北京及周边地区刺蛾科昆虫系统发育多样性研究

【目的】鳞翅目刺蛾科(Lepidoptera:Limacodidae)昆虫是重要经济、行道林木的主要害虫,本试验旨在研究北京及周边地区刺蛾科昆虫的系统发育多样性,阐明其群落结构组成与环境因子之间的关系,为北京及周边地区林木害虫防治和生态系统环境保护提供科学依据。【方法】采用灯诱法于2010-2013年间进行样品采集,基于DNA条形码技术及形态特征对9个刺蛾科昆虫群落进行物种识别和鉴定,利用R软件包进行物种丰富度指数、多样性指数和系统发育多样性指数计算及相关性分析。【结果】9个群落间物种多样性和系统发育多样性之间存在差异,北部燕山地区具有较高的物种丰富度和系统发育多样性,可能与植物类型不同有关;通过多种方法分别计算系统发育多样性,结果表明系统发育多样性指数对于系统发育树构建方法和物种内遗传差异不敏感;系统发育多样性与环境因子相关性研究结果表明,该地区刺蛾科群落系统发育多样性与温度季节变化存在显著正相关性。【结论】北京及周边地区刺蛾科昆虫群落结构具有地理差异,温度季节变化可能会造成环境异质性的增加,从而增加了群落系统发育多样性的复杂度。     

青藏高原东缘地区蝉科昆虫区系及多样性

青藏高原东缘地区作为高原横向扩展的前缘过渡带,地理环境与气候条件多样,是全球生物多样性研究的一个热点地区。蝉科昆虫长期在地下营固定生活,成虫发生期短、体型硕大、飞行能力弱而难以扩散,因此适合多尺度的生物地理学和物种多样性研究;但青藏高原东缘地区的蝉科昆虫区系一直缺乏研究。本研究在区系调查和系统分类研究基础上,对青藏高原东缘地区的蝉科昆虫多样性及地理分布格局进行了研究。结果表明,该地区共分布蝉科昆虫3亚科46属100种(包括2个新纪录种),分别占中国已知属、种数量的59.7%和29.1%;区系以东洋界成分为主(73种,73.0%),古北界和东洋界共有成分次之(21种,21.0%),特有成分比例较高(19种,19.0%)。该地区的10个亚区可被分为南、北2个大区,大致以秦岭及甘南山地为界。北段的黄土高原过渡区(MX+HB)、藏北过渡区(QZ)属于古北界,物种多样性较低,分布的主要是体型较小的姬蝉亚科物种。南段的东洋界各亚区由秦岭西段山地过渡区(HZⅠ+XNⅠ)、川西盆地及滇北过渡区(HZⅡ+XNⅣ)、青藏高原东南部的横断山脉“高原–山地”过渡区(XNⅡ+XNⅢ)及滇西山地过渡区(HN)组成...     

中国大陆北热带及亚热带地区樟科、壳斗科物种多样性及其生物地理格局分析

以中国大陆北热带及亚热带地区优势科樟科、壳斗科植物为研究对象,利用专著发表大量的样方数据和物种分布数据,分析樟科、壳斗科与群落构建的关系、它们各大属的地理分布格局,探讨影响其分布的可能历史原因。结果表明:中国大陆北热带及亚热带地区森林乔木层优势科为樟科、壳斗科、山茶科、杜鹃花科。樟科、壳斗科物种丰富度均与其所在群落的物种丰富度呈现一定的正相关,樟科对群落构建的贡献较大。樟科、壳斗科植物种的空间多样性分布中心均出现在我国亚热带中部偏南地区。樟科的厚壳桂属、琼楠属以及壳斗科的锥属物种多样性分布中心主要在南亚热带及北热带区域,以广西、云南省份的南部为主。樟科的樟属、新木姜子属、润楠属、木姜子属及壳斗科的柯属、青冈属主要分布在我国大陆北热带及亚热带中部偏南的地区,其多样性分布中心与樟科、壳斗科科水平的物种多样性分布中心极为相似。樟科的山胡椒属、楠属、黄肉楠属,壳斗科的栎属主要分布在研究区域中部以西的地区。研究结果佐证物种的生态学特性以及生物地理学历史综合作用导致目前樟科和壳斗科植物的生物多样性分布格局。     

