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。     

重庆四面山杉木群落物种多样性研究

通过对重庆四面山杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)林样地的调查,运用丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Simpson多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数,分析了该地区杉木群落物种多样性特征,将该地区现存杉木群落划分为2个群系组(杉木林和杉木针阔混交林),8个群系,10个群丛。结果表明,杉木群落可分为乔木层、灌木层和草本层。在杉木林群系组中,丰富度指数、多样性指数和均匀度指数均表现为灌木层>草本层>乔木层。在杉木针阔混交林群系组中,丰富度指数表现为灌木层>乔木层>草本层;多样性指数多数表现为灌木层>乔木层>草本层;均匀度指数变化较为复杂,没有统一规律。杉木群落各层的丰富度指数随海拔高度的升高总体上呈下降趋势。群落各层的多样性指数随海拔高度的升高在特定区间内表现出一定规律性:在海拔1180m以下低海拔区域,随海拔高度的升高呈下降趋势;在海拔1180～1351m范围内,随海拔高度的升高呈波动状态;而在海拔1351m以上高海拔区域,又呈下降趋势。群落各层的均匀度指数随海拔梯度变化较为复杂,未表现出明显规律。     

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。     

漓江流域岩溶区檵木群落不同恢复阶段物种组成及多样性变化

以空间代替时间的方法选取典型样地,采用常规群落学调查方法对漓江流域岩溶区立地条件基本一致的檵木(Loropetalum chinense)群落不同恢复阶段的植物物种组成及其多样性变化进行研究。结果表明,(1)在所调查的样方中,共记录维管束植物78种,隶属于45科70属。乔木层的建群种檵木随着群落的恢复其重要值有降低的趋势,而在灌木层则相反。檵木群落不同恢复阶段乔木层和灌木层主要优势种为檵木、小巴豆(Croton xiaopadou)、龙须藤(Bauhinia championii)、红背山麻杆(Alchornea trewioides)和紫凌木(Decaspermum esquirolii),草本层主要优势种为狭穗薹草(Carex ischnostachya)、庐山香科科(Teucrium pernyi)和蔓生莠竹(Microstegium fasciculatum)。(2)随着檵木群落的恢复,群落总体、乔木层和灌木层物种丰富度呈现增大的趋势,草本层则相反;Shannon指数和均匀度指数具有一致的变化趋势,乔木层Shannon指数和均匀度指数随檵木群落的恢复呈现增大的趋势,而灌木层、草本层和群落总体则相反。檵木群落不同恢复阶段灌木层Shannon指数均高于乔木层和草本层,而草本层均匀度指数均高于乔木层和灌木层;Simpson指数随檵木群落恢复的变化趋势与Shannon指数和均匀度指数相反。(3)在檵木群落的灌木阶段、乔灌阶段和乔林阶段这3个恢复阶段中,乔灌阶段与乔林阶段之间的乔木层、灌木层、草本层和群落总体的Bray-Curtis指数最大。     

古田山国家级自然保护区黄山松群落特征及物种多样性研究

通过对黄山松群落特征及物种多样性进行分析,结果表明,古田山自然保护区黄山松群落植物种类较丰富,科属组成分散,区系成分较复杂。从属的地理成分来看,温带分布的属多于热带分布的属。群落的生活型以高位芽植物为主,地下芽植物次之。该群落叶的性质以小型叶、单叶、草质、非全缘为主。群落垂直结构复杂,地上成层现象明显,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依次为灌木层>乔木层>草本层。     

雅安市谢家山两种密度柳杉人工林群落结构和物种多样性研究

林分密度是影响林分生长、群落结构及生物多样性的重要因素之一,对近自然森林的经营改造、森林生态系统稳定性的维持及林业可持续发展具有重要意义。为研究林分密度对群落结构和物种多样性的影响,并探索维持人工林生态系统的稳定性和促进近自然林业改造的合理林分密度,采用典型样地法,以物种丰富度指数D值、Shannon-wienner指数H值、Simpson优势度指数H′值和均匀度指数Jsw值作为综合衡量群落物种多样性的指标,对比研究了雅安市谢家山两种林分密度(高密度和低密度)对柳杉(Cryptomeria fortunei)人工林群落结构和物种多样性的影响。结果表明:(1)共记录到植物109种,隶属57科95属。高密度群落物种组成为乔木11种,灌木27种,草本41种;低密度群落物种组成为乔木17种,灌木35种,草本35种;(2)从群落结构上看,在高密度下,物种多分布在中径级(胸径11.0~23.0cm)和高高度级(高度15.0~24.0 m);在低密度下,物种多分布在小、中径级(胸径5.0~23.0 cm)和小、中高度级(高度9.0~21.0 m);(3)两种密度下群落的各指数均表现为:草本层灌木层乔木层。物种丰富度指数D值在乔木层和灌木层表现为低密度高密度,在草本层表现为低密度高密度。从Simpson指数H′值、Shannon-Wiener指数H值和均匀度指数值Jsw值分析来看,乔木层这些指数均表现为低密度高密度,而灌木和草本层则与之相反;研究认为低密度(1 250~1 375/(株·hm-2))更利于谢家山地区柳杉人工林多样性的维持及柳杉树种的自然更新。     

