Co-limitation towards lower latitudes shapes global forest diversity gradients

The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is one of the most recognized global patterns of species richness exhibited across a wide range of taxa. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed in the past two centuries to explain LDG, but rigorous tests of the drivers of LDGs have been limited by a lack of high-quality global species richness data. Here we produce a high-resolution (0.025° × 0.025°) map of local tree species richness using a global forest inventory database with individual tree information and local biophysical characteristics from ~1.3 million sample plots. We then quantify drivers of local tree species richness patterns across latitudes. Generally, annual mean temperature was a dominant predictor of tree species richness, which is most consistent with the metabolic theory of biodiversity (MTB). However, MTB underestimated LDG in the tropics, where high species richness was also moderated by topographic, soil and anthropogenic factors operating at local scales. Given that local landscape variables operate synergistically with bioclimatic factors in shaping the global LDG pattern, we suggest that MTB be extended to account for co-limitation by subordinate drivers

Moth Diversity Increases along a Continent-Wide Gradient of Environmental Productivity in South African Savannahs

Environmental productivity, i.e., the amount of biomass produced by primary producers, belongs among the key factors for the biodiversity patterns. Although the relationship of diversity to environmental productivity differs among studied taxa, detailed data are largely missing for most groups, including insects. Here, we present a study of moth diversity patterns at local and regional scales along a continent-wide gradient of environmental productivity in southern African savannah ecosystems. We sampled diversity of moths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) at 120 local plots along a gradient of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from the Namib Desert to woodland savannahs along the Zambezi River. By standardized light trapping, we collected 12,372 specimens belonging to 487 moth species. The relationship between species richness for most analyzed moth groups and environmental productivity was significantly positively linear at the local and regional scales. The absence of a significant relationship of most moth groups’ abundance to environmental productivity did not support the role of the number of individuals in the diversity–productivity relationship for south African moths. We hypothesize the effects of water availability, habitat complexity, and plant diversity drive the observed moth diversity patterns

New records of six moth (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Lasiocampidae) species in south African countries, with comments on their distribution

Southern Africa hosts a high diversity of ecosystems and habitats with tremendous diversity of Lepidoptera. Although it belongs among most studied parts of the Afrotropics, the knowledge on diversity and distribution of south African moth fauna remains insufficient. To partly fill this gap, we surveyed macromoths by automatic light traps in seven localities in three relatively less sampled south African countries.We reported 14 species and one genus (Remigioides) of moths which have not yet been recorded in Namibia, Botswana, or Zimbabwe. Although none of these records broadened the known distribution of individual species to a new biogeographic region, they still fill important gaps in their distribution. Especially, the known distributional ranges of two species have been substantially extended, although still within the same biogeographic regions: ca. 800 km southwards for Remigioides remigina (Mabille, 1884), and ca. 600 km westwards for Haplopacha cinerea Aurivillius, 1905

New records of six moth (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Lasiocampidae) species in south African countries, with comments on their distribution

Southern Africa hosts a high diversity of ecosystems and habitats with tremendous diversity of Lepidoptera. Although it belongs among most studied parts of the Afrotropics, the knowledge on diversity and distribution of south African moth fauna remains insufficient. To partly fill this gap, we surveyed macromoths by automatic light traps in seven localities in three relatively less sampled south African countries.We reported 14 species and one genus (Remigioides) of moths which have not yet been recorded in Namibia, Botswana, or Zimbabwe. Although none of these records broadened the known distribution of individual species to a new biogeographic region, they still fill important gaps in their distribution. Especially, the known distributional ranges of two species have been substantially extended, although still within the same biogeographic regions: ca. 800 km southwards for Remigioides remigina (Mabille, 1884), and ca. 600 km westwards for Haplopacha cinerea Aurivillius, 1905

New records of six moth (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Lasiocampidae) species in south African countries, with comments on their distribution

Southern Africa hosts a high diversity of ecosystems and habitats with tremendous diversity of Lepidoptera. Although it belongs among most studied parts of the Afrotropics, the knowledge on diversity and distribution of south African moth fauna remains insufficient. To partly fill this gap, we surveyed macromoths by automatic light traps in seven localities in three relatively less sampled south African countries.We reported 14 species and one genus (Remigioides) of moths which have not yet been recorded in Namibia, Botswana, or Zimbabwe. Although none of these records broadened the known distribution of individual species to a new biogeographic region, they still fill important gaps in their distribution. Especially, the known distributional ranges of two species have been substantially extended, although still within the same biogeographic regions: ca. 800 km southwards for Remigioides remigina (Mabille, 1884), and ca. 600 km westwards for Haplopacha cinerea Aurivillius, 1905

Even hotter hotspot: description of seven new species of many-plumed moths (Lepidoptera, Alucitidae) from Mount Cameroon

Mount Cameroon, SW Cameroon, has already been described as a unique hotspot of the many-plumed moth (Lepidoptera, Alucitidae), with their local diversity unrivalled in the entire Afrotropics. We confirm its importance with description of seven new species: Alucita bakweri Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucita jana Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucita bakingili Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucita tatjana Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucita zuza Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucita deja Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., and Alucita bokwango Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov. These descriptions have raised the known local diversity of many-plumed moth species on Mount Cameroon to 22, i.e., over a quarter of the known Afrotropical biodiversity of this group. This study also emphasises the great conservation importance of the area

Magnifying the hotspot: descriptions of nine new species of many-plumed moths (Lepidoptera, Alucitidae), with an identification key to all species known from Cameroon

This study confirms Mount Cameroon as an unprecedented hotspot for the diversity of many-plumed moths, with the discovery and description of nine new species: Alucita fako Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucita pyrczi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucita sroczki Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucita potockyi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucita sedlaceki Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucita tonda Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucita erzayi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucita sokolovi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., and Alucita hirsuta Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov. Additionally, four additional species are reported from the Mount Cameroon area as new for the country: Alucita agassizi, Alucita dohertyi, Alucita plumigera, and Alucita rhaptica. Of the 89 Alucitidae known from the Afrotropics, the studied area hosts 36 species, most of which are endemic to the area. This unprecedented level of diversity and endemism within this lepidopteran family highlights Mount Cameroon’s significance as a stronghold for specialised insect taxa. Efficient conservation efforts are necessary to protect these ecosystems and their associated unique microlepidopteran diversity