Margareta Simina Stanc, George Bilavschi, Ludmila Bacumenco-Pîrnău, Dan Aparaschivei, Luminița Bejenaru, Mihaela Danu
Animal and plant remains recovered from two archaeological sites in Iași city (NE Romania) were analyzed in this work. The aim of this study was to contribute to the economic and environmental evaluation of an old urban settlement. The analyzed sites, both of value in archaeological preventive research, are dated to the 18th–19th centuries. The archaeozoological analysis consisted of anatomical, taxonomic, and taphonomic identifications, quantification, estimations of age at slaughter and sex, and osteometry. The results revealed that the animal remains are of domestic origin, as indicated by traces of butchering, and can be mainly described in terms of their frequencies (i.e., number of identified specimens and minimum number of individuals), selection for slaughter, morphology, and size. The results show that animal husbandry (e.g., cattle, sheep/goat, pig, and horse) had significant importance in the economy of the settlement, and cattle were preferred for consumption. Few remains were identified for wild mammals (i.e., red deer, wild boar, and hare), birds, and mollusks. The phytolith analysis indicated that some plant resources were used in the economy of this settlement. The identification of opal silica bodies revealed the presence of grasses and cultivated cereals.
{"title":"The Diversity of Archaeological Animal and Plant Remains Discovered at 18th–19th-Century Sites in Iași City (NE Romania)","authors":"Margareta Simina Stanc, George Bilavschi, Ludmila Bacumenco-Pîrnău, Dan Aparaschivei, Luminița Bejenaru, Mihaela Danu","doi":"10.3390/d16090520","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090520","url":null,"abstract":"Animal and plant remains recovered from two archaeological sites in Iași city (NE Romania) were analyzed in this work. The aim of this study was to contribute to the economic and environmental evaluation of an old urban settlement. The analyzed sites, both of value in archaeological preventive research, are dated to the 18th–19th centuries. The archaeozoological analysis consisted of anatomical, taxonomic, and taphonomic identifications, quantification, estimations of age at slaughter and sex, and osteometry. The results revealed that the animal remains are of domestic origin, as indicated by traces of butchering, and can be mainly described in terms of their frequencies (i.e., number of identified specimens and minimum number of individuals), selection for slaughter, morphology, and size. The results show that animal husbandry (e.g., cattle, sheep/goat, pig, and horse) had significant importance in the economy of the settlement, and cattle were preferred for consumption. Few remains were identified for wild mammals (i.e., red deer, wild boar, and hare), birds, and mollusks. The phytolith analysis indicated that some plant resources were used in the economy of this settlement. The identification of opal silica bodies revealed the presence of grasses and cultivated cereals.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198657","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}
István Nagy, Árpád Bokor, János Farkas, Anh Thi Nguyen, János Posta, György Kövér
In a closed population with a limited population size, mating of related animals is unavoidable. In this study, the genealogy data of a synthetic maternal rabbit breed called Pannon Ka were used to calculate different inbreeding coefficients. The evaluated animals were born between 1995 and 2020, and the pedigree consisted of 5819 animals that originated from 4205 rabbit does and from 1314 rabbit bucks. The pedigree was further extended with 16,013 dummy progeny records in order to calculate litter inbreeding coefficients. Besides the conventional Wright inbreeding coefficients, the so-called ancestral and new inbreeding coefficients were also calculated using the gene dropping method. By the end of the evaluated period, the litter inbreeding increased to almost 11 and 60% for Wright and Ballou inbreeding, while the Kalinowski and the Kalinowski new inbreeding coefficients were 9.25 and 16.67%, respectively. Correlation coefficients were calculated for the does and for the litters. Finally, the effects of pedigree length and completeness were also taken into account using the complete generation equivalents in a partial correlation analysis. Based on the results, it could be seen that the different ancestral inbreeding coefficients had high correlation. Similarly, the conventional Wright inbreeding coefficients showed strong correlation with the new inbreeding coefficients. On the contrary, the correlation between ancestral and new inbreeding coefficients was low. Taking the complete generation equivalent into account did not give unambiguous results. It could be concluded that the different inbreeding coefficients are based on different concepts, and they are clearly different population parameters.