黔西北黄杉群落物种多样性的海拔梯度格局

研究海拔高度对黄杉群落物种多样性的影响,为珍稀濒危植物黄杉的保育和喀斯特山地生物多样性的保护提供科学依据。采用样地法调查不同海拔梯度黄杉群落的物种组成,分析其区系特征,研究黄杉群落物种多样性的海拔梯度格局和维持机制。样地内共记录种子植物50科95属124种,群落内植物属的地理成分复杂、多样,具有明显的温带性质;随着海拔的增加,黄杉群落灌木层和草本层的物种丰富度指数S、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数H、Simpson优势度指数D和Pielou均匀度指数J均呈单峰格局变化趋势,且在不同海拔上存在显著差异(P0.05),但灌木层物种的Pielou均匀度指数不显著(P≥0.05);相邻海拔间的β多样性指数变化趋势不同,灌木层物种的S?renson指数呈双峰曲线,草本层物种的S?renson指数呈单峰曲线,灌木层和草本层的Cody指数均呈单峰曲线;随着海拔高差的增加,黄杉群落草本层物种的S?renson指数逐渐减小,其它均无明显变化规律。整体来看,相对海拔导致的水热条件差异是影响喀斯特山地物种多样性垂直分布格局的主要因素,其中,中海拔地带黄杉群落的物种多样性最高,这对黄杉种质资源的保护和维持具有重要意义,同时对喀斯特山地植物群落的管理和生态系统稳定的维持也具有重要指导意义。     

彭州白水河国家级自然保护区植物群落α多样性的海拔梯度变化

白水河国家级自然保护区位于四川省彭州市境内,地处龙门山脉东南部,从海拔1400～4800 m依次覆盖着常绿阔叶林、常绿落叶混交林、落叶阔叶林、亚高山针叶林、高山亚高山灌丛、高山草甸和流石滩植被.通过对白水河保护区山地东南坡不同海拔高度的样方调查,研究了该区域植物群落α多样性及其沿海拔梯度的变化规律.结果表明,乔木层物种的丰富度及Shannon指数随海拔上升呈明显的线性下降趋势;灌木层和草本层物种丰富度及Shannon指数随海拔上升呈抛物线下降趋势.乔木物种从海拔1400 m的12种至林线下降为2种;灌木和草本植物分别从35种和38种至山顶下降为5种和20种.乔木层物种的均匀度在2800～2900 m由于出现单一的冷杉群落而突然降低;灌木层和草本层物种的均匀度则较为一致,波动不大.乔木层物种的优势度随海拔升高而逐渐上升,并在2900m急速升高;灌木层和草本层的优势度呈浅波状变化.乔木层物种随海拔升高在不同群落类型间出现明显的物种替代现象,表明海拔梯度包含了多种环境因子的梯度效应,影响着植物群落的分布、结构及物种多样性.图4表1参20     

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。     

昆嵛山盐肤木RhuschinensisMill．群落特征及其物种多样性

根据野外典型样方调查结果,以群落植物种类组成、群落外貌特征、群落垂直结构特征、群落多样性几项指标,分析山东半岛昆嵛山国家级自然保护区盐肤木Rhuschinensis群落特征。结果表明：盐肤木群落共出现种子植物66种,隶属于32科57属。在盐肤木群落属的区系组成中,群落植物主要由温带区系和热带区系成分组成,其中温带植物属占显著优势,其次为热带分布属,说明该群落具有明显的温带性质,并具有过渡特征。群落层次分明,有乔木层、灌木层、草本层3个层次,各层次的优势种依次为盐肤木和赤松Pinusdensiflora、麻栎Quercusacutissima、披针叶苔草Carexlanceolata。盐肤木群落的物种多样性由高到低依次为灌木层、乔木层、草本层,低均匀度导致物种丰富度最高的草本层具有最低的物种多样性。调查显示盐肤木幼苗幼树多,自我更新良好,群落处于稳定增长状态。通过对群落特征和物种多样性的研究,揭示了昆嵛山盐肤木群落的自然生态规律,为保护和开发利用盐肤木提供了科学依据。     

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.