Long-Term Dynamics of Winter Communities of Forest Birds in the Ilmen Nature Reserve

Quantitative data of winter bird censuses in forest habitats of the Ilmen Nature Reserve (1986–2010) have been analyzed with regard to changes in the monthly average, maximum, and minimum temperatures and precipitation in the period from December to February. No warming trend has been revealed in the reserve over the study period, The dynamics of bird population structure in winter has proved to be independent of weather conditions, despite significant interannual fluctuations. The most significant factors of long-term dynamics of abundance of wintering birds include population density in the previous nesting period, the seed yield of the main food plants, and local migration of wintering species.     

Effect of Habitat Fragmentation and Isolation on the Population of Alpine Musk Deer

The alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster) is a key species of some terrestrial ecosystems, it has an important economic and conservative significance as a kind of medical animal in China. Due to the interaction between natural forces and human disturbance, the habitats of alpine musk deer are fragmented and isolated in different mountains and the populations are confronted with many problems of survival. In this paper, we discuss the impact of habitat fragmentation and isolation on alpine musk deer populations based on the investigation on the population densities and sizes and environmental factors in different reserves, as well as on the analysis of its ecological adaptability. We found that the alpine musk deer has strong ecological adaptability; the population development of alpine musk deer may benefit from the reduction of the forest area and even from the fragmentation and isolation of the habitat to a certain extent. However, deforestion should not be encouraged only for the alpine musk deer population, but should also be based on the overall consideration of biodiversity conservation.     

我国珍稀濒危物种适应气候变化的对策探讨

基于气候变化下部分珍稀濒危物种脆弱性分析,初步提出了适应对策,探讨了部分物种适应措施。气候变化下,珍稀濒危物种脆弱性表现在物种分布范围减少、破碎化和失去原分布范围、丰富度下降、种群数量减少、物种灭绝、栖息地退化或消失等。珍稀濒危物种适应气候变化需要分析物种自然适应机制,加强就地保护,增加种群数量,开展迁地和遗传保护,减少其它干扰,保护和恢复栖息地,建立自然保护区适应对策等。每个物种需要分析目前濒危程度和气候变化下的脆弱性来提出适应对策。     

Adaptation of Iranian farmers to climate variability and change

Climate change poses serious challenges for populations whose livelihoods depend principally on natural resources. Given the increases in extreme weather events projected to adversely affect the arid and semi-arid regions of Iran, adaptation of the agricultural sector is imperative. Few studies have addressed the farmers’ adaptation in Iran, and little is known about ongoing adaptation strategies in use. Adopting principal component analysis/fuzzy logic-based method, this paper considers the agricultural adaptation to climate variability. A survey of 255 farmers of Fars Province, selected through a multistage stratified random sampling method, revealed different levels of adaptation, specifically the low, moderate and high, which are principally distinguished by various degrees of sensitivity and adaptive capacity. The study also identified the main adaptation strategies used by farmers in response to climate-related shocks. Results indicated that although a large percentage of farmers make some adjustments to their farming practices, there are significant differences in choice of adaptation strategies by the adaptation categories. Some conclusions and recommendations are offered to increase the adaptive capacity of farmers and reduce negative impacts of climate variability and change.     

Assessment of the red-crowned crane habitat in the Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve, East China

As wildlife habitat is in constant evolution, periodic monitoring is essential to assess its quality. In this study, the change to the red-crowned crane habitat in the Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve was detected from multi-temporal remote sensing data from 1992 to 2008 in a geographic information system. Habitat fragmentation was derived from both physical constraints and human disturbance. The changing habitat quality was assessed against five landscape indices. The results obtained from Landsat TM images indicate that potential habitat shrank 37.9 % during 1992–2001, but recovered 99.4 % by 2008. Suitable habitat shrank by 4,329 ha to a level below that of 1992 despite an increase of 4,747 ha in potential habitat due to an increase of 9,075 ha in fragmented areas. Both landscape indices and the red-crowned crane population reveal that suitable habitat was the most fragmented in 2001, but the least fragmented in 1992. Therefore, it is inadequate to just restore wetland through artificial diversion of channel flow to the Reserve to preserve the crane habitat. Commensurate efforts should also be directed at improving habitat quality by minimizing human activities and spatially juxtaposing water and reed marshes harmoniously inside the Reserve.     

