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- The role of sheltered habitats in biodiversity conservation of species sensitive to drought: a case study using ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in the Gorongosa National ParkPublication . Baptista, Martim; Carvalho, Rui; Boieiro, Mário; Bartz, M. L. C.; Mendes, Sara; Timóteo, Sérgio; Azevedo-Pereira, Henrique M.V.S.; Alves, Joana; Alves Da Silva, António; Briones, Maria J.I.; Serrano, Artur; Sousa, José Paulo; Martins da Silva, PedroIn the aftermath of 2019’ tropical cyclones Idai and Kenneth, we assessed ground beetle communities of the Gorongosa National Park (GNP) in Mozambique. The influence of habitat shelters, namely the buffering role of closed microhabitat conditions on Alpha diversity and community trait values during a long period of drought, was evaluated across the main habitat types of the park: miombo forests, mixed forests, transitional forests, and grasslands (open savannas). These habitat types comprised a distance gradient in relation to lake Urema, in the center of GNP. Miombo forests were farther from the lake while grasslands and transitional forests were in the floodplain area. Ground beetle communities were sampled using pitfall traps set up at 25 sites of each habitat type along an environmental gradient of tree canopy cover during the last twenty days of the dry season. Higher species richness of ground beetles was found in closed habitat shelters along the distance gradient to lake Urema. A higher functional diversity was also found along the canopy gradient, with larger sized and wingless species being more abundant in closed habitats than in open areas. This result highlights the crucial role of habitat closedness in the protection of sensitive ground beetles. In particular, the buffer effect of tree canopy and the protection of the understory plants and the litter layer was critical for the survival of hygrophilous species and will be key in conservation strategies to face climate aridification and habitat fragmentation.
- Long droughts decrease tiger- and ground-beetle’ beta diversity and community body size in savannas of the Gorongosa National Park (Mozambique)Publication . Martins da Silva, Pedro; Carvalho, Rui; Boieiro, Mário; Sousa, José Paulo; Serrano, ArturABSTRACT: We assessed the Caraboidea communities of Gorongosa National Park (GNP) in Mozambique. Influence of tropical rainfall, after a long period of drought, was evaluated on alpha and beta diversity of tiger- and ground-beetles in the main habitat types of the park: miombo forests, mixed forests, transitional forests, and grasslands (open savannas). Tiger- and ground-beetle communities were sampled by pitfall traps set up in 25 sites of each habitat type along three sampling periods, comprising the transition of dry season to the wet season. After the first rainfall, an increase in alpha diversity was observed across GNP habitats, particularly in grasslands. Higher values of beta diversity were observed between the dry and wet sampling periods, particularly in grasslands. In contrast, community dissimilarities between sampling periods were not significant in the transitional forests. Community body size in grasslands increased after the rainfall, partly due to the occurrence of caraboid species that were exclusive of forest habitats during drought. Transitional forests, as ecotone habitat areas, appeared to support grassland species during drought, serving also as a source of forest species that may colonize the open areas in the wet season. Forest species will probably be more threatened by climate aridification and future landscape changes due to climate change.
- Inventory of tiger- and ground-beetles (Coleoptera, Caraboidea, Cicindelidae and Carabidae) in two sampling seasons of the Gorongosa National Park, MozambiquePublication . Serrano, Artur; Baptista, Martim; Carvalho, Rui; Boieiro, Mário; Mendes, Sara; Bartz, M. L. C.; Timóteo, Sérgio; Pereira, Henrique; Aguiar, Carlos; Alves Da Silva, António; Alves, Joana; Briones, Maria; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Sousa, José; Martins da Silva, PedroABSTRACT: The Gorongosa National Park (Mozambique) is one of the most emblematic protected areas in Africa, well known for its vertebrate biodiversity and restoration ecology efforts following the Mozambican civil war in 1992. The invertebrate biodiversity of Gorongosa National Park is still poorly studied, although the scarce information available indicates the existence of a rich number of species, namely in the case of tiger- and ground-beetles (Coleoptera, Caraboidea). Moreover, the study of arthropod assemblages is key for designing conservation practices since they are potentially accurate biodiversity and ecological indicators. Hence, the diversity assessment of Caraboidea beetles using standardised methodologies is likely to provide a new insight for future conservation planning and help to quantify the effects of climate change in areas identified as vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures, such as the Gorongosa National Park.
- Fichas de Espécies - ArthropodaPublication . Borges, Paulo A. V.; Vieira, Virgilio; Wallon, Sophie; Cardoso, Pedro; Picanço, Ana; Lamelas-López, Lucas; Amorim do Rosário, Isabel; Serrano, Artur; Nunes, Lina; Duarte, Sónia; Soares, António O.; Stüben, Peter E.; Borges, IsabelABSTRACT: Arthropods, and especially certain groupsof insects, due to their enormous specificrichness, abundance and fidelity tocertain habitats, among other factors, area fundamental tool in studies of ecologicalbio-indicators and biodiversity.