Observations on the Cave-Associated Beetles (Coleoptera) of Nova Scotia, Canada

Moseley, Max

doi:10.5038/1827-806x.38.2.7

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 27 publications

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“…As a rule of thumb, these conditions should facilitate the establishment of alien species possessing exaptations suitable for subterranean life -e.g., moss-and litter-dwelling arthropods. For instance, almost 20% of the terrestrial invertebrates recorded in caves in Maritime Canada, which are mostly shallow and food-rich, are believed to be recently introduced aliens of European origins (see Moseley, 2007Moseley, , 2009a. Similarly, a number of alien species have been reported in food-rich guano caves in Asia (Price, 2016); for instance, the massive presence of Periplaneta cockroaches (Blattodea) is a serious ecological problem in tropical caves (Price & Steiner, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling the future spread of native and alien congeneric species in subterranean habitats — the case of Meta cave-dwelling spiders in Great Britain

Mammola¹

2017

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Abstract:The threshold zones between the epigean and hypogean environments are generally characterized by less harsh ecological conditions than deep subterranean habitats, and usually support a greater abundance of organisms. Transitional habitats such as these should be more easily colonised by alien species, especially by those possessing exaptations suitable for subterranean life. In spite of this, few studies have been conducted to unravel the ecological dynamics between native and alien species in the habitats situated at the epigean/hypogean interface. A unique test case is offered by cave-dwelling Meta orb-weaver spiders in Great Britain (Araneae: Tetragnathidae). One species, M. menardi, is a widespread native, whilst M. bourneti is believed to be a recently introduced (1940s) species, that has since become established in the south-eastern part of the country. Species distribution models (SDM) were used to predict current and future habitat suitability for the two species, generating hypotheses regarding their distribution in different global warming scenarios.Model projections indicate that the two species respond to similar environmental variables. Seasonal temperature variations at the surface and elevation are the main factors explaining the distribution of both species, whereas annual precipitation, daily temperature range and limestone distribution contributed little to the model performance. It is predicted that due to climate change, there will be poleward shifts in the ranges of both species. However, the native species M. menardi will primarily be able to exploit suitable areas which will appear northward to their current distribution, and M. bourneti will colonise empty niches left available by its congeneric. The analytical framework employed in this paper may be easily adapted to other subterranean systems and species, stimulating future studies focusing on the distribution of native and alien species in extreme environments.global warming, species distribution models, cave, alien species, MaxEnt, subterranean biology Mammola S., 2017. Modelling the future spread of native and alien congeneric species in subterranean habitats -the case of Meta cave-dwelling spiders in Great Britain. International

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling the future spread of native and alien congeneric species in subterranean habitats — the case of Meta cave-dwelling spiders in Great Britain

Mammola¹

2017

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Nonlinear microscopy of chitin and chitinous structures: a case study of two cave-dwelling insects

et al. 2015

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We performed a study of the nonlinear optical properties of chemically purified chitin and insect cuticle using two-photon excited autofluorescence (TPEF) and second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy. Excitation spectrum, fluorescence time, polarization sensitivity, and bleaching speed were measured. We have found that the maximum autofluorescence signal requires an excitation wavelength below 850 nm. At longer wavelengths, we were able to penetrate more than 150-um deep into the sample through the chitinous structures. The excitation power was kept below 10 mW (at the sample) in order to diminish bleaching. The SHG from the purified chitin was confirmed by spectral- and time-resolved measurements. Two cave-dwelling, depigmented, insect species were analyzed and three-dimensional images of the cuticular structures were obtained.

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Green Roofs and Urban Biodiversity: Their Role as Invertebrate Habitat and the Effect of Design on Beetle Community

Gonsalves

2000

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With over half the world's population now living in cities, urban areas represent one of earth's few ecosystems that are increasing in extent, and are sites of altered biogeochemical cycles, habitat fragmentation, and changes in biodiversity. However, urban green spaces, including green roofs, can also provide important pools of biodiversity and contribute to regional gamma diversity, while novel species assemblages can enhance some ecosystem services. Green roofs may also mitigate species loss in urban areas and have been shown to support a surprising diversity of invertebrates, including rare and endangered species. In the first part of this study I reviewed the literature on urban invertebrate communities and diversity to better understand the role of green roofs in providing habitat in the context of the larger urban mosaic. My review concluded that, while other factors such as surrounding land use and connectivity are also important to specific invertebrate taxa, local habitat variables contribute substantially to the structure and diversity of urban invertebrate communities. The importance of local habitat variables in urban green spaces and strong support for the habitat complexity hypothesis in a number of other ecosystems has led to proposals that "biodiverse" roofs-those intentionally designed with varied substrate depth, greater plant diversity, or added elements such as logs or stones-would support greater invertebrate diversity, but there is currently limited peer reviewed data to support this. In order ii to address the habitat complexity hypothesis in the context of green roofs, in the second part of this study I surveyed three roofs designed primarily for stormwater management, three biodiverse roofs, and five ground-level green spaces, from March until September of 2014 in the Portland metropolitan area. Beetles (Coleoptera) were sampled bi-weekly as representatives of total species diversity. Biodiverse roofs had greater richness, abundance, and diversity of beetle species compared to stormwater roofs, but were not more diverse than ground sites. Both biodiverse roofs and ground sites had approximately 20% native beetle species while stormwater roofs had only 5%. Functional diversity was also higher on biodiverse roofs with an average of seven trophic groups represented, while stormwater roofs averaged only three. Ground sites, biodiverse roofs, and stormwater roofs each grouped distinctively in terms of beetle community composition and biodiverse roof communities were found to be positively correlated with roof age, percent plant cover, average plant height, and plant species richness. These results support the findings of previous studies on the importance of local variables in structuring urban invertebrate communities and suggest that biodiverse design can reliably increase greenroof diversity, with the caution that they remain no replacement for ground level conservation.iii Acknowledgements

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Observations on the Cave-Associated Beetles (Coleoptera) of Nova Scotia, Canada

Cited by 5 publications

References 27 publications

Modelling the future spread of native and alien congeneric species in subterranean habitats — the case of Meta cave-dwelling spiders in Great Britain

Modelling the future spread of native and alien congeneric species in subterranean habitats — the case of Meta cave-dwelling spiders in Great Britain

Nonlinear microscopy of chitin and chitinous structures: a case study of two cave-dwelling insects

Green Roofs and Urban Biodiversity: Their Role as Invertebrate Habitat and the Effect of Design on Beetle Community

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