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1.
2004年6~7月,在云南省大理白族自治州苍山和洱海国家自然保护区选取4种年龄段(6~10、11~15、16~20、31~40年)的松林和保护区周围的非保护区选取7种年龄段(1~5、6~10、11~15、16~20、21~30、31~40、50年以上)的松林,每种松林设3个重复,共33个样地,在样地内随机选取3个5m×5m的样方,调查并记录样方内草本植物和灌木的种类、数量、覆盖度。在每个样地按5条样线布笼100个捕捉小兽,每天检查捕获的种类和数量。计算珀氏长吻松鼠和赤腹松鼠在小兽群落中物种优势度、时间生态位宽度、两种小兽的时间生态位重叠度;用逐步回归分析两种松鼠与松林栖境因子的关系。上述结果表明,在保护区珀氏长吻松鼠出现的时间早于(6~10年的松林开始捕获到)赤腹松鼠(16~20年的松林内开始捕获到);在非保护区,分别在31~40年和21~30年的松林内才捕到珀氏长吻松鼠和赤腹松鼠。保护区31~40年的松林内珀氏长吻松鼠和赤腹松鼠种群数量分别是同年龄段非保护区松林的3倍和3·75倍。松林底层的灌木对两种小兽的种群数量有重要影响。珀氏长吻松鼠种群数量与灌木密度呈正相关;赤腹松鼠种群数量与灌木覆盖度呈正相关,而与草本植物覆盖度呈负相关。非保护区树底植被的异质性降低,延迟了两种松鼠在松林里建立种群的时间。  相似文献   

2.
Four pine forests (6–10, 11–15, 16–20, and 31–40 year-old) located in the Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake National Reserve and 7 pine forests (1–5, 6–10, 11–15, 16–20, 21–30, 31–40, and more than 50 year-old) located in the non-protective area near the national reserve were selected. Three replications of each forest was set and a total of 33 sites were investigated. At each site, we quantified 6 habitat variables (species richness, abundance, and percentage of grasses and shrubs coverage respectively at the bottom layer of forests) within randomly determined 5 m × 5 m areas. One hundred cages were set in five lines at each site to trap small mammals, whose species and numbers were recorded. Dominance of Dremomys pernyi and Callosciurus erythraeus in small mammal communities, time niche breadth, and time niche overlap between the two small mammals were calculated, respectively. Step-wise regression was used to analyze the relationship between small mammals and habitat factors. Our results indicated that D. pernyi occurred earlier than C. erythraeus in protective pine forests. D. pernyi was captured in 6–10 year-old forest initially, and C. erythraeus was captured in 16–20 year-old forest initially. D. pernyi and C. erythraeus were captured in the 31–40 and 21–30 year-old forests initially in the non-protective area, respectively. Populations of D. pernyi and C. erythraeus in the 31–40 year-old protective forests were 3 and 3.75 times of those in the same-aged non-protective forests, respectively. Shrubs significantly influenced the populations of the two small mammals. The population of D. pernyi was positively correlated with the density of shrubs; the population of C. allosciurus erythraeus was positively correlated with the coverage of shrubs, and negatively correlated with the coverage of grasses. D. remomys pernyi and C. allosciurus erythraeus were important for pine forests to scatter pine seeds. Human activities in the nonprotective pine forests decreased the vegetation heterogeneity at the bottom layer of pine forests, postponed the occurrence of D. pernyi and C. erythraeus, and decreased the populations of the two small mammals. __________ Translated from Zoological Research, 2006, 27(1): 29–33 [译自: 动物学 研究]  相似文献   

