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Distribution. W in Family Hipposideridae (Old World Leaf-nosed Bats)

Distribution. W Myanmar, known only from type locality (Rakhine State) and in Tanintharyi Region (Tharabwin Village, Myeik, and Tanintharyi Village).

Distribution. Mainland SE Asia, Philippines, Indonesian Archipelago, New Guinea (including Bismarck Archipelago), Solomon Is, and NE Australia; also on N Nicobar Is. in Family Hipposideridae (Old World Leaf-nosed Bats)

Distribution. Mainland SE Asia, Philippines, Indonesian Archipelago, New Guinea (including Bismarck Archipelago), Solomon Is, and NE Australia; also on N Nicobar Is.

Distribution. Widely distributed through out tropical Africa from Senegal E to ex treme W Uganda and E DR Congo, with isolated populations in W Angola, SE Ken ya, and N, NE & SE Tanzania; also on Bioko I. in Family Hipposideridae (Old World Leaf-nosed Bats)

Distribution. Widely distributed through out tropical Africa from Senegal E to ex treme W Uganda and E DR Congo, with isolated populations in W Angola, SE Ken ya, and N, NE & SE Tanzania; also on Bioko I.

Distribution. NE India, NE Bangladesh, S China (including Hainan I), mainland SE Asia, Sumatra (including Simeulue, Nias, and Mentawai Is), Borneo, Java, Kangean, Bali, and many offshore Is. in Family Hipposideridae (Old World Leaf-nosed Bats)

Distribution. NE India, NE Bangladesh, S China (including Hainan I), mainland SE Asia, Sumatra (including Simeulue, Nias, and Mentawai Is), Borneo, Java, Kangean, Bali, and many offshore Is.

opencc-zeroApr 2020View details →

Supplementary material 4 from: Augustinus BA, Lommen STE, Fogliatto S, Vidotto F, Smith T, Horvath D, Bonini M, Gentili RF, Citterio S, Müller-Schärer H, Schaffner U (2020) In-season leaf damage by a biocontrol agent explains reproductive output of an invasive plant species. NeoBiota 55: 117-146. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.55.46874

Figure S1. Mean plant volume ± se of A. artemisiifolia plants measured during the experiment in the four experimental sites

opencc-zeroApr 2020View details →

Supplementary material 3 from: Patterson BD, Webala PW, Lavery TH, Agwanda BR, Goodman SM, Kerbis Peterhans JC, Demos TC (2020) Evolutionary relationships and population genetics of the Afrotropical leaf-nosed bats (Chiroptera, Hipposideridae). ZooKeys 929: 117-161. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.929.50240

Figure S3. Phylogeny of Hipposideridae based on Bayesian inference analysis of cyt-b based on 452 individuals

opencc-zeroApr 2020View details →

Supplementary material 2 from: Patterson BD, Webala PW, Lavery TH, Agwanda BR, Goodman SM, Kerbis Peterhans JC, Demos TC (2020) Evolutionary relationships and population genetics of the Afrotropical leaf-nosed bats (Chiroptera, Hipposideridae). ZooKeys 929: 117-161. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.929.50240

Figure S2. Phylogeny of Hipposideridae based on maximum likelihood analysis of cyt-b based on 452 individuals

opencc-zeroJun 2020View details →

Data from: Evaluating community effects of a keystone ant, Azteca sericeasur, on Inga micheliana leaf litter decomposition in a shaded coffee agro-ecosystem

Our research examined the effect of Azteca sericeasur, a keystone arboreal ant, on the decomposition of leaf litter of the shade tree, Inga micheliana, in coffee agro-ecosystems. This interaction is important in understanding the spatial heterogeneity in decomposition. We hypothesized that A. sericeasur could affect leaf litter decomposition by excluding other ants, which could release decomposers, like collembolans, from predation pressure. Determining the relative strengths of these interactions can illuminate the importance of A. sericeasur in decomposition and nutrient cycling processes. We assessed the ant and arthropod communities surrounding 10 pairs of trees, where each pair included one shade tree with an established A. sericeasur nest. Tuna baits were used in conjunction with pitfall traps to assess the ant and arthropod community, and litterbags with I. micheliana leaf litter were used to assess decomposition. The species richness of ants did not change in proximity to A. sericeasur nests, though the ant communities were distinct. Abundance of collembola and community composition of other invertebrates did not change with the presence of an A. sericeasur nest and there were no differences in leaf litter decomposition rates. This contradicts past studies that suggests A. sericeasur reduces species richness in its territory. We suggest that other ants may avoid A. sericeasur by moving within and beneath the leaf litter. Our results indicate there is no net effect of A. sericeasur on leaf litter decomposition.

