Molecular diversity of Protura in southern High Appalachian leaf litter
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Caterino M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10838044 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC10797626 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Environment, litter composition and decomposer community are known to be the main drivers of litter decomposition in aquatic ecosystems. However, it remains unclear whether litter quality or functional diversity prevails under warming conditions. Using tank bromeliad ecosystems, we evaluated the combined effects of warming, litter quality and litter functional diversity on the decomposition process. We also assessed the contribution of macroinvertebrates and microorganisms in explaining litter decomposition patterns using litter bags made with different mesh sizes. Our results showed that litter decomposition was driven by litter functional diversity and was increasingly higher under warming, in both mesh sizes. Decomposition was explained by increasing litter dissimilarities in C and N. Our results highlight the importance of considering different aspects of litter characteristics (e.g., quality and functional diversity) in order to predict the decomposition process in freshwater ecosystems. Considering the joint effect of warming and litter traits aspects allow a more refined understanding of the underlying mechanisms of climate change and biodiversity shifts effects on ecosystem functioning.
| S-EPMC7684280 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Fungi in the family Xylariaceae are primary agents of leaf litter decomposition. However, the diversity of carbon source utilization by xylariaceous fungi and the relative effects on this from environmental and phylogenetic factors are largely unknown. This study assessed the metabolic diversity and redundancy of xylariaceous fungi, associated with leaf litter decomposition, by measuring their in vitro capacity to utilize multiple carbon sources. The work identified the relative influences of geographic and climatic sources, as well as the taxonomic and phylogenetic relatedness, of the fungi. Using Biolog EcoPlateTM, 43 isolates belonging to Nemania, Xylaria, Nodulisporium, Astrocystis, and Hypoxylon, isolated from Castanopsis sieboldii leaf litter at eight sites in Japan, were found to have the capacity to utilize a variety of carbohydrates, amino acids/amines, carboxylic acids, and polymers. The genera of xylariaceous fungi and their origins significantly affected their metabolic diversity and utilization of carbon sources. Variation partitioning demonstrated that dissimilarities in carbon utilization among fungal isolates were mostly attributable to site differences, especially climatic factors: mean annual temperature and precipitation, and maximum snow depth. Moreover, xylariaceous isolates that originated from adjacent sites tended to have similar patterns of carbon source utilization, suggesting metabolic acclimation to local environmental conditions.
| S-EPMC9324366 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The endemic diplommatinid land snails (Caenogastropoda: Mollusca) of Belau (Republic of Palau, Micronesia) are an exceptionally diverse group of largely undescribed species distributed among rock and leaf litter habitats on most of Belau's 586 islands. Diplommatinid shell morphology (e.g. shell sculpture) reflects habitat type. In this study, I analysed a subset of the 90 diplommatinid species representing a broad geographical spread of islands in order to reveal the species' phylogenetic relationships and biogeography within the Belau archipelago. Diplommatinid species from the islands of Yap, Pohnpei, Kosrae and Guam are also included in the analysis. One nuclear (28S rRNA) and two mitochondrial (16S rRNA, COI) gene regions comprising 1906bp were used for phylogenetic reconstruction. Results show that (i) the Belau Diplommatinidae are not monophyletic, as Guam and Yap species should be included as part of the radiation, (ii) Pohnpei and Kosrae species are highly divergent from Belau diplommatinids, (iii) there is little evidence for in situ radiation within individual Belau islands, (iv) spined and heavily calcified rock-dwelling species form a well-supported clade, and (v) Belau diplommatinid genera are in need of revision.
| S-EPMC2607371 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Biodiversity loss in riparian forests has the potential to alter rates of leaf litter decomposition in stream ecosystems. However, studies have reported the full range of positive, negative and no effects of plant diversity loss on decomposition, and there is currently no explanation for such inconsistent results. Furthermore, it is uncertain whether plant diversity loss affects other ecological processes related to decomposition, such as fine particulate organic matter production or detritivore growth, which precludes a thorough understanding of how detrital stream food webs are impacted by plant diversity loss. We used a microcosm experiment to examine the effects of plant diversity loss on litter decomposition, fine particulate organic matter production, and growth of a dominant leaf-shredding detritivore, using litter mixtures varying in species composition. We hypothesized that plant diversity loss would decrease the rates of all studied processes, but such effects would depend on the leaf traits present in litter mixtures (both their average values and their variability). Our findings partly supported our hypotheses, showing that plant diversity loss had a consistently negative effect on litter decomposition and fine particulate organic matter production (but not on detritivore growth) across litter mixtures, which was mediated by detritivores. Importantly, the magnitude of the diversity effect and the relative importance of different mechanisms underlying this effect (i.e., complementarity vs. selection) varied depending on the species composition of litter mixtures, mainly because of differences in litter nutritional quality and trait variability. Complementarity was prevalent but varied in size, with positive selection effects also occurring in some mixtures. Our results support the notion that loss of riparian plant species is detrimental to key stream ecosystem processes that drive detrital food webs, but that the magnitude of such effects largely depends on the the order of species loss.