{"title":"Correlation Analysis among the Various Inbreeding Coefficients of Pannon Ka Rabbits","authors":"István Nagy, Árpád Bokor, János Farkas, Anh Thi Nguyen, János Posta, György Kövér","doi":"10.3390/d16090524","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090524","url":null,"abstract":"In a closed population with a limited population size, mating of related animals is unavoidable. In this study, the genealogy data of a synthetic maternal rabbit breed called Pannon Ka were used to calculate different inbreeding coefficients. The evaluated animals were born between 1995 and 2020, and the pedigree consisted of 5819 animals that originated from 4205 rabbit does and from 1314 rabbit bucks. The pedigree was further extended with 16,013 dummy progeny records in order to calculate litter inbreeding coefficients. Besides the conventional Wright inbreeding coefficients, the so-called ancestral and new inbreeding coefficients were also calculated using the gene dropping method. By the end of the evaluated period, the litter inbreeding increased to almost 11 and 60% for Wright and Ballou inbreeding, while the Kalinowski and the Kalinowski new inbreeding coefficients were 9.25 and 16.67%, respectively. Correlation coefficients were calculated for the does and for the litters. Finally, the effects of pedigree length and completeness were also taken into account using the complete generation equivalents in a partial correlation analysis. Based on the results, it could be seen that the different ancestral inbreeding coefficients had high correlation. Similarly, the conventional Wright inbreeding coefficients showed strong correlation with the new inbreeding coefficients. On the contrary, the correlation between ancestral and new inbreeding coefficients was low. Taking the complete generation equivalent into account did not give unambiguous results. It could be concluded that the different inbreeding coefficients are based on different concepts, and they are clearly different population parameters.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198662","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}
Alert and flight initiation distances are important elements of bird behavioral responses and indicators of their adaptation to external disturbances; therefore, they provide an important basis for bird conservation. With continual rapid advancements in drone technology, the use of drones in bird field surveys is becoming increasingly important. However, the disturbance impact of drones on birds remains controversial and needs further assessment. This study measured the distances at which coots (Fulica atra) tolerated drones in the Baiyangdian wetland, Northern China, over 42 days from August to November 2023 and at the end of July 2024. The results show the maximum alert distance (AD) and maximum flight initiation distance (FID) of the coot to be 44 m and 35 m, respectively. The coots showed no signs of disturbance when the drones flew at an altitude of 50 m. The AD of the coot showed a significant relationship with whether it saw the drones in advance, environmental conditions, and the drone’s behavior before it approached, whereas the FID was only significantly affected by whether the coot saw the drones in advance. The sight of drones in advance considerably increased the AD and FID.
{"title":"Alert and Flight Initiation Distances of the Coot in Response to Drones","authors":"Zhenguang Lu, Jiarong Li, Zengrui Tian, Jiaojiao Wang, Jianhua Hou","doi":"10.3390/d16090518","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090518","url":null,"abstract":"Alert and flight initiation distances are important elements of bird behavioral responses and indicators of their adaptation to external disturbances; therefore, they provide an important basis for bird conservation. With continual rapid advancements in drone technology, the use of drones in bird field surveys is becoming increasingly important. However, the disturbance impact of drones on birds remains controversial and needs further assessment. This study measured the distances at which coots (Fulica atra) tolerated drones in the Baiyangdian wetland, Northern China, over 42 days from August to November 2023 and at the end of July 2024. The results show the maximum alert distance (AD) and maximum flight initiation distance (FID) of the coot to be 44 m and 35 m, respectively. The coots showed no signs of disturbance when the drones flew at an altitude of 50 m. The AD of the coot showed a significant relationship with whether it saw the drones in advance, environmental conditions, and the drone’s behavior before it approached, whereas the FID was only significantly affected by whether the coot saw the drones in advance. The sight of drones in advance considerably increased the AD and FID.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198499","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}
Diego V. Medeiros, Marcelo A. Dias, Camila C. Cordeiro, Gustavo F. de Carvalho-Souza
Coastal environments, such as bays, are essential to the development of fishery resources due to their economic and ecological importance. This paper presents an updated checklist of coastal marine fishes as part of a long-term monitoring program in Aratu Bay (2014–2024), Bahia state, eastern Brazil. A total of 109 species belonging to 58 families and 24 orders were cataloged. Five endemic species and ten species listed as at risk according to the IUCN criteria (from Vulnerable onwards) were identified. The Carangidae was the most representative family in terms of species number, followed by Gobiidae and Sciaenidae. The ichthyofauna was dominated by mobile invertebrate feeders and macrocarnivores. Two non-native species were observed in the region: the Muzzled blenny, Omobranchus sewalli and the mud sleeper Butis koilomatodon. Aratu Bay supports a diverse ichthyofauna with diverse trophic guilds and habitats, rendering it an important area for the feeding and development of economically valuable species, including those facing threats.
