Search publications of the members of the Royal Belgian institute of natural Sciences
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Behavioural and genetic mechanisms behind ecotypic divergence under gene flow in a salt marsh beetle
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Can natal habitat learning drive assortative mating by spatial sorting
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Does preference for the habitat in which you are born lead to sympatric speciation in a salt marsh beetle
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The COBIMFO project: An assessment of the relation between carbon storage and biodiversity in the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve (DR Congo)
- Anthropogenic climate change represents a major threat to biodiversity as well as to human well-being. Humanity’s response is to (attempt to) develop and implement mitigation strategies that minimise the speed and eventual level of climate change. Prominent among these is the United Nations scheme known as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, REDD+, which focusses on developing countries (including the DRC). The UN-REDD+ strategy aims at protecting and enhancing biosphere carbon stocks, by conserving tropical rainforest systems, as a means to mitigate global climate change. Biodiversity is generally described as a potential ‘co-benefit’ of forest carbon sequestration, but components of forest biodiversity may overlap to different degrees, trade off with, or be largely independent from those that intervene in carbon storage potential. The spatial congruence of biodiversity and carbon stocks has recently become an upcoming issue in science. In general, biodiversity is positively (but rather weakly) associated with ecosystem carbon, but the association is geographically variable, and even reverses in some regions. This lack of consistent relationships can be attributed to the fact that recent ecosystem mapping analyses are performed at large scales, using only species richness as an indicator for biodiversity. Understanding the relationship between carbon stock and biodiversity is needed to maximize the UN-REDD+ gains, to better address the risks of UN-REDD+ programs, and to avoid substantial biodiversity loss. This study will focus on the local scale relation of carbon stock and biodiversity expressed in multiple diversity parameters over a range of taxa. We will use data from the first multi-taxon inventory in the central Congo basin conducted in the framework of the COBIMFO project (Congo basin integrated monitoring for forest carbon mitigation and biodiversity). The project started in 2010 and measured carbon as well as the diversity of 9 different taxa (eumycetozoa, lichens, trees, fungi, diptera, ants, termites, birds and mammals) in the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve. The sampling and species identification is still ongoing. The first objective of this project is to select a set of parameters that can be calculated for each taxon, and that can be normalised so as to be comparable between taxa. We will assess biotic parameters that describe compositional and functional components of the sampled communities. Secondly, we will investigate the relationship between carbon and biodiversity at both the level of the COBIMFO study plots and across the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve as a whole. The chosen parameters will be calculated for each taxon for each site where the taxon was sampled. For each biodiversity parameter, a generalized linear mixed effects model will be fitted to model biodiversity as a function of carbon. As area-wide data on carbon and biodiversity are not readily available, we will generate area-wide predictions of carbon and biodiversity using BIOMOD, an R-based ensemble modelling framework that simultaneously runs up to 10 different Ecological Niche Modelling techniques, based on the carbon and biodiversity data obtained from the COBIMFO study plots. These extrapolated data will then be used to evaluate the spatial distribution of, and relationships between, carbon and biodiversity on a regional scale. Here we will present the preliminary results of the statistical analysis using taxa and biodiversity parameters for which sufficient data will be available. As a result, we will increase our understanding on the implications of carbon conservation on biodiversity. Furthermore, although we do not aim at identifying the complex mechanisms driving the carbon - biodiversity relation, our fine-scale analysis will promote insight in the underlying ecological drivers.
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Diversity and demographic structure of Rodents populations (Rodentia: Mammalia) according an anthropisation gradient in Forestry Reserve of Masako (R. D. Congo)
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Diversity of rodents and shrews in the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve, DR Congo
- The UN-REDD+ strategy aims at protecting and enhancing biosphere carbon stocks, by conserving tropical rainforest systems, as a means to mitigate global climate change. Biodiversity is generally described as a potential ‘co-benefit’ of forest carbon sequestration, but components of forest biodiversity may overlap to different degrees, trade off with, or be largely independent from those that intervene in carbon storage potential. In general, biodiversity is positively (but rather weakly) associated with ecosystem carbon, but the association is geographically variable, and even reverses in some regions. Understanding the relationship between carbon stock and biodiversity is needed to maximize the UNREDD+ gains, to better address the risks of UN-REDD+ programs, and to avoid substantial biodiversity loss. Therefore, this study will focus on the local scale relation of carbon stock and biodiversity expressed in multiple diversity parameters over a range of taxa. We will use data from the first multi-taxon inventory in the central Congo basin conducted in the framework of the COBIMFO project (Congo basin integrated monitoring for forest carbon mitigation and biodiversity). The project started in 2010 and measured carbon as well as the diversity of 9 different taxa (eumycetozoa, lichens, trees, fungi, diptera, ants, termites, birds and mammals) in the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve In a first step we monitored the diversity of rodents and shrews in the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve. A total of 617 rodents and shrews were captured in several forest types between July 2013 and June 2014. The specimens were determined using DNA Barcoding. Species richness was generally higher in young-regrowth forests compared to old-growth forests.
