The transition zone between the Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographic regions is one of the most species-rich areas of North America, known as the Mexican Transition Zone. We sampled mobile insects along a 2000 m elevational gradient for 13 months using flight interception traps (Malaise) to evaluate their diversity, community structure and environmental factors linked to their distribution. We identified 3091 Molecular Operational Taxonomical Units (560 ± 199 SD per trap), out of which 513 were identified to genus and 197 to species. Our results show high turnover at both species and genus levels across the elevational gradient. Elevational diversity patterns varied across taxa: Coleoptera and Lepidoptera showed their highest diversity at mid-elevations, while Diptera and Hymenoptera had increased diversity with elevation. Temperature and vegetation composition best explained the spatial fluctuations of insect diversity. Our work represents the most comprehensive survey of insect communities in the region to date. By combining a long-term survey with high-throughput metabarcoding, this study provides an overview of regional diversity and establishes a foundation for detailed follow-up studies.

• MeSH
• Biodiversity * MeSH
• Insecta * genetics   classification   MeSH
• Altitude * MeSH
• DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic * methods   MeSH
• Tropical Climate MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Mexico MeSH

In the present study, we examined the influence of the dietary inclusion of black soldier fly (BSF) larvae meal on the diversity and composition of the bacterial community in the caecum of Barbary partridges (Alectoris barbara). A total of 54 partridges were divided equally into three treatment groups. The control group (C) received a diet containing corn-soybean meals and the two experimental groups received diets in which soybean meal protein was partially substituted with BSF larvae meal at proportions of 25% (H25) and 50% (H50). The bacterial community of the caecal samples was analysed in 30 slaughtered animals (10 per group) at 64 days of age. High-throughput sequencing targeting the V4-V5 region of the 16 S rRNA gene was used. Firmicutes were the most abundant phylum in all studied categories. This phylum was dominated by the families Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae. The caecal microbiota was significantly altered at the genus level. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LefSe) analysis for the differential taxa abundance revealed several significant dissimilarities between the control group (C) and the groups with 25% and 50% insect meal replacement, with 13 and 20 taxa with significantly different abundances, respectively. Several of these taxa are associated with gut health, fiber fermentation, and metabolic functions, indicating a biological importance of the observed microbial shifts. Compared with the control group, the partridges fed 25% BSF larvae meal had a significantly higher bacterial phylogenetic abundance and richness, which may contribute to improved gut health and a more stable microbial environment. The beta diversity measures revealed that all three groups of animals were significantly spatially separated. The results demonstrated the significant impact of black soldier fly larvae meal on the caecal microbiota of Barbary partridges. The positive influence of the insect meal used was indicated by increased bacterial diversity in the H25 group and increased relative abundance of several potentially beneficial genera in both experimental groups.

• Keywords
• Barbary partridges, Black soldier fly, Gut microbiota, Insect,
• MeSH
• Bacteria genetics   classification   MeSH
• Biodiversity MeSH
• Cecum * microbiology   MeSH
• Diet * MeSH
• Diptera * MeSH
• Galliformes * microbiology   MeSH
• Animal Feed * MeSH
• Larva MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 16S genetics   MeSH
• Gastrointestinal Microbiome * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• RNA, Ribosomal, 16S MeSH

Rapidly radiated groups are usually accompanied by unclear lineage and taxa delineation, which complicates their better understanding in terms of biodiversity, evolutionary processes, and taxonomic treatment. The most species-rich orchid subtribe, Pleurothallidinae, exemplifies an extremely diverse group with a complex evolutionary history associated with Andean orography. Here we combined multi-loci phylogeny reconstruction (HybSeq), genome-wide traits (inferred by flow cytometry), spatial analyses, and biogeography to investigate the evolutionary intricacy of one clade of Pleurothallidinae orchids. To achieve deep insights, we performed multiple species tree reconstruction approaches with the implementation of custom scripts to reveal sources of topological discrepancies and alternative evolutionary scenarios. The phylogeny clearly resolves the delimitation of the main evolutionary lineages corresponding to the accepted genera, with the exception of the genus Specklinia, which is divided into three distinct monophyletic lineages whose taxonomic treatment is proposed. Genome-wide characters (especially genome size) show an association with precipitation seasonality in a geographical context, and partial endoreplication, a unique character of orchids, is geographically restricted to the Andes, Central America, and the Caribbean. Specifically, the Andean region exemplifies the prevalence of bigger genome size and higher GC content, resulting from a higher proportion of species with partial endoreplication. The Andean origin of the clade was also revealed by biogeographic analysis. Our comprehensive approach has provided deep insights into the evolution of this clade and may be a useful tool for unraveling the intricate evolutionary history of similarly complex lineages.

