River restoration success: a question of perception

What defines success and failure of river restoration measures is a strongly debated topic in restoration science, but standardized approaches to evaluate either are still not available. The debate is usually centered on measurable parameters, which adhere to scientific objectivity. More subjective aspects, such as landscape aesthetics or recreational value, are usually left out, although they play an important role in the perception and communication of restoration success. In this paper, we show that different perceptions of restoration success exist by analyzing data from 26 river restoration measures in Germany. We addressed both objective parameters, such as hydromorphological changes and changes in fish and benthic invertebrate assemblages, from field investigations, and subjective parameters, such as opinions and perceptions, from water managers via an online survey. With regard to the objective hydromorphological and biotic parameters, our results agree with many studies that have reported improvements in the hydromorphology following restoration; however, there is no similar agreement between results concerning changes in the benthic invertebrate and fish assemblages. The objective results do not correspond to the subjective parameters because self-evaluation of the restoration projects by water managers was overly positive. Indeed, 40% of the respondents admitted that their evaluation was based on gut feeling, and only 45% of the restoration measures were monitored or occasionally checked. This lack of objectively recorded data meant that the water managers were not able to reasonably evaluate restoration success. In contrast, some self-evaluation responses reflected a different perception of the restoration success that was based on landscape aesthetic values or on benefit for the public; others adopted a general "condemned to success" attitude. Based on our data, we argue (1) that goals should be thoughtfully formulated prior to restoration implementation and (2) that it is necessary to monitor river restoration success from different perspectives.     

Testing wetland features to increase amphibian reproductive success and species richness for mitigation and restoration

Aquatic habitat features can directly influence the abundance, species richness, and quality of juvenile amphibians recruited into adult populations. We examined the influences of within-wetland slope, vegetation, and stocked mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis) on amphibian metamorph production and species richness during the first two years post-construction at 18 experimental wetlands in northeast Missouri (U.S.A.) grasslands. We used an information theoretic approach (AICc) to rank regression models representing total amphibian metamorph production, individual amphibian species metamorph production, and larval amphibian species richness. Total amphibian metamorph production was greatest at shallow-sloped, fish-free wetlands during the first year, but shallow-sloped wetlands with high vegetation cover were best the second year. Species richness was negatively associated with fish and positively associated with vegetation in both survey years. Leopard frog (Rana blairi/sphenocephala complex) metamorph quality, based on average metamorph size, was influenced by slope and the number of cohorts in the wetland. However, the tested variables had little influence on the size of American toads (Bufo americanus) or boreal chorus frogs (Pseudacris maculata). Our results indicate that wetlands designed to act as functional reproductive habitat for amphibians should incorporate shallows, high amounts of planted or naturally established vegetation cover, and should be fish-free.     

How economics can further the success of ecological restoration

Restoration scientists and practitioners have recently begun to include economic and social aspects in the design and investment decisions for restoration projects. With few exceptions, ecological restoration studies that include economics focus solely on evaluating costs of restoration projects. However, economic principles, tools, and instruments can be applied to a range of other factors that affect project success. We considered the relevance of applying economics to address 4 key challenges of ecological restoration: assessing social and economic benefits, estimating overall costs, project prioritization and selection, and long‐term financing of restoration programs. We found it is uncommon to consider all types of benefits (such as nonmarket values) and costs (such as transaction costs) in restoration programs. Total benefit of a restoration project can be estimated using market prices and various nonmarket valuation techniques. Total cost of a project can be estimated using methods based on property or land‐sale prices, such as hedonic pricing method and organizational surveys. Securing continuous (or long‐term) funding is also vital to accomplishing restoration goals and can be achieved by establishing synergy with existing programs, public–private partnerships, and financing through taxation.     

The performance of state-of-the-art modelling techniques depends on geographical distribution of species

