Social network properties within a fish assemblage invaded by non-native sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus

Network theory is commonly used to reveal social interactions and the organisation of interconnected nodes—but has not yet been applied to animal invasions. Non-native species invasions are now considered one of the foremost threats to natural ecosystems and biodiversity. This is the first attempt to assess social network properties within a freshwater fish assemblage invaded by a non-native fish species. We show that invasive sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus is socially more strongly interconnected with native species than the native species with each other. The social networks also reveal characteristics of a ‘small world’ such as low clustering coefficients C and short path lengths L. The findings may indicate potential traits of successful invaders and the implication for the spread of pathogens between individuals within a group of animals that contain a non-native invasive species. The success of establishment and subsequent invasion may be highlighted not only by the capacity of the new species to adapt to the new environment, but also in its capacity to penetrate the social circle of the native community.     

A simulation model to evaluate the impacts of invasive earthworms on soil carbon dynamics

Recent studies have reported that earthworm invasions alter native communities and impact nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. We developed a simulation model to evaluate the potential impacts of earthworm invasions on carbon dynamics, taking into consideration earthworm feeding strategies and priming effects on the microorganisms through their casting activities. Responses of carbon stocks (forest litter, soil organic matter, microbial biomass and earthworm populations) and carbon fluxes (litter decomposition, earthworm consumption, and microbial respiration) were used to evaluate an earthworm invasion of a forest ecosystem. Data from a northern temperate forest (Arnot Forest, New York) were adapted for model calibration and evaluation. Simulation results suggest that the impact and outcome of earthworm invasions are affected by pre-invasion resource availability (litter and soil organic matter), invasive earthworm assemblages (particularly feeding strategy), and invasion history (associated with earthworm population dynamics). The abovementioned factors may also determine invasion progress of earthworm species. The accuracy of the model could be improved by the addition of environmental modules (e.g., soil water regimes), precise parameters accounting for individual species attributes under different environmental conditions (e.g. utilization ability of different types of food resources), as well as earthworm population dynamics (size and structure) and interactions with predators and other invasive/indigenous species during the invasion progress. Such an earthworm invasion model could provide valuable evaluation of the complicated responses of carbon dynamics to earthworm invasions in a range of forest ecosystems, particularly under global change scenarios.     

Topological analysis of the ecological importance of elasmobranch fishes: A food web study on the Gulf of Tortugas, Colombia

We built a trophic network based on a matrix of interspecific trophic relationships to assess the role of elasmobranch fishes in shaping community structure of the Gulf of Tortugas in the Colombian Pacific Ocean. We analyzed diet similarities to define trophic components (nodes) - rather than taxonomical groups - in the network. We evaluated the ecological function of species or trophic entities through topological analysis of their structural importance in trophic networks by applying one local and several mesoscale network indices. We found that top predatory elasmobranchs play an important ecological role in top-down control and in propagating indirect effects through the system owing to high values of the node degree, centrality and topological importance indices. However, invertebrates and teleost fishes had higher connectivity and topological importance than other elasmobranchs in the network before and after removal of top predators from the system. Results from our study thus suggest that elasmobranchs at intermediate trophic levels - commonly referred to as “mesopredators” - are not so important in all complex coastal ecosystems as previously reported.     

Identifying Conservation Areas on the Basis of Alternative Distribution Data Sets

Abstract:  Distribution data on biodiversity features is a major component of conservation planning that are often inaccurate; thus, the true distribution of each feature is commonly over- or underrepresented. The selection of distribution data sets may therefore lead to variability in the spatial configuration and size of proposed reserve networks and uncertainty regarding the extent to which these networks actually contain the biodiversity features they were identified to protect. Our goals were to investigate the impact on reserve selection of choosing different distribution data sets and to propose novel methods to minimize uncertainty about target attainment within reserves. To do so, we used common prioritization methods (richness mapping, systematic reserve design, and a novel approach that integrates multiple types of distribution data) and three types of data on the distribution of mammals (predicted distribution models, occurrence records, and a novel combination of the two) to simulate the establishment of regional biodiversity reserves for the state of Arizona (U.S.A.). Using the results of these simulations, we explored variability in reserve placement and size as a function of the distribution data set. Spatial overlap of reserve networks identified with only predicted distribution data or only occurrence distribution data never exceeded 16%. In pairwise comparisons between reserves created with all three types of distribution data, overlap never achieved 50%. The reserve size required to meet conservation targets also varied with the type of distribution data used and the conservation goal; the largest reserve system was 10 times the smallest. Our results highlight the impact of employing different types of distribution data and identify novel tools for application to existing distribution data sets that can minimize uncertainty about target attainment.     

长白山区公路对路域植物物种组成及多样性的影响

采用样线法对长白山区公路旁天然次生林和原始阔叶林的植物物种组成及多样性进行调查。分别选取具有代表性的两个试验点,在公路两侧且其垂直走向布设3条相互平行的样线,间隔5m。在样线上布设样点,调查的生态因子包括光强、温度及湿度;样方调查分为灌木和草本样方,分别记录种类、高度、盖度、株数。根据公路两侧生态因子、灌草植物组成及多样性变化情况,分析公路建设的生态影响。结果表明：（1）随着离公路距离的增加,光照、温度、湿度等环境因子呈现规律性变化,距离公路10m的位置是生态因子变化从剧烈到缓和的转折点;（2）公路建设对植物组成产生影响,随着离公路距离的增加,呈现从喜光植物到耐阴植物的变化,0～20m之间是优势种变化较剧烈的范围,而10m之内和20m之外样方之间优势种变化不大;（3）受路域环境因子改变的影响,公路建设对沿线植物的多样性影响包括正负两种,既增加了路域植物的多样性,同时也破坏了原生植被群落的稳定性;（4）从长白山区公路对草本、灌木植物组成及生物多样性影响的范围和程度来看,草本的影响范围超过20m,灌木的影响范围达到10m,影响范围：草本灌木。随着与公路距离的增加,公路对植物组成及多样性的影响程度降低。     

巨枝人工林灌木层优势种的种间联结性分析

种间联结的研究对于人工林群落的生物多样性保育和可持续经营与管理具有重要的意义,目前对巨桉人工林灌木层物种之间的作用关系知之甚少。根据野外60个样方的调查数据,运用x^2检验、Jaccard指数和Spearman秩相关系数研究了巨桉（Eucalyptusgrandis）人工林灌木层18个优势种的种间关联和相关关系。结果表明,灌木层优势种具有总体上的正联结性,但在153个种对中,具有显著正联结性的种对数约占总种对数的10％,绝大数种对表现为弱联结性或无联结性,种间关系较为松散,表明巨桉林下灌木种群具有相对独立分布的特性。研究种间关系时,种间关联结合种间相关得出的结果较好。根据分析结果将18个优势种划分为4个生态种组,生态种组内的种其资源利用方式和生态要求相似,而组间表现出明显的差异。生态种组的划分能为巨桉人工林林下灌木层的管理提供理论依据。     

二氧化硫胁迫对不同抗性玉米幼苗活性氧代谢的影响

采用60mg·m-3SO2气体处理玉米（Zea Mays.L）幼苗,通过组织化学染色和定量测定,分析了高抗自交系齐139和敏感自交系昌7-2在活性氧代谢上的差异。结果表明：SO2胁迫处理3h后,高抗系齐139幼苗叶片积累了较高的O2-和H2O2,12h后被迅速清除而趋于平衡;而高感系昌7-2叶片在胁迫早期产生的O2-和H2O2较少,后期有大量的O2-和H2O2积累,导致细胞损伤。抗氧化酶SOD和CAT在抗性系中显著升高,而敏感系中增幅不显著。这一研究表明不同抗性系中活性氧代谢的差异可能与其对SO2的抗性密切相关。     

嘉陵江出口段春季水华藻种鉴定

嘉陵江为三峡库区最大支流,对库区水环境具有重要影响,2004年夏进行了嘉陵江出口段藻类活动规律研究,2005年春首次发现嘉陵江出口段小环藻（Cyclotella）暴发。2008年春嘉陵江出口段小环藻暴发水样经中科院武汉水生所鉴定的水华藻种为极小冠盘藻（Stephanodiscus minutulus）,由于极小冠盘藻光学显微特征与小环藻暴发水样中主要小环藻光学显微特征不一致,因此需要弄清春季嘉陵江出口段水华小环藻分类地位。为认知春季嘉陵江出口段水华小环藻种,2009年春季于嘉陵江出口段小环藻发生期间,采集水样,离心浓缩,酸化处理,经电子显微镜扫描得到主要小环藻的电子显微照片,通过中国淡水藻志第四卷硅藻门中心纲相关小环藻特征分析比较,嘉陵江出口段春季水华小环藻种为星肋小环藻（Cyclotella asterocostata Grun.）。     

物种敏感度分布的非参数核密度估计模型

针对目前物种敏感度分布参数方法建模所存在的缺点,首次提出基于非参数核密度估计方法的物种敏感度分布模型,并提出相应的最优窗宽和检验方法。选用无机汞作为案例研究对象,利用非参数核密度估计方法和3种传统参数模型分别推导了保护我国水生生物的无机汞的急性水质基准值。结果表明,非参数核密度估计方法在推导无机汞水质基准中的稳健性和精确度都大大优于传统参数模型,能够更好地构建物种敏感度分布曲线。该方法的提出丰富了水质基准的理论方法学,为更好地保护水生生物提供了有力的支撑。     

森林可燃物可持续管理技术理论与研究

实现森林可燃物可持续管理是减少和控制森林火灾的基础。本文介绍了基于可物管理的防火林带和计划火烧的预防和控制森林火灾方法。