Find research datasets worth reusing

FIGURES 67–72 in Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species

FIGURES 67–72. Immature stages of South African Gracillariidae. 67, Conopomorphina aptata, mine on Schotia brachypetala (Fabaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 68, Acrocercops syzygiena, mine on Syzygium cordatum (Myrtaceae), Gauteng, Tshwane, A. & I. Sharp leg. 69, A. syzygiena, larva, ibidem. 70, A. combreticola, mine on Combretum zeyheri (Combretaceae) Gauteng, Tshwane, A. Sharp leg. 71, Cryptolectica capnodecta, larva on Syzygium cordatum (Myrtaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 72, C. terminalina, mine on Terminalia sericea (Combretaceae), A. & I. Sharp leg.

FIGURES 84−88 in Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species

FIGURES 84−88. Immature stages of South African Gracillariidae species. 84, Cameraria melhaniella sp. nov., larva on Melhania acuminata (Malvaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 85, Metriochroa pergulariae, mine on Pergularia daemia (Apocynaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 86, Phyllocnistis allisonae, mine on Protea rubropilosa (Proteaceae), Limpopo, Lopez Vaamonde leg. 87, Phyllocnistis magalismontani sp. nov., mine on Englerophytum magalismontanum (Sapotaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, leg. A. & I. Sharp. 88, Phyllocnistis faureae, mine on Faurea saligna (Proteaceae), Gauteng, Tshwane, leg. A. Sharp.

FIGURES 61−66 in Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species

FIGURES 61−66. Immature stages of South African Gracillariidae. 61, Caloptilia sp., larva on Cryptocarya transvaalensis (Lauraceae), Limpopo, Lekgalameetse N. R., A. & I. Sharp leg. 62, C. cataractias, larva on Rhynchosia minima (Fabaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 63, Macarostola noellineae, larva on Syzygium cordatum (Myrtaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 64, Ectropina spirostachydis sp. nov., larva on Spirostachys africana (Euphorbiaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 65, Cuphodes melanostola, mine on Euclea divinorum (Ebenaceae), Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 66, Conopomorphina ochnivora, Gauteng, Magaliesburg, on Ochna pretoriensis, (Ochnaceae), H. Staude leg.

FIGURES 58–60 in Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species

FIGURES 58–60. Female genitalia of South African Gracillariidae. 58-59, Phyllocnistis magalismontani sp. nov., paratype: 58, lateral view; 59, signa. 60, P. allisonae sp. nov., holotype: ventral view. (All scale bar 190 μm).

FIGURES 56–57 in Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species

FIGURES 56–57. Female genitalia of South African Gracillariidae. 56, Telamoptilia cordati sp. nov., paratype: ventral view. 57, Phyllonorycter pseudogrewiella sp. nov., holotype: lateral view. (All scale bar 190 μm).

FIGURES 44–46 in Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species

FIGURES 44–46. Male genitalia of South African Gracillariidae. Phodoryctis tephrosiella sp. nov.: 44, holotype, ventral view; 45, phallus with bulbus ejaculatorius; 46, segment VIII in ventral view (ae: aedeagus; pb: phallobase; be: bulbus ejaculatorius). (All scale bars 190 μm).

FIGURES 25−30 in Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species

FIGURES 25−30. Forewing pattern of South African Gracillariidae. 25, Leucocercops curatellifoliae sp. nov., Limpopo. 26, Phodoryctis tephrosiella sp. nov., Gauteng. 27, Telamoptilia cordati sp. nov., South Africa, Limpopo. 28, Telamoptilia sp., Madagascar. 29, Cameraria melhaniella sp. nov., Limpopo. 30, Phyllonorycter pseudogrewiella sp. nov., Limpopo.

FIGURES 13–18 in Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species

FIGURES 13–18. Adults of South African Gracillariidae. 13, Cryptolectica capnodecta, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 14, C. terminalina, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 15, Dialectica pyramidota, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 16, Amblyptila cynanchi, Western Cape, Knysna, S. Mecenero leg. 17, Leucocercops dasmophora, Gauteng, Tshwane, A. & I. Sharp leg. 18, L. curatellifoliae sp. nov. Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg.

