi":"10.3390/d16090538","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090538","url":null,"abstract":"Every year, several hundred million birds cross the Mediterranean on their migration from Eurasia to their wintering quarters in Africa. As many migrants travel at night or at high altitudes, direct observations of bird migration are difficult and thus our information about migrating species, numbers and timing is incomplete. An indirect way to assess autumn migration is the analysis of prey remains of Eleonora’s Falcons (Falco eleonorae). These falcons breed in large colonies on islands in the Mediterranean and on the Canary Islands. Many migrants have to pass these islands on their flight to their African wintering quarters. Eleonora’s Falcons appear to be adapted to the autumn bird migration and raise their young between August and October, when migrating birds are abundant. When nestlings have to be fed, falcons exclusively hunt small birds of 10 to 150 g body mass, whereas they prey mostly on aerial invertebrates (Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Odonata, Lepidoptera) from November to July. We studied Eleonora’s Falcons from 1965 to 2001 on a rocky islet, north of Crete, which harboured a colony of about 200 breeding pairs. In 1969, 1971, 1977, and 1988 we systematically monitored and collected the pluckings and cached food items in 22 to 36 nest sites each year. Pluckings were systematically analysed later in Germany using a reference collection of bird feathers for identification. In total, we determined more than 111 prey species (mostly Passerines) comprising more than 13,450 individuals. The top 12 prey species were: Willow Warbler (27.8% of all prey items), Red-backed Shrike (10.7%), Spotted Flycatcher (9.9%), Whinchat (8.8%), Common Whitethroat (5.1%), Wood Warbler (3.8), Tree Pipit (2.9%), Icterine Warbler (2.5%), Greater Short-toed Lark (2.5%), Northern Wheatear (1.8%), Common Nightingale (1.6%), and European Pied Flycatcher (1.5%). Eleonora’s Falcons are selective hunters to some degree; thus, the phenology and abundance data derived from the plucking analyses are biased towards slow-flying species or smaller birds (only up to a body mass of 150 g). When the young falcons develop and grow, food demand increases concomitantly. Comparing the total weight of prey over time indicates a correlation with food demand and in consequence with the number of prey items brought to the nest sites by the falcons.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nika S. Reichert, Daniela Mathieu, Christopher J. Katz, Kent A. Hatch
We surveyed 159 American black bears (Ursus americanus) over a period of three years for the occurrence of ticks, tick-borne diseases, and intestinal parasites in Wisconsin. We collected blood from the bears to test for the presence of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF)), Babesia, Ehrlichia, Ehrlichia canis, Brucella canis, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. We also examined scat samples for intestinal parasites. We commonly found the tick Dermacentor variabilis, but also present the first report of Rhipicephalus sanguineus on black bears. We detected antibodies to Lyme disease and RMSF. We detected antibodies to E. canis for the first time in a bear and both antibodies to R. rickettsii and A. phagocytophilum for the first time in a black bear in Wisconsin. No antibodies for Babesia or Br. canis were detected. We found eggs of the intestinal parasite Baylasascaris transfuga as well as a low number of Toxascara leonina and unknown Capillaria species occurrences in the examined feces.