{"title":"Updated Checklist, Traits and Conservation Status of the Ichthyofauna of Aratu Bay, Eastern Brazil","authors":"Diego V. Medeiros, Marcelo A. Dias, Camila C. Cordeiro, Gustavo F. de Carvalho-Souza","doi":"10.3390/d16090517","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090517","url":null,"abstract":"Coastal environments, such as bays, are essential to the development of fishery resources due to their economic and ecological importance. This paper presents an updated checklist of coastal marine fishes as part of a long-term monitoring program in Aratu Bay (2014–2024), Bahia state, eastern Brazil. A total of 109 species belonging to 58 families and 24 orders were cataloged. Five endemic species and ten species listed as at risk according to the IUCN criteria (from Vulnerable onwards) were identified. The Carangidae was the most representative family in terms of species number, followed by Gobiidae and Sciaenidae. The ichthyofauna was dominated by mobile invertebrate feeders and macrocarnivores. Two non-native species were observed in the region: the Muzzled blenny, Omobranchus sewalli and the mud sleeper Butis koilomatodon. Aratu Bay supports a diverse ichthyofauna with diverse trophic guilds and habitats, rendering it an important area for the feeding and development of economically valuable species, including those facing threats.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198661","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}
Harrison’s Rule (HR) postulates a positive allometry between host and parasite body sizes. We tested HR for Syringophilid quill mites parasitizing birds. Using host body mass and parasite body length as size indices, this pattern was absent in the Syringophilidae family and the Syringophilinae subfamily as a whole. However, when considering the parasite genera as units of study, as proposed originally by Harrison, we found that host body mass positively correlates with both male and female parasite body length in seven genera (Aulobia, Aulonastus, Neoaulonastus, Picobia, Neopicobia, Syringophilopsis, and Torotrogla). Most of these relationships were non-significant. On the contrary, male and female Syringophiloidus mites exhibited negative relationships with host mass (both non-significant). This apparent contradiction disappeared when we applied wing length as an index of host body size. Since species of this genus are specific to the host flight feathers (secondaries and also primaries), wing length is a more meaningful index of host body size than body mass. Overall, most cases corresponded to the positive direction predicted by Harrison when examined on the genus level. This finding also implies a surprising reliability of the genus concept, at least in this group of ectoparasites.