FIGURES 32–34 in Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species

FIGURES 32–34. Forewing pattern of the South African Phyllocnistinae. 32, Phyllocnistis magalismontani sp. nov., drawn by holotype; 33, P. allisonae sp. nov., holotype; 34, P. faureae, holotype.

FIGURE 31 in Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species

FIGURE 31. Forewing pattern of the Afrotropical Phyllocnistinae. A, Phyllocnistis pharetrucha; B, P. saligna; C, P. magalismontani sp. nov.; D, P. faureae sp. nov.; E, P. loxosticha; F, P. citrella; G, P. allisonae sp. nov..

FIGURES 1−6 in Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species

FIGURES 1−6. Adults of South African Gracillariidae. 1, Caloptilia sp., Limpopo, Lekgalameetse N. R., A. & I. Sharp leg. 2, Caloptilia rhusina, Western Cape, Robberg Nature Reserve, S. Mecenero leg. 3, Macarostola noellineae, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 4, Caloptilia cataractias, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, leg. A. & I. Sharp. 5, Ectropina spirostachydis sp. nov., Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 6, Graphiocephala barbitias, Gauteng, Tshwane, A. Sharp leg.

FIGURES 7–12 in Exploring the diversity of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) in South Africa: host plants, distribution, and DNA barcoding analysis, with the description of nine new species

FIGURES 7–12. Adults of South African Gracillariidae. 7, Semnocera procellaris, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 8, Conopomorphina ochnivora, Gauteng, Magaliesburg, A. & I. Sharp leg. 9, C. aptata, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 10, Cuphodes melanostola, Limpopo, Hoedspruit, A. & I. Sharp leg. 11, Acrocercops syzygiena, Gauteng, Tshwane, A. Sharp leg. 12, A. combreticola, Gauteng, Tshwane, A. Sharp leg.

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: Regional climate and local-scale biotic acceptance explain native-exotic diversity relationships in Australian annual plant communities

Native and exotic species richness is expected to be negatively related at small spatial scales where individuals interact, and positive at larger spatial scales as a greater variety of habitats are sampled. However, a range of native-exotic richness relationships (NERRs) have been reported, including positive at small scales and negative at larger scales. We present a hierarchical metacommunity framework to explain how contrasting NERRs may emerge across scales and study systems, and then apply this framework to NERRs in an invaded winter annual plant system in south-west Western Australia. We analysed NERRs at increasing spatial scales from neighbourhoods (0.09 m2) to communities (225 m2) to metacommunities (>10 ha) within a multi-level structural equation model. In contrast to many previous studies, native and exotic richness were positively related at the neighbourhood scale and were not significantly associated at larger scales. Heterogeneity in soil surface properties was weakly, but positively, associated with native and exotic richness at the community-scale. Metacommunity exotic richness increased strongly with regional temperature and moisture availability, but relationships for native richness were negative and much weaker. Thus, we show that neutral NERRs can emerge at larger scales due to differential climatic filtering of native and exotic species pools.

opencc-zeroDec 2016View details →

Data from: Soil biota suppress positive plant diversity effects on productivity at high but not low soil fertility

