Modeling Habitat Suitability for Complex Species Distributions by Environmental-Distance Geometric Mean

This paper presents a new habitat suitability modeling method whose main properties are as follows: (1) It is based on the density of observation points in the environmental space, which enables it to fit complex distributions (e.g. nongaussian, bimodal, asymmetrical, etc.). (2) This density is modeled by computing the geometric mean to all observation points, which we show to be a good trade-off between goodness of fit and prediction power. (3) It does not need any absence information, which is generally difficult to collect and of dubious reliability. (4) The environmental space is represented either by an expert-selection of standardized variables or the axes of a factor analysis [in this paper we used the Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA)].We first explain the details of the geometric mean algorithm and then we apply it to the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) habitat in the Swiss Alps. The results are compared to those obtained by the median algorithm and tested by jack-knife cross-validation. We also discuss other related algorithms (BIOCLIM, HABITAT, and DOMAIN). All these analyses were implemented into and performed with the ecology-oriented GIS software BIOMAPPER 2.0.The results show the geometric mean to perform better than the median algorithm, as it produces a tighter fit to the bimodal distribution of the bearded vulture in the environmental space. However, the median algorithm being quicker, it could be preferred when modeling more usual distribution.     

Mosquito management: Ecological approaches

This article discusses organism use for management of mosquitoes included are considerations of the introduction and/or manipulation of plants, animals, and microorganisms into breeding habitats in which they act to make conditions less suitable for mosquito production. The importance of foresight and careful planning is stressed with regard to developing mosquito management strategies     

Experimental evidence for species-specific habitat preferences in two flycatcher species in their hybrid zone

Hybrid zones are often found in areas where the environmental characteristics of native habitat of both parental species meet. One of the plausible mechanisms that maintain species distinctiveness, or limit hybridization, is the existence of local species-specific preferences for the natal habitat type. We evaluated this hypothesis for two passerine bird species, the pied Ficedula hypoleuca and collared flycatcher F. albicollis, in their narrow hybrid zone in Central Europe. Both species have quite distinct habitat distributions, and they have also been reported to differ in their foraging niches. In a series of aviary experiments, we demonstrated that both species show distinct preferences for trees from their native area. The pied flycatcher preferred coniferous vegetation, while the collared flycatcher favored deciduous vegetation. In addition, both species differed in foraging substrate preferences. The pied flycatcher preferred to forage in the lower strata on the ground than the canopy, whereas the collared flycatcher foraged more at the canopy level. Both males and females of each species were highly consistent in their preference patterns. Due to the widespread nature of hybrid zones as places with transitional habitat features and the well-known habitat tight associations of various animal taxa with particular habitat types, we propose that habitat preferences might be an important and common mechanism that enhances the formation of conspecific pairs.     

万木林中亚热带常绿阔叶林林隙主要树种的高度生态位

对万木林自然保护区中亚热带常绿阔叶林林隙内外主要树种的生态位宽度和生态位重叠进行了研究。结果表明：桂北木姜子和浙江桂在林隙内外部都占有较高的生态位宽度；生物学特性和生态学特性接近的树种高度生态位重叠较大，反之则较小；在林隙内，出矾和薄叶山矾的高度生态位重叠最大，而桂北木姜子和黄瑞木、尖叶水丝梨，浙江桂和尖叶水丝梨的高度生态位重叠较小；在非林隙内，山矾和黄瑞木的高度生态位重叠最大，桂北木姜子和尖叶水丝梨、黄瑞木的高度生态位重叠较小，表3参13     

人工封育区植物群落恢复演替系列种群生态位动态特征——以宁夏盐池为例

为了解干旱半干旱区草原植物生态位格局,运用Levins生态宽度指数及Pianka生态位重叠指数,对宁夏盐池人工封育草原3种不同措施下的植物生态位宽度及生态位重叠进行计量。结果表明:茵陈蒿(Artemisia capillaries Thunb)和新疆猪毛菜(Salsola sinkiangensis A.J.Li)的生物、生态学特性决定了它在该区的优势地位,其生态位宽度远远高于其他物种,并且出现下降的趋势;生态位重叠结果均表明,生态位宽度大的物种不一定和其他物种有大的重叠值,较高的生态位宽度和较高的生态位重叠之间并不存在直接的线性关系;较高的Pianka生态位重叠值都出现在生态位宽度较小的物种之间。这一现象从另外一个角度说明植被恢复过程中环境资源存在着高度的空间异质性。     

