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Witteveen NH, White C, Sánchez-Martínez BA, Philip A, Boyd F, Booij R, Christ R, Singh S, Gosling WD, Piperno DR, McMichael CNH. Pre-contact and post-colonial ecological legacies shape Surinamese rainforests. Ecology 2024; 105:e4272. [PMID: 38590101 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Disturbances in tropical forests can have long-lasting ecological impacts, but their manifestations (ecological legacies) in modern forests are uncertain. Many Amazonian forests bear the mark of past soil modifications, species enrichments, and fire events, but the trajectories of ecological legacies from the pre-contact or post-colonial period remain relatively unexplored. We assessed the fire and vegetation history from 15 soil cores ranging from 0 to 10 km from a post-colonial Surinamese archaeological site. We show that (1) fires occurred from 96 bc to recent times and induced significant vegetation change, (2) persistent ecological legacies from pre-contact and post-colonial fire and deforestation practices were mainly within 1 km of the archaeological site, and (3) palm enrichment of Attalea, Oenocarpus and Astrocaryum occurred within 0, 1, and 8 km of the archaeological site, respectively. Our results challenge the notion of spatially extensive and persistent ecological legacies. Instead, our data indicate that the persistence and extent of ecological legacies are dependent on their timing, frequency, type, and intensity. Examining the mechanisms and manifestations of ecological legacies is crucial in assessing forest resilience and Indigenous and local land rights in the highly threatened Amazonian forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina H Witteveen
- Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Cheryl White
- Department of History, Faculty of Humanities, Anton de Kom University, Paramaribo, Suriname
| | - Barbara A Sánchez-Martínez
- Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Annemarie Philip
- Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Femke Boyd
- Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Roemer Booij
- Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Reyan Christ
- Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Santosh Singh
- Department of History, Faculty of Humanities, Anton de Kom University, Paramaribo, Suriname
| | - William D Gosling
- Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Dolores R Piperno
- Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon, Panama
| | - Crystal N H McMichael
- Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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2
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Elsy AD, Pfeifer M, Jones IL, DeWalt SJ, Lopez OR, Dent DH. Incomplete recovery of tree community composition and rare species after 120 years of tropical forest succession in Panama. Biotropica 2024; 56:36-49. [PMID: 38515454 PMCID: PMC10952663 DOI: 10.1111/btp.13275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Determining how fully tropical forests regenerating on abandoned land recover characteristics of old-growth forests is increasingly important for understanding their role in conserving rare species and maintaining ecosystem services. Despite this, our understanding of forest structure and community composition recovery throughout succession is incomplete, as many tropical chronosequences do not extend beyond the first 50 years of succession. Here, we examined trajectories of forest recovery across eight 1-hectare plots in middle and later stages of forest succession (40-120 years) and five 1-hectare old-growth plots, in the Barro Colorado Nature Monument (BCNM), Panama. We first verified that forest age had a greater effect than edaphic or topographic variation on forest structure, diversity and composition and then corroborated results from smaller plots censused 20 years previously. Tree species diversity (but not species richness) and forest structure had fully recovered to old-growth levels by 40 and 90 years, respectively. However, rare species were missing, and old-growth specialists were in low abundance, in the mid- and late secondary forest plots, leading to incomplete recovery of species composition even by 120 years into succession. We also found evidence that dominance early in succession by a long-lived pioneer led to altered forest structure and delayed recovery of species diversity and composition well past a century after land abandonment. Our results illustrate the critical importance of old-growth and old secondary forests for biodiversity conservation, given that recovery of community composition may take several centuries, particularly when a long-lived pioneer dominates in early succession. Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander D. Elsy
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - Marion Pfeifer
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Modelling, Evidence and Policy GroupNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Isabel L. Jones
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - Saara J. DeWalt
- Department of Biological SciencesClemson UniversityClemsonSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Omar R. Lopez
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteBalboaPanama
- Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT)ClaytonPanama
| | - Daisy H. Dent
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteBalboaPanama
- Max Planck Institute for Animal BehaviorKonstanzGermany
- Department of Environmental Systems ScienceETH ZürichZurichSwitzerland
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3
