Beng et al. 2016. The utility of DNA metabarcoding for studying the response of arthropod diversity and composition to land-use change in the tropics. Scientific Reports. http://www.nature.com/articles/srep24965
Abstract: Metabarcoding potentially offers a rapid and cheap method of monitoring biodiversity, but real-world applications are few. We investigated its utility in studying patterns of litter arthropod diversity and composition in the tropics. We collected litter arthropods from 35 matched forest-plantation sites across Xishuangbanna, southwestern China. A new primer combination and the MiSeq platform were used to amplify and sequence a wide variety of litter arthropods using simulated and real-world communities. Quality filtered reads were clustered into 3,624 MOTUs at ≥97% similarity and the taxonomy of each MOTU was predicted. We compared diversity and compositional differences between forests and plantations (rubber and tea) for all MOTUs and for eight arthropod groups. We obtained ~100% detection rate after in silico sequencing six mock communities with known arthropod composition. Ordination showed that rubber, tea and forest communities formed distinct clusters. α-diversity declined significantly between forests and adjacent plantations for more arthropod groups in rubber than tea, and diversity of order Orthoptera increased significantly in tea. Turnover was higher in forests than plantations, but patterns differed among groups. Metabarcoding is useful for quantifying diversity patterns of arthropods under different land-uses and the MiSeq platform is effective for arthropod metabarcoding in the tropics.
Sreekar et al. 2016. Effects of forests, roads and mistletoe on bird diversity in monoculture rubber plantations. Scientific Reports. http://www.nature.com/articles/srep21822
Abstract: Rising global demand for natural rubber is expanding monoculture rubber (Hevea brasilensis) at the expense of natural forests in the Old World tropics. Conversion of forests into rubber plantations has a devastating impact on biodiversity and we have yet to identify management strategies that can mitigate this. We determined the life-history traits that best predict bird species occurrence in rubber plantations in SW China and investigated the effects of surrounding forest cover and distance to roads on bird diversity. Mistletoes provide nectar and fruit resources in rubber so we examined mistletoe densities and the relationship with forest cover and rubber tree diameter. In rubber plantations, we recorded less than half of all bird species extant in the surrounding area. Birds with wider habitat breadths and low conservation value had a higher probability of occurrence. Species richness and diversity increased logarithmically with surrounding forest cover, but roads had little effect. Mistletoe density increased exponentially with rubber tree diameters, but was unrelated to forest cover. To maximize bird diversity in rubber-dominated landscapes it is therefore necessary to preserve as much forest as possible, construct roads through plantations and not forest, and retain some large rubber trees with mistletoes during crop rotations.
Congratulations to Guohualing and Sreekar who both received ‘excellent’ evaluations for their MSc theses, defended on 3 December. Great going guys!
Thanks to the examination committee for taking the time to review Jiajia and Lingling’s theses, and especially to Dr Eben Goodale and Dr Rhett Harrison for travelling to Xishuangbanna to participate in the theses defences.
Kyle Tomlinson was awarded a full NSFC grant for his project titled: Ecology and distribution of Spinescent Plants in Yunnan (Project code: C030102, Amount RMB 840,000) More on the project can be found here.
Ji Mingyue recently joined the lab as a research assistant. Mingyue received her MSc under the Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology at XTBG this year. Welcome Mingyue!
Congratulations to Jiajia and Lingling who both gave very interesting presentations to a packed room and faced down a tough and probing defence committee. We are all very proud of you and wish you much success in your future academic careers.
A big thank you to the examination committee for taking the time to review Jiajia and Lingling’s theses, and especially to Dr Ferry Slik (Jiajia’s supervisor and Lingling’s mentor) for making the journey from Brunei for the defences.
Lingling and Jiajia after the confirmation ceremony. The batik shirts were presents from Ferry and his wife Sumi.
Jiajia Liu, Ferry Slik and Lingling Shi.
Jiajia and Lingling with the defence committee and supervisors.