河北省木兰围场国家森林公园昆虫物种区系组成

本研究基于2015年以来对木兰围场国家森林公园昆虫资源实地考察,经物种鉴定、相关文献记录、物种搜集整理和数据分析,获得该地区昆虫物种多样性及其区系组成的初步结果：(1)研究获得4纲25目159科820属1 240种,其基本构成为昆虫纲,占比98.23%,弹尾纲、双尾纲和原尾纲物种数量之和占比1.77%;(2)鳞翅目和鞘翅目是构成该地区昆虫物种多样性的主体,前者482种,占比38.87%,后者421种,占比33.95%,两者的种数占已知总种数的72.82%,其他目的种数之和占27.18%;(3)以属级阶元为例分析该地区昆虫区系组成的数据显示,在世界动物地理区中,该地区昆虫区系组成成分以古北界和中日界最为显著,前者共计767属,占比93.54%,后者724属,占比88.29%;(4)在中国动物地理区中,该地区的昆虫分布类型以跨7个区的广布属最多,共153属,占比18.66%,其次为东北区+蒙新区+华北区共有成分,共计120属,占比14.63%,而与东北区+蒙新区+华北区+华中区+华南区+西南区的共有属为112属,占13.66%;包括共有属在内,该地区所有的昆虫属均与华北区关系最为密切,共计...     

喜马拉雅山脉种子植物多样性特征及分布格局

喜马拉雅山脉是全球著名的生物多样性热点地区之一。该研究对以往收集的喜马拉雅山脉南、北坡植物物种名录及其分布数据进行整合,借助在线数据库对分布数据进行补充与修订,最后整理并汇总了喜马拉雅山脉位于中国、印度、尼泊尔、不丹4国境内的种子植物分布情况,并在此基础上对科属特征、物种组成相似性、区系成分以及海拔梯度上物种分布格局进行分析,为该区域的生物多样性研究以及保护提供数据支撑。结果表明：(1)喜马拉雅山脉共分布有种子植物11 875种,隶属223科2 086属,其中包含7 906种草本植物(66.6%),2 583种灌木(21.8%)和1 386种乔木(11.7%)。(2)研究区涵盖物种数量位于前20的科有菊科(Asteraceae)、兰科(Orchidaceae)、禾本科(Poaceae)、豆科(Fabaceae)、杜鹃花科(Ericaceae)等科,共包含物种7 456种,约占喜马拉雅山脉植物种的62.8%;涵盖物种数量位于前20的属有杜鹃花属(Rhododendron)、报春花属(Primula)、马先蒿属(Pedicularis)、虎耳草属(Saxifraga)、薹草属(Carex)...     

云南不同地区和生境代表性热带植物区系的物种组成比较

云南热带植物区系地理成分复杂,生物多样性极其丰富。为了解不同地区和生境热带植物区系的物种组成差异,本文选取云南南部和东南部3个有代表性的热带植物区系——西双版纳龙脑香林植物区系(DFX)、西双版纳石灰岩山植物区系(LFX)和文山古林箐石灰岩山植物区系(LFG)为研究对象,比较不同植物区系的科属数量结构、科内多样性、科属分布区类型及植物区系相似性。研究结果显示:(1)3个热带植物区系均具有较高的物种多样性,但种类组成、科属数量结构及科内多样性差异较大;(2)热带分布的科、属在3个热带植物区系中均占绝对优势;(3)3个热带植物区系的共有物种极少,而专有物种(即在3个植物区系之间相对专有)相对较多,植物区系之间的种级相似性极低。云南不同地区和生境热带植物区系强烈的热带亲缘、物种组成的多样性和复杂性以及较低的植物区系相似性,揭示了地理和生境差异会影响各地热带植物区系的演化与发展。     

