珍稀濒危植物金丝李的生境特征及致濒原因分析

采取查阅资料、走访和实地调查相结合的方法,调查了金丝李(Garcinia paucinervis)的地理分布、生境和资源现状,对其分布区气候特征、土壤营养状况和群落植被等进行分析;采用主成分分析法,找出影响金丝李分布的主要环境因子与群落特征因子,并探讨金丝李的致濒原因,为金丝李种质资源的有效保护、引种驯化等提供科学依据。结果表明,(1)金丝李主要分布在广西西北部、西南部、南部和云南东南部的石灰岩岩溶地貌山地上,跨越北纬22°27′58″~25°9′10″、东经103°55′58″~108°40′3″,海拔在194~830 m之间,其中海拔200~400 m分布较为常见。大多分布点位于山体的中、下部,坡度多为35~45°,分布较集中,且多为生境保持良好之地,种群内个体一般不到100株,大树和有结实的植株极少。(2)金丝李多分布在年均温20~22℃范围地区内,性喜暖热、雨量充沛的环境,喜疏松、湿润的中性或微碱性石灰土,肥力中等以上。(3)金丝李群落植被状况良好,植物种类多样,桂西北的群落有亚热带性质;桂西南、桂南和滇东南的群落则富有热带性质。(4)金丝李在资源的竞争中难以取得优势地位;群落植被遭到破坏,生境受人为干扰严重;各种群在不同年龄层次断层,种子萌发率低,种群天然更新能力弱等为金丝李濒危的主要原因。     

江西三清山东亚-北美间断分布属植物缺萼枫香群落研究

通过对三清山缺萼枫香林群落的野外调查和分析,其结果表明,(1)该群落乔木分层明显,其中第1层高达20～25m,最高可达35m。年龄结构显示,主要优势种缺萼枫香处于衰退状态。(2)群落生活型以高位芽植物占绝对优势(75.38%),地上芽植物较多(21.54%),反映出该群落具有山顶群落特征。(3)重要值计算表明,各优势种的重要值比例为缺萼枫香(52.08%)、细叶青冈(34.14%)、猴头杜鹃(31.01%)、多脉青冈(24.95%)和红花油茶(20.63%),其相应的科所占比例为壳斗科(21.9%)、金缕梅科(17.36%)、山茶科(14.86%)及杜鹃花科(12.96%),在科属地理分布区类型上群落具有从热带向温带过渡的特征,热带性科占57.84%,温带性科占42.16%。(4)多样性指数以及频度分析表明,以Shannon-Wiener公式计算,其多样性指数为4.46,介于广东鼎湖山常绿阔叶林与江西中亚热带常绿阔叶林之间;频度值分析为A>B>CE,与Raunkiaer频度定律有一定差异。整体分析表明缺萼枫香群落是中亚热带地区典型的山地常绿落叶阔叶林群落。     

上海海湾国家森林公园1 hm2样地群落结构特征及其动态监测意义

运用生态系统定位监测方法,于2011年在上海市奉贤区海湾国家森林公园内设置面积为100 m×100 m的样地,记录样地内的所有植物种类,定位调查高于1.3m的木本植物,分析其种类组成、区系成分、垂直结构和水平结构.结果表明,1 hm2样地内共记录有维管束植物31科68属73种,其中温带区系成分占总属数的51.8％,热带区系成分占46.4％.高于1.3m的木本植株3 094株,其中常绿树种6种,共1 670株,重要值占48.0％;落叶树种7种,共1 424株,重要值占52.0％.女贞(Ligustrum lucidum)、喜树(Camptotheca acuminata)、椤木石楠(Photinia davidsoniae)、乌桕(Sapium sebiferum)、黄山栾树(Koelreuteria integrifoliola)和香樟(Cinnamomum camphora)的重要值位居前6位,在垂直空间上呈分层结构.在0～50 m尺度范围内,女贞种群均呈集群分布,喜树种群呈均匀-随机-集群分布,椤木石楠和乌桕种群表现为集群-随机-均匀分布,黄山栾树和香樟种群表现为随机-集群-随机分布.从群落结构特征看,样地为以北温带成分、泛热带成分为主的常绿落叶阔叶混交林,表征了该地区自然植被的结构特征.建立长期固定样地可为长三角城市化地区平原地貌上城市森林的发生、发展和演替规律提供长期的数据基础.     

