Amazonian Tree Mortality during the 1997 El Niño Drought

Abstract: In 1997, the Amazon Basin experienced an exceptionally severe El Niño drought. We assessed effects of this rare event on mortality rates of trees in intact rain forest based on data from permanent plots. Long-term (5- to 13-year) mortality rates averaged only 1.12% per year prior to the drought. During the drought year, annual mortality jumped to 1.91% but abruptly fell back to 1.23% in the year following El Niño. Trees dying during the drought did not differ significantly in size or species composition from those that died previously, and there was no detectable effect of soil texture on mortality rates. These results suggest that intact Amazonian rainforests are relatively resistant to severe El Niño events.     

Effects of More Frequent and Prolonged El Niño Events on Life-History Parameters of the Degu, a Long-Lived and Slow-Reproducing Rodent

Abstract:  Global climate change (GCC) can have profound effects on species whose ecology is governed primarily by climatic factors. The ecology of small mammals inhabiting semiarid Chile is strongly affected by the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). During La Niña events in this area, dry conditions prevail and species may disappear from the thorn-scrub habitat. Conversely, El Niño events bring high rainfall, and associated pulses of food trigger small-mammal population increases. We used capture–mark–recapture to study responses of the degu ( Octodon degus ), a dominant small mammal, to variation in rainfall over 18 years. In response to a recent trend toward wetter conditions, degus reached record-high densities and maintained more stable numbers in the area. Underlying mechanisms involved variation in adult survival, juvenile persistence, and fecundity linked to rainfall changes during consecutive years (i.e., rainfall phases). During prolonged droughts, degus had low survival and produced fewer offspring, with low persistence. Following high rainfall, these parameters reversed; consecutive wet years resulted in further increases. Weak declines in fecundity and adult survival and high persistence of juveniles explained delayed responses to deteriorating conditions in initial dry years. If GCC leads to increased frequency of El Niño events, we anticipate greater numerical dominance of degus in semiarid Chile and possible range expansion. Furthermore, degus have strong impacts on other small mammal and some plant species, are important prey species, and are agricultural pests and disease reservoirs. Hence, GCC has the potential to dramatically influence their ecology in northern Chile and to have cascading effects on other components of this system.     

Availability and Extraction of Forest Products in Managed and Primary Forest around a Dayak Village in West Kalimantan, Indonesia

We examined the density and abundance of marketable products in managed forest (rubber gardens, fruit gardens, and dry rice fallows) and in primary forest surrounding the Dayak village of Kembera, near Gunung Palung National Park, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. We calculated the proportion of trees that were marketable and useful for local consumption by counting and identifying trees in each managed forest type, and we documented extraction of products through interviews. Villagers harvested four marketable tree products: tengkawang seeds ( Shorea stenoptera ), durian fruits (various Durio spp.), rubber ( Hevea brasiliensis ), and timber, especially Bornean ironwood ( Eusideroxylon zwageri ). We inventoried trees at least 20 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) of marketed species from 0.4-ha plots in primary forest ( n = 8) and from 0.1-ha plots in each managed forest type ( n = 10–11). With the exception of timber, the density of trees producing a marketable product was significantly higher in the forest type managed for that product than the density of the marketed species, or of similar wild species, in primary forest. Total abundance (product of density and available area) of durian and tengkawang was greater in primary forest; however, villagers gathered these products only from managed forest. We infer from this choice a greater efficiency of harvesting from trees in dense stands near the village. Historically, this choice resulted in deliberate development of fruit gardens in preference or in addition to gathering from the more distant, primary forest. Because of low product density in primary forest, extractive forest reserves or buffer zones designed to encourage the production of fruits such as tengkawang or durian may not provide a sufficient incentive for the protection of primary forest around Kembera and other Dayak villages near Gunung Palung National Park.     

