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opencc-zeroNov 2022View details →

Factors limiting plant recruitment in a Tropical Afromontane Forest

Predicting how forest species composition may change in response to global change is essential for meaningful management. Which species are most likely to successfully recruit depends on a multitude of factors, but processes operating at the seed-to-seedling transition being especially important. Here we explore how insufficient seed dispersal (dispersal limitation) and ecological filtering of seedlings (establishment limitation) influence species recruitment in an Afromontane Forest. We combined census data from seeds in seed traps and seed-seedling transition plots in a Nigerian montane forest to measure dispersal and establishment limitation across species, life history strategies and seed sizes. From 106 seed traps and 318 seedling plots we recorded 11,278 seeds from 38 species and 2,688 seedlings of 61 species. All species except for one liana showed strong dispersal limitation while 23 out of the 30 species showed establishment limitation. The two lianas sampled had significantly lower dispersal limitation compared to the trees investigated in the study. Our results suggest that both dispersal and establishment limitation are markedly high in this Afromontane forest than would be expected in a lowland counterpart.

opencc-zeroDec 2022View details →

Removing climbers more than doubles tree growth and biomass in degraded tropical forests

Huge areas of tropical forests are degraded, reducing their biodiversity, carbon, and timber value. The recovery of these degraded forests can be significantly inhibited by climbing plants such as lianas. Removal of super-abundant climbers thus represents a restoration action with huge potential for application across the tropics. While experimental studies largely report positive impacts of climber removal on tree growth and biomass accumulation, the efficacy of climber removal varies widely, with high uncertainty as to where and how to apply the technique. Using meta-analytic techniques, we synthesise results from 26 studies to quantify the efficacy of climber removal for promoting tree growth and biomass accumulation. We find that climber removal increases tree growth by 156% and biomass accumulation by 209% compared to untreated forest, and that efficacy remains for at least 19 years. Extrapolating from these results, climber removal could sequester an additional 32 Gigatons of CO2 over 10 years, at low cost, across regrowth and production forests. Our analysis also revealed that climber removal studies are concentrated in the Neotropics (N=22), relative to Africa (N=2) and Asia (N=2), preventing our study from assessing the influence of region on removal efficacy. While we found some evidence that enhancement of tree growth and AGB accumulation varies across disturbance context and removal method, but not across climate, the number and geographical distribution of studies limits the strength of these conclusions. Climber removal could contribute significantly to reducing global carbon emissions and enhancing the timber and biomass stocks of degraded forests, ultimately protecting them from conversion. However, we urgently need to assess the efficacy of removal outside the Neotropics and consider the potential negative consequences of climber removal under drought conditions and for biodiversity.

opencc-zeroDec 2021View details →

Data and code for: Human density modulates spatial associations among tropical forest terrestrial mammal species

The spatial aggregation of species pairs often increases with the ecological similarity of the species involved. However, the way in which environmental conditions and anthropogenic activity affect the relationship between spatial aggregation and ecological similarity remains unknown despite the potential for spatial associations to affect species interactions, ecosystem function, and extinction risk. Given that human disturbance has been shown to both increase and decrease spatial associations among species pairs, ecological similarity may have a role in mediating these patterns. Here, we test the influences of habitat diversity, primary productivity, human population density, and species' ecological similarity based on functional traits (i.e., functional trait similarity) on spatial associations among tropical forest mammals. Large mammals are highly sensitive to anthropogenic change and therefore susceptible to changes in interspecific spatial associations. Using two-species occupancy models and camera trap data, we quantified the spatial overlap of 1,216 species pairs from 13 tropical forest-protected areas around the world. We found that the association between ecological similarity and interspecific species associations depended upon surrounding human density. Specifically, aggregation of ecologically similar species was more than an order of magnitude stronger in landscapes with the highest human density compared to those with the lowest human density, even though all populations occurred within protected areas. Human-induced changes in interspecific spatial associations have been shown to alter top-down control by predators, increase disease transmission and increase local extinction rates. Our results indicate that anthropogenic effects on the distribution of wildlife within protected areas are already occurring and that impacts on species interactions, ecosystem functions, and extinction risk warrant further investigation.

opencc-zeroJan 2023View details →

Evidence of time-lag in the provision of ecosystem services by tropical regenerating forests to coffee yields