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Toapanta-Alban CE, Ordoñez ME, Blanchette RA. New Findings on the Biology and Ecology of the Ecuadorian Amazon Fungus Polyporus leprieurii var. yasuniensis. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8020203. [PMID: 35205957 PMCID: PMC8874993 DOI: 10.3390/jof8020203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyporus leprieurii var. yasuniensis is a prolific wood-decay fungus inhabiting the forest floor of one of the most biodiverse places on earth, the Yasuní National Park in Ecuador. Basidiocarps and aerial rhizomorphs are commonly found growing on woody debris distributed along the floor of this forest ecosystem. Because of the extraordinary abundance of this fungus in the tropical rainforest, we carried out investigations to better understand the biological and ecological aspects contributing to its prolific distribution. Data on growth inhibition in paired competition studies with sixteen fungal isolates exemplifies defense mechanisms used to defend its territory, including pseudosclerotial plates and the development of a melanized rhizomorphic mat. Results of biomass loss on eleven types of tropical wood in microcosm experiments demonstrated the broad decay capacity of the fungus. In and ex situ observations provided information on how long rhizomorphs can prevail in highly competitive ecosystems as well as stressful conditions in the laboratory. Finally, high concentrations of metal ions occur on rhizomorphs as compared to colonized wood. Sequestration of metal ions from the environment by the melanized rhizomorphs may offer protection against competitors. The development of melanized rhizomorphs is key to find and colonize new substrates and resist changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - María E. Ordoñez
- Fungarium QCAM, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito 170143, Ecuador;
| | - Robert A. Blanchette
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA;
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4
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Camargo PHSA, Carlo TA, Brancalion PHS, Pizo MA. Frugivore diversity increases evenness in the seed rain on deforested tropical landscapes. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paulo H. S. A. Camargo
- Univ. Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Inst. de Biociências Rio Claro SP Brasil
- Biology Dept, 208 Mueller Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State Univ. State College Pennsylvania USA
| | - Tomás A. Carlo
- Biology Dept, 208 Mueller Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State Univ. State College Pennsylvania USA
| | - Pedro H. S. Brancalion
- Dept of Forest Sciences, ‘Luiz de Queiroz' College of Agriculture, Univ. of São Paulo Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | - Marco A. Pizo
- Univ. Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Inst. de Biociências Rio Claro SP Brasil
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5
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Dehling DM, Bender IMA, Blendinger PG, Böhning‐Gaese K, Muñoz MC, Neuschulz EL, Quitián M, Saavedra F, Santillán V, Schleuning M, Stouffer DB. Specialists and generalists fulfil important and complementary functional roles in ecological processes. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. Matthias Dehling
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL Birmensdorf Switzerland
| | - Irene M. A. Bender
- Instituto de Ecología Regional Universidad Nacional de Tucumán‐Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas Tucumán Argentina
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK‐F) Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - Pedro G. Blendinger
- Instituto de Ecología Regional Universidad Nacional de Tucumán‐Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas Tucumán Argentina
| | - Katrin Böhning‐Gaese
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK‐F) Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity Goethe University Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - Marcia C. Muñoz
- Programa de Biología Universidad de La Salle Bogotá Colombia
| | - Eike L. Neuschulz
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK‐F) Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - Marta Quitián
- Systematic Zoology Laboratory Tokyo Metropolitan University (TMU) Tokyo Japan
| | - Francisco Saavedra
- Instituto de Ecología Facultad de Ciencias Puras y Naturales Universidad Mayor de San Andrés La Paz Bolivia
| | - Vinicio Santillán
- Centro de Investigación, Innovación y Transferencia de Tecnología (CIITT) Universidad Católica de Cuenca Cuenca Ecuador
| | - Matthias Schleuning
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK‐F) Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - Daniel B. Stouffer
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
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6