• Keywords
• Andes, GC content, HybSeq, Pleurothallidinae, endoreplication, evolution, genome size, spatial analysis,
• MeSH
• Biological Evolution * MeSH
• Genome Size MeSH
• Phylogeny * MeSH
• Genome, Plant * genetics   MeSH
• Evolution, Molecular MeSH
• Orchidaceae * genetics   classification   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Discovering how species' thermal limits evolve and vary spatially is crucial for predicting their vulnerability to ongoing environmental warming. Current evidence indicates that heat tolerance is less spatially variable than cold tolerance among species, presenting a major concern for organismal vulnerability in a rapidly warming world. This asymmetry in thermal limits has been supported by large-scale geographic studies, across latitudinal and elevational gradients (known as Brett's heat-invariant rule). Yet, how critical limits vary across finer spatial scales (e.g., across microenvironments) is less understood. Here, we show that minimum temperatures are more variable than maximum temperatures at large geographic scales (across latitude/elevation) but are less variable at local scales (within sites), in turn guiding spatial asymmetries in thermal tolerances. Using thermal tolerance measurements from amphibians, insects, and reptiles, we confirm the invariance of heat tolerance at large spatial scales and also find more variable heat than cold tolerances at local scales (an inverted Brett's heat-invariant rule at fine spatial scales). Our results suggest that regional- or global-level studies will likely obscure fine-scale structuring in thermal habitats and corresponding patterns of local heat tolerance adaptation. We emphasize that inferences based on broadscale geographic patterns obscure fine-scale variation in thermal physiology. For instance, a genetic basis for fine-scale variation in thermal physiology may reshuffle spatial and phylogenetic patterns of vulnerability.

• Keywords
• Brett's heat‐invariant rule, elevation, latitude, local scale, macrophysiology, microclimate, spatial scales, amphibians, reptiles, insects, thermal tolerance limits,
• MeSH
• Models, Biological MeSH
• Ecosystem MeSH
• Insecta * physiology   MeSH
• Amphibians * physiology   MeSH
• Reptiles * physiology   MeSH
• Hot Temperature * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Disjunct distributions, characterised by spatially separated populations of related species, offer insights into historical biogeographic patterns and evolutionary processes. This study investigates the evolutionary history of the diving beetle subfamily Lancetinae through a phylogenomic approach incorporating ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and heritage genetic markers. Our findings support an early Miocene origin for Lancetinae, with subsequent diversification influenced by historical vicariance events and long-distance dispersal. The divergence from the closely related subfamily Coptotominae in the late Cretaceous is not consistent with a Gondwanan origin, although highlights a likely Pangean origin for these taxa. This research underscores the significant impact of Gondwanan fragmentation on biogeographic patterns and highlights the remarkable dispersal capabilities of Lancetinae beetles.

