Winter diet of reed bunting Emberiza schoeniclus in fallow and stubble fields

An analysis of droppings collected in winter on unused fields in SW Poland (fallow, stubble of root crop, vegetable and cereal) showed that the base of the reed bunting Emberiza schoeniclus diet were seeds of annual weed species: Chenopodium album (74.06% of all recorded seed species), Amaranthus retroflexus (16.05%), Setaria viridis (9.50%), Stellaria media (0.21%), Fumaria officinalis (0.01%). The share of dominant weed species in the diet of reed bunting wintering on particular types of fields varied markedly. In the droppings from fallows and cereal stubbles, C. album clearly dominated (respectively, 88.60 and 66.12%). The highest proportion of A. retroflexus and S. viridis was detected in the diet of birds staying on root crop stubbles (respectively, 45.56 and 23.90%). The most diverse food composition was found in the case of birds feeding on root crops and the least diverse on fallows.     

The effects of GMHT crops on bird abundance in arable fields in the UK

Bird surveys were carried out in summer 2000 and winter 2000/2001 on 24 sugar beet fields, 11 maize fields, 10 spring rape fields and (for winter-only) 23 winter rape fields divided into conventional and genetically modified herbicide tolerant (GMHT) treatments. These fields were a sub-sample of those used in the farm scale evaluation (FSE [Firbank, L.G, Heard, M.S., Woiwod, I.P., Hawes, C., Haughton, A.J., Champion, G.T., Scott, R.J., Hill, M.O., Dewar, A.M., Squire, G.R., May, M.J., Brooks, D.R., Bohan, D.A., Daniels, R.E., Osborne, J.L., Roy, D.B., Black, H.I.J., Rothery, P., Perry, J.N., 2003. An introduction to the farm-scale evaluations of genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops. J. Appl. Ecol. 40, 2–16.]). The study aimed to compare bird abundance between GMHT and conventional crop treatments. In the summer, the abundance of yellowhammers Emberiza citrinella and of granivores collectively was significantly greater on conventional than GMHT sugar beet. Abundance of granivores and species richness was significantly greater on conventional than GMHT maize, but only after the application of herbicides to the GMHT treatment. No significant differences were detected in spring oilseed rape. No significant differences were detected prior to herbicide application in any crop. In winter, granivores were more abundant on bare plough following conventional sugar beet treatment than following GMHT treatment. Woodpigeon Columba palumbus, blackbird Turdus merula and corvids were more abundant on maize stubbles following GMHT treatment. These differences were in accord with likely differences in food availability ascertained from previous research carried out under the FSE.     

Influence of hedgerow and grassy field borders on ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) activity in fields of corn

Agricultural landscapes may be manipulated in ways that benefit predatory invertebrates by providing alternate food sources, overwintering sites, and refuge from farming activities. Ecological theory predicts that complex plant communities should support a richer community of natural enemies of pest insects than a simple plant community. A study was conducted in Iowa, USA to investigate the influence of the vegetative diversity of field boarders on the activity, species richness, and community similarities of predatory beetles occurring in corn fields.Ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) populations were compared among corn fields bounded by either complex hedges or simple grass edges. Directional pitfall traps were used to investigate activity patterns of beetles between border types and their adjacent corn fields. Beetles were trapped during four seasonal periods, based on the growth stage of corn. During corn emergence (May–June) when fields are barren, carabids were more active and species richness was higher in the corn fields bordered by woody hedges. The carabid species Scarites quadriceps, Scarites subterraneus, and Harpalus pensylvanicus, were more dominant in hedge sites as compared to grass sites at this time. Following corn–canopy closure, carabids were now more active in fields bordered by grassy edges, but beetle activity also remained high in the fields adjacent to woody hedges. Further analysis of the carabid communities by Bray–Curtis Similarity Index showed no difference among field edge types at any time of the season. Results indicate that both complex and simple field border habitats support abundant and diverse populations of carabids during most of the growing season. However, during the early growing season hedges appear to be more important than grass edges in supplying carabid beetles to corn fields. Woody hedges may serve as very important overwintering sites and as an early season refuge for predatory beetles in corn.     

