广西特有和濒危的异裂菊属

<正> 异裂菊属Heteroplex Chang是我国广西稀有的特有属。自1937年张肇骞教授根据采自广西龙州上金,龙虎山至摩天岭的标本(梁向日66720号)作为一个单种属发表以来,迄今尚无人再次采获,也无人对其作过研究,近年来作者在编写中国植物志菊科的过程中,曾对该属进行了整理研究,除了原有的异裂菊H.vernonioides Chang外,另发现有小花异裂菊H.microcephala Y.L.chen.和绢叶异裂菊H.sericophylla Y.L.Chen.两新种。     

An efficient in vitro regeneration of Ceropegia noorjahaniae: an endemic and critically endangered medicinal herb of the Western Ghats

An efficient protocol was developed for the rapid in vitro multiplication of an endemic and critically endangered medicinal herb, Ceropegia noorjahaniae Ans., via enhanced axillary bud proliferation from nodal explants. The effects of phytohormones [6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetin (Kin) thidiazuron (TDZ), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) or α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA)] on in vitro regeneration were investigated. The highest number of shoots (18.3 ± 1.3), maximum shoot length (10.1 ± 0.8 cm) and the highest response of shoot induction (95 %) were recorded on MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/l BAP. Rooting was best achieved on half-strength MS medium augmented with IBA (1.0 mg/l). Half-strength MS medium supplemented with BAP (4 mg/l) and sucrose (5 %, w/v) produced an average of 5.6 flower buds per microshoots with highest (90 %) flower bud induction response. The plantlets regenerated in vitro with well-developed shoot and roots were successfully established in pots containing sterile sand and coco peat (1:1) and grown in a greenhouse with 85 % survival rate. The regenerated plants did not show any detectable morphological variation. The developed method can be successfully employed for large-scale multiplication and conservation of C. noorjahaniae.     

An assessment of the efficiency of protection status through determinations of biodiversity hotspots based on endemic bird species,Taiwan

Evaluations of species richness patterns have been performed at diverse scales, and biodiversity hotspots, especially endemism hotspots, have received much attention in conservation biology. We estimated the distributions of endemic bird species based on a 12-yr avian inventory project in Taiwan, identified biodiversity hotspots of endemism on a regional scale based on predictions from the ensemble forecasting framework and frequency histogram approach, and assessed the efficiency of protected areas. The results indicated that the predicted endemism hotspots were mostly located in mid- and high-elevation areas along the Central Mountain Range of Taiwan. An observed endemism hotspot was defined as one in which at least five of Taiwan's 17 endemic bird species were present. This criterion was used because the 5% of the sampled grid squares that were the richest in endemic bird species all had 5 endemic bird species or more. Seventy to seventy-one percent of the observed biodiversity hotspots matched the predicted biodiversity hotspots. This outcome was obtained whether the richness biodiversity in a grid square was based on summed predicted probability or summed predicted richness. The majority of the protected areas for these Taiwanese endemic bird species were national parks, protecting 24.1% of the predicted hotspot areas, whereas nature reserves and wildlife refuges protected less than 7%. Most of the predicted endemism hotspots were not adequately protected. We conclude that the ensemble forecasting framework and the frequency histogram approach are useful for selecting critical habitats and biodiversity hotspots for endemic species and for appraising the efficiency of the protection status provided by governments.     

The Taiwan Firecrest ( Regulus goodfellowi ) belongs to the Goldcrest assemblage ( Regulus regulus s. l.): evidence from mitochondrial DNA and the territorial song of the Regulidae

We evaluated the phylogenetic relationships of the Taiwan Firecrest or Flamecrest, Regulus goodfellowi, on the basis of two mitochondrial markers (cytochrome b, 16S rRNA) and territorial song. Genetic samples from eighteen subspecies of all currently accepted crest and kinglet species were available for comparison. In all molecular tree reconstructions it was clearly apparent the Taiwan endemic species was the sister species of all the palearctic Goldcrests (Regulus regulus) from Bayesian inference of phylogeny, although with weak bootstrap support and conflicting position in the ML and NJ trees. Genetic distances based on cyt-b sequences between R. goodfellowi and subspecies of R. regulus ranged between 6.1 and 8.2%. Two separate divergence time estimates dated the colonization of Taiwan to the mid to late Pliocene from 5–2 Mya. The high-pitched territorial songs of R. goodfellowi strongly resemble those of Sino-Himalayan Goldcrests (ssp. himalayensis, sikkimensis, and yunnanensis), but the terminal flourish typical of Goldcrests is invariable and only rarely included in songs of R. goodfellowi. Discriminant analysis of spectral and temporal characteristics separated the songs of the Southeast Asian populations from those of two other large clusters, the Canarian and Northwest Palearctic. Songs of R. goodfellowi were 100% correctly assigned and well distinguishable from Sino–Himalayan songs. Cluster analysis of Regulus songs strongly corroborated the sister group relationship of R. goodfellowi and R. regulus as reconstructed from concatenated mitochondrial sequence data. All results from molecular and acoustic analysis justify the species rank of the Taiwan endemic species and suggest that it is only distantly related to the firecrest clade (R. ignicapillus, R. madeirensis).     