3.
对仓山和洱海国家自然保护区4种年龄的森林以及周边的农田、果园、荒山灌丛和非保护区6种年龄的森林中齐氏姬鼠(Apodemus chevrieri)和大绒鼠(Eothenomys miletus)的种群数量进行了调查,研究了森林中2种小兽与栖境因子的关系以及人类活动对其种群数量的影响。结果表明,齐氏姬鼠和大绒鼠的生态位宽度分别为0.706和0.641,生态位重叠度为0.831。聚类分析显示:农田中2种小兽的种群数量最高;在非保护区森林、灌丛和果园,齐氏姬鼠和大绒鼠的数量显著低于农田,而高于保护区森林。人类干扰活动对森林底层植物有显著影响,能显著降低灌木的覆盖度、物种多度(除了6~10年生的森林)和密度,而增加草本植物的覆盖度和密度。回归结果表明,2种小兽的数量与森林草本植物的覆盖度呈正相关,而与灌木的密度呈负相关。  相似文献   

4.
寒温带牧林交错区生境复杂度对啮齿类物种多样性的影响   总被引:3,自引:1,他引:2  
采用铗日法对嫩江流域牧林交错区5个生境梯度中啮齿动物的多样性水平进行了研究,以探讨栖息地复杂程度对地面啮齿类物种多样性的影响.结果表明,黑线姬鼠、黑线仓鼠和大林姬鼠是嫩江流域牧林交错区中的优势种和常见种,不同物种在不同生境类型中呈明显的不均匀分布,反映了它们对不同生境的选择倾向性.同时,地面草本植物的覆盖度和丰富度对地面活动的小型哺乳动物的物种组成和群落结构具有较大的影响,啮齿动物的捕获率和生物量与草本植物的多样性水平呈现出显著的相关性关系,其物种丰富度随草本植物多样性指数的增加呈递增的趋势.此外,各生境中啮齿动物的物种多样性指数与草本植物多样性的相关关系并不显著,可能是因为灌丛区和林-灌交错区内大量的低矮灌丛与萌生丛改善了生境的隐蔽条件与食物资源,为更多物种的共存创造了良好的微环境,使得两生境中啮齿动物的物种多样性水平尤为突出.研究表明,小型啮齿动物的物种组成与栖息地的复杂程度有关,但地面植被对小型兽类生物量和物种多样性的影响力度并不是等同的,对地面小型兽类物种多样性影响的研究,统计生境复杂度或异质性时应考虑不同植被型/生境类型距地面的高度,不同植被型对小型兽类物种多样性的贡献程度随其距地面高度的增加而降低.  相似文献   

5.
沈琪  张骏  朱锦茹  江波  葛滢  刘其霞  常杰 《生态学报》2005,25(9):2131-2138
在浙江省生态公益林区域的现状植被中分析了6种主要群落类型的物种组成和多样性的变化格局,包括演替系列中的2种灌丛、松优势林、2种混交林和常绿阔叶林。结果表明含松较多的灌丛和松优势林常分布在环境退化较严重(土层瘠薄)的生境中,其中灌木层主要由阳性的映山红、木、白栎等组成,常绿阔叶林优势种木荷、青冈、苦槠、甜槠等在其中偶见,因此推断其自然恢复为常绿林的速度慢;含常绿阔叶树较多的灌丛及含松较少的混交林分布在土层较厚处,木荷、青冈、苦槠、甜槠等的频度和重要值都较大,较容易自然恢复为常绿阔叶林。各种群落中物种多样性指数——Gleason、Shannon-Wiener、Simpson指数基本上以常绿阔叶林为最高,其次是含松较少的混交林,含松较多的灌丛和松优势林各种多样性指数最低。本研究显示我国中亚热带东部森林植被恢复途径有3条:(1)灌草丛→针叶林(松)→针(松)阔混交林→常绿阔叶林;(2)灌草丛→针(松)阔混交林→常绿阔叶林;(3)灌草丛→常绿阔叶林。这意味着本区域的常绿阔叶林恢复可以不必经历松林阶段,在生境条件较好的地方通过人工干预、补种常绿阔叶树可以加速常绿阔叶林恢复。  相似文献   

