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Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021

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A special issue of Ecologies (ISSN 2673-4133).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 66281

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Prof. Dr. José Ramón Arévalo Sierra

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Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of La Laguna, 38202 La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
Interests: plant community ecology; forest ecology; invasive species; grazing
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are glad to announce the Special Issue entitled "Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021" that will be one of the first number of the new journal /Ecologies/. Ecologies is an international, peer-reviewed, open access cross-disciplinary journal, which provides an advanced forum for studies on all aspects of ecology. The journal will complete the group of international journals in the field of ecology and we are expecting to gain popularity and prestige very soon.
In this first number we are willing to receive manuscripts of all fields of ecology that can be consider of interest for international readers. In this case, well designed studies are required and also good datasets, in order to push the quality and interest of the journal. Both original research articles and comprehensive review papers are welcome. The papers in this special issue will be published, free of charge, with full open access after peer review to benefit both authors and readers.
As you see in the keywords list, the extended number of fields include in this special issue, as a representation of the journal, will open more chances for submission for researches around the world.

You are welcome to send short proposals for submissions of feature papers to the Editorial Office ([email protected]) before submission.

We look forward to receiving your excellent work.

Prof. Dr. José Ramón Arévalo Sierra
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Ecologies is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Ecophysiology
Population ecology
Community ecology
Ecosystem ecology
Systems ecology
Landscape ecology
Animal ecology
Behavioral ecology
Biogeography
Insect ecology
Microbial ecology
Paleoecology
Plant ecology
Benthic ecology
Desert ecology
Forest ecology
Marine ecology
Aquatic ecology
Landscape ecology
Landscape limnology
Spatial ecology
Macroecology
Microecology
Microbial ecology
Urban ecology
Molecular ecology
Ecotoxicology
Evolutionary ecology
Genetic ecology
Soil ecology
Field ecology
Quantitative ecology
Theoretical ecology
Applied ecology –(includes agroecology and conservation biology)
Conservation ecology
Restoration ecology
Biogeochemistry
Climate change ecology
Ecological design
Ecological economics
Ecological engineering
Human ecology
Industrial ecology
Paleoecology
Ecosystems

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

21 pages, 6159 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Climatic and Biological Factors Related with Goat Grazing Management in the Arid Grassland of the Coquimbo Region (Northern Chile)

by Daniel Patón

Ecologies 2021, 2(4), 345-365; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies2040020 - 21 Oct 2021

Viewed by 3167

Abstract

(1) Background: Desertification is one of the most important environmental impacts around the world. In the semiarid grassland of North of Chile, overgrazing has deep effects on arid lands and consequently on its economy and social development. It is necessary to conduct very detailed studies to determine how the climate, the botanical composition and the grazing system affects this process; (2) Methods: In this paper, we have determined the effect on arid grasslands of three goat managements: exclusions, continuous and deferred grazing on forage biomass, richness, Berger–Parker’s dominance and Shannon’s diversity. This study was developed in Las Cardas Range Station (CEALC) of the University of Chile in the Coquimbo region. The effect of annual and seasonal rainfall on biomass, diversity, richness and dominance parameters was determined; (3) Results: Allochthonous, endemic and native species showed significant changes both for seasonal and annual precipitation. In contrast, the grazing system only affected dominance and biomass of native and endemic species. Deferred grazing was the only management system that increased overall biomass productivity, especially on the best forage plant species. Exclusions showed a positive influence on more endangered species, which were the most vulnerable to goat overgrazing; (4) Conclusions: In consequence, we proposed a network of areas under deferred grazing combined with exclusions. This strategy can increase simultaneously forage productivity, grassland conservation and preservation of associated resources as hunting and wildlife tourism. Moreover, this strategy of range management will allow the sustainability of community of farmers in one of the poorest and most desertified areas in South America. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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11 pages, 1238 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genus-Physiognomy-Ecosystem (GPE) System for Satellite-Based Classification of Plant Communities

by Ram C. Sharma

Ecologies 2021, 2(2), 203-213; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies2020012 - 09 Apr 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3230

