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Diversity
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Invertebrate Diversity in Fragmented Habitats
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Invertebrate Diversity in Fragmented Habitats

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 16757

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Brigitte Braschler

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Bernoullistrasse 30, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
Interests: ants; biodiversity; global environmental change; urban ecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Habitat fragmentation is among the biggest threats to biodiversity. Human land-use change and habitat destruction lead to small and isolated remnant populations. These populations are exposed to altered environmental conditions due to edge effects, experience increased inbreeding and random genetic drift, and come into contact with species living in the matrix, altering interactions within the community. For some small invertebrates with low-mobility, such effects can occur at very small spatial scales. Yet, with some notable exceptions like insect pollinators, the effects of habitat fragmentation on invertebrates have often been neglected. In this special issue, we will focus on various aspects of invertebrate diversity and population dynamics in fragmented landscapes. This encompasses studies at the genetic level as well as on the population and community levels. The issue will include approaches ranging from surveys, over field experiments to modelling, in terrestrial and aquatic habitats.

Dr. Brigitte Braschler
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  •  Connectivity
  •  Edge effects
  •  Environmental change
  •  Extinction
  •  Genetic diversity
  •  Habitat fragmentation
  •  Habitat suitability
  •  Invertebrate diversity
  •  Matrix
  •  Species interactions
  •  Landuse change