后河国家级自然保护区蛾类昆虫的季节多样性

后河国家级自然保护区位于湖北省与湖南省交界处,属于武陵山脉,与湖南壶瓶山国家级自然保护区相邻。该保护区自然环境优越,为昆虫繁衍提供了良好条件。为了研究后河国家级自然保护区蛾类昆虫的季节动态变化,在春、夏、秋三季,选取茅坪、湾潭和独岭为样地,采用灯光诱集方法,对后河国家自然保护区的蛾类昆虫群落多样性及季节变化进行了调查。采用α-多样性测度方法,分析了物种丰富度(S)、多样性指数(科、属及种级)(H)、均匀度指数(J)和优势度指数(D)。结果表明:后河国家自然保护区的蛾类昆虫分属21科173属227种,其中夜蛾科的丰富度最高达到62。随后是,尺蛾科和螟蛾科昆虫,它们的物种丰富度指数分别为为58和25。从各科个体数来看,尺蛾科昆虫最多有423头,灯蛾科排第二,有351头,第三的是夜蛾科昆虫有336头。蛾类昆虫的物种丰富度指数、多样性指数、均匀度指数及优势度指数随季节变化而变化。蛾类昆虫的物种丰富度指数以夏季最高,达到117;然后依次是秋季和春季。科级、属级和种级多样性指数也以夏季最高,分别为2.22、4.05和4.29。均匀度指数和优势度指数以春季最高,分为2.40和0.12。研究得出后河国家级自然保护区的生态环境好。     

蛀干蝙蝠蛾(鳞翅目:蝙蝠蛾科)

蝙蝠蛾科是鳞翅目昆虫中较为原始的一个类群,对研究鳞翅目昆虫演化有其重要意义。目前全世界约知三十余属、三百余种,但大多分布在澳洲地区。中国过去记载仅二属十一种(胡经甫,1938),近年我所标本馆积累增多,计有蛀根性(幼虫营地下生活)五属十九种及亚种(稿已投本所集刊),蛀干或茎性二属十二种及亚种,共计七属三十一种及亚种。本文所记是我国现有蛀干性蝙蛾,其新种和新亚种模式标本保存在中国科学院动物研究所。     

冀西北坝上地区的夜蛾科昆虫

系统调查研究冀西北坝上农牧交错带的鳞翅目Lepidoptera,夜蛾科Noctuidae蛾类,已知11亚科71属117种,并对其多样性做了分析。各月份蛾类组成及数量差异较大,从5月到9月蛾类多样性指数、物种丰富度和个体数基本呈上升趋势,多样性指数与均匀度(r=0.9943)、丰富度(r=0.8979)相一致。而不同月份间的蛾类相似程度差异较大。     

鄂西南地区种子植物多样性与区系特征

根据《恩施植物志》内容,结合近年来野外实地调查记录,统计鄂西南地区种子植物信息,并对其物种多样性、科属组成及区系地理特征进行了分析。结果表明:(1)鄂西南地区种子植物共3 053种,占湖北省74.79%,全国的11.20%,隶属于164科1 008属,其中裸子植物9科28属45种,被子植物155科980属3 008种,且草本植物达1 576种;研究区内植物生活型多样化,多年生和落叶物种占优势,珍稀濒危物种多,生物多样性高。(2)鄂西南地区物种较多的科为蔷薇科(210种)、菊科(198种)、百合科(131种)、禾本科(126种)和豆科(111种),表征科中桦木科的重要值最大(22.00);大科、大属的优势性明显,少种科和少种属较多,体现出科属水平上的多样性。(3)研究区内种子植物科的区系划分为11个分布区类型,14个亚型,其中热带成分77科(65.25%),温带成分38科(32.20%),中国特有2科(1.69%),以热带成分为主;属级水平上共15个分布区类型、23个亚型,热带成分388属(41.06%),温带成分485属(51.32%),中国特有57属(6.03%);种级水平上划分为15个分布区类型,温带成分1 572种(59.70%)、热带成分934种(35.47%),中国特有分布型110种(4.18%),属、种水平上温带成分更占优势。研究认为,鄂西南地区种子植物区系具有温带和热带双重性质和过渡性特征,区系起源有一定的古老性,地理成分复杂。     

Global diversity of water mites (Acari,Hydrachnidia; Arachnida) in freshwater

The Hydrachnidia (water mites) represent the most important group of the Arachnida in fresh water. Over 6,000 species have been described worldwide, representing 57 families, 81 subfamilies and more than 400 genera. The article analyzes extant water mite diversity and biogeography. Data on distribution and species richness of water mites are substantial but still far from complete. Many parts of the world are poorly investigated, Oriental and Afrotropical regions in particular. Moreover, information among different freshwater habitats is unbalanced with springs and interstitial waters disproportionately unrepresented. Therefore, more than 10,000 species could be reasonably expected to occur in inland waters worldwide. Based on available information, the Palaearctic region represents one of the better investigated areas with the highest number of species recorded (1,642 species). More than 1,000 species have been recorded in each of the Neotropical (1,305 species) and Nearctic regions (1,025 species). Known species richness is lower in Afrotropical (787 species) and Australasian (694 species) regions, and lowest in the Oriental region (554 species). The total number of genera is not correlated with species richness and is distinctly higher in the Neotropical (164 genera); genus richness is similar in the Palaearctic, Nearctic and Australasian regions (128–131 genera) and is lower in the Afrotropical and Oriental regions with 110 and 94 genera, respectively. A mean number of about three genera per family occur in the Palaeartic, Nearctic and Oriental while an average of more than four genera characterizes the families of Australasian and Afrotropical regions and more than five genera those of the Neotropical. Australasian fauna is also characterized by the highest percentage of endemic genera (62%), followed by Neotropical (50.6%) and Afrotropical (47.2%) regions. Lower values are recorded for the Palaearctic (26.9%), Oriental (24.4%) and Nearctic (21.4%). The Palaearctic and Nearctic have the highest faunistic similarity, some minor affinities are also evident for the generic diversification of Holarctic and Oriental families. The faunas of Southern Hemisphere bioregions are more distinct and characterized by the presence of ancient Gondwanan clades with a regional diversification particularly evident in the Neotropics and Australasia. This scenario of water mite diversity and distribution reflect the basic vicariance pattern, isolation, phylogenetic diversification, recent climatic vicissitudes and episodes of dispersal between adjacent land masses together with extant ecological factors can be evoked to explain distribution patterns at a global scale. Guest editors: E. V. Balian, C. Lévêque, H. Segers & K. Martens Freshwater Animal Diversity Assessment     

A macroecological perspective of diversity patterns in the freshwater realm

1. The aim of this paper is to review literature on species diversity patterns of freshwater organisms and underlying mechanisms at large spatial scales. 2. Some freshwater taxa (e.g. dragonflies, fish and frogs) follow the classical latitudinal decline in regional species richness (RSR), supporting the patterns found for major terrestrial and marine organism groups. However, the mechanisms causing this cline in most freshwater taxa are inadequately understood, although research on fish suggests that energy and history are major factors underlying the patterns in total species and endemic species richness. Recent research also suggests that not all freshwater taxa comply with the decline of species richness with latitude (e.g. stoneflies, caddisflies and salamanders), but many taxa show more complex geographical patterns in across‐regions analyses. These complexities are even more profound when studies of global, continental and regional extents are compared. For example, clear latitudinal gradients may be present in regional studies but absent in global studies (e.g. macrophytes). 3. Latitudinal gradients are often especially weak in the across‐ecosystems analyses, which may be attributed to local factors overriding the effects of large‐scale factors on local communities. Nevertheless, local species richness (LSR) is typically linearly related to RSR (suggesting regional effects on local diversity), although saturating relationships have also been found in some occasions (suggesting strong local effects on diversity). Nestedness has often been found to be significant in freshwater studies, yet this pattern is highly variable and generally weak, suggesting also a strong beta diversity component in freshwater systems. 4. Both geographical location and local environmental factors contribute to variation in alpha diversity, nestedness and beta diversity in the freshwater realm, although the relative importance of these two groups of explanatory variables may be contingent on the spatial extent of the study. The mechanisms associated with spatial and environmental control of community structure have also been inferred in a number of studies, and most support has been found for species sorting (possibly because many freshwater studies have species sorting as their starting point), although also dispersal limitation and mass effects may be contributing to the patterns found. 5. The lack of latitudinal gradients in some freshwater taxa begs for further explanations. Such explanations may not be gained for most freshwater taxa in the near future, however, because we lack species‐level information, floristic and faunistic knowledge, and standardised surveys along extensive latitudinal gradients. A challenge for macroecology is thus to use the best possible species‐level information on well‐understood groups (e.g. fish) or use surrogates for species‐level patterns (e.g. families) and then develop hypotheses for further testing in the freshwater realm. An additional research challenge concerns understanding patterns and mechanisms associated with the relationships between alpha, beta and gamma components of species diversity. 6. Understanding the mechanistic basis of species diversity patterns should preferably be based on a combination of large‐scale macroecological and landscape‐scale metacommunity research. Such a research approach will help in elucidating patterns of species diversity across regional and local scales in the freshwater realm.     

江西井冈山国家级自然保护区爬行动物多样性研究

2002～2005年对井冈山国家级自然保护区的爬行动物进行了调查,发现当地5种新记录：乌龟（Chinemys reevsii）、平胸龟（Platyternon megacephalum）、多疣壁虎（Gekko japonicus）、银环蛇（Bungarus muhicinctus）和短尾蝮（Agkistrodon brevicaudus）。井冈山自然保护区共有爬行动物41种,隶属于3目9科27属,其中蛇类占80．49％。保护区的爬行动物以东洋界种为主占总数的82．93％,其次是广布种占总数的17．07％,无古北界种。结果表明井冈山自然保护区爬行动物种类丰富,这与保护区所处的地理位置和特殊的地形和气候条件等相关。     

Global gradients in moss and vascular plant diversity

Knowledge on the distribution and hotspots of different taxon groups is indispensable for improving the state of biodiversity protection. Our aim was to determine if the relations between major environmental factors and species richness of two plant groups, mosses and vascular plants differ on a global scale. The dependence of species richness on environmental factors in 50 regions, covering 17 % of the global terrestrial territory, was analysed with SAS statistical software. Species richness of vascular plants increases significantly towards the equator, but for mosses the increase is not significant. Species richness of mosses and vascular plants are significantly positively correlated only in the near equator zone. Although there were similarities in the trends of mosses and vascular plant diversities at a global scale, their relations with some factors differ with distance from the equator. The effect of precipitation on species richness is similar for both plant groups, but coastline length has a significant positive influence only on moss richness, whereas species richness of vascular plants was related strongly to area and energy input. Therefore, effective conservation policy at both local and global scale demands consideration of all diversity drivers of different taxon groups.     

Genus age,provincial area and the taxonomic structure of marine faunas

Species are unevenly distributed among genera within clades and regions, with most genera species-poor and few species-rich. At regional scales, this structure to taxonomic diversity is generated via speciation, extinction and geographical range dynamics. Here, we use a global database of extant marine bivalves to characterize the taxonomic structure of climate zones and provinces. Our analyses reveal a general, Zipf–Mandelbrot form to the distribution of species among genera, with faunas from similar climate zones exhibiting similar taxonomic structure. Provinces that contain older taxa and/or encompass larger areas are expected to be more species-rich. Although both median genus age and provincial area correlate with measures of taxonomic structure, these relationships are interdependent, nonlinear and driven primarily by contrasts between tropical and extra-tropical faunas. Provincial area and taxonomic structure are largely decoupled within climate zones. Counter to the expectation that genus age and species richness should positively covary, diverse and highly structured provincial faunas are dominated by young genera. The marked differences between tropical and temperate faunas suggest strong spatial variation in evolutionary rates and invasion frequencies. Such variation contradicts biogeographic models that scale taxonomic diversity to geographical area.     

Latitudinal patterns and regionalization of plant diversity along a 4270‐km gradient in continental Chile

According to the global latitudinal diversity gradient, a decrease in animal and plant species richness exists from the tropics towards higher latitudes. The aim of this study was to describe the latitudinal distribution patterns of Chilean continental flora and delineate biogeographic regions along a 4270‐km north–south gradient. We reviewed plant lists for each of the 39 parallels of continental Chile to build a database of the geographical distribution of vascular plant species comprising 184 families, 957 genera and 3787 species, which corresponded to 100%, 94.9% and 74.2% of the richness previously defined for Chile, respectively. Using this latitudinal presence–absence species matrix, we identified areas with high plant richness and endemism and performed a Cluster analysis using Jaccard index to delineate biogeographic regions. This study found that richness at family, genus and species levels follow a unimodal 4270‐km latitudinal distribution curve, with a concentration of richness in central Chile (31–42°S). The 37th parallel south (central Chile) presented the highest richness for all taxonomic levels and in specific zones the endemism (22–37°S) was especially high. This unimodal pattern contrasts the global latitudinal diversity gradient shown by other studies in the Northern hemisphere. Seven floristic regions were identified in this latitudinal gradient: tropical (18–22°S), north Mediterranean (23–28°S), central Mediterranean (29–32°S), south Mediterranean (33–37°S), north temperate (38–42°S), south temperate (43–52°S) and Austral (53–56°S). This regionalization coincides with previous bioclimatic classifications and illustrates the high heterogeneity of the biodiversity in Chile and the need for a reconsideration of governmental conservation strategies to protect this diversity throughout Chile.     

Arthropod Distribution in a Tropical Rainforest: Tackling a Four Dimensional Puzzle

Quantifying the spatio-temporal distribution of arthropods in tropical rainforests represents a first step towards scrutinizing the global distribution of biodiversity on Earth. To date most studies have focused on narrow taxonomic groups or lack a design that allows partitioning of the components of diversity. Here, we consider an exceptionally large dataset (113,952 individuals representing 5,858 species), obtained from the San Lorenzo forest in Panama, where the phylogenetic breadth of arthropod taxa was surveyed using 14 protocols targeting the soil, litter, understory, lower and upper canopy habitats, replicated across seasons in 2003 and 2004. This dataset is used to explore the relative influence of horizontal, vertical and seasonal drivers of arthropod distribution in this forest. We considered arthropod abundance, observed and estimated species richness, additive decomposition of species richness, multiplicative partitioning of species diversity, variation in species composition, species turnover and guild structure as components of diversity. At the scale of our study (2km of distance, 40m in height and 400 days), the effects related to the vertical and seasonal dimensions were most important. Most adult arthropods were collected from the soil/litter or the upper canopy and species richness was highest in the canopy. We compared the distribution of arthropods and trees within our study system. Effects related to the seasonal dimension were stronger for arthropods than for trees. We conclude that: (1) models of beta diversity developed for tropical trees are unlikely to be applicable to tropical arthropods; (2) it is imperative that estimates of global biodiversity derived from mass collecting of arthropods in tropical rainforests embrace the strong vertical and seasonal partitioning observed here; and (3) given the high species turnover observed between seasons, global climate change may have severe consequences for rainforest arthropods.     

