Abstract:

Knowledge of Argentinian Camptosomata has largely remained static for the last 60 years since the last publication by Francisco de Asis Monrós in the 1950’s. One hundred and ninety Camptosomata species (182 Cryptocephalinae and 8 Lamprosomatinae) in 31 genera are recorded herein from Argentina. Illustrated diagnostic keys to the subfamilies, tribes, subtribes and genera of Argentinian Camptosomata, plus species checklists and illustrations for all genera of camptosomatan beetles cited for each political region of Argentina are provided. General notes on the taxonomy and distribution, as well as basic statistics, are also included. This study provides basic information about the Camptosomata fauna in Argentina that will facilitate in the accurate generic-level identification of this group and aid subsequent taxonomic revisions, and phylogenetic, ecological, and biogeographic studies. This information will also facilitate faunistic comparisons between neighboring countries. Two nomenclatural acts are proposed: Temnodachrys (Temnodachrys) argentina (Guérin, 1952), comb. n., and Metallactus bivitticollis (Jacoby, 1907), comb. n. The following are new records for Argentina: Stegnocephala xanthopyga (Suffrian, 1863) and Lamprosoma azureum Germar, 1824. Currently, the most diverse camptosomate tribe in Argentina is Clytrini, with almost twice the number of species of Cryptocephalini. New records for Argentina are predicted.

Author affiliation: Agrain, Federico Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Chamorro, María Lourdes. National Museum of Natural History; Estados Unidos

Author affiliation: Cabrera, Nora Clara. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Sassi, Davide. Università degli Studi di Milano; Italia

Author affiliation: Roig, Sergio Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina

Abstract:

Knowledge of Argentinian Camptosomata has largely remained static for the last 60 years since the last publication by Francisco de Asis Monrós in the 1950’s. One hundred and ninety Camptosomata species (182 Cryptocephalinae and 8 Lamprosomatinae) in 31 genera are recorded herein from Argentina. Illustrated diagnostic keys to the subfamilies, tribes, subtribes and genera of Argentinian Camptosomata, plus species checklists and illustrations for all genera of camptosomatan beetles cited for each political region of Argentina are provided. General notes on the taxonomy and distribution, as well as basic statistics, are also included. This study provides basic information about the Camptosomata fauna in Argentina that will facilitate in the accurate generic-level identification of this group and aid subsequent taxonomic revisions, and phylogenetic, ecological, and biogeographic studies. This information will also facilitate faunistic comparisons between neighboring countries. Two nomenclatural acts are proposed: Temnodachrys (Temnodachrys) argentina (Guérin, 1952), comb. n., and Metallactus bivitticollis (Jacoby, 1907), comb. n. The following are new records for Argentina: Stegnocephala xanthopyga (Suffrian, 1863) and Lamprosoma azureum Germar, 1824. Currently, the most diverse camptosomate tribe in Argentina is Clytrini, with almost twice the number of species of Cryptocephalini. New records for Argentina are predicted.

Author affiliation: Agrain, Federico Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Chamorro, Maria Lourdes. National Museum of Natural History; Estados Unidos

Author affiliation: Cabrera, Nora Clara. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Sassi, Davide. Università degli Studi di Milano; Italia

Author affiliation: Roig, Sergio Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina

Abstract:

Pollinators may be declining globally, a matter of concern because animal pollination is required by most of the world’s plant species, including many crop plants. Human land use and the loss of native habitats is thought to be an important driver of decline for wild, native pollinators, yet the findings of published studies on this topic have never been quantitatively synthesized. Here we use meta-analysis to synthesize the literature on how bees, the most important group of pollinators, are affected by human disturbances such as habitat loss, grazing, logging, and agriculture. We obtained 130 effect sizes from 54 published studies recording bee abundance and/or species richness as a function of human disturbance. Both bee abundance and species richness were significantly, negatively affected by disturbance. However, the magnitude of the effects was not large. Furthermore, the only disturbance type showing a significant negative effect, habitat loss and fragmentation, was statistically significant only in systems where very little natural habitat remains. Therefore, it would be premature to draw conclusions about habitat loss having caused global pollinator decline without first assessing the extent to which the existing studies represent the status of global ecosystems. Future pollinator declines seem likely given forecasts of increasing land-use change.

