Showing 7 results for Species Richness
Volume 0, Issue 0 (1-2024)
Abstract
Biodiversity hotspots are key for identifying priority areas for species conservation. The Alborz Mountains, with two hotspots (the Caucasus on the northern slope and the Irano-Anatolian on the southern slope), provide an ideal landscape for assessing the impacts of vegetation, slope and elevation on species diversity. We examined the alpha and beta diversity of Braconidae across different slopes (northern/southern), elevations (upper/lower positions) and provinces (Guilan, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Tehran, Alborz) in northern Iran. Using 31 Malaise traps, we collected 276 species and 5950 individuals from 20 subfamilies. Shannon-Wiener and Brillouin’s indices showed higher diversity on the northern slope. Species diversity peaked at mid-elevation (800–1200 m). Alpha diversity was highest in Guilan and Alborz-Tehran. Beta diversity analysis indicated that slope, elevation and province influenced species composition. Similar compositions were found in Mazandaran-Guilan (northern slope), and Alborz-Tehran and Qazvin (southern slope) in vegetation zones with similar environmental conditions. Additionally, the highest species composition similarity was observed between the southern and northern slope positions and upper positions of both slopes. These findings have important implications towards the maintenance of the diversity of braconids, a major beneficial species group, by prioritizing their hotspots.
Divya Bharathi, Pankaj Koparde,
Volume 8, Issue 3 (9-2022)
Abstract
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The Vidarbha region of India harbours a significant amount of biodiversity. However, the region still severely lacks data on lesser-known taxa such as odonates (dragonflies and damselflies). To partially fill in the knowledge gap on odonates, opportunistic surveys were conducted across nine sites in the Gondia district of Vidarbha between 2019 and 2021. In this report, the presence of 35 species from the study area, representing around 1/4th of the total odonate diversity of Maharashtra is recorded. The results are indicative of the need for consistent sampling efforts in the region. Further systematic and long-term monitoring studies on odonates in Vidarbha Region are proposed.
Manoj Kumar Arya, Hem Chandra, Aman Verma,
Volume 9, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
The Nandhour Landscape located in an eco-fragile biodiversity rich Terai Arc Landscape of India is protected in the form of a wildlife sanctuary and is least explored in terms of insect diversity and functions. Therefore, this study aimed to provide baseline information on the biodiversity of insects and their ecological functions in tropical to sub-tropical forest ecosystems which is important for the successful long-term provisioning of ecosystem functions and services in the protected landscape. Using standardized sampling techniques, the present study examined the structure and composition of insect assemblages in terms of their comparative diversity and richness across a range of habitat types in the Nandhour Landscape. Besides, the present study also evaluated the ecological significance of insect fauna. A total of 230 insect species belonging to 47 families and nine orders were recorded from various habitats and Lepidoptera was the most dominant insect order in terms of both richness and abundance, followed by Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Odonata and others. Species diversity and richness were the highest in dense moist and open dry riverine forests, while the least in plantation forest and agricultural land. The heterogeneous structure and composition substantiated the importance of overall spatial heterogeneity and natural forests in sustaining and maintaining the rich insect diversity. Conservation of insect diversity is highly important as several species provide crucial ecosystem services and aid in the functioning of various ecologically fragile habitats of the landscape.