浙江古田山濒危植物香果树群落组成和结构特征

香果树(Emmenopterys henryi)为中国特有的孑遗植物,国家Ⅱ级保护植物。参照CTFS(Center for Tropical Forest Science)固定样地的调查方法,对古田山自然保护区香果树野生群落的生境特点、物种组成、群落外貌、垂直结构、生物量、物种多样性以及种群动态等进行调查。结果表明,古田山香果树群落主要分布于海拔600~850 m的沟谷地带,生长地岩石裸露度较高,部分群落盖度较高。样地内共有维管植物47科、71属、89种,植物种类较为丰富,科属组成较为分散,壳斗科、山茶科和樟科的种类相对较多;从属的地理成分看,热带分布的属与温带分布的属的比例分别为51.47%和44.12%,体现了亚热带森林的植物区系特点。群落垂直结构较为明显,可分为乔木层、灌木层和草本层,并有一定数量的层间植物;乔木层、灌木层和草本层的物种多样性大小为乔木层灌木层草本层。香果树种群的年龄结构属稳定型,但物种个体总数较少,仍需注意加强保护。该研究可为古田山香果树群落的发生、发展和演替的深入研究提供基础数据,为古田山自然保护区香果树群落濒危机制探讨、有效保护和生态系统管理提供理论支持。     

古田山国家自然保护区针阔叶混交林植物物种多样性特征

利用样方法进行野外群落调查.共调查了6个样地,每个样地大小为20m×20 m,研究古田山自然保护区针阔叶混交林植物物种多样性特征.结果表明:古田山针阔混交林的科、属、种组成多样性较高,植物种类丰富.组成复杂.群落的属种多样性>科属多样性>科种多样性.从灌木层、乔木层至草本层物种多样性依次递减,乔木层和灌木层的物种多样性指数明显大于草本层物种多样性指数.     

威海市区黑松林群落分析的研究

根据威海市区黑松林的调查结果,分析了该群落的组成和结构特征。在11500m2的样地里有维管束植物105种,它们隶属于39科89属,其中被子植物37科;裸子植物1科;蕨类植物1科。该群落以单种科和寡种科占绝大多数,单种属有75种,占总数的71%,种数大于2的有13科,占总数的33%。该群落分为乔木层、灌木层及草本层3个层次,乔木层主要以黑松Pinusthunbergli、麻栎QuercusacutissimaCarr.等种类组成,灌木层主要以麻栎组成,草本层种类较少,以禾本植物为主。该群落中、高位芽植物占优势,缺乏隐芽植物。叶型以中、小型叶为主,缺乏大型叶植物。TWINSPAN将115个样方分为11个群落类型。调查结果表明本地区黑松林群落结构简单,不同黑松林群落结构差异较小,且物种丰富度低,是人为干扰强烈所致。     