Abstract Restoration of native tropical forests is crucial for protecting biodiversity and ecosystem functions, such as carbon stock capacity. However, little is known about the contribution of early stages of forest regeneration to crop productivity through the enhancement of ecosystem services, such as crop pollination and pest control. Using data from 610 municipalities along the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (30 m spatial resolution), we evaluated if young regenerating forests (less than 20 years old) are positively associated with coffee yield and whether such a relationship depends on the amount of preserved forest in the surroundings of the coffee fields. We found that regenerating forest alone was not associated with variations in coffee yields. However, the presence of young regenerating forest (within a 500 m buffer) was positively related to higher coffee yields when the amount of preserved forest in a 2 km buffer is above a 20% threshold cover. These results further reinforce that regional coffee yields are influenced by changes in biodiversity-mediated ecosystem services, which are explained by the amount of mature forest in the surrounding of coffee fields. We argue that while regenerating fragments may contribute to increased connectivity between remnants of forest fragments and crop fields in landscapes with a minimum amount of forest (20%), older preserved forests (more than 20 years) are essential for sustaining pollinator and pest enemy's populations. These results highlight the potential time lag of at least 20 years of regenerating forests' in contributing to the provision of ecosystem services that affect coffee yields (e.g., pollination and pest control). We emphasize the need to implement public policies that promote ecosystem restoration and ensure the permanence of these new forests over time.

opencc-zeroMar 2023View details →

Legacy effects of canopy gaps on liana abundance 25 years later in a seasonal tropical evergreen forest in northeastern Thailand

Lianas require host trees to reach and stay in the forest canopy, but as seedlings and juveniles, they benefit from canopy gaps created by treefalls. Here, we evaluated the relative importance of these two aspects, i.e., the availability of potential hosts vs. the legacy effect of past treefall gaps, on the local abundance of liana stems in a seasonal tropical evergreen forest in the Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve in northeastern Thailand. Within a 2.5-ha plot for forest dynamics monitoring, canopy height was measured in 1993 and 2018 at 5-m intervals to distinguish areas of mature (canopy height ≥ 20 m), building (10-20 m), and gap phases (< 10 m). In 2017–2018, we surveyed all liana stems ≥ 1 cm in diameter at breast height within 50 subplots (10 m × 10 m each) and recorded their diameter and the diameter of the host tree. Of a total of 445 liana individuals, 242 could be identified at least to the family level, while the others had clear morphological traits of climbing mechanisms. The number of liana stems was higher in areas that had been at the building/gap phase than those at the mature phase in 1993. When this 25-year-old legacy of past gap locations was considered, there was a positive association of local abundance between lianas and trees in areas at the mature phase in 2018. In conclusion, liana abundance reflected a long-term legacy of past treefall gaps more than 25 years earlier in this seasonal evergreen forest.

FIGURE 7 in A new semiaquatic worm (Annelida, Oligochaeta) from southeastern Mexican tropical rain forests

FIGURE 7. Lacandodrilus paludosus gen. et sp. nov. A. Paratype IEOL 2312. Internal, dorsal view of segments 11–14, showing the ovaria after removal of esophagus. dv= dorsal vessel, ff= female funnel, nc= nerve cord, nep= nephridia, ovr= ovarium, B. Holotype IEOL 3190, right spermathecae, lateral view. amp= ampulla, du= duct, mf= part of male funnel and seminal coagulum. Scale 100 µm.

FIGURE 8 in A new semiaquatic worm (Annelida, Oligochaeta) from southeastern Mexican tropical rain forests

FIGURE 8. Geographical location and type of vegetation (patch of palm trees) where Lacandodrilus paludosus gen. et sp. nov. was found.

FIGURE 2 in A new semiaquatic worm (Annelida, Oligochaeta) from southeastern Mexican tropical rain forests

FIGURE 2. Lacandodrilus paludosus gen. et sp. nov. A. Holotype IEOL 3190, setae a with a replacement seta from segment 12. B. Paratype IEOL 6567, seta a with a replacement seta from segment 9. Scale 50 µm.

FIGURE 6 in A new semiaquatic worm (Annelida, Oligochaeta) from southeastern Mexican tropical rain forests

FIGURE 6. Lacandodrilus paludosus gen. et sp. nov. Internal, dorsal view. A. Paratype IEOL 6565, segments 9–13. B. Holotype IEOL 3190, segments 11–14. dv= dorsal vessel, es= esophagus, ff= female funnel, gg= genital glands, mf= male funnels, ovr= ovarium, sg= septal glands, sv= seminal vesicles. Scale 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 5 in A new semiaquatic worm (Annelida, Oligochaeta) from southeastern Mexican tropical rain forests

FIGURE 5. Lacandodrilus paludosus gen. et sp. nov. Internal. A. Holotype IEOL 3190. Dorsal and left side view of segments 9 and 10 (scale 100 µm). B. Paratype IEOL 6568. Dorsal view of segments 15–19 (scale 200 µm). C. Paratype IEOL 6568. Nephiridium in situ of segment 24, right side (scale 100 µm). D. Paratype IEOL 6567. Extracted nephridium of segment 30 (scale 100 µm). dv= dorsal vessel, es= esophagus, gpl= granular peritoneal layer of nephridium, lc= lateral commisures, mf= male funnels, mt= muscular tube of nephridium, nc= nerve cord, nep= nephridia, sc= seminal coagulum, sg= septal glands.