{"title":"Exposure of American Black Bears (Ursus americanus) to Ticks, Tick-Borne Diseases, and Intestinal Parasites in Wisconsin","authors":"Nika S. Reichert, Daniela Mathieu, Christopher J. Katz, Kent A. Hatch","doi":"10.3390/d16090537","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090537","url":null,"abstract":"We surveyed 159 American black bears (Ursus americanus) over a period of three years for the occurrence of ticks, tick-borne diseases, and intestinal parasites in Wisconsin. We collected blood from the bears to test for the presence of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF)), Babesia, Ehrlichia, Ehrlichia canis, Brucella canis, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. We also examined scat samples for intestinal parasites. We commonly found the tick Dermacentor variabilis, but also present the first report of Rhipicephalus sanguineus on black bears. We detected antibodies to Lyme disease and RMSF. We detected antibodies to E. canis for the first time in a bear and both antibodies to R. rickettsii and A. phagocytophilum for the first time in a black bear in Wisconsin. No antibodies for Babesia or Br. canis were detected. We found eggs of the intestinal parasite Baylasascaris transfuga as well as a low number of Toxascara leonina and unknown Capillaria species occurrences in the examined feces.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wenhua Lu, Alviti Kankanamalage Hasith Priyashantha, Mahesh C. A. Galappaththi, Saowaluck Tibpromma, Dong-Qin Dai, Nimesha M. Patabendige, Bhagya M. Premarathne, Dinesh M. Kulasuriya, Aseni N. Ediriweera, Thilina S. Nimalrathna, Nakarin Suwannarach, Saisamorn Lumyong, Alvin Tang, Shi-Cheng Shao, Samantha C. Karunarathna
The complex and diverse phenomenon of fungal bioluminescence has captured human curiosity. Nevertheless, in the field of studies, there are not many attempts made particularly to reveal the new species of these interesting fungi. This study comprehensively reviews the diversity, distribution, evolution, bioluminescence mechanisms, ecological roles, and potential applications of these fungi. Most importantly, we also present an updated list of the reported bioluminescent fungi (122) so far identified from five distinct evolutionary lineages worldwide—Armillaria, Eoscyphella, Lucentipes, Mycenoid, and Omphalotus—mainly in tropical and subtropical areas. Bioluminescent fungi are descended from the last common ancestor of the Mycenoid and the Marasmioid clades of Agaricales, which have been maintained for at least 160 million years of evolution. We underscore the potential for future research to understand the ecological role of bioluminescent fungi, inspiring hope and optimism for the future of this field.
{"title":"Fungal Bioluminescence: Past, Present, and Future","authors":"Wenhua Lu, Alviti Kankanamalage Hasith Priyashantha, Mahesh C. A. Galappaththi, Saowaluck Tibpromma, Dong-Qin Dai, Nimesha M. Patabendige, Bhagya M. Premarathne, Dinesh M. Kulasuriya, Aseni N. Ediriweera, Thilina S. Nimalrathna, Nakarin Suwannarach, Saisamorn Lumyong, Alvin Tang, Shi-Cheng Shao, Samantha C. Karunarathna","doi":"10.3390/d16090539","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090539","url":null,"abstract":"The complex and diverse phenomenon of fungal bioluminescence has captured human curiosity. Nevertheless, in the field of studies, there are not many attempts made particularly to reveal the new species of these interesting fungi. This study comprehensively reviews the diversity, distribution, evolution, bioluminescence mechanisms, ecological roles, and potential applications of these fungi. Most importantly, we also present an updated list of the reported bioluminescent fungi (122) so far identified from five distinct evolutionary lineages worldwide—Armillaria, Eoscyphella, Lucentipes, Mycenoid, and Omphalotus—mainly in tropical and subtropical areas. Bioluminescent fungi are descended from the last common ancestor of the Mycenoid and the Marasmioid clades of Agaricales, which have been maintained for at least 160 million years of evolution. We underscore the potential for future research to understand the ecological role of bioluminescent fungi, inspiring hope and optimism for the future of this field.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gergely Schally, Hanna Bijl, Bhraaz Kashyap, Mihály Márton, Szilvia Bőti, Krisztián Katona, Zsolt Biró, Miklós Heltai, Sándor Csányi
Sustainable wildlife management requires reliable data on population, habitat, and the interaction between them. Since 1993, Hungary has maintained the National Game Management Database, which collects data on game populations and hunting bags annually. During the last three decades, populations of medium-sized predators have remarkably increased in the country. Our study analyzed changes in hunting bag data and spatial distribution of two invasive alien species, the raccoon (Procyon lotor) and the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), utilizing annual game management reports from Game Management Units from 1997 to 2021. For spatial analysis, we employed a UTM grid system (10 × 10 km) covering the country. Our findings confirmed increasing trends in the hunting bag and area (number of grid cells) containing hunting bags for both species. From the first (1997–2001) to the last (2017–2021) period, the average annual hunting bag increased (raccoon: 0.40 → 11.00 ind/year; raccoon dog: 3.40 → 8.00 ind/year), and the average number of cells with hunting bags also expanded significantly (raccoon: 2.00 → 9.60 UTM cells/year; raccoon dog: 5.80 → 15.20 UTM cells/year). These trends and the size of potentially suitable habitats suggest a further spread and population increase, posing challenges for nature conservationists and wildlife managers.
