Does the diversity of vegetation and diatoms correlate with soil and water factors in a tropical cloud forest's complex land use/land cover scenario?

Soil and water characteristics in micro basins with different land uses/land cover (LULC) can influence riparian vegetation diversity, stream water quality, and benthic diatom diversity. We analyzed 18 streams in the upper part of the La Antigua River basin, México, surrounded by cloud forests, livestock pastures, and coffee plantations. Concentrations of P, C, and N were elevated in the humus of forested streams compared to other land uses. In contrast, cations, ammonium, and total suspended solids (TSS) of water streams were higher in pastures and coffee plantations. These results indicate that LULC affects stream chemistry differently across land uses. Vegetation richness was highest (86-133 spp.) in forest streams and lowest in pastures (46-102), whereas pasture streams had the greatest richness of diatoms (9-24), likely due to higher light and temperatures. Some soil and water characteristics correlated with both true diversity and taxonomic diversity; soil carbon exchange capacity (CEC) correlated with vegetation diversity (r = 0.60), while water temperature correlated negatively (r = - 0.68). Diatom diversity was related to soil aluminum (r = - 0.59), magnesium (r = 0.57), water phosphorus (r = 0.88), and chlorophyll (r = 0.75). These findings suggest that land use affects riparian vegetation, while physical and chemical changes influence diatom diversity in stream water and soil. The lack of correlation between vegetation and diatom diversity indicates that one cannot predict the other. This research is an essential first step in understanding how land use changes impact vegetation and diatom diversity in mountain landscapes, providing valuable insights for environmental monitoring and conservation efforts in tropical cloud forests.

USO DE MICROHÁBITATS Y DIVERSIDAD DE PRESAS CONSUMIDAS POR Craugastor berkenbuschii (Anura: Craugastoridae) EN MÉXICO / Use of microhabitats and diversity of consumed preys by Craugastor berkenbuschii (Anura: Craugastoridae) in Mexico

RESUMEN Analizamos el uso de microhábitat para las diferentes clases etarias entre épocas climáticas y comparamos la diversidad de presas consumidas por los machos y hembras adultas de Craugastor berkenbuschii en un arroyo tropical del sureste de México. Los datos fueron colectados en diez transectos de 100 x 15 m, separados entre sí por 25 m de distancia entre ellos. Los muestreos diurnos y nocturnos se realizaron mensualmente entre septiembre 2017 y agosto 2018. A cada individuo observado le registramos el sexo, la clase etaria y el microhábitat utilizado al momento del avistamiento. Las presas consumidas fueron extraídas mediante lavados estomacales in situ. Registramos un total de 437 individuos; 165 fueron adultos, 162 juveniles y 110 crías. Los microhábitats utilizados fueron roca, hojarasca, suelo, tronco, rama, hojas y raíz, de los cuales roca fue el más utilizado independientemente de la época del año y clases etarias. Se identificaron 21 órdenes de presas, 19 órdenes en hembras y 11 en machos. El índice de diversidad verdadera (1D), mostró valores similares para machos y hembras, con 9,67 y 9,08 respectivamente. El índice de distintividad taxonómica promedio (A+) determinó que las hembras consumen una mayor diversidad de presas que los machos, con 5,12 y 4,25, respectivamente. Los resultados muestran que las diferentes clases etarias de C. berkenbuschii aprovechan una gran variedad de microhábitats entre épocas climáticas y que existen diferencias entre las presas consumidas entre machos y hembras adultas.

ABSTRACT We analyzed microhabitat use for different age classes between climatic seasons and compared the diversity of prey consumed by adult males and females of Craugastor berkenbuschii in a tropical stream in southeastern Mexico. The data was collected in ten transects of 100 x 15 m, separated from each other by 25 m of the distance between them. Day and night sampling was carried out monthly between September 2017 and august 2018. For each observed individual, we recorded the sex, age class, and microhabitat used at the time of the sighting. The consumed prey was extracted by means of in situ stomach washings. We registered a total of 437 individuals; 165 were adults, 162 were juveniles, and 110 were young. The microhabitats used were rock, litter, soil, trunk, branch, leaves, and root, of which rock was the most used regardless of the time of year and age classes. Twenty-one orders of prey were identified, 19 orders in females and 11 in males. The true diversity index (1D) showed similar values for males and females, with 9.67 and 9.08 respectively. The average taxonomic distinctness index (A+) determined that females consume a greater diversity of prey than males, with 5.12 and 4.25, respectively. The results show that the different age classes of C. berkenbuschii take advantage of a wide variety of microhabitats between climatic seasons and that there are differences between the prey consumed between adult males and females.

Responses of Urban Bird Assemblages to Land-Sparing and Land-Sharing Development Styles in Two Argentinian Cities.

