Selective extinction and habitat nestedness are the main drivers of lizard nestedness in the Zhoushan Archipelago

Nested subset pattern(nestedness)is an important part of the theoretical framework of island biogeography and community ecology.However,most previous studies often used nestedness metrics or randomization algorithms that are vulnerable to type I error.In this study,we inves-tigated the nestedness of lizard assemblages on 37 islands in the Zhoushan Archipelago,China.We used the line-transect method to survey species occurrence,abundance,and habitat types of lizards on 37 islands during 2 breeding seasons in 2021 and 2022.We applied the nested metric WNODF and the conservative rc null model to control for type I error and quantify the significance of nestedness.Spearman rank cor relations were used to evaluate the role of 4 habitat variables(island area,2 isolation indices,and habitat diversity)and 4 ecological traits(body size,geographic range size,clutch size,and minimum area requirement)in generating nestedness.The results of WNODF analyses showed that lizard assemblages were significantly nested.The habitat-by-site matrix estimated by the program NODF was also significantly nested,support-ing the habitat nestedness hypothesis.The nestedness of lizard assemblages were significantly correlated with island area,habitat diversity.clutch size,and minimum area requirement.Overall,our results suggest that selective extinction and habitat nestedness were the main drivers of lizard nestedness in our system.In contrast,the nestedness of lizard assemblages was not due to passive sampling or selective colonization.To maximize the number of species preserved,our results indicate that we should protect both large islands with diverse habitats and species with largearea requirement and clutch size.

Were Late Cretaceous extinctions of gastropods selective by generic longevity?

Many gastropod taxa went extinct during the Late Cretaceous. The stratigraphic ranges of 268 genera permit to establish the longevity of extinction victims for each stage of this epoch. ＂Young＂ taxa （originated within B epochs before the extinction） prevailed among victims of the extinctions in all stages. The proportion of ＂old＂ taxa （originated before the Cretaceous） that went extinct was the highest in the Cenomanian, and it was the lowest in the Coniacian and the Maastrichtian. It appears that the end-Cretaceous mass extinction affected chiefly ＂young＂ taxa. However, the comparison with the earlier time intervals suggests that this pattern of selectivity by generic longevity was not specific for the noted catastrophe, but, in contrast, it was typical for the entire Late Cretaceous. The latest Cenomanian environmental perturbation （OAE2） caused a stronger extinction of＂old＂ taxa, and thus, this biotic crisis was less selective by generic longevity. This hypothesis, however, is not proven by the statistical test.

Nestedness of snake assemblages on islands of an inundated lake

Abstract Nestedness is a pattern frequently reported for faunal assemblages in fragmented systems. Although nestedness has been documented for a wide range of taxa, it is rarely tested in snake assemblages. To arrive at robust generalizations about processes and mechanisms structuring island biotas, it is important to examine under-represented taxa such as snakes for the insights they may offer. We tested for the existence of nestedness and underlying causal mechanisms using snake data collected on islands in the Thousand Island Lake, China. We used the line-transect method to survey snake occupancy and abundance on 20 islands during two breeding seasons in 2009 and 2010. We used the recently developed metric WNODF to estimate nestedness. We used Spearman rank correlations to examine the associations of nestedness and habitat variables （area, isolation, and habitat diversity） as well as life-history traits （body size, clutch size, geographical range size and area requirement） related to species extinction and immigration tendencies. Snake assemblages were significantly nested and were shaped by extinction processes mediated through area effects and habitat nestedness. The nestedness of snake assemblages was not due to passive sampling or selective colonization. From a conservation viewpoint, our results indicate that we should protect both the largest island with the most species-rich community and habitat-rich islands to maximize the number of species preserved .

Nestedness and underlying processes of bird assemblages in Nanjing urban parks

Nestedness is an important pattern frequently reported for species assemblages on islands or fragmented systems.However,to date,there are few studies that comprehensively investigated faunal nestedness and underlying processes in urbanized landscapes.In this study,we examined the nestedness of bird assemblages and its underlying causal mechanisms in 37 urban parks in Nanjing,China.We used the line-transect method to survey birds from April 2019 to January 2020.We used the Weighted Nestedness metric based on Overlap and Decreasing Fill(WNODF)to estimate the nestedness of bird assemblages.We applied spearman partial correlation test to examine the relationships between nestedness ranks of sites and park characteristics(area,isolation,anthropogenic noise,number of habitat types,and building index),as well as between nestedness ranks of species and their ecological traits(body size,geographic range size,clutch size,minimum area requirement,dispersal ratio,and habitat specificity).We found that bird assemblages in urban parks were significantly nested.Park area,habitat diversity,building index,habitat specificity,and minimum area requirement of birds were significantly correlated with nestedness.Therefore,the nestedness of bird assemblages was caused by selective extinction,habitat nestedness,and urbanization.However,the nestedness of bird assemblages did not result from passive sampling,selective colonization,or human disturbance.Overall,to maximize the number of species preserved in our system,conservation priority should be given to parks with large area,rich habitat diversity,and less building index.From a species perspective,we should focus on species with large area requirement and high habitat specificity for their effective conservation.