{"title":"Analysis of the Raccoon (Procyon lotor) and Common Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) Spatiotemporal Changes Based on Hunting Bag Data in Hungary","authors":"Gergely Schally, Hanna Bijl, Bhraaz Kashyap, Mihály Márton, Szilvia Bőti, Krisztián Katona, Zsolt Biró, Miklós Heltai, Sándor Csányi","doi":"10.3390/d16090532","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090532","url":null,"abstract":"Sustainable wildlife management requires reliable data on population, habitat, and the interaction between them. Since 1993, Hungary has maintained the National Game Management Database, which collects data on game populations and hunting bags annually. During the last three decades, populations of medium-sized predators have remarkably increased in the country. Our study analyzed changes in hunting bag data and spatial distribution of two invasive alien species, the raccoon (Procyon lotor) and the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), utilizing annual game management reports from Game Management Units from 1997 to 2021. For spatial analysis, we employed a UTM grid system (10 × 10 km) covering the country. Our findings confirmed increasing trends in the hunting bag and area (number of grid cells) containing hunting bags for both species. From the first (1997–2001) to the last (2017–2021) period, the average annual hunting bag increased (raccoon: 0.40 → 11.00 ind/year; raccoon dog: 3.40 → 8.00 ind/year), and the average number of cells with hunting bags also expanded significantly (raccoon: 2.00 → 9.60 UTM cells/year; raccoon dog: 5.80 → 15.20 UTM cells/year). These trends and the size of potentially suitable habitats suggest a further spread and population increase, posing challenges for nature conservationists and wildlife managers.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Antonio Morabito, Carmelo Maria Musarella, Giuseppe Caruso, Giovanni Spampinato
The Mediterranean coasts are threatened by human activities that alter habitats structure and functionality, modifying vegetation and causing the loss of typical species. The definition of the conservation status of coastal habitats is essential to preserve these fragile environments through planned policies. This study aims to assess the conservation status of the habitats of community interest (sensu EEC Directive 43/92) through the analysis of biodiversity and correlating it with urbanisation. A total of 73 vegetation relevés were carried out, so allowing 13 revealing different habitats to be identified. The total plant species diversity per habitat was measured by means of the H-index, also used to assess naturalness (N), differently considering native, alien, and disturbance species. To correlate the N index with distance from urban centres, a statistical analysis was performed. The analysis showed the highest values of H+ were found in habitats 2240, 2110, 2260, and 2230, while lowest values were observed in habitats 2270* and 2240. The habitats 2270* and 2240, the closest to urban centres, have a lower naturalness score than habitats 1420, 2120, 2250*, and 2270*, where higher naturalness scores have been found and therefore lower levels of disturbance. The criteria and methods discussed in this study can be used in coastal management in order to identify the most sensitive habitats and implement an effective conservation strategy.