• Keywords
• Adaptation, Biogeography, Dispersal, Diving beetles, Lancetes,
• MeSH
• Bayes Theorem MeSH
• Biological Evolution * MeSH
• Coleoptera * genetics   classification   MeSH
• Phylogeny * MeSH
• Phylogeography MeSH
• Adaptation, Physiological genetics   MeSH
• DNA, Mitochondrial genetics   MeSH
• Models, Genetic MeSH
• Evolution, Molecular MeSH
• Cold Temperature MeSH
• Sequence Analysis, DNA MeSH
• Fresh Water MeSH
• Genetic Speciation * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Mitochondrial MeSH

Microbial biostalactites and streamers commonly grow at iron seepages in abandoned mines worldwide. This study addresses the diversity and composition of these simple prokaryotic communities, which thrive in pH ranges from 2.4 to 6.6 across six different mines. Our analysis of 85 communities reveals that a pH of approximately 3.2 is a critical threshold where alpha and beta diversity change discretely. Below this pH, the average number of ASVs per sample is 2.91 times lower than above this boundary. Autotrophs, heterotrophs, and symbionts of eukaryotes originate from nearly non-overlapping species pools in the two habitat types that differ only in pH. Communities below pH 3.2 further divide into two distinct groups, differing in diversity, taxonomic, and functional composition. Both types of communities coexist within the same stalactites, likely corresponding to zones where the capillary structure of the stalactite is either perfused or clogged. These findings indicate that microbial community structure can be significantly influenced by the intricate spatial organization of the ecosystem, rather than solely by measurable environmental parameters.

• MeSH
• Archaea metabolism   classification   genetics   MeSH
• Bacteria * classification   metabolism   genetics   MeSH
• Biodiversity MeSH
• Ecosystem MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Mining MeSH
• Hydrogen-Ion Concentration MeSH
• Microbiota MeSH
• Oxidation-Reduction * MeSH
• Iron * metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Iron * MeSH

Reciprocal effects of adaptive radiations on the evolution of interspecific interactions, like parasitism, remain barely explored. We test whether the recent radiations of European whitefish (Coregonus spp.) across and within perialpine and subarctic lakes promote its parasite Proteocephalus fallax (Platyhelminthes: Cestoda) to undergo host repertoire expansion via opportunity and ecological fitting, or adaptive radiation by specialization. Using de novo genomic data, we examined P. fallax differentiation across lakes, within lakes across sympatric host species, and the contributions of host genetics versus host habitat use and trophic preferences. Whitefish intralake radiations prompted parasite host repertoire expansion in all lakes, whereas P. fallax differentiation remains incipient among sympatric fish hosts. Whitefish genetic differentiation per se did not explain the genetic differentiation among its parasite populations, ruling out codivergence with the host. Instead, incipient parasite differentiation was driven by whitefish phenotypic radiation in trophic preferences and habitat use in an arena of parasite opportunity and ecological fitting to utilize resources from emerging hosts. Whilst the whitefish radiation provides a substrate for the parasite to differentiate along the same water-depth ecological axis as Coregonus spp., the role of the intermediate hosts in parasite speciation may be overlooked. Parasite multiple-level ecological fitting to both fish and crustacean intermediate hosts resources may be responsible for parasite population substructure in Coregonus spp. We propose parasites' delayed arrival was key to the initial burst of postglacial intralake whitefish diversification, followed by opportunistic tapeworm host repertoire expansion and a delayed nonadaptive radiation cascade of incipient tapeworm differentiation. At the geographical scale, dispersal, founder events, and genetic drift following colonization of spatially heterogeneous landscapes drove strong parasite differentiation. We argue that these microevolutionary processes result in the mirroring of host-parasite phylogenies through phylogenetic tracking at macroevolutionary and geographical scales.

• Keywords
• Platyhelminthes, RADseq, host repertoire expansion, population genetics, speciation, species flocks,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

The alarming decline of amphibians, sometimes marked by sudden extinctions, underlines the urgent need for increased conservation efforts. Conservationists recognize that more action, particularly the setting of national targets, is needed to ensure the future persistence and recovery of species and habitats. Protecting habitats that harbor evolutionarily diverse species preserves divergent genetic information within ecosystems. Türkiye holds 36 amphibian species at the intersection of two continents, creating three biodiversity hotspots and phylogenetic transitional areas. In this study, we aimed to determine the hotspot regions and to evaluate the effectiveness of the protected areas in Türkiye in preserving amphibian populations. First, we estimated four community indexes (species richness and three evolutionary distinctiveness measures) for amphibian communities in Türkiye divided into 371 grid cells with a ca 50 × 50 km size. Then, the spatial extent of protected areas is evaluated from two perspectives: current (has a protection status) and candidate protected areas (Key Biodiversity Areas, not protected) coverage in those grid cells. Finally, these two approaches' effectiveness in protecting areas was assessed by modeling four diversity metrics using GLS models. Current protected areas protect about 6% of the total amphibian distribution in Türkiye, while Key Biodiversity Areas would cover 30% if declared protected areas. We estimated that the coastal areas of Türkiye are identified as hotspots based on the four measured amphibian community indexes. Our study also highlights that Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) can contribute to conserving high levels of amphibian richness and evolutionary distinctiveness of species across Türkiye. However, existing protected areas (PAs) networks were insufficient to protect amphibians.

