Island biogeography of temporary wetland carabid beetle communities

Aim The study tests if island biogeography is applicable to invertebrate communities of habitat islands in the agricultural landscape that are not fragments of formerly larger habitats. Location Thirty temporary wetlands in the agricultural landscape of northeast Germany. Methods The composition and species richness of carabid beetle communities was analysed. Habitat area, isolation, the density of temporary wetlands in the landscape, land‐use intensity and the maximum duration of flooding were recorded as independent variables. Overall species richness and wetland species richness were studied in independent regression analyses. The community composition was analysed by means of a Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). A partial CCA was used to analyse the effect of the distance to the edge of the field after removing impacts of other independent variables. Results The area of the habitats and various measures of isolation (mean distances = 81–240 m) did not influence species richness or wetland species richness. The community composition was mainly determined by the land‐use intensity, habitat area did not have significant effects, and the distance to the edge of the field was the only effective isolation parameter. Short‐winged species were more often affected by the distance to the edge of the field than full‐winged species. Main conclusion There is evidence that the distances between the wetlands do not provide an effective barrier to the species dispersal and, therefore, metapopulation structures including subpopulations of multiple temporary wetlands might counteract local area effects on subpopulations. Short‐winged species, however, might be more affected by isolation than full‐winged species. As carabid beetle community structure in most early successional habitats is similar, these results may be representative of many agricultural landscape habitats. Nature conservancy concepts that aim to increase habitat area and habitat connectivity have successfully been applied to fragmented late‐successional habitats. The present study indicates that such concepts do not necessarily result in higher diversity or larger populations in early successional habitats.     

Leaf lifespan as a determinant of leaf structure and function among 23 amazonian tree species

Summary The relationships between resource availability, plant succession, and species' life history traits are often considered key to understanding variation among species and communities. Leaf lifespan is one trait important in this regard. We observed that leaf lifespan varies 30-fold among 23 species from natural and disturbed communities within a 1-km radius in the northern Amazon basin, near San Carlos de Rio Negro, Venezuela. Moreover, leaf lifespan was highly correlated with a number of important leaf structural and functional characterisues. Stomatal conductance to water vapor (g) and both mass and area-based net photosynthesis decreased with increasing leaf lifespan (r²=0.74, 0.91 and 0.75, respectively). Specific leaf area (SLA) also decreased with increasing leaf lifespan (r²=0.78), while leaf toughness increased (r²=0.62). Correlations between leaf lifespan and leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were moderate on a weight basis and not significant on an area basis. On an absolute basis, changes in SLA, net photosynthesis and leaf chemistry were large as leaf lifespan varied from 1.5 to 12 months, but such changes were small as leaf lifespan increased from 1 to 5 years. Mass-based net photosynthesis (A/mass) was highly correlated with SLA (r²=0.90) and mass-based leaf nitrogen (N/mass) (r²=0.85), but area-based net photosynthesis (A/area) was not well correlated with any index of leaf structure or chemistry including N/area. Overall, these results indicate that species allocate resources towards a high photosynthetic assimilation rate for a brief time, or provide resistant physical structure that results in a lower rate of carbon assimilation over a longer time, but not both.     

洞庭湖区不同土地利用方式下的土壤动物群落结构

2004年4月和7月,对洞庭湖区5种不同土地利用方式下土壤动物群落结构进行调查,以了解洞庭湖区湿地土壤动物多样性的基本情况,以及不同土地利用方式对土壤动物群落结构的影响。实验采得土壤样本270个,经分离后获土壤动物6282头,分属于5门、10纲、29类。通过对物种丰富度(S)、多样性指数(H)、均匀度指数(j)、相似度指数(q)和密度-类群指数(DG)几个多样性指标进行分析,结果表明农林间作的黑杨-苔草-菜地的物种丰富度、均匀度和密度-类群指数均显著高于其它生境,土壤动物多样性随土地利用方式和人为干扰程度的不同而存在很大差异。不同类型区的大、中、小型土壤动物的数量和组成有季节性变化,大型动物的类群组成在每个样地4、7月间均有很大差别,黑杨-苔草-菜地、黑杨-苔草地和稻田3个样地4月份蜱螨目数量均显著高于7月份;而弹尾目的数量仅在稻田4月份显著高于7月份,油菜-棉花 水稻地却是7月份显著高于4月份,其它样地无显著性差异;线虫数量仅在黑杨-苔草地和油菜-棉花 水稻地7月份的数量显著高于4月份。人类的农业生产活动导致土壤动物物种多样性降低,优势集中度提高,优势种突出,均匀性降低,形成了只利于少数几个种群栖息和生存的环境,土壤动物生物多样性受到影响,但适度干扰能提高土壤动物生物多样性。     

Biology, herbivory, and host specificity of Antiblemma leucocyma (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Miconia calvescens DC. (Melastomataceae) in Brazil