长江口近岸鱼类种类组成及其多样性

根据2004年8月、11月和2005年2月(Ⅰ年度),2005年8月、11月和2006年2月、5月(Ⅱ年度),2007年8月、11月和2008年2月、5月(Ⅲ年度)共3个水文年对长江口近岸水域(121°32.08′～122°11.65′E,31°19.58′～31°38′N)15个取样站点11个航次的底拖网调查样品,对该水域的鱼类种类组成、生物量、丰度、优势种、生物多样性的时间和空间动态变化进行了分析.结果表明:调查水域共出现鱼类13目24科39属42种,鲈形目种类(18种)最多,其次为鲱形目(5种)和鲤形目(4种),种类组成有明显的季节变化,夏季种类数最多,冬季最少;生物量和丰度年度和季节变化明显,平均值分别为8.10 g(100 m2)-1和1.25 ind(100 m2)-1,鱼类生物量和丰度均呈显著下降趋势(Ⅲ年度Ⅱ年度Ⅰ年度),季节变化趋势为夏季春季秋季冬季;生物多样性指数以夏季最高,春季最低,且有下降的趋势;优势种的种类与优势度季节和年度间有较大的变化,造成这种趋势的主要原因可能是与棘头梅童鱼(Collichthys lucidus)和凤鲚(Coilia mystus)的繁殖和索饵洄游有关.     

天津新港区潮间带沉积物细菌群落结构

利用PCR-DGGE技术对天津新港潮间带(东经117°45′11.4"～45′12.4",北纬39°2′42.8"～3′14.6")沉积物中的细菌群落组成和优势菌群进行了调查,通过Quantity One软件分析不同样品的DGGE图谱,发现9个站位的细菌种类、数量和多样性都存在明显差别,表明该潮间带细菌群落的空间异质性...     

浙江古田山自然保护区青冈林植物物种多样性研究

分析了浙江古田山自然保护区青冈林的植物区系组成和群落物种多样性。结果表明，8个样地中共有维管束植物147种(含变种)，隶属51科92属。其中蕨类植物5科7属14种，裸子植物1科1属1种，被子植物45科84属132种。青冈林植物区系成分复杂，具有较高的热带成分比例。群落科、属、种组成多样性较高，植物种类丰富，组成复杂。群落垂直结构中，物种多样性依灌木层→乔木层→草本层的次序递减，乔木层、灌木层的物种多样性指数明显大于草本层。     

西双版纳勐养山地雨林群落生态学研究

依据5个25m×20m样地的调查,对西双版纳勐养热带山地雨林的群落结构、种类组成、生活型构成、多样性、种面积关系等进行了研究.结果显示,勐养山地雨林主要由茜草科、桃金娘科、肉豆蔻科、樟科、大戟科等植物种类组成,以黄棉木(Metadina trichotoma)、华夏蒲桃(Syzygium cathayense)、假广子(Knema erratica)及山桂花(Paramicheliabaillonii)为乔木优势种;群落乔木层以中叶、全缘、革质、尾尖、常绿植物占优势,灌草层植物则以中叶、全缘、纸质叶植物为主;藤本植物中以木质藤本占优势,板根和茎花现象少见.各种性质表明该群落是西双版纳较为典型的山地雨林群落类型,可命名为黄棉木-华夏蒲桃林.图1表5参22     

Rapid,recurring, structured survey versus bioblitz for generating biodiversity data and analysis with a multispecies abundance model

A bioblitz inexpensively and quickly generates biodiversity data, but bioblitzes are often conducted with haphazard, unreplicated sampling. Results tend to be taxonomically, geographically, or temporally biased, lack metadata, and consist of lists of observed taxa that do not enable further analyses or correction for imperfect detection. A rapid, recurring, structured survey (RRSS) uses a structured sampling design and temporal and spatial replication to survey randomly selected sites on a conservation property. We participated in a loosely structured bioblitz and a subsequent RRSS at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville (St. Clair County), Alabama (USA) to compare observed richness derived from the 2 survey approaches. The RRSS data structure enabled us to fit models that accounted for imperfect detection to estimate abundances, occupancy probabilities, and habitat associations. The loosely structured bioblitz data could not be used in such models. We present a new integrated multispecies abundance model that we applied to avian RRSS data. Our model extension enables estimation for the community, employs data augmentation to estimate the number of undetected species, and incorporates covariates. The RRSS generated a more comprehensive and less biased list of observed taxonomic richness than the loosely structured bioblitz (e.g., 73 vs. 45 bird species and 104 vs. 63 insect families from the RRSS vs. loosely structured bioblitz, respectively). Models fit to the RRSS data identified seasonal patterns in avian community composition and allowed for estimation of habitat–occupancy relationships for insect taxa. The RRSS protocol has potential for broad transferability as a standardized, quick, and inexpensive way to inventory biodiversity and estimate ecological parameters while providing an outreach opportunity.     