We explored the effects of prevalence, latitudinal range and clumping (spatial autocorrelation) of species distribution patterns on the predictive accuracy of eight state-of-the-art modelling techniques: Generalized Linear Models (GLMs), Generalized Boosting Method (GBM), Generalized Additive Models (GAMs), Classification Tree Analysis (CTA), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS), Mixture Discriminant Analysis (MDA) and Random Forest (RF). One hundred species of Lepidoptera, selected from the Distribution Atlas of European Butterflies, and three climate variables were used to determine the bioclimatic envelope for each butterfly species. The data set consisting of 2620 grid squares 30′ × 60′ in size all over Europe was randomly split into the calibration and the evaluation data sets. The performance of different models was assessed using the area under the curve (AUC) of a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plot. Observed differences in modelling accuracy among species were then related to the geographical attributes of the species using GAM. The modelling performance was negatively related to the latitudinal range and prevalence, whereas the effect of spatial autocorrelation on prediction accuracy depended on the modelling technique. These three geographical attributes accounted for 19–61% of the variation in the modelling accuracy. Predictive accuracy of GAM, GLM and MDA was highly influenced by the three geographical attributes, whereas RF, ANN and GBM were moderately, and MARS and CTA only slightly affected. The contrasting effects of geographical distribution of species on predictive performance of different modelling techniques represent one source of uncertainty in species spatial distribution models. This should be taken into account in biogeographical modelling studies and assessments of climate change impacts.     

Evaluating the success of functional restoration after reintroduction of a lost avian pollinator

Conservation translocation is a common method for species recovery, for which one increasingly frequent objective is restoring lost ecological functions to promote ecosystem recovery. However, few conservation translocation programs explicitly state or monitor function as an objective, limiting the ability to test assumptions, learn from past efforts, and improve management. We evaluated whether translocations of hihi (Notiomystis cincta), a threatened New Zealand passerine, achieved their implicit objective of restoring lost pollination function. Through a pollinator-exclusion experiment, we quantified, with log response ratios (lnR), the effects of birds on fruit set and seed quality in hangehange (Geniostoma ligustrifolium), a native flowering shrub. We isolated the contributions of hihi by making comparisons across sites with and without hihi. Birds improved fruit set more at sites without hihi (lnR = 1.27) than sites with hihi (lnR = 0.50), suggesting other avian pollinators compensated for and even exceeded hihi contributions to fruit set. Although birds improved seed germination only at hihi sites (lnR = 0.22–0.41), plants at sites without hihi had germination rates similar to hihi sites because they produced 26% more filled seeds, regardless of pollination condition. Therefore, although our results showed hihi improved seed quality, they also highlighted the complexity of ecological functions. When an important species is lost, ecosystems may be able to achieve similar function through different means. Our results underscore the importance of stating and monitoring the ecological benefits of conservation translocations when functional restoration is a motivation to ensure these programs are achieving their objectives.     

两种人工林对工程建筑废弃地植被初始生态恢复的影响

以隔河岩水电工程建筑废弃地初始生态恢复中人工构建植被为研究对象,在样地调查的基础上,分析了废弃地退化生态系统植物多样性和植物群落组成与结构的恢复对种植植物种类的生态响应。通过与周围未治理废弃地及自然次生林群落组成与结构的比较,研究了该废弃地植被的生态恢复进程。结果显示,苗木种植促进了本地植物种类在废弃地的扩散和定居,初步形成了具一定组成与结构的群落类型,是一种及时有效的生态恢复技术。但不同的苗木种类对废弃地植被初始生态恢复的效果不同,通过比较圆柏(Sabinachinensis)和湿地松(Pinuselliottii)2种人工林的生物多样性及群落组成与结构,认为圆柏林的初始生态恢复效果比湿地松林好。     

漓江流域岩溶区檵木群落不同恢复阶段物种组成及多样性变化

以空间代替时间的方法选取典型样地,采用常规群落学调查方法对漓江流域岩溶区立地条件基本一致的檵木(Loropetalum chinense)群落不同恢复阶段的植物物种组成及其多样性变化进行研究。结果表明,(1)在所调查的样方中,共记录维管束植物78种,隶属于45科70属。乔木层的建群种檵木随着群落的恢复其重要值有降低的趋势,而在灌木层则相反。檵木群落不同恢复阶段乔木层和灌木层主要优势种为檵木、小巴豆(Croton xiaopadou)、龙须藤(Bauhinia championii)、红背山麻杆(Alchornea trewioides)和紫凌木(Decaspermum esquirolii),草本层主要优势种为狭穗薹草(Carex ischnostachya)、庐山香科科(Teucrium pernyi)和蔓生莠竹(Microstegium fasciculatum)。(2)随着檵木群落的恢复,群落总体、乔木层和灌木层物种丰富度呈现增大的趋势,草本层则相反;Shannon指数和均匀度指数具有一致的变化趋势,乔木层Shannon指数和均匀度指数随檵木群落的恢复呈现增大的趋势,而灌木层、草本层和群落总体则相反。檵木群落不同恢复阶段灌木层Shannon指数均高于乔木层和草本层,而草本层均匀度指数均高于乔木层和灌木层;Simpson指数随檵木群落恢复的变化趋势与Shannon指数和均匀度指数相反。(3)在檵木群落的灌木阶段、乔灌阶段和乔林阶段这3个恢复阶段中,乔灌阶段与乔林阶段之间的乔木层、灌木层、草本层和群落总体的Bray-Curtis指数最大。     