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Arteaga A, Malumbres-Olarte J, Gabriel R, Ros-Prieto A, Casimiro P, Sanchez AF, Albergaria IS, Borges PAV. Arthropod diversity in two Historic Gardens in the Azores, Portugal. Biodivers Data J 2020; 8:e54749. [PMID: 32855602 PMCID: PMC7426280 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.8.e54749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of our study was to characterise and compare the richness and composition of endemic, native (non-endemic) and introduced arthropod assemblages of two Azorean Historic Gardens with contrasting plant species composition. We hypothesised that Faial Botanic Garden would hold higher arthropod diversity and abundance of native and endemic arthropod species due to its larger native plant community. Species were collected using several arthropod standardised techniques between April 2017 and June 2018. We used the alpha diversity metrics (Hill series) and the partitioning of total beta diversity (βtotal) into its replacement (βrepl) and richness (βrich) components, to analyse the adult and total arthropod community. The orders Araneae, Coleoptera and Hemiptera were also studied separately. Our results show that the number of exotic arthropod species exceeds the number of native and/or the endemic species in both gardens, but the arthropod community of Faial Botanic Garden exhibited a higher density of endemic and native species. Despite some minor exceptions, the geographic origins of plant communities largely influenced the arthropod species sampled in each garden. This study improves our knowledge about urban arthropod diversity in the Azores and shows how well-designed urban garden management and planning contribute to the conservation of native and endemic Azorean species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Arteaga
- CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal
| | - Jagoba Malumbres-Olarte
- CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal.,LIBRe - Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland LIBRe - Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Rosalina Gabriel
- CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal
| | - Alejandra Ros-Prieto
- CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal
| | - Pedro Casimiro
- Jardim Botânico do Faial, Sociedade de Gestão Ambiental e Conservação da Natureza, Azorina S.A., Horta, Azores, Portugal Jardim Botânico do Faial, Sociedade de Gestão Ambiental e Conservação da Natureza, Azorina S.A. Horta, Azores Portugal
| | - Ana Fuentes Sanchez
- CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal
| | - Isabel S Albergaria
- Universidade dos Açores, CHAM e FCSH Rua Mãe de Deus, 9500-321, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal Universidade dos Açores, CHAM e FCSH Rua Mãe de Deus, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Azores Portugal
| | - Paulo A V Borges
- CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal
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7
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Vidal CY, Naves RP, Viani RAG, Rodrigues RR. Assessment of the nursery species pool for restoring landscapes in southeastern Brazil. Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Y. Vidal
- Instituto de BiologiaUniversidade Estadual de Campinas, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13.083‐875 Campinas‐SP Brazil
- Departamento de Ciências BiológicasUniversidade de São Paulo, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz,” Av. Padua Dias, 11, 13.418‐900 Piracicaba‐SP Brazil
| | - Rafaela P. Naves
- Departamento de Ciências FlorestaisUniversidade de São Paulo, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz,” Av. Padua Dias, 11, 13.418‐900 Piracicaba‐SP Brazil
| | - Ricardo A. G. Viani
- Departamento de Biotecnologia e Produção Vegetal e AnimalUniversidade Federal de São Carlos, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Rodovia Anhanguera, km 174, 13.600‐091 Araras‐SP Brazil
| | - Ricardo R. Rodrigues
- Departamento de Ciências BiológicasUniversidade de São Paulo, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz,” Av. Padua Dias, 11, 13.418‐900 Piracicaba‐SP Brazil
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8
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Diversity, distribution and dynamics of large trees across an old-growth lowland tropical rain forest landscape. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224896. [PMID: 31710643 PMCID: PMC6844552 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Large trees, here defined as ≥60 cm trunk diameter, are the most massive organisms in tropical rain forest, and are important in forest structure, dynamics and carbon cycling. The status of large trees in tropical forest is unclear, with both increasing and decreasing trends reported. We sampled across an old-growth tropical rain forest landscape at the La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica to study the distribution and performance of large trees and their contribution to forest structure and dynamics. We censused all large trees in 238 0.50 ha plots, and also identified and measured all stems ≥10 cm diameter in 18 0.50 ha plots annually for 20 years (1997–2017). We assessed abundance, species diversity, and crown conditions of large trees in relation to soil type and topography, measured the contribution of large trees to stand structure, productivity, and dynamics, and analyzed the decadal population trends of large trees. Large trees accounted for 2.5% of stems and ~25% of mean basal area and Estimated Above-Ground Biomass, and produced ~10% of the estimated wood production. Crown exposure increased with stem diameter but predictability was low. Large tree density was about twice as high on more-fertile flat sites compared to less fertile sites on slopes and plateaus. Density of large trees increased 27% over the study interval, but the increase was restricted to the flat more-fertile sites. Mortality and recruitment differed between large trees and smaller stems, and strongly suggested that large tree density was affected by past climatic disturbances such as large El Niño events. Our results generally do not support the hypothesis of increasing biomass and turnover rates in tropical forest. We suggest that additional landscape-scale studies of large trees are needed to determine the generality of disturbance legacies in tropical forest study sites.
