Habitat Split as a Cause of Local Population Declines of Amphibians with Aquatic Larvae

Abstract:  Most amphibian species have biphasic life histories and undergo an ontogenetic shift from aquatic to terrestrial habitats. In deforested landscapes, streams and forest fragments are frequently disjunct, jeopardizing the life cycle of forest-associated amphibians with aquatic larvae. We tested the impact of habitat split—defined as human-induced disconnection between habitats used by different life-history stages of a species—on four forest-associated amphibian species in a severely fragmented landscape of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We surveyed amphibians in forest fragments with and without streams (referred to as wet and dry fragments, respectively), including the adjacent grass-field matrix. Our comparison of capture rates in dry fragments and nearby streams in the matrix allowed us to evaluate the number of individuals that engaged in high-risk migrations through nonforested habitats. Adult amphibians moved from dry fragments to matrix streams at the beginning of the rainy season, reproduced, and returned at the end of the breeding period. Juveniles of the year moved to dry fragments along with adults. These risky reproductive migrations through nonforested habitats that expose individuals to dehydration, predation, and other hazards may cause population declines in dry fragments. Indeed, capture rates were significantly lower in dry fragments compared with wet fragments. Declining amphibians would strongly benefit from investments in the conservation and restoration of riparian vegetation and corridors linking breeding and nonbreeding areas.     

平原河网地区滨岸带外来植物入侵现状及影响研究——以上海青浦区为例

河流滨岸带作为一种典型的开放系统,在受到外界干扰的条件下极易被外来植物所入侵并受到严重影响。以上海青浦区为例,通过对河流滨岸带生态系统入侵植物分布及现状调查,以及对两种入侵植物：白花三叶草（Trifolium repens）和加拿大一枝黄花（Solidago canadensis）群落的物种多样性及其土壤特性的实证研究,探讨外来植物入侵对河流滨岸带生态系统造成的影响。结果表明：目前该地区河流滨岸带外来入侵植物共有14科24种,其科、种数分别占到该生态系统所有植物的48．3％与26．1％。入侵植物白花三叶草与加拿大一枝黄花在春、秋两季均显著降低了河流滨岸带植物群落的物种多样性。此外,两种人侵植物也对当地河流滨岸及土壤特性造成了不同程度的影响,其中对土壤含水量、pH值的影响最为显著。该研究填补了平原河网地区河流滨岸带生态系统外来植物入侵研究的空白,有助于今后开展对该生态系统的评价、恢复及管理工作。     

滨岸缓冲带在河道生态修复中的应用研究

近年来国外在滨岸缓冲带植被的结构、功能和管理研究方面开展了许多研究,国内也越来越重视相关研究。文章概述了滨岸缓冲带的功能、构建原理和国内外的一些应用情况;重点介绍了上海青浦区华新镇境内东风港滨岸缓冲带示范工程,分析了滨岸缓冲带在河道坡岸生态修复中的应用效果。研究表明,滨岸缓冲带具有改善生物栖息地环境质量、稳定坡岸、修复河道生态环境等功能,适合在各类岸坡的生态修复中广泛运用。     

河岸缓冲区氮素截留研究进展

河岸缓冲区对氮素的有效截留以阻止其进入河流已得到广泛的认可,是美国资源局所认可的一种最佳管理措施。总结河岸缓冲区中氮素截留的主要机制、影响因素及缓冲区的管理原则。最主要截留机制为反硝化作用与植物吸收,相应的最主要影响因素是缓冲区的水文特征。为达到较好的氮素截留效率,必须重建退化的缓冲区、保护缓冲区的完整性与不受干扰,并与其他流域管理措施相结合。     

生物炭输入对不同滨岸带土壤营养元素有效态变化的影响

生物炭作为一种新型环保材料常被用于改良土壤和污染修复,生物炭输入对土壤中营养元素的有效态会产生明显影响.本文基于太湖滨岸带不同土地利用类型(林地、草地、耕地和荒地),对比研究生物炭施加对不同类型土壤中营养元素有效态含量的影响,并探讨其动力学变化规律.结果表明,生物炭施加能够明显影响滨岸带土壤营养元素有效态含量,但对碳氮磷的影响效果存在差别.添加生物炭之后,土壤中溶解性有机碳呈显著下降趋势,而有效氮轻微增加,有效磷则明显增加.林地、草地、耕地和荒地土壤中溶解性有机碳含量分别下降了33. 3%、27. 4%、29. 5%和51. 4%;有效氮含量分别提高了10. 8%、18. 2%、16. 4%和15. 2%;有效磷含量分别增加了40. 0%、50. 2%、34. 0%和43. 6%.对比控制组(CK)和添加组(BC)的变化,土壤溶解性有机碳和有效磷含量在两组之间差别不大,而有效氮的含量变化差距较大,且在4种利用类型土壤中,生物炭施加后对不同营养元素有效态的影响程度有所差异.     

太原市汾河河岸带土壤重金属分布特征、评价与来源解析

为了解太原城区段汾河河岸带土壤中重金属污染现状,分析了太原城区段汾河西岸河岸带表层土壤6种重金属元素(Cd、Cr、Pb、Cu、Zn和Hg)的含量状况及其分布特征,利用单因子污染指数法、地累积指数法和潜在生态风险指数法对重金属的污染程度及其生态风险进行评价,并用相关性分析、主成分分析和聚类分析进行源解析.结果表明,太原城区段汾河西岸河岸带土壤中Cr和Cu的均值低于山西省土壤背景值,Cd、Pb、Zn和Hg的均值超过背景值,Cd和Hg的点位超标率大于90%.沿河流方向,6种重金属含量降低,高值在二期北延段C断面.污染评价结果表明,Hg具有强生态危害,Cd具有中等强度生态危害,其它4种重金属是轻微生态危害,各样点综合潜在生态风险为中等.相关性分析、主成分分析和聚类分析结果表明,Zn、Pb和Cd具有同源性,主要受交通运输、农业生产活动和矿业活动等人为源的影响;Hg和Cu来源相似,污染源为工业生产,并且Cu在一定程度上受交通运输和农业活动的影响;Cr的污染源是成土母质和工业生产.     