Habitat selection of the Corsican Nuthatch (Sitta whiteheadi) after a fire

The Corsican Nuthatch Sitta whiteheadi is a bird endemic to Corsica Island and has a very small population. Its habitat, Corsican pine Pinus nigra laricio forest, is currently restricted to less than 16,000 ha and is threatened by forest fires. In this article, we aim (1) to evaluate the effects of a large wildfire on a Nuthatch population, and (2) to identify the habitat features that influence the presence/absence of the Nuthatch after fire, so as to promote appropriate forestry practices after fire. The study has been conducted on a study plot of 300 ha which is part of a larger area severely burnt in August 2003. Habitat characteristics have been investigated on 39 plots of 1,225 m² occupied by the bird, and 22 randomly chosen plots without the Nuthatch. We observed a decrease of 37.5% in Nuthatch abundance the first spring after the fire, but the impact showed great local variation as a function of fire severity. Logistic modelling showed that the presence of Nuthatch mainly depended on the degree of crown alteration: the Nuthatch tended to be present when at least one pine had less than 2.5 m of crown burned. We have no evidence of any direct fire-induced mortality, but several effects of fire can explain this population decrease, namely, the reduction of canopy volume, the decrease of the amount of pine seeds, and the reduction of nest-site availability. These results permit us to propose a simple criterion that can help in choosing the plots to be cut where salvage logging is necessary.     

巨须裂腹鱼年龄与生长的初步研究

巨须裂腹鱼(Schizothorax macropogon)是雅鲁藏布江的重要经济鱼类.作者利用2004～2006年在雅鲁藏布江水系收集的293尾样本,以背鳍条磨片作为主要鉴定年龄的材料,对西藏雅鲁藏布江巨须裂腹鱼种群进行了年龄结构和生长特性的研究.结果表明,巨须裂腹鱼的雅鲁藏布江种群由2～14龄和16龄共14个龄组组成.其中优势龄组为4～6龄(占74.85%).群体总性比为(♀:♂)=1:0.881.体长与体重的关系方程分别为:W♀=0.023L2.904(♀),W♂=0.018L2.962(♂),属于匀速生长类型.用von aertalanffy方程描述的生长方程分别为♀:Lt=65.676[1-e-0.053(t+3.305],Wt=4520.633[1-e-0.053(t+30305)]2.904;♂:Lt=49.622[1-e-0.074(t+4.017)],Wt=2034.481[1-e-0.074(t+4.017)]2.962.雌、雄个体生长的拐点年龄分别为16.6龄和10.7龄,对应的体长及体重分别为43.06 cm、1326.75 g(♀)和32.86 cm、600.31 g(♂).     

Short-term signals of climate change along an altitudinal gradient in the South Alps

Short-term changes in plant species number, frequency and composition were studied along an altitudinal gradient crossing four summits from the treeline ecotone to the subnival zone in the South Alps (Dolomites, Italy). Large-scale (summit areas) and small-scale patterns (16 plots of 1 m2/summit) were monitored. After 5 years, a re-visitation of the summit areas revealed a considerable increase of species richness at the upper alpine and subnival zone (10% and 9%, respectively) and relatively modest increases at the lower alpine zone and the treeline ecotone (3% and 1%, respectively). At the small scale, the results were partly different, with species richness decreasing at the lower summits and increasing at the higher summits. The changes can most likely be attributed to climate warming effects and to competitive interactions. The main newcomers at the lower three summits were species from the treeline and the lower altitudinal zones. Only at the highest summit, the newcomers came from the alpine species pool. At the treeline ecotone, the abundance of Pinus cembra, of dwarf shrubs and clonal graminoid species increased. Here, displacements of alpine species may be predicted for the near future. At the higher summits, expansions of the established alpine species and further invasions of species from lower altitudes are forecasted.     

How can the Yelkouan shearwater survive feral cat predation? A meta-population structure as a solution?

The Yelkouan shearwater, Puffinus yelkouan, is an endangered Mediterranean endemic species of burrowing petrel threatened by feral cats. The life-history parameters of a small population of Yelkouan shearwaters on the Mediterranean island, Port-Cros, were studied in conjunction with the diet of feral cats, to examine the birds’ vulnerability to introduced cats. Yelkouan shearwaters were the birds most frequently found in cat scats, with 431 ± 72 birds killed per year, and predation highest during the pre-laying period. A demographic model was created using data for P. yelkouan and for closely related shearwater species. Without cat predation, only two of four survival rate scenarios led to a mean growth rate (λ) ≥ 1. The model was constrained to have a stable population growth rate and used to predict predation scenarios compatible with the observed population stability, because the population under study has remained stable at around 180 pairs for at least 20 years despite feral cat predation. The results of assuming that the population is closed were inconsistent with the estimated mortalities due to feral cats, while it was possible to reconcile the observed numbers of breeding pairs with the observed mortalities due to cats by assuming that Port-Cros Island is a sink sustained by immigration. This illustrates that small colonies may need to be sustained by larger ones to avoid being driven to extinction. Unfortunately, the absence of a large geographic-scale ringing program makes the precise identification of the origin of the immigrants impossible in this case.