opencc-zeroJul 2020View details →

Global patterns of the leaf economics spectrum in wetlands

The leaf economics spectrum (LES) describes consistent correlations among a variety of leaf traits that reflect a gradient from conservative to acquisitive plant strategies. So far, whether the LES holds in wetland plants at a global scale has been unclear. Using data on 365 wetland species from 151 studies, we find that wetland plants in general show a shift within trait space along the same common slope as observed in non-wetland plants, with lower leaf mass per area, higher leaf nitrogen and phosphorus, faster photosynthetic rates, and shorter leaf life span compared to non-wetland plants. We conclude that wetland plants tend to cluster at the acquisitive end of the LES. The presented global quantifications of the LES in wetland plants enhance our understanding of wetland plant strategies in terms of resources acquisition and allocation, and provide a stepping-stone to developing trait-based approaches for wetland ecology.

opencc-zeroDec 2019View details →

Data from: Decomposition of leaf litter mixtures across biomes: The role of litter identity, diversity and soil fauna

1. At broad spatial scales, the factors regulating litter decomposition remain ambiguous, with the understanding of these factors largely based on studies investigating site-specific single litter species, whereas studies using multi litter species mixtures across sites are rare. 2. We exposed in microcosms containing single species and all possible mixtures of four leaf litter species differing widely in initial chemical and physical characteristics from a temperate forest to the climatic conditions of four different forests across the northern hemisphere for one year. 3. Calcium, magnesium and condensed tannins predicted litter mass loss of single litter species and mixtures across forest types and biomes, regardless of species richness and microarthropod presence. However, relative mixture effects differed among forest types and varied with the access to the litter by microarthropods. Access to the microcosms by microarthropods modified the decomposition of individual litter species within mixtures, which differed among forest types independent of litter species richness and composition of litter mixtures. However, soil microarthropods generally only little affected litter decomposition. 4. Synthesis. We conclude that litter identity is the dominant driver of decomposition across different forest types and the non-additive litter mixture effects vary among biomes despite identical leaf litter chemistry. These results suggest that across large spatial scales the environmental context of decomposing litter mixtures, including microarthropod communities, determine the decomposition of litter mixtures besides strong litter trait based effects.

opencc-zeroJun 2020View details →

Data from: Genome-wide association mapping of resistance to Septoria nodorum leaf blotch in a Nordic spring wheat collection

Parastagonospora nodorum is the causal agent of septoria nodorum blotch (SNB) in wheat. It is the most important leaf blotch pathogen in Norwegian spring wheat. Several quantitative trait loci (QTL) for SNB susceptibility have been identified. Some of these QTL are the result of underlying gene-for-gene interactions involving necrotrophic effectors (NEs) and corresponding sensitivity (Snn) genes. A collection of diverse spring wheat lines was evaluated for SNB resistance/susceptibility over seven growing seasons in the field. In addition, wheat seedlings were inoculated and infiltrated with culture filtrates (CFs) from four single spore isolates and infiltrated with semi-purified NEs (SnToxA, SnTox1 and SnTox3) under greenhouse conditions. In adult plants, the most stable SNB resistance QTL were located on 2B, 2D, 4A, 4B, 5A, 6B, 7A and 7B. The QTL on 2D was effective most years in the field. At the seedling stage, the most significant QTL after inoculation were located on 1A, 1B, 3A, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7A and 7B. The QTL on 3A and 6B were significant both after inoculation and CF infiltration, indicating the presence of novel NE-Snn interactions. The QTL on 4B and 7A were significant in both seedlings and adult plants. Correlations between SnToxA sensitivity and disease severity in the field were significant. To our knowledge, this is the first genome wide association mapping study (GWAS) to investigate SNB resistance at the adult plant stage under field conditions.

opencc-by-3.0Aug 2020View details →

Leaf traits data from Gongga Mountain, China

This dataset reports on leaf traits of plants and climate data used in the paper: Xu et al. (under review in Tree Physiology) at 18 sites from 1143 to 4361 m in Gongga Mountain region (29° 22' to 29° 55' N and 101° 1' to 102° 9' E). The trait data were collected during the active growing season in 2018 and 2019, as part of a Chinese research project. The vegetation type changes from deciduous broad-leaved forest dominated by Betulaceae, Urticaceae, Caprifoliaceae and Rosaceae, to evergreen needle-leaved forest and deciduous shrubland dominated by Pinaceae and/or Rosaceae and Ericaceae with increasing elevation. Relevant dataset information can be found: <a href="https://github.com/Huiying-Xu/PTG">https://github.com/Huiying-Xu/PTG</a>

opencc-zeroDec 2018View details →

Data from: Are ecophysiological adaptive traits decoupled from leaf economics traits in wetlands?