6.
在川西亚高山米亚罗林区海拔3 100~3 600 m阴坡、半阴坡, 以立地条件基本一致的箭竹和藓类林型不同恢复阶段(20~40 a生的箭竹阔叶林、50 a生的箭竹针阔混交林、160~200 a生的箭竹原始暗针叶老龄林; 20~40 a生的藓类阔叶林、50 a生的藓类针阔混交林、160~200 a生的藓类原始暗针叶老龄林)的群落为研究对象, 共设置了50个样方(20 m×20 m), 采用空间代时间的方法分析了岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)的天然更新状况, 并采用通径分析法对其影响因子进行分析。结果表明: 箭竹和藓类两种森林类型岷江冷杉幼苗、幼树和小树的密度偏低。对于箭竹林型不同恢复阶段, 岷江冷杉幼苗密度<幼树密度<小树密度; 对于藓类林型不同恢复阶段, 藓类阔叶林幼树密度大于幼苗和小树密度, 藓类针阔混交林小树密度大于幼苗和幼树密度, 而藓类原始暗针叶老龄林幼苗密度大于幼树和小树密度。藓类林型岷江冷杉天然更新状况好于箭竹林型。对箭竹林型而言, 影响岷江冷杉天然更新的关键因子为母树密度、倒木蓄积量、箭竹盖度和苔藓层厚度, 其中母树密度和倒木蓄积量对岷江冷杉天然更新起着促进作用, 箭竹盖度和苔藓层厚度对岷江冷杉天然更新起着阻碍作用; 对于藓类林型而言, 影响岷江冷杉天然更新的关键因子为灌木盖度和苔藓层厚度。灌木和苔藓有利于幼苗的发生, 但不利于幼苗向幼树、小树的过渡。  相似文献   

7.
Anti‐predator behavior can affect prey growth, reproduction, survival, and generate emergent effects in food webs. Small mammals often lower the cost of predation by altering their behavior in response to shrubs, but the importance of other microhabitat features, such as downed woody debris, for anti‐predator behavior is unknown. We used giving‐up densities to quantify the degree to which downed woody debris alters perceived predation risk by small mammals in southeastern pine forests. We placed 14 foraging trays next to large downed woody debris, shrubs, and in open areas for 12 consecutive nights. Moon illumination, a common indicator of predation risk, led to a similar reduction in small mammal foraging in all three microhabitats (open, downed woody debris, and shrub). Small mammals perceived open microhabitats as riskier than shrub microhabitats, with downed woody debris habitats perceived as being of intermediate risk between shrub and open microhabitats. Despite the presumed benefits of the protective cover of downed woody debris, small mammals may perceive downed woody debris as a relatively risky foraging site in southeastern pine forests where the high diversity and abundance of rodent‐eating snakes may provide a primary predatory threat.  相似文献   

8.
Carbon density and distribution of six Chinese temperate forests   总被引:2,自引:0,他引:2  
Quantifying forest carbon (C) storage and distribution is important for forest C cycling studies and terrestrial ecosystem mod-eling. Forest inventory and allometric approaches were used to measure C density and allocation in six representative temper-ate forests of similar stand age (42–59 years old) and growing under the same climate in northeastern China. The forests were an aspen-birch forest, a hardwood forest, a Korean pine plantation, a Dahurian larch plantation, a mixed deciduous forest, and a Mongolian oak forest. There were no significant differences in the C densities of ecosystem components (except for detritus) although the six forests had varying vegetation compositions and site conditions. However, the differences were significant when the C pools were normalized against stand basal area. The total ecosystem C density varied from 186.9 tC hm-2 to 349.2 tC hm-2 across the forests. The C densities of vegetation, detritus, and soil ranged from 86.3–122.7 tC hm-2, 6.5–10.5 tC hm-2, and 93.7–220.1 tC hm-2, respectively, which accounted for 39.7%±7.1% (mean±SD), 3.3%±1.1%, and 57.0%±7.9% of the total C densities, respectively. The overstory C pool accounted for > 99% of the total vegetation C pool. The foliage bio-mass, small root (diameter < 5mm) biomass, root-shoot ratio, and small root to foliage biomass ratio varied from 2.08–4.72 tC hm-2, 0.95–3.24 tC hm-2, 22.0%–28.3%, and 34.5%–122.2%, respectively. The Korean pine plantation had the lowest foliage production efficiency (total biomass/foliage biomass: 22.6 g g-1) among the six forests, while the Dahurian larch plantation had the highest small root production efficiency (total biomass/small root biomass: 124.7 g g-1). The small root C density de-creased with soil depth for all forests except for the Mongolian oak forest, in which the small roots tended to be vertically dis-tributed downwards. The C density of coarse woody debris was significantly less in the two plantations than in the four natu-rally regenerated forests. The variability of C allocation patterns in a specific forest is jointly influenced by vegetation type, management history, and local water and nutrient availability. The study provides important data for developing and validating C cycling models for temperate forests.  相似文献   