哈里森法则（Harrison's Rule，HR）假定宿主和寄生虫的体型之间存在正异构关系。我们对寄生于鸟类的鞘螨进行了HR测试。以宿主体重和寄生虫体长作为体型指数，鞘螨科和鞘螨亚科整体上不存在这种模式。然而，当按照 Harrison 最初的建议，将寄生虫属作为研究单位时，我们发现在七个属（Aulobia、Aulonastus、Neoaulonastus、Picobia、Neopicobia、Syringophilopsis 和 Torotrogla）中，宿主体重与雌雄寄生虫体长均呈正相关。这些关系大多不显著。相反，雌雄鞘螨与寄主质量呈负相关（均不显著）。当我们使用翅长作为寄主体型的指数时，这种明显的矛盾就消失了。由于该属的物种对寄主的飞行羽毛（副羽和主羽）具有特异性，因此翅长是比体重更有意义的寄主体型指标。总体而言，在属的层面上进行研究时，大多数情况都与 Harrison 预测的正方向一致。这一发现也意味着，至少在这一类体外寄生虫中，属的概念具有惊人的可靠性。
{"title":"Syringophilid Quill Mites Obey Harrison’s Rule","authors":"Lajos Rózsa, Mónika Ianculescu, Martin Hromada","doi":"10.3390/d16090516","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090516","url":null,"abstract":"Harrison’s Rule (HR) postulates a positive allometry between host and parasite body sizes. We tested HR for Syringophilid quill mites parasitizing birds. Using host body mass and parasite body length as size indices, this pattern was absent in the Syringophilidae family and the Syringophilinae subfamily as a whole. However, when considering the parasite genera as units of study, as proposed originally by Harrison, we found that host body mass positively correlates with both male and female parasite body length in seven genera (Aulobia, Aulonastus, Neoaulonastus, Picobia, Neopicobia, Syringophilopsis, and Torotrogla). Most of these relationships were non-significant. On the contrary, male and female Syringophiloidus mites exhibited negative relationships with host mass (both non-significant). This apparent contradiction disappeared when we applied wing length as an index of host body size. Since species of this genus are specific to the host flight feathers (secondaries and also primaries), wing length is a more meaningful index of host body size than body mass. Overall, most cases corresponded to the positive direction predicted by Harrison when examined on the genus level. This finding also implies a surprising reliability of the genus concept, at least in this group of ectoparasites.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198660","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}
Ave Owen, Antoinette van de Water, Natsuda Sutthiboriban, Naruemon Tantipisanuh, Samorn Sangthong, Alisha Rajbhandari, Kevin Matteson
In areas of high human-elephant conflict, cultivating crops that are less attractive to elephants can be a viable strategy for coexistence. Farmers in these regions often grow crops like pineapple, which are palatable to elephants and attract them into human-dominated landscapes. This study, conducted in Ruam Thai Village, adjacent to Kuiburi National Park in Thailand, evaluated the socio-economic factors affecting farmers’ interest in alternative crop cultivation and assessed the impact of elephants and environmental threats on plots containing pineapple and alternative crops. Our findings revealed that 70% of households (N = 239) rely on pineapple cultivation as their primary source of income. However, 49% of interviewed pineapple farmers reported that their cultivation was not profitable, largely owing to the high costs of agro-chemical inputs. The majority (91%) of farmers experienced negative consequences from living near wild elephants, and 50% expressed interest in cultivating alternative crops. Farmers who frequently experienced elephant visits, felt they could coexist with elephants, and perceived both positive and negative consequences from them were more likely to be interested in alternative crop cultivation. Elephants eliminated over 80% of the pineapple but less than 6% of any alternative crop species across all test plots. Using a crop scoring system based on ecological, economic, and social factors, we identified lemongrass and citronella as the most suitable alternative crop species for the study site. This multidisciplinary study highlights interventions needed to reduce barriers and increase motivators for local farmers to adopt elephant-friendly agriculture as a sustainable human–elephant coexistence strategy.
