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FIGURE 12. Adult habitus Tico gen. n in A new genus and two new species of planthopper in the tribe Cenchreini (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Derbidae) from lowland tropical rainforest in Costa Rica

FIGURE 12. Adult habitus Tico gen. n. pseudosororius sp. n.; A) lateral view and B) dorsal view, scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 3 in A new genus and two new species of planthopper in the tribe Cenchreini (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Derbidae) from lowland tropical rainforest in Costa Rica

FIGURE 3. Cenchrea exquiseta; A) lateral view, B) gonostylus lateral view, C), aedeagus right lateral view, D) aedeagus dorsal view, E) male terminalia lateral view, and F) male terminalia ventral view.

FIGURE 2 in A new genus and two new species of planthopper in the tribe Cenchreini (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Derbidae) from lowland tropical rainforest in Costa Rica

FIGURE 2. Cenchrea dorsalis; A) lateral view, B) gonostylus lateral view, C) aedeagus right lateral view, D) aedeagus dorsal view, E) male terminalia lateral view, and F) male terminalia ventral view.

FIGURE 1 in A new genus and two new species of planthopper in the tribe Cenchreini (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Derbidae) from lowland tropical rainforest in Costa Rica

FIGURE 1. Host plant and general habitat where specimens were collected; all collected from underside of leaves.

Data from: Functional responses of aquatic and riparian vegetation to hydrogeomorphic restoration of channelized lowland streams and their valleys

1. Streams and riparian zones are highly heterogeneous ecosystems. Their high biodiversity is promoted by variable flow velocities and water depths, strong hydrological gradients and disturbance regimes. However, human interventions like damming and channelization have degraded these ecosystems worldwide. And, although restoration efforts have increased in the past decades, ecological improvement is lagging. 2. We assessed vegetation development in channelized lowland stream valleys in the Netherlands, combining innovative restoration measures to the stream and stream valleys. This 'stream valley restoration' entailed construction of narrower and shallower channels to increase flow velocities during base discharges, meandering of the watercourse to increase flow and depth heterogeneity and excavation of banks to create wide v-shaped stream valleys. We evaluated the effects on functional aspects of the developing in-stream and riparian vegetation by comparing restored stream reaches to nearby unrestored reaches. 3. The reduced channel dimensions led to higher flow velocities, which, through interaction with meandering, triggered a higher variability in flow and depth. Combined with enlargement of the floodplain, this promoted flooding in stream valleys and created wider environmental gradients. Plant diversity strongly increased in the floodplain area, the land-water interface and the shallow water habitat at the channel margins, but decreased in the central parts of stream channels. There, higher flow velocities led to more typically lotic (running water) in-stream plant communities, indicated by a sharp decrease in floating-leaved species and an increase in trailing species. Riparian vegetation showed a higher beta-diversity across the wider valley slopes of restored reaches, with more wetland species in areas with water tables between 0.0 and -0.6 m, and more upland species as well. 4. Synthesis and applications. This study demonstrates that the combination of strongly reduced channel dimensions, remeandering and widening of riparian zones, is effective in restoring in-stream and riparian habitat heterogeneity. The restoration efforts lead to distinct immediate increases in total and beta-diversity of many typical stream and riparian plant species. Overall, this stresses the importance of applying restoration measures to both streams and stream valleys simultaneously, considering them as a single landscape unit. 27-Nov-2018

Data from: Flying between raindrops: strong seasonal turnover of several Lepidoptera groups in lowland rainforests of Mount Cameroon

1. Although seasonality in the tropics is often less pronounced than in temperate areas, tropical ecosystems show seasonal dynamics as well. Nevertheless, individual tropical insects' phenological patterns are still poorly understood, especially in the Afrotropics. To fill this gap, we investigated biodiversity patterns of Lepidoptera communities at three rainforest localities in the foothills of Mount Cameroon, West Africa, one of the wettest places in the world. 2. Our multi-taxa approach covered six lepidopteran groups (fruit-feeding butterflies and moths, the families Sphingidae, Saturniidae, and Eupterotidae, and the subfamily Arctiinae of Erebidae) with diverse life strategies. We sampled adults of the focal groups in three distinct seasons. Our sampling included standardised bait-trapping (80 traps exposed for ten days per locality and season) and attraction by light (six full nights per locality and season). 3. Altogether, our dataset comprised 20,576 specimens belonging to 559 (morpho)species of the focal groups. The biodiversity of Lepidoptera generally increased in the high-dry season, and either increased (fruit-feeding moths, Arctiinae, Saturniidae) or decreased (butterflies, Sphingidae) in the transition to the wet season in particular groups. Simultaneously, we revealed a strong species turnover of fruit-feeding Lepidoptera and Arctiinae among the seasons, indicating relatively high specialisation of these communities for particular seasons. 4. Such temporal specialisation can make the local communities of butterflies and moths especially sensitive to the expected seasonal perturbations caused by the global change. Because of the key role of Lepidoptera across trophic levels, such changes in their communities could strengthen this impact on entire tropical ecosystems.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: Spatial scaling of environmental variables improves species-habitat models of fishes in a small, sand-bed lowland river

