Abstract: Environmental DNA in different media reveals distribution characteristics and assembly mechanisms of fish assemblages in a complex river–lake system Yun Shao, Shuping Wang, Pengyuan Wang, Shuhui Men, Miaomiao Qian, Aopu Li, Meiping Feng, and Zhenguang Yan Web Ecol., 24, 59–70, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-24-59-2024, 2024 Using eDNA to study fish communities in river–lake systems is a new, cost-effective method. Our study found that water eDNA might miss some fish living in the sediment. Fish communities in rivers and lakes are quite similar, showing how connected these systems are. The environment, especially temperature, influences the genetic signals found in water and sediment. This research sheds light on the effectiveness of eDNA in understanding aquatic ecosystems. PubDate: Fri, 02 Aug 2024 11:30:33 +020 DOI: 10.5194/we-24-59-2024 2024
Abstract: Towards spatial predictions of disease transmission risk: classical scrapie spill-over from domestic small ruminants to wild cervids Nuno Mouta, Leonor Orge, Joana Vicente, João Alexandre Cabral, José Aranha, João Carvalho, Rita Tinoco Torres, Jorge Pereira, Renata Carvalho, Maria Anjos Pires, and Madalena Vieira-Pinto Web Ecol., 24, 47–57, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-24-47-2024, 2024 This study investigates classical scrapie (CS) and the risk of interspecies prion transmission by using presence data from wild cervids and infected small ruminant flocks. Employing remote sensing technologies, it derives vegetative and biophysical satellite indices to represent habitat features. A species distribution model integrates these data to identify suitable areas for CS and its hosts. The resultant consensus map and overlapping suitable areas create a detailed infection risk matrix. PubDate: Thu, 04 Jul 2024 11:40:07 +020 DOI: 10.5194/we-24-47-2024 2024
Abstract: Urban roadkill assessment in Vienna reveals low incidence rates Florian Heigl, Susanne Lutter, Irene Hoppe, Johann G. Zaller, and Daniel Dörler Web Ecol., 24, 41–46, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-24-41-2024, 2024 Road traffic is a key threat to global animal biodiversity, causing numerous fatalities. In Vienna, we gathered vertebrate roadkill data via citizen science, bicycle, and foot monitoring. Only 4 roadkill incidents were observed during monitoring; citizens reported 84 cases. Hedgehogs and urban birds were frequent roadkill. Our findings indicate low urban roadkill rates, highlighting the importance of citizen science and expanding monitoring routes. PubDate: Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:05:51 +020 DOI: 10.5194/we-24-41-2024 2024
Abstract: Short communication: Problems of classifying predator-induced prey immobility – an unexpected case of post-contact freezing Teresita N. Ulate Gómez, Antonia E. Welch, and Winfried S. Peters Web Ecol., 24, 35–40, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-24-35-2024, 2024 Prey noticing a predator may freeze (turn immobile) to avoid detection. Freezing is generally thought to precede predator–prey contact, but this may not hold for species of limited sensory abilities. The snail Agaronia detects its prey Pachyoliva, another snail, only when it is right before the predator, while Pachyoliva bumping into Agaronia's side avoids detection by freezing. This post-contact freezing reminds us to consider sensory capabilities when interpreting predator–prey interactions. PubDate: Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:06:43 +010 DOI: 10.5194/we-24-35-2024 2024
Abstract: Disturbance can slow down litter decomposition, depending on severity of disturbance and season: an example from Mount Kilimanjaro Juliane Röder, Tim Appelhans, Marcell K. Peters, Thomas Nauss, and Roland Brandl Web Ecol., 24, 11–33, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-24-11-2024, 2024 We studied rates of litter decomposition in natural and disturbed vegetation on elevation gradients of Mount Kilimanjaro to disentangle effects of climate and disturbance. Decomposition was slower in disturbed than in natural forests, but we did not find a negative effect of disturbance for non-forest vegetation. Decomposition slowed down with increasing land-use intensity, but only in the warm wet season. Temperature and humidity were the most important drivers of decomposition in all analyses. PubDate: Fri, 23 Feb 2024 23:14:04 +010 DOI: 10.5194/we-24-11-2024 2024