{"title":"The Role of Alternative Crop Cultivation in Promoting Human-Elephant Coexistence: A Multidisciplinary Investigation in Thailand","authors":"Ave Owen, Antoinette van de Water, Natsuda Sutthiboriban, Naruemon Tantipisanuh, Samorn Sangthong, Alisha Rajbhandari, Kevin Matteson","doi":"10.3390/d16090519","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090519","url":null,"abstract":"In areas of high human-elephant conflict, cultivating crops that are less attractive to elephants can be a viable strategy for coexistence. Farmers in these regions often grow crops like pineapple, which are palatable to elephants and attract them into human-dominated landscapes. This study, conducted in Ruam Thai Village, adjacent to Kuiburi National Park in Thailand, evaluated the socio-economic factors affecting farmers’ interest in alternative crop cultivation and assessed the impact of elephants and environmental threats on plots containing pineapple and alternative crops. Our findings revealed that 70% of households (N = 239) rely on pineapple cultivation as their primary source of income. However, 49% of interviewed pineapple farmers reported that their cultivation was not profitable, largely owing to the high costs of agro-chemical inputs. The majority (91%) of farmers experienced negative consequences from living near wild elephants, and 50% expressed interest in cultivating alternative crops. Farmers who frequently experienced elephant visits, felt they could coexist with elephants, and perceived both positive and negative consequences from them were more likely to be interested in alternative crop cultivation. Elephants eliminated over 80% of the pineapple but less than 6% of any alternative crop species across all test plots. Using a crop scoring system based on ecological, economic, and social factors, we identified lemongrass and citronella as the most suitable alternative crop species for the study site. This multidisciplinary study highlights interventions needed to reduce barriers and increase motivators for local farmers to adopt elephant-friendly agriculture as a sustainable human–elephant coexistence strategy.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198503","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}
Alexander J. Harman, Madeline M. Eori, W. Wyatt Hoback
Ongoing worldwide biodiversity declines and range shifts associated with climate change increase the importance of documenting the current distributions of species to establish baseline data. However, financial and logistical constraints make it impossible for taxonomic experts to conduct thorough surveys in most locations. One popular approach to offset the lack of expert sampling is using community science data collected by the public, curated, and made available for research. These datasets, however, contain different biases than those typically present in data collected through conventional survey practices, often leading to different results. Recent studies have used massive datasets generated over large areas; however, less is known about the results obtained at smaller scales or with more limited sampling intervals. We compared butterfly observations in eastern Oklahoma using a dataset obtained from the popular community science website iNaturalist and one collected during targeted surveys of glade habitats conducted by taxonomic experts. At the county-level scale, the relative abundances of butterfly species correlated well between the glade surveys and the iNaturalist observations, and there was no difference in the relative abundance of different butterfly families between the two survey methods. However, as anticipated, the conventional surveys outperformed the community science data in measuring biodiversity at a smaller geographic scale.
{"title":"A Comparison of Butterfly Diversity Results between iNaturalist and Expert Surveys in Eastern Oklahoma","authors":"Alexander J. Harman, Madeline M. Eori, W. Wyatt Hoback","doi":"10.3390/d16090515","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090515","url":null,"abstract":"Ongoing worldwide biodiversity declines and range shifts associated with climate change increase the importance of documenting the current distributions of species to establish baseline data. However, financial and logistical constraints make it impossible for taxonomic experts to conduct thorough surveys in most locations. One popular approach to offset the lack of expert sampling is using community science data collected by the public, curated, and made available for research. These datasets, however, contain different biases than those typically present in data collected through conventional survey practices, often leading to different results. Recent studies have used massive datasets generated over large areas; however, less is known about the results obtained at smaller scales or with more limited sampling intervals. We compared butterfly observations in eastern Oklahoma using a dataset obtained from the popular community science website iNaturalist and one collected during targeted surveys of glade habitats conducted by taxonomic experts. At the county-level scale, the relative abundances of butterfly species correlated well between the glade surveys and the iNaturalist observations, and there was no difference in the relative abundance of different butterfly families between the two survey methods. However, as anticipated, the conventional surveys outperformed the community science data in measuring biodiversity at a smaller geographic scale.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198501","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}
Recent anthropogenic activities have escalated human exploitation of riparian zones of river ecosystems, consequently diminishing aquatic biodiversity. This intensification of land use is also causing water quality degradation and changes in water environmental factors, evidenced by increased nutrient levels and adversely impacting the community structure and diversity of aquatic organisms. Notably, the Weihe River Basin, the largest tributary of the Yellow River, has demonstrated signs of significant anthropogenic pressure. Despite this, comprehensive investigations examining the effects of land-use intensity on aquatic organism diversity in this watershed remain limited. In this study, the environmental impacts and macroinvertebrate diversity under high-intensity and low-intensity land-use scenarios within the Weihe River Basin were investigated through field surveys conducted during the spring and autumn seasons. Our results demonstrated that areas under high-intensity land use exhibited elevated nutrient concentrations (e.g., total nitrogen) compared to those under low-intensity land use. These environmental changes significantly influenced the macroinvertebrate community structure, reducing functional and phylogenetic diversities in high-intensity land-use watersheds. Hydrological factors (water depth, river width, and discharge) have a significant impact on macroinvertebrate taxonomic diversity. Thus, understanding the effects of land-use intensity on aquatic biodiversity is essential for ecological assessments of impacted watersheds and developing management strategies for the sustainable use and planning of riparian lands in the Weihe River Basin.