Modelling semi-aquatic vertebrates’ distribution at the drainage basin scale: The case of the otter Lutra lutra in Italy

Modelling habitat suitability of semi-aquatic vertebrates for large scale conservation purposes is a particularly challenging task, due to the fine-scale linearity of riverine habitats, and to the ecological continuum represented by the riparian and the aquatic ecosystems, on one side, and by a river and its tributaries, on the other.     

Influence of Landscape Elements in Riparian Buffers on the Conservation of Semiaquatic Amphibians

Abstract:  Studies on riparian buffers have usually focused on the amount of land needed as habitat for the terrestrial life stages of semiaquatic species. Nevertheless, the landscape surrounding wetlands is also important for other key processes, such as dispersal and the dynamics of metapopulations. Multiple elements that influence these processes should therefore be considered in the delineation of buffers. We analyzed landscape elements (forest cover, density of roads, and hydrographic network) in concentric buffers to evaluate the scale at which they influence stream amphibians in 77 distinct landscapes. To evaluate whether our results could be generalized to other contexts, we determined whether they were consistent across the study areas. Amphibians required buffers of 100–400 m of suitable terrestrial habitat, but interspecific differences in the amount of habitat were large. The presence of amphibians was related to roads and the hydrographic network at larger spatial scales (300–1500 m), which suggests that wider buffers are needed with these elements. This pattern probably arose because these elements influence dispersal and metapopulation persistence, processes that occur at large spatial scales. Furthermore, in some cases, analyses performed on different sets of landscapes provided different results, which suggests caution should be used when conservation recommendations are applied to disparate areas. Establishment of riparian buffers should not be focused only on riparian habitat, but should take a landscape perspective because semiaquatic species use multiple elements for different functions. This approach can be complex because different landscape elements require different spatial extents. Nevertheless, a shift of attention toward the management of different elements at multiple spatial scales is necessary for the long-term persistence of populations.     

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEAVER TO WETLAND HABITATS AND WATERFOWL IN WYOMING1

ABSTRACT: Beaver (Castor canadensis) are habitat‐modifying keystone species, and their activities broadly influence many other plants and animals. Beaver are especially important to waterfowl in the western U.S. where riparian and wetland habitats comprise less than 2 percent of the landscape yet provide habitat for greater than 80 percent of wildlife species. Wyoming is currently ranked sixth of the 50 states in the size of its breeding waterfowl population, and beaver ponds may play a significant role in providing habitat for these birds. The objectives of this research were to: (1) identify streams in Wyoming where beaver are currently present, extirpated, or used to manage riparian habitat; (2) identify areas where beaver could be relocated to create wetlands and improve riparian habitat; (3) compare wetland surface areas between areas that have beaver with those that did not; and (4) compare waterfowl numbers in areas with and without beaver. Using a survey of 125 land managers in Wyoming, we found that beaver have been removed from 23 percent (6,497 kin) of the streams for which managers had direct knowledge (28,297 kin). The same managers estimated that there are over 3,500 km of streams where beaver could improve habitat conditions. The riparian width in streams with beaver ponds averaged 33.9 m (95 percent CI = 25.1–42.7 m) in contrast to 10.5 m (CI = 8.6–12.4 m) in streams without beaver. During waterfowl surveys we counted 7.5 ducks/km (CI = O.9–14.4 ducks/kin) of stream in areas with beaver ponds and only O.1 ducks/km (no CIs calculated) of stream in similar areas without beaver present. Beginning in 1994, we restored beaver to 14 streams throughout Wyoming in an effort to create wetlands and improve riparian habitat. Waterfowl have been quick to respond to these important habitats. We feel that beaver restoration and management can be used to improve habitat in drainages where conflicts with other land uses are minimal.     

TEN YEARS OF VEGETATION SUCCESSION ON A DEBRIS‐FLOW DEPOSIT IN OREGON1

ABSTRACT: We tracked vegetation succession on a debris‐flow deposit in Oregon's Coast Range to examine factors influencing the development of riparian plant communities following disturbance. Plots were stratified across five areas of the deposit (bank slump, seep, upper and lower sediment wedge, log jam) the first growing season after debris flow. At six times during the next ten years we estimated cover of vascular plants and tallied density of woody plants. Plant colonization occurred within two years. Total cover increased two‐to seven‐fold on the five areas within three years. Red alder and salmonberry were the dominant species, although weedy herbs persisted where woody species were lacking. Ordination of cover data showed that the five areas remained floristically distinct over time, while undergoing similar shifts related to the increasing dominance of alder and salmonberry. Rapid height growth of alder allowed it to outcompete salmonberry and effectively capture most areas by the tenth year, even where sprouts from transported rhizomes gave salmonberry an early advantage. Our results suggest that successional patterns were influenced by substrate variability, species composition of initial colonizers, propagule sources and their distribution, and species life‐history traits such as growth rate, competitive ability, and shade tolerance.