| S-EPMC5973617 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Riparian vegetation is a distinctive and ecologically important element of landscapes worldwide. However, the relative influence of the surrounding landscape on the conservation of the biodiversity of riparian remnants in human-modified tropical landscapes is poorly understood. We studied the surrounding landscape to evaluate its influence on leaf-litter-ant alpha and beta diversity in riparian remnants in the tropical montane cloud forest region of central Veracruz, Mexico. Sampling was carried out in 12 sites with riparian vegetation during both rainy (2011) and dry (2012) seasons. Ten leaf-litter samples were collected along a 100-m transect per site and processed with Berlese-Tullgren funnels and Winkler sacks. Using remotely-sensed and ground-collected data, we characterized the landscape around each site according to nine land cover types and computed metrics of landscape composition and configuration. We collected a total of 8,684 ant individuals belonging to 53 species, 22 genera, 11 tribes, and 7 subfamilies. Species richness and the diversity of Shannon and Simpson increased significantly in remnants immersed in landscapes with a high percentage of riparian land cover and a low percentage of land covers with areas reforested with Pinus, cattle pastures, and human settlements and infrastructure. The composition of ant assemblages was a function of the percentage of riparian land cover in the landscape. This study found evidence that leaf-litter ants, a highly specialized guild of arthropods, are mainly impacted by landscape composition and the configuration of the focal remnant. Maintaining or improving the surrounding landscape quality of riparian vegetation remnants can stimulate the movement of biodiversity among forest and riparian remnants and foster the provision of ecosystem services by these ecosystems. Effective outcomes may be achieved by considering scientific knowledge during the early stages of riparian policy formulation, in addition to integrating riparian management strategies with broader environmental planning instruments.
| S-EPMC5325296 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe delimitation of cryptic species is a challenge for biodiversity conservation. Anurans show high cryptic diversity levels, and molecular species delimitation methods could help identify putative new species. Additionally, species delimitation approaches can provide important results for cryptic species conservation, with integrative methods adding robustness to results. Ischnocnema manezinho was described from Santa Catarina Island (SCI), southern Brazil. More recently, some inventories indicated continental populations supposedly similar in morphology to it. If these records are confirmed as I. manezinho, it would likely change its endangered status on National Red List, removing the species from conservation agendas. We investigated the threatened frog Ischnocnema manezinho, to evaluate if the continental populations belong to this species or if they form an undescribed species complex.MethodsWe used coalescent, distance, and allele-sharing-based species delimitation methods and integrative analyses of morphometric and bioacoustics traits to test evolutionary independence between I. manezinho from SCI, Arvoredo Island, and continental populations.ResultsIschnocnema manezinho is restricted to Santa Catarina Island, while the five remaining lineages should be further investigated through a taxonomic review. Our results point to a small geographic range of Ischnocnema manezinho. Additionally, the species occurs in isolated fragments of forest in SCI surrounded by expanding urban areas, confirming its status as Endangered. Thus, the protection and monitoring of I. manezinho and the taxonomic description of the continental and Arvoredo Island candidate species should be priorities.
| S-EPMC10225124 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Not available
2012-07-16 | PRD000425 | Pride
Project description:In tropical forest ecosystems leaf litter from a large variety of species enters the decomposer system, however, the impact of leaf litter diversity on the abundance and activity of soil organisms during decomposition is little known. We investigated the effect of leaf litter diversity and identity on microbial functions and the abundance of microarthropods in Ecuadorian tropical montane rainforests. We used litterbags filled with leaves of six native tree species (Cecropia andina, Dictyocaryum lamarckianum, Myrcia pubescens, Cavendishia zamorensis, Graffenrieda emarginata, and Clusia spp.) and incubated monocultures and all possible two- and four-species combinations in the field for 6 and 12 months. Mass loss, microbial biomass, basal respiration, metabolic quotient, and the slope of microbial growth after glucose addition, as well as the abundance of microarthropods (Acari and Collembola), were measured at both sampling dates. Leaf litter diversity significantly increased mass loss after 6 months of exposure, but reduced microbial biomass after 12 months of exposure. Leaf litter species identity significantly changed both microbial activity and microarthropod abundance with species of high quality (low C-to-N ratio), such as C. andina, improving resource quality as indicated by lower metabolic quotient and higher abundance of microarthropods. Nonetheless, species of low quality, such as Clusia spp., also increased the abundance of Oribatida suggesting that leaf litter chemical composition alone is insufficient to explain variation in the abundances of soil microarthropods. Overall, the results provide evidence that decomposition and microbial biomass in litter respond to leaf litter diversity as well as litter identity (chemical and physical characteristics), while microarthropods respond only to litter identity but not litter diversity.
| S-EPMC7920764 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Little is known regarding the diversity patterns of Xylariaceae and Hypoxylaceae (Ascomycota) fungi taking part in the lignin decomposition of leaf litter from different tree species and under different climatic regions. The alpha and beta diversity of Xylariaceae and Hypoxylaceae fungi was investigated on bleached leaf litter from nine subtropical and cool temperate tree species in Japan. A total of 248 fungal isolates, obtained from 480 leaves from the nine tree species, were classified into 43 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with a 97% similarity threshold and were assigned to nine genera of Xylariaceae and Hypoxylaceae. There was no overlap of fungal OTUs between subtropical and cool temperate trees. The mean number of fungal OTUs was generally higher in subtropical than cool temperate trees, whereas rarefaction curves depicting the numbers of OTU with respect to the number of leaves from which fungi were isolated were less steep in subtropical trees than in cool temperate trees, reflecting the dominance of major OTUs in the subtropical trees and indicating a higher species richness in cool temperate regions. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling showed general overlaps of fungal OTU compositions among tree species in the respective climatic regions, and one-way permutational multivariate analysis of variance indicated that the OTU composition was not significantly different between the tree species. These results suggest a wide host range and some geographic and climatic structures of distribution of these ligninolytic fungi.
| S-EPMC11609430 | biostudies-literature