{"title":"Intensification of Human Land Use Decreases Taxonomic, Functional, and Phylogenetic Diversity of Macroinvertebrate Community in Weihe River Basin, China","authors":"Jixin Ma, Xuwang Yin, Gang Liu, Jinxi Song","doi":"10.3390/d16090513","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090513","url":null,"abstract":"Recent anthropogenic activities have escalated human exploitation of riparian zones of river ecosystems, consequently diminishing aquatic biodiversity. This intensification of land use is also causing water quality degradation and changes in water environmental factors, evidenced by increased nutrient levels and adversely impacting the community structure and diversity of aquatic organisms. Notably, the Weihe River Basin, the largest tributary of the Yellow River, has demonstrated signs of significant anthropogenic pressure. Despite this, comprehensive investigations examining the effects of land-use intensity on aquatic organism diversity in this watershed remain limited. In this study, the environmental impacts and macroinvertebrate diversity under high-intensity and low-intensity land-use scenarios within the Weihe River Basin were investigated through field surveys conducted during the spring and autumn seasons. Our results demonstrated that areas under high-intensity land use exhibited elevated nutrient concentrations (e.g., total nitrogen) compared to those under low-intensity land use. These environmental changes significantly influenced the macroinvertebrate community structure, reducing functional and phylogenetic diversities in high-intensity land-use watersheds. Hydrological factors (water depth, river width, and discharge) have a significant impact on macroinvertebrate taxonomic diversity. Thus, understanding the effects of land-use intensity on aquatic biodiversity is essential for ecological assessments of impacted watersheds and developing management strategies for the sustainable use and planning of riparian lands in the Weihe River Basin.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142198502","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}
Ida Bonnevier Wallstedt, Peter Sjövall, Ben Thuy, Randolph G. De La Garza, Mats E. Eriksson, Johan Lindgren
A partial ichthyosaur skeleton from the Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) bituminous shales of the ‘Schistes Carton’ unit of southern Luxembourg is described and illustrated. In addition, associated remnant soft tissues are analyzed using a combination of imaging and molecular techniques. The fossil (MNHNL TV344) comprises scattered appendicular elements, together with a consecutive series of semi-articulated vertebrae surrounded by extensive soft-tissue remains. We conclude that TV344 represents a skeletally immature individual (possibly of the genus Stenopterygius) and that the soft parts primarily consist of fossilized skin, including the epidermis (with embedded melanophore pigment cells and melanosome organelles) and dermis. Ground sections of dorsal ribs display cortical microstructures reminiscent of lines of arrested growth (LAGs), providing an opportunity for a tentative age determination of the animal at the time of death (>3 years). It is further inferred that the exceptional preservation of TV344 was facilitated by seafloor dysoxia/anoxia with periodical intervals of oxygenation, which triggered phosphatization and the subsequent formation of a carbonate concretion.
