Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/ ZENODOarrow_drop_down
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/
ZENODO
Article . 2022
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Article . 2022
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Article . 2022
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
versions View all 2 versions
addClaim

Vegetation shapes alpine ground-dwelling macro-invertebrate communities: A case study from the Stilfserjoch/Stelvio National Park (Martell/Martello, South Tyrol, Italy)

Authors: Steinwandter Michael, Blasbichler Helene & Seeber Julia;

Vegetation shapes alpine ground-dwelling macro-invertebrate communities: A case study from the Stilfserjoch/Stelvio National Park (Martell/Martello, South Tyrol, Italy)

Abstract

There are few studies on ground-dwelling invertebrates from alpine ecosystems, often with only one or a few samplings per growing season. However, to get a most comprehensive picture of the faunal community present, samplings throughout an entire season are needed. Here we present data on ground-dwelling macro-invertebrate communities from four characteristic alpine habitats (i.e., pasture, dwarf shrub heath, grassland, and fragmented grassland) along a short elevation gradient. They were monitored continuously over almost an entire growing season (June to October) using pitfall traps. We found considerable differences between the four habitat types, with the pasture having the lowest abundances (i.e., activity densities as individuals per sampling day). At the other three sites, biodiversity indices (i.e., Shannon and Evenness) increased with elevation, while the activity densities of the main taxa Araneae, Myriapoda and Coleoptera decreased; they showed a peak activity in mid-July to mid-August. The faunal communities, despite sharing many families among habitat types, showed a clear separation of three groups in the ordination plot (CCA), with the pasture and grassland harbouring similar communities and being well separated from the ones of the dwarf shrub heath and the fragmented grassland. In this study we found distinct ground-dwelling macro-invertebrate communities in four characteristic alpine habitats, despite their spatial proximity. We found the vegetation (i.e., here plant life-forms as proxy) being a strong driver shaping faunal communities. Additionally, the quite intensive grazing activities on the pasture might have negative impact on the invertebrates, while low/no grazing at the more natural higher plots (i.e., grassland and fragments) and a high habitat heterogeneity (at the fragmented grasslands) might be reflected in high numbers of abundances and biodiversity indices. Our study underlines the importance of assessing alpine soil fauna by performing many samplings throughout a growing season to depict most complete faunal communities.

Related Organizations
Keywords

pitfall traps, protected area, alpine plant communities, Diplopoda, Coleoptera, Araneae

  • BIP!
    Impact byBIP!
    selected citations
    These citations are derived from selected sources.
    This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    1
    popularity
    This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
    influence
    This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    Average
    impulse
    This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
    OpenAIRE UsageCounts
    Usage byUsageCounts
    visibility views 12
    download downloads 18
  • 12
    views
    18
    downloads
    Powered byOpenAIRE UsageCounts
Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
visibility
download
selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
views
OpenAIRE UsageCountsViews provided by UsageCounts
downloads
OpenAIRE UsageCountsDownloads provided by UsageCounts
1
Average
Average
Average
12
18
Green
Related to Research communities
Italian National Biodiversity Future Center