Contributions of paraecologists and parataxonomists to research, conservation, and social development

Citizen science has been gaining momentum in the United States and Europe, where citizens are literate and often interested in science. However, in developing countries, which have a dire need for environmental data, such programs are slow to emerge, despite the large and untapped human resources in close proximity to areas of high biodiversity and poorly known floras and faunas. Thus, we propose that the parataxonomist and paraecologist approach, which originates from citizen-based science, is well suited to rural areas in developing countries. Being a paraecologist or a parataxonomist is a vocation and entails full-time employment underpinned by extensive training, whereas citizen science involves the temporary engagement of volunteers. Both approaches have their merits depending on the context and objectives of the research. We examined 4 ongoing paraecologist or parataxonomist programs in Costa Rica, India, Papua New Guinea, and southern Africa and compared their origins, long-term objectives, implementation strategies, activities, key challenges, achievements, and implications for resident communities. The programs supported ongoing research on biodiversity assessment, monitoring, and management, and participants engaged in non-academic capacity development in these fields. The programs in Southern Africa related to specific projects, whereas the programs in Costa Rica, India, and Papua New Guinea were designed for the long term, provided sufficient funding was available. The main focus of the paraecologists' and parataxonomists' activities ranged from collection and processing of specimens (Costa Rica and Papua New Guinea) or of socioeconomic and natural science data (India and Southern Africa) to communication between scientists and residents (India and Southern Africa). As members of both the local land user and research communities, paraecologists and parataxonomists can greatly improve the flow of biodiversity information to all users, from local stakeholders to international academia

Elevational species richness gradients in a hyperdiverse insect taxon: a global meta-study on geometrid moths

AIMS: We aim to document elevational richness patterns of geometrid moths in a globally replicated, multi-gradient setting, and to test general hypotheses on environmental and spatial effects (i.e. productivity, temperature, precipitation, area, mid-domain effect and human habitat disturbance) on these richness patterns. LOCATION: Twenty-six elevational gradients world-wide (latitudes 28° S to 51° N). METHODS: We compiled field datasets on elevational gradients for geometrid moths, a lepidopteran family, and documented richness patterns across each gradient while accounting for local undersampling of richness. Environmental and spatial predictor variables as well as habitat disturbance were used to test various hypotheses. Our analyses comprised two pathways: univariate correlations within gradients, and multivariate modelling on pooled data after correcting for overall variation in richness among different gradients. RESULTS: The majority of gradients showed midpeak patterns of richness, irrespective of climate and geographical location. The exclusion of human-affected sampling plots did not change these patterns. Support for univariate main drivers of richness was generally low, although there was idiosyncratic support for particular predictors on single gradients. Multivariate models, in agreement with univariate results, provided the strongest support for an effect of area-integrated productivity, or alternatively for an elevational area effect. Temperature and the mid-domain effect received support as weaker, modulating covariates, while precipitation-related variables had no explanatory potential. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Despite the predicted decreasing diversity–temperature relationship in ectotherms, geometrid moths are similar to ants and salamanders as well as small mammals and ferns in having predominantly their highest diversity at mid-elevations. As in those comparative analyses, single or clear sets of drivers are elusive, but both productivity and area appear to be influential. More comparative elevational studies for various insect taxa are necessary for a more comprehensive understanding of elevational diversity and productivity

Premier signalement du mulet de rivière lobé en Papouasie Nouvelle Guinée.

International audienceTThe euryhaline species Cestraeus plicatilis Valenciennes 1836 (Mugilidae; Mugiliformes) was previously recorded from the Philippines Islands to New Caledonia, except Solomon Islands, Bismark Archipelago, New Guinea and Admiralty Islands. The present occurrence extends the distribution area of this species to New Britain, Papua New Guinea.L’espèce euryhaline Cestraeus plicatilis Valenciennes 1836 (Mugilidae ; Mugiliformes) a été répertoriée précédemment des îles Philippines à la Nouvelle-Calédonie, excepté aux îles Salomon, à l’archipel Bismark, en Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée et aux îles de l’Amirauté. Le présent signalement permet d’élargir l’aire de répartition de cette espèce à la Nouvelle-Bretagne occidentale, Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée

Premier signalement du mulet de rivière lobé en Papouasie Nouvelle Guinée.

International audienceTThe euryhaline species Cestraeus plicatilis Valenciennes 1836 (Mugilidae; Mugiliformes) was previously recorded from the Philippines Islands to New Caledonia, except Solomon Islands, Bismark Archipelago, New Guinea and Admiralty Islands. The present occurrence extends the distribution area of this species to New Britain, Papua New Guinea.L’espèce euryhaline Cestraeus plicatilis Valenciennes 1836 (Mugilidae ; Mugiliformes) a été répertoriée précédemment des îles Philippines à la Nouvelle-Calédonie, excepté aux îles Salomon, à l’archipel Bismark, en Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée et aux îles de l’Amirauté. Le présent signalement permet d’élargir l’aire de répartition de cette espèce à la Nouvelle-Bretagne occidentale, Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée

Three new damselflies from Lake Kutubu, Papua New Guinea (Zygoptera: Argiolestidae, Coenagrionidae, Platystictidae)

We describe three new species of damselflies from streams draining into Lake Kutubu in Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. They are Drepanosticta johncanni sp. nov. (Platystictidae), Pseudagrion parafarinicolle sp. nov. (Coenagrionidae) and Wahnesia kutubuensis sp. nov. (Argiolestidae). Diagnostic characters of the males and, where available of the females, are illustrated and the probable affinities of the new species are discussed

Une nouvelle espèce de Sicyopus (Teleostei : Gobioidei) de Nouvelle-Bretagne (Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée)

International audienceA new species of Sicyopus, a sicydiine goby, is described from specimens collected in streams of New Britain (Papua New Guinea). It differs from other species of this amphidromous genus by a combination of characters including a second dorsal fin with one spine and ten segmented rays, fewer scales in lateral series and transverse back series, and smaller predorsal and caudal peduncle lengths.Une nouvelle espèce de Sicyopus, un gobie d’eau douce, est décrit de Nouvelle-Bretagne (Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée). Il diffère des autres espèces de ce genre amphidrome par plusieurs caractères dont une seconde nageoire dorsale avec un rayon épineux et dix segmentés, moins d’écailles à la ligne latérale et en série transverse postérieure, et de plus petites longueurs prédorsale et du pédoncule caudal

Elevational species richness gradients in a hyperdiverse insect taxon: a global meta-study on geometrid moths

© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd Aims: We aim to document elevational richness patterns of geometrid moths in a globally replicated, multi-gradient setting, and to test general hypotheses on environmental and spatial effects (i.e. productivity, temperature, precipitation, area, mid-domain effect and human habitat disturbance) on these richness patterns. Location: Twenty-six elevational gradients world-wide (latitudes 28° S to 51° N). Methods: We compiled field datasets on elevational gradients for geometrid moths, a lepidopteran family, and documented richness patterns across each gradient while accounting for local undersampling of richness. Environmental and spatial predictor variables as well as habitat disturbance were used to test various hypotheses. Our analyses comprised two pathways: univariate correlations within gradients, and multivariate modelling on pooled data after correcting for overall variation in richness among different gradients. Results: The majority of gradients showed midpeak patterns of richness, irrespective of climate and geographical location. The exclusion of human-affected sampling plots did not change these patterns. Support for univariate main drivers of richness was generally low, although there was idiosyncratic support for particular predictors on single gradients. Multivariate models, in agreement with univariate results, provided the strongest support for an effect of area-integrated productivity, or alternatively for an elevational area effect. Temperature and the mid-domain effect received support as weaker, modulating covariates, while precipitation-related variables had no explanatory potential. Main conclusions: Despite the predicted decreasing diversityâtemperature relationship in ectotherms, geometrid moths are similar to ants and salamanders as well as small mammals and ferns in having predominantly their highest diversity at mid-elevations. As in those comparative analyses, single or clear sets of drivers are elusive, but both productivity and area appear to be influential. More comparative elevational studies for various insect taxa are necessary for a more comprehensive understanding of elevational diversity and productivity.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

MengeEtAl_Appendix1_SuppInfo_Final

This includes further details of the statistical analyses used, together with additional figures (Figures S1 to S13) and an additional table (Table S1)

Data from: Patterns of nitrogen-fixing tree abundance in forests across Asia and America

Symbiotic nitrogen (N)‐fixing trees can provide large quantities of new N to ecosystems, but only if they are sufficiently abundant. The overall abundance and latitudinal abundance distributions of N‐fixing trees are well characterised in the Americas, but less well outside the Americas. Here, we characterised the abundance of N‐fixing trees in a network of forest plots spanning five continents, ~5,000 tree species and ~4 million trees. The majority of the plots (86%) were in America or Asia. In addition, we examined whether the observed pattern of abundance of N‐fixing trees was correlated with mean annual temperature and precipitation. Outside the tropics, N‐fixing trees were consistently rare in the forest plots we examined. Within the tropics, N‐fixing trees were abundant in American but not Asian forest plots (~7% versus ~1% of basal area and stems). This disparity was not explained by mean annual temperature or precipitation. Our finding of low N‐fixing tree abundance in the Asian tropics casts some doubt on recent high estimates of N fixation rates in this region, which do not account for disparities in N‐fixing tree abundance between the Asian and American tropics. Synthesis. Inputs of nitrogen to forests depend on symbiotic nitrogen fixation, which is constrained by the abundance of N‐fixing trees. By analysing a large dataset of ~4 million trees, we found that N‐fixing trees were consistently rare in the Asian tropics as well as across higher latitudes in Asia, America and Europe. The rarity of N‐fixing trees in the Asian tropics compared with the American tropics might stem from lower intrinsic N limitation in Asian tropical forests, although direct support for any mechanism is lacking. The paucity of N‐fixing trees throughout Asian forests suggests that N inputs to the Asian tropics might be lower than previously thought

MengeEtAl_Appendix2_SuppInfo_Final

This is a spreadsheet showing key data used in the statistical analyses presented