{"title":"Skin Anatomy, Bone Histology and Taphonomy of a Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) Ichthyosaur (Reptilia: Ichthyopterygia) from Luxembourg, with Implications for Paleobiology","authors":"Ida Bonnevier Wallstedt, Peter Sjövall, Ben Thuy, Randolph G. De La Garza, Mats E. Eriksson, Johan Lindgren","doi":"10.3390/d16080492","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16080492","url":null,"abstract":"A partial ichthyosaur skeleton from the Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) bituminous shales of the ‘Schistes Carton’ unit of southern Luxembourg is described and illustrated. In addition, associated remnant soft tissues are analyzed using a combination of imaging and molecular techniques. The fossil (MNHNL TV344) comprises scattered appendicular elements, together with a consecutive series of semi-articulated vertebrae surrounded by extensive soft-tissue remains. We conclude that TV344 represents a skeletally immature individual (possibly of the genus Stenopterygius) and that the soft parts primarily consist of fossilized skin, including the epidermis (with embedded melanophore pigment cells and melanosome organelles) and dermis. Ground sections of dorsal ribs display cortical microstructures reminiscent of lines of arrested growth (LAGs), providing an opportunity for a tentative age determination of the animal at the time of death (>3 years). It is further inferred that the exceptional preservation of TV344 was facilitated by seafloor dysoxia/anoxia with periodical intervals of oxygenation, which triggered phosphatization and the subsequent formation of a carbonate concretion.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141948831","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}
Marco Pezzi, Domenico Bonelli, Francesco Carlomagno, Erica Di Biase, Federica Fumo, Federica Mendicino, Cristina Munari, Teresa Bonacci
Carabidae, or carabids, commonly known as “ground beetles”, are found in numerous natural and cultivated habitats and are recognized for their beneficial role in controlling phytophagous pests in various temperate agroecosystems. However, the crop type and agricultural practices used in management areas significantly affect the structure of the carabid communities. The aim of this study was to investigate the abundance and diversity of ground beetles in hazelnut agroecosystems characterized by different agricultural methods in Calabria, Southern Italy. The carabids were collected from 2017 to 2018 in three hazelnut groves referred to in this study as AZ1, AZ2 and AZ3. Carabids were sampled using pitfall traps inspected every two weeks over a period of 24 months. A total of 4665 specimens belonging to 48 taxa were collected within the sampled sites. Many taxa were found to be widely distributed across the three selected hazelnut groves. Among these, Calathus spp., Harpalus dimidiatus (P. Rossi, 1790), Nebria spp., Platyderus neapolitanus jannonei (Binaghi in Magistretti, 1955), Poecilus cupreus (Linnaeus, 1758), Pterostichus melas italicus (Dejean, 1828), and Syntomus obscuroguttatus (Duftschmid, 1812) were the most abundant ones associated with all sampled areas. Concerning trophic preference, among the collected taxa, the most abundant ones were zoophagous and zoospermophagous. Additionally, taxa uncommon in agroecosystems but with ecological relevance, such as Carabus lefebvrei lefebvrei Dejean, 1826, Carabus preslii neumeyeri Schaum, 1856, and Carabus rossii Dejean, 1826, were also collected.
{"title":"Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Assemblages in Hazelnut Groves in Calabria (Southern Italy)","authors":"Marco Pezzi, Domenico Bonelli, Francesco Carlomagno, Erica Di Biase, Federica Fumo, Federica Mendicino, Cristina Munari, Teresa Bonacci","doi":"10.3390/d16080491","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/d16080491","url":null,"abstract":"Carabidae, or carabids, commonly known as “ground beetles”, are found in numerous natural and cultivated habitats and are recognized for their beneficial role in controlling phytophagous pests in various temperate agroecosystems. However, the crop type and agricultural practices used in management areas significantly affect the structure of the carabid communities. The aim of this study was to investigate the abundance and diversity of ground beetles in hazelnut agroecosystems characterized by different agricultural methods in Calabria, Southern Italy. The carabids were collected from 2017 to 2018 in three hazelnut groves referred to in this study as AZ1, AZ2 and AZ3. Carabids were sampled using pitfall traps inspected every two weeks over a period of 24 months. A total of 4665 specimens belonging to 48 taxa were collected within the sampled sites. Many taxa were found to be widely distributed across the three selected hazelnut groves. Among these, Calathus spp., Harpalus dimidiatus (P. Rossi, 1790), Nebria spp., Platyderus neapolitanus jannonei (Binaghi in Magistretti, 1955), Poecilus cupreus (Linnaeus, 1758), Pterostichus melas italicus (Dejean, 1828), and Syntomus obscuroguttatus (Duftschmid, 1812) were the most abundant ones associated with all sampled areas. Concerning trophic preference, among the collected taxa, the most abundant ones were zoophagous and zoospermophagous. Additionally, taxa uncommon in agroecosystems but with ecological relevance, such as Carabus lefebvrei lefebvrei Dejean, 1826, Carabus preslii neumeyeri Schaum, 1856, and Carabus rossii Dejean, 1826, were also collected.","PeriodicalId":501149,"journal":{"name":"Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141969795","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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