四川喇叭河自然保护区的两栖爬行动物垂直分布及保护区型式

四川省喇叭河自然保护区已知分布有39种两栖爬行动物，本文对在该地区海拔700-2600m的地段划分为19个小带，并对其物种多样性的分布特点和分布规律进行了研究．结果表明：两栖爬行动物在保护区内具有明显的垂直分布现象，海拔900-1099m过渡带和2100-2299m过渡带是该地物种保护的关键地区，该区域具有物种丰富、区系复杂和生态脆弱等特点；因此，在规划建设和旅游开发过程中应避免对该区域的影响，同时保护区的规划应遵循物种多样性的分布规律，合理设计保护区的空间格局，初步提出了多核心、多层次的保护区新型式．图5表2参16     

An ecological framework for contextualizing carnivore–livestock conflict

Carnivore predation on livestock is a complex management and policy challenge, yet it is also intrinsically an ecological interaction between predators and prey. Human–wildlife interactions occur in socioecological systems in which human and environmental processes are closely linked. However, underlying human–wildlife conflict and key to unpacking its complexity are concrete and identifiable ecological mechanisms that lead to predation events. To better understand how ecological theory accords with interactions between wild predators and domestic prey, we developed a framework to describe ecological drivers of predation on livestock. We based this framework on foundational ecological theory and current research on interactions between predators and domestic prey. We used this framework to examine ecological mechanisms (e.g., density-mediated effects, behaviorally mediated effects, and optimal foraging theory) through which specific management interventions operate, and we analyzed the ecological determinants of failure and success of management interventions in 3 case studies: snow leopards (Panthera uncia), wolves (Canis lupus), and cougars (Puma concolor). The varied, context-dependent successes and failures of the management interventions in these case studies demonstrated the utility of using an ecological framework to ground research and management of carnivore–livestock conflict. Mitigation of human–wildlife conflict appears to require an understanding of how fundamental ecological theories work within domestic predator–prey systems.     

Compassionate versus consequentialist conservation

Ethical treatment of wildlife and consideration of animal welfare have become important themes in conservation, but ethical perspectives on how best to protect wild animals and promote their welfare are diverse. There are advantages to the consequentialist harms ethical framework applied in managing wild herbivores for conservation purposes. To minimize harms while achieving conservation goals, we argue that overabundant wild herbivores should in many cases be managed through consumptive in situ killing. Advantages of this policy are that the negative welfare states imposed on animals last only a short time; remaining animals are not deprived of positive welfare states (e.g., linked to rearing offspring); poor welfare states of animals in overabundant populations are avoided (e.g., starvation); negative welfare impacts on heterospecifics through resource depletion (i.e., competition) are prevented; harvesting meat reduces the number of (agricultural) animals raised to supply meat; and minimal costs maximize funding for other wildlife management and conservation priorities. Alternative ethical approaches to our consequentialist framework include deontology (containing animal rights) and virtue ethics, some of which underpin compassionate conservation. These alternative ethical approaches emphasize the importance of avoiding intentional killing of animals but, if no population reduction occurs, are likely to impose considerable unintentional harms on overabundant wildlife and indirectly harm heterospecifics through ineffective population reduction. If nonlethal control is used, it is likely that overabundant animals would be deprived of positive welfare states and economic costs would be prohibitive. We encourage conservation stakeholders to consider animal-welfare consequentialism as an ethical approach to minimize harms to the animals under their care as well as other animals that policies may affect while at the same time pursuing conservation goals.     

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.     

崇明东滩候鸟自然保护区的动态变化

在８０年代末期的鸟类及其生境调查研究基础上，正式提出拟建的上海市崇明东滩候鸟自然保护区，５年来随着滩涂的游涨及９０年代初期人工围垦的影响，滩涂自然植被和鸟类的种类，数量，分布也随之有了相应的相应的动态变化。该文在新的调查资料基础上，对崇明东滩鸟类赖以生存地自然植被恢复，候鸟食料的容量分析等作了研究；同时，还论述了崇明候鸟自然保护区的界线范围及其动态变化，以及保护区内部３个功能小区的动态等。     

A new maniraptoran dinosaur from China with long feathers on the metatarsus

The unusual presence of long pennaceous feathers on the feet of basal dromaeosaurid dinosaurs has recently been presented as strong evidence in support of the arboreal–gliding hypothesis for the origin of bird flight, but it could be a unique feature of dromaeosaurids and thus irrelevant to the theropod–bird transition. Here, we report a new eumaniraptoran theropod from China, with avian affinities, which also has long pennaceous feathers on its feet. This suggests that such morphology might represent a primitive adaptation close to the theropod–bird transition. The long metatarsus feathers are likely primitive for Eumaniraptora and might have played an important role in the origin of avian flight.Electronic Supplementary Material  Supplementary material is available for this article at     

辉河自然保护区鸟类多样性保护现状与对策

辉河湿地面积1167km2,有水禽75种,其中国家Ⅰ级保护鸟类有大鸨、丹顶鹤等9种;Ⅱ级保护鸟类有白枕鹤、大天鹅等30种.本区是众多水鸟的繁殖地,又是迁徙途中的重要停歇地.由于人为和自然因素影响,辉河湿地萎缩,生态环境受损,致使鸟类多样性受到威胁,因此,本文提出增加投入、提高管理、科研、监测水平,实施生态恢复项目等措施,保护鸟类多样性,特别是加强鹤类的保护,仅供同行参考.     

安西极旱荒漠国家级自然保护区鸟类资源的消长变化

1988-1989年安西极旱荒漠自然保护区进行了首次全面的综合考察,为了解1988年以来保护区鸟类资源的变化及其原因,2002-2004年又4次调查了该地区鸟类的种类及数量。15年来安西自然保护区的鸟类资源变化明显。鸟类种类新增加31种(其中甘肃新记录3种),但同时减少了36种。国家重点保护鸟类由原来的18种下降到16种。与1988-1989年相比,2002-2004年春季和夏季鸟类数量下降,秋季数量增加;各个季节的优势种的种类和数量都发生明显变化。影响安西自然保护区鸟类资源变化的主要原因是鸟类迁徙和人类活动。     

Risk assessment of etofenprox (Vectron) on non-target aquatic fauna compared with other pesticides used as Simulium larvicide in a tropical environment

Within the rotational scheme developed by the Programme to fight the resistance of Simulium damnosum to chemical larvicides, there was an operational gap at discharges between 5 and 70 m³ s⁻¹ for the treatment of rivers where resistance to organophosphates was present. The use of permethrin and carbosulfan was precluded because of risk of environmental impact and, Bacillus thuringiensis ser. H-14 treatments were not envisageable due to cost and logistics constraints. Among the possible complementary groups of larvicides tested, the pseudo-pyrethroids, held promise, because of a mode of action similar to that of pyrethroids, but along with a usually lower toxicity for fish. Etofenprox, one of the pseudo-pyrethroids tested, shows a global detachment of non-target insects in 24 h close to that of pyraclofos, an organo-phosphorus compound (27 against 23%). In laboratory conditions, six times the operational dose which is 0.03 mg l⁻¹ 10 min, is needed to cause 50% mortality of Caridina sp. (a small shrimps species) and 30 times this same dose for 95% mortality. For fish species, a safety margin of 400–800 times the operational dose is observed for Oreochromis niloticus and 200–400 times for Tilapia zillii.