半干旱区人工封育草场植被群落生态位研究——以宁夏盐池县长期定位监测点为例

人工封育是草场恢复和重建的一种主要措施。为研究半干旱区人工封育草地植物种群生态位,以宁夏盐池县人工封育区3种不同处理方式（长期完全封育、短期完全封育、短期不完全封育）为研究对象,将封育区分为封育核心区（E区）、封育边缘区（E1区）和封育外围区（E2区）,通过分析在该地区出现的27种植物种群的Levins生态位宽度指数和Pianka生态位重叠指数,揭示植物种群生态位在干旱荒漠环境下的变化规律,为进一步分析该地区群落稳定性提供依据。研究结果表明：1）核心区和外围区生态位宽度最大的都是刺沙蓬Salsola ruthenica lljin,分别为0.832和0.810,而边缘区生态位宽度最大的是丝叶山苦荬Lxeris chinensis var.graminifolia,为0.742,这2种植物的生物学特性决定了它们能够很好的适应封育区的环境,并很好的利用封育区的资源,结果是它们的生态位宽度明显高于其他物种。2）对三区内不同植物种群的生态位宽度分析结果显示,三区的群落稳定性表现为E1区〉E2区〉E区;长期的完全封育并不利于封育区内植物群落的稳定;而短期的完全封育措施比不完全封育措施更有利于植被群落的稳定。3）通过分析三区内不同植物种之间的生态位重叠得出,E区生态位重叠最大值出现在草地风毛菊Saussurea amara、苦豆子Sophora alopecuroides L、沙芦草Agropyron mongolicum Keng与臭蒿Artemisia hedinii之间,都是0.98。E1区生态位重叠最大值是达乌里胡枝子Lespedeza davurica和草木樨状黄芪Astragalus melilotoides之间（0.82）。E2区生态位重叠最大的一对是草木樨状黄芪和冰草Agropyron cristatum（0.99）。相关分析表明：生态位宽度与生态位重叠之间并没有明确的线性关系。生态位宽度窄的物种之间可能有较高的生态位重叠,反之,则较低,但并不是完全如此。     

土地利用的经济生态位分析和耕地保护机制研究

土地利用变化包括土地利用结构和土地利用强度两个方面,是土地利用类型从低生态位层次向高生态位转变的自组织行为。对不同层次的土地利用生态位进行控制与协调,才能实现一定耕地保有量下土地利用资源场的均衡。而这种均衡正是耕地总量动态平衡得以实现的前提。在生态位势理论与系统边界理论的基础上,论文构建了土地利用经济生态位的模型,并以江苏省锡山市为例定量分析了不同土地利用类型相互作用的强度。研究显示,经济发达区非农用地与农用地生态位差较大,城市化进程加快,使耕地更易损失。从资源流动的场论分析角度,探讨了建立耕地保护机制的途径和方法。在目前的水平上,把土地利用生态位作为土地利用/覆被研究中的一种新方法论更有意义。     

黄浦江上游底栖动物的指示生物生态研究

就黄浦江上游水质现状，底栖动物指示种的适用范围及其对污染的指示意义，加以探讨，研究，结果筛选出适应于当前水质状况的底栖动物有颤蚓，水丝蚓，珍珠蚌，钩虾和摇蚊幼虫等指示种，从底栖动物指示种的变化，可预测水质变化的趋势以及季节性的差异。     

基于生态安全格局的山地丘陵区自然资源空间精准识别与管制方法

自然资源空间管制是平衡生态保护和经济发展关系的基本工具,严守生态安全格局的底线思维对于重建系统完备、生态盈余的自然资源空间管制新格局具有重要指导意义。以胶东半岛典型山地丘陵区——栖霞市为例,应用数据密集型知识挖掘,集成地理信息方法与模型,基于栅格从生态服务功能重要性和生态环境敏感性两方面精准识别生态源地,利用地形位指数修正基本阻力面,并运用最小累积阻力模型提取生态廊道,从而构建生态安全格局,实现自然资源分区管制。结果表明:栖霞市生态源地面积为627.80 km²,占全市总面积的31.14%,集中分布在中东、中南和西北部,且超过一半源地为林地;关键、优化生态廊道各237.19 km、83.90 km,大多由林地组成,主要分布在中东、西北和西南部,形成完整的生态网络;划定禁止建设区、限制建设区、条件建设区和优先建设区,为自然资源空间精准管制提供方法保障。     

Socioeconomic development and ecological traits as predictors of human–bird conflicts

Because of the significant impacts on both human interests and bird conservation, it is imperative to identify patterns and anticipate drivers of human–bird conflicts (HBCs) worldwide. Through a global systematic review, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we analyzed the socioeconomic factors and bird ecological traits driving the degree of knowledge and extent of HBCs. We included 166 articles published from 1971 to 2020 in our analyses through which we built a profile of the socioeconomic conditions of 52 countries with reported conflicts and the ecological traits of the 161 bird species involved in HBCs. Although HBC expanded worldwide, it had the greatest impact in less-developed countries (estimate 0. 66 [SE 0.13], p< 0.05), where agriculture is critical for rural livelihoods. Species with a relatively greater conflict extent had a relatively broader diet (estimate 0.80 [SE 0.22], p<0.05) and an increasing population trend (estimate 0.58 [SE 0.15], p<0.05) and affected human interests, such as agriculture and livestock raising. In countries with greater biodiversity, HBCs caused greater socioeconomic impacts than in more developed countries. Our results highlight the importance of understanding and addressing HBCs from multiple perspectives (ecological, sociocultural, and political) to effectively protect both biodiversity and local livelihoods.