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9
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Kearsley E, Hufkens K, Verbeeck H, Bauters M, Beeckman H, Boeckx P, Huygens D. Large-sized rare tree species contribute disproportionately to functional diversity in resource acquisition in African tropical forest. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:4349-4361. [PMID: 31031910 PMCID: PMC6476792 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence is available for a positive effect of biodiversity on ecosystem productivity and standing biomass, also in highly diverse systems as tropical forests. Biodiversity conservation could therefore be a critical aspect of climate mitigation policies. There is, however, limited understanding of the role of individual species for this relationship, which could aid in focusing conservation efforts and forest management planning. This study characterizes the functional specialization and redundancy for 95% of all tree species (basal area weighted percentage) in a diverse tropical forest in the central Congo Basin and relates this to species' abundance, contribution to aboveground carbon, and maximum size. Functional characterization is based on a set of traits related to resource acquisition (wood density, specific leaf area, leaf carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content, and leaf stable carbon isotope composition). We show that within both mixed and monodominant tropical forest ecosystems, the highest functional specialization and lowest functional redundancy are solely found in rare tree species and significantly more in rare species holding large-sized individuals. Rare species cover the entire range of low and high functional redundancy, contributing both unique and redundant functions. Loss of species supporting functional redundancy could be buffered by other species in the community, including more abundant species. This is not the case for species supporting high functional specialization and low functional redundancy, which would need specific conservation attention. In terms of tropical forest management planning, we argue that specific conservation of large-sized trees is imperative for long-term maintenance of ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hans Verbeeck
- Department of EnvironmentGhent UniversityGentBelgium
| | - Marijn Bauters
- Department of EnvironmentGhent UniversityGentBelgium
- Department of Green Chemistry and TechnologyGhent UniversityGentBelgium
| | - Hans Beeckman
- Service of Wood BiologyRoyal Museum for Central AfricaTervurenBelgium
| | - Pascal Boeckx
- Department of Green Chemistry and TechnologyGhent UniversityGentBelgium
| | - Dries Huygens
- Department of Green Chemistry and TechnologyGhent UniversityGentBelgium
- Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Soil ScienceUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
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10
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Draper FC, Asner GP, Honorio Coronado EN, Baker TR, García-Villacorta R, Pitman NCA, Fine PVA, Phillips OL, Zárate Gómez R, Amasifuén Guerra CA, Flores Arévalo M, Vásquez Martínez R, Brienen RJW, Monteagudo-Mendoza A, Torres Montenegro LA, Valderrama Sandoval E, Roucoux KH, Ramírez Arévalo FR, Mesones Acuy Í, Del Aguila Pasquel J, Tagle Casapia X, Flores Llampazo G, Corrales Medina M, Reyna Huaymacari J, Baraloto C. Dominant tree species drive beta diversity patterns in western Amazonia. Ecology 2019; 100:e02636. [PMID: 30693479 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The forests of western Amazonia are among the most diverse tree communities on Earth, yet this exceptional diversity is distributed highly unevenly within and among communities. In particular, a small number of dominant species account for the majority of individuals, whereas the large majority of species are locally and regionally extremely scarce. By definition, dominant species contribute little to local species richness (alpha diversity), yet the importance of dominant species in structuring patterns of spatial floristic turnover (beta diversity) has not been investigated. Here, using a network of 207 forest inventory plots, we explore the role of dominant species in determining regional patterns of beta diversity (community-level floristic turnover and distance-decay relationships) across a range of habitat types in northern lowland Peru. Of the 2,031 recorded species in our data set, only 99 of them accounted for 50% of individuals. Using these 99 species, it was possible to reconstruct the overall features of regional beta diversity patterns, including the location and dispersion of habitat types in multivariate space, and distance-decay relationships. In fact, our analysis demonstrated that regional patterns of beta diversity were better maintained by the 99 dominant species than by the 1,932 others, whether quantified using species-abundance data or species presence-absence data. Our results reveal that dominant species are normally common only in a single forest type. Therefore, dominant species play a key role in structuring western Amazonian tree communities, which in turn has important implications, both practically for designing effective protected areas, and more generally for understanding the determinants of beta diversity patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick C Draper
- Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, Arizona State University, 975 S. Myrtle Ave Tempe, Arizona, 85281, USA.,Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, 260 Panama Street, Stanford, California, 94305, USA.,International Center for Tropical Botany, Florida International University, 4013 South Douglas Road, Miami, Florida, 33133, USA
| | - Gregory P Asner
- Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, Arizona State University, 975 S. Myrtle Ave Tempe, Arizona, 85281, USA.,Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, 260 Panama Street, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | | | - Timothy R Baker
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Roosevelt García-Villacorta
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, E145 Corson Hall, Ithaca, New york, 14853, USA
| | - Nigel C A Pitman
- Keller Science Action Center, The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, Illinois, 60605, USA
| | - Paul V A Fine
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, 1005 Valley Life Sciences Building #3140 Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Oliver L Phillips
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Ricardo Zárate Gómez
- Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana, Av. Quiñones 0784, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | - Carlos A Amasifuén Guerra
- Facultad de Biología, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Sargento Lores 385, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | - Manuel Flores Arévalo
- Facultad de Biología, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Sargento Lores 385, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | | | - Roel J W Brienen
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Abel Monteagudo-Mendoza
- Jardín Botanico de Missouri, Prolongación Bolognesi Lote 6, Oxapampa, Pasco, Peru.,Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco, Av. de La Cultura 773, Cusco, 08000, Peru
| | - Luis A Torres Montenegro
- Facultad de Biología, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Sargento Lores 385, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | - Elvis Valderrama Sandoval
- Facultad de Biología, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Sargento Lores 385, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | - Katherine H Roucoux
- School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St. Andrews, North Street, St. Andrews, KY16 9AL, United Kingdom
| | - Fredy R Ramírez Arévalo
- Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Sargento Lores 385, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | - Ítalo Mesones Acuy
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, 1005 Valley Life Sciences Building #3140 Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Jhon Del Aguila Pasquel
- Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana, Av. Quiñones 0784, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru.,School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, Michigan, 49931, USA
| | - Ximena Tagle Casapia
- Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana, Av. Quiñones 0784, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | | | | | - José Reyna Huaymacari
- Facultad de Biología, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Sargento Lores 385, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
| | - Christopher Baraloto
- International Center for Tropical Botany, Florida International University, 4013 South Douglas Road, Miami, Florida, 33133, USA
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11
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Brancalion PHS, Oliveira GCX, Zucchi MI, Novello M, van Melis J, Zocchi SS, Chazdon RL, Rodrigues RR. Phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation favor range expansion of a Neotropical palm. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:7462-7475. [PMID: 30151163 PMCID: PMC6106193 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most intriguing questions in plant ecology is which evolutionary strategy allows widely distributed species to increase their ecological range and grow in changing environmental conditions. Phenotypic plasticity and local adaptations are major processes governing species range margins, but little is known about their relative contribution for tree species distribution in tropical forest regions. We investigated the relative role of phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation in the ecological distribution of the widespread palm Euterpe edulis in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Genetic sampling and experiments were performed in old-growth remnants of two forest types with higher (Seasonal Semideciduous Forests vs. Submontane Rainforest) and lower biogeographic association and environmental similarities (Submontane Rainforest vs. Restinga Forest). We first assessed the molecular genetic differentiation among populations, focusing on the group of loci potentially under selection in each forest, using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) outliers. Further, we looked for potential adaptive divergence among populations in a common garden experiment and in reciprocal transplants for two plant development phases: seedling establishment and sapling growth. Analysis with outlier loci indicated that all individuals from the Semideciduous Forest formed a single group, while another group was formed by overlapping individuals from Submontane Rainforest and Restinga Forest. Molecular differentiation was corroborated by reciprocal transplants, which yielded strong evidence of local adaptations for seedling establishment in the biogeographically divergent Rainforest and Semideciduous Forest, but not for Restinga Forest and Submontane Rainforest. Phenotypic plasticity for palm seedling establishment favors range expansion to biogeographically related or recently colonized forest types, while persistence in the newly colonized ecosystem may be favored by local adaptations if climatic conditions diverge over time, reducing gene flow between populations. SNPs obtained by next-generation sequencing can help exploring adaptive genetic variation in tropical trees, which impose several challenges to the use of reciprocal transplants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro H S Brancalion