Abstract

Vegetation mapping and monitoring is important as the composition and distribution of vegetation has been greatly influenced by land use change and the interaction of land use change and climate change. The purpose of vegetation mapping is to discover the extent and distribution of plant communities within a geographical area of interest. The paper introduces the Genus-Physiognomy-Ecosystem (GPE) system for the organization of plant communities from the perspective of satellite remote sensing. It was conceived for broadscale operational vegetation mapping by organizing plant communities according to shared genus and physiognomy/ecosystem inferences, and it offers an intermediate level between the physiognomy/ecosystem and dominant species for the organization of plant communities. A machine learning and cross-validation approach was employed by utilizing multi-temporal Landsat 8 satellite images on a regional scale for the classification of plant communities at three hierarchical levels: (i) physiognomy, (ii) GPE, and (iii) dominant species. The classification at the dominant species level showed many misclassifications and undermined its application for broadscale operational mapping, whereas the GPE system was able to lessen the complexities associated with the dominant species level classification while still being capable of distinguishing a wider variety of plant communities. The GPE system therefore provides an easy-to-understand approach for the operational mapping of plant communities, particularly on a broad scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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11 pages, 1123 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Plant Diversity in Sardinian Mountain Rangelands: Analysis of Its Relationships with Grazing, Land Management, and Pastoral Value

by Vanessa Lozano, Gabriella Vacca, Ignazio Camarda, Giuseppe Brundu, Federico Sanna, Salvatore Caredda and Giovanni Antonio Re

Ecologies 2021, 2(1), 164-174; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies2010009 - 04 Mar 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2887

Abstract

In this study, we analyzed the effects of grazing on native and endemic plant diversity, as well as its relationship with pastoral value along a gradient of abiotic and biotic factors and types of land management in a mountainous area of central-eastern Sardinia, Italy. Plant diversity was estimated by conducting a floristic survey within plots. In total, 231 plant species were recorded in 63 plots distributed within the study area, and this total number included 20 endemic species. Species richness was mainly affected by the type of management, soil attributes, altitude, and bioclimate. Pastoral value was strongly affected by nutrient availability and bioclimate. Our results suggest that the cover of endemic species increases with altitude. Finally, in Sardinian rangelands, a negative effect of grazing pressure on endemic species was observed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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14 pages, 2754 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Response of the Zygopteran Community (Odonata: Insecta) to Change in Environmental Integrity Driven by Urbanization in Eastern Amazonian Streams

by Jhose Paixão Brito, Fernando Geraldo Carvalho and Leandro Juen

Ecologies 2021, 2(1), 150-163; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies2010008 - 22 Feb 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3937

Abstract

The accelerated and disordered growth of large urban centers has caused a significant loss of biodiversity and the negative effects are more significant in aquatic environments. Thus, the objective of this study is to assess the effects of environmental change due to urbanization in the abundance and biomass patterns of species belonging to the Zygoptera suborder. We tested the hypothesis that, in altered streams, there will be a predominance of organisms with fast growth and small biomass (r-strategists), and intermediate streams will have an overlapping of r and k-strategists. In control streams, there will be a predominance of k-strategists, with slow growth, decreased abundance, and high biomass. Urban expansion in Amazonian streams will cause loss of Zygoptera species richness. Streams draining urban areas will have higher air temperatures than control streams. Thus, small-sized and less abundant species will be favored. We sampled 15 streams in the metropolitan area of Belém. Sites were classified, using the index of physical habitat integrity, as control, intermediate and altered. Comparisons between biomass and abundance were analyzed using W Statistics. Our analyses showed that: the effects of urbanization cause loss of k-strategists and favors r-strategists, once abundance was placed above biomass; in intermediate environments, contrary to what we expected, there was no overlapping of strategies, once r-strategists were also placed above k-strategists; in control environments, biomass was placed above abundance, suggesting these environments have a predominance of k-strategist species, as we suggested; and we observed increased levels of temperature favor the most abundant species, the ones having generalist biological mechanisms; however, contrary to what we expected, there was no difference in richness. With these results, we reinforce the need for public policies to create or maintain the riparian forest along streams running through urban areas and create or maintain urban parks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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41 pages, 74685 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Subnival Vegetation of Moquegua, South Peru: Chasmophytes, Grasslands and Cushion Communities

by Daniel B. Montesinos-Tubée, Antoine M. Cleef and Karlè V. Sýkora

Ecologies 2021, 2(1), 71-111; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies2010005 - 20 Jan 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4829

