Community richness and stability in agricultural landscapes: The importance of surrounding habitats

In this paper, the role played by habitat diversity in the landscape on species richness and on the stability of farmland bird communities was investigated. Species richness was estimated on 374 samples monitored in farmland by the French breeding bird survey during the 2001–2005 period. A capture–recapture approach was used to estimate species richness accounting for the variation in detection probability among species of the 100 most common species detected in farmland. Landscape structure and composition were measured both in farmland and in adjacent habitats. The independent effect of each variable on community richness and stability was further assessed using hierarchical variance partitioning and taking spatial autocorrelation into account. A strong matrix effect was detected: non-cropped land deeply influenced richness and stability of bird assemblages.     

环厦门海域水色变化的多光谱多时相遥感分析

采用基于影像光谱信息建立的水质遥感模型对环厦门海域1989～2003年间的水色变化进行了分析.通过对水体及其所含物质的物理光学性质分析,水质遥感模型的建立可以不依赖于和卫星同步的水质采样数据建立水质遥感.这使得遥感对水色分析的应用更容易,而且还可以利用大量卫星存档数据来进行水质的历史变化分析.使用基于可见光和近红外波段反射率创建的模型研究了离水信号和水中物质(悬浮物和浮游植物)的关系.提出了一套可用于Landsat TM/ETM 和SPOT 5影像的水专题处理流程,并用于揭示所研究海域中悬浮物和叶绿素浓度的时空变化规律.研究表明,利用基于影像光谱的水质遥感模型,可以快速有效地揭示长时间范围内水色的时空变化.总的看来,环厦门海域的悬浮物浓度在所研究的时期内,有显著的增加,叶绿素的浓度在局部也有明显的升高.最明显的是,高悬浮物浓度的海域面积所占的比例从1989年的0.2%上升到2003年的10.2%.综合分析表明,九龙江河口所带来的巨量悬浮物是该海域最主要的陆源排海物和污染源,过度的水产养殖是另一个主要的污染因子.     

Experimental assessment of sensory modalities of coral-reef fish larvae in the recognition of their settlement habitat

One of the great mysteries of coral-reef fish ecology is how larvae locate the relatively rare patches of coral-reef habitat on which they settle. The present study aimed to estimate, by experiments in aquaria, the sensory modalities of coral-reef fish larvae for senses used in searching for their species settlement habitat. Larval recognition of settlement habitat can be based on the detection of conspecifics and/or of characteristics of coral habitat using visual, chemical and mechanical cues. For this study, larvae were captured with crest nets and were then introduced into experimental tanks that allowed testing of each type of cue separately (visual, chemical or mechanical cues). Among the 18 species studied, 13 chose their settlement habitat due to the presence of conspecifics and not based on the characteristics of coral habitat, and 5 species did not move toward their settlement habitat (e.g. Scorpaenodes parvipinnis, Apogon novemfasciatus). Among the different sensory cues tested, two species used the three types of cues (Parupeneus barberinus and Ctenochaetus striatus: visual, chemical and mechanical cues), six used two types (e.g. Myripristis pralinia: visual and chemical cues; Naso unicornis: visual and mechanical cues), and five used one type (e.g. Chrysiptera leucopoma: visual cues; Pomacentrus pavo: chemical cues). These results demonstrate that many coral-reef fish larvae could in practice use sensory cues for effective habitat selection at settlement, and have the ability to discriminate species-specific sensory cues.Communicated by J. Krause     

大连长兴岛及毗邻海域环境质量评价

根据2002年7月大连市长兴岛生态建设研究现场调查资料，探讨了长兴岛及毗邻海域水质和沉积物要素分布特征，评价了海域环境质量和营养状况。结果表明，水质和沉积物中重金属含量在近岸呈上升趋势，其中，水质Hg、Zn、Pb最高量值分别超过一类标准的0．64、0．54、0．30倍，沉积物中Cu最高量值超一类标准的0．20倍。水质营养水平指数E为0．08，NQI为1．04，cN／cP为2．50。海域环境质量总体良好，介于清洁与较清洁级之间，岛西部环境质量优于北部及南部，海域处于贫营养状态。海岛陆源污染物是影响海域环境的主要因素。     

高清质谱解析河岸带湿地溶解有机质分子组成特征及其环境意义

河岸带湿地土壤溶解有机质(Dissolved organic matter,DOM)对陆源污染物的迁移和对河流水体富营养化进程均具有重要影响.本研究以典型河口冲积岛——崇明岛河岸带湿地DOM为研究对象,采用液相四级杆飞行时间质谱(Liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry,LC-Q-TOF-MS)技术分析河岸带湿地土壤DOM的分子组成特征,探究河岸带湿地DOM可能的主要来源.研究结果表明:LC-QTOF-MS技术成功地解析了复杂混合物DOM的分子组成特征,其中脂类化合物是崇明岛河岸带湿地土壤DOM的主要组分,占到28.87%~43.87%,其次为蛋白类物质和羰基类化合物,分别占到总DOM的17.46%~36.54%和19.13%~31.28%,最少的是脂肪酸类、糖类和氨基酸类物质,其三者之和仅为12%左右.同时,崇明岛河岸带湿地DOM分子主要来源于河岸带湿地植物光合生产和陆上区域农业面源径流、生活污水和工业废水的排放,其空间分布受小流域土地利用类型影响.研究结果为复杂混合物的分子组成解析和河岸带湿地管理提供一种新思路.     