- Department of Forest Sciences "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture University of São Paulo Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | - Giancarlo C X Oliveira
- Department of Genetics, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture University of São Paulo Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | - Maria I Zucchi
- Agribusiness Technological Development of São Paulo (APTA) Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | - Mariana Novello
- Agribusiness Technological Development of São Paulo (APTA) Piracicaba SP Brazil.,Departament of Genetics and Molecular Biology Institute of Biology University of Campinas Campinas SP Brazil
| | - Juliano van Melis
- Department of Forest Sciences "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture University of São Paulo Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | - Silvio S Zocchi
- Department of Math, Chemistry and Statistics "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture University of São Paulo Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | - Robin L Chazdon
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Connecticut Storrs CT USA.,International Institute for Sustainability Rio de Janeiro RJ Brazil
| | - Ricardo R Rodrigues
- Department of Biology, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture University of São Paulo Piracicaba SP Brazil
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12
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Leitão RP, Zuanon J, Villéger S, Williams SE, Baraloto C, Fortunel C, Mendonça FP, Mouillot D. Rare species contribute disproportionately to the functional structure of species assemblages. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:rspb.2016.0084. [PMID: 27053754 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.0084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
There is broad consensus that the diversity of functional traits within species assemblages drives several ecological processes. It is also widely recognized that rare species are the first to become extinct following human-induced disturbances. Surprisingly, however, the functional importance of rare species is still poorly understood, particularly in tropical species-rich assemblages where the majority of species are rare, and the rate of species extinction can be high. Here, we investigated the consequences of local and regional extinctions on the functional structure of species assemblages. We used three extensive datasets (stream fish from the Brazilian Amazon, rainforest trees from French Guiana, and birds from the Australian Wet Tropics) and built an integrative measure of species rarity versus commonness, combining local abundance, geographical range, and habitat breadth. Using different scenarios of species loss, we found a disproportionate impact of rare species extinction for the three groups, with significant reductions in levels of functional richness, specialization, and originality of assemblages, which may severely undermine the integrity of ecological processes. The whole breadth of functional abilities within species assemblages, which is disproportionately supported by rare species, is certainly critical in maintaining ecosystems particularly under the ongoing rapid environmental transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael P Leitão
- PPG Biologia de Água Doce e Pesca Interior, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil Laboratoire Biodiversité Marine et ses Usages, MARBEC, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jansen Zuanon
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Sébastien Villéger
- Laboratoire Biodiversité Marine et ses Usages, MARBEC, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Stephen E Williams
- Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
| | - Christopher Baraloto
- INRA, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane, INRA, Kourou, French Guiana International Center for Tropical Botany, Department of Biol Sci, FIU, Miami, USA
| | - Claire Fortunel
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Fernando P Mendonça
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia, Presidente Figueiredo, Brazil
| | - David Mouillot
- Laboratoire Biodiversité Marine et ses Usages, MARBEC, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
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13
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Hubbell SP. Estimating the global number of tropical tree species, and Fisher's paradox. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:7343-4. [PMID: 26056305 PMCID: PMC4475976 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1507730112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P Hubbell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
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14
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Abstract
The high species richness of tropical forests has long been recognized, yet there remains substantial uncertainty regarding the actual number of tropical tree species. Using a pantropical tree inventory database from closed canopy forests, consisting of 657,630 trees belonging to 11,371 species, we use a fitted value of Fisher's alpha and an approximate pantropical stem total to estimate the minimum number of tropical forest tree species to fall between ∼ 40,000 and ∼ 53,000, i.e., at the high end of previous estimates. Contrary to common assumption, the Indo-Pacific region was found to be as species-rich as the Neotropics, with both regions having a minimum of ∼ 19,000-25,000 tree species. Continental Africa is relatively depauperate with a minimum of ∼ 4,500-6,000 tree species. Very few species are shared among the African, American, and the Indo-Pacific regions. We provide a methodological framework for estimating species richness in trees that may help refine species richness estimates of tree-dependent taxa.