Abstract

The present work is a phytosociological synthesis and syntaxonomic overview of the vegetation of the highest subnival parts (superpuna) of the open alpine vegetation of the high plateaus (puna) of the Andes of Moquegua, South West Peru, as related to the main environmental gradients. Using TWINSPAN and DCA ordination analysis, 153 phytosociological relevés were analyzed. For each association, subassociation and community, the syntaxonomy, floristic diversity and relation with environmental variables are described. The syntaxonomy and synecology of superpuna vegetation was studied in 19 localities at an altitude of 4450–4800 m. The study area has a pluviseasonal climate with yearly rainfall (December-April). Four main highland vegetation types were distinguished: 1. slope and scree chasmophyte vegetation composed of shrubs, cushions, ground rosettes and grasses, 2. grasslands (grazed and ungrazed) characterized by great species richness in shrubs, cushions, ground rosettes, grasses and herbs, 3. vegetation of plateaus with cushions, shrubs, ground rosettes, herbs and grasses and 4. nitrophilous vegetation with high cover and low species richness. Within the vegetation of the orotropical and cryorotropical bioclimatic belts three phytosociological classes can be distinguished: Argyrochosmetea niveae (chasmophytic vegetation), Calamagrostietea vicunarum (grasslands with cushions), Anthochloo lepidulae-Dielsiochloetea floribundae (highland slopes and plateaus) and a nitrophylous community. One new association from rock and scree slopes was described within the Saxifragion magellanicae (Argyrochosmetea niveae). Within the Calamagrostion minimae, which comprises grasslands with cushions and mat-forming plants, one new association with two subassociations could be distinguished. Within the grassland and cushion associations of the Azorello-Festucion (Calamagrostietea vicunarum), three new associations were described, comprising nine subassociations. In the Anthochloo-Dielsiochloetalia one new and one previously described association and one community are distinguished. In addition, the nitrophilous community of Tarasa nototrichoides and Urtica flabellata has been described. In total the vegetation comprised 172 vascular species belonging to 32 families. Our study provides the first syntaxonomic revision of chasmophytes, cushion associations and high-altitude grasslands in the Andes of North Moquegua. The proposed syntaxonomic scheme contains the associations distributed under similar habitat conditions throughout the Southern Andes of Peru, but also the associations reflecting the local floristic and environmental patterns. The subnival vegetation of Moquegua hosts some rare endangered and/or protected plant species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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16 pages, 2473 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Distribution of Five Aquatic Plants Native to South America and Invasive Elsewhere under Current Climate

by Vanessa Lozano

Ecologies 2021, 2(1), 27-42; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies2010003 - 07 Jan 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4948

Abstract

Biological invasions and climate pose two of the most important challenges facing global biodiversity. Certainly, climate change may intensify the impacts of invasion by allowing invasive plants to increase in abundance and further expand their ranges. For example, most aquatic alien plants in temperate climate are of tropical and subtropical origins and the northern limits of their ranges are generally determined by minimum winter temperatures, and they will probably expand their distributions northwards if climate warms. The distribution of five invasive aquatic plants in freshwater systems across continents were investigated. Their global distributions in the current climate were modeled using a recently developed ensemble species distribution model approach, specifically designed to account for dispersal constraints on the distributions of range-expanding species. It was found that the species appear capable of substantial range expansion, and that low winter temperature is the strongest factor limiting their invasion. These findings can be used to identify areas at risk of recently introduction of neophytes, and develop future monitoring programs for aquatic ecosystems, prioritizing control efforts, which enables the effective use of ecological niche models to forecast aquatic invasion in other geographic regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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11 pages, 3133 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Niche Partitioning at Emergence of Two Syntopic Dragonflies

by Elena Piano, Stefano Mammola, Martina Dalle, Elisa Riservato and Marco Isaia

Ecologies 2021, 2(1), 16-26; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies2010002 - 03 Jan 2021