Can Extractive Reserves Save the Rain Forest? An Ecological and Socioeconomic Comparison of Nontimber Forest Product Extraction Systems in Petén,Guatemala, and West Kalimantan,Indonesia

We compare existing nontimber forest product extraction systems in Petén, Guatemala, and West Kalimantan, Indonesia, to identify key ecological, socioeconomic, and political factors in the design and implementation of extractive reserves. Ecological parameters include the spatial and temporal availability of harvested products and the sustainability of harvesting practices from both a population and an ecosystem perspective. Socioeconomic and political factors include the presence or absence of well-defined resource tenure rights, physical and social infrastructure, markets, and alternative land uses. We conclude that although extractive reserves can play a significant role in preserving tropical forests as a part of a broader land-use spectrum, their effectiveness is highly dependent on prevailing local ecological, socioeconomic, and political conditions. Ultimately, extractive reserves should be regarded as one component of an overall approach to the problem of tropical deforestation.     

El Niño, Expectations, and Fishing Effort in Monterey Bay, California

This article uses vector autoregressions (VARs) and a dynamic linear rational expectations model to analyze the effects of sea surface temperatures and catch prices on fishing effort for albacore tuna, Chinook salmon, sablefish, and squid in Monterey Bay, California. The VAR results show that fluctuations in sea surface temperatures, including El Niño events, have significant effects on effort and prices for these fisheries. Estimation of the model shows that El Niño has positive effects on the abundance in Monterey Bay of albacore and negative effects on Chinook, sablefish, and squid. Testing of the model supports rational expectations by harvesters of albacore, Chinook, and sablefish but not squid. Test results also suggest that dynamic adjustment costs are not significant for albacore, Chinook, or sablefish fisheries.     

Faunal Changes and Bottomland Hardwood Forest Loss in the Tensas Watershed, Louisiana

Intentamos asociar las diferencias entre las poblaclones de fauna en la cuenca de Tensas con las diferencias de extensión de áreas de bosques caducifolios de tierras bajas, usando datos existentes. La cuenca de Tensas era parte del area de distribución original de varias especies que actualmente están ausentes: lobo rojo, la puma de Florida, Pájaro Carpintero. El oso negro de Louisiana y Gorjeador de Bachman. también está en peligro de extinción. Los catastras de aves proporcionaron los mejores datos faunisticos Las comparaciones de poblaciones de aves (1) con la disminución del bosque caducifolio de tierras bajas al pasar del tiempo y (2) con áreas con diferentes superficies de este tipo de bosque apoyan la bipótesis de que el número de especies selvicolas y las densidades de población de especies del interior del bosque decrecieron junto con la disminución acumulativa en el área de bosques. Hemos señalado el deterioro de las poblaciones de fauna autoctona utilizando encuestas existentes de aves y datos cualitativos, demostrando la utilidad del enfoque del impacto acumulativo a una escala de cuencas hidrográfica Asegurando la conservación de los habitats necesarioq un plan de munejo de impacto acumulativo reducería extinciones adicionales en esta cuenca hidrográfica.     

Nutrient-limited growth of juvenile kelp,Macrocystis pyrifera,during the 1982–1984 “El Niño” in southern California

The relative growth rates of juvenile Macrocystis pyrifera in southern California kelp forests were substantially reduced during the El Niño of 1982–1984. The lower growth rates were correlated with increased temperature and decreased nitrogen availability. Fertilization of juvenile plants with slow-release nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer increased their growth rates to levels previously observed when temperatures were low and nutrient levels were high. The limitation in growth of M. pyrifera by levels of available nutrients during El Niño was in contrast to the usual limitation of growth by irradiance during non-El Niño years. Thus, there was a shift in the relative importance of factors controlling growth of juvenile M. pyrifera during El Niño.     

Examining Fragmentation and Loss of Primary Forest in the Southern Bahian Atlantic Forest of Brazil with Radar Imagery

Abstract: The Atlantic rainforest of southern Bahia is one of the last remnants of the lowland forest of eastern Brazil that once covered the entire coastal area from Rio Grande do Norte to Rio Grande do Sul ( lat 8°–28° S) and has been deforested to a small fraction of its original cover (1–12%). All recent vegetation surveys have been based on optical satellite data, which is hampered by cloud cover and by southern Bahia's intricate mix of forest patches with other tree crops, especially cocoa. We describe the application of radar remote-sensing data to distinguish forest patches from cocoa planted in the shade of natural-forest trees. Radar, unlike optical sensors, is not obstructed by cloud cover and can acquire information about forest structure by penetrating into the vegetation canopy. The vegetation map generated from radar data clearly separates forest patches based on the degree of structural disturbance such as the density of shaded trees, the openness of the canopy, and the density of the monodominant Erythyrina shaded trees. The structural classification based on the radar data, and shown on the map, can help researchers assess the degree of fragmentation of the original Atlantic coastal forest and delineate areas of less disturbance with higher potential for conservation of biodiversity. This information can then be applied to conservation planning, especially the design and monitoring of nature reserves and the modeling of biological corridors.     

