Boys will be boys: social affinity among males drives social segregation in western grey kangaroos

In many sexually dimorphic and polygynous species, individuals exhibit social segregation by grouping with others of their own sex. Several proximate mechanisms have been proposed to explain social segregation: female avoidance of males, male avoidance of females, avoidance of harassment, male social affinity, female social affinity and activity budget asynchrony. Some of these have been tested in ungulate species, but few previous studies have been able to rigorously test, or distinguish between, these mechanisms because they have failed to examine the fission/fusion dynamics of groups. We tested these proximate mechanisms simultaneously in western grey kangaroos Macropus fuliginosus , by examining whether females, small males or large males instigated segregation by leaving mixed-sex groups or joining individuals of their own sex or size class. Females, small males and large males left mixed-sex groups as if leaving were independent of sex–size class. In contrast, large males joined male-only groups more frequently than expected. These results suggest that the need for males to maintain contact with other males can contribute to the cohesion of male-only groups and promote segregation. As male–male competition occurs in many polygynous species that sexually segregate, a comparable mechanism might be operating in other taxa, and should be examined further.     

克里雅河尾闾绿洲胡杨种群年龄结构对地下水埋深的响应

为阐明沙漠腹地绿洲胡杨种群的生存状况与发展动态,探讨地下水埋深差异对胡杨年龄结构组成与种群更新演替的影响.该研究以塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地克里雅河尾间达里雅布依绿洲胡杨林为研究对象,通过划分胡杨龄级与地下水埋深梯度等级,量化个体竞争能力等主要手段,对胡杨种群年龄结构特征进行了分析,并对时间序列上的更新动态进行了预测.结果 表...     

Sex-specific reaction norms to intraspecific larval competition in the mosquito Aedes aegypti

As the relationship between a given life‐history trait and fitness is not necessarily the same for the two sexes, an ‘intersexual ontogenetic conflict’ may arise. We analysed the phenotypic reaction to intraspecific larval competition of the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, asking: (i) Do both sexes pay the cost of competition with the same life‐history traits and are they equal competitors? (ii) Is there a specific cost of competition beyond sharing food resources? We found that competition incurs a specific cost that was expressed differently by the two sexes. Indeed, each sex maintained the more important life‐history trait(s) for their fitness (developmental time for males and body weight and size for females) at the expense of other traits, thus minimizing the effects of competition on their fitness. The competition exerted by females was estimated as being more intense, probably linked with the greater importance of body size for their fitness.     

天柱山黄山松种内与种间竞争的研究

采用改进的竞争指数模型研究安徽天柱山黄山松的种内和种间竞争强度。结果发现:(1)随对象木胸径的增大,黄山松种群因自然稀疏过程中密度调节作用,植株距离增加,种内竞争强度降低;(2)黄山松群落内其它物种虽然较多,但个体普遍较小,结果种间竞争相对较弱,种内与种间竞争关系顺序为:黄山松—黄山松>杉木—黄山松>枹栎—黄山松>其它树种—黄山松;(3)竞争强度和对象木胸径的关系服从幂函数关系(CI=AD-B),当黄山松胸径达到20cm以上时,竞争强度变化不大,所得的预测模型能很好地预测黄山松种内和种间的竞争强度;(4)改进的竞争指数模型能很好地度量黄山松的种内和种间竞争强度,改进的确定邻体范围的方法能有效地确定黄山松的竞争范围。     

山西稀有濒危植物脱皮榆种内和种间竞争

通过对山西太岳山一块100 m×100 m样地中128株脱皮榆对象木及1093株竞争木的调查,运用Hegyi的单木竞争指数计算分析了脱皮榆的种内和种间竞争强度。结果表明:(1)脱皮榆种群所受到的竞争强度随着对象木胸径的增大而逐渐减小;(2)调查样地内尽管其他物种种类较多,但数量较少,与脱皮榆种间竞争相对较弱,脱皮榆种内与种间竞争关系的顺序为:脱皮榆-脱皮榆>千金榆-脱皮榆>五角枫-脱皮榆>茶条槭-脱皮榆>其他树种-脱皮榆;(3)竞争强度和对象木胸径的关系服从幂函数关系,当脱皮榆胸径在25 cm以上时,竞争强度变化不大,所得的预测模型能很好地预测脱皮榆种内种间竞争强度。     

天然东北红豆杉(Taxus cuspidata)种内和种间竞争

竞争是植物种内和种间关系的主要形式之一。通过对黑龙江穆棱东北红豆杉自然保护区的95株东北红豆杉对象木及980株竞争木的调查,运用Hegyi的单木竞争指数计算分析了东北红豆杉的种内和种间竞争强度。东北红豆杉的种内竞争强度不大,占总竞争的4%。竞争压力更多的来自于种间竞争,占总竞争的96%。与东北红豆杉竞争激烈的树种主要是冷杉、紫椴、色木槭和红松等地带性植被的优势种。随着东北红豆杉胸径的增大,所受到的竞争压力逐渐减小,胸径在20cm以前所受到的竞争压力最大,竞争强度与对象木胸径符合幂函数（CI=AD^-B）关系。     