Viewed by 3741

Abstract

We investigated the ecological requirements in the emergence phase of two congeneric species of Aeshnidae, Aeshna grandis (Linnaeus 1758) and A. juncea (Linnaeus 1758), occurring in syntopy at the southernmost limit of their range. We sampled the exuviae of the two species at the peak of their emergence in three lakes in NW Italy. In each lake we defined 30 to 50 sampling plots along the lake borders where we checked for the presence of exuviae and collected data on the microhabitat composition. By modeling the response of the exuviae presence and abundance against the environmental parameters, we could highlight a partial differentiation in the ecological requirements of the two species at emergence. In particular, A. grandis is more influenced by the structure of the aquatic vegetation than A. juncea and the niche space occupied by A. grandis is wider, almost totally encompassing the one of A. juncea. We argue that A. grandis exploits microhabitats rich in aquatic plants to avoid competition with A. juncea. We suggest the preservation of well-structured aquatic vegetation as a key management practice to preserve the three studied populations of A. grandis, a species which has been recognized as Vulnerable for Italy according to the IUCN criteria. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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15 pages, 4652 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Do Agrochemical-Free Paddy Fields Serve as Refuge Habitats for Odonata?

by Thien Quang Huynh, Aisha Oyabu, Shinya Nomura, Tadao Takashima and Nisikawa Usio

Ecologies 2021, 2(1), 1-15; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies2010001 - 31 Dec 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 7980

Abstract

Agrochemical-free rice farming has attracted interest for restoring paddy field biodiversity and producing safe food. Odonata are commonly used as a biodiversity indicator in these low-input farms. However, the effect of agrochemical-free rice farming on odonate diversity has rarely been assessed over the entire emergence period of these insects. We investigated whether different farming practices, such as conventional or natural (agrochemical-and fertilizer-free) cultivation, and associated water management strategies affect the emergence rates of Odonata in paddy field landscapes in central Japan. Weekly exuviae sampling in 2017 and 2019 suggested that odonate assemblages differed between conventional and natural paddy fields, with a higher number of taxa emerging from natural paddy fields. Contrary to expectations, conventional paddy fields had equivalent or higher emergence rates of all Odonata and two numerically dominant Sympetrum species. Peak emergence periods for numerically dominant taxa differed between the farming types, with the emergence of three Sympetrum species peaking in late June in conventional paddy fields and that of S. frequens peaking in early to mid-July in natural paddy fields. Our findings suggest that both conventional and natural paddy fields are important habitats for Odonata in Japan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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14 pages, 6380 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Determination in Urban Areas by Full-Spectrum Photography

by Daniel Patón

Ecologies 2020, 1(1), 22-35; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies1010004 - 20 Nov 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3678

Abstract

(1) Background: The NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) is a basic indicator of photosynthetic activity frequently employed in landscape and urban ecology. However, the high-resolution determination of NDVI requires an expensive multi-spectral digital camera. (2) Methods: In the present work, we are developing a general procedure that converts a Nikon D50 into a full-spectrum camera. We also use a red Hoya A25 filter to separate red (R) and infrared (NIR) radiations. Afterward, we calibrate the camera using the reflectance information of a Macbeth Color Checker. Additional procedures include a custom white balance (CWB), histogram equalization and exposure control. (3) Results: Our results indicate high correlations over 90% for R and NIR channels, which allow us to determine the NDVI with precision. Even it is possible to observe the NDVI differences between soil, water, rocks, algae, lichens, shrubs, grasses and trees in different environmental conditions and (4) Conclusions: The methodology described in this work allows a more economical analysis of high-resolution NDVI in landscape and urban areas adapting a modified camera to airborne or drone systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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11 pages, 7331 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Are Spine-Bearing Freshwater Gastropods Better Defended?

by Andrew R. Davis, Matthew J. Rees, Bindiya Rashni and Alison Haynes

Ecologies 2020, 1(1), 3-13; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies1010002 - 27 Sep 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2811