Seasonal dynamics of water bloom-forming Microcystis morphospecies and the associated extracellular microcystin concentrations in large, shallow, eutrophic Dianchi Lake

The increasing occurrence of Microcystis blooms is of great concern to public health and ecosystem due to the potential hepatotoxic microcystins （MCs） produced by these colonial cyanobacteria. In order to interpret the relationships between variations of Microcyst/s morphospedes and extracellular MC concentrations, the seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton community composition, MC concentrations, and environmental parameters were monitored monthly from August, 2009 to July, 2010. The results indicated that Microcystis dominated total phytoplankton abundance from May to December （96%--99% of total biovolume）, with toxic Microcystis viridis and non-toxic Microcystis wesenbergii dominating after July （constituting 65%- 95% of the Microcystis population）, followed by M. viridis as the sole dominant species from November to January （49%--93%）. Correlation analysis revealed that water temperature and nutrient were the most important variables accounting for the occurrence ofM. wesenbergii, while the dominance ofM. viridis was related with nitrite and nitrate. The relatively low content of MCs was explained by the association with a large proportion of M. viriclis and M. wesenbergii, small colony size of Microcystis populations, and low water temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen. The extracellular MC （mean of 0.5 ± 0.2 μg/L） of water samples analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） demonstrated the low concentrations of MC in Dianchi Lake which implied the low potential risk for human health in the basin. The survey provides the first whole lake study of the occurrence and seasonal variability of Microcyst/s population and     

Are linear habitats in agrarian landscapes source areas of beneficial or pest rodents?

This study tested the hypotheses that populations of the montane vole Microtus montanus (a potential pest species) and deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus (a potential beneficial species) in linear habitats will be (i) positively related to the type of vegetation (abundance and diversity of vascular plants) within and adjacent to those habitats; and (ii) correlated with population changes and productivity (reproductive performance, recruitment, and survival) in nearby apple (Malus domestica) orchards. Population dynamics of M. montanus and P. maniculatus were measured by intensive live-trapping from 2003 to 2006 in replicated hedgerows, riparian strips, and nearby orchards, in southern British Columbia, Canada. Hedgerows were borders between orchards, orchards and old fields, as well as orchards and natural forest. Contrary to hypothesis (i), M. montanus and P. maniculatus populations were not positively related to vegetation type within linear habitats and their adjacent crop and non-crop areas. Mean abundance and diversity of vegetation attributes were similar among linear habitats. Hypothesis (ii) was not supported for M. montanus populations in linear habitats since they did not correlate with population changes in nearby apple orchards, during a peak year in abundance. Populations of P. maniculatus were similar in abundance and other demographic variables among the linear habitats and apple orchards, and hence hypothesis (ii) was supported for this species.     

海州湾海洋牧场浮游植物群落结构特征及其与水质参数的关系

为了解海州湾海洋牧场海域浮游植物群落特征,于2013年进行了春(5月)、夏(8月)、秋(10月)3个航次的调查,共鉴定出浮游植物115种,其中,硅藻门种类最多,共97种,占总种数的84.3%,甲藻门次之,共16种,占总种数的13.9%,蓝藻门1种,绿藻门1种.人工鱼礁区各个季节的浮游植物丰度都显著大于对照区(p0.05),而种类数无显著差异(p0.05).人工鱼礁区和对照区的辛普森多样性指数D和香农-威纳指数均在秋季最大,夏季最小,而均匀度J为春季最大,夏季最小.海州湾海洋牧场浮游植物种类数秋季达到36种,丰度在秋季也达到最高为19.68×104cells·m-3,方差分析和聚类分析结果表明,浮游植物群落组成存在显著季节差异(p0.05).应用Canoco5.0软件对获得的浮游植物数据和环境因子数据进行典范对应分析,结果表明,TN、Si O2-3-Si和TP是影响浮游植物群落分布的重要环境因子,其次BOD5和NH+4-N也对浮游植物分布有较大影响.     