Author affiliation: Winfree, Rachel. University of California Berkeley; Estados Unidos

Author affiliation: Aguilar, Ramiro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina

Author affiliation: Vazquez, Diego P.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina

Author affiliation: LeBuhn, Gretchen. San Francisco State University; Estados Unidos

Author affiliation: Aizen, Marcelo Adrian. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche. Laboratorio de Ecotono; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Abstract:

Agriculture intensification is one of the main threats to biodiversity in agricultural systems. The effectiveness of conservation strategies in these systems depends mainly on the compromise between biodiversity conservation and agricultural land use. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of land-use intensity, characteristics of linear habitats (field borders) and their surrounding fields (landscape) on small mammal richness and abundance in agricultural systems of Argentina. In autumn 2009, we performed a removal sampling in 60 traplines located in the field borders of high or low land-use intensity regions. In traplines under high land-use intensity we found seven species while under low land-use intensity we found ten. Characteristic species of grasslands and woodlands such as Monodelphis dimidiata, Thylamys pallidior, Necromys lasiurus and Graomys griseoflavus were only captured in traplines under low land-use intensity. Higher numbers of Calomys musculinus species (habitat generalist) were observed under high land-use intensity while Akodon azarae and Oxymycterus rufus species, known as habitat specialists, were more frequently found in the low land-use intensity region. Border width and height, as well as land use of both sides of the border, were major variables for explaining small mammal abundances. Our results suggest that conservation of wide field borders with characteristics similar to those of natural habitats would be crucial for sustainable management of Pampean agricultural systems which hold high richness and abundance of small mammal species.

Author affiliation: Gomez, Maria Daniela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto; Argentina

Author affiliation: Coda, José Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto; Argentina

Author affiliation: Simone, Ivana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto; Argentina

Author affiliation: Martínez, Juan José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto; Argentina

Author affiliation: Bonatto, Maria Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto; Argentina

Author affiliation: Steinmann, Andrea Rosa. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Priotto, Jose Waldemar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto; Argentina

Abstract:

The intensive use of herbicides in agricultural soils of the Pampas region (Argentina) is a matter of environmental concern. We investigated the impacts of three widely used, post-emergence herbicides, glyphosate, 2,4-dicholorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and metsulfuron-methyl, on soil microbial communities by an integrated approach using short-term soil incubations. The key structural and functional parameters were estimated by culturable aerobic heterotrophic bacterial (AHB) density, substrate-induced respiration (SIR), dehydrogenase activity (DHA), fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis, and functional richness. Functional richness was evaluated as the proportion of carbon sources utilized in microplates containing various carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, amino acids and aromatic compounds, and 1,3,5-triphenyiltetrazolium chloride (TTC) as redox dye. Three different soil types (Typic Argiudoll, Typic Haplustoll and Petrocalcic Paleustoll) were collected from agricultural fields with reported history of herbicide application. Soil microcosms were treated with one herbicide at a time at a dose 10 times higher than the recommended field application rates (glyphosate, 150 mg a.i. kg-1; 2,4-D, 5 mg a.i. kg-1; metsulfuron-methyl, 1 mg a.i. kg-1 soil) and incubated for up to 3 weeks. Metsulfuron-methyl had the least pronounced effects on soil microbial community. 2,4-D showed transient effects on soils, inhibiting either SIR or FDA and stimulating DHA. Several short-term effects of glyphosate on microbial activities and bacterial density were observed: (1) early stimulation of SIR and AHB; (2) dissimilar response in the soils for FDA and DHA; (3) transient increase in functional richness. To conclude, the addition of these herbicides at a dose 10 times higher than the normal field application rates caused minor changes to soil microbial activity, bacterial density and functional richness. The specific changes varied among herbicides, with the effects of glyphosate most pronounced.