Habitat suitability and the distinct mobility of species depict fundamental keys for explaining and understanding the distribution of river fishes. In recent years, comprehensive data on river hydromorphology has been mapped at spatial scales down to 100 m, potentially serving high resolution species-habitat models, e.g., for fish. However, the relative importance of specific hydromorphological and in-stream habitat variables and their spatial scales of influence is poorly understood. Applying boosted regression trees, we developed species-habitat models for 13 fish species in a sand-bed lowland river based on river morphological and in-stream habitat data. First, we calculated mean values for the predictor variables in five distance classes (from the sampling site up to 4000 m up- and downstream) to identify the spatial scale that best predicts the presence of fish species. Second, we compared the suitability of measured variables and assessment scores related to natural reference conditions. Third, we identified variables which best explained the presence of fish species. The mean model quality (AUC = 0.78, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) significantly increased when information on the habitat conditions up- and downstream of a sampling site (maximum AUC at 2500 m distance class, +0.049) and topological variables (e.g., stream order) were included (AUC = +0.014). Both measured and assessed variables were similarly well suited to predict species' presence. Stream order variables and measured cross section features (e.g., width, depth, velocity) were best-suited predictors. In addition, measured channel-bed characteristics (e.g., substrate types) and assessed longitudinal channel features (e.g., naturalness of river planform) were also good predictors. These findings demonstrate (i) the applicability of high resolution river morphological and instream-habitat data (measured and assessed variables) to predict fish presence, (ii) the importance of considering habitat at spatial scales larger than the sampling site, and (iii) that the importance of (river morphological) habitat characteristics differs depending on the spatial scale.

Data from: Ancient lowland Maya complexity as revealed by airborne laser scanning of northern Guatemala

Lowland Maya civilization flourished in the tropical region of the Yucatan peninsula and environs for more than 2500 years (~1000 BCE to 1500 CE). Known for its sophistication in writing, art, architecture, astronomy, and mathematics, Maya civilization still poses questions about the nature of its cities and surrounding populations because of its location in an inaccessible forest. In 2016, an aerial lidar survey across 2144 square kilometers of northern Guatemala mapped natural terrain and archaeological features over several distinct areas. We present results from these data, revealing interconnected urban settlement and landscapes with extensive infrastructural development. Studied through a joint international effort of interdisciplinary teams sharing protocols, this lidar survey compels a reevaluation of Maya demography, agriculture, and political economy and suggests future avenues of field research.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: Gut microbiome composition and metabolomic profiles of wild western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) reflect host ecology

The metabolic activities of gut microbes significantly influence host physiology; thus, characterizing the forces that modulate this micro-ecosystem is key to understanding mammalian biology and fitness. To investigate the gut microbiome of wild primates and determine how these microbial communities respond to the host's external environment, we characterized faecal bacterial communities and, for the first time, gut metabolomes of four wild lowland gorilla groups in the Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas, Central African Republic. Results show that geographical range may be an important modulator of the gut microbiomes and metabolomes of these gorilla groups. Distinctions seemed to relate to feeding behaviour, implying energy harvest through increased fruit consumption or fermentation of highly fibrous foods. These observations were supported by differential abundance of metabolites and bacterial taxa associated with the metabolism of cellulose, phenolics, organic acids, simple sugars, lipids and sterols between gorillas occupying different geographical ranges. Additionally, the gut microbiomes of a gorilla group under increased anthropogenic pressure could always be distinguished from that of all other groups. By characterizing the interplay between environment, behaviour, diet and symbiotic gut microbes, we present an alternative perspective on primate ecology and on the forces that shape the gut microbiomes of wild primates from an evolutionary context.

opencc-zeroDec 2018View details →

Data from: Traits that allow bats of tropical lowland origin to conquer mountains: bat assemblages along elevational gradients in the South American Atlantic Forest

Aim: This study aims to contribute to the identification of ecological determinants of tropical moist forest montane biodiversity, analyzing changes in the structure of bat assemblages along an elevational gradient and testing the role of species traits shaping those assemblages. Location: Mountain ranges in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Methods: We compiled a dataset with the composition of phyllostomid bat assemblages at 32 forested sites, ranging from 60m to 1960m a.s.l. We quantified how abundance and diversity changed along this elevational gradient, and assessed the capacity of each species to be present and abundant at each elevation, identifying traits that may influence that capacity. Results: Abundance and species diversity declined markedly with increasing elevation. Tolerance to low temperatures, low habitat specialization, and cave roosting facilitated success at higher elevations. Owing to trait filtering, and to changes in resource availability with elevation, assemblages were progressively dominated by a smaller number of mostly generalist species as elevation increased. Higher elevations harbor only a subset of the species that are present in the lowland forest, with no mountain specialized species. Main conclusions: High mountains harbor phyllostomid assemblages that are impoverished subsets of those at lower elevations. Phyllostomids have a tropical origin and may thus have a low potential to adapt to montane forest environments, which possibly explains the observed climatic trait filtering. Habitat filtering is also important, keeping forest specialists mostly at lowest elevations. Protected areas in the Atlantic Forest are mostly limited to mountains. While these areas are clearly important to protect biodiversity, including phyllostomid assemblages, it is now critical to protect and restore the few remnants of lower elevation Atlantic Forest where higher productivity and resource levels, increased complexity of vertical structure, and fewer climatic constraints favor the success of a wider range of phyllostomid bat species of tropical origin.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: Widespread forest vertebrate extinctions induced by a mega hydroelectric dam in lowland Amazonia

Mega hydropower projects in tropical forests pose a major emergent threat to terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity worldwide. Despite the unprecedented number of existing, under-construction and planned hydroelectric dams in lowland tropical forests, long-term effects on biodiversity have yet to be evaluated. We examine how medium and large-bodied assemblages of terrestrial and arboreal vertebrates (including 35 mammal, bird and tortoise species) responded to the drastic 26-year post-isolation history of archipelagic alteration in landscape structure and habitat quality in a major hydroelectric reservoir of Central Amazonia. The Balbina Hydroelectric Dam inundated 3,129 km2 of primary forests, simultaneously isolating 3,546 land-bridge islands. We conducted intensive biodiversity surveys at 37 of those islands and three adjacent continuous forests using a combination of four survey techniques, and detected strong forest habitat area effects in explaining patterns of vertebrate extinction. Beyond clear area effects, edge-mediated surface fire disturbance was the most important additional driver of species loss, particularly in islands smaller than 10 ha. Based on species-area models, we predict that only 0.7% of all islands now harbor a species-rich vertebrate assemblage consisting of ≥80% of all species. We highlight the colossal erosion in vertebrate diversity driven by a man-made dam and show that the biodiversity impacts of mega dams in lowland tropical forest regions have been severely overlooked. The geopolitical strategy to deploy many more large hydropower infrastructure projects in regions like lowland Amazonia should be urgently reassessed, and we strongly advise that long-term biodiversity impacts should be explicitly included in pre-approval environmental impact assessments.

Data from: Drivers of phylogenetic assemblage structure of the Furnariides, a widespread clade of lowland Neotropical birds

Species co-occurrence in local assemblages is shaped by different processes at different spatial and temporal scales. Here we focus on historical explanations and examine the phylogenetic structure of local assemblages of the Furnariides clade (Aves: Passeriformes), assessing the influence of diversification rates on the assembly and species co-occurrence within those assemblages. Using 120 local assemblages across Bolivia and Argentina and a nearly complete phylogeny for the clade, we analyzed assemblage phylogenetic structure applying a recently developed model (DAMOCLES) accounting for the historical processes of speciation, colonization and local extinction. We also evaluated how diversification rates determine species co-occurrence. We found that the assembly of Furnariides assemblages can largely be explained by speciation, colonization and local extinction without invoking current local species interactions. Phylogenetic structure of open habitat assemblages mainly showed clustering, characterized by faster rates of colonization and local extinction than in forest habitats, whereas forest habitat assemblages were congruent with the model's equal rates expectation, thus highlighting the influence of habitat preferences on assembly and co-occurrence patterns. Our results suggest that historical processes are sufficient to explain local assemblage phylogenetic structure, while there is little evidence for species ecological interactions in avian assemblage diversity and composition.