Competition as a factor underlying the abundance of an uncommon phytophagous insect, the salt-marsh planthopper Delphacodes penedetecta

Abstract. 1. Recent reviews of experimental studies provide compelling evidence that competition should be retained as a potential factor influencing the success of phytophagous insects. In this context, the objective of the study was to determine the role of interspecific and intraspecific competition, both contemporaneous and plant mediated (feeding‐induced resistance), in limiting the population density of a consistently rare insect in a guild of abundant potential competitors. 2. Competitive interactions were assessed experimentally between two phloem‐feeding planthoppers, the abundant Prokelisia dolus and the rare Delphacodes penedetecta (Hemiptera: Delphacidae). Both species are monophagous on the cordgrass Spartina alterniflora and overlap broadly in their use of habitats in the intertidal salt marshes along the Atlantic coast of North America. 3. The two planthoppers partition their cordgrass host plant, with D. penedetecta feeding more on the basal stems (particularly females) and P. dolus occurring most often on the canopy leaves. Notably, there was no evidence for niche shifting in D. penedetecta because its distribution on the plant did not change in the presence or absence of P. dolus. 4. Interspecific interactions with P. dolus had very little effect on the performance (development time and body size) and survival of D. penedetecta, a result demonstrated in both the laboratory and field. This result occurred both in contemporaneous interactions and on plants fed on previously by P. dolus. Only the males of D. penedetecta experienced weak competitive effects from P. dolus, as evidenced by reduced body size and slightly protracted development. 5. By contrast, there were strong adverse effects of intraspecific crowding (both from contemporaneous interactions and on plants fed on previously by conspecifics), whereby the survival, development time, and body size of D. penedetecta were affected very adversely. 6. These results suggest that interspecific competition is a weak force influencing the abundance of D. penedetecta in the field. Rather, strong intraspecific competition, a high requirement for plant nitrogen, and intrinsically low lifetime fecundity combine to explain the rarity of D. penedetecta.     

山东泰山地区景观结构变化及其分形分析

将泰山风景区划分为 8个区域 11个基本景观类型 ,包括松林、栎林、刺槐林、侧柏林、针阔叶混交林、经济林、灌丛、裸岩、荒地、水体、建筑。在此基础上 ,利用 3S技术和分形理论对各个景观要素进行了分析 ,并讨论了景观特性及其变化的分形性质。结果表明 :(1)分维值的大小反映了景观斑块面积、斑块数量和平均斑块面积等因素的相互作用 ,在一定尺度下分维的大小反映了区域内景观斑块的不规则程度和复杂程度 ,斑块越不规则、越复杂 ,其分维越大 ,反之亦然。在泰山地区 ,自 1986年至 2 0 0 1年 ,刺槐林一直保持着较高的分维值 ,其它景观类型的分维值则差别不大 ,而针阔叶混交林的分维值变化较大 ;(2 )森林景观受多种因子的影响 ,在高海拔区域主要受垂直地带性规律影响为主 ,在旅游区主要受人类活动的影响为主 ,15 a来各个区域分形维数的总体变化趋势相似 ;(3)大部分区域在 2 0 0 1年的景观多样性、破碎度高于 1986年的 ,而景观优势度则略为下降     

蒙古栎林种内和种间竞争研究

蒙古栎(Quercus mongolica Fischer ex Ledebour)林是东北地区常见的典型森林类型之一。以黑龙江中央站黑嘴松鸡国家级自然保护区面积为1 hm 2的蒙古栎林固定样地为研究对象,采用固定样圆法确定了竞争范围,并利用Hegyi竞争指数分析了蒙古栎林的种内和种间竞争状态。研究结果表明:蒙古栎的种内和种间竞争强度分别占总竞争强度的28.08%和71.92%,说明了蒙古栎的种内竞争强度小,竞争压力主要来自于种间。白桦(Betula platyphylla Suk.)、黑桦(Betula dahurica Pall.)、兴安落叶松(Larix gmelinii(Ruprecht)Kuzeneva)数量较多,个体高大,对蒙古栎的竞争压力较大。蒙古栎种内和种间竞争强度的顺序为:白桦>蒙古栎>黑桦>兴安落叶松>山杨(Populus davidiana Dode)>紫椴(Tilia amurensis Rupr.)>大黄柳(Salix raddeana Laksch.)。蒙古栎的胸径与整个林分、伴生树种以及蒙古栎种内的竞争强度成幂函数关系,随着对象木胸径增大,3种竞争强度均减小。当蒙古栎胸径小于20 cm时,竞争强度较大;当胸径大于20 cm时,蒙古栎所受的竞争压力较小,并趋于稳定,通过所得的模型可以很好地预测出蒙古栎种内和种间的竞争强度。