9.
The food habits and habitat use of pine marten ( Martes martes L.) on the Balearic Island of Mincorca were studied from March-August 1990. In a 28.2 km2 area, a series of hiking trails/forest roads were used to collect pine marten faeces bi-monthly and study te species' differential use of habitats. A total of 28 different food items were identified in 723 faeces. Small mammals were the most important food overall, constituting 34% of the volume During March-April, small mammals were the principal food consumed (63% of volume), followed by birds (19%). In May-June, birds were the main food (40%), then small mammals. Plant material and insects were the most important foods in July-August, both made up 68% of the pine marten diet. The abundance of certain foods and the degree of difficulty in obtaining them appear to be important factors that govern pine marten food selection in Minorca. Habitat use was studied along 12 routes totalling 32.6 km. Pine marten showed preference in March-April for Coastal Shrubland habitat, while during May-June they were found most in the Upland Pine type. During July-August, the Upland Pine and Open Pine habitats were most frequented by pine marten. According to bimonthly food habits data, habitat use seems largely determined by the abundance and availability of their prey items in the available habitat types. Martens may concentrate hunting efforts in areas different from when they are not hunting. The Minorcan pine marten differs from continental populations in its wide use of shrublands, in addition to forests.  相似文献   

10.
Aims The ground level of boreal pine forests consists of a dense layer of ericaceous shrubs, herbs, grasses, mosses and lichens. The primary productivity of this forest floor vegetation is notable but the role the most common ericoid dwarf shrub plant species,Calluna vulgaris,Vaccinium myrtillusandVaccinium vitis-idaea, play in carbon (C) cycling in these ecosystems is poorly understood. Here, we studied their C dynamics in detail using plants of similar size (age 14–19 months) in a microcosm study.  相似文献   

11.
多样化松林中昆虫群落多样性特征   总被引:4,自引:2,他引:2  
刘兴平  刘向辉  王国红  韩瑞东  戈峰 《生态学报》2005,25(11):2976-2982
马尾松和湿地松是我国南方的2种主要松树。通过对6种不同林分结构下的马尾松林和湿地松林内昆虫群落调查与多样性指数分析,表明2种松树内的昆虫种类和数量无显著差异,混交林中的昆虫群落的种类和数量比纯林多,尤其以捕食天敌类群的种类和数量更为明显。整个昆虫群落和植食类群多样性指数以湿地松林内较大,而天敌(捕食类群和寄生类群)多样性指数则以马尾松林较高。从不同林分结构下昆虫多样性的比较来看,混交林内昆虫群落多样性指数波动较小,明显地高于纯林。但不同林分结构下昆虫多样性随水平分布和垂直分层格局而变化,松树北面和东面各样地之间的昆虫群落多样性指数差异显著,而南、西面之间差异较小;树冠层各样地之间的差异达极显著水平,而枯枝落叶层和树干层之间差异不显著。由此,还进一步讨论了混交林中昆虫群落稳定性问题。  相似文献   