Bromeliad treefrogs as phoretic hosts of ostracods

Aquatic organisms can use many methods of dispersal among discrete freshwater habitats, and phoresy is an important but poorly understood mechanism. Tank bromeliads are small and unconnected habitats used by many animals, and some of them use phoresy for dispersal. Ostracods living in bromeliads used treefrogs as phoretic hosts for dispersal. We investigated the distribution of phoretic ostracods among body parts of treefrogs (Scinax littoreus and Scinax perpusillus), the prevalence and intensity of ostracods (Elpidium sp.) between Scinax species, and the prevalence and mean intensity of ostracods among the frogs in wet vs. dry seasons in two inselbergs areas at Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil). There were significant differences among the body parts occupied by ostracods and between the Scinax species. Seasonal differences were found only for S. littoreus showing greater abundance during the wet season. Additionally, we record Scinax cuspidatus and Thoropa miliaris as new phoretic hosts for Elpidium sp. to use phoresy.     

Does hedgerow management on organic farms benefit small mammal populations?

Organic farming is a whole-farm management approach believed to encourage biodiversity by excluding the input of agrochemicals and introducing specific management regimes for non-crop habitats. We examined the impact of the hedgerow management regime encouraged for organic farms on small mammal populations, since small mammal numbers influence a range of species at higher trophic levels and, in particular, are key to the conservation of a range of mammalian and avian predators. We compared differences in management and structure of non-crop habitats at the farm-scale between organic and conventional farms, and used within-farm variations in hedgerow size to predict the effect of hedgerow size on small mammals on both farm types. There were no significant differences in the proportion of non-crop habitats between organic and conventional farms, although management differences produced larger hedgerows on organic farms and greater diversity of hedgerow growth stages. However, a difference in hedgerow size between the farm types did not have a significant effect on small mammal abundance or diversity. We conclude that increased hedgerow size is not benefiting small mammal populations on organic farms: significant gains in small mammal numbers may be more effectively achieved by increasing the area of non-crop habitats rather than by improving management regimes.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, rhizobia, available soil P and nodulation of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) in Zimbabwe

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) colonization and nodulation of groundnut were examined in nine soils collected from subsistence farmers’ fields in Zimbabwe. Nodule number, shoot dry weight, shoot N and P contents, and AMF colonization were assessed after 6 weeks growth. Both nodule number and AMF colonization differed by an order of magnitude among the nine soils. Soil available P explained almost all the variability in nodule number (r² = 0.98), but had no significant effect on percent AMF colonization. By adding P to one soil, nodule numbers increased four-fold resulting in a significantly higher N content in the shoots. Similar, but smaller, effects were obtained by increasing the abundance of AMF through an inoculation with Glomus intraradices, suggesting that nodulation in this soil was limited by AMF abundance and that the fungi could, to a limited extent, substitute for P fertilizer.     

The role of perennial habitats for Central European farmland spiders

Spiders are important predators of insect pests. Some species invariably dominate spider communities in crop fields over large parts of Europe, and are therefore considered as “agrobionts”. It is however not clear if these species generally prefer arable habitats, or to what degree they utilize other habitats during times when crops are inhospitable. Here, spider abundances in 26 crop fields and 16 perennial habitats in Germany were compared during spring. Overall spider abundance in winter wheat was 75% lower than in perennial habitats, and species richness was reduced by 46%. Out of a total of 91 species, 73 had higher densities in perennial habitats, including the most dominant crop spiders Erigone atra and Tenuiphantes tenuis. Only one species (Oedothorax apicatus) was significantly more abundant in crops than in perennial habitats. Hence, the high dominance of most “agrobiont” species in crops was due to low densities of other species, and not to their own higher abundances. Therefore, perennial habitats adjacent to crop-fields could enhance spider populations and their potential for biological control in arable fields on a landscape level.     