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2719 KiB  
Article
The Role of Uncultivated Habitats in Supporting Wild Bee Communities in Mediterranean Agricultural Landscapes
by Tohar Roth, Moshe Coll and Yael Mandelik
Diversity 2023, 15(2), 294; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15020294 - 17 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1898
Abstract
In agricultural landscapes, uncultivated habitat patches may have a focal role in supporting communities of ecosystem service providers. However, little is known on the variances among different types of uncultivated habitat patches in providing resources and maintaining populations of these beneficial organisms. We [...] Read more.
In agricultural landscapes, uncultivated habitat patches may have a focal role in supporting communities of ecosystem service providers. However, little is known on the variances among different types of uncultivated habitat patches in providing resources and maintaining populations of these beneficial organisms. We studied wild bee communities in natural and semi-natural uncultivated patches embedded in semi-arid Mediterranean agricultural landscapes. We investigated the effects of local- and landscape-scale land-use characteristics, as well as their interactions, on bee diversity, functional composition, and forage and nesting resources. Most bee community parameters were affected by both local- and landscape-scale characteristics, but no significant interactions were found among the scales. Local land-use effects were related primarily to overall plant cover, and to the abundance and richness of flowering plants. Landscape effects, mostly limited to a 400 m range, were varied. The abundance of focal crop pollinators varied considerably between patch type and pollinator species. The different types of uncultivated habitats maintain complementary bee and flower communities. Our findings show the important role of uncultivated habitat patches in providing floral and nesting resources for bees, and creating resource-landscapes that can support wild bee communities and crop pollination services in Mediterranean agricultural landscapes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Invertebrate Diversity in Fragmented Habitats)
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12 pages, 1536 KiB  
Article
Predicting the Habitat Suitability and Distribution of Two Species of Mound-Building Termites in Nigeria Using Bioclimatic and Vegetation Variables
by Aiki P. Istifanus, Azrag. G. A. Abdelmutalab, Christian W. W. Pirk and Abdullahi A. Yusuf
Diversity 2023, 15(2), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15020157 - 21 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2665
Abstract
Temperature is an important factor determining the abundance, distribution and diversity of termite species. Thus, termites are affected by changing climate and have to adopt different means of surviving in order to avoid extinction. Using termite occurrence data, bioclimatic variables and vegetation cover, [...] Read more.
Temperature is an important factor determining the abundance, distribution and diversity of termite species. Thus, termites are affected by changing climate and have to adopt different means of surviving in order to avoid extinction. Using termite occurrence data, bioclimatic variables and vegetation cover, we modelled and predicted the current and future habitat suitability for mound-building termites in Nigeria. Of the 19 bioclimatic variables and the vegetation index (NDVI) tested, only six were significant and eligible as predictors of habitat suitability for the mound-building termites Macrotermes subhyalinus and M. bellicosus. Under current climatic conditions (2022), the northwest, northeast and central regions are highly suitable for M. subhyalinus, while the distribution of M. bellicosus decreased in the North West, North East and in the Central region. However, regarding habitat suitability for the future (2050), there was a predicted range expansion into suitable areas for the two termite species. The increase in temperature due to global warming has an effect which can either result in migration or sometimes extinction of termite species within an ecosystem. Here, we have predicted habitat suitability for the two mound-building termite species under current and future climatic scenarios, and how the change in climatic variables would lead to an expansion in their range across Nigeria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Invertebrate Diversity in Fragmented Habitats)
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18 pages, 2757 KiB  
Article
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure Derived from Body Remains of the Endangered Flightless Longhorn Beetle Iberodorcadion fuliginator in Grassland Fragments in Central Europe
by Hans-Peter Rusterholz, Sylvain Ursenbacher, Urs Weibel, Armin Coray and Bruno Baur
Diversity 2023, 15(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15010016 - 21 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1942
Abstract
Knowledge of patterns of genetic diversity in populations of threatened species is vital for their effective conservation. However, destructive sampling should be avoided in threatened species so as not to additionally increase the risk of local population extinction. We exclusively used beetle remains [...] Read more.
Knowledge of patterns of genetic diversity in populations of threatened species is vital for their effective conservation. However, destructive sampling should be avoided in threatened species so as not to additionally increase the risk of local population extinction. We exclusively used beetle remains and beetles collected after death to analyze local and regional patterns of genetic variation in the endangered flightless longhorn beetle Iberodorcadion fuliginator in the border region of Switzerland, France and Germany, in grassland remnants. We extracted DNA from the beetles’ remains and genotyped 243 individuals at 6 microsatellite loci. We found moderate genetic differentiation between populations, each belonging to one of two metapopulations situated on either side of the river Rhine, but distinct genetic differentiation between populations across metapopulation. The genetic distance between populations was correlated with the geographic distance between the sites sampled. Genetic structure analysis inferred the presence of two genetic clusters. The populations in the Alsace (France) represent one cluster, together with the Swiss populations near Basel, which is separated by the river Rhine from the cluster composed of the populations in southwestern Germany. Thus, the historical separation by the river Rhine surpasses more recent effects of human-induced habitat fragmentation on the genetic differentiation in I. fuliginator. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Invertebrate Diversity in Fragmented Habitats)
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10 pages, 4553 KiB  
Article
First Results on Heteroptera (Hemiptera) of Dry Grassland in Malpaga-Basella Nature Reserve (Italy)
by Lidia Limonta, Paolo Gaini and Paride Dioli
Diversity 2022, 14(11), 981; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14110981 - 15 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1721
Abstract
The Nature Reserve Malpaga-Basella, located along the Serio River in Lombardy, was recently established in 2017. It is interesting as it presents plant species typical in dry grassland habitats, not present in the surrounding area. In this study, Heteroptera were surveyed in the [...] Read more.
The Nature Reserve Malpaga-Basella, located along the Serio River in Lombardy, was recently established in 2017. It is interesting as it presents plant species typical in dry grassland habitats, not present in the surrounding area. In this study, Heteroptera were surveyed in the Nature Reserve and in a bordering giant Miscanthus crop in 2019. The biodiversity of the reserve was well characterized by the presence of species linked to arid environments with steppe or Mediterranean characteristics, like Antheminia lunulata. Four species new for Lombardy were collected, Lygus italicus, Drymus pilipes, Ortholomus punctipennis, and Arenocoris waltlii. Giant Miscanthus hosted only a few ubiquitous species, also collected in the Nature Reserve. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Invertebrate Diversity in Fragmented Habitats)
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16 pages, 992 KiB  
Article
Subtle Effects of Experimental Grassland Fragmentation on Density, Species Composition and Functional Dispersion of Gastropods
by Brigitte Braschler, Peter Oggier and Bruno Baur
Diversity 2022, 14(6), 474; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14060474 - 12 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2448
Abstract
The fragmentation of continuous habitats has significant consequences for species and for the functional diversity of plant and animal communities. Fragmentation effects can be indirect, can occur at different spatial scales and may vary over years. Small fragmentation-related effects may only be detected [...] Read more.
The fragmentation of continuous habitats has significant consequences for species and for the functional diversity of plant and animal communities. Fragmentation effects can be indirect, can occur at different spatial scales and may vary over years. Small fragmentation-related effects may only be detected in standardized, controlled field experiments accounting for the natural variation in environmental conditions and in remnants of habitat. Using a non-invasive trapping approach, we examined the responses of terrestrial gastropods (snails and slugs) to small-scale habitat fragmentation in a controlled experiment conducted in three species-rich, nutrient-poor calcareous grasslands in the Jura Mountains, Switzerland, over four years. We found site-specific differences in species richness, individual density, and species composition. Experimental grassland fragmentation did not significantly affect species richness or density, but affected functional dispersion (a measure of functional diversity) in the final year, indicating that fragmentation-related changes may occur with a time delay. Similarly, experimental fragmentation influenced the mean shell size of the snail assemblage and the proportions of individuals with certain life-history traits or habitat preferences in some years. The observed fragmentation effects were subtle and varied over time, underlining the importance of controlled field experiments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Invertebrate Diversity in Fragmented Habitats)
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12 pages, 1083 KiB  
Article
Can Monoculture Timber Plantations Conserve More Ant Communities Than Adjacent Natural Forests?
by Thembekile A. Mthimunye and Thinandavha C. Munyai
Diversity 2022, 14(6), 430; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14060430 - 27 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2948
Abstract
Understanding where biodiversity is and how it is distributed is crucial to conserving vulnerable and dynamic ecosystems. Although natural forests support greater diversity and are vital for the conservation of organisms, recent studies have argued that monoculture plantations can be used as an [...] Read more.
Understanding where biodiversity is and how it is distributed is crucial to conserving vulnerable and dynamic ecosystems. Although natural forests support greater diversity and are vital for the conservation of organisms, recent studies have argued that monoculture plantations can be used as an alternative habitat for forest species. We investigate how ant diversity patterns and assemblage composition vary between monoculture timber plantations and adjacent natural forests using pitfall traps in the Natal Midlands of South Africa. A total of 326 ants were collected, comprising 4 subfamilies, 13 genera, and 30 species. The blue gum plantations had the highest species diversity compared to other habitats. Although two species were found exclusively in the natural forest, it had the lowest ant diversity. Generally, species assemblages between the compared plantations and the natural forests were distinct. Monoculture plantations affect ant communities, leading to a change in their distribution patterns and assemblage composition. Determining how these rapidly expanding plantations affect biodiversity at different scales is essential for preserving indigenous fauna. Although our findings proposed that blue gum plantations have the potential to conserve ant taxonomic diversity compared to pine plantations, we recommend that future studies investigate the response of ant functional diversity to monoculture timber plantations in the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Invertebrate Diversity in Fragmented Habitats)
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Review

