Preface to the Princeton Landmarks in Biology Edition vii Preface xi Symbols Used xiii 1. The Importance of Islands 3 2. Area and Number of Speicies 8 3. Further Explanations of the Area-Diversity Pattern 19 4. The Strategy of Colonization 68 5. Invasibility and the Variable Niche 94 6. Stepping Stones and Biotic Exchange 123 7. Evolutionary Changes Following Colonization 145 8. Prospect 181 Glossary 185 References 193 Index 201

The Theory of Island Biogeography

There is a special reason for reviewing this book at this time: it is the 50th edition of a compendium that is known and used frequently in most chemical and physical laboratories in many parts of the world. Surely, a publication that has been published for 56 years, withstanding the vagaries of science in this century, must have had something to offer. There is another reason: while the book is a standard fixture in most chemical and physical laboratories, including those in medical centers, it is not as frequently seen in the laboratories of physician's offices (those either in solo or group practice). I believe that the Handbook can be useful in those laboratories. One of the reasons, among others, is that the various basic items of information it offers may be helpful in new tests, either physical or chemical, which are continuously being published. The basic information may relate

Handbook of Chemistry and Physics

Many studies have described the effects of urbanization on species richness. These studies indicate that urbanization can increase or decrease species richness, depending on several variables. Some of these variables include: taxonomic group, spatial scale of analysis, and intensity of urbanization. Recent reviews of birds (the most-studied group) indicate that species richness decreases with increasing urbanization in most cases but produces no change or even increases richness in some studies. Here I expand beyond the bird studies by reviewing 105 studies on the effects of urbanization on the species richness of non-avian species: mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and plants. For all groups, species richness tends to be reduced in areas with extreme urbanization (i.e., central urban core areas). However, the effects of moderate levels of urbanization (i.e., suburban areas) vary significantly among groups. Most of the plant studies (about 65%) indicate increasing species richness with moderate urbanization whereas only a minority of invertebrate studies (about 30%) and a very small minority of non-avian vertebrate studies (about 12%) show increasing species richness. Possible explanations for these results are discussed, including the importance of nonnative species importation, spatial heterogeneity, intermediate disturbance and scale as major factors influencing species richness.

Effects of urbanization on species richness: A review of plants and animals

▪ Abstract Movement between discrete habitat patches can present significant challenges to organisms. Freshwater invertebrates achieve dispersal using a variety of mechanisms that can be broadly categorized as active or passive, and which have important consequences for processes of colonization, gene flow, and evolutionary divergence. Apart from flight in adult freshwater insects, active dispersal appears relatively uncommon. Passive dispersal may occur through transport by animal vectors or wind, often involving a specific desiccation-resistant stage in the life cycle. Dispersal in freshwater taxa is difficult to study directly, and rare but biologically significant dispersal events may remain undetected. Increased use of molecular markers has provided considerable insight into the frequency of dispersal in freshwater invertebrates, particularly for groups such as crustaceans and bryozoans that disperse passively through the transport of desiccation-resistant propagules. The establishment of propagule b...

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/2678638.pdf

Dispersal in freshwater invertebrates

Published research about wetland insects has proliferated, and a conceptual foundation about how wetland insect populations and communities are regulated is being built. Here we review and synthesize this new body of work. Our review begins with a summary of insect communities found in diverse wetland types, including temporary pools, seasonally flooded marshes, perennially flooded marshes, forested floodplains, and peatlands. Next, we critically discuss research on the population and community ecology of wetland insects, including the importance of colonization strategies and insect interactions with the physical environment, plants, predators, and competitors. Results from many of the experimental studies that we review indicate that some commonly held beliefs about wetland insect ecology require significant reevaluation. We then discuss the importance of wetland insect ecology for some applied concerns such as efforts to manage wetland insect resources as waterfowl food and development of ecologically ...

https://biblioteca.cehum.org/bitstream/123456789/1031/1/Batzer%2c%20Wissinger.%20Ecology%20of%20Insect%20Communities%20in%20Nontidal%20Wetlands.pdf

Ecology of Insect Communities in Nontidal Wetlands

Field experiments were performed in artificial ponds to evaluate how the density of predatory diving beetles (Dytiscidae) would affect the population levels of mosquito larvae (Culicidae). Mosquitoes colonizing the ponds were predominantly species of the genus Culex. In 2000, most of the dytiscids colonizing the ponds were small (Hydroporus spp.), and these predators had no impact on the size of larval mosquito populations, not even in ponds with added dytiscids. In 2001, larger beetles (Ilybius, Rhantus, and Agabus spp.) were more common, and there were significantly fewer mosquito larvae in ponds with the highest numbers of dytiscids. There was a negative correlation between numbers of diving beetles in the ponds and the mean body length of mosquito larvae. In neither year could dytiscid densities be maintained above a certain level owing to emigration. In laboratory tests, there were marked differences between three common dytiscid species in regard to preferences for Daphnia and Culex species as prey: Colymbetes paykulli Erichson chose mosquito larvae more often, whereas both Ilybius ater (De Geer) and I. fuliginosus (Fabricius) preferred Daphnia spp. All of the tested dytiscids consumed large numbers of prey. Since some dytiscid species can efficiently decrease populations of mosquito larvae, they are probably important in the natural control of these dipterans.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0007485303000269

Diving beetles (Dytiscidae) as predators of mosquito larvae (Culicidae) in field experiments and in laboratory tests of prey preference.