Abstract

Freshwater snails usually possess thin unadorned shells lacking structural components such as spines. Exceptions can be found on the high, well-watered islands of the South Pacific. Streams on these islands support a rich freshwater molluscan fauna with several nerite taxa (Neritimorpha: Neritidae) exhibiting extremely long dorsal spines. We sought to assess the defensive capacity of these structures for several co-occurring nerite genera on the Island of Ovalau, Fiji. Our overarching hypothesis was that spines confer a defensive advantage. We tested four predictions for eight common taxa: (i) predator “rich” habitats (the creek entrance) would be dominated by spine-bearing nerites, (ii) spine-bearing species should be smaller in size, (iii) nerites with spines would exhibit lower levels of shell damage and (iv) nerites with spines should invest less in their shells (i.e., their shells should be thinner). Most of these predictions received support. Spine-bearing species dominated the entrance to the creek and were smaller in size. Levels of shell damage were low overall, with 2 of the 3 spinose taxa exhibiting no shell damage, as did many of the nonspinose taxa. Finally, shells of spinose species were 25% thicker, demonstrating increased rather than decreased investment. Taken together, these findings suggest that the elaborate spines of Clithon spp. play a defensive role. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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Review

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34 pages, 1789 KiB

Open AccessReview

Students’ Empathy for the Environment through Eco-Art Place-Based Education: A Review

by Asvina Sunassee, Chandradeo Bokhoree and Andrew Patrizio

Ecologies 2021, 2(2), 214-247; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies2020013 - 20 May 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 12409

Abstract

The existing state of the world climate creates the need for an educational programme that incorporates effective proposals for the environment that can be practically implemented. The present environmental education literature has changed due to new study paradigms. Understanding how students relate to nature, how their personal beliefs and behaviours are influenced, and how their actions are affected can provide an increased understanding of how they can contribute meaningfully to global objectives. This paper aims to analyse educational research papers published in the area of environmental art education in order to find the factor with the greatest effect and illuminate how they can help to improve the measures implemented. This study paper (i) focuses on students’ engagement with an environment curriculum; (ii) demonstrates the need for action related to the environment; (iii) encourages critical thinking; and (iv) demonstrates students’ independent thinking and rational decision making. The findings show that such research can help to improve environmental art education based on action and take future research challenges into account. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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26 pages, 4950 KiB

Open AccessReview

Safety Bubbles: A Review of the Proposed Functions of Froth Nesting among Anuran Amphibians

by John Gould

Ecologies 2021, 2(1), 112-137; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies2010006 - 04 Feb 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4722

Abstract

The adults of several anuran amphibian species deposit their eggs externally in mucus secretions that are purposely aerated to produce a froth nest. This type of clutch structure has evolved independently several times in this group and has been proposed to serve a variety and often simultaneous adaptive functions associated with protecting offspring from sub-optimal conditions during embryogenesis and later stages after hatching has occurred. These functions range from buffering offspring from sub-optimal temperatures and desiccation, to defending against predation and improving oxygenation. This versatility has likely helped facilitate the reduced reliance of egg development on water and thus the penetration of anurans into environments where permanent aquatic systems are not always available. In this paper, I review the hypothesised functions of the anuran froth nest as a mucus-based solution to the environmental challenges offspring face during development, with consideration of the functions of froth nest breakdown and communal froth nesting, as well. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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28 pages, 13010 KiB

Open AccessReview

Acquisition of Adaptive Traits via Interspecific Association: Ecological Consequences and Applications

by Aabir Banerji

Ecologies 2021, 2(1), 43-70; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies2010004 - 08 Jan 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5913

Abstract

Adaptative traits enable organisms to survive and reproduce. Though these traits are often innate features (ones that may or may not exhibit variability in response to environmental cues or originate from horizontal gene transfer), this is not always the case. Many species endure natural selection not with the traits they possess intrinsically but with exogenous substances and abilities that they acquire from other species, via ecological interactions akin to outsourcing, pillaging, and fraud. Here, I review the mechanisms of this exogenous trait acquisition and highlight some of their repercussions and usefulness for natural resource management, industry, and human health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Ecologies 2021)

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