Urbanization negatively affects biodiversity worldwide. Consequently, alternative urban development styles are required for an eco-friendlier urbanization process. Thus, two development styles have been suggested: land-sharing (buildings mixed with dispersed green space) and land-sparing (buildings interspersed with large green patches). We assessed differences in species diversity and composition of bird assemblages between both development styles in two Argentinian cities: Santa Fe and Buenos Aires. We surveyed birds in land-sharing and land-sparing areas during the breeding and non-breeding seasons. As a control, we also surveyed birds in areas dominated by impervious surfaces. At a local scale, we also measured the environmental noise and pedestrian traffic. At a landscape scale, we measured the percent vegetation cover surrounding development styles and their distance to the main river. In Buenos Aires, species richness was higher in land-sparing than in land-sharing. However, the Shannon diversity and Simpson diversity were higher in land-sharing. In Santa Fe, both urban development styles supported similar species richness and diversity. Species composition varied between land-sharing and land-sparing in both cities during the breeding season. The pedestrian traffic was negatively associated with species diversity. Therefore, both development styles and strategies to reduce pedestrian traffic should be taken into account to enhance different components of species diversity and composition within the urban matrix.

Taxonomy and systematics of the fungus-growing ant associate Escovopsis (Hypocreaceae).

Escovopsis is a symbiont of fungus-growing ant colonies. Unstandardised taxonomy prevented the evaluation of the morphological diversity of Escovopsis for more than a century. The aim of this study is to create a standardised taxonomic framework to assess the morphological and phylogenetic diversity of Escovopsis. Therefore, to set the foundation for Escovopsis taxonomy and allow interspecific comparisons within the genus, we redescribe the ex-type cultures of Escovopsis aspergilloides, E. clavata, E. lentecrescens, E. microspora, E. moelleri, E. multiformis, and E. weberi. Thus, based on the parameters adopted in this study combined with phylogenetic analyses using five molecular markers, we synonymize E. microspora with E. weberi, and introduce 13 new species isolated from attine nests collected in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama: E. breviramosa, E. chlamydosporosa, E. diminuta, E. elongatistipitata, E. gracilis, E. maculosa, E. papillata, E. peniculiformis, E. phialicopiosa, E. pseudocylindrica, E. rectangula, E. rosisimilis, and E. spicaticlavata. Our results revealed a great interspecific morphological diversity throughout Escovopsis. Notwithstanding, colony growth rates at different temperatures, as well as vesicle shape, appear to be the most outstanding features distinguishing species in the genus. This study fills an important gap in the systematics of Escovopsis that will allow future researchers to unravel the genetic and morphological diversity and species diversification of these attine ant symbionts. Taxonomic novelties: New species: Escovopsis breviramosa Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. chlamydosporosa Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. diminuta Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. elongatistipitata Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. gracilis Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. maculosa Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. papillata Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. peniculiformis Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. phialicopiosa Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. pseudocylindrica Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. rectangula Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. rosisimilis Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. spicaticlavata Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues. Citation: Montoya QV, Martiarena MJS, Rodrigues A (2023). Taxonomy and systematics of the fungus-growing ant associate Escovopsis (Hypocreaceae). Studies in Mycology 106: 349-397. doi: 10.3114/sim.2023.106.06.

Spatial relationships between fishes and amphibians: implications for conservation planning in a Neotropical Hotspot.

Species distribution patterns are widely used to guide conservation planning and are a central issue in ecology. The usefulness of spatial correlation analysis has been highlighted in several ecological applications so far. However, spatial assumptions in ecology are highly scale-dependent, in which geographical relationships between species diversity and distributions can have different conservation concerns. Here, an integrative landscape planning was designed to show the spatial distribution patterns of taxonomic and functional diversity of amphibians and fishes, from multiple species traits regarding morphology, life history, and behavior. We used spatial, morphological, and ecological data of amphibians and fishes to calculate the functional diversity and the spatial correlation of species. Mapping results show that the higher taxonomic and functional diversity of fishes is concentrated in the West Atlantic Forest. Considering amphibians, are located in the East portion of the biome. The spatial correlation of species indicates the regions of the Serra do Mar and the extreme southern part of the Central Corridor as the main overlapped species distribution areas between both groups. New key conservation sites were reported within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest hotspot, revealing cross-taxon mismatches between terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. This study offers useful spatial information integrating suitable habitats of fishes and amphibians to complement existing and future research based on terrestrial and freshwater conservation. New priorities for biodiversity conservation in rich-species regions highlight the importance of spatial pattern analysis to support land-use planning in a macroecological context.

Diversity of Lacewings (Neuroptera) in an Altitudinal Gradient of the Tacaná Volcano, Southern Mexico.

Neuroptera is an order of insects with a moderate diversity of species numbers yet a high between-family morphological diversity, which has a significant ecological role as a predator. However, there are few studies focused on describing changes in species diversity along environmental gradients. We evaluated changes in the alpha and beta diversity of species and the higher taxa in Neuroptera communities in the Tacaná Volcano in southern Mexico. Five sites each at different altitudes were studied through systematic annual sampling. The taxonomic and phylogenetic alpha diversity were analyzed, as well as the beta diversity and its components, species turnover and nestedness. The alpha diversity had two trends: (1) decreased standardized richness and taxonomic distinctness with increasing altitude, and (2) increased estimated richness and species diversity at intermediate altitudes. The highest turnover values for species, as well as for supra-specific taxa, were recorded at sites with lower altitudes. The highest total beta diversity value was recorded at elevations above 3000 m, whereas the highest number of species and supra-specific taxa were observed at sites between 600 and 2000 m, with an evident decrease above 3000 m. The type of vegetation and environmental conditions may be influencing the decrease in diversity toward higher elevations, which could explain the niche specialization of Neuroptera species to particular sites within the gradient. These results highlight the need to study the environmental factors and their effects on species composition along an elevation gradient.