Wetland plants have developed a suite of traits, such as aerenchyma, radial oxygen loss, and leaf gas films, to adapt to wetland environment featured by e.g. a low redox potential and a lack of electron acceptors. These ecophysiological traits are critical for the survival and physiological functioning of wetland plants. Most studies on these traits typically focus on a single trait and a single or few species at the time. Next to these traits, traits of the leaf economics spectrum (LES) that reflect resources acquisition and allocation in plant species have also been frequently measured in wetlands. However, the performance of the LES has rarely been examined among wetland plants. Both suites of traits are critical for ‐but affect different aspects of‐ wetland plant functioning and survival. The interactions between them, potentially causing synergies or trade‐offs, reflect wetland plant strategies to simultaneously deal with stress tolerance and resources utilization, and have ramifications for the functioning of wetland ecosystems. Based on a literature review and quantitative analysis of available data, we provide evidence suggesting that LES and ecophysiological traits may be decoupled (e.g., for root porosity & radial oxygen loss vs. leaf nitrogen) or coupled (e.g., for iron tolerance vs. SLA) in wetlands, depending on the trait combination concerned. This rather complex relationship between wetland adaptation traits and LES traits indicates that there can be multiple mechanisms behind the strategies of wetland plants. We further illustrate how adaptation and LES traits together contribute to wetland ecosystem functions, such as denitrification and methane emission. We highlight that both suites of traits should be considered simultaneously when applying trait‐based methods to wetland ecology.

opencc-zeroAug 2020View details →

Functional gene categories differentiate maize leaf drought-related microbial epiphytic communities

The phyllosphere epiphytic microbiome is composed of microorganisms that colonize the external aerial portions of plants. Relationships of plant responses to specific microorganisms–both pathogenic and beneficial–have been examined, but the phyllosphere microbiome functional and metabolic profile responses are not well described. Changing crop growth conditions, such as increased drought, can have profound impacts on crop productivity. Also, epiphytic microbial communities provide a new target for crop yield optimization. We compared Zea mays leaf microbiomes collected under drought and well-watered conditions by examining functional gene annotation patterns across three physically disparate locations each with and without drought treatment, through the application of short read metagenomic sequencing. Drought samples exhibited different functional sequence compositions at each of the three field sites. Maize phyllosphere functional profiles revealed a wide variety of metabolic and regulatory processes that differed in drought and normal water conditions and provide key baseline information for future selective breeding.

opencc-zeroAug 2020View details →

ABCB transporters in a leaf beetle respond to sequestered plant toxins

Phytophagous insects can tolerate and detoxify toxic compounds present in their host plants and have evolved intricate adaptations to this end. Some insects even sequester the toxins for their defense. This necessitates specific mechanisms, especially carrier proteins that regulate uptake and transport to specific storage sites or protect sensitive tissues from noxious compounds. We identified three ATP-binding cassette subfamily B (ABCB) transporters from the transcriptome of the cardenolide-sequestering leaf beetle Chrysochus auratus and analyzed their functional role in the sequestration process. These were heterologously expressed and tested for their ability to interact with various potential substrates: verapamil (standard ABCB substrate), the cardenolides digoxin (commonly used), cymarin (present in the species' host plant) and calotropin (present in the ancestral host plants). Verapamil stimulated all three ABCBs and each was activated by at least one cardenolide, however, they differed as to which they were activated by. While the expression of the most versatile transporter fits with a protective role in the blood-brain-barrier, the one specific for cymarin shows an extreme abundance in the elytra, coinciding with the location of the defensive glands. Our data thus suggest a key role of ABCBs in the transport network needed for cardenolide sequestration.

opencc-zeroDec 2018View details →

Data from: Old World and New World Phasmatodea: phylogenomics resolve the evolutionary history of stick and leaf insects

Phasmatodea comprises over 3,000 extant species and stands out as one of the last remaining insect orders for which a robust, higher-level phylogenetic hypothesis is lacking. New research suggests that the extant diversity is the result of a surprisingly recent and rapid radiation that has been difficult to resolve with standard Sanger sequence data. In order to resolve the early branching events of stick and leaf insects, we analyzed transcriptomes from 61 species, including 38 Phasmatodea species comprising all major clades and 23 outgroup taxa, including all other Polyneoptera orders. Using a custom-made ortholog set based on reference genomes from four species, we identified on average 2,274 orthologous genes in the sequenced transcriptomes. We generated various sub-alignments and performed maximum-likelihood analyses on several representative datasets to evaluate the effect of missing data and matrix composition on our phylogenetic estimates. Based on our new data, we are able to reliably resolve the deeper nodes between the principal lineages of extant Phasmatodea. Among Euphasmatodea, we provide strong evidence for a basal dichotomy of Aschiphasmatodea and all remaining euphasmatodeans, the Neophasmatodea. Within the latter clade, we recovered a previously unrecognized major New World and Old World lineage, for which we introduce the new names Oriophasmata tax. nov. ("Eastern phasmids") and Occidophasmata tax. nov. ("Western phasmids"). Occidophasmata comprise Diapheromerinae, Pseudophasmatinae, and Agathemera, whereas all remaining lineages form the Oriophasmata, including Heteropterygidae, Phylliinae, Bacillus, Lonchodidae (Necrosciinae + Lonchodinae), Clitumninae, Cladomorphinae, and Lanceocercata. We furthermore performed a divergence time analysis and reconstructed the historical biogeography for stick and leaf insects. Phasmatodea either originated in Southeast Asia or in the New World. Our results suggest that the extant distribution of Phasmatodea is largely the result of dispersal events in a recently and rapidly diversified insect lineage rather than the result of vicariant processes.