One hundred years ago Michelson discovered circular polarization in reflection from beetles. Today a novel Mueller-matrix ellipsometry setup allows unprecedented detailed characterization of the be ...

/pdf/chirality-induced-polarization-effects-in-the-cuticle-of-2q1k7yv11k.pdf

Chirality-induced polarization effects in the cuticle of scarab beetles: 100 years after Michelson

We investigated diving beetle (Dytiscidae) assemblages in twelve wetlands in an agricultural landscape in southeastern Sweden. Beetles were trapped in wetlands that varied in permanence (temporary or permanent), area (25 to 4,800 m 2 ), age (11 to .50 yr), and shading (open to wooded surroundings). Our objective was to determine if those environmental factors are important in structuring the local assemblages of diving beetles and how the combination of different types of wetlands influence the diversity of diving beetles in a landscape. Generally, species-area relationships were weak, and shaded wetlands, both permanent and temporary, of intermediate size (240-1,100 m 2 ) had the highest richness after a rarefaction analysis. It was not possible to discern a certain type of wetland where diversity was highest (measured by index a and Shannon-Wiener's index), although, again, intermediate sized wetlands did tend to be more diverse than others. Similarities in species compositions were highest among environmentally similar wetlands, and as- semblage structure differed substantially between different types of wetlands. Results of ordination (CCA) and variance partitioning revealed that permanence and degree of shading were the most important factors in structuring assemblages. Our findings imply that high diversity of the diving beetles depends on the number of wetland types represented in a landscape. It is possible to achieve high diversity in a small area by combining permanent and temporary wetlands, as well as many age and successional stages, located in wooded and open environments.

https://bioone.org/journals/Wetlands/volume-21/issue-1/0277-5212(2001)021[0048:DBDAAE]2.0.CO;2/DIVING-BEETLE-DYTISCIDAE-ASSEMBLAGES-ALONG-ENVIRONMENTAL-GRADIENTS-IN-AN-AGRICULTURAL/10.1672/0277-5212(2001)021[0048:DBDAAE]2.0.CO;2.pdf

Diving beetle (dytiscidae) assemblages along environmental gradients in an agricultural landscape in southeastern sweden

In southern Sweden, many wetlands have been constructed, and maintaining or increasing biological diversity is often included in the aims. Some wetlands are constructed near human settlements, thus raising the problem of wetlands being associated with mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). Increased biodiversity (including mosquito diversity) is considered desirable, whereas mosquito nuisance from a human point of view is not. Adult mosquito abundance, diversity and species assemblages of constructed wetlands were compared to natural wetlands. The potential of constructed wetlands for mosquito nuisance and transmission of mosquito-borne viruses was evaluated. The study areas included five constructed and four natural wetlands. Mosquito abundance and species richness were higher in the natural than in the constructed wetlands, and showed a positive correlation with wetland size. Mosquito species assemblages formed three clusters, which were not explained by origin, size and water permanence of wetlands. In a redundancy analysis, however, mosquito faunas showed significant relationships with these variables, and size and origin of wetlands were most important. Major nuisance species (multivoltine species feeding on mammals and laying eggs on soil) were found in all wetlands, although in relatively low numbers. Risk assessment for Sindbis virus transmission showed moderate risk for two constructed wetlands near human settlements. It is concluded that small size of constructed wetlands has the advantage of low mosquito numbers from a human point of view. The use of functional groups is recommended as a tool for presenting mosquito data to the public, and for helping communication between scientists and administrative decision makers.

Biological diversity versus risk for mosquito nuisance and disease transmission in constructed wetlands in southern Sweden.

Flying dytiscids were trapped in an agricultural landscape with wetlands in different successional stages and in two urban landscapes with young wetlands. We compared the faunas in air and in water. Hydroporus and Agabus were the most frequently trapped genera in air. Most species were trapped near water in the agricultural landscape, species characteristic of later successional stages were common in air and dominated in water. In the urban landscapes, species were mainly trapped far from water and species known to colonise new waters were common in air and in the youngest waters. Overall, females and immature adults were more common in flight catches during April-July than during August-October. Our results indicate that urbanisation would result in a less diverse fauna, but may lead to an assemblage dominated by species that are infrequent in agricultural landscapes. To obtain a rich wetland insect fauna, a wide range of wetland types is required at the landscape scale.

/pdf/dispersing-diving-beetles-dytiscidae-in-agricultural-and-2vp39vmkrp.pdf

Jan Landin

Papers

Diving beetles (Dytiscidae) as predators of mosquito larvae (Culicidae) in field experiments and in laboratory tests of prey preference.

Chirality-induced polarization effects in the cuticle of scarab beetles: 100 years after Michelson

Diving beetle (dytiscidae) assemblages along environmental gradients in an agricultural landscape in southeastern sweden

Biological diversity versus risk for mosquito nuisance and disease transmission in constructed wetlands in southern Sweden.

Dispersing diving beetles (Dytiscidae) in agricultural and urban landscapes in south-eastern Sweden