Author affiliation: Zabaloy, Maria Celina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; Argentina

Author affiliation: Garland, Jay L.. Dynamac Corporation; Estados Unidos

Author affiliation: Gomez, Marisa Anahi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Agronomía; Argentina

Abstract:

A distinct trend of decreasing biodiversity from the tropics to the poles is well-known for terrestrial organisms. This pattern, however, is less clear in marine systems. In the present study, an inverse latitudinal biodiversity pattern is reported for the asellote isopods from Argentina. Species richness is shown to be about six times higher in the Beagle Channel and southern Patagonia, i.e., south of 47°S, than north of this latitude. This high species richness of Asellota south of 47°S seems to be related with the predominance of gravelly bottoms in the southern Patagonian shelf and also with the tectonic history of the southern tip of South America. Inverse latitudinal gradients had been reported previously for echinoderms, bryozoans, sponges, amphipods and macroalgae from the southern Southwest Atlantic. Based on unpublished new records and information gathered from the literature, a database summarizing the distribution ranges of the Asellota along the coast of Argentina was compiled. A total of 108 species was recorded and the distribution records of this fauna were increased by 36.15 % (260 and 354 before and after our surveys, respectively).

Author affiliation: Doti, Brenda Lía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; Argentina

Author affiliation: Roccatagliata, Daniel Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; Argentina

Author affiliation: Lopez Gappa, Juan Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina

Abstract:

Deforestation and over-grazing mediated by the humans have caused a serious process of desertification in the Argentine Monte Desert, which threats biodiversity of this ecosystem. Forests provide important resources and refuge for animal species, such as ants. The objective of this work was to survey the ant fauna of dryland forests of Ischigualasto Provincial Park, a protected area located in the hyper-arid Monte Desert ecoregion in the province of San Juan, Argentina. Ant species were surveyed in summer in three types of forests (Prosopis, Ramorinoa and Bulnesia forests), using a combination of sampling methods: pitfall-traps, baiting, and hand collection. A total of 33 ant species were collected, of which 17 are new records for the Monte Desert and Dry Chaco and 24 for the San Juan province. The species richness is within the range reported for other Argentine desert and semi-desert areas. Prosopis forest was the richest with 32 species (24 exclusive), followed by Ramorinoa and Bulnesia forests with 11 and 4 species, respectively. This study contributes to improve the knowledge of ant fauna in desert habitats of the world, especially those inhabiting Prosopis forests, which are the most important ant diversity hotspots within the hyper-arid desert.

Author affiliation: Amatta, Emilce del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina

Author affiliation: Calcaterra, Luis Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Fundación para el Estudio de Especies Invasivas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Giannoni, Stella Maris. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina

Abstract:

Coleoptera and Heteroptera associated with aquatic environments were studied at Berisso, near Río de La Plata estuary (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina). Four waterbodies were characterized and compared: artificial pond, shallow pool, stream and artificial channel. Sampling was done twice a month, with a round sieve, for 12 months (April 1999 to April 2000). Sampling was quantified using a discrete unit of time (one hour/worker). Where floating vegetation was present, four 25 cm diameter samples were extracted and placed in a Berlese-Tullgren funnel for 48 hours. Temperature, pH and conductivity were measured. Specimens were preserved in 70° ethanol. Similarities in taxonomic composition among sampling stations were quantified using Jaccard’s index based on a presence/absence matrix for the insect fauna of each sampling station. A total of 68 species belonging to 8 families of Coleoptera and 11 families of Heteroptera were collected. The highest number of species (41) was recorded in the shallow pool (stream 34 species; artificial pond 29; artificial channel 25). The highest specific diversity values were observed during spring in all sampling stations. The highest frequency of Coleoptera was shown by Helochares talarum Fernández and Suphisellus nigrinus (Aubé) (?). In the Heteroptera it was shown by Lipostemmata humeralis Berg, Lipogomphus lacuniferus Berg and Rheumatobates bonariensis (Berg). The most abundant species were not necessarily the most frequent ones. Coleoptera is the most important group in species richness. Each environment had a taxocoenosis of Coleoptera and Heteroptera with inherent characteristics.