1. Plant community productivity commonly increases with increasing plant diversity, which is explained by complementarity among plant species in resource utilization (complementarity effect), or by selection of particularly productive plant species in diverse plant communities (selection effect). Recent studies have also shown that soil biota can drive the positive plant diversity–productivity relationship by suppressing productivity more in low- than in high-diversity plant communities. However, much remains unknown about whether soil fertility plays a role in determining how soil biota affect plant diversity–productivity relationships. 2. We hypothesized that under high soil fertility conditions, negative soil biota effects dominate, which reduces plant monoculture biomass more than that of high-diversity plant communities. Conversely, under low soil fertility conditions, we hypothesized positive soil biota effects dominate, which facilitates plant resource partitioning and enhances community-level biomass in high-diversity plant communities. Hence we expected positive plant diversity–community productivity relationships under low and high soil fertility conditions but caused by different mechanisms. 3. We tested these hypotheses using woody seedlings and set up plant assemblages with four species richness levels (one, two, four and eight species), and grew them in sterilized and unsterilized (sterilized soil + living soil inoculum) soils at two nutrient levels (low vs. high fertility). 4. We found that at high fertility negative soil biota effects dominated and suppressed plant community biomass more in high-diversity plant communities than in monocultures, resulting in reduced complementarity effects of diverse plant communities and a non-significant plant species richness–community biomass relationship in unsterilized soil. Whereas at low fertility soil biota had net neutral to positive effects on plant community biomass but the beneficial effects did not increase with increasing plant species richness. Instead, soil biota neutrally affected the positive plant species richness–community biomass relationship, presumably due to non-specific effects of beneficial soil biota. 5. Synthesis. Soil biota and soil fertility interactively determine plant species richness–community biomass relationships. Moreover, soil biota modulate the complementary resource use among plant species. These findings suggest that environmental context plays an important role in determining whether and how soil biota generate the biodiversity–productivity relationship. Future studies would benefit from revealing the mechanisms underlying the interactive effects of soil biota, soil fertility, and plant diversity on ecosystem functioning.

opencc-zeroAug 2019View details →

Data from: Functional diversity is a passenger but not driver of drought-related plant diversity losses in annual grasslands

1. Effects of climate change on plant community functional diversity are of interest since experiments have found functional diversity to predict ecosystem function. Functional diversity has been hypothesized to confer resilience to plant communities (as a "driver" of community change), but in unmanipulated natural communities, it might alternatively (or additionally) act as a "passenger" by responding to changes in plant diversity caused by extrinsic factors such as climate. 2. We examined trends in plant functional diversity in annual grasslands in Northern California over a 19-year period, during which a trend toward drier winters had previously been associated with the losses of drought-intolerant species. We tested whether functional diversity decreased over the period of the study (acting as a passenger), and also whether initial site functional diversity influenced the degree of community change over the study period (acting as a driver). 3. Initial community functional diversity was not related to species richness loss or community variability. We found that functional diversity declined as plant species richness and community mean specific leaf area declined over the course of the study, and all of these trends were associated with declining precipitation, indicating that functional diversity acted as a passenger of community change. 4. Synthesis. This study is among the first to demonstrate that recent climatic trends may drive loss of functional diversity. Our findings highlight that functional diversity does not necessarily confer community resilience when its variation is shaped by the environment rather than by experimental treatments.

opencc-zeroJul 2021View details →

Invasion drives plant diversity loss through competition and ecosystem modification

1. Although invasive plants increasingly contribute to the current biodiversity crisis, the mechanisms through which they impact native communities are still poorly understood. Community ecology theory has emphasized direct competitive displacement over common resources, but invasion-driven ecosystem modifications, such as altered soil pH, might also have consequences for plant diversity. However, the relative importance of ecosystem modification compared to direct resource competition has rarely been tested. 2. Here we studied the invasive vine Vincetoxicum rossicum across invaded meadows in southern Ontario, Canada. In each meadow site, we quantified: 1) the strength of impact on the resident plant community, 2) the potential for competition with resident species (as the degree of niche-dissimilarity and competitive superiority to the residents based on their functional traits), and 3) the amount of ecosystem modification related to invasion. 3. We found that impacts on plant biodiversity were more negative where the invader had greater potential to competitively displace species (because it had a similar niche as the residents or was competitively superior), but also where it strongly altered soil N pools, moisture and pH. 4. Synthesis. Our case study suggests that, while competition is undoubtedly an important driver of invasion impact, ecosystem modifications can have cascading effects on plant communities, thereby magnifying the impacts of biological invasions.

opencc-zeroJul 2021View details →

Functional diversity response to geographic and experimental precipitation gradients varies with plant community type