Bird Extinctions in Atlantic Forest Fragments of the Viçosa Region, Southeastern Brazil

Abstract:   We studied the conservation status of Atlantic forest birds in 43 forest fragments ranging in size from 1 to 384 ha in the Viçosa region of southeastern Brazil. We compared data from 15 years of field work with historical records from the region, mainly originating from specimens collected by João Moojen during the 1930s. We used published studies associated with museum data and current field work to assess the decline of forest birds during the last 70 years and to relate their disappearance to forest fragmentation and destruction. At least 28 bird species have become locally extinct, 43 are critically endangered, and 25 are vulnerable, representing 60.7% of the original forest bird community known to exist in the region. Vulnerability to fragmentation differed among guilds, forest strata, and endemicity status. Birds that feed on fruit and seeds, and those that feed on insects, were more threatened than omnivores and carnivores. Nectarivorous species were less threatened than other guilds. Moreover, terrestrial and understory birds or birds using only one forest stratum also were more likely to have been threatened. Finally, Atlantic forest endemics were more likely to have become extinct than nonendemic species. In general, sensitivity to environmental disturbance at the local level was similar to the predicted vulnerability to regional disturbance derived from the literature. Our results indicate that a serious decline of Atlantic forest birds is underway and that many other species of birds, not previously recognized as threatened, are of conservation concern .     

Movements and site fidelity of the giant manta ray, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Manta birostris,</Emphasis> in the Komodo Marine Park,Indonesia

Despite their large size and frequent occurrence in near-shore tropical habitats, little published information is available on the movements and behaviors of the giant manta ray, Manta birostris, and what factors influence visitation patterns. To examine the movements of manta rays in the Komodo Marine Park, Indonesia, an acoustic array was installed at up to seven sites in the park between 2000 and 2003. A total of 41 acoustic tags were deployed in three separate deployments in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Mantas were recorded in the park for up to 526 days with an average duration of 183 ± 136 days, when mantas made from 3 to 303 individual visits to different sites (median 58 visits). There was a clear preference for three sites that comprised over 90% of manta activity. The most popular site (German Flag) was off the southern tip of Komodo Island in an area with a high degree of bathymetric structure. Examination of the longest records suggests some site preference with 5 of 7 individuals spending greater than 90% of their time at the location where they were tagged. Using a general linear model it was possible to examine the effects of daytime, lunar phase, aggregation site, season and tidal phase on visitation patterns. The vast majority of visits were recorded during daylight hours at all sites. The strongest effects of both the lunar and tidal phase were apparent in the northern sites with the most visits occurring when tidal intensity was the greatest during full and new moons. The strongest seasonal pattern was observed in the south where no mantas were recorded during the first quarter in any year. This coincides with an increase in temperature and reduction of productivity in this region associated with monsoonal shifts. The long-term fidelity indicates that marine-protected areas centered around aggregation sites could help protect this species from overexploitation.     

Effects of El Niño/Southern Oscillation on the population dynamics of a Gari solida population (Bivalvia: Psammobiidae) from Bahía Independencia,Peru