{"title":"Biodiversity as a Tool in the Assessment of the Conservation Status of Coastal Habitats: A Case Study from Calabria (Southern Italy)","authors":"Antonio Morabito, Carmelo Maria Musarella, Giuseppe Caruso, Giovanni Spampinato","doi":"10.3390/d16090535","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090535","url":null,"abstract":"The Mediterranean coasts are threatened by human activities that alter habitats structure and functionality, modifying vegetation and causing the loss of typical species. The definition of the conservation status of coastal habitats is essential to preserve these fragile environments through planned policies. This study aims to assess the conservation status of the habitats of community interest (sensu EEC Directive 43/92) through the analysis of biodiversity and correlating it with urbanisation. A total of 73 vegetation relevés were carried out, so allowing 13 revealing different habitats to be identified. The total plant species diversity per habitat was measured by means of the H-index, also used to assess naturalness (N), differently considering native, alien, and disturbance species. To correlate the N index with distance from urban centres, a statistical analysis was performed. The analysis showed the highest values of H+ were found in habitats 2240, 2110, 2260, and 2230, while lowest values were observed in habitats 2270* and 2240. The habitats 2270* and 2240, the closest to urban centres, have a lower naturalness score than habitats 1420, 2120, 2250*, and 2270*, where higher naturalness scores have been found and therefore lower levels of disturbance. The criteria and methods discussed in this study can be used in coastal management in order to identify the most sensitive habitats and implement an effective conservation strategy.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198622","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Àngela D. Bosch-Serra, Jordi Orobitg, Martina Badia-Cardet, Jennifer L. Veenstra, Bernat Perramon
Measuring soil quality and the use of indicators for its evaluation is a worldwide challenge. In Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park (northeastern Spain), different parameters related to oribatid mites as indicators of soil quality were evaluated under different land uses: forest, pasture, and a biennial double-crop rotation of forage crops. In forage crops, previous fertilization management (one based on mineral fertilizers, three on cattle manure, and one using both types) was also evaluated. Three samplings (April, June, and September) were performed over one season. Fifty-four oribatid species belonging to 28 families were identified. Abundance was the lowest in June for all land uses (average of 1184 individuals m−2). In the study period, abundance, diversity (Shannon index, H’), and dominance (Berger–Parker index, d) varied with different land uses, with the highest values of abundance and H’ in forests (9287 individuals m−2 and 2.19, respectively) and the lowest dominance in forests (d = 0.29) without differences between the other uses. Additionally, in the studied parameters, no differences were associated with previous fertilization management in forage crops. Hypochthoniella minutissima, Xenillus (X.) tegeocranus characterized the forest system, Epilohmannia cylindrica minima the forage crops, and Tectocepheus sarekensis the pasture. In pasture, the dominance of the parthenogenetic species Tectocepheus sarekensis raises concerns about potential management constraints.
{"title":"Oribatid Mites in a Humid Mediterranean Environment under Different Soil Uses and Fertilization Management","authors":"Àngela D. Bosch-Serra, Jordi Orobitg, Martina Badia-Cardet, Jennifer L. Veenstra, Bernat Perramon","doi":"10.3390/d16090533","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090533","url":null,"abstract":"Measuring soil quality and the use of indicators for its evaluation is a worldwide challenge. In Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park (northeastern Spain), different parameters related to oribatid mites as indicators of soil quality were evaluated under different land uses: forest, pasture, and a biennial double-crop rotation of forage crops. In forage crops, previous fertilization management (one based on mineral fertilizers, three on cattle manure, and one using both types) was also evaluated. Three samplings (April, June, and September) were performed over one season. Fifty-four oribatid species belonging to 28 families were identified. Abundance was the lowest in June for all land uses (average of 1184 individuals m−2). In the study period, abundance, diversity (Shannon index, H’), and dominance (Berger–Parker index, d) varied with different land uses, with the highest values of abundance and H’ in forests (9287 individuals m−2 and 2.19, respectively) and the lowest dominance in forests (d = 0.29) without differences between the other uses. Additionally, in the studied parameters, no differences were associated with previous fertilization management in forage crops. Hypochthoniella minutissima, Xenillus (X.) tegeocranus characterized the forest system, Epilohmannia cylindrica minima the forage crops, and Tectocepheus sarekensis the pasture. In pasture, the dominance of the parthenogenetic species Tectocepheus sarekensis raises concerns about potential management constraints.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198655","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Oomycetes are water molds that are frequently isolated during a survey of waterways. Biodiversity of oomycetes in the estuary region of the Veleka River in Bulgaria was investigated in 2021. A total number of 32 isolates were derived using the baiting method. Species identification based on sequencing of the ITS region divided them into four different genera: Phytophthora (P.), Phytopythium (Pp.), Pythium (Py.) and Elongisporangium (E.). The most abundant species in the studied region was P. lacustris (sixteen isolates), followed by P. honggalleglyana (nine isolates). P. bilorbang and P. inundata were represented by only one isolate each and were recognized for the first time in Bulgaria. The genus Phytopythium was presented by two isolates that belong to different species, Pp. litorale and Pp. citrinum. In the obtained collection, the genera Pythium and Elongisporangium were represented by only one species each, Py. angustatum (one isolate) and E. anandrum (two isolates), respectively. Colony morphology of the eight collected oomycete species was characterized by cultivation of selected isolates on three different media. Potential host species of the isolated estuarine oomycetes were estimated by pathogenicity tests conducted with sixteen plants from ten diverse families. P. lacustris and P. honggalleglyana demonstrated a higher aggressiveness among Phytophthora isolates, whereas P. bilorbang and P. inundata showed less ability to infect the tested plant species. Similar pathogenicity and a potential host range for both Phytopythium species were observed. Less aggressive against analyzed plants in this study were Py. angustatum and E. anandrum.