Highly time-resolved aerosol characteristics during springtime in Weizhou Island

A single particle aerosol mass spectrometer was deployed to measure the changes of single particle species and sizes during March 2015 in Weizhou Island of the Beibu Gulf, Guangxi province, South China. In this campaign, a total of 3,100,597 particles were sized, and 25.8%particles with both positive and negative mass spectrum were collected and 24.8%characterized in combination with the ART-2 a neural network algorithm. The distribution of sized particles was mainly in from 520 to 600 nm, and the diameters ranging from 340 to1000 nm accounted for above 90%. Eight types of particles were classified: Elemental Carbon containing(EC), Organic Carbon containing(OC), EC and OC combined containing particles,Na containing particles, K containing particles(K), Levoglucosan containing particles,mineral containing particles, and Heavy Metal containing particles(HM). EC, OC and K were the major containing particles, which accounted for 84.3% in the eight types particles. The relative ratio and size distribution of the three types were EC(48.1%, 620 nm), OC(12.7%,440 nm), and K(23.5%, 600 nm), respectively. The three types of particles were a bit increasing ratios compared with those in clean periods during haze pollution periods.Combined with the back-trajectory results from the Hysplit-4 model and local pollution sources revealed that the ambient air quality on the Weizhou Island may be influenced by biomass burning in the Indochina Peninsula(biomass burning in the Indochina Peninsula)from the transportation on higher level atmospheric layer and by mainland of south China located northeast of Weizhou Island on the ground.     

Effects of an Alien Ant Invasion on Abundance,Behavior, and Reproductive Success of Endemic Island Birds

Abstract: Biological invaders can reconfigure ecological networks in communities, which changes community structure, composition, and ecosystem function. We investigated whether impacts caused by the introduced yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes), a pantropical invader rapidly expanding its range, extend to higher‐order consumers by comparing counts, behaviors, and nesting success of endemic forest birds in ant‐invaded and uninvaded rainforest on Christmas Island (Indian Ocean). Point counts and direct behavioral observations showed that ant invasion altered abundances and behaviors of the bird species we examined: the Island Thrush (Turdus poliocephalus erythropleurus), Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica natalis), and Christmas Island White‐eye (Zosterops natalis). The thrush, which frequents the forest floor, altered its foraging and reproductive behaviors in ant‐invaded forest, where nest‐site location changed, and nest success and juvenile counts were lower. Counts of the dove, which forages exclusively on the forest floor, were 9–14 times lower in ant‐invaded forest. In contrast, counts and foraging success of the white‐eye, a generalist feeder in the understory and canopy, were higher in ant‐invaded forest, where mutualism between the ant and honeydew‐secreting scale insects increased the abundance of scale‐insect prey. These complex outcomes involved the interplay of direct interference by ants and altered resource availability and habitat structure caused indirectly by ant invasion. Ecological meltdown, rapidly unleashed by ant invasion, extended to these endemic forest birds and may affect key ecosystem processes, including seed dispersal.     

The MYSound Project: building an estuary-wide monitoring network for Long Island Sound,USA

A network of five water quality monitoring stations has been established in Long Island Sound, measuring temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen since 1999. The stations are located in areas of extreme water quality degradation (western Long Island Sound) as well as in pristine areas (eastern Long Island Sound). The data from these stations are collected every 15 minutes and posted to the project web site in real time as provisional data. After subsequent quality assurance procedures, the data are archived to the project File Transfer Protocol (FSP) site for downloading by the user community. The network of stations is in part supported logistically by a number of partners, including state and local agencies, schools, and non-governmental organizations. Data from the monitoring programs of some of these partners are also published to the project website providing a more comprehensive and complete picture of the status of the Sound than can be provided independently. This repository of information is used by marine educators, resource managers, scientists, and the general public, each with a different end purpose. We use the data from two of the stations to show that these high frequency time series measurements can be used to complement and enhance other monitoring programs within the Sound, documenting in greater detail the occurrence and duration of hypoxic events.     

Ecological Conservation Through Aesthetic Landscape Planning: A Case Study of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway

A consequence of expanding residential development into rural areas is the potential alteration of ecological communities. Certain novel land-use policies seek practical solutions by accommodating social needs for housing while conserving biodiversity. This study investigates whether regulations designed to protect the aesthetic characteristics of a river corridor simultaneously mitigate negative effects of development on avian biodiversity, despite the absence of explicit conservation objectives. Using housing data from the US Census (1990 and 2000) and the Audubon Christmas Bird Count (1987–2000), we examined changes in housing density, avian communities, and the relationship between these two variables in a location that has adopted aesthetic landscape planning, the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway. We found that overall species diversity increased in the Riverway, but remained constant in reference areas, although the relative increase in housing density in the two areas did not differ. We also found that omnivore populations decreased in the Riverway and increased in reference sites. On the whole, our study provides preliminary evidence that aesthetic landscape planning, such as employed in the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, might constitute a politically viable approach to conserve ecological resources.     

红厚壳在海南岛的分布及其生长习性

红厚壳在海南岛一直是适应性强，分布广泛的珍贵植物资源。调查结果表明，在经济建设，农业土地开发等压力下，海南岛的红厚壳植物资源正日趋减少，目前仅在琼山，文昌等地区还保留较丰富，南部地区已绝迹，西部地区也难以见到。