LandKlif
Climate and Biodiversity Research in Bavaria
In this Bavaria-wide biodiversity assessment project, malaise traps were set up at 180 sites and the samples analyzed using our DNA Metabarcoding Service. The results were then visualized to show changes in biodiversity. The aim of the project was to use a network-based approach to record the species occurrence in different habitats (forest, meadow, field and settlement) and to visualize their development over time. Sampling took place in May, June, and July 2019. In May, more than 3,800 taxa (species), in June more than 4,500 taxa and in July more than 4,100 taxa were detected in the different habitats.
Network analysis of habitat specific species
We conducted a network-based analysis of Malaise trap samples collected from 180 sites in forest, meadow, arable field, and residential habitats across Bavaria. Sampling was conducted in May, June, and July 2019. The three networks generated for each month visualize temporal variation in taxa collected (gray nodes) and assign them to habitat types (colored nodes: forest = green; meadow = pink; arable field = red; settlement = blue). Samples with more taxa in a common cluster are closer together or even form groups. The size of a node is proportional to its number of edges. For example, if a green node (i.e., a Malaise trap located in the forest) is larger than another node, it follows that significantly more taxa are associated with this sample (G test of independence; p <0.001). On the other hand, if a gray node (i.e., taxon) is more frequently co-occurring within the network, it has more edges in common with different sample sites and is therefore larger.
Megaselia spec. (BOLD: AAG3266) is the most abundant genus in May across all habitats, while Chorthippus parallelus (among others BOLD: AAC3399) is by far the most dominant species for June and July. Overall, we assigned habitat samples a total of 3,828 taxa and 60,314 edges for May, 4,516 taxa and 75,487 edges for June, and 4,149 taxa with a total of 77,752 edges for July.
Copyrights: Chorthippus parallelus © Göran Liljeberg; Lissonota coracina © James Lindsey (Ecology of Commanster); Anthomyia liturata © Dick Belgers (waarneming.nl); Dipogon bifasciatus © Josef Dvorak (biolib.cz); Blaesoxipha plumicornis © Steven Falk.
To highlight temporal changes, we highlighted several species significantly associated with a particular habitat across Bavaria (LDA effect size1; p ≤ 0.05). We created barplots showing the presence of several characteristic species: Lissonota coracina (BOLD: ACJ3513) for agricultural areas, Dipogon bifasciatus (BOLD: ABU9027) for forests, and Trachysiphonella scutellata (BOLD: ACQ9206) for urban areas. In addition, we plotted the positions of all Malaise traps on the overlaid map of Bavaria.
Some examples of biomarker species in May in different habitats are: Forest: Priocnemis perturbator (BOLD: AAN3827); Meadow: Heleomyza serrata (bold: ABX8716); cropland: Lissonota coracina (bold: ACJ3513); and settlement: Cricotopus rufiventris (bold: AAM5377). Biomarker species in June: forest: Dipogon bifasciatus (BOLD: ABU9027); meadow: Exetastes geniculosus (bold: ACI4142); cropland: Anthomyia liturata (bold: ACE4539); and settlement: Celypha striana (bold: AAC1559). Examples of biomarker species in July: forest: Stictoleptura rubra (BOLD: AAI8975); meadow: Blaesoxipha plumicornis (bold: ACD2673); cropland: Leptogaster cylindrica (bold: ACB5185); and settlement: Trachysiphonella scutellata (bold: ACQ9206).
Organism-based biodiversity monitoring can become a powerful tool using DNA metabarcoding. Specific site indicator species, individual communities and changes in biodiversity can be impressively highlighted and large data sets can be presented in comprehensive graphs.
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