Compliance with and ecosystem function of biodiversity offsets in North American and European freshwaters

Land-use change via human development is a major driver of biodiversity loss. To reduce these impacts, billions of dollars are spent on biodiversity offsets. However, studies evaluating offset project effectiveness that examine components such as the overall compliance and function of projects remain rare. We reviewed 577 offsetting projects in freshwater ecosystems that included the metrics project size, type of aquatic system (e.g., wetland and creek), offsetting measure (e.g., enhancement, restoration, and creation), and an assessment of the projects’ compliance and functional success. Project information was obtained from scientific and government databases and gray literature. Despite considerable investment in offsetting projects, crucial problems persisted. Although compliance and function were related to each other, a high level of compliance did not guarantee a high degree of function. However, large projects relative to area had better function than small projects. Function improved when projects targeted productivity or specific ecosystem features and when multiple complementary management targets were in place. Restorative measures were more likely to achieve targets than creating entirely new ecosystems. Altogether the relationships we found highlight specific ecological processes that may help improve offsetting outcomes.     

A palaeo-hydrogeological model for arsenic contamination in southern and south-east Asia

An argument is presented in which areas of natural arsenic contamination of modern groundwaters throughout Asia have a common origin. Arsenic originally accumulated in oceanic ferro-manganoan sediments of the eastern Palaeo-Tethys. This was further concentrated through oceanic crustal extinction in what later became the south-east Chinese accreted mineralised terrain. Proto-Himalayan uplift of this area created the palaeo-drainage systems of the Ganges – Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Mekong, and Red Rivers, with consequent headwater erosion of arsenic-rich sediments. Their downstream deposition as immature and easily redistributed Neogene sandstones, silts, and iron-rich clays has created secondary and tertiary reservoirs of adsorbed and authigenic arsenic, from which the current arsenic-rich groundwaters have evolved. Considering river basins within the above palaeo-hydrogeological framework provides a basis for assessing the risk of arsenic in groundwater basins of south and south-eastern Asia.     

Cost‐effective conservation of an endangered frog under uncertainty

How should managers choose among conservation options when resources are scarce and there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of actions? Well‐developed tools exist for prioritizing areas for one‐time and binary actions (e.g., protect vs. not protect), but methods for prioritizing incremental or ongoing actions (such as habitat creation and maintenance) remain uncommon. We devised an approach that combines metapopulation viability and cost‐effectiveness analyses to select among alternative conservation actions while accounting for uncertainty. In our study, cost‐effectiveness is the ratio between the benefit of an action and its economic cost, where benefit is the change in metapopulation viability. We applied the approach to the case of the endangered growling grass frog (Litoria raniformis), which is threatened by urban development. We extended a Bayesian model to predict metapopulation viability under 9 urbanization and management scenarios and incorporated the full probability distribution of possible outcomes for each scenario into the cost‐effectiveness analysis. This allowed us to discern between cost‐effective alternatives that were robust to uncertainty and those with a relatively high risk of failure. We found a relatively high risk of extinction following urbanization if the only action was reservation of core habitat; habitat creation actions performed better than enhancement actions; and cost‐effectiveness ranking changed depending on the consideration of uncertainty. Our results suggest that creation and maintenance of wetlands dedicated to L. raniformis is the only cost‐effective action likely to result in a sufficiently low risk of extinction. To our knowledge we are the first study to use Bayesian metapopulation viability analysis to explicitly incorporate parametric and demographic uncertainty into a cost‐effective evaluation of conservation actions. The approach offers guidance to decision makers aiming to achieve cost‐effective conservation under uncertainty.     