Does host‐plant diversity explain species richness in insects? A test using Coccidae (Hemiptera)

1. The megadiverse herbivores and their host plants are a major component of biodiversity, and their interactions have been hypothesised to drive the diversification of both. 2. If plant diversity influences the diversity of insects, there is an expectation that insect species richness will be strongly correlated with host‐plant species richness. This should be observable at two levels (i) more diverse host‐plant groups should harbour more species of insects, and (ii) the species richness of a group of insects should correlate with the richness of the host groups it uses. However, such a correlation is also consistent with a hypothesis of random host use, in which insects encounter and use hosts in proportion to the diversity of host plants. Neither of these expectations has been widely tested. 3. These expectations were tested using data from a species‐rich group of insects – the Coccidae (Hemiptera). 4. Significant positive correlations were found between the species richness of coccid clades (genera) and the species richness of the host‐plant family or families upon which the clades occur. On a global scale, more closely related plant families have more similar communities of coccid genera but the correlation is weak. 5. Random host use could not be rejected for many coccids but randomisation tests and similarity of coccid communities on closely related plant families show that there is non‐random host use in some taxa. Overall, our results support the idea that plant diversity is a driver of species richness of herbivorous insects, probably via escape‐and‐radiate or oscillation‐type processes.     

Differential abundance and core members of the bacterial community associated with wild male Zeugodacus cucurbitae fruit flies (Insecta: Tephritidae) from three geographical regions of Southeast Asia

Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillet) is one of the most significant and widespread tephritid pest species of agricultural crops. This study reports the bacterial communities associated with Z. cucurbitae from three geographical regions in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sarawak). The bacterial microbiota were investigated by targeted 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4 region) sequencing using the Illumina Mi-Seq platform. At 97% similarity and filtering at 0.001%, there were seven bacterial phyla and unassigned bacteria, comprising 11 classes, 23 orders, 39 families and 67 genera. The bacterial diversity and richness varied within and among the samples from the three geographical regions. Five phyla were detected for the Sarawak sample, and six each for the Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia samples. Four phyla—Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria—were represented in all the fruit fly specimens, forming the core members of the bacterial community. Proteobacteria was the predominant phylum, followed by Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Fifty-three genera were represented in the Thailand sample, 56 in the Peninsular Malaysia sample, and 55 in the Sarawak sample. Forty-two genera were present in all the three geographical regions. The predominant core members were order Enterobacteriales (Proeteobacteria), and family Enterobacteriaceae (Enterobacteriales). Klebsiella (Enterobacteriaceae) was the predominant genus and K. oxytoca the predominant species with all specimens having?>?10% relative abundance. The results indicate the presence of a great diversity as well as core members of the bacterial community associated with different populations of Z. cucurbitae.

     

Testing the correlation between beta diversity and differences in productivity among global ecoregions,biomes, and biogeographical realms

Considerable amount of research on the relationships between species diversity and productivity at different spatial, ecological, and taxonomic scales has been conducted. However, the overall trend of the correlation at the global scale still remains sketchy and the causal relationship between species diversity and productivity needs further exploration. This is especially true with beta diversity since most studies carried out use alpha diversity as the general term for species diversity. In this study we use the MODIS NDVI as the surrogate of productivity, and the WWF ecoregion systems and its species distribution information to test correlations between beta diversity and differences in productivity at various taxonomic ranks on a global scale. Matrix correlation is performed between species composition measured as beta diversities using Sørensen similarity index and MODIS NDVI/productivity measured as Bhattacharyya distances through Mantel permutation tests. The correlation coefficients and Mantel test significance levels are reported at the global ecoregion, biogeographical realm, and biome levels respectively. Significant correlations are found at all three taxonomic ranks. Results from realm and biome tests suggest that the highest correlations are reached at the temperate regions when species rank is used. Our findings suggest that species' natural spatial boundaries, such as the biogeographical realms or biogeographic kinship play a critical role in shaping the correlation patterns between beta diversity and productivity differences at the global scale.