12.
宁夏大罗山4种主要植被类型的细根生物量   总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1  
采用根钻法,分析了宁夏大罗山4种主要植被类型(青海云杉纯林、油松纯林、落叶灌木和荒漠草原)0~40 cm土层的细根生物量、土壤含水量和土壤容重,并对50 a、70 a和100 a 3种树龄的青海云杉纯林细根生物量进行了研究.结果表明: 4种植被类型的细根生物量集中分布在0~20 cm土层,大小顺序为油松纯林>青海云杉纯林>落叶灌木>荒漠草原,其中油松纯林显著高于其他3种植被类型;不同树龄青海云杉纯林细根生物量表现为70 a > 100 a > 50 a,且其活细根和死细根生物量分配比例无显著性差异;4种植被类型下0~40 cm土壤含水量的大小表现为:青海云杉纯林>油松纯林>落叶灌木>荒漠草原;土壤容重则呈相反的规律,并与细根生物量呈极显著负相关.  相似文献   

13.
一些被子植物能够分泌有气味的花蜜,但这一自然现象很少被关注.作为嗅觉信号线索,有气味的花蜜可能是将访花者和气味信号结合在一起的特征,它与传粉者及盗蜜者的关系值得探索.本研究以常春油麻藤(Mucuna sempervirens)为对象,研究了其开花动态及泊氏长吻松鼠(Dremomys pernyi)和赤腹松鼠(Callosciurus erythraeus)的访花行为,采用顶空固相微萃取和气相色谱-质谱法收集并分析了花蜜的挥发物成分,探讨了花蜜对中华蜜蜂(Apis cerana cerana)的吸引作用及对酸臭蚁(Tapinoma sp.)的毒杀作用.结果表明:常春油麻藤花蜜释放的挥发物以脂肪族化合物为主(87.2%),其中酮类占56.1%,无含硫挥发性成分,这和该属其他蝙蝠传粉种类花蜜释放含硫化合物的结果不一致.此外,常春油麻藤的花蜜对酸臭蚁有慢性毒杀作用,而对中华蜜蜂则有吸引作用.未发现蝙蝠访花,但观察到泊氏长吻松鼠和赤腹松鼠可能为常春油麻藤传粉.因此,常春油麻藤可能不属于蝙蝠传粉的种类.希望本研究能为该属亚洲类群的传粉机制提供数据,并为其他植物类群花蜜成分及功能研究提供新的视角.  相似文献   

14.
The squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus (Pallas) (Rodentia: Sciuridae) was intentionally introduced to Japan in 1935 and has become established throughout much of the country. Although they live mainly in forests, Pallas squirrels come into gardens and are frequently fed by people or kept as pets, so their ectoparasites could be of potential medical as well as veterinary importance. During 2001-2003 we conducted the first ectoparasite survey of Pallas squirrels in Japan. From 105 C. erythraeus captured in Kamakura District of Kanagawa Prefecture on Honshu Island, three types of ectoparasite were found: 52 specimens of the sucking louse Neohaematopinus callosciuri Johnson (Anoplura: Haematopinidae), 26 fleas Ceratophyllus (Monopsyllus) anisus Rothschild (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae) and four nymphs of the tick Haemaphysalis flava Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae) on 22, 13 and one squirrels, respectively. Evidently in Japan C. erythraeus carries relatively few ectoparasite species; this may be a contributory factor to their invasive success. Further investigations are needed to assess risks of zoonotic transmission of plague or murine typhus by C. anisus, of louse-borne typhus by N. callosciuri and of tularaemia and especially Japanese spotted fever (Rickettsia japonica) by H. flava.  相似文献   