Parasitic wasps orient to green leaf volatiles

Summary Undamaged plants emit low levels of green leaf volatiles (GLVs), while caterpillar-damaged and artificially damaged plants emit relatively higher levels of certain GLVs. Female braconid parasitoids,Microplitis croceipes, oriented to both damaged plants and to individual GLVs in no-choice tests in a wind tunnel, but seldom oriented to undamaged plants. Female ichneumonid parasitoids,Netelia heroica, also oriented to individual GLVs in a wind tunnel. Males of both wasp species failed to orient to the GLVs. These data show that leaf-feeding caterpillars can cause the release of GLVs, and that parasitic wasps can respond to these odors by flying upwind (chemoanemotactic response), which brings the wasps to their caterpillar hosts. This supports the hypothesis that plants communicate with members of the third trophic level,i.e., plants under herbivore attack emit chemical signals that guide natural enemies of herbivores to sites of plant damage. In this interaction, the GLVs serve as tritrophic plant-to-parasitoid synomones. That parasitoids from two different wasp families oriented to GLVs suggests that the response may be widespread among the Hymenoptera.Mention of a commercial or proprietary product does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture     

Potential for Electropositive Metal to Reduce the Interactions of Atlantic Sturgeon with Fishing Gear

Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrhynchus) populations have been declared either endangered or threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Effective measures to repel sturgeon from fishing gear would be beneficial to both fish and fishers because they could reduce both fishery‐associated mortality and the need for seasonal and area closures of specific fisheries. Some chondrostean fishes (e.g., sturgeons and paddlefishes) can detect weak electric field gradients (possibly as low as 5 Μv/cm) due to arrays of electroreceptors (ampullae of Lorenzini) on their snout and gill covers. Weak electric fields, such as those produced by electropositive metals (typically mixtures of the lanthanide elements), could therefore potentially be used as a deterrent. To test this idea, we recorded the behavioral responses of juvenile Atlantic sturgeon (31–43 cm fork length) to electropositive metal (primarily a mixture of the lanthanide elements neodymium and praseodymium) both in the presence and absence of food stimuli. Trials were conducted in an approximately 2.5 m diameter × 0.3 m deep tank, and fish behaviors were recorded with an overhead digital video camera. Video records were subsequently digitized (x, y coordinate system), the distance between the fish and the electropositive metal calculated, and data summarized by compiling frequency distributions with 5‐cm bins. Juvenile sturgeon showed clear avoidance of electropositive metal but only when food was present. On the basis of our results, we conclude that the electropositive metals, or other sources of weak electric fields, may eventually be used to reduce the interactions of Atlantic sturgeon with fishing gear, but further investigation is needed. El Potencial del Metal Electropositivo para Reducir las Interacciones del Esturión Atlántico con Instrumentos de Pesca Bouyoucos, Bushnell & Brill 13–003     

The role of time and species identities in spatial patterns of species richness and conservation

Many conservation actions are justified on the basis of managing biodiversity. Biodiversity, in terms of species richness, is largely the product of rare species. This is problematic because the intensity of sampling needed to characterize communities and patterns of rarity or to justify the use of surrogates has biased sampling in favor of space over time. However, environmental fluctuations interacting with community dynamics lead to temporal variations in where and when species occur, potentially affecting conservation planning by generating uncertainty about results of species distribution modeling (including range determinations), selection of surrogates for biodiversity, and the proportion of biodiversity composed of rare species. To have confidence in the evidence base for conservation actions, one must consider whether temporal replication is necessary to produce broad inferences. Using approximately 20 years of macrofaunal data from tidal flats in 2 harbors, we explored variation in the identity of rare, common, restricted range, and widespread species over time and space. Over time, rare taxa were more likely to increase in abundance or occurrence than to remain rare or disappear and to exhibit temporal patterns in their occurrence. Space–time congruency in ranges (i.e., spatially widespread taxa were also temporally widespread) was observed only where samples were collected across an environmental gradient. Fifteen percent of the taxa in both harbors changed over time from having spatially restricted ranges to having widespread ranges. Our findings suggest that rare species can provide stability against environmental change, because the majority of species were not random transients, but that selection of biodiversity surrogates requires temporal validation. Rarity needs to be considered both spatially and temporally, as species that occur randomly over time are likely to play a different role in ecosystem functioning than those exhibiting temporal structure (e.g., seasonality). Moreover, temporal structure offers the opportunity to place management and conservation activities within windows of maximum opportunity.     