Abstract: Bird color and taxonomic diversity are negatively related to human disturbance in urban parks Lucas M. Leveau and Juan Kopp Web Ecol., 24, 1–10, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-24-1-2024, 2024 We explored the relationship between environmental variables and bird color diversity in urban parks. Color diversity increased with green-area size, but richness-corrected color diversity ceased to be related to area size. Therefore, the increase of color size with area size was mediated by increases in species richness. Color diversity was clustered in parks with the highest human disturbance, favoring the abundance of grey species which probably took advantage of food discarded by humans. PubDate: Mon, 05 Feb 2024 10:41:38 +010 DOI: 10.5194/we-24-1-2024 2024
Abstract: Revisiting the debate: documenting biodiversity in the age of digital and artificially generated images Diego Sousa Campos, Rafael Ferreira de Oliveira, Lucas de Oliveira Vieira, Pedro Henrique Negreiros de Bragança, Jorge Luiz Silva Nunes, Erick Cristofore Guimarães, and Felipe Polivanov Ottoni Web Ecol., 23, 135–144, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-23-135-2023, 2023 This study examines the risks of relying solely on images for biodiversity documentation. We conducted an experiment with 621 participants, revealing challenges in distinguishing artificial-intelligence-generated images. Trust is vital in biodiversity documentation, but eroded trust can hinder conservation. We call for improved communication, collaboration, and journal policies for data validation to preserve scientific credibility amidst technological advancements. PubDate: Thu, 07 Dec 2023 15:11:29 +010 DOI: 10.5194/we-23-135-2023 2023
Abstract: Editorial: Pay to criticise' Rebuttal articles in open-access journals should be published for free Daniel Montesinos Web Ecol., 23, 131–133, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-23-131-2023, 2023 Rebuttal articles are always unpleasant to write and, for open-access journals, they might also involve costly article processing charges (APCs). Presently, authors willing to unveil critical flaws in published research might not be able to overcome the added burdens of cost, time, confrontation risks, and small professional gain. APCs of critical articles should be waived by default. PubDate: Fri, 17 Nov 2023 15:04:51 +010 DOI: 10.5194/we-23-131-2023 2023
Abstract: Pollination supply models from a local to global scale Angel Giménez-García, Alfonso Allen-Perkins, Ignasi Bartomeus, Stefano Balbi, Jessica L. Knapp, Violeta Hevia, Ben Alex Woodcock, Guy Smagghe, Marcos Miñarro, Maxime Eeraerts, Jonathan F. Colville, Juliana Hipólito, Pablo Cavigliasso, Guiomar Nates-Parra, José M. Herrera, Sarah Cusser, Benno I. Simmons, Volkmar Wolters, Shalene Jha, Breno M. Freitas, Finbarr G. Horgan, Derek R. Artz, C. Sheena Sidhu, Mark Otieno, Virginie Boreux, David J. Biddinger, Alexandra-Maria Klein, Neelendra K. Joshi, Rebecca I. A. Stewart, Matthias Albrecht, Charlie C. Nicholson, Alison D. O'Reilly, David William Crowder, Katherine L. W. Burns, Diego Nicolás Nabaes Jodar, Lucas Alejandro Garibaldi, Louis Sutter, Yoko L. Dupont, Bo Dalsgaard, Jeferson Gabriel da Encarnação Coutinho, Amparo Lázaro, Georg K. S. Andersson, Nigel E. Raine, Smitha Krishnan, Matteo Dainese, Wopke van der Werf, Henrik G. Smith, and Ainhoa Magrach Web Ecol., 23, 99–129, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-23-99-2023, 2023 Modelling tools may provide a method of measuring pollination supply and promote the use of ecological intensification techniques among farmers and decision-makers. This study benchmarks different modelling approaches to provide clear guidance on which pollination supply models perform best at different spatial scales. These findings are an important step in bridging the gap between academia and stakeholders in modelling ecosystem service delivery under ecological intensification. PubDate: Wed, 04 Oct 2023 11:39:52 +020 DOI: 10.5194/we-23-99-2023 2023
Abstract: Insights into the habitat associations, phylogeny, and diet of Pipistrellus maderensis in Porto Santo, northeastern Macaronesia Eva K. Nóbrega, Nia Toshkova, Angelina Gonçalves, André Reis, Elena J. Soto, Sergio Puertas Ruiz, Vanessa A. Mata, Catarina Rato, and Ricardo Rocha Web Ecol., 23, 87–98, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-23-87-2023, 2023 We conducted an island-wide survey to investigate if the Madeiran pipistrelle still persists on the island of Porto Santo, where it was believed to be extinct. We detected bats in 28 out of 46 sampling sites, and their activity was particularly associated with water points. Furthermore, we found that bats from Porto Santo and Madeira have a close phylogenetic affinity and that they feed on a wide variety of insects, including several economically important pest species and disease vectors. PubDate: Tue, 01 Aug 2023 09:24:34 +020 DOI: 10.5194/we-23-87-2023 2023