• Keywords
• Amphibians, Community indexes, Ecological distinctiveness, Key biodiversity areas, Protected areas, Türkiye,
• MeSH
• Biodiversity * MeSH
• Biological Evolution MeSH
• Ecosystem * MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Amphibians * MeSH
• Conservation of Natural Resources * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

More than half of the world's rivers dry up periodically, but our understanding of the biological communities in dry riverbeds remains limited. Specifically, the roles of dispersal, environmental filtering and biotic interactions in driving biodiversity in dry rivers are poorly understood. Here, we conduct a large-scale coordinated survey of patterns and drivers of biodiversity in dry riverbeds. We focus on eight major taxa, including microorganisms, invertebrates and plants: Algae, Archaea, Bacteria, Fungi, Protozoa, Arthropods, Nematodes and Streptophyta. We use environmental DNA metabarcoding to assess biodiversity in dry sediments collected over a 1-year period from 84 non-perennial rivers across 19 countries on four continents. Both direct factors, such as nutrient and carbon availability, and indirect factors such as climate influence the local biodiversity of most taxa. Limited resource availability and prolonged dry phases favor oligotrophic microbial taxa. Co-variation among taxa, particularly Bacteria, Fungi, Algae and Protozoa, explain more spatial variation in community composition than dispersal or environmental gradients. This finding suggests that biotic interactions or unmeasured ecological and evolutionary factors may strongly influence communities during dry phases, altering biodiversity responses to global changes.

• MeSH
• Archaea classification   genetics   MeSH
• Bacteria classification   genetics   MeSH
• Invertebrates classification   MeSH
• Biodiversity * MeSH
• Geologic Sediments microbiology   MeSH
• Fungi classification   genetics   MeSH
• Rivers * microbiology   MeSH
• Plants classification   MeSH
• DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Microbial communities, which include prokaryotes and protists, play an important role in aquatic ecosystems and influence ecological processes. To understand these communities, metabarcoding provides a powerful tool to assess their taxonomic composition and track spatio-temporal dynamics in both marine and freshwater environments. While marine ecosystems have been extensively studied, there is a notable research gap in understanding eukaryotic microbial communities in temperate lakes. Our study addresses this gap by investigating the free-living bacteria and small protist communities in Lake Roś (Poland), a dimictic temperate lake. Metabarcoding analysis revealed that both the bacterial and protist communities exhibit distinct seasonal patterns that are not necessarily shaped by dominant taxa. Furthermore, machine learning and statistical methods identified crucial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) specific to each season. In addition, we identified a distinct community in the anoxic hypolimnion. We have also shown that the key factors shaping the composition of analysed community are temperature, oxygen, and silicon concentration. Understanding these community structures and the underlying factors is important in the context of climate change potentially impacting mixing patterns and leading to prolonged stratification.

• Keywords
• abiotic factors, freshwater environments, prokaryotes, protists, stratification, temporal dynamics,
• MeSH
• Bacteria * genetics   classification   MeSH
• Biodiversity MeSH
• Spatio-Temporal Analysis MeSH
• Ecosystem MeSH
• Eukaryota * genetics   classification   MeSH
• Lakes * microbiology   MeSH
• Microbiota * MeSH
• Seasons MeSH
• Machine Learning * MeSH
• DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic * MeSH
• Temperature MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH