Trends in the formation of biotopic complexes of bumblebees (Hymenoptera, Apidae: Bombini) in northern taiga karst landscapes of the Western Russian Plain

Main trends in the formation of biotopic complexes of bumblebees in the northern taiga zone are analyzed. It is proposed that Eurasian forest species of bumblebees (Bombus (Th.) schrencki, B. (Mg.) consobrinus, etc.) are coadaptively connected with entomophilous plant species belonging to the synusia of Eurosiberian riverine-mountain meadow tall herbage, with the numbers of species in both biotic groups (pollinating insects and plants) and their abundance being greater in the landscape characterized by a high degree of karstification. In the biotopic bumblebee complex of a large river valley, the relative abundance of forest bumblebee species is 2.5–5.3 times lower than in other complexes, whereas that of meadow species is two orders of magnitude higher due to favorable thermal conditions and a large number of habitats with mesophilic herbage and legumes. Each of the distinct ecogeographic groups of bumblebees and the corresponding synusiae (each comprising entomophilous plants of different taxonomic groups) appear to be coadapted. This is probably a result of the diffuse coevolution of pollinators and plants belonging to the genetically unified biota.     

Dynamics and Structural Changes of the Fluke Fauna in Fish of the Volga Delta Caused by the Rise of Water Level in the Caspian Sea

Changes in the Caspian Sea level and anthropogenic influences on biocenoses of the Volga Delta periodically result in the changes of dominant species among animal helminths. An abrupt rise of the sea level since the mid-1970s caused structural rearrangements in the fluke fauna of fish in the 1990s: the species whose development is connected with mollusks of the rheophilic complex became dominant.     

生物入侵概述

当外来种进入一个新的地区并能存活、繁殖、形成野生归化种群，其种群进一步扩散已经或即将造成明显的生态、经济和社会后果，这一事件称为生物入侵。生物入侵分有意和无意两种，会对生态系统乃至社会经济和人类生活带来巨大的危害。某个生物种由最初的引入到演变为入侵种，是要经历几个阶段的，一般入侵种具有许多共同的生物学特征。     

Site examination for threatened and endangered plant species

A procedure is described for conducting floristic examinations of prospective sites of development in order to determine the presence of threatened and/or endangered plant species. The timed meander search procedure provides information to document the level of effort expended in the examination as well as to describe the floristic resources of the site. Tests of the procedure during the 1979 and 1980 field seasons have demonstrated its value both as a means of discovering threatened and endangered species on a site and as a means of documenting a low probability of occurrence of such species if not found during application of the procedure.     

Transgenics and Vertebrate Cloning as Tools for Species Conservation

Abstract:  It has been suggested that transgenics and vertebrate cloning have a role to play in conservation. Now is the time to evaluate their risks and benefits, before these technologies are widely implemented in our field. Direct risks of transgenics include escape and introgression of transgenes into wild populations; weedy invasion by transgenic organisms; toxicity or pathogenicity of engineered organisms and their products; and human error in the field testing and tracking of transgenic organisms. Indirect risks include environmental effects of increased herbicide use; the danger that engineered organisms may aid the development of bioweapons; the likelihood that gene patenting will lead to the privatization of natural resources; and the diversion of support from less glamorous forms of conservation. Formal risk assessments are commonly used to evaluate transgenic procedures, but our incomplete understanding of both ecosystem processes and the action of transgenes renders most of these assessments scientifically and socially unjustified. Nevertheless, a few, low-risk applications of transgenics may be possible: for example, "super-sterile" ornamental cultivars. Vertebrate cloning poses little risk to the environment, but it can consume scarce conservation resources, and its chances of success in preserving species seem poor. To date, the conservation benefits of transgenics and vertebrate cloning remain entirely theoretical, but many of the risks are known and documented. Conservation biologists should devote their research and energies to the established methods of conservation, none of which require transgenics or vertebrate cloning.     

Incorporating Evolutionary Measures into Conservation Prioritization

Abstract:  Conservation prioritization is dominated by the threat status of candidate species. However, species differ markedly in the shared genetic information they embody, and this information is not taken into account if species are prioritized by threat status alone. We developed a system of prioritization that incorporates both threat status and genetic information and applied it to 9546 species of birds worldwide. We devised a simple measure of a species' genetic value that takes into account the shape of the entire taxonomic tree of birds. This measure approximates the evolutionary history that each species embodies and sums to the phylogenetic diversity of the entire taxonomic tree. We then combined this genetic value with each species' probability of extinction to create a species-specific measure of expected loss of genetic information. The application of our methods to the world's avifauna showed that ranking species by expected loss of genetic information may help preserve bird evolutionary history by upgrading those threatened species with fewer close relatives. We recommend developing a mechanism to incorporate a species' genetic value into the prioritization framework.     

舟山渔场及其邻近海域浮游植物生态调查与研究

在2006年对舟山渔场及其邻近海域进行三期调查,共采集到浮游植物334种,分属7门85属,硅藻是构成调查区域浮游植物群落的主要类群。中肋骨条藻的优势地位明显。舟山渔场及其邻近海域浮游植物物种组成存在一定的时空差异,但不是很显著。表层浮游植物丰度全年平均为1.66×105/L。三季相比较,春季浮游植物的群落多样性相对偏高一些。通过对群落Margalef丰富度指数、Shannon-Weaver多样性指数以及Pielou均匀度指数的分析,总体上,可以认为舟山渔场及其近岸海域的生物多样性和丰富度尚好,群落结构尚稳定。但仍有部分区域环境污染严重,生物多样性较差。     

苏北海域表层沉积物中PH_3的分布

为研究海洋生态系统中PH3的迁移转化规律及其产生机制,2006年12月对苏北海域表层沉积物中磷化氢(PH3)、总磷(TP)、无机磷(IP)、有机磷(OP)及有机质(OM)的分布进行了系统分析和讨论。结果表明,PH3在苏北海域表层沉积物中普遍存在,含量在[(2.63±0.38)~(39.35±5.49)]×10-12之间,最大值出现在长江口,最小值出现在辐射沙洲海域。辐射沙洲海域TP和IP的含量较低,长江口及吕四一带含量相对较高,且沿着长江入海方向逐渐减少。OP和OM分布的总体趋势是由南至北,由西到东含量逐渐减小,长江口及吕四港一带含量较高。区与区间PH3与TP、IP及OP的相关性分析表明,IP作为PH3的生成前体物可能性比OP高。     

Spatial variations of aluminum species in drinking water supplies in Xi’an studied applying geographic information system

This article aimed to investigate the variation of aluminum species and the effects of coagulant type and water quality on aluminum speciation in drinking water.Statistical analysis showed that the concentration of total aluminum(AlT) of drinking water in Xi'an ranged from 0.051 to 0.417 mg/L and the concentration of AlT in about 24.7% studied samples was higher than the currently recommended value(0.2 mg/L).The areas fed by surface water plants had a larger portion(39.4%) of samples over the recommended value.In drinking water treated by alum coagulant,the average concentration of monomeric aluminum(Ala) was higher than that in water treated by poly aluminum chlorine(PACl) and poly aluminum ferric chloride(PAFC).The average concentrations of polynuclear aluminum(Alb) and colloidal/suspended aluminum(Alc) in the drinking water treated by alum were lower than those in water treated by PACl and PAFC.There was a notable decrease in AlT along with the delivery pipeline away from the plants,with an average decline of about 36 μg/(L·km).Besides coagulant type,water quality also could afflect aluminum speciation.In drinking water without orthophosphate,the concentrations of Ala and AlT were positively correlated with pH;while,in drinking water with orthophosphate,the concentrations of Ala and AlT were negatively correlated with pH.The addition of orthophosphate salts in the drinking water treatment process would be an effective method for aluminum control in pH range 6.5-8.2.     

Short-term e ects of drawing water for connectivity of rivers and lakes on zooplankton community structure

During 28–29, September 2005, water was drawn from Hanjiang River and Houguan Lake to the Yangzi River via Sanjiao Lake and Nantaizi Lake in Wuhan in order to provide favorable conditions for ecosystem restoration. To evaluate the feasibility and validity of drawing water as a means of ecosystem restoration, zooplankton populations were studied 3 times (before, immediately after finishing and a month after drawing water) at seven locations from 27 Sept. 2005 to 2 Nov. 2005. Water quality in the lakes was mostly improved and zooplankton species richness decreased as soon as drawing water had finished but increased a month after drawing water. Zooplankton density and biomass was reduced in the lakes by drawing water but was increased at the entrance to Sanjiao Lake because of landform geometry change. Before drawing water, most species in Sanjiao Lake e.g., Brachionus sp. and Keratella sp. were tolerant of contamination. After drawing water oligotrophic-prone species such as Lecane ludwigii and Gastropus stylifer emerged. We conclude that drawing water could be important for improving water quality and favour ecosystem restoration. Dilution of nutrient concentrations may be an important role in the e ect.