A Report of Chigger Mites on the Striped Field Mouse, Apodemus agrarius, in Southwest China

Based on the field investigations in 91 investigation sites (counties) in southwest China between 2001 and 2019, the present paper reported the chigger mites on A. agrarius mice in southwest China for the first time by using a series of statistical methods. From 715 striped field mice captured in 28 of 91 investigated sites, only 255 chiggers were collected, and they were identified as 14 species, 6 genera in 3 subfamilies under 2 families. Of 715 A. agrarius mice, only 24 of them were infested with chigger mites with low overall prevalence (PM=3.4%), overall mean abundance (MA=0.36 mites/host) and overall mean intensity (MI=10.63 mites/host). The species diversity and infestation of chiggers on A. agrarius were much lower than those previously reported on some other rodents in southwest China. On a certain species of rodent, A. agrarius mouse in southwest China seems to have a very low susceptibility to chigger infestations than in other geographical regions. Of 14 chigger species, there were 3 dominant species, Leptotrombidium sialkotense, L. rupestre and Schoengastiella novoconfuciana, which were of aggregated distribution among different individuals of A. agrarius hosts. L. sialkotense, one of 6 main vectors of scrub typhus in China, was the first dominant on A. agrarius. The species similarity of chigger mites on male and female hosts was low with CSS=0.25, and this reflects the sex-bias of different genders of A. agrarius mice in harboring different chigger species.

Impacts of Prosopis juliflora L. on Soil Seed Bank Flora in Amibara Rangeland of Afar Regional State, Ethiopia

Background: Prosopis juliflora L. is an evergreen exotic weedy species seriously devastating valuable rangeland resources in arid and semi-arid parts of Ethiopia. Its increasing alarming rate of invasiveness had affecting the livelihood of the pastoral communities in Amibara rangeland of Afar National Regional State. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Prosopis juliflora L. on soil seed bank flora. Methods: The total of 20 soil samples were collected from five sites by measuring sample quadrats of (20 m × 20 m) area were laid out and the soil samples from each quadrant were taken from 5 sub-quadrats/m2, one from the center and four from the corners, at two depths (0-3 cm and 3-10 cm). The soil samples from the identical layers were mixed in plastic bags to form composite sample. Finally, the composite samples were transported to the Haramaya University to conduct seed germination test in the greenhouse. The soil samples were spread thinly (2 cm thickness) over sterilized soil in shallow trays (20 cm × 25 cm) placed on a bench and allowed for seed germination. Result: The total of 38 herbaceous plant species /m2 belongs to 16 families were emerged in the upper and lower layer (0-3 cm and 3-10 cm) of the soil seed bank samples. The highest values of species diversity were (3.17) in Awash-arba, (3.15) in Alaydagi, (3.04) in Kurkura within m2 area at the depth of 0-3 cm. While the least diversity values of 2.75 in Melka-Werer and 2.77 was recorded in Sarkamo. Jaccard’s coefficient similarity index was exhibited high species similarity of 55.6% in the upper soil seed bank layers (0-3 cm) in Melka-were and Sarkamo. Whereas, species similarities of 45.2% were obtained in the lower layer (3-10 cm) soil seed banks in Awash-arba and upper layer soil seed bank in Alaydagi respectively. While species similarity was decreases as 31.8% in the lower layer soil seed banks in Sarkamo and Kurkura. Increasing species richness and the diversity was also noticed in under open canopy upper layer soil seed bank samples, while decreasing richness and diversity observed in under closed canopy. This indicates that the Prosopis juliflora L. tree has high growth retarding potential on its under canopy soil seed bank flora and in the lower layer soil seed bank samples also.

Short Communication: Assessing phytoplankton species structure in trophically different water bodies of South Ural, Russia