Regulation of numbers of insects on islands of the Kuibyshev Reservoir

The main regulatory mechanism of populations is revealed for some insect groups (Carabidae, Curculionidae, Chrysomelidae, and Hemiptera) on islands of the Kuibyshev Reservoir. This mechanism is the dynamics of the ratio of species with imaginal and preimaginal winter diapause. The extent of these dynamics depends on the stability of habitats, which in turn depends on water-level conditions in the reservoir. The period of adaptation of the community of carabids of the most flooded biotope to the extreme impact of water conditions is determined.     

Variability of the Flower Structure in European Starflower (Trientalis europaeaL.) in Natural Populations

Flower variability was studied in natural populations of European starflower (Trientalis europaeaL.). The results showed that the flower structure in this species is determined by two parameters: the multiplicity of primordia of flower components and the uniformity of flower meristem development. The frequencies of nonuniformly developing flowers differs depending on the habitat. It appears that both parameters are largely determined by random fluctuations.     

野生与栽培大别山五针松小枝功能性状变异特征

木本植物小枝功能性状及其变异性是反映植物环境适应性的重要指标。濒危植物大别山五针松(Pinus dabeshanensis)野生型和栽培型种群长期生长在不同生境，其小枝功能性状是否具有显著差异性尚不清楚。以安徽岳西县和金寨县大别山区分布的2个野生和2个栽培种群为研究对象，通过野外调查取样对比分析了不同种群小枝形态、生物量及含水量等12个功能性状的差异性及其协变特征。结果表明：小枝性状变异系数在0.054~0.419之间，野生型一般高于栽培型。小枝性状在不同种群间均有显著差异，其中栽培幼株小枝的茎直径、茎截面积、分枝数、胸径、针叶长度、茎生物量和小枝总生物量均最低，但其茎长和叶茎比最大；栽培成株的茎直径、截面积及茎、叶含水量最高；岳西野生型植株小枝最短而其他性状处中等水平；金寨野生型植株针叶最长但茎含水量、叶生物量及叶茎比最小。不同种群小枝性状协变特征不尽相同，但有8个性状在不同种群间表现出相同的协变趋势。因此，不同生境下大别山五针松小枝功能性状虽然具有较强的变异性，但其协变关系具有一定的种内保守性。     

The relative importance of sexual reproduction and clonal propagation in rhizomatous herb Iris japonica Thunb. from two habitats of Jinyun Mountain, Southwest China

Reproductive behaviour of clonal plants might change in contrasting habitats. In field and simulated experiments, we studied the relative importance of sexual reproduction and clonal propagation in rhizomatous herb, Iris japonica Thunb. in two forest habitats (BF, bamboo forest and OAFE, open area of forest edge), and effects of population origin (BF vs. OAFE) and environmental effects (shading) on sexual vs. clonal reproduction. In field experiment, the relative importance of reproduction in I. japonica populations was different in two habitats, which showed predominantly sexual reproduction in OAFE and clonal propagation in BF. In simulated experiment, the effect of population origin and light treatment (shading) was significant for reproduction of I. japonica. Clonal propagation was only influenced by population origin, and sexual reproduction was determined both by population origin and light treatment. A trade-off between two reproductive modes exhibited in both experiments. The trade-offs was more obvious in OAFE than in BF because sexual reproduction, resource and inter-specific competition obviously lacked in BF. The results indicated that the selective forces shaping reproduction of I. japonica in contrasting habitats might demonstrate pronounce adaptive population differentiation among forest habitats. Thus, I. japonica populations formed local differentiation by adaptation of reproduction to local heterogeneous forest habitats.     

