Functional diversity is hypothesised as being beneficial for ecosystem functions, such as productivity and resistance to invasion. However, a precise definition of functional diversity, and hence a framework for its quantification, have proved elusive. We present a definition based on the analogy of the components of species diversity / richness, evenness and divergence. These concepts are appl...

Some microbial symbionts of plants are maternally inherited and thus functionally increase genetic and phenotypic variation within plant populations. This variation, coupled with that of the host plant and environment, may alter abundances, diversity, and trophic structure of associated plant and animal communities. Fungal endophytes in the genus Neotyphodium are vertically transmitted, asexual...

Field experiments are described involving nitrogen fertilizer in wheat field to research its effect on microbial quantity and enzyme activity. The results showed that 250 kg N hm applied in wheat field (1) can increase bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes quantity by 39.9%, 56.7% and 70.5% compare to 0 kg N hm. (2) Similarly, the activities of soil urease, catalase and FDA expressed 60.8%, 18.3% and ...

The diversity and abundance of littoral cladocerans and copepods were studied in nine lakes at Reserva Ecológica Cayambe-Coca (Páramo de Guamaní), Ecuador. Six samples were taken in the littoral zone of each lake using a 500 microm mesh plankton conic net. One species of cladocerans (Ephemeroporus acanthoides) is reported for the first time in Ecuador. The diversity (H') and evenness (E) of the...

This study evaluated the nocturnal fauna of Noctuidae in a pasture area in Altamira, Pará. Samples were collected monthly for two nights at the new moon period, from August 2007 to July 2008. We collected a total of 345 specimens (N) of 66 species (S). The most abundant species were Ptichodes basilans (Guenée) (n = 87), Leucania jaliscana (Schaus), Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (n = 28) and ...