Abstract: Invasive shallow-water foraminifera impacts local biodiversity mostly at densities above 20 %: the case of Corfu Island Anna E. Weinmann, Olga Koukousioura, Maria V. Triantaphyllou, and Martin R. Langer Web Ecol., 23, 71–86, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-23-71-2023, 2023 This study analyzes the diversity of benthic foraminifera at the range expansion front of the invasive species Amphistegina lobifera in Corfu (central Mediterranean). The species has been suggested to impact local diversity and community structures, and our results confirm these effects as soon as A. lobifera exceeds a specific abundance threshold (> 20 %). Nevertheless, we found that the study area reveals an overall high biodiversity that can be attributed to its unique location. PubDate: Fri, 14 Jul 2023 10:15:11 +020 DOI: 10.5194/we-23-71-2023 2023
Abstract: Plant spatial aggregation modulates the interplay between plant competition and pollinator attraction with contrasting outcomes of plant fitness María Hurtado, Oscar Godoy, and Ignasi Bartomeus Web Ecol., 23, 51–69, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-23-51-2023, 2023 We found that crowded neighborhoods reduced individual seed production via plant–plant competition, but they also made individual plants more attractive for some pollinator guilds, increasing visitation rates and, therefore, plant fitness. The balance between these two forces varied depending on the species identity and the spatial scale considered. Our results indicate that plant spatial aggregation plays an important role in defining the net effect of mutualistic and antagonistic interactions. PubDate: Wed, 29 Mar 2023 08:50:39 +020 DOI: 10.5194/we-23-51-2023 2023
Abstract: Little evidence for land-use filters on intraspecific trait variation in three arthropod groups Katja Wehner, Matthias Brandt, Andrea Hilpert, Nadja K. Simons, and Nico Blüthgen Web Ecol., 23, 35–49, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-23-35-2023, 2023 We focus on the consequences of land-use intensity on functional trait variation within species. In general, only few effects on intraspecific trait variation were found showing a decreasing variation with increasing land-use intensity in forests but an increasing variation in grasslands. Although many studies confirmed strong land-use impacts on arthropod communities, we were not able to confirm similar effects at the intraspecific level. PubDate: Mon, 27 Mar 2023 08:50:39 +020 DOI: 10.5194/we-23-35-2023 2023
Abstract: Spatio-temporal patterns of co-occurrence of tigers and leopards within a protected area in central India Anindita Bidisha Chatterjee, Kalyansundaram Sankar, Yadvendradev Vikramsinh Jhala, and Qamar Qureshi Web Ecol., 23, 17–34, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-23-17-2023, 2023 This study provides a record of co-occurrence patterns of tigers and leopards in a dry deciduous forest where both these sympatric predators coexist in high densities. Populations of large carnivores are decreasing on a global scale, and looking into their inter-species relationships is crucial to conserving these species. Our results show that leopards avoid tigers spatially in a dry deciduous system and show significant temporal overlap, with no fine-scale spatio-temporal avoidance. PubDate: Fri, 03 Feb 2023 07:35:38 +010 DOI: 10.5194/we-23-17-2023 2023
Abstract: Plant clustering generates negative plant–soil feedback without changing the spatial distribution of soil fauna Peihua Zhang, Dries Bonte, Gerlinde De Deyn, and Martijn L. Vandegehuchte Web Ecol., 23, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-23-1-2023, 2023 The dispersal of soil nematodes was not affected by plant spatial configurations, which mostly varied according to their life-history strategy. However, creeping bentgrass grown in a more clustered spatial configuration developed a larger aboveground biomass, which was coupled with a reduction in biomass of subsequently grown ryegrass and plantain. The negative plant–soil feedback may be attributed to the depleted soil nutrients by the stimulated plant growth due to plant–nematode interactions. PubDate: Fri, 13 Jan 2023 07:00:44 +010 DOI: 10.5194/we-23-1-2023 2023
Abstract: Emergence timing and voltinism of phantom midges, Chaoborus spp., in the UK Robert J. G. Cockroft, W. Richard Jenkins, Anthony G. Irwin, Steve Norman, and Kevin C. Brown Web Ecol., 22, 101–108, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-22-101-2022, 2022 Larvae of phantom midges are very sensitive to some pesticides, and populations can be severely affected by relatively low doses. The number of generations these flies produce each year is critical to their potential to recover from pesticide exposure, but this information has not been confirmed precisely. We found strong evidence that one species of phantom midge can have at least four generations per year. This evidence can be used to improve regulatory assessment of pesticides. PubDate: Tue, 20 Dec 2022 08:31:34 +010 DOI: 10.5194/we-22-101-2022 2022
Abstract: Comment on Dunbar et al. (2022) “Webslinger vs. Dark Knight: First record of a false widow spider Steatoda nobilis preying on a pipistrelle bat in Britain” Serena E. Dool and Gabriele Uhl Web Ecol., 22, 97–100, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-22-97-2022, 2022 We re-evaluate a recently published observation of a spider preying on a bat which made the news internationally and highlighted the potential negative impact of the spider. Spiders are not well loved creatures and often fall victim to false or exaggerated claims in the media. In the current case, we believe the authors' lack of familiarity with bat biology led them to an erroneous conclusion of predation, which was echoed by the media, when no evidence was shown to support this. PubDate: Fri, 09 Dec 2022 13:59:42 +010 DOI: 10.5194/we-22-97-2022 2022
Abstract: The BIODESERT survey: assessing the impacts of grazing on the structure and functioning of global drylands Fernando T. Maestre, David J. Eldridge, Nicolas Gross, Yoann Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Hugo Saiz, Beatriz Gozalo, Victoria Ochoa, and Juan J. Gaitán Web Ecol., 22, 75–96, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-22-75-2022, 2022 Here we introduce the BIODESERT survey, the first systematic field survey devoted to evaluating the joint impacts of grazing by domestic livestock and climate on the structure and functioning of dryland ecosystems worldwide. We describe the major characteristics and the field protocols used in this survey and the organizational aspects followed to carry it out succesfully. PubDate: Thu, 24 Nov 2022 20:02:35 +010 DOI: 10.5194/we-22-75-2022 2022
Abstract: Artificial perches increase bird-mediated seed rain in agricultural fallow area in southern Brazil Thales Castilhos de Freitas, Gustavo Crizel Gomes, Artur Ramos Molina, Ernestino de Souza Gomes Guarino, Cristiano Agra Iserhard, and Rafael Beltrame Web Ecol., 22, 59–74, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-22-59-2022, 2022 We highlight the arrival of 24 655 seeds in the experiment. We found that depending on how far the artificial perches are from the forest fragment, different seed communities are formed. It is also worth mentioning the extensive deposition of the alien species Australian cheesewood. The Tyrannidae bird family was the most represented. Artificial perches are efficient to increase seed rain in the fallow area but should be used with caution in landscapes with the presence of alien species. PubDate: Mon, 07 Nov 2022 11:06:26 +010 DOI: 10.5194/we-22-59-2022 2022
Abstract: Lengthening of the growth season, not increased water availability, increased growth of Picea likiangensis var. rubescens plantations on eastern Tibetan Plateau due to climate change Yu Feng, Songlin Shi, Peihao Peng, Qiang Zhou, Haijun Wang, and Xiubin Liu Web Ecol., 22, 47–58, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-22-47-2022, 2022 We conducted a study on the response of plantation forests to climate change in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Our study combined dendrochronology (basal area increment, BAI) and remote sensing (normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI) and found that tree growth was significantly correlated with drought index and temperature, and there was a significant positive correlation between BAI and NDVI. NDVI can be used to study the response of plantations to climate change. PubDate: Wed, 13 Jul 2022 11:46:27 +020 DOI: 10.5194/we-22-47-2022 2022