Kostryukova A, Mashkova I, Belov S, Shchelkanova E, Trofimenko V. 2021. Short Communication: Assessing phytoplankton species structure in trophically different water bodies of South Ural, Russia. Biodiversitas 22: 3530-3538. The study aims to analyze the species structure of the phytoplankton communities of four water bodies in South Ural (Lakes-Turgoyak, Uvildy, Ilmenskoe and Shershnevskoe reservoir). These water bodies are characterized by different trophic states and levels of anthropogenic impact. Lake Turgoyak is oligotrophic; Lake Uvildy is oligomesotrophic. Both water bodies are protected areas and natural monuments. But tourism and recreation are not prohibited on their territories. The mesoeutrophic Lake Ilmenskoe is partially located within the Ilmen State Reserve, and it experiences less anthropogenic impact. The eutrophic Shershnevskoe reservoir is located within the boundaries of the city of Chelyabinsk. It is used as a source of drinking water. Cyanobacteria was the dominant division in the eutrophic Shershnevskoe reservoir. Bacillariophyta dominated in the plankton communities in oligotrophic Lake Turgoyak and oligomesotrophic Lake Uvildy. Green and blue-green algae biodiversity increased in the oligomesotrophic Lake Uvildy. For the mesoeutrophic Lake Ilmenskoe, diatom algae are dominant, but a higher proportion of Chlorophyta (especially Cyanobacteria) was revealed. Species similarity among phytoplankton communities in the given lakes was studied through cluster analysis based on the Sorensen-Czekanowski coefficient. The higher level of similarity between plankton species compositions could be explained by their locality rather than their trophic status.

Catch the Bus: Probing Other-Than-Human Perspectives in Design Research

Prompted by Catch the Bus, an experimental street game design project with and for autonomous buses, this study explores strategies to substantiate the speculation about other-than-human perspectives. It builds on philosophical arguments about the role of species similarity in grasping nonhuman experience and applies these arguments to thing perspectives. Gameplay and props from Catch the Bus instantiate a kind of similarity between human players and autonomous buses that emerges through the adoption of certain choreographies and sensing capabilities. The study contributes theoretical arguments to the debate of other-than-human perspectives in more-than-human design.

Species Composition, Relative Abundance, and Habitat Association of Avifauna in Zegie Peninsula Forest Patches and Associated Wetlands, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Introduction. Ethiopia is one of the most avifauna rich countries in Africa. Avifaunal surveys are required to inform conservation decisions and enhance land management for biodiversity. Avifaunal surveys from Ethiopia are lacking. This study examines species composition, relative abundance, and habitat association of avian fauna in Zegie Peninsula forest patches and associated wetlands from surveys carried out from August 2018 to March 2019, covering both the wet and dry seasons. Data Collection. Forest, shrub, lakeshore, and wetland habitats were identified as ecologically relevant habitats in the study area for data collection. Data were collected using point count and line transect methods, for 24 days in total for both seasons in the morning and afternoon. Results. A total of 96 species of birds were identified during the whole study period. Out of the total, 40 species were observed during the wet season, 13 during dry and 43 species in both seasons. There was significant variation of species distribution among habitats. During the wet season, the highest species diversity was recorded in the wetland habitat followed by forest habitat. During the dry season, avian diversity was the highest in the lakeshore followed by wetlands. The highest evenness was observed in the shrubland during both the wet and dry seasons. During the wet season, the highest species similarity was recorded between wetland and lakeshore habitats, and during the dry season, the highest species similarity was recorded between forest and shrub habitats. Based on encounter rate data, 64 (66.66%) of the avian species were uncommon. Conclusions. Compared to previous studies conducted in the study area, species diversity was lower. This might be due to various anthropogenic activities such as deforestation of trees for timber and cutting trees for firewood. Therefore, awareness creation should be given to the local community to reduce habitat destruction due to various human-induced factors.

Leaf beetles attracted to light in a tropical dry forest of northern Mexico (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

This is the first study of the composition of leaf beetles attracted to light in Mexico. We analyze the richness, temporal abundance and similarity between four localities of tropical dry forest in Sierra de San Javier, Sonora. A total of 3217 individuals belonging to 45 morphospecies, 31 genera and 10 tribes within five subfamilies of Chrysomelidae were collected in light traps in the tropical dry forest of Sierra de San Javier, Sonora. Galerucinae was the subfamily with the greatest number of genera and species. The genera with the highest number of species were Pachybrachis Chevrolat and Alagoasa Bechyné. Eight genera were represented by two species and 21 genera by only one species. Metrioidea rugipennis (Blake) was the species with the highest number of individuals (80% of the abundance recorded). According to the taxonomic and species similarity analysis, the sites San Javier and La Barranca had the highest similarity, while the lowest values were recorded at Rancho Las Peñitas and Cañón de Lo de Campa. The low similarity between sites cannot be explained by the geographic distance since it was not a determining factor to explain the low similarity in Sierra de San Javier.