卵菌是一种水霉菌，在水道调查中经常被分离出来。2021 年，研究人员对保加利亚 Veleka 河河口地区的卵菌生物多样性进行了调查。采用诱饵法共获得 32 个分离物。根据 ITS 区域测序进行的物种鉴定将其分为四个不同的属：Phytophthora (P.)、Phytopythium (Pp.)、Pythium (Py.) 和 Elongisporangium (E.)。在研究区域中最多的物种是 P. lacustris（16 个分离株），其次是 P. honggalleglyana（9 个分离株）。P. bilorbang 和 P. inundata 各只有一个分离株，是首次在保加利亚发现。Phytopythium 属有两个属于不同种的分离物，分别是 Pp.在收集到的样本中，Pythium 属和 Elongisporangium 属各只有一个种，分别是 Py. angustatum（一个分离株）和 E. anandrum（两个分离株）。通过在三种不同培养基上培养选定的分离物，对收集到的八个卵菌种类的菌落形态进行了鉴定。通过对 10 个不同科的 16 种植物进行致病性试验，估计了分离出的河口卵菌的潜在宿主物种。在 Phytophthora 分离物中，P. lacustris 和 P. honggalleglyana 表现出较高的侵染性，而 P. bilorbang 和 P. inundata 感染受测植物物种的能力较弱。两种疫霉菌的致病性和潜在寄主范围相似。在本研究中，Py. angustatum 和 E. anandrum 对分析植物的侵染能力较弱。
{"title":"Fishing for Estuarine Oomycetes","authors":"Petya Koeva Christova","doi":"10.3390/d16090530","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090530","url":null,"abstract":"Oomycetes are water molds that are frequently isolated during a survey of waterways. Biodiversity of oomycetes in the estuary region of the Veleka River in Bulgaria was investigated in 2021. A total number of 32 isolates were derived using the baiting method. Species identification based on sequencing of the ITS region divided them into four different genera: Phytophthora (P.), Phytopythium (Pp.), Pythium (Py.) and Elongisporangium (E.). The most abundant species in the studied region was P. lacustris (sixteen isolates), followed by P. honggalleglyana (nine isolates). P. bilorbang and P. inundata were represented by only one isolate each and were recognized for the first time in Bulgaria. The genus Phytopythium was presented by two isolates that belong to different species, Pp. litorale and Pp. citrinum. In the obtained collection, the genera Pythium and Elongisporangium were represented by only one species each, Py. angustatum (one isolate) and E. anandrum (two isolates), respectively. Colony morphology of the eight collected oomycete species was characterized by cultivation of selected isolates on three different media. Potential host species of the isolated estuarine oomycetes were estimated by pathogenicity tests conducted with sixteen plants from ten diverse families. P. lacustris and P. honggalleglyana demonstrated a higher aggressiveness among Phytophthora isolates, whereas P. bilorbang and P. inundata showed less ability to infect the tested plant species. Similar pathogenicity and a potential host range for both Phytopythium species were observed. Less aggressive against analyzed plants in this study were Py. angustatum and E. anandrum.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142225339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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