Abbas Mohammadi-Khoramabadi,
Volume 9, Issue 2 (6-2023)
Abstract
Here, the species richness of Campopleginae, a diverse subfamily of the Darwin wasps was studied in an almost organic damask rose plain located at 2600 m a.s.l., the south of Iran. Sampling was done using four Malaise traps for six months from April–October 2019. The total sampling efforts were 18 trap months. The integrated approach was used to assess the sample completeness profile, to infer true diversities of entire assemblages via asymptotic diversity estimates, to standardize the sample coverage via rarefaction and extrapolation, and to infer diversity via an evenness profile. I also used Homogenous, Homogenous (MLE), Chao1, Chao1-bc, iChao1, ACE, ACE-1, 1st order jackknife, and 2nd order jackknife to estimate the species richness of the studied Campopleginae community. Malaise traps yielded 491 individuals belonging to 24 morphospecies. Diadegma majale (Gravenhorst, 1829) included 64.7% of the total individuals collected, representing the highly dominated species. The estimated sample completeness profile showed that our data covers 59% of the total species in this community and thus 41% of species are undetected. The values for Shannon and Simpson diversity indices are 4.53 and 2.29, respectively. The models and non-parametric estimators estimated the species richness of Campoplegines from 24 – 50 species. This study provides a wealth of baseline data for the subfamily Campopleginae in the south of Iran in terms of biological control and conservation.
Volume 10, Issue 1 (12-2022)
Abstract
Aim: In this paper, the semi–circular bund treatments were contrasted to address the following questions: how does semi-circular bund affect the vascular plants richness and diversity in Naroon and Neron rangelands of Sistan and Baloochestan? and do the soil properties responses to the semi–circular bund?
Materials & Methods: Next to every site, a site was selected as controlled ones. Vegetation (production, vegetation cover, density, richness, diversity) and soil data (texture, pH, EC, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, CaCO
3) were analyzed in completely randomized design.
Findings: In total, 11 species from 6 families and 8 genera were observed. Control treatment of Neron exhibited the highest number of plant species. Semi-circular bunds exhibited the highest vegetation cover, production and density. The highest and lowest species richness and diversity were measured in Naroon and Neron semi-circular bunds. Results showed that the amounts of organic carbon, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus increased significantly in semi-circular bunds compared with the control areas. The highest organic carbon, nitrogen and potassium related to Neron semi-circular bund. Naroon and Neron semi-circular bunds had the highest amounts of clay and the least value was measured in the control treatments.
Conclusion: In total, the results of study showed that semi-circular bund had positive effect on vegetation cover and soil properties in the rangelands of study area.
Volume 11, Issue 1 (2-2023)
Abstract
Aim: Recognition of habitat status and ecological responses of species to environmental variables are prerequisites for better management and providing the ecological needs of each species. This study assessed the current status and distribution of Viburnum lantana L. and described its ecological characteristics in the lowest limit of its distribution in the northern hemisphere, Arasbaran forests.
Materials and Methods: The presence sites of Viburnum lantana L. (wayfaring trees) were selected based on the field observations and library sources, then to collect data, the 114 circular samples with a radius of 17.84 m were laid systematically and randomly out. Within each sampling area the characteristics of each woody species including species name, diameter at the breast height (DBH) and the height of all wayfaring trees and other species were measured. The relative importance value (RIV) of species across all sample plots was calculated to describe the dominant species composition.
Volume 19, Issue 6 (11-2017)
Abstract
Little is known about the effect of artificial diversity of plant – insect communities on the carbon and nitrogen stoichiometry, weight, and water content of the modern crops. Using a microcosm experiment with two closely related crop species (Brassica napus and B. juncea), the sap feeder turnip aphid (Lipaphis erysimi), the folivore diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) and its larval-pupal parasitoid wasp, Diadegma semiclausum, the Shannon biodiversity index was evaluated and regressed to the experimental data of carbon and nitrogen stoichiometry, water content and weight of the crops. Carbon: Nitrogen (C:N) ratio of the modern cultivar under single planting had a logarithmic relationship with the artificial biodiversity index, while this relationship under plant interference was linear and positive. Water content of both experimental crops changed with the artificial biodiversity index conversely under single planting setup. When insects (either the folivore or the phloem feeder) damaged the host plants, the weight and water content of both crop species were 1.8 – 4.1 times higher than the control treatment. Apart from being a recurrent demonstration of the plant tolerance against insect feeding activity, current results can take a step forward for developing a theory on functional artificial biodiversity after herbivore insect–crop interactions.