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Biodiversity, reproduction and population structure of Sciuridae (Rodentia, Mammalia) from the Forest Reserves of Yoko, Masako and the locality of Uma (Eastern Province, DR Congo)
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Preliminary data on the biodiversity of Rodents (Rodentia) and shrews (Soricomorpha) in the Hunting Area Rubi - Tele (Province Orientale, Democratic Republic of Congo)
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Note on the genus Aegolipton Gressitt, 1940 in Hainan Island, China with description or a new species (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae)
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State of play of the registered exploitation of game at the Control post AFILONDO (Project Pro-roads ) on the RN4 (PK 129, Route Buta, Kisangani, DR Congo)
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High Prevalence of Rickettsia typhi and Bartonella Species in Rats and Fleas, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
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GENBAS: Unravelling the genomic basis of speciation in African cichlids from Lake Tanganyika
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Microdiversity inside macrobiodiversity: Zoonotic risk along the Congo River
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Evolution and Conservation of Central African Biodiversity: Priorities for Future Research and Education in the Congo Basin and Gulf of Guinea
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Pan-African phylogeny of Mus (subgenus Nannomys) reveals one of the most successful mammal radiations in Africa
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High Prevalence of Rickettsia typhi and Bartonella Species in Rats and Fleas, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Specimen collection: An essential tool
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Image stacking: a semi-automated approach allowing high quality mass digitization
- Scientific institutions like museums maintain large collections enabling present and future research. Thanks to the digitization of the collections, in most of these institutes, it enables researchers across the globe to see which collections might be interesting for their projects. However as most of these databases only provide descriptive information and/or metadata, it remains impossible to study these digitized specimens from a distance. As the most precious parts of the collections, like type specimens, are the most requested ones by fellow researcher, these become, inevitably, the most handled ones. Unless a policy exists not to handle them at all, which unfortunately, prevents research. To make sure that collection material like type specimens remain documented for future research and can be studied trough the internet, digitization is the key, 3D or 2D. The only challenge is to chose the right digitization method for the right material and or size (Mathys et al., 2013). Especially small specimens which are often found in insect and invertebrate collections tend to be difficult to digitize in 3D as fine structures can only be seen in µCT recordings, which are still quite expensive pieces of equipment. However, 2D image might provide enough information to conduct for instance taxonomic research. Image stacking is the only way to capture enough detail in a single picture as the low depth of field of camera lenses, makes it almost impossible to get the complete object in focus, unless the aperture is stepped down. However this results in other aberrations as the optical resolution reduces due to the diffraction effect. Thanks to the large computational power of today’s workstations, it is possible to do image stacking rather easily. The only remaining challenge is taking the individual pictures. Readily made commercial stacking columns do exist, but are too expensive to provide one to each department or research group. In this paper we will present the results of a low cost approach consisting of a DSLR camera attached to an automated macro rail with a custom build light tent. As there are no over- or underexposed parts on the resulting images, they are good enough to allow publication without the use of a post-processing software. More importantly, during the photo-shoot of one specimen another can be prepared, alcohol based or dry, for the next shoot. When similar specimens are digitized at the same time, light and aperture settings stay more or less the same, providing a fast and smooth workflow. The stacking of the images, done in Zerene Stacker, can easily be started as a batch process at the end of the working day or during the night. As the total package of this system can be purchased for around € 2.5k several digitization centers can be started in different department allowing faster digitization of the type material.
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Predicting the consequences of nutrient reduction on the eutrophication status of the North Sea.
- In this paper the results from a workshop of the OSPAR Intersessional Correspondence Group on Eutrophication Modelling (ICG-EMO) held in Lowestoft in 2007 are presented. The aim of the workshop was to compare the results of a number of North Sea ecosystem models under different reduction scenarios. In order to achieve comparability of model results the participants were requested to use a minimum spin-up time, common boundary conditions which were derived from a wider-domain model, and a set of common forcing data, with special emphasis on a complete coverage of river nutrient loads. Based on the OSPAR requirements river loads were derived, taking into account the reductions already achieved between 1985 and 2002 for each country. First, for the year 2002, for which the Comprehensive Procedure was applied, the different horizontal distributions of net primary production are compared. Furthermore, the differences in the net primary production between the hindcast run and the 50% nutrient reduction runs are displayed. In order to compare local results, the hindcast and reduction runs are presented for selected target areas and scored against the Comprehensive Procedure assessment levels for the parameters DIN, DIP and chlorophyll. Finally, the temporal development of the assessment parameter bottom oxygen concentration from several models is compared with data from the Dutch monitoring station Terschelling 135. The conclusion from the workshop was that models are useful to support the application of the OSPAR Comprehensive Procedure. The comparative exercise formulated specifically for the workshop required models to be evaluated for pre-defined target areas previously classified as problem areas according to the first application of the Comprehensive Procedure. The responsiveness of the modelled assessment parameters varied between different models but in general the parameter showed a larger response in coastal rather than in offshore waters, which in some cases lead to the goal to achieve a non-problem status. Therefore, the application of the Comprehensive Procedure on model results for parameter assessment opens a new potential in testing eutrophication reduction measures within the North Sea catchment. As a result of the workshop further work was proposed to confirm and bolster confidence in the results. One general field of difficulty appeared to be the model forcing with SPM data in order to achieve realistic levels of light attenuation. Finally, effects of the prescribed spin-up procedure are compared against a long-term run over many years and consequences on the resulting initial nutrient concentrations are highlighted.
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Detection of Algal Blooms in European waters based on satellite chlorophyll data from MERIS and MODIS.
- A technique for algal-bloom detection in European waters is described, based on standard chlorophyll a concentration (Chl) data from two ocean-colour sensors, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS). Comparison of the two data sources shows good agreement in case 1 waters, whereas the difference is significant in coastal waters including turbid areas. A relationship between the water-leaving reflectance at 667 nm and Chl for case 1 waters was used to eliminate pixels where Chl retrieval is contaminated by backscatter from inorganic suspended matter. Daily Chl data are compared to a predefined threshold map to determine whether an algal bloom has occurred. In this study, a threshold map was defined as the 90th percentile of previous years' data to take account of regional differences in typical Chl levels, with separate maps for each sensor to take account of sensor-specific bias. The algal-bloom detection processing chain is described, and example results are presented.