Author affiliation: Fernandez, Liliana Alicia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raul A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina

Author affiliation: López Ruf, Mónica. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina

Abstract:

Freshwater habitats are important elements within urban green space, and they are endangered by various types of human activity. With the aim to increase the knowledge about species biodiversity in urban ecosystems, we characterized the assemblages of aquatic insects in four man-made permanent ponds in Buenos Aires city (Argentina) during a one year period. The species richness recorded was 32. The most abundant taxa in three ponds were Sigara spp. (Hemiptera) and Chironominae (Diptera), in the other pond were Sigara and Caenis (Ephemeroptera). The removal of aquatic vegetation from the study ponds may affect both the establishment and permanence of the insect community. Swimmers were the dominant group in the studied sites, followed by burrowers and sprawlers, only a few strictly climbers were collected. Accordingly, all the ponds were dominated by collectors (principally gatherers), secondarily by predators and only few shredders were detected, which was much affected by the extraction of macrophytes. Non-parametric abundance indexes estimated a number of species very close to the observed number in each site. Conversely, the incidence indexes estimated more species because there were many more taxa presented only in one sample than those represented by few individual in a sample. The present study contributes with some knowledge that can improve the management of these aquatic urban habitats. Considering that macrophytes affect animal assemblages due to their role as physical structures that increase the complexity or heterogeneity of habitats, they should not be removed by authorities in order to promote biodiversity.

Author affiliation: Fontanarrosa, María Soledad. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución. Laboratorio de Limnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; Argentina

Author affiliation: Collantes, Marta Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina

Author affiliation: Bachmann, Axel Oscar. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biologia Experimental. Laboratorio de Entomologia; Argentina

Abstract:

Over 65% of drylands are used for grazing of managed livestock. Understanding what drives grazing effects on the structure and functioning of rangelands is critical for achieving their sustainability. We studied a network of 239 sites across Patagonian rangelands (Argentina), which constitute one of the world's largest rangeland area. We aimed to (i) evaluate how aridity and grazing affect ecosystem structure and functioning and (ii) test the usefulness of the landscape function analysis (LFA) indices (stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling) as surrogates of soil functioning. Aridity decreased species richness and the cover of palatable grasses but increased the cover of palatable shrubs. Grazing pressure negatively impacted the cover of palatable grasses and species richness but did not affect the cover of shrubs. Aridity had direct and indirect negative relationships with the LFA indices. Grazing pressure had no direct effects on the LFA indices but had an indirect negative effect on them by affecting vegetation structure. The LFA indices were positively and negatively correlated with soil organic carbon and sand contents, respectively, suggesting that these indices are useful proxies of soil functional processes in Patagonian rangelands. Our findings indicate that aridity and overgrazing have convergent effects on the structure and functioning of ecosystems, as both promoted reductions in species richness, the cover of palatable grasses and soil functioning. Rangeland management activities should aim to enhance species richness and the cover of palatable grasses, as these actions could contribute to offset adverse effects of ongoing increases in aridity on drylands. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Author affiliation: Gaitán, Juan José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Recursos Naturales. Instituto de Suelos; Argentina

Author affiliation: Bran, Donaldo Eduardo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina

Author affiliation: Oliva, Gabriel Esteban. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina

Author affiliation: Aguiar, Martin Roberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. ; Argentina

Author affiliation: Buono, Gustavo Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina

Author affiliation: Ferrante, Daniela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina

Author affiliation: Nakamatsu, Viviana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina

Author affiliation: Ciari, Georgina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina

Author affiliation: Salomone, Jorge M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina

Author affiliation: Massara, Virginia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina

Author affiliation: García Martínez, Guillermo Carlos. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina

Author affiliation: Maestre, Fernando T.. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos; España