Dissecting the difference in tree species richness between Africa and South America.

SignificanceOur full-scale comparison of Africa and South America's lowland tropical tree floras shows that both Africa and South America's moist and dry tree floras are organized similarly: plant families that are rich in tree species on one continent are also rich in tree species on the other continent, and these patterns hold across moist and dry environments. Moreover, we confirm that there is an important difference in tree species richness between the two continents, which is linked to a few families that are exceptionally diverse in South American moist forests, although dry formations also contribute to this difference. Plant families only present on one of the two continents do not contribute substantially to differences in tree species richness.

Functional Groups of Metazoan Parasites of the Dusky Flounder (Syacium papillosum) as Bioindicators of Environmental Health of the Yucatan Shelf.

We aimed to compare the percentage of explained variance given by the relationship of species and functional groups of metazoan parasites of the dusky flounder Syacium papillosum and environmental variables from water and sediments in the Yucatan shelf (YS). Parasite data were obtained from 127 S. papillosum specimens collected from 17 of 67 stations. At each station, 46 environmental variables were measured, including hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and physicochemical variables from water and sediments. Fifteen functional groups were defined based on biological characteristics of 48 parasite species. Our multivariate statistical analyses showed that species and functional groups produced similar explained variance values (47.3% and 50% respectively). However, using functional groups the time and financial resources were minimal compared with those used for morphological and molecular identification to produce the species composition matrix. Thus, functional groups are the best choice from the point of view of saving time and money.

Physicochemical Parameters Affecting the Distribution and Diversity of the Water Column Microbial Community in the High-Altitude Andean Lake System of La Brava and La Punta.

Due to the low incidence of precipitation attributed to climate change, many high-altitude Andean lakes (HAALs) and lagoons distributed along the central Andes in South America may soon disappear. This includes La Brava-La Punta, a brackish lake system located south of the Salar de Atacama within a hyper-arid and halophytic biome in the Atacama Desert. Variations in the physicochemical parameters of the water column can induce changes in microbial community composition, which we aimed to determine. Sixteen sampling points across La Brava-La Punta were studied to assess the influence of water physicochemical properties on the aquatic microbial community, determined via 16S rRNA gene analysis. Parameters such as pH and the concentrations of silica, magnesium, calcium, salinity, and dissolved oxygen showed a more homogenous pattern in La Punta samples, whereas those from La Brava had greater variability; pH and total silica were significantly different between La Brava and La Punta. The predominant phyla were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia. The genera Psychroflexus (36.85%), Thiomicrospira (12.48%), and Pseudomonas (7.81%) were more abundant in La Brava, while Pseudospirillum (20.73%) and Roseovarius (17.20%) were more abundant in La Punta. Among the parameters, pH was the only statistically significant factor influencing the diversity within La Brava lake. These results complement the known microbial diversity and composition in the HAALs of the Atacama Desert.

Efectos de la deforestación sobre la diversidad y la estructura del ensamblaje de macroinvertebrados en cuatro quebradas Andinas en Colombia / Effects of deforestation on macroinvertebrate diversity and assemblage structure in four Andean creeks in Colombia

Resumen Las quebradas están fuertemente influenciadas por su vegetación ribereña y la deforestación afecta a la comunidad acuática. Se estudiaron los efectos de la deforestación sobre la diversidad taxonómica y funcional del ensamblaje de macroinvertebrados acuáticos en cuatro quebradas Andinas colombianas. El estudio incluyó 12 sitios, siete de ellos con cobertura arbórea en sus márgenes en áreas boscosas no perturbadas por la deforestación (estaciones de referencia) y los otros cinco sin cobertura arbórea en áreas deforestadas (estaciones alteradas). Se realizaron cuatro muestreos de campo entre junio 2011 y febrero 2012 y se recolectaron muestras de macroinvertebrados bentónicos utilizando el método D-net con malla de 500 μm y recolección manual, y se midieron diferentes variables fisicoquímicas in situ. Se calcularon los índices de Shannon-Wienner (H ') y Simpson (D). Se aplicaron análisis unidireccionales de varianza ANOVAs a cada variable ambiental y análisis canónicos discriminantes (CDA). Se recolectaron un total 8 370 individuos correspondientes a 80 taxones durante el estudio. La abundancia y diversidad fue mayor en las estaciones localizadas en áreas boscosas no perturbadas. Thraulodes, Anacroneuria y Rhagovelia, se asociaron con valores más altos de Calidad de Bosque de Ribera Andina (QBR-And), Índice de Hábitat Fluvial (IHF), Biological Monitoring Working Party Colombia (BMWP/Col) y temperatura en estaciones de referencia, mientras que Leptonema, Baetodes y Mayobaetis se asociaron con mayores valores de pH y altura sobre nivel del mar en estaciones alteradas. Los principales grupos funcionales tróficos (GFT) en las estaciones de referencia fueron colectores-recolectores/raspadores (27.2 %), raspadores (25.4 %) y depredadores (24.4 %), mientras que en estaciones alteradas fueron: Colectores filtradores (27.5 %), colectores-recolectores/raspadores (17.4 %) y raspadores (15.7 %). Los hábitos de vida más abundantes en las estaciones de referencia fueron agarradores (50.5 %), taxones con tres o más hábitos (28.7 %) y patinadores (16.1 %), mientras que en las estaciones alteradas fueron agarradores (68.1 %), taxones con tres o más hábitos (13.7 %) y excavadores (5.2 %). El conocimiento de las variables que determinan la estructura taxonómica y funcional de los ensamblajes de macroinvertebrados, y cómo responden a impactos como la deforestación, puede ayudar a determinar acciones de protección o restauración de las condiciones ambientales y ecológicas de las quebradas Andinas y los hábitats riparios.(AU)