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31 pages, 3328 KiB  
Review
The Grassland Fragmentation Experiment in the Swiss Jura Mountains: A Synthesis
by Bruno Baur, Hans-Peter Rusterholz and Brigitte Braschler
Diversity 2023, 15(2), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15020130 - 18 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2016
Abstract
We synthesize findings from a 7-year fragmentation experiment in species-rich, nutrient-poor, dry calcareous grasslands in the north-western Jura mountains, Switzerland. We used a standardized approach with 48 fragments (0.25–20.25 m2) and corresponding control plots in three sites. The 5-m-wide isolation area [...] Read more.
We synthesize findings from a 7-year fragmentation experiment in species-rich, nutrient-poor, dry calcareous grasslands in the north-western Jura mountains, Switzerland. We used a standardized approach with 48 fragments (0.25–20.25 m2) and corresponding control plots in three sites. The 5-m-wide isolation area around the fragments was maintained by frequent mowing. Fragments experienced various ecological changes, e.g., plant biomass increased along fragment edges. We examined fragmentation effects on species richness and composition, abundance, genetic diversity, functional diversity, species traits and species interactions (pollination, herbivory, parasitism, disease) in a wide array of invertebrate (gastropods, spiders, woodlice, various insect groups) and plant taxa. Responses to fragmentation differed between taxonomical groups and species. While species richness and individual density were lower in fragments in some groups, the opposite was true for other groups. Fragmentation effects were most pronounced on species interactions; however, some effects only occurred with a delay. For example, fragmentation influenced foraging patterns of bumblebees, affecting pollination, which in turn resulted in a decreased outcrossing frequency and reduced genetic diversity in a focal plant species. We highlight key findings of the experiment and emphasize their implications for grassland conservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Invertebrate Diversity in Fragmented Habitats)
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