Indicators of species richness at the local scale in an alpine region: a comparative approach between plant and invertebrate taxa

Abstract

Studies investigating congruent variations in species richness patterns in alpine habitats are scarce. We investigated the potential of using the indicator taxa approach for species richness in alpine habitats of the Scandes (Norway). In four areas, we investigated seven functional and taxonomic terrestrial groups of organisms and evaluated their contribution to the species diversity. The function of each group as a surrogate for the overall species diversity or for the diversity of another taxon was analysed. Three groups of invertebrates (spiders without Lycosids, Lycosids only, and ground beetles), three groups of plants (shrubs, graminoids, and herbs), and lichens were used for a cross-taxon analysis of species diversity. Congruence in species richness was restricted to several significant results, with vascular plants and spiders (Araneae) being best suited as surrogate taxa in alpine habitats of the Scandes. In the cross-taxon analyses they showed strongest significant positive correlations, covering the total species richness of the alpine habitats best. Species counts in one group account for up to 70% of the variation in total species richness. We found only limited evidence for an ideal, efficient biodiversity indicator taxon that could be applied without restrictions at different alpine habitats in low and middle alpine areas. Thus, our results suggest that it is very important to use more than one taxon as indicator for species richness in terrestrial alpine habitats. This should facilitate future conservation planning in alpine areas.

Cross-taxon congruence of α and β diversity among five leaf litter arthropod groups in Colombia

“…In this context the assessment of biodiversity indicators on multiple scales has gained great momentum over the last decade (Caro and O'doherty 1999;Duelli and Obrist 2003;Wolters et al 2006;McGeoch 2007). In particular, different arthropod groups have attracted interest as potential indicators of biodiversity because of their significant contribution to global species richness, biomass and a large variety of ecological functions and lifestyles (Kotze and Samways 1999;Moritz et al 2001;Sauberer et al 2004;Schulze et al 2004;Lovell et al 2007;Basset et al 2008a, b;Kessler et al 2009;Maleque et al 2009;Uehara-Prado et al 2009;Finch and Löffler 2010;Leal et al 2010;Vásquez-Velez et al 2010).…”

An expert-based approach to invertebrate conservation: Identification of priority areas in central-eastern Alps

“…In general, an area potentially rich in focal species is a place with habitats particularly sensitive to human activities like soil use, hydrogeological regimes, habitat fragmentation etc. The multi-taxa approach used to highlight these areas of conservation interest should facilitate future conservation planning in the Alps, due to the function of some groups as a proxy for overall species diversity, or for the diversity of another taxon (Finch & Loffler 2010;Lovell, Hamer, Slotow, & Herbert 2007;Tropek, Spitzer, & Konvicka 2008).…”

Relaciones de abundancia de órdenes de hexápodos terrestres en vegas altoandinas del desierto-transicional de Chile

“…Aunque las diferencias en riqueza de familias y abundancia relativa observadas en Hemiptera (mayoritariamente Homoptera), Thysanoptera y Lepidoptera, todos ellos grupos fitófagos, pudieran también deberse a diferencias, aunque leves, en la composición florística de las vegas (Squeo et al, 2006). Considerando la presión a que están sometidas estas unidades del paisaje andino-árido como proveedoras de agua y el riesgo que tienen de degradación por sequedad (Contreras, 2002;Squeo et al, 2006), colémbolos y dípteros tendrían la potencialidad para ser usados como indicadores de cambio de ecosistémico, como lo han sugerido Finch & Löffler (2010) para ambientes alpinos de otras latitudes. No obstante, aún no está resuelto si esta potencialidad debe ser explorada a nivel específico o bastan para ello niveles taxonómicos superiores, como lo han propuesto recientemente diversos autores (p. e., Groc et al, 2010;Buschke et al 2011).…”