opencc-zeroOct 2020View details →

Hidden in the DNA: insights on how multiple historical processes and natural history traits shaped patterns of cryptic diversity in an Amazon leaf-litter lizard Loxopholis osvaldoi (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae).

Aim: To investigate cryptic diversity and diversification timing in the putatively low-dispersal Amazonian leaf-litter lizard Loxopholis osvaldoi, and to ask how geography (rivers, isolation by distance, IBD), ecological drivers (isolation by environment, IBE) and historical factors (climatic refugia) explain intraspecific genetic variation. Location: Central Amazonia, Brazil. Taxon: Squamata; Gymnophthalmidae; Loxopholis osvaldoi. Methods: We sequenced two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers in 157 individuals. Phylogeographic structure and the occurrence of independent evolving lineages where explored through phylogenetic and coalescent analyses. A species tree and divergence dates of lineages were inferred with BEAST, employing multiple DNA substitution rates. The potential genetic impacts of geographic distance among localities, the environment, and the position of localities in relation to main rivers were tested by Redundancy Analysis (RDA). Results: We detected 11 independently evolving and largely divergent intraspecific lineages. Lineage distribution patterns are complex and do not match any conspicuous barrier to gene flow, except for the Amazon River. Most lineages appear to have originated in the lower Miocene and Pliocene, in disagreement with the Pleistocene refuge hypothesis. IBD, IBE, and rivers appear to have acted in concert establishing and maintaining genetic structure. However, when controlling for other explanatory variables, IBD explains significantly more variation than rivers, IBE, or historical factors. Main conclusions: Our results strongly suggest that L. osvaldoi is a species complex. Future taxonomic work should use an integrative approach to explore whether morphological variation is present and congruent with the genetic data. While the use of a sensitive dating analysis allowed us to better describe the diversification history of L. osvaldoi, the lack of a spatial model of Neogene river dynamics prevents the test of specific, more informative river barrier hypotheses. The data suggest that non-linear correlation analyses (e.g. RDA) should be preferred to detect factors that affect phylogeographic patterns in the Amazon, instead of linear multiple regressions (e.g. Mantel tests). Given the high level of cryptic diversity detected within this and other Amazonian species, we caution against hypothesis tests based solely on the distribution of nominal taxa, which can provide a rather incomplete view of the processes behind Amazonian diversity.

opencc-zeroNov 2020View details →

Supplementary material 1 from: Vagmaker N, Pereira-Ribeiro J, Colombo Ferreguetti Á, Boazi A, Gama-Matos R, Bergallo HG, Duarte Rocha CF (2020) Structure of the leaf litter frog community in an area of Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. Zoologia 37: 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3897/zoologia.37.e38877

Table S1. Voucher for anuran species collected at the Duas Bocas Biological Reserve, Espírito Santo, and deposited in the amphibian collection of the Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

opencc-zeroNov 2020View details →

Predicting tropical tree mortality with leaf spectroscopy

Do tropical trees close to death have a distinct change to their leaf spectral signature? Tree mortality rates have been increasing in tropical forests globally, reducing the global carbon sink. Upcoming hyperspectral satellites could be used to predict regions close to experiencing extensive tree mortality during periods of stress, such as drought. Here we show, for a tropical rainforest in Borneo, how imminent tropical tree mortality impacts leaf physiological traits and reflectance. We measured leaf reflectance (400-2500 nm), light saturated photosynthesis (Asat), leaf dark respiration (Rdark), leaf mass area (LMA) and % leaf water across five campaigns in a six-month period during which there were two causes of tree mortality: a major natural drought and a co-incident tree stem girdling treatment. We find that prior to mortality, there were significant (P<0.05) leaf spectral changes in the red (650-700 nm), the NIR (1000 -1400 nm) and SWIR bands (2000-2400 nm) and significant reductions in the potential carbon balance of the leaves (increased Rdark and reduced Asat). We show that the partial least squares regression technique can predict mortality in tropical trees across different species and functional groups with medium precision but low accuracy (r2 of 0.65 and RMSE/mean of 0.58). However, most tree death in our study was due to girdling, which is not a natural form of death. More research is needed to determine if this spectroscopy technique can be applied to tropical forests in general.