Frequency distribution of minimum distances between singing males in different chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs L.) populations as an indicator of habitat quality

The results of census mapping over nine nesting seasons have been used to calculate frequency distributions of minimum distances between male singing chaffinches. Comparison of these distributions shows consistent, high, and significant similarity of spatial structures within each population, despite considerable fluctuations in bird density (from 204 to 118 territories per hectare) and basic differences between spatial structures of different populations (two significantly different classes are distinguished). An approach to estimation of habitat quality by assessing the spatial structure of populations is proposed.     

The role of environmental and fisheries multi-controls in white seabream (Diplodus sargus) artisanal fisheries in Portuguese coast

Evaluating the effects of fishing and environmental factors on fish populations are fundamental tenets of fisheries science. In this study, we assess associations between environmental variables (sea surface temperature; North Atlantic Oscillation index; upwelling; wind magnitude; westerly winds; northerly winds; river discharge) and fishing variables (fishing effort) in Diplodus sagus catch rates accounting for regional analyses (northwest coast; southwest coast and Algarve—Algarve south coast). Different time series models for data fitting (multi-model approach) were used. The models were lagged, according to species fishing recruitment age based on the hypothesis that fisheries catches depend on larvae recruitment and survivorship. D. sargus catch rates across areas were unrelated to fishing effort but correlated to environmental variables, with seasonal events explaining much of the variability in trends. On the northwestern coast, the catch rates were mainly set by sea surface temperature (SST) and wind magnitude; however, southwestern coast catch rates were set by NAO winter. On the south coast, only one statistical model (SST, upwelling and westerly winds) associated spring conditions with D. sargus catch rates. The multi-model approach revealed autumn, winter and spring seasonal effects to be related with northwest, southwest and Algarve coastal catch rates, respectively, indicating a possible coastal longitudinal gradient related with given periods of spawning and larval availability. The metadata analysis yielded different results from the regional analyses. In summary, marine resource management should take regional environment characteristics and variability into account when determining sustainable catch rates in given areas for species with high habitat site fidelity.     

上海郊区三类典型生境的两栖类分布特征

上海郊区农田,林地,湿地(池塘)三类典型生境是两栖类最主要的栖息地,生境的差异以及两栖类生态特征的不同造成了两栖类在分布上的差异。2014年和2016年5~8月对上海郊区三类典型生境的30个研究样点两栖类生物多样性进行调查,并运用单因素方差分析对三类生境的两栖类群落结构进行比较,通过层次聚类法分析不同生境的两栖类组成相似性。结果显示:(1)两年间共记录到上海郊区两栖类动物1目4科4属5种5 397只,其中泽陆蛙(Fejervarya multistriata),金线侧褶蛙(Pelophylax plancyi)为优势种。黑斑侧褶蛙(Pelophylax nigromaculata),中华蟾蜍(Bufo gargarizans),饰纹姬蛙(Microhyla fissipes)为常见种。这5种两栖类都为广型分布种。(2)三类生境的两栖类物种丰富度无显著性差异,而两栖类多度差异显著。(3)泽陆蛙,饰纹姬蛙的种群密度在三类生境中差异显著,且在农田生境中最高。黑斑侧褶蛙,金线侧褶蛙的种群密度在三类生境中差异显著且在池塘生境中最高。中华蟾蜍在三类生境中的种群密度无显著性差异。(4)聚类结果为30个研究样点中林地生境与池塘生境被聚为一类,农田生境被单独聚为一类。建议通过对不同生境的保护与恢复达到对上海郊区两栖类生物多样性保护的目的。     