Biodiversity and distribution of brittle stars (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea) in the Kara Sea

Brittle stars are one of the leading components of the benthic communities in the Kara Sea. The fauna of the Kara Sea brittle stars is represented by 12 species. Ophiocten sericeum (Forbes, 1852), Ophiopleura borealis Danielssen et Koren, 1877, Ophiacantha bidentata (Bruzelius, 1805), and Ophioscolex glacialis Müller et Troschel, 1842 are most widespread within the sea. Based on the available data, distribution maps for each species were constructed. A comparative analysis of the Barents Sea, the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea fauna was carried out. It was found that during evolution the fauna of Kara Sea brittle stars at the genus level was under balanced influence of autochthonous and allochthons processes; at the species level the autochthonous processes were predominant. The obtained value of the taxonomic uniqueness index characterizes the fauna of the Kara Sea brittle stars as quite isolated at all taxonomic levels. Six biogeographic groups were distinguished in the biogeographic structure of the fauna of the sea, of which the boreal-Arctic and high-boreal-Arctic forms are the most represented. The use of the Jaccard species similarity coefficients and Pearson correlation showed that the greatest similarity at the species level is observed between the Kara and the Laptev seas.

Macrozoobenthos communities of small reservoirs of the Zhambyl region of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The benthic fauna of 15 reservoirs located in the territory of the Zhambyl region in the Baizak, Zhambyl, Sarysu and Ryskulovsky districts is characterized. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the benthic fauna of the studied reservoirs is heterogeneous, the species composition of zoobenthos in various reservoirs ranged from 1 (Kosheney reservoir) to 6 (Kenes Lake) taxa. The number was in the range 40–480 copies/m², with a biomass 0.03–27.22 mg/m². The bioproductivity of reservoirs in the Baizak district varied from a very low class of α-oligotrophic type to a high class of β-eutrophic type, the number was in the range 160–480 specimens/m², with a biomass 0.76–27.22 mg/m². In the Zhambyl region, from 3 to 6 invertebrate species were identified as part of the macrozoobenthos. The abundance varied 340–360 specimens/m², with a biomass 7.0–17.99 mg/m². Based on the average indicators of the zoobenthos biomass, the level of productivity of the reservoirs of the Zhambyl district varied from the middle class of the β-mesotrophic type to the elevated class of the α-eutrophic type. The zoobenthos of the reservoirs of the Sarysu district varied from 3 to 6 taxa, the number of zoobenthos in the reservoirs ranged from 80 to 160 specimens/m², the biomass 0.36–1.1 mg/m². The value of the biomass of zoobenthos in the reservoirs of the Sarysu district is characteristic of lakes of a very low productivity class, alpha-oligotrophic type. The species diversity of zoobenthos in the reservoirs of the Ryskulovsky district varied from 1 to 3 species. The number varied 40–80 copies/m², the biomass 0.03–17.33 mg/m². The productivity of the reservoirs of the Ryskulovsky district varied from a very low class of α-oligotrophic type to an increased class of α-eutrophic type. According to the frequency of occurrence in all reservoirs, the class of oligochaetes dominated — 20% of the total number of taxa. The Serensen coefficient of species similarity between benthic communities in the districts was 56%.

The analysis of environmental space conditions for bryoflora forming in artificial pine communities of the Buzuluksky pine forest and the Krasnosamarsky forest

The paper deals with ecological conditions and peculiarities of bryoflora of artificial pine communities of the Buzuluksky pine forest and the Krasnosamarsky forest. The authors have revealed that the pine plantings of the Buzuluksky pine forest are characterized by a lower soil moisture and nitrogen supply than similar communities of the Krasnosamarsky forest in accordance with the criteria of D.N. Tsyganov scales. In addition, all communities belonging to the same territory show differences in the acidity and salt regime of soils as well as in moisture contrasts. The differences seem to be the result of a specific manifestation of parallel multidirectional successional processes (afforestation and steppe formation). For the bryofloras of the studied artificial pine communities, a significant similarity level (Czekanowski-Srensen index of 0,7) and close values of the projective cover and vitality of bryophytes have been shown. However, the substrate preferences of bryophytes are significantly different: 85% of the species grow on soil in the Buzuluksky pine forest, while 52% of the species grow on soil and 39% of the species grow on decaying wood in the Krasnosamarsky forest. In addition, more intensive sporulation of bryophytes has been noted in artificial pine communities of the Krasnosamarsky forest and the share of dominant species in the projective cover is 47,7% there, and their share is 83,4% in the Buzuluksky pine forest. The authors have suggested that genetic polymorphism should underlie the revealed differences in the species similarity of bryofloras. Its manifestation is influenced, among other things, by the stage of ecological succession of plant communities in which bryophytes grow. It is the result of the implementation of strategies for bryophytes adaptation to existing conditions and reflects the stage of bryoflora formation.