Abstract The creeks are strongly influenced by their riparian vegetation, and the deforestation affect the aquatic community. The effects of deforestation on taxonomic and functional diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblage in four Colombian Andean creeks were evaluated. The study included 12 sites, seven of them with arboreal coverage at their margins in forested areas undisturbed by deforestation (reference stations) and the other five without tree cover in deforested areas (altered stations). Four field samplings were carried out between June 2011 and February 2012, and samples of benthic macroinvertebrates were collected using the D-net method with 500 μm mesh and manual collection, and different physicochemical variables were measured in situ. The Shannon-Wienner (H′) and Simpson´s index (D) were calculated. One-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) to each environmental variable, and canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) to establish differences in environmental variables, taxonomic and functional diversity between references and altered stations were applied. 8 370 macroinvertebrate individuals corresponding to 80 taxa were collected in the study, with 6 758 individuals and 75 taxa in references stations and 1 612 individuals and 50 taxa in altered stations. The reference stations had higher values of diversity and the taxa that made major contributions to the variance between reference and altered stations were Thraulodes, Anacroneuria and Rhagovelia, which were associated with the highest values of Index of Andean riparian vegetation Quality (QBR-And), fluvial habitat index (IHF), Biological Monitoring Working Party Colombia BMWP/Col, EPT index (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) and temperature in reference stations, whereas Leptonema, Baetodes and Mayobaetis were associated with higher pH and elevation above sea level in altered stations. The main functional feeding groups (FFG) at the reference stations were collectors-gatherers/scrapers CG / SC (27.2 %), scrapers SC (25.4 %) and predators PR (24.4 %), and for altered stations were collectors-filterers CF (27.5 %), collectors-gatherers/scrapers CG / SC (17.4 %) and scrapers SC (15.7 %). The most abundant life habits were clingers Cg (50.5 %), taxa with three or more habits (28.7 %) and skaters Sk (16.1 %), in the reference stations, and clingers Cg (68.1 %), taxa with three or more habits (13.7 %) and burrowers Bu (5.2 %) in the altered stations. The knowledge of the variables that determine the taxonomic and functional structure of the macroinvertebrate assemblages, and how they respond to impacts such as deforestation, can help to determine actions of protection or restoration of the environmental and ecological conditions of the Andean streams and the riparian habitats.(AU)

Relaciones entre la diversidad de aves y la estructura de vegetación en cuatro etapas sucesionales de bosque secundario, antioquia, colombia / Relationships between bird diversity and vegetation structure in four secondary forest successional stages, antioquia, colombia

RESUMEN Se estudió la relación entre la diversidad taxonómica y funcional del ensamblaje de aves y la estructura de vegetación, en cuatro estadios de sucesión secundaria de bosque, realizando cinco muestreos, entre junio de 2016 y febrero de 2017, en los que se registraron las aves, mediante puntos de conteo de radio fijo y se caracterizó la estructura de la vegetación de cada sucesión. Se estableció la abundancia, la preferencia, la especificidad de hábitat y el gremio trófico, así como la riqueza y la diversidad de las especies de aves y las relaciones entre la composición de las especies y los gremios tróficos con las variables del hábitat. Se registraron 9.516 individuos de 187 especies, pertenecientes a 42 familias y 15 órdenes. Se determinaron dos agrupaciones, separando los estadios sucesionales SS1 y SS2, de los estadios SS3 y SS4, con una similitud entre los dos grupos del 10%, a nivel taxonómico y del 32%, a nivel funcional. La regeneración natural posterior al abandono de prácticas agropecuarias, permiten un incremento de áreas de bosque secundario que, en la medida en que obtienen mayor complejidad estructural, se asocian con una mayor cantidad de especies con preferencia de hábitat de interior de bosque y un aumento de los gremios tróficos nectarívos y frugívoros.