Diverging response patterns of terrestrial and aquatic species to hydromorphological restoration

Although experiences with ecological restoration continue to accumulate, the effectiveness of restoration for biota remains debated. We complemented a traditional taxonomic analysis approach with information on 56 species traits to uncover the responses of 3 aquatic (fish, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes) and 2 terrestrial (carabid beetles, floodplain vegetation) biotic groups to 43 hydromorphological river restoration projects in Germany. All taxonomic groups responded positively to restoration, as shown by increased taxonomic richness (10–164%) and trait diversity (habitat, dispersal and mobility, size, form, life history, and feeding groups) (15–120%). Responses, however, were stronger for terrestrial than aquatic biota, and, contrary to our expectation, taxonomic responses were stronger than those of traits. Nevertheless, trait analysis provided mechanistic insights into the drivers of community change following restoration. Trait analysis for terrestrial biota indicated restoration success was likely enhanced by lateral connectivity and reestablishment of dynamic processes in the floodplain. The weaker response of aquatic biota suggests recovery was hindered by the persistence of stressors in the aquatic environment, such as degraded water quality, dispersal constraints, and insufficient hydromorphological change. Therefore, river restoration requires combined local- and regional-scale approaches to maximize the response of both aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Due to the contrasting responses of aquatic and terrestrial biota, the planning and assessment of river restoration outcomes should consider effects on both components of riverine landscapes.     

River restoration: the fuzzy logic of repairing reaches to reverse catchment scale degradation

River restoration is an increasingly common approach utilized to reverse past degradation of freshwater ecosystems and to mitigate the anticipated damage to freshwaters from future development and resource-extraction activities. While the practice of river restoration has grown exponentially over the last several decades, there has been little empirical evaluation of whether restoration projects individually or cumulatively achieve the legally mandated goals of improving the structure and function of streams and rivers. New efforts to evaluate river restoration projects that use channel reconfiguration as a methodology for improving stream ecosystem structure and function are finding little evidence for measurable ecological improvement. While designed channels may have less-incised banks and greater sinuousity than the degraded streams they replace, these reach-scale efforts do not appear to be effectively mitigating the physical, hydrological, or chemical alterations that are responsible for the loss of sensitive taxa and the declines in water quality that typically motivate restoration efforts. Here we briefly summarize this new literature, including the collection of papers within this Invited Feature, and provide our perspective on the limitations of current restoration.     

Selection of woody species for wastewater enhancement and restoration of riparian woodlands

Growth and nutrient uptake of seven tree species were evaluated with the goal of selecting the species that can be used for wastewater enhancement by dendro-purification, or green tree filtering, and for restoration of riparian woodlands. Trees were grown in pots with an inert mixture of perlite and vermiculite and irrigated with either nutrient solution or treated wastewater We measured the effects of species and irrigation water on biomass and nutrient content of leaves, stems and roots. For most of the species, treated wastewater had a positive effect on final biomass and above ground: below ground ratio compared to that of nutrient solution. However, growth of Cupressus sempervirens and Populus nigra were inhibited by water sodium concentration. Nerium oleander, Tamarix africana and Vitex agnus-castus were the species with the greatest final biomass. Pistacia terebinthus had the highest nitrogen and phosphorus content in leaves, stems and roots, while N. oleander and V. agnus-castus showed the best potassium accumulation. In general, P. terebinthus, N. oleander, T. africana and V. agnus-castus were the best qualified species for purification of wastewater.     

金沙江干热河谷侵蚀陡坡植被恢复对土壤质量的影响

植被恢复关系到金沙江干热河谷陡坡冲沟侵蚀的发育,土壤质量的演化.文章以元谋干热河谷侵蚀陡坡为例,通过测定植被恢复地与侵蚀裸地的土壤质量,探讨了植被恢复对侵蚀陡坡土壤质量的影响.结果表明:侵蚀陡坡植被恢复有效地防止了土壤侵蚀的发生.与侵蚀裸地相比,植被恢复地土壤剖面层次保持完整,母质层以上有明显的A、B层,土壤厚度变异小且厚度大,物理性粘粒含量高,基本保持着母质为粘土层的变性燥红土质地粘重特征.植被恢复在3年多时间内对土壤紧实度尚没有起到明显改善作用.土壤容重依然偏大.植被恢复对雨季陡坡土壤水分的改善效果好,而在旱季改善效果不好.雨季,植被恢复地水分含量高,不同坡位土壤水分差异不明显.旱季,植被恢复地与侵蚀裸地土壤水分状况相似.两种类型的坡地土壤水分含量都很低,不同坡位土壤水分差异明显,而且土壤水分含量沿向下坡方向降低.植被恢复减弱了陡坡土壤侵蚀带来的有机质流失,促进了有机质的积累.因此,针对目前植被恢复的不足,采取有效的土壤改良措施,保土保水,提高土壤水分储量,减小土壤水分的时空差异,同时降低土壤紧实度,是今后侵蚀陡坡植被恢复值得考虑的一项工作.     

宁夏荒漠草原恢复演替过程中物种多样性与生产力的变化

荒漠草原一直是生态学者关注的焦点。文章以宁夏灵武的荒漠草原区为研究对象,对围栏条件下退化群落的物种多样性、生产力和群落演替及其生态机制进行探讨,为荒漠草原的植被恢复和重建提供理论基础。结果表明:群落生产力除受物种多样性的影响外,也受物种本身特征和环境资源的影响。在荒漠草原中功能群盖度与群落初级生产力无显著的相关关系。荒漠植物群落物种多样性指数在时间尺度上的变化表现为随着围栏时间的延续逐渐增加,而生态优势度变化趋势则相反。在不同年份年降水量直接影响植物群落物种数的多少、丰富度和生产力。     

Brooding behaviour and reproductive success in two species of free-living simultaneous hermaphrodites

Although polyclads are amongst the most structurally simple of the triploblastic metazoans, they adopt a wide range of reproductive strategies. Parental care behaviour in this group is yet to be quantified for any species. We assessed the significance of brooding behaviour to the reproductive success of two free-living marine flatworms. Echinoplana celerrima and Stylochus pygmaeus were collected from the field and placed in pairs in containers of filtered seawater where they laid batches of eggs. Both parents were then removed from half of the containers and the brooding behaviour and hatching success of eggs were quantified. There were interspecific differences in brooding behaviour. Egg masses were covered by one E. celerrima parent for 12 ± 2% of time, whereas egg masses of S. pygmaeus were covered by one or both parents simultaneously for 85 ± 8% of time. Egg batches were abandoned by both species immediately prior to the onset of hatching (10–12 days). Hatching success was generally high (~90%) and brooding did not enhance the hatching success of eggs. We assessed the significance of parental care to hatching success of E. celerrima egg masses in the presence of three potential egg predators; in the presence of other organisms. E. celerrima devoted less time to brooding; however, hatching success was not affected. The amount of time spent brooding eggs differed greatly between the two polyclad species but was not essential to their reproductive success under benign conditions. Parental care may be of adaptive value under more stressful environmental conditions commonly experienced in estuarine environments such as lowered salinity, increased hypoxia or turbidity. Covering egg batches may play an additional role of advertising sexual status and a willingness to care for eggs.     

北方农牧交错带不同植被保护及恢复措施物种多样性研究

为研究不同生境类型及不同植被恢复方式植物群落结构特征及物种多样性,本文以位于我国西北农牧交错带的宁夏盐池为研究对象,根据不同植被恢复及保护措施特点,在宁夏盐池布设典型样地。样地类型分为:天然草地、退耕还草地、撂荒地、湿地、人工封育草地、流沙地等6种类型。植被调查采用样线和样方相结合的方法,内容包括:植物名称、株数、盖度、高度、生物量(鲜质量)等。运用生态统计学原理,结合BiodiversityPro、MicrocalOrigin等生态学统计软件对不同样地类型植物进行聚类、多样性指数计量等处理、分析。聚类分析表明:不同植被保护及恢复措施下,植物组成、群落结构、主要建群种等都表现出不同特点,不同样地具有各自不同的优势群落、主要建群种等;多样性指数计量结果表明:不同样地间由于生境类型、植被保护及恢复措施等不同造成样地间物种多样性的差异,湿地由于充足的土壤水分条件,无论是丰富度指数还是综合多样性指数都远高于其他样地类型,综合多样性指数D、H分别为12.783、2.915。此外,退耕还草地和天然草地多样性指数也较高,尤其是退耕还草地,D、H分别为11.514和2.696,是农牧交错带一种较为合理的植被恢复措施;多样性较低的是人工封育草地,D、H分别为2.599、1.576。造成人工封育草地物种多样性较低的主要因素一是随着封育时间的延长,优势种的优势地位不断加强、种间竞争等导致部分物种的消失等原因;二是随着封育时间的增加,土壤结皮加厚,水分入渗率和利用率降低从而导致植物群落衰退。     

Different escape tactics of two vole species affect the success of the hunting predator, the least weasel

In the ongoing evolutionary arms race between predators and their prey, successful escape from the predator leads to the evolution of improved escape tactics in prey, but also predators become more effective in following and attacking the prey. Antipredatory behavior of prey is considered to be the strongest towards their most dangerous predators. However, prey species can differ both in vulnerability and efficiency of escape to a shared predator. We studied escape reactions of two vole species, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) and the field vole (Microtus agrestis), under a simulated predation risk of the least weasel (Mustela nivalis nivalis). We conducted a laboratory experiment where a vole was given a possibility to escape from a weasel by fleeing to a horizontal tunnel or climbing the tree. Subsequently to the vole escape decision, we released a weasel to the same tunnel system to test how the weasel succeeded in following the vole. Weasel presence changed the behavior of voles as especially bank voles escaped by climbing. Instead, the majority of field voles fled into the ground-layer tunnel. The different escape tactics of the voles affected the success of the weasel, because climbing voles were less often successfully followed. We suggest that the difference in escape tactics has evolved as an adaptation to different habitats; meadow-exploiting field voles using ground-level escape while bank voles living in three-dimensional forest habitat frequently use arboreal escape tactics. This is likely to lead to different habitat-dependent vulnerabilities to predation in Microtus and Myodes vole species.     

Mating success of male hermit crabs in shell generalist and shell specialist species

Summary The reproductive behavior of two species of diogenid hermit crabs was studied in Hawaii. In the shell generalist, Clibanarius zebra, male reproductive success varied little with size, although the largest males were less successful in obtaining copulations than were medium-large males. Male and female size were positively correlated, in successful pairs, thus larger males had the potential to fertilize more eggs when they were successful in obtaining a copulation. Female fecundity in C. zebra was not affected by species of gastropod shell inhabited once female size was taken into account. Male copulatory success was very strongly influenced by the species of gastropod shell inhabited. Males in Trochus or Nerita shells had greatly reduced reproductive success compared to males in Turbo or Nassarius shells. This result was due both to (1) males in Trochus especially dropping and otherwise poorly handling females during precopulatory behavior and (2) females not responding to precopulatory behavior patterns executed by males in Trochus and Nerita. Transferring males from good to bad shapes of shells and vice versa showed that male success was a function of shell type inhabited and not some correlated feature of the crabs. In the shell specialist, Calcinus seurati, which is found primarily in Nerita shells as an adult, males in Nerita shells were quite successful in obtaining copulations.     

Quantifying species recovery and conservation success to develop an IUCN Green List of Species

Stopping declines in biodiversity is critically important, but it is only a first step toward achieving more ambitious conservation goals. The absence of an objective and practical definition of species recovery that is applicable across taxonomic groups leads to inconsistent targets in recovery plans and frustrates reporting and maximization of conservation impact. We devised a framework for comprehensively assessing species recovery and conservation success. We propose a definition of a fully recovered species that emphasizes viability, ecological functionality, and representation; and use counterfactual approaches to quantify degree of recovery. This allowed us to calculate a set of 4 conservation metrics that demonstrate impacts of conservation efforts to date (conservation legacy); identify dependence of a species on conservation actions (conservation dependence); quantify expected gains resulting from conservation action in the medium term (conservation gain); and specify requirements to achieve maximum plausible recovery over the long term (recovery potential). These metrics can incentivize the establishment and achievement of ambitious conservation targets. We illustrate their use by applying the framework to a vertebrate, an invertebrate, and a woody and an herbaceous plant. Our approach is a preliminary framework for an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green List of Species, which was mandated by a resolution of IUCN members in 2012. Although there are several challenges in applying our proposed framework to a wide range of species, we believe its further development, implementation, and integration with the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species will help catalyze a positive and ambitious vision for conservation that will drive sustained conservation action.     