长江口滩涂湿地景观变化对典型水鸟生境适宜性的影响

近年来在海平面上升、长江水沙变化、植被演替等自然因素以及促淤圈围工程、深水航道建设等人为因素的共同作用下，长江口滩涂湿地水鸟适宜生境发生了巨大变化。针对长江口滩涂湿地典型水鸟中的鸻鹬类(Charadriiformes)与雁鸭类(Anseriformes)，采用空间多样性指数、人为干扰度等指标研究1980～2010年长江口滩涂湿地景观变化对两类水鸟生境适宜性的影响。结果表明：两类水鸟的不适宜生境、边缘生境、次级生境面积均呈增长趋势，鸻鹬类共增加682 km2，雁鸭类共增加314 km2。而核心生境面积却呈不同的变化趋势，鸻鹬类减少136 km2，雁鸭类增加232 km2，但鸻鹬类和雁鸭类核心生境面积百分比均分别减少566%和194%。1980～2010年鸻鹬类生境适宜性综合评价指数由092下降到053，雁鸭类由089下降到070，鸻鹬类降幅大于雁鸭类。通过定量分析人为干扰度对水鸟生境的影响，发现鸻鹬类对人类干扰更加敏感，中等强度的人类干扰在一定程度上扩大了雁鸭类的适宜生境面积     

湖北省榉树自然种群分布研究

对湖北省天然榉树的自然种群分布现状、种群特征及种群分布格局进行了研究。结果表明：湖北榉树资源主要分布在海拔500~1 000 m地带,不同程度地分割包围在谷底和山腰,地理分布点呈收缩集群分布,种群规模较小;采用方差/均值法对榉树地理分布格局类型进行分析,其值=1.66>1,表明其分布点的地理分布趋于集群分布。湖北榉树种群星散间隔的地理分布形式,使地理分布点间产生空间间隔,成为相互间基因交错的障碍,而较小的种群规模,增加了遗传漂变的机率,导致遗传上的不稳定性增加,影响种群的生存能力,这些是导致物种趋向濒危的重要原因。湖北榉树种群这种分布现状产生的原因,一方面是物种自身的生物学特性及对生境的特定要求所致,另一方面是由于人类对榉树资源的过度开发利用以及人类经济活动导致的生境片段化。应借助于人为帮助,改善生态环境,扩大其种群规模,促进不同种群之间的基因交流,以利保护。     

Lessons from the past in weather variability: sowing to ripening dynamics and yield penalties for northern agriculture from 1970 to 2012

There is evidence for overall spring advancement and phenology shift across the northern hemisphere, including northern Europe, where cereals are grown despite the very short growing season. This study focused on one of the principal risks associated with the short growing season, weather-induced variability in sowing time. The aim was to characterize variation in sowing time, quantify the impacts on crop growth and document associations with weather conditions and variability. We also assessed whether any systematic changes occurred as potential signs of autonomous adaptation to changed conditions. Shifts in spring cereal sowing time had no consistent impact on time of maturity as a result of variable weather conditions. All spring cereal cultivars required fewer days, although more cumulated degree-days, to mature after delays in sowing. In the 1990s and 2000s, sowing tended to start earlier than in the 1970s and 1980s. This was attributable to earlier onset of the growing season. Furthermore, more favorable harvest conditions facilitated harvest after maturity. As more land has been allocated to late-maturing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) compared with early-maturing barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) during recent decades, autonomous adaptation to climate change has already begun in the northernmost agricultural region of Europe.     

Effects of urbanization on avian community in southwestern China

Surveys at southwestern China were conducted from November 2004 to July 2005 in three habitat types. A total 3319 individual of 69 bird species were recorded. Although urbanization was presumed to be responsible for decreasing species richness and diversity, our results showed bird species richness, diversity and density in urban habitats were not different in rural habitats. Whereas, the wasteland with low human disturbances, was the lowest bird species richness, diversity and density than others habitats. We inferred habitats structural complexity, large forest patches, native trees and human litter sustain many bird species in campus and park. However, human disturbances, habitats substrate and predation from domestic animals may reduce species richness and diversity. Therefore, we suggested that high vegetative cover should be in urban areas, because it may increase the number of bird species, support larger populations of insectivores, and perhaps create suitable habitat for some ground nesters. Moreover, by recreating or preserving natural islands decreased human disturbance and predation from domestic animals.     

