Articles | Volume 18, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/we-18-81-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/we-18-81-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Effect of a dragonfly (Bradinopyga strachani Kirby, 1900) on the density of mosquito larvae in a field experiment using mesocosms
Daniel Acquah-Lamptey
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology–Animal Ecology, Philipps Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
Roland Brandl
Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology–Animal Ecology, Philipps Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
Related authors
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Juliane Röder, Tim Appelhans, Marcell K. Peters, Thomas Nauss, and Roland Brandl
Web Ecol., 24, 11–33, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-24-11-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-24-11-2024, 2024
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We studied rates of litter decomposition in natural and disturbed vegetation on elevation gradients of Mount Kilimanjaro to disentangle effects of climate and disturbance. Decomposition was slower in disturbed than in natural forests, but we did not find a negative effect of disturbance for non-forest vegetation. Decomposition slowed down with increasing land-use intensity, but only in the warm wet season. Temperature and humidity were the most important drivers of decomposition in all analyses.
Paulina Grigusova, Annegret Larsen, Roland Brandl, Camilo del Río, Nina Farwig, Diana Kraus, Leandro Paulino, Patricio Pliscoff, and Jörg Bendix
Biogeosciences, 20, 3367–3394, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3367-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3367-2023, 2023
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In our study, we included bioturbation into a soil erosion model and ran the model for several years under two conditions: with and without bioturbation. We validated the model using several sediment fences in the field. We estimated the modeled sediment redistribution and surface runoff and the impact of bioturbation on these along a climate gradient. Lastly, we identified environmental parameters determining the positive or negative impact of bioturbation on sediment redistribution.
Diana Kraus, Roland Brandl, Jörg Bendix, Paulina Grigusova, Sabrina Köhler, Annegret Larsen, Patricio Pliscoff, Kirstin Übernickel, and Nina Farwig
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1427, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1427, 2023
Preprint archived
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We investigate the effect of bioturbators on near-surface soil by measuring the physical properties clay, silt and sand and the chemical macronutrients C, N and P for soil samples taken from mounds created via bioturbation and soil samples from surrounding soil as controls in three different climatic regions (arid, semi-arid and Mediterranean) in coastal Chile. Our findings show that already minor input of especially C and N by bioturbators in arid climates can impact ecosystem functioning.
Paulina Grigusova, Annegret Larsen, Sebastian Achilles, Roland Brandl, Camilo del Río, Nina Farwig, Diana Kraus, Leandro Paulino, Patricio Pliscoff, Kirstin Übernickel, and Jörg Bendix
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1273–1301, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1273-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1273-2022, 2022
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In our study, we developed, tested, and applied a cost-effective time-of-flight camera to autonomously monitor rainfall-driven and animal-driven sediment redistribution in areas affected by burrowing animals with high temporal (four times a day) and spatial (6 mm) resolution. We estimated the sediment redistribution rates on a burrow scale and then upscaled the redistribution rates to entire hillslopes. Our findings can be implemented into long-term soil erosion models.
Jutta Stadler, Stefan Klotz, Roland Brandl, and Sonja Knapp
Web Ecol., 17, 37–46, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-37-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-37-2017, 2017
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During early succession plant communities show a decrease in the initial species richness and a change in the phylogenetic structure from random or clustered to overdispersion. We tested this general model in two regional distinct sites. In one region we found the expected trajectory of species richness while phylogenetic structure did not follow the expected trend. In the other region species richness did not follow the expected trajectory and phylogenetic structure remained clustered.
Martin Brändle, Jan Sauer, Lars Opgenoorth, and Roland Brandl
Web Ecol., 17, 29–35, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-29-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-29-2017, 2017
G. H. Kagezi, M. Kaib, P. Nyeko, C. Bakuneeta, M. Schädler, J. Stadler, and R. Brandl
Web Ecol., 16, 51–58, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-16-51-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-16-51-2016, 2016
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Tropical forests are faced with a loss of forest cover with effects on ecosystem processes. We quantified decomposition within forest fragments and sites affected by increasing levels of agricultural land-use intensity. Mass loss increased with the area of forest fragments and decreased with land-use intensification. Fragmentation has negative effects on litter decomposition. However, the magnitude of this negative effect was not as large as expected.
H. Ruhnke, D. Matthies, and R. Brandl
Web Ecol., 13, 79–84, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-13-79-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-13-79-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Community Ecology
Bird color and taxonomic diversity are negatively related to human disturbance in urban parks
Editorial: Pay to criticise? Rebuttal articles in open-access journals should be published for free
Water-mediated changes in plant–plant and biological soil crust–plant interactions in a temperate forest ecosystem
Do mycorrhizal fungi create below-ground links between native plants and Acacia longifolia? A case study in a coastal maritime pine forest in Portugal
Generalized nonlinear height–diameter models for a Cryptomeria fortunei plantation in the Pingba region of Guizhou Province, China
The ecology of subindividual variability in plants: patterns, processes, and prospects
Could disruptive technologies also reform academia?
Species richness and phylogenetic structure in plant communities: 20 years of succession
Using niche models of indicator species to predict the distribution of xerophytic shrub dune communities
Plant–plant spatial association networks in gypsophilous communities: the influence of aridity and grazing and the role of gypsophytes in its structure
Community concepts in plant ecology: from Humboldtian plant geography to the superorganism and beyond
Lucas M. Leveau and Juan Kopp
Web Ecol., 24, 1–10, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-24-1-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-24-1-2024, 2024
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We explored the relationship between environmental variables and bird color diversity in urban parks. Color diversity increased with green-area size, but richness-corrected color diversity ceased to be related to area size. Therefore, the increase of color size with area size was mediated by increases in species richness. Color diversity was clustered in parks with the highest human disturbance, favoring the abundance of grey species which probably took advantage of food discarded by humans.
Daniel Montesinos
Web Ecol., 23, 131–133, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-23-131-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-23-131-2023, 2023
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Rebuttal articles are always unpleasant to write and, for open-access journals, they might also involve costly article processing charges (APCs). Presently, authors willing to unveil critical flaws in published research might not be able to overcome the added burdens of cost, time, confrontation risks, and small professional gain. APCs of critical articles should be waived by default.
Clara Pissolito, Irene A. Garibotti, Santiago A. Varela, Verónica Arana, Marina Gonzalez-Polo, Paula Marchelli, and Octavio Bruzzone
Web Ecol., 19, 27–38, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-19-27-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-19-27-2019, 2019
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In the quest to understand how biotic interactions respond to climate change, one area that remains poorly explored is how interactions involving organisms other than vascular plants will respond. This study assessed how changes in water availability altered the biotic effects of biological soil crusts and pioneer shrubs in the early life-history stage of tree seedling growth. We found that water availability changed the magnitude of shrub effect and the magnitude and type of crust effect.
Pedro Carvalho, Rui Martins, António Portugal, and M. Teresa Gonçalves
Web Ecol., 18, 105–114, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-18-105-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-18-105-2018, 2018
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Maritime pine forests are a major ecosystem throughout the Portuguese coast and are severely affected by Acacia longifolia invasion. The presented study investigated the diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungi of major plant species in these ecosystems to find possible links between them. We successfully identified 13 fungal taxa and common taxa between all plant species. The finding that Acacia shares symbionts with native plant species is a new facet of its invasive ecology.
Zongzheng Chai, Wei Tan, Yuanyuan Li, Lan Yan, Hongbo Yuan, and Zhaojun Li
Web Ecol., 18, 29–35, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-18-29-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-18-29-2018, 2018
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Many years of forestry practice have confirmed that Cryptomeria fortunei can be cultivated in central Guizhou Province of China on a large scale, and this will continue due to its good growth performance and excellent development potential. The generalized height–diameter models proposed in the current paper will help forest managers to reduce costs and save time during the inventory, monitoring, and management for these forests.
Carlos M. Herrera
Web Ecol., 17, 51–64, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-51-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-51-2017, 2017
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Plants produce a considerable number of structures of one kind, like leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds, which are not identical. This paper provides an overview of current knowledge on traits that vary subindividually, the magnitude of subindividual variation, and its spatial patterning. Examples are presented on the consequences of subindividual variation for plants and consumers. Emerging links between genetics, epigenetics, subindividual variation, and population ecology are also considered.
Casparus J. Crous
Web Ecol., 17, 47–50, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-47-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-47-2017, 2017
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A thriving future science community could depend on disruptive technologies to shake up outmoded academic practices.
Jutta Stadler, Stefan Klotz, Roland Brandl, and Sonja Knapp
Web Ecol., 17, 37–46, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-37-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-37-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
During early succession plant communities show a decrease in the initial species richness and a change in the phylogenetic structure from random or clustered to overdispersion. We tested this general model in two regional distinct sites. In one region we found the expected trajectory of species richness while phylogenetic structure did not follow the expected trend. In the other region species richness did not follow the expected trajectory and phylogenetic structure remained clustered.
R. M. Chefaoui, S. Chozas, O. Correia, A. M. C. Santos, and J. Hortal
Web Ecol., 16, 47–49, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-16-47-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-16-47-2016, 2016
H. Saiz, C. L. Alados, and Y. Pueyo
Web Ecol., 14, 39–49, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-14-39-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-14-39-2014, 2014
M. Nicolson
Web Ecol., 13, 95–102, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-13-95-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-13-95-2013, 2013
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Short summary
In the absence of mosquitoes, diseases such as Malaria and Yellow fever will not exist. Although mosquito larvae have been identified to be a non-selective food to dragonfly larvae, it is unclear if the two naturally co-exist, hence reported as a non-viable strategy for controlling mosquito populations. However, a simple experiment in tropical Africa has shown a significant reduction in mosquitoes following colonization of mosquito larvae habitats by the dragonfly, Bradinopyga strachani.
In the absence of mosquitoes, diseases such as Malaria and Yellow fever will not exist. Although...