Habitat influences on diversity of bacteria found on German cockroach in Beijing

Cockroaches are worldwide indoor pests carrying microorganisms of medical importance.German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) were sampled in five habitats (hospital, restaurant, office home, and market) in Beijing, and the bacteria were isolated from their external surface and alimentary tract and identified using a Biolog identification system.Cockroach densities significantly differed among habitats (market > home > office > restaurant > hospital).However, no significant differences in bacterial abundance carried by individual German cockroaches (of either sex) were found among habitats.The bacterial abundance in the gut was significantly higher than that on the surface.There were no significant differences in bacterial species richness observed among habitats, sex, carrying position or their interaction.Cluster analysis showed that cockroach densities and bacterial abundance found in the market differed significantly from the other four habitats.The bacterial diversity was not significantly reduced in sensitive facilities such as hospital and restaurant, even though pesticide and bactericide were more frequently applied there.The implications of these findings were discussed in this article.     

Spatial and temporal dynamics of microbial community composition and factors influencing the surface water and sediments of urban rivers

The temporal and spatial characteristics of urban river bacterial communities help us understand the feedback mechanism of bacteria to changes in the aquatic environment.The Fuhe River plays an important role in determining the water ecological environment of Baiyangdian Lake.16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to study the microbial distribution characteristics in the Fuhe River in different seasons.The results showed that some environmental factors of the surface water (ammonia nitrogen (NH_...     

Effects of organic and soil conservation management on specialist bird species

Bird abundance was assessed on a total of 58 farms across the Seine-et-Marne department, France (12 organic, 19 conservation-tillage and 27 conventional farms). Local abundance variations among the three farming systems were related to two species traits, i.e. habitat specialisation and diet, considering both farmland and non-farmland species. It was found that organic farming favoured specialist birds, either considering the whole community or non-farmland birds only. On the opposite, specialist farmland species were found to be less abundant in conservation-tillage farms than in conventional ones. Invertebrate-feeders were found to benefit from conservation-tillage practices compared to omnivorous species but not compared to granivorous ones; an interaction between species diet and the species specialisation level was also found. Granivorous species tended to increase with the conservation-tillage duration and in particular specialist birds.     

Effects of crop diversification and low pesticide inputs on bird populations on arable land

This 6-year experimental study measured the response of bird populations and abundance to combinations of mixed cropping and low pesticide regimes associated with a commercial crop rotation. The results show a rapid and sustained population increase among a wide range of bird species, in contrast to local regional trends for the same species. Seventy percent of the increase occurred within the first 3 years of the experiment, with species of high conservation concern, and those monitored as environmental indicators on lowland farmland in the UK, increasing on average, by 30% and 20% respectively (reaching respective peaks of 44% and 33% after 4 years). For some individual species, the increase was higher still, i.e., 300% (1–4 pairs) for grey partridge (Perdix perdix) and 46% (13–19 pairs) for skylarks (Alauda arvensis) in peak years. The results demonstrate that bird species typical of lowland arable farmland in the UK are responsive to suitable farm-scale changes in habitat and food provision (roughly, manipulation within less than 1-km²). They show that the carrying capacity of modern, commercially viable, arable farmland can be increased significantly for birds, in this case, mainly by using crops mosaics to create habitats alongside the appropriate use of herbicides on non-cropped habitats.     