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15
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Shapcott A, Forster PI, Guymer GP, McDonald WJF, Faith DP, Erickson D, Kress WJ. Mapping biodiversity and setting conservation priorities for SE Queensland's rainforests using DNA barcoding. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122164. [PMID: 25803607 PMCID: PMC4372436 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Accepted: 02/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Australian rainforests have been fragmented due to past climatic changes and more recently landscape change as a result of clearing for agriculture and urban spread. The subtropical rainforests of South Eastern Queensland are significantly more fragmented than the tropical World Heritage listed northern rainforests and are subject to much greater human population pressures. The Australian rainforest flora is relatively taxonomically rich at the family level, but less so at the species level. Current methods to assess biodiversity based on species numbers fail to adequately capture this richness at higher taxonomic levels. We developed a DNA barcode library for the SE Queensland rainforest flora to support a methodology for biodiversity assessment that incorporates both taxonomic diversity and phylogenetic relationships. We placed our SE Queensland phylogeny based on a three marker DNA barcode within a larger international rainforest barcode library and used this to calculate phylogenetic diversity (PD). We compared phylo- diversity measures, species composition and richness and ecosystem diversity of the SE Queensland rainforest estate to identify which bio subregions contain the greatest rainforest biodiversity, subregion relationships and their level of protection. We identified areas of highest conservation priority. Diversity was not correlated with rainforest area in SE Queensland subregions but PD was correlated with both the percent of the subregion occupied by rainforest and the diversity of regional ecosystems (RE) present. The patterns of species diversity and phylogenetic diversity suggest a strong influence of historical biogeography. Some subregions contain significantly more PD than expected by chance, consistent with the concept of refugia, while others were significantly phylogenetically clustered, consistent with recent range expansions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Shapcott
- Genecology Research Center, Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland, Australia
| | - Paul I. Forster
- Queensland Herbarium, Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Toowong, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gordon P. Guymer
- Queensland Herbarium, Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Toowong, Queensland, Australia
| | - William J. F. McDonald
- Queensland Herbarium, Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Toowong, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - David Erickson
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Washington D.C., United States of America
| | - W. John Kress
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Washington D.C., United States of America
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16
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Shapcott A, Forster PI, Guymer GP, McDonald WJF, Faith DP, Erickson D, Kress WJ. Mapping biodiversity and setting conservation priorities for SE Queensland's rainforests using DNA barcoding. PLoS One 2015. [PMID: 25803607 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.o122164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Australian rainforests have been fragmented due to past climatic changes and more recently landscape change as a result of clearing for agriculture and urban spread. The subtropical rainforests of South Eastern Queensland are significantly more fragmented than the tropical World Heritage listed northern rainforests and are subject to much greater human population pressures. The Australian rainforest flora is relatively taxonomically rich at the family level, but less so at the species level. Current methods to assess biodiversity based on species numbers fail to adequately capture this richness at higher taxonomic levels. We developed a DNA barcode library for the SE Queensland rainforest flora to support a methodology for biodiversity assessment that incorporates both taxonomic diversity and phylogenetic relationships. We placed our SE Queensland phylogeny based on a three marker DNA barcode within a larger international rainforest barcode library and used this to calculate phylogenetic diversity (PD). We compared phylo- diversity measures, species composition and richness and ecosystem diversity of the SE Queensland rainforest estate to identify which bio subregions contain the greatest rainforest biodiversity, subregion relationships and their level of protection. We identified areas of highest conservation priority. Diversity was not correlated with rainforest area in SE Queensland subregions but PD was correlated with both the percent of the subregion occupied by rainforest and the diversity of regional ecosystems (RE) present. The patterns of species diversity and phylogenetic diversity suggest a strong influence of historical biogeography. Some subregions contain significantly more PD than expected by chance, consistent with the concept of refugia, while others were significantly phylogenetically clustered, consistent with recent range expansions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Shapcott
- Genecology Research Center, Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland, Australia
| | - Paul I Forster
- Queensland Herbarium, Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Toowong, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gordon P Guymer
- Queensland Herbarium, Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Toowong, Queensland, Australia
| | - William J F McDonald
- Queensland Herbarium, Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Toowong, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - David Erickson
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Washington D.C., United States of America
| | - W John Kress
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Washington D.C., United States of America
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