Main nutrient compounds in food bodies of Mexican <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia</Emphasis> ant-plants

Summary. Myrmecophytic plants use obligate ant mutualists as a constitutive indirect defence mechanism. These plants often produce cellular food bodies (FBs) to nourish their resident ants. Lipids, proteins, and even highly specialised compounds such as glycogen have been reported from FBs, but detailed chemical analyses of FB composition have so far been presented only for Southeast Asian Macaranga and Central American Piper myrmecophytes. Here we report the chemical composition of FBs of five myrmecophytic Acacia (Fabaceae) species from Mexico using HPLC (carbohydrates and proteins) and GC-MS (lipids). Feeding experiments revealed no hints on any use of external food sources by the inhabiting Pseudomyrmex ants. These ants obviously rely completely on FBs and extrafloral nectar provided by their hosts. The total content of nutrients in Acacia FBs was 15-25% of FB dry mass, being much lower than in Macaranga or Piper FBs. Proteins were dominating (8-14 % dm) in Acacia FBs and thus were present in higher amounts than in Macaranga FBs, yet in lower amounts than in Piper. Lipids contributed 1-9 % of dry mass, showing a lower proportion than in FBs of Macaranga or Piper. Carbohydrates made up 3-11 % dm, reaching in most Acacia species the same range as observed in Macaranga and in Piper FBs. Water content was 18-24 % of FB fresh mass, and structural tissue obviously made up a much higher proportion in Acacia FBs than in Macaranga or Piper FBs. Both characters might represent an adaptation to producing FBs unprotected at the leaf tips under dry conditions. Acacia FBs contain all amino acids and all fatty acids that are considered essential for insects, and their contents of lipids and proteins are higher than in the leaves from which they are ontogenetically derived. This indicates a putatively adaptive enrichment of nutritionally valuable compounds in structures functioning as ant-food.     

Examining the uncertain origin and management role of martens on Prince of Wales Island,Alaska

Conservation biologists are generally united in efforts to curtail the spread of non‐native species globally. However, the colonization history of a species is not always certain, and whether a species is considered non‐native or native depends on the conservation benchmark. Such ambiguities have led to inconsistent management. Within the Tongass National Forest of Alaska, the status of American marten (Martes americana) on the largest, most biologically diverse and deforested island, Prince of Wales (POW), is unclear. Ten martens were released to POW in the early 1930s, and it was generally believed to be the founding event, although this has been questioned. The uncertainty surrounding when and how martens colonized POW complicates management, especially because martens were selected as a design species for the Tongass. To explore the history of martens of POW we reviewed other plausible routes of colonization; genetically and isotopically analyzed putative marten fossils deposited in the late Pleistocene and early Holocene to verify marten occupancy of POW; and used contemporary genetic data from martens on POW and the mainland in coalescent simulations to identify the probable source of the present‐day marten population on POW. We found evidence for multiple routes of colonization by forest‐associated mammals beginning in the Holocene, which were likely used by American martens to naturally colonize POW. Although we cannot rule out human‐assisted movement of martens by Alaskan Natives or fur trappers, we suggest that martens be managed for persistence on POW. More generally, our findings illustrate the difficulty of labeling species as non‐native or native, even when genetic and paleo‐ecological data are available, and support the notion that community resilience or species invasiveness should be prioritized when making management decisions rather than more subjective and less certain conservation benchmarks.