Using Collembola to assess the risks of applying metal-rich sewage sludge to agricultural land in western Scotland

The recent United Kingdom ban on the disposal of sewage sludge at sea has led to the prediction that land application of sludge will become more widespread. The positive aspect of recycling nutrients may, however, be offset by the risk of contamination by heavy metals that are frequently present in sludge. The environmental impact of applying metal-rich sewage sludge to agricultural land was, therefore, assessed using Collembola. A combination of pitfall trapping and suction sampling was used to monitor epigeal/hemiedaphic Collembola on a small plot field trial in the west of Scotland. Four sludge treatments were investigated: cadmium-rich sludge, zinc-rich sludge, uncontaminated sludge and a no-sludge control. It was found that the abundance of Lepidocyrtus cyaneus Tullberg and Isotoma viridis Bourlet was significantly lower in plots receiving cadmium-rich sludge than those receiving uncontaminated sludge. Isotoma anglicana Lubbock was not influenced by the presence of metals in sludge and Isotomurus palustris (Müller) was actually favoured by the application of metal-rich sludge. Other aspects of collembolan ecology, and the efficiency of the two sampling methods, are also discussed.     

Comparison of pollination and defensive buzzes in bumblebees indicates species-specific and context-dependent vibrations

Bees produce vibrations in many contexts, including for defense and while foraging. Buzz pollination is a unique foraging behavior in which bees vibrate the anthers of flowers to eject pollen which is then collected and used as food. The relationships between buzzing properties and pollen release are well understood, but it is less clear to what extent buzzing vibrations vary among species, even though such information is crucial to understanding the functional relationships between bees and buzz-pollinated plants. Our goals in this study were (1) to examine whether pollination buzzes differ from those produced during defense, (2) to evaluate the similarity of buzzes between different species of bumblebees (Bombus spp.), and (3) to determine if body size affects the expression of buzzing properties. We found that relative peak amplitude, peak frequency, and duration were significantly different between species, but only relative peak amplitude differed between pollination and defensive buzzes. There were significant interactions between species and buzz type for peak frequency and duration, revealing that species differed in their patterns of expression in these buzz properties depending on the context. The only parameter affected by body size was duration, with larger bees producing shorter buzzes. Our findings suggest that although pollination and defensive buzzes differ in some properties, variability in buzz structure also exhibits a marked species-specific component. Species differences in pollination buzzes may have important implications for foraging preferences in bumblebees, especially if bees select flowers best matched to release pollen for their specific buzzing characteristics.     

夏季漓江不同底质类型和沉水植物对底栖动物分布的影响

2012年8月对漓江流域的河床底质、沉水植物、底栖动物和相关环境因子进行了调查,共采集了8个区域,底质类型分为淤泥、卵石、砾石3种底质,植物类型分为无水草(No plant)、亚洲苦草(Vallisneria spiralis)、轮叶黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)、亚洲苦草+轮叶黑藻(Vallisneria spiralis+Hydrilla verticillata)4种类型,共采集大型底栖动物42种,隶属6纲34属,采用物种相似性、密度和生物量、功能摄食类型、多样性指数等参数,利用CLUSTER、NMDS和单因素方差(One-way ANOVA)分析方法,研究底栖动物在不同区域的差异.不同底质中的底栖动物物种组成、密度、生物量、功能摄食类型相对丰度、Shannon-Wiener指数和Margalef物种丰富度指数都有明显差异,尤其是淤泥底质差异显著(p0.05);在相同底质中,沉水植物的存在使底栖动物物种相似度、生物量、滤食者相对丰度有一定增加,总密度有一定程度的减小;在卵石底质中,轮叶黑藻中的底栖动物总生物量、功能摄食类型相对丰度和亚洲苦草中差异较大;在砾石底质中,亚洲苦草和亚洲苦草+轮叶黑藻中的底栖动物参数差异很小.通过冗余分析(RDA)能较好的解释差异的产生,底质类型对底栖动物分布的影响比沉水植物类型大,而且两者有较强的交互作用.     