Data from: Habitat preference and den characterization of Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in a tropical lowland forested landscape of southwest Sri Lanka

The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is under threat due to hunting for local consumption and illegal trafficking of scales and meat. The dearth of scientific studies on the ecology of the M. crassicaudata has impaired accurate assessments of its conservation needs. This study investigated the habitat preference and burrow characteristics of M. crassicaudata in a tropical lowland rainforest in southwest Sri Lanka. A total of 75 burrows (54 feeding burrows and 21 resting burrows) of M. crassicaudata in four different habitat types i.e. secondary forest, Pine-dominated forest, rubber cultivations and tea-dominated home gardens bordering forest were observed using fixed-width transects in order to characterize resting and feeding burrows of this species. The highest density of resting burrows was recorded from the secondary forest (4ha-1), followed by rubber cultivations (2.5ha-1) while no resting burrows were recorded in Pine-dominated forest and tea-dominated home gardens bordering forest. Feeding burrows were more abundant in Pine-dominated forest (5.7ha-1). The burrow depth, burrow opening height and width were significantly larger in resting burrows compared to feeding burrows. Resting burrows were located at higher elevations (75-100m) with moderately high slopes (450-600), dense canopy cover (>75%) and away from human habitation. Feeding burrows showed a greater variability in terms of associated environmental features. The study further revealed that Indian pangolins exclusively prefer habitat with rocks and boulders under which they dig resting burrows while the location of feeding burrows largely overlaps with the distribution of prey species. The resting burrow design consisted of a bending tunnel that initially slopes downward and then gradually inclines at an angle between 20 and 300, leading to the resting chamber. Our study highlights the importance of conserving fragmented secondary natural forests in changing landscapes of the southwest lowlands of Sri Lanka as these habitats appear to be critical to sustaining populations of M. crassicaudata.

FIGURE 3 in A new species of Dendrobates (Anura: Dendrobatidae) from the Amazonian lowlands in Perú

FIGURE 3. Call comparisons of closely related species. The data is listed as following: species (ambient temperature, location of individual, mean frequency). A. D. uakarii (26°C, Tahauyo, 3780 hz). B. D. ventrimaculatus sensu lato (24°C, Iquitos, 4900 hz) C. D. fantasticus (24°C, Iquitos, 3350 hz). D. D. reticulatus (29°C, Iquitos, 4130 hz).

FIGURE 4 in A new species of Dendrobates (Anura: Dendrobatidae) from the Amazonian lowlands in Perú

FIGURE 4. Character transformation for Dendrobates uakarii, sp. nov. diagnostic nucleotide site substitutions using ACCTRAN optimization. Alignment available online at http://www. dendrobates.org/permanent/duakarii.zip

FIGURE 2. A photographic illustration comparing D in A new species of Dendrobates (Anura: Dendrobatidae) from the Amazonian lowlands in Perú

FIGURE 2. A photographic illustration comparing D. uakarii, sp. nov. to similar species. D. uakarii, sp. nov. (holotype) from TamashiyacuTahauyo Communal Reserve (A. Dorsum B. Venter). Near Rio Yarapa, south of Rio Tahuayo, populations have thinner dorsolateral and vertebral lines with brighter red stripes (C. photo: Devon Graham). D. D. duellmani, Yasuni, Ecuador (photo: Petra Bartelds). E. D. ventrimaculatus sp. aff. Solimoes, Amazonas, Brazil (photo: Janalee P. Caldwell). F. D. ventrimaculatus sensu lato, TamashiyacuTahauyo Communal Reserve, Peru. G. D. reticulatus, Iquitos, Peru (photo: Evan Twomey).

FIGURE 1. Maximum likelihood phylogram derived from a Bayesian backbone constraint consensus tree constructed using only taxa for which 12S, 16S, cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase I in A new species of Dendrobates (Anura: Dendrobatidae) from the Amazonian lowlands in Perú

FIGURE 1. Maximum likelihood phylogram derived from a Bayesian backbone constraint consensus tree constructed using only taxa for which 12S, 16S, cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase I sequence data were available. Numbers indicate posterior probabilities from the Bayesian analysis. Species of the Ventrimaculatus group are denoted with s.s. (sensu stricto), s.l. (sensu lato) and sp. aff (species affinis).

opennotspecifiedDec 2007View details →

FIGURE 1 in Description of two new species of Rhinella (Anura: Bufonidae) from the lowlands of the Guiana shield

FIGURE 1: Map of sampled areas adapted from Fouquet et al. (2007) and additional unpublished data. Black circles: Rhinella margaritifera (clade A), white star: R. margaritifera (clade B), white circles: R. martyi (clade C), white triangles: R. lescurei (clade D), white squares: Rhinella sp. (clade E).

opennotspecifiedDec 2007View details →

FIGURE 5 A–F in Description of two new species of Rhinella (Anura: Bufonidae) from the lowlands of the Guiana shield

FIGURE 5 A–F: Holotype of R. lescurei (MNHN 2006.2608): a. dorsal view, b. profile of head, c. ventral view of left foot, d. ventral view of left hand; e: Rhinella sp. E (198bm), male, in dorsal view, f. living specimen, a male calling while perched on a vine. Arrows indicate one of the main character to differenciate the two species.