Population dynamics of a Gari solida (Gray, 1828) population from Bahía Independencia, Peru (14°S) was studied between November 1989 and February 1995 (except for 1991) in order to investigate the effects of the climate phenomenon El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) which occurred in 1992/93. Results indicate that ENSO had negative effects on gonad production in 1992, when temperatures were very high, and positive effects in 1993, when temperatures were lower, but the warm period lasted longer than in 1992. Higher reproductive output in 1993 was achieved by several spawning events in addition to the normal pattern. Growth rate in 1990 was higher (K=0.495) than in 1993/94 (K=0.346). A possible explanation could be that more energy was allocated to reproduction, and thus less surplus energy remained for growth. The negative effect of ENSO on production in 1992 is indicated by the low P/B ratio (0.298); in all other years P/B was consistently higher (1990: 0.570; 1993: 0.597; 1994: 0.597). From 1990 to 1994 a reduction of mean annual biomass from 189.3 to 14.4 g ash-free dry weight m^-2 was also observed which may be related to fishery activities. The consistency of P/B ratio is best explained by the higher somatic production of the smaller individuals remaining after the larger individuals had been removed selectively by fishermen. Based on the results presented in this study and from the literature, a model is proposed depicting how ENSO may negatively affect bivalve populations. Two main factors are mentioned, increased temperature and reduction of assimilated energy.Contribution No. 991 of the Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Germany     

Geochemistry of leachates from the El Fraile sulfide tailings piles in Taxco, Guerrero, southern Mexico

Leachates from the El Fraile tailings impoundment (Taxco, Mexico) were monitored every 2 months from October 2001 to August 2002 to assess the geochemical characteristics. These leachates are of interest because they are sometimes used as alternative sources of domestic water. Alternatively, they drain into the Cacalotenango creek and may represent a major source of metal contamination of surface water and sediments. Most El Fraile leachates show characteristics of Ca–SO₄, (Ca+Mg)–SO₄, Mg–SO₄ and Ca–(SO₄+HCO₃) water types and are near-neutral (pH=6.3–7.7). Some acid leachates are generated by the interaction of meteoric water with tailings during rainfall events (pH=2.4–2.5). These contain variable levels of SO₄ ²⁻ (280–29,500 mg l⁻¹) and As (<0.01–12.0 mg l⁻¹) as well as Fe (0.025–2352 mg l⁻¹), Mn (0.1–732 mg l⁻¹), Zn (<0.025–1465 mg l⁻¹) and Pb (<0.01–0.351 mg l⁻¹). Most samples show the highest metal enrichment during the dry seasons. Leachates used as domestic water typically exceed the Mexican Drinking Water Guidelines for sulfate, hardness, Fe, Mn, Pb and As, while acidic leachates exceed the Mexican Guidelines for Industrial Discharge Waters for pH, Cu, Cd and As. Speciation shows that in near-neutral solutions, metals exist mainly as free ions, sulfates and bicarbonates, while in acidic leachates they are present as sulfates and free ions. Arsenic appears as As^(V) in all samples. Thermodynamic and mineralogical evidence indicates that precipitation of Fe oxides and oxyhydroxides, clay minerals and jarosite as well as sorption by these minerals are the main processes controlling leachate chemistry. These processes occur mainly after neutralization by interaction with bedrock and equilibration with atmospheric oxygen.     

Effects of Land‐Use Change on Community Composition of Tropical Amphibians and Reptiles in Sulawesi,Indonesia

Abstract: Little is known about the effects of anthropogenic land‐use change on the amphibians and reptiles of the biodiverse tropical forests of Southeast Asia. We studied a land‐use modification gradient stretching from primary forest, secondary forest, natural‐shade cacao agroforest, planted‐shade cacao agroforest to open areas in central Sulawesi, Indonesia. We determined species richness, abundance, turnover, and community composition in all habitat types and related these to environmental correlates, such as canopy heterogeneity and thickness of leaf litter. Amphibian species richness decreased systematically along the land‐use modification gradient, but reptile richness and abundance peaked in natural‐shade cacao agroforests. Species richness and abundance patterns across the disturbance gradient were best explained by canopy cover and leaf‐litter thickness in amphibians and by canopy heterogeneity and cover in reptiles. Amphibians were more severely affected by forest disturbance in Sulawesi than reptiles. Heterogeneous canopy cover and thick leaf litter should be maintained in cacao plantations to facilitate the conservation value for both groups. For long‐term and sustainable use of plantations, pruned shade trees should be permanently kept to allow rejuvenation of cacao and, thus, to prevent repeated forest encroachment.     