Fruit traits and temporal abundance shape plant-frugivore interaction networks in a seasonal tropical forest

Interactions between fleshy fruited plants and frugivores are crucial for the structuring and functioning of biotic communities, particularly in tropical forests where both groups are diverse and play different roles in network organization. However, it remains poorly understood how different groups of frugivore species and fruit traits contribute to network structure. We recorded interactions among 28 plant species and three groups of frugivores (birds, bats, and non-flying mammals) in a seasonal forest in Mexico to determine which species contribute more to network structure and evaluate the importance of each species. We also determined whether fruit abundance, water content, morphology traits, and fruiting phenology are related to network parameters: the number of interactions, species contribution to nestedness, and species strength. We found that plants did not depend on a single group of frugivores, but rather on one species of each group: the bird Pitangus sulphuratus, the bat Sturnira parvidens, and the non-flying mammal Procyon lotor. The abundance, size, and water content of the fruits were significantly related to the contribution to nestedness, number of interactions, and species strength index of plant species. Tree species and birds contributed mainly to the nested structure of the network. We show that the structure of plant-frugivore networks in this seasonal forest is non-random and that fruit traits (i.e., abundance, phenology, size, and water content) are important factors shaping plant-frugivore networks. Identification of the key species and their traits that maintain the complex structure of species interactions is therefore fundamental for the integral conservation of tropical forests.     

不同水分管理方式下水稻生长季N2O排放量估算:模型建立

我国水稻生产中往往采用多种水分管理方式,如持续淹水、淹水-烤田-淹水和淹水-烤田-淹水-湿润灌溉等. 水分管理方式的不同会引起水稻生长季N₂O排放的显著变化. 本研究收集和整理了2005年以前17篇国内外文献报道的有关我国稻田N₂O季节排放通量的71组田间原位测定资料,每组资料包括稻田氮肥施用的种类和施用量、水分管理方式、N₂O季节排放量等数据,旨在建立不同水分管理方式下水稻生长季N₂O直接排放量的估算模型. 分析结果表明,持续淹水稻田N₂O季节排放量与施氮量无明显相关关系,在淹水-烤田-淹水和淹水-烤田-淹水-湿润灌溉的水分管理方式下,两者呈极显著线性正相关关系. 持续淹水稻田N₂O季节排放总量相当于施氮量的0.02%. 基于普通最小二乘法（OLS）分析技术建立的线性回归模型估算结果表明,淹水-烤田-淹水的水分管理方式下稻田肥料氮的N₂O排放系数为0.42%,但N₂O季节背景排放量不显著. 在淹水-烤田-淹水-湿润灌溉的水分管理方式下,水稻生长季肥料N的N₂O排放系数和N₂O-N背景排放量分别为0.73%和0.79 kg·hm^-2. 残差分析和效能分析显示模型具有较好的适切性. 综合3种水分管理方式,我国稻田水稻生长季N的N₂O排放系数和N₂O-N背景排放量平均分别为0.54%和0.43 kg·hm^-2. 相对于旱作农田而言,水稻生长季肥料N的N₂O排放系数较低,意味着水稻生产较旱地作物可能更有利于减缓我国农业N₂O排放. 本研究建立的模型可以用于我国稻田水稻生长季N₂O直接排放量的估算.     

Hatch success and temperature-dependent development time in two broadly distributed topminnows (Fundulidae)

Metabolic scaling laws predict a variety of emergent properties of biological systems based on relationships among temperature, body size, and rates of physiological processes. These models have been criticized as being overly simplistic and not accounting for directional variability arising from evolutionary tradeoffs. I measured hatch success and egg development time at six temperatures for 12 populations throughout the latitudinal range of two broadly distributed topminnows (Fundulus). I asked if hatch success and development time differed between the species and northern and southern populations. Hatch success reaction norms suggested that the more broadly (and northern) distributed Fundulus notatus was more eurythermic with a lower optima and broader performance breadth than Fundulus olivaceus. Temperature explained most variability in mass-corrected development time. Development time differed between the species, but not northern and southern populations. Deviations from predictions of universal scaling laws were most pronounced away from specie's thermal optima.