Stay out (almost) all night: contrasting responses in flight activity among tropical moth assemblages.

Variations in diel activity among hyperdiverse tropical communities of moths, despite representing a key component of niche partitioning between species, have barely been studied so far. Using light trapping from dawn to sunset over a 1-year period in French Guiana, we investigated these variations within and between two families of moths (Sphingidae and Saturniidae). Our results revealed contrasting patterns in flight activity at night between Sphingidae and Saturniidae. Sphingidae reached their peak in species richness and abundance between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m., followed by a decrease around 11:00 p.m. to midnight, whereas Saturniidae were continuously present throughout the night, with a peak around midnight. In addition, we found changes in diel activity among some of the most common genera in each family, highlighting distinct behavioral, physiological, and functional traits among taxa. Given differences in flight activity at different taxonomic levels, it is strongly recommended to monitor by light trapping throughout the night to effectively sample saturniid and sphingid assemblages, even though the activity of Sphingidae sharply declines after midnight. These results improve the general natural history information of tropical moths and reinforce the need of further research on the ecological and taxonomic consequences of differences in diel activity.

[Diet of an anecic earthworm from the Colombian savannas: questioning ecological groups]. / Régime alimentaire d'un ver de terre anécique des savanes colombiennes: une remise en question des types écologiques.

An ecological classification based on a set of morphological characters may be used to describe earthworm functions in soil. However these relationships have been seldom verified. Gizzards of the earthworm Martiodrilus carimaguensis (Glossoscolecidae) were studied to find out if its anecic morphology was in agreement with its diet (shallow litter remains and deep organo-mineral material). By direct observation of 13 adults' gizzard contents with a dissecting and a phase contrast microscope, the volumetric percentage of plant fragments, roots, amorphous organic matter and mineral particles reached respectively 63, 5, 6.5 and 30% v/v. Eighty percent of plant fragments were microscopic, and mostly incorporated into the organo-mineral earthworm casts well preserved in the gizzard. Coprophagy and rhizophagy were the dominant feature of M. carimaguensis diet. Yet, the casts produced revealed a high variability in its diet, what could be related to transitional adoption of a typical anecic diet during some periods.

[Properties of the structures produced by ecology engineers at the soil surface of a Colombian savanna]. / Propriétés des structures produites par les ingénieurs écologiques à la surface du sol d'une savane colombienne.

Fourteen types of physical structures produced by ecosystem engineers were sampled at the surface of a savanna soil of Colombia. Invertebrates implicated in the creation of these structures were identified. Some physical (aggregate size and stability, bulk density) and chemical (C, N, P contents, pH, etc) properties of structures were assessed. Three large groups of structures were identified: (i) earthworm casts characterised by a high bulk density (1.3-1.4 g.cm-3), constituted of aggregates (7-10 mm), high in organic C (3-4%) and assimilable nutrients; (ii) termite mounds with low bulk density (0.6-0.9 g.cm-3), constituted of aggregates (8-9 mm), high in organic C (3.5-10%) and assimilable nutrients; and (iii) slightly compact (0.4-0.7 g.cm-3) and granular (aggregate size < 1.5 mm) termite superficial channels and ant mounds low in organic C (less than 1.5%) and assimilable nutrients. These results underline the large diversity of the biogenic structures produced at the surface of the studied soil. They suggest the feasibility of a functional classification of engineer organisms that would take into account simultaneously the different functional attributes reflected by these structures.