Precipitation is a primary determinant of plant community structure in drylands. However, the empirical evidence and predictions are lacking for how plant functional diversity in desert and steppe communities respond to altered precipitation regimes. We examined how precipitation changes along the natural and experimental gradients affect different components of functional diversity in desert-shrub and steppe-grass communities. We compared the associations of precipitation changes with community-weighted means (CWM) of six traits, functional divergence (FDvar) of each single-trait, and multi-trait functional richness (FRic) and dispersion (FDis) for shrub and grass communities along the natural and experimental gradients. We also disentangle the roles of species turnover and intraspecific variations in affecting the responses of different functional diversity to precipitation changes. We found that in general, the similar responses of functional traits or diversity to both the natural and experimental precipitation gradient were dependent on plant community type. Across both two gradients, precipitation was positively associated with CWM of plant height and negatively associated with the CWM of specific leaf area and leaf thickness in grass community, while positively associated with FDvar of four traits and FDis in shrub communities. Both species turnover and intraspecific variations contributed to the responses of grass community traits to precipitation changes across both two gradients, and to functional divergence of traits and FDis in shrub community along the natural gradient. In contrast, species turnover variations contributed to functional divergence of traits and FDis in shrub community in experiment. These results suggest that there is better concordance between the effects of naturally and experimentally increased precipitation on functional diversity of plant communities, but different mechanisms behind the relationship of functional diversity-precipitation between shrub and grass communities. Grass communities can adapt to precipitation changes by average trait differences, while shrub communities persist through the functional divergence of single-trait and multi-trait dispersion, thus highlighting the important differences in adaptive strategies between shrub and grass communities. Our findings demonstrate that the short-term responses of plant communities to manipulative precipitation changes can reflect long-term shifts at spatial scales depending on the specific functional trait and diversity.

opencc-zeroJul 2021View details →

Plant diversity ameliorates the evolutionary development of fungicide resistance in an agricultural ecosystem

1. Evolution of fungicide resistance in agricultural and natural ecosystems is associated with the biology of pathogens, the chemical property and application strategies of the fungicides. The influence of ecological factors such as host diversity on the evolution of fungicide resistance has been largely overlooked but is highly relevant to social and natural sustainability. In this study, we used an experimental evolution approach to understand how host population heterogeneity may affect the evolution of fungicide resistance in the associated pathogens. 2. Potato populations with six levels of genetic heterogeneity were grown in the same field and naturally infected by Phytophthora infestans. Pathogen isolates (~1200) recovered from the field experiment were molecularly genotyped. Genetically distinct isolates were selected form each population and 142 isolates were assayed for their tolerance to two fungicides differing in the mode of action. Tolerance was determined by calculating the relative growth rate of the isolates in the presence and absence of fungicides and the effective concentration for 50% inhibition. 3. The evolution of fungicide resistance in P. infestans was affected by the genetic variation of host populations. Higher potato diversification increased the sensitivity of P. infestans to both fungicides and reduced genetic variation of the pathogen available for the development of fungicide resistance. These mitigating effects are independent of biochemical properties of fungicides and are likely caused by host selection for pathogen strains differing in the ability of fungicide influxes, effluxes or detoxification rather than mutations in fungicide target genes. 4. Synthesis and applications: Increased fungicide sensitivity and diminished evolutionary potential of fungicide resistance associated with higher host diversification reduce the fungicide dose and application frequency needed to achieve the same extent of disease control, relaxing the selection pressure acting on the pathogen populations and retarding the evolution of fungicide resistance. Together with benefits documented in other studies, our results indicate that host diversification is an eco-friendly approach that not only ameliorate fungicide resistance but also help achieve social and ecological sustainability by balancing the interaction among food security, socioeconomic development and ecological resilience.

opennotspecifiedJun 2011View details →

Figure 3 in Diverse plant taxa used by arboreal succineid snails as microhabitats

Figure 3. Individual-based rarefaction curves of plant species associated with Boninosuccinea ogasawarae (closed circles) and Boninosuccinea punctulispira (open circles).