Identifying Key Habitats to Conserve the Threatened Brown Bear in Northern Iran

Many factors such as human activities threat brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Southern Asia, and limit it to small populations in remote and rocky mountainous regions. Brown bears are generally studied in North America and Europe, but there is little information about its conditions and requirements for survival in Asia. During the recent years, brown bear populations in Iran have decreased sharply. Therefore, they are now officially listed as a threatened species in local scale. Therefore, we tried to recognize brown bear habitat relationships in northern Iran using species distribution model (SDM). Maxent method was applied using multiscale approach to predict suitable habitats and habitat relationships of the species. Our results revealed that the predictive ability of environment variables and species distribution maps varied across scales strongly. Also, our findings showed that identifying a proper scale is important issue to improve habitat modeling accuracy. Only 17% of the protected areas was found suitable for brown bear and divided to 5.1% poor, 8.8% suitable, and 3.1% high-quality habitat. Consequently, it is suggested that the protected area of northern Iran reconsiders with interventions aimed at maintaining suitable habitats of brown bear.     

Sustainable Development and Wildlife Conservation in Tanzanian Maasailand

Many current wildlife conservation efforts in Africa focus on providing local communities with economic incentives to utilize wildlife as a form of land use in order to achieve the twin goals of ecological preservation as well as sustainable human economic development. Tanzanian Maasailand is home to some of the greatest concentrations of large mammals remaining outside National Parks and reserves, as well as a uniquely traditional human culture in the form of the Maasai themselves. Both are increasingly threatened by a variety of factors; poaching and habitat loss for wildlife, and the increasing marginalization of their pastoralist economy with regards to the Maasai. The fundamental cause of declining wildlife populations and biodiversity loss is that the Maasai have little economic or social interest in wildlife due to centralized management and financial benefits which are directed primarily to the Tanzanian state. Maasai pastoralism is highly compatible with wildlife, and the potential for the local communities to sustainably manage and benefit from this resource is promising. However, implementation of effective community-based natural resource management in the area faces political, cultural, and economic obstacles which will be critical in determining the outcomes of both conservation and community development efforts in Maasailand.     

Population cycles of the bank vole in the range optimum

Patterns of seasonal and long-term dynamics of the size and structure of the bank vole population were studied in the European subtaiga subzone, the optimum of the species range. The dynamics of this population proved to undergo complex fluctuations with cyclic components, which have periods of one year and about three years. The one-year fluctuations of the population size and structure are accounted for by animal adaptation to seasonal changes in environmental factors. The fluctuations with the three-year quasi-period are determined by intrapopulation density-dependent mechanisms.     

Assessing the vulnerability of rare plants using climate change velocity,habitat connectivity,and dispersal ability: a case study in Alberta,Canada

Climate change generally requires species to migrate northward or to higher elevation to maintain constant climate conditions, but migration requirement and migration capacity of individual species can vary greatly. Individual populations of species occupy different positions in the landscape that determine their required range shift to maintain similar climate, and likewise the migration capacity depends on habitat connectivity. Here, we demonstrate an approach to quantifying species vulnerabilities to climate change for 419 rare vascular plants in Alberta, Canada, based on a multivariate velocity of climate change metric, local habitat fragmentation, and migration capacity. Climate change velocities indicated that future migration requirements ranged from 1 to 5 km/year in topographically complex landscapes, such as the Alberta Foothills and Rocky Mountains. In contrast, migration requirements to maintain constant climate in relatively flat Boreal Plains, Parkland, and Grassland ranged from 4 to 8 km/year. Habitat fragmentation was also highest in these flat regions, particularly the Parkland Natural Region. Of the 419 rare vascular plants assessed, 36 were globally threatened (G1–G3 ranking). Three globally threatened species were ranked as extremely vulnerable and five species as highly vulnerable to the interactions among climate change velocity, habitat fragmentation, and migration capacity. Incorporating dispersal characteristics and habitat fragmentation with local patterns in climate change velocity improves the assessment of climate change threats to species and may be applied to guide monitoring efforts or conservation actions.