Association of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Waminoa</Emphasis> sp. (Acoela) with corals in the Wakatobi Marine Park,South-East Sulawesi,Indonesia

This is the first quantitative study on the prevalence of epizoic Waminoa sp. acoel worms and their association with corals in the Wakatobi Marine National Park (WMNP), South-East Sulawesi, Indonesia. Three replicate transects were laid on the reef crest, flat and slope at six sites in 2006 and eight sites in 2007. Four of the sites were common in both years. In total 69 transects were surveyed in 2006, and 87 transects in 2007. A total of 4.8% of all observed hard corals were associated with acoel worms in 2006 and 2.6% of hard and soft corals in 2007. Acoels were present on 16 and 21 of the coral taxa studied in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The worms were strongly associated with the azooxanthellate coral Tubastrea spp. and were rare or absent on the most abundant coral genera Montipora and Porites. The mean number of corals having acoels was highest on reef slopes, whereas acoels were virtually absent on reef flats. Corals that had a high and a medium cover of worms were more common in 2007 than in 2006. No significant trend in the adaptation of the zooxanthellae of Waminoa sp. to different depths at different sites was revealed. The impact of the worm on the coral is unknown, but high numbers may have a shading effect and a negative impact on the coral’s photophysiology. This acoel merits more study of its life cycle, its photophysiology, and its impact on its host corals. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Effect of Land Cover and Ecosystem Mapping on Ecosystem‐Risk Assessment in the Little Karoo,South Africa

Extinction‐risk assessments aim to identify biological diversity features threatened with extinction. Although largely developed at the species level, these assessments have recently been applied at the ecosystem level. In South Africa, national legislation provides for the listing and protection of threatened ecosystems. We assessed how land‐cover mapping and the detail of ecosystem classification affected the results of risk assessments that were based on extent of habitat loss. We tested 3 ecosystem classifications and 4 land‐cover data sets of the Little Karoo region, South Africa. Degraded land (in particular, overgrazed areas) was successfully mapped in just one of the land‐cover data sets. From <3% to 25% of the Little Karoo was classified as threatened, depending on the land‐cover data set and ecosystem classification applied. The full suite of threatened ecosystems on a fine‐scale map was never completely represented within the spatial boundaries of a coarse‐scale map of threatened ecosystems. Our assessments highlight the importance of land‐degradation mapping for the listing of threatened ecosystems. On the basis of our results, we recommend that when budgets are constrained priority be given to generating more‐detailed land‐cover data sets rather than more‐detailed ecosystem classifications for the assessment of threatened ecosystems. El Efecto de la Cobertura Terrestre y el Mapeo de Ecosistemas en la Valoración de Riesgos en los Ecosistemas en Little Karoo, Sudáfrica     

Loss of mating opportunities influences refuge use in the Iberian rock lizard,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Lacerta monticola</Emphasis>

Because time spent in refuge may be costly if prey lose opportunities to forage, fight, or mate, prey allow predators to approach closer before beginning to flee when opportunity costs are high. Because the same opportunity costs may apply to refuge use as to escape, prey should make similar trade-offs between risk of emerging and cost of remaining in refuge. In the Iberian rock lizard, Lacerta monticola, we studied the effects of sex, reproductive season, speed of predator approach, and potential loss of mating opportunities on time spent in refuge following simulated predatory attacks. Lizards of both sexes adjusted refuge use to the level of risk by spending more time in refuge when approached rapidly than slowly. Females remained in refuge for equal times in the mating and postreproductive seasons, but males emerged sooner during the mating season, suggesting adjustment to a cost of lost opportunity to search for mates during the mating season. When a tethered female was nearby, males emerged from refuge earlier than if no female was present, indicating a trade-off between risk and mating opportunity. Approach speed affected emergence time when females were absent, but not when a female was present. Approach speed did not affect the probability that, after emerging, a male would return to court the female. For males that courted females intensely (bit them) before entering refuge, approach speed did not affect latency to emerge, but males that courted less intensely emerged sooner if approached slowly than rapidly. These findings show that males adjust the length of time spent in refuge to both risk of predation and reproductive cost of refuge use.Communicated by A. Mathis