Biology subjects

Mellado-Mansilla, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Mellado-Mansilla, D..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Opening a standardized, spatially contiguous biodiversity database collected over 40 years: Czech breeding bird atlases 1973-77, 1985-89, 2001-03, and 2014-17

MotivationHigh-quality biodiversity data with temporal replicates, produced using standardized fieldwork protocols, are rare yet essential for studying long-term biodiversity dynamics. Most available large-scale temporal data only date back one or two decades and/or originate from spatially discrete local observations. Here, we release spatially contiguous, systematically collected, and gridded occurrence data for breeding birds in Czechia, covering the periods 1973--1977, 1985--1989, 2001--2003, and 2014--2017. This database represents the monitoring of ca. 41% of European bird species over 40 years, and it is one of the longest-running nationwide bird-monitoring efforts in the world. We also complement the original data with geospatial metrics to characterize the sampling polygons and provide proxies of sampling effort. By making this dataset openly accessible, we aim to strengthen biodiversity change studies, citizen science, and ornithological research with long-term, highly curated records, backed by well-documented methods, and ready for integration with other datasets. Main Types of Variables ContainedA total of 286302 breeding bird detections/non-detections per-grid-cell from 247 species (ca. 41% of the 596 species breeding in Europe). The fourth atlas also contains 9,471 timed species lists totaling 276076 additional records collected with standardized effort and partially random spatial sampling on smaller squares dividing the original grid cells. Spatial Location and GrainCzechia (total area of 78,871 km2) covered by a grid of 887 grid cells of 10 by 10 km for the period 1973--77, and 678 cells of 6 minutes latitude and 10 minutes longitude ([~]11.2 x 12 kilometers) from 1985 onwards. The timed species lists were collected across 4,851 of 9,844 small squares ([~]2.8 x 3 km) that subdivide each original grid-cell into 16 smaller polygons. Time Period and GrainThe sampling years were 1973--1977 (5 breeding seasons), 1985--1989 (5 breeding seasons), 2001--2003 (3 breeding seasons), and 2014--2017 (4 breeding seasons). Major Taxa and Level of MeasurementBirds (Aves). The breeding evidence per species and grid cell was classified following the European Breeding Birds Atlas 2. We provide species-level records matched to the HBW/BirdLife version 9 (2024). FormatThe dataset is available for download from Zenodo and is provided as CSV files with fields standardized to Darwin Core, and a GeoPackage file containing all of the spatial grids used. The data are organized into separate files for records and sampling events, corresponding to each atlas. All data are licensed under CC-BY 4.0.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

Paleogene mass extinction and ongoing Neogene recolonization shape the tropical African flora

Tropical regions are known to host most of the global biodiversity, yet species richness varies drastically between continents. Tropical Africa has long been recognized as the "odd man out", exhibiting lower plant diversity compared to other tropical continents, but the underlying causes remain debated. Here, we use ferns as a model group to explore the processes responsible for the low diversity of African plants. We find that the current fern diversity in Africa, particularly in humid regions, is up to 84% lower than under similar climatic conditions in the Americas and Asia. Unlike on these continents, where 55-60% of extant fern diversity is the result of in-situ diversification of Gondwanan lineages, only 16% of African fern diversity originates from such lineages. This discrepancy points to significant African extinction periods during the Paleogene and mid-Miocene, likely driven by elevated temperatures and aridification. In contrast, 54% of the extant African fern diversity can be attributed to approximately 530 intercontinental dispersal events during the Neogene, indicating ongoing recolonization of Africa. Our findings provide unprecedented insight into the evolutionary forces shaping plant diversity in tropical Africa and highlight the potential risks posed by ongoing climate change to its botanical heritage.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

GLOBAL BIOGEOGRAPHY AND EVOLUTIONARY DRIVERS OF FERNS WITH CHLOROPHYLLOUS SPORES

About 14% of all fern species have chlorophyllous spores. Unlike their counterparts, chlorophyllous spores lack dormancy and have a shorter viability (i.e. only a few days in some species). Such spores should limit long-distance dispersal and be more susceptible to harsher climatic conditions raising questions about the evolutionary and ecological advantages of this trait. This study aims to assess the global biogeography of chlorophyllous-spored ferns evaluating their underlying environmental and evolutionary drivers. We studied the global distribution of 10,995 fern taxa across 556 geographical regions, and assessed the association of the proportional representation of 1387 chlorophyllous-spored species (CSS) with environmental variables using generalized linear mixed models. To assess the influence of phylogenetic relationships on the distribution of this trait across the phylogeny and across geographic regions, we calculated the phylogenetic signal and phylogenetic distances among species in different assemblages. Species richness of chlorophyllous-spored ferns peaked in the tropics while their proportional representation was highest in temperate and island floras. The proportion of CSS was positively influenced by water availability, but negatively by variables associated with temperature. Spore type was strongly conserved phylogenetically, and CSS assemblages were phylogenetically clustered towards higher latitudes. Our study provides strong evidence that chlorophyllous spores do not limit the geographical distribution of fern species. Their latitudinal distribution patterns can be explain both for environmental and phylogenetic drives.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2021

Trash-basket epiphytes as secondary foundation species: a review of their distribution and effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functions

BackgroundSecondary foundation species (FS) are organisms that inhabit ecosystems structurally defined by a primary foundation species, providing additional structure to habitats and communities. Trash-basket epiphytes (TBE) are secondary FS that enhance arboreal soil accumulation, providing shelter to animals, and rooting sites for plants. While their importance may vary across biomes, TBE have been overlooked as drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Here, we discuss the prevalence of TBE across biomes, their effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functions, and future research directions. MethodsWe performed a systematic literature review of articles, books and theses and collated and synthesised information about the taxonomic distribution of TBE, their effects on ecosystem functions, and reports of plant-animal and plant-plant interactions. Then, we analysed the global distribution of TBE using a generalized linear model and summarised two studies to assess their effects on soil invertebrates. ResultsWe identified 120 publications describing 209 species of TBE. Most TBE belong to Araceae (43%), Polypodiaceae (23%), and Orchidaceae (14%) and occur in all tropical and southern temperate forests. TBE richness peaks in the South-American Pacific mangroves, Eastern Cordillera Real, and the Napo moist forests. TBE effects on ecosystem functions include arboreal soil accumulation, water retention and temperature regulation in the canopy, and nutrient leaching through stem-flow. TBE provide shelter to species in more than 97 animal families, including from invertebrates to mammals, while 72 vascular plants have been reported to root in arboreal soil of TBE. ConclusionsTBE are a compelling group of model organisms that can be used to study ecological processes such as facilitation cascades, niche construction, extended phenotypes, or the effects of secondary FS on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. TBE should also be included in forest management plans to enhance the availability of microhabitats in the canopy supporting its associated flora and fauna.

ecology↗