A decade of fluvial morphodynamics: relocation and restoration of the Inde River (North-Rhine Westphalia,Germany)

Background

Relocations and restorations do not only change the ecological passability and sediment continuity of a river but also its flow behavior and fluvial morphodynamics. Sediment transport processes and morphological development can be assessed with field measurements, also taking the transport of sediment-bounded contaminants as a tracer material for fluvial morphodynamics into account. The objective of this study was to determine the morphological development of the Inde River (a tributary of the Rur River in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany) towards its pre-defined guiding principle after a relocation and restoration in 2005 AD.

Methods

The fluvial morphodynamics of the Inde River were analyzed over a period of almost 15 years taking sediment samples, analyzing echo soundings of the river’s bathymetry and determining the heavy metal content of the sediment as a tracer material for the morphological development.

Results

The results show that the relocation and restoration of the Inde River initiates new hydrodynamic processes, which cause morphological changes of the river widths, meander belts and channel patterns. The riverbed of the new Inde River has incised into the ground due to massive erosion, which has led to increased fine sediment transport in the downstream direction. The reasons for and consequences of this fine sediment transport are discussed and correlated to the sediment continuity of a river.

Conclusions

Overall, the new Inde River has reached its goal of being a natural river as a consequence of the relocation and restoration and has adapted its new conditions towards a dynamic morphological equilibrium.

     

Long-term dynamics of biotic and abiotic resistance to exotic species invasion in restored vernal pool plant communities

Invasion of native ecosystems by exotic species can seriously threaten native biodiversity, alter ecosystem function, and inhibit conservation. Moreover, restoration of native plant communities is often impeded by competition from exotic species. Exotic species invasion may be limited by unfavorable abiotic conditions and by competition with native species, but the relative importance of biotic and abiotic factors remains controversial and may vary during the invasion process. We used a long-term experiment involving restored vernal pool plant communities to characterize the temporal dynamics of exotic species invasion, and to evaluate the relative support for biotic and abiotic factors affecting invasion resistance. Experimental pools (n=256) were divided among controls and several seeding treatments. In most treatments, native vernal pool species were initially more abundant than exotic species, and pools that initially received more native seeds exhibited lower frequencies of exotic species over time. However, even densely seeded pools were eventually dominated by exotic species, following extreme climatic events that reduced both native and exotic plant densities across the study site. By the sixth year of the experiment, most pools supported more exotics than native vernal pool species, regardless of seeding treatment or pool depth. Although deeper pools were less invaded by exotic species, two exotics (Hordeum marinum and Lolium multiflorum) were able to colonize deeper pools as soon as the cover of native species was reduced by climatic extremes. Based on an information-theoretic analysis, the best model of invasion resistance included a nonlinear effect of seeding treatment and both linear and nonlinear effects of pool depth. Pool depth received more support as a predictor of invasion resistance, but seeding intensity was also strongly supported in multivariate models of invasion, and was the best predictor of resistance to invasion by H. marinum and L. multilorum. We conclude that extreme climatic events can facilitate exotic species invasions by both reducing abiotic constraints and weakening biotic resistance to invasion.     

Correlates of male mating success in two species of Anthidium bees (Hymenoptera : Megachilidae)

Summary Field observations were made on the mating behavior of two congeneric species of solitary bees, Anthidium porterae in an arid grassland and A. palliventre in a coastal sand dune habitat. Males of both species exhibited resource defence polygyny and defended hostplants to gain access to females foraging for nectar and pollen. The mating frequencies of marked and measured resident (territorial) males were monitored during periods of continuous observation, following which measurements of territory size and floral resources were obtained. Mating success of A. palliventre males was strongly influenced by territory characteristics: Males that defended small areas with a few rich hostplant patches mated more often than males that held larger territories containing many hostplant patches of low floral density. Large males generally held high-quality sites and thus had a mating advantage over smaller individuals. In A. porterae, on the other hand, male mating success was unrelated to any measure of territory quality. Copulation frequency and male size were positively correlated, however, apparently due to the increased ability of large males to seize and hold females for mating. The two species also differed in the incidence of non-territorial, sneaky males. While absent in A. palliventre, sneaky males accounted for 12% of all mating observed in A. porterae. Males of A. porterae that displayed sneaky tactics mated, on average, as often as resident males. Offprint requests to: E.M. Villalobos