ABSTRACT The relationships between taxonomic and functional diversity of bird assemblage and vegetation structure in four stages of secondary forest succession were studied. Five field samplings were carried out between June 2016 and February 2017, in which birds were recorded using fixed radius point counts, and the vegetation structure of each successional stage was characterized. Bird species were identified and their habitat preference, specificity and trophic guilds were established. The abundance, preference, habitat specificity and trophic guild, and the richness and diversity of species of birds and relationships between species composition and trophic guilds with habitat variables in the four sequences was established. 9516 individuals from 187 bird species belonging to 42 families and 15 orders were registered. Two clusters separating the SS1 and SS2 of SS3 and SS4 successional stages, were determined, with a similarity between both of 10% at taxonomic level and 32% at functional level. The natural regeneration subsequent to the abandonment of agricultural practices allow an increase in secondary forest areas, which to the extent they get greater structural complexity, are associated with increased number of forest interior species, and an increase of nectarivorous and frugivorous guilds.

Different environmental gradients affect different measures of snake ß-diversity in the Amazon rainforests.

Mechanisms generating and maintaining biodiversity at regional scales may be evaluated by quantifying ß-diversity along environmental gradients. Differences in assemblages result in biotic complementarities and redundancies among sites, which may be quantified through multi-dimensional approaches incorporating taxonomic ß-diversity (TBD), functional ß-diversity (FBD) and phylogenetic ß-diversity (PBD). Here we test the hypothesis that snake TBD, FBD and PBD are influenced by environmental gradients, independently of geographic distance. The gradients tested are expected to affect snake assemblages indirectly, such as clay content in the soil determining primary production and height above the nearest drainage determining prey availability, or directly, such as percentage of tree cover determining availability of resting and nesting sites, and climate (temperature and precipitation) causing physiological filtering. We sampled snakes in 21 sampling plots, each covering five km2, distributed over 880 km in the central-southern Amazon Basin. We used dissimilarities between sampling sites to quantify TBD, FBD and PBD, which were response variables in multiple-linear-regression and redundancy analysis models. We show that patterns of snake community composition based on TBD, FBD and PBD are associated with environmental heterogeneity in the Amazon. Despite positive correlations between all ß-diversity measures, TBD responded to different environmental gradients compared to FBD and PBD. Our findings suggest that multi-dimensional approaches are more informative for ecological studies and conservation actions compared to a single diversity measure.

Classification of malignant and benign lung nodules using taxonomic diversity index and phylogenetic distance.

Lung cancer presents the highest cause of death among patients around the world, in addition of being one of the smallest survival rates after diagnosis. Therefore, this study proposes a methodology for diagnosis of lung nodules in benign and malignant tumors based on image processing and pattern recognition techniques. Mean phylogenetic distance (MPD) and taxonomic diversity index (Δ) were used as texture descriptors. Finally, the genetic algorithm in conjunction with the support vector machine were applied to select the best training model. The proposed methodology was tested on computed tomography (CT) images from the Lung Image Database Consortium and Image Database Resource Initiative (LIDC-IDRI), with the best sensitivity of 93.42%, specificity of 91.21%, accuracy of 91.81%, and area under the ROC curve of 0.94. The results demonstrate the promising performance of texture extraction techniques using mean phylogenetic distance and taxonomic diversity index combined with phylogenetic trees. Graphical Abstract Stages of the proposed methodology.

Deciphering the enigma of undetected species, phylogenetic, and functional diversity based on Good-Turing theory.

Estimating the species, phylogenetic, and functional diversity of a community is challenging because rare species are often undetected, even with intensive sampling. The Good-Turing frequency formula, originally developed for cryptography, estimates in an ecological context the true frequencies of rare species in a single assemblage based on an incomplete sample of individuals. Until now, this formula has never been used to estimate undetected species, phylogenetic, and functional diversity. Here, we first generalize the Good-Turing formula to incomplete sampling of two assemblages. The original formula and its two-assemblage generalization provide a novel and unified approach to notation, terminology, and estimation of undetected biological diversity. For species richness, the Good-Turing framework offers an intuitive way to derive the non-parametric estimators of the undetected species richness in a single assemblage, and of the undetected species shared between two assemblages. For phylogenetic diversity, the unified approach leads to an estimator of the undetected Faith's phylogenetic diversity (PD, the total length of undetected branches of a phylogenetic tree connecting all species), as well as a new estimator of undetected PD shared between two phylogenetic trees. For functional diversity based on species traits, the unified approach yields a new estimator of undetected Walker et al.'s functional attribute diversity (FAD, the total species-pairwise functional distance) in a single assemblage, as well as a new estimator of undetected FAD shared between two assemblages. Although some of the resulting estimators have been previously published (but derived with traditional mathematical inequalities), all taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity estimators are now derived under the same framework. All the derived estimators are theoretically lower bounds of the corresponding undetected diversities; our approach reveals the sufficient conditions under which the estimators are nearly unbiased, thus offering new insights. Simulation results are reported to numerically verify the performance of the derived estimators. We illustrate all estimators and assess their sampling uncertainty with an empirical dataset for Brazilian rain forest trees. These estimators should be widely applicable to many current problems in ecology, such as the effects of climate change on spatial and temporal beta diversity and the contribution of trait diversity to ecosystem multi-functionality.

Environmental yeast communities in vineyards in the mountains of Santa Catarina State, Brazil.

Yeasts were isolated from three vineyards located in the South Region of Brazil. A cross evaluation was carried out at the oldest vineyard of the study in Pinheiro Preto. Samples of grape berries, grapevine leaves and the soil, along with samples of the winery equipment and effluent, were collected. In the Serra do Marari and Campos Novos vineyards only samples of grape clusters were obtained. The 106 yeast isolates were identified by sequencing the D1/D2 domain of LSU rDNA or ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region in 22 species. The values for the richness indices varied between the vineyards. A comparison of the taxonomic diversity of the yeasts from these regions using the reciprocal Simpson index showed a significant difference between the Serra do Marari and Campos Novos vineyards (5.72 ± 0.36 and 2.92 ± 0.36, respectively, p < 0.0001). The functional diversity was assessed in relation to the use of carbon and nitrogen sources by the yeasts isolated from each location. In general, we observed that the Pinheiro Preto and Campos Novos vineyards differed consistently from the Serra do Marari vineyard according to these indices (FAD2, FDc and Rao, p < 0.0001). The possible spreading of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from the winery to the vineyard in Pinheiro Preto was observed.

Diversidad taxonómica y funcional en la comunidad de peces de la pesca de arrastre de camarón en el norte del Golfo de California, México / Taxonomic and functional diversity of the bycatch fishes community of trawl fishing from Northern Gulf of California, Mexico

ResumenLa parte norte del Golfo de California es una zona mega diversa de alto endemismo con gran interés económico por las pesquerías multiespecíficas que se desarrollan, principalmente de camarón. Existe carencia de estudios recientes sobre ensamblajes de peces componentes de la fauna acompañante. Por lo que, durante las temporadas de pesca 2009-2010 y 2010-2011 se realizaron 14 viajes de pesca comercial a bordo de 13 barcos camaroneros, con un total de 119 lances, efectuados entre los 5 y 90 m de profundidad. Los 119 lances fueron analizados para evaluar la estructura de la comunidad de peces. Se utilizaron índices de diversidad taxonómica para detectar cambios taxonómicos en la comunidad siguiendo el índice de distinción taxonómica promedio Δ+ y el índice de variación taxonómica Δ* (TAXDEST del programa PRIMER v6). Para la conformación de grupos funcionales se consideró las similitudes de rasgos ecológicos y morfológicos entre las especies. Los resultados mostraron que los índices Δ+ y Δ* estuvieron dentro del promedio estimado y por dentro de los intervalos de confianza al 95 %, se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los índices. Los análisis mostraron una comunidad bien estructurada debido a la gran variedad de formas y funciones de las especies dentro de la comunidad. En la composición de grupos funcionales, el atributo ecológico que más contribuyó para conformación grupos, fue el gremio reproductivo. La estructura de la comunidad fue representada por niveles tróficos intermedios 3-3.9, preferencialmente carnívoros primarios y carnívoros secundarios, dentro de las categorías tróficas de ictiobentófagos y zoobentófagos, pertenecientes a especies demersales de fondos blandos y mayormente de cuerpo fusiforme.Se concluye que el NGC presentó alta redundancia funcional de acuerdo a los grupos funcionales estimados, por lo que se considera un ecosistema estable y de gran diversidad. Es recomendable dar seguimiento a este tipo de estudios utilizando información de esfuerzo pesquero y ambiental, debido a la gran importancia biológica y ecológica del área.

Abstract The Northern Gulf of California (NGC) is a mega diverse area of high endemism with major economic interest because of the multi-specific fisheries developed, mainly shrimp. There is a lack of recent studies on bycatch fish assemblages, so during the fishing seasons from 2009-2010 and 2010-2011, on board 13 shrimp boats, 14 commercial fishing trips were performed from 5 m - 90 m in depth with a total of 119 catches. The 119 catches were analyzed to assess fish community structure using taxonomic diversity indices to detect changes in the community following the taxonomic distinctness average Δ+ and the diversity index Δ* (TAXDEST of the PRIMER v6 program). To confirm the structure of functional groups, we considered similarities of ecologic and morphologic traits among species. The results showed that the indices Δ+ and Δ* were within the expected average and confidence intervals at 95%, finding significant differences between the indices. The analyses showed a well-structured community because of the great variety of forms and functions of the species within the community. In the community of the functional groups, reproduction was the ecological attribute that contributed the most to their structure. The community structure was represented by intermediate trophic levels (3-3.9), preferably primary and secondary carnivores within the trophic categories of predators of benthic ichthyo-fauna that belong to demersal species of soft bottoms and mostly fusiform body. To conclude, the NGC showed high functional redundancy according to the estimated functional groups, thus the ecosystem was considered stable and with great diversity. This type of studies should be followed using fishing and environmental effort due to the great biological and ecologic importance in the area.