15.
鹤山丘陵退化生态系统植被恢复的土壤动物群落结构   总被引:20,自引:0,他引:20  
对南亚热带恢复生态学研究基地-鹤山丘陵综合试验场20a人工植被林土壤动物群落进行了调查研究。研究样地包括草坡、松林、荷木混交林、马占相思林和豆科混交林。结果表明:在个体数量上,豆混林与马占林之间不存在显著差异,但与其它林分间差异明显(p<0.05);草坡土壤动物个体数明显处于最低水平;在类群的丰富度上,豆混林显著(p<0.05)高于所有其它林分,但无论是林分之间抑或季节之间,其变化的幅度都明显比个体数小;根据DG指数,各人工林可明显分为豆混林()、马占林()和荷混林()、针叶林()、草坡()3个层次。季节的差异很明显,湿季各项指标都低于干季。土壤表层各项指标的绝对值都与F2、F3层有极显著的差别(p<0.01),而F2、F3层之间却非常接近。长角跳虫科、鳞跳虫科、蚁科、康虫八科、蟹蛛科、巨蟹蛛科、球蛛科、鞘翅幼虫和半翅幼虫与群落总体特征(DG指数)的相关性都达到显著水准(p<0.05)。DG指数在反映不同人工林土壤动物群落特征上具有很好的稳定性。  相似文献   

16.
辽东山区人工阔叶红松林植物多样性与生产力研究   总被引:14,自引:0,他引:14  
根据对人工营造20年生阔叶红松林典型样地的调查,分析了人工阔叶红松林的生产力、植物多样性及其相互关系.结果表明,人工营造的20年生红松-白桦、红松-色赤杨、红松-水曲柳混交林林地生产力分别达.529、4.9和5.82 t·hm-2·yr-1,高于同龄人工红松纯林(3.812 t·hm-2·yr-1);而红松-刺楸、红松-紫椴混交林分别为2.945和2.84 t·hm-2·yr-1,低于人工红松纯林.人工阔叶红松林乔木层、灌木层、草本层植物多样性均高于红松纯林;红松纯林内的植物种数仅为人工阔叶红松混交林的42%~52%,植物总数量也只有混交林的11%~37%.人工营造阔叶红松林是迅速恢复、发展顶极阔叶红松林的一种有效措施,但要经历相当长的时间和人为的不断调控.  相似文献   

17.
为探明不同演替阶段土壤碳吸存潜力,选取演替时间为15a(演替初期)、47a(演替中期)、110a(演替后期)3个中亚热带常绿阔叶林,分析了各演替阶段的土壤有机碳(SOC)含量以及土壤微生物量碳(MBC)、可溶性碳(DOC)和微生物熵(SMQ)的季节变化。结果表明:演替中、后期不同土层的土壤SOC、MBC、DOC含量和SMQ均显著高于演替初期(P<0.05);与演替中期相比,演替后期土壤MBC、DOC含量有所降低,SOC含量和SMQ无显著差异。土壤SOC、MBC和DOC含量随土层加深而显著性降低(演替初、中期DOC除外),并随演替进行逐渐向腐殖质层富集。不同演替阶段MBC、DOC和SMQ均有显著季节变化,最低值出现在秋季,最高值随演替进程由冬季逐步转向夏季。相关分析表明,不同演替阶段土壤活性有机碳含量与土壤有机碳含量极显著相关(P<0.01),且土壤活性有机碳(MBC、DOC)和SMQ对土壤碳库变化更为敏感。  相似文献   