FIGURE 4 in A new semiaquatic worm (Annelida, Oligochaeta) from southeastern Mexican tropical rain forests

FIGURE 4. Lacandodrilus paludosus gen. et sp. nov. Internal. Anterior region, dorsal view. Paratype IEOL 6568, segments 4–10. dv= dorsal vessel, es= esophagus, lc= lateral commisures, sg= septal glands. Scale 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 1 in A new semiaquatic worm (Annelida, Oligochaeta) from southeastern Mexican tropical rain forests

FIGURE 1. Lacandodrilus paludosus gen. et sp. nov. External. Anterior region. Holotype IEOL 3190 A. Ventral view, segments 1–18. B. Ventral view, segments 11–14. C. Paratype IEOL 6567, ventro-lateral view of segments 10–15. D. Paratype IEOL 6565, lateral view of segments 10–15. Arrows indicate the external band that corresponds to internal male gonoducts. Letters indicate the corresponding ventral (a, b) or lateral (c, d) setae. Scale 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 3 in A new semiaquatic worm (Annelida, Oligochaeta) from southeastern Mexican tropical rain forests

FIGURE 3. Lacandodrilus paludosus gen. et sp. nov. Internal. Anterior region, dorsal view. A. Holotype IEOL 3190, segments 1–24. B. Paratype IEOL 6565, segments 3–16. dv= dorsal vessel, es= esophagus, gg= genital glands, mf= male funnels, np= nephridia, ov= ovisac, sg= septal glands, sp= spermatheca, sv= seminal vesicles. Scale 1 mm.

opennotspecifiedApr 2017View details →

Figure 4 in Use of remote cameras to evaluate ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) population parameters in seasonal tropical dry forests of central-western Mexico

Figure 4: Relationship between estimated ocelot density and precipitation in tropical rain forests (TRF) and tropical seasonal ecosystems (TSE). Ocelot density in tropical rain forest was the closest to show a significant increase with annual precipitation (R2 = 0.2463, p = 0.071).

opennotspecifiedApr 2017View details →

Figure 3 in Use of remote cameras to evaluate ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) population parameters in seasonal tropical dry forests of central-western Mexico

Figure 3: Estimated ocelot density in tropical rainforest sites (TRF) and tropical seasonal ecosystems (TSE). Thick horizontal lines correspond to median values. The upper and lower extremes of the boxes correspond to the first and third quartiles, whiskers correspond to 1.5 times the interquartile range of the data and empty circles are outliers.

opennotspecifiedApr 2017View details →

Figure 2 in Use of remote cameras to evaluate ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) population parameters in seasonal tropical dry forests of central-western Mexico

Figure 2: Examples of markings employed for individual recognition of ocelots. (A) and (B) Photographic recapture of same individual in the locality of El Naranjal. (C) and (D) Different individuals recorded in the locality of Playa del Venado. The oval indicates an example of a set of unique spot and stripes patterns employed for individual identification.

opencc-zeroJun 2023View details →

Data from: Listening to tropical forest soils

Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) has proven to be an effective tool for monitoring biotic soundscapes in the marine, terrestrial, and aquatic realms. Recently it has been suggested that it could also be an effective method for monitoring soil fauna, but has so far been used in only four studies in temperate and polar regions. We present the first study of soil soundscapes in tropical forests, using a novel analytical pipeline allowing for the use of in-situ recording of soundscapes with minimal soil disturbance. We found significant differences in soil soundscapes between burnt and unburnt forests and the first indications of a diel cycle in soil soundscapes. These promising results and methodological advances highlight the potential of PAM for large-scale and long-term monitoring of soil biodiversity. We use the results to discuss research priorities, including relating soil biophony to biodiversity, community structure and ecosystem functioning, and the use of appropriate hardware and analytical techniques.

opencc-by-4.0Jul 2023View details →

Regenerating tropical forests are consistently affected by biological invasions across spatial scales

Here we present our raw data (obtained via fieldwork) and all our analysis from the manuscript entitled “Regenerating tropical forests are consistently affected by biological invasions across spatial scales”. This manuscript is available as a preprint (<a href="https://doi.org/10.32942/X2SC76">https://doi.org/10.32942/X2SC76</a>) and as a published paper in Biological Invasions (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-024-03257-x).  We investigated the effects of white-popinac (Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit) invasions on regenerating areas of Atlantic Forest, considering local and regional scales, and beta-diversity. To reproduce the results, please see instructions in the READ_ME.txt file.

opennotspecifiedSep 2023View details →

FIGURES 16–19 in First records of Pieza Evenhuis, 2002 (Diptera: Mythicomyiidae: Mythicomyiinae) from Colombia, with description of a new species from arid zones of a Tropical dry forest

FIGURES 16–19. Pieza rafaeli Mendes, Lamas, Evenhuis & Limeira-de-Oliveira, 2019. (LEUA-55202). Female. 16, Habitus, left lateral view; 17, Head, frontal view; 18, Thorax, dorsal view; 19, Abdomen, dorsal view.