Multilocus sequence analysis reveals taxonomic differences among Bradyrhizobium sp. symbionts of Lupinus albescens plants growing in arenized and non-arenized areas.

Lupinus albescens is a leguminous plant that belongs to "New World" lupine species, which is native to southern Brazil. This Brazilian region is characterized by poor degraded soils with low organic matter and is designated as an arenized area. The symbiosis between Lupinus plants and nitrogen-fixing bacteria belonging to the Bradyrhizobium genus may help the plant establish itself in these areas. To characterize the bradyrhizobial population symbionts of L. albescens plants grown in arenized and non-arenized areas, a multilocus phylogenetic analysis allied to genetic diversity indices were conducted. Seventy-four bradyrhizobial isolates were analyzed, 38 coming from L. albescens plants growing in an arenized area and 36 from a non-arenized area. Isolates were different between arenized and non-arenized areas. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA, dnaK, atpD, recA, glnII, rpoB, gyrB, nodA, nodB, and nodZ genes resulted in three supported clades, which were most likely to be three different new Bradyrhizobium species: one species from the arenized area and two from the non-arenized area. Estimates of genetic diversity, which decreased in arenized areas, were positively correlated with habitat variability. These results suggested that a few resistant and efficient Bradyrhizobium sp. strains were capable of forming nodules on L. albescens plants growing in an arenized area. An in vivo inoculation experiment with L. albescens plants showed that Bradyrhizobium ssp. isolated from this extreme environment were more efficient at promoting plant growth than those from the non-arenized area. This result suggested that the environment affected the selection of more efficient plant growth promoters in order to sustain plant growth.

Floristic characterization of an Atlantic Rainforest remnant in Southern Sergipe: Crasto forest / Caracterização florística de um remanescente de Mata Atlântica no sul de Sergipe: Mata do Crasto

The state of Sergipe has suffered extreme reduction of its Atlantic Forest area in the last decades. The objective of this study is to present an inventory of the Mata do Crasto flora, the largest Atlantic Forest Remnant in Sergipe (approximately 1,000 ha), located in the Municipality of Santa Luzia do Itanhy. An intensive survey was undertaken with monthly plant collections in the study area, for four years (1995 to 1999). Additionally, collections deposited in herbaria were consulted to complete the species list. A total of 324 species were found, belonging to 84 families and 193 genera. This study adds an additional 29 genera and 96 species to the Sergipe flora as new occurrences. The four most speciose families were the Fabaceae (33 species), Rubiaceae (24 species), Myrtaceae (23 species) and Melastomataceae (15 species), that accounted for ca. 30% of the total species. The taxonomic distinction of the area is very similar to three other lowland forests in Northeastern Brazil, although its species composition is quite distinct.

O estado de Sergipe sofreu extrema redução da área de Mata Atlântica nas últimas décadas. Este trabalho tem como objetivo inventariar a composição florística da Mata do Crasto, maior remanescente de Mata Atlântica de Sergipe (aproximadamente 1.000 ha), situada no Município de Santa Luzia do Itanhy. Um inventário intensivo foi realizado com coletas florísticas na área de estudo por quatro anos (1995 a 1999). Adicionalmente, exsicatas depositadas em herbários foram consultadas para complementar a lista de espécies. Um total de 324 espécies foram identificadas, pertencentes a 84 famílias e 193 gêneros. Este estudo adicionou 96 espécies è flora de Sergipe como novas ocorrências. As famílias com maior número de espécies são Fabaceae (33 espécies), Rubiaceae (24 espécies), Myrtaceae (23 espécies) e Melastomataceae (15 espécies), que juntas somam cerca de 30% do total de espécies. A distinção taxonômica do remanescente é surpreendentemente similar ao de outras florestas de terras baixas no Nordeste do Brasil embora suas espécies sejam bastante distintas.

The taxonomic distinctness of macroinvertebrate communities of Atlantic Forest streams cannot be predicted by landscape and climate variables, but traditional biodiversity indices can / A distinção taxonômica de comunidades de macroinvertebrados de córregos da Mata Atlântica não pode ser previsto pela paisagem e por variáveis climáticas, mas os índices de biodiversidade tradicional podem

Predicting how anthropogenic activities may influence the various components of biodiversity is essential for finding ways to reduce diversity loss. This challenge involves: a) understanding how environmental factors influence diversity across different spatial scales, and b) developing ways to measure these relationships in a way that is fast, economical, and easy to communicate. In this study, we investigate whether landscape and bioclimatic variables could explain variation in biodiversity indices in macroinvertebrate communities from 39 Atlantic Forest streams. In addition to traditional diversity measures, i.e., species richness, abundance and Shannon index, we used a taxonomic distinctness index that measures the degree of phylogenetic relationship among taxa. The amount of variation in the diversity measures that was explained by environmental and spatial variables was estimated using variation partitioning based on multiple regression. Our study demonstrates that taxonomic distinctness does not respond in the same way as the traditional used in biodiversity studies. We found no evidence that taxonomic distinctness responds predictably to variation in landscape metrics, indicating the need for the incorporation of predictors at multiple scales in this type of study. The lack of congruence between taxonomic distinctness and other indices and its low predictability may be related to the fact that this measure expresses long-term evolutionary adaptation to ecosystem conditions, while the other traditional biodiversity metrics respond to short-term environmental changes.(AU)