18.
Fire‐maintained woodlands and savannas are important ecosystems for vertebrates in many regions of the world. These ecosystems are being restored by forest managers, but little information exists on herpetofaunal responses to this restoration in areas dominated by shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata). We compared habitat characteristics and herpetofaunal communities in restored pine woodlands to relatively unmanaged, second‐growth forests in the Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas, USA. We found woodland restoration with periodic burning affected species differently; some species benefited, some species appeared negatively affected, but most species did not respond clearly either way. Overall reptile captures were significantly (p = 0.041) greater in pine‐woodlands than in unrestored forest; one species of snake and three species of lizards were captured more often in woodlands than unrestored forests. Among anurans, we found no significant difference in captures between woodlands and unrestored forests for any species. Among salamanders, we captured western slimy salamanders (Plethodon albagula) almost exclusively in unrestored forest, but captures of other species did not differ between the two treatments. Historically, the Ouachita region likely consisted of a mosaic that included both fire‐maintained habitats (woodlands, savannas, and prairies) and areas of denser forest on mesic sites that were less likely to burn. Consequently, landscapes that retain both open woodlands and denser, less‐intensely burned forest (in the form of unharvested greenbelts or separate stands) would likely promote and maintain a greater diversity of herpetofauna.  相似文献   

19.
To understand the human influence on the successional process of vegetation, structures of the pine forest as a dominant vegetation were compared between in Yanghwa-ri of rural Korea and Miwa-cho of rural Japan. The secondary pine forests are well developed around the villages in both regions. In rural Korea, pine forests are still used intensively for several traditional purposes. The pine forests in Yanghwa-ri of Korea, therefore, are stayed in the early stage of the succession. The floristic composition in pine forests of Yanghwa-ri was similar to that in the secondary grasslands. The fertilizer trees such as Robinia and Alnus contributed to develop the stratification of the forest. On the other hand, in Japan, almost all pine forests in rural regions had been abandoned due to the changing of traditional use because of the economic growth and the development of alternative energy sources since 1960s. In the case of pine forests of Miwa-cho, those in the early successional stage were few in number and small in patch size. Several woody plants covered under the pine canopy. The shade-tolerant shrub invaded into pine forest floor, because the undergrowth as a traditional energy source had no longer used. Pine forests were partly succeeded by deciduous oaks in Miwa-cho corresponding to the social changes. On the contrary in Yanghwa-ri, the vegetation replacement will not present because traditional management such as collecting fuels and making graveyards will be remained as a Korean ideology in the rural landscape.  相似文献   

20.
There are at least three hypotheses to account for the abundance of divaricating shrubs in New Zealand: 1) Ratites in the form of 11 species of moa, led to divarication for browse protection (Greenwood and Atkinson, 1977); 2) Divarication evolved as a microclimatic shield (McGlone and Webb, 1981); 3) Divarication evolved to aid leaves in light harvesting (Kelly, 1994). In Patagonia before human arrival, there were browsing mammals in addition to the ratite rhea. To examine the possible influence of the different grazing animals on the degree of divarication in Patagonian shrubs, a transect was established across Argentine Patagonia at c.40 degrees S lat., from Andean forests to the shrub desert of the east, providing a rainfall gradient from 3000mm to 134mm annual precipitation. Divarication Indices of Atkinson (1992), I-ATK and Kelly (1994), I-KEL were calculated for all shrubs encountered at 20 sites along this gradient. As I-KEL gave zero values for four leafless shrubs, including the important Mulinum spinosum, this index was not further used for distributional analyses. I-ATK gave 18 species as fully divaricate (I-ATK > 14) and 8 as semi- divaricate (I-ATK <14) The highest values of I-ATK were lower than in New Zealand (Atkinson 1992), a function of a lower number of wide-angle branches (>90 degrees) in Patagonia. All except two species were spiny, as were most other shrubs on the traverse. Unlike the majority of divaricates in New Zealand which retain divarication in dense forest, none of the Patagonian shrubs are divaricate in forest and only two species divaricate in more open forest and scrub. Divaricate cover increased steeply along the traverse through drier, open forest and seral scrub. Once out of the seral scrub zone into arid country, a different suite of divaricate taxa was encountered. The diversity and cover of divaricates rose to reach a maxima at 134 mm annual precipitation. In Patagonia, divarication and spininess could be responses to the indigenous browsing mammals that are common in the semiarid and arid zones, or to climate.  相似文献   

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