Prever como as atividades antrópicas podem influenciar os vários componentes da biodiversidade é essencial para encontrar maneiras de reduzir a perda de diversidade. Este desafio envolve: a) a compreensão de como os fatores ambientais influenciam a diversidade em diferentes escalas espaciais e, b) desenvolver formas de medir essas relações de uma maneira rápida, econômica e de fácil comunicação. Neste estudo, nós investigamos se a paisagem e as variáveis bioclimáticas podem explicar a variação nos índices de biodiversidade em comunidades de macroinvertebrados de 39 riachos de Mata Atlântica. Adicionalmente às medidas tradicionais de diversidade, por ex.: riqueza de espécies, abundância e índice de Shannon, nos utilizamos índice de distinção taxonômica que mede o grau de relação filogenética dentre os taxa. A quantidade de variação nas medidas de diversidade que foi explicado por variáveis ambientais e espaciais foi estimada utilizando a variação particionada baseada em regressão múltipla. O presente estudo demonstra que o índice de distinção taxonômica não responde da mesma maneira que os índices tradicionais utilizados em estudos de biodiversidade. Nós não encontramos nenhuma evidência de que a distinção taxonômica responde previsivelmente à variação métricas da paisagem, indicando a necessidade de incorporação de preditores em múltiplas escalas neste tipo de estudo. A falta de congruência entre a distinção taxonômica e outros índices e sua baixa previsibilidade pode estar relacionada com o fato de esta medida expressar adaptações evolutivas de longo prazo para as condições ambientais, enquanto as outras métricas tradicionais respondem às alterações ambientais de curto prazo.(AU)

The taxonomic distinctness of macroinvertebrate communities of Atlantic Forest streams cannot be predicted by landscape and climate variables, but traditional biodiversity indices can / A distinção taxonômica de comunidades de macroinvertebrados de córregos da Mata Atlântica não pode ser previsto pela paisagem e por variáveis climáticas, mas os índices de biodiversidade tradicional podem

Predicting how anthropogenic activities may influence the various components of biodiversity is essential for finding ways to reduce diversity loss. This challenge involves: a) understanding how environmental factors influence diversity across different spatial scales, and b) developing ways to measure these relationships in a way that is fast, economical, and easy to communicate. In this study, we investigate whether landscape and bioclimatic variables could explain variation in biodiversity indices in macroinvertebrate communities from 39 Atlantic Forest streams. In addition to traditional diversity measures, i.e., species richness, abundance and Shannon index, we used a taxonomic distinctness index that measures the degree of phylogenetic relationship among taxa. The amount of variation in the diversity measures that was explained by environmental and spatial variables was estimated using variation partitioning based on multiple regression. Our study demonstrates that taxonomic distinctness does not respond in the same way as the traditional used in biodiversity studies. We found no evidence that taxonomic distinctness responds predictably to variation in landscape metrics, indicating the need for the incorporation of predictors at multiple scales in this type of study. The lack of congruence between taxonomic distinctness and other indices and its low predictability may be related to the fact that this measure expresses long-term evolutionary adaptation to ecosystem conditions, while the other traditional biodiversity metrics respond to short-term environmental changes.

Prever como as atividades antrópicas podem influenciar os vários componentes da biodiversidade é essencial para encontrar maneiras de reduzir a perda de diversidade. Este desafio envolve: a) a compreensão de como os fatores ambientais influenciam a diversidade em diferentes escalas espaciais e, b) desenvolver formas de medir essas relações de uma maneira rápida, econômica e de fácil comunicação. Neste estudo, nós investigamos se a paisagem e as variáveis bioclimáticas podem explicar a variação nos índices de biodiversidade em comunidades de macroinvertebrados de 39 riachos de Mata Atlântica. Adicionalmente às medidas tradicionais de diversidade, por ex.: riqueza de espécies, abundância e índice de Shannon, nos utilizamos índice de distinção taxonômica que mede o grau de relação filogenética dentre os taxa. A quantidade de variação nas medidas de diversidade que foi explicado por variáveis ambientais e espaciais foi estimada utilizando a variação particionada baseada em regressão múltipla. O presente estudo demonstra que o índice de distinção taxonômica não responde da mesma maneira que os índices tradicionais utilizados em estudos de biodiversidade. Nós não encontramos nenhuma evidência de que a distinção taxonômica responde previsivelmente à variação métricas da paisagem, indicando a necessidade de incorporação de preditores em múltiplas escalas neste tipo de estudo. A falta de congruência entre a distinção taxonômica e outros índices e sua baixa previsibilidade pode estar relacionada com o fato de esta medida expressar adaptações evolutivas de longo prazo para as condições ambientais, enquanto as outras métricas tradicionais respondem às alterações ambientais de curto prazo.