Miconia calvescens DC. (Melastomataceae) is an invasive tree considered one of the greatest threats to natural ecosystems of Hawaii and other Pacific islands. The potential for using the defoliator Antiblemma leucocyma (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) as a biological control agent of M. calvescens was evaluated in the native habitat of the insect in Brazil. Impact assessment in the field showed that 37.2% of leaves presented damage by A. leucocyma, and among damaged leaves, 1.5-51.9% of the leaf area (16.3% on average) was affected. Damage was found in young to fully expanded leaves (28-915 cm² in area). Individual A. leucocyma developing as third through sixth instars in the laboratory consumed an average of 1348 cm² of M. calvescens leaf material in about 11 days. Populations of A. leucocyma in the field were heavily impacted (up to 83% parasitism) by a braconid parasitoid. Observations in the field and single- and two-host choice tests in the laboratory indicated that A. leucocyma has a narrow host range restricted to M. calvescens. Usefulness of this herbivore for biological control in Hawaii appears low, however, because of its probable susceptibility to generalist parasitoids.     

Subjecting the theory of the small‐island effect to Ockham’s razor

Species–area curves from islands and other isolates often differ in shape from sample‐area curves generated from mainlands or sections of isolates (or islands), especially at finer scales. We examine two explanations for this difference: (1) the small‐island effect (SIE), which assumes the species–area curve is composed of two distinctly different curve patterns; and (2) a sigmoid or depressed isolate species–area curve with no break‐points (in arithmetic space). We argue that the application of Ockham’s razor – the principle that the simplest, most economical explanation for a hypothesis should be accepted over less parsimonious alternatives – leads to the conclusion that the latter explanation is preferable. We hold that there is no reason to assume the ecological factors or patterns that affect the shapes of isolate (or island) curves cause two distinctly different patterns. This assumption is not required for the alternative, namely that these factors cause a single (though depressed) isolate species–area curve with no break‐points. We conclude that the theory of the small‐island effect, despite its present standing as an accepted general pattern in nature, should be abandoned.     

国家级经济技术开发区绿色发展指数研究

国家级经济技术开发区是改革开放以来中国经济发展的缩影,已成为中国推动开放型经济发展,促进工业化、城镇化进程,实现区域发展战略的重要支撑。处理好经济发展与节约资源、保护环境的关系,实现绿色、低碳、循环发展,提高发展的质量和效益,是国家级经开区在新形势下面临的新挑战。为推进国家级经开区的创新驱动和绿色发展,加强对国家级经开区绿色低碳循环发展的引导,通过建立绿色发展指数方法,对国家级经开区的绿色发展水平进行评价,以期为管理决策提供参考。绿色发展水平定量评价研究运用多准则排序方法构建了绿色发展指数。首先从经济发展、资源能源消耗、生态环境和基础设施4个方面构建了国家级经开区绿色发展评价指标体系,其次对各项指标进行归一化处理,加权后得到绿色发展指数。以2007年52家国家级经开区各项指标(基于不变价格的平均值)为参照,分析了2007—2012年52家国家级经开区绿色发展指数的动态变化,采用动态气泡图直观地表征年际间经开区绩效的横向和纵向变化。比较了东中西部国家级经开区绿色发展水平的差异,及建设国家生态工业示范园区对其绿色发展指数的影响,进而对国家级经开区的绿色发展进行了展望。     

不同海拔梯度高寒草地地下生物量与环境因子的关系

以新疆天山南坡的巴音布鲁克高寒草地为对象, 研究了不同海拔梯度高寒草地地下生物量的变化及其与环境因子的关系.结果表明: 随着海拔的升高, 高寒草原、高寒草原化草甸和高寒草甸的地下生物量逐渐增大, 二者呈极显著正相关( P<0.01 ).地下生物量从表层至底层逐渐递减,呈“T”形分布.高寒草原、高寒草原化草甸和高寒草甸0～10 cm土层的地下生物量分别占总地下生物量的68.1%、84.1%和86.7%.地下生物量与大气温度呈极显著负相关, 与相对湿度和土壤含水量呈极显著正相关(P<0.01 ), 而与有机质、速效氮和pH等无显著相关.     

玉米群体内太阳光辐射垂直分布规律研究

在实验观测的基础上,对玉米群体内总辐射、光合有效辐射(光量子通量)随高度以及叶面积指数的变化规律进行了分析探讨,结果显示,在玉米群体的顶部和底部,叶面积指数较小,而在中部和中上部,叶面积指数较大,在140～200 cm的高度层内,叶面积指数约占群体叶面积指数总量的53%以上.在160～180 cm的高度内叶面积指数出现峰值;太阳光辐射在玉米群体内垂直分布随高度的减小而减少,表现为“S“型变化曲线;太阳辐射透过率在不同高度层上随叶面积指数的增加而减小,表现为指数关系,即Rt=Ae -BLAI.     

辽西半干旱地区深松中耕对作物产量的影响及其作用机理研究

对辽宁西部半干旱地区深松中耕对作物产量影响及作用机理的研究表明,深松打破了犁底层,减小了土壤容重及穿透阻力,增加了表层及亚表层土壤的孔隙度．深松土壤水分人渗可达８０ｃｍ,大豆根系深度增加３．６～４．０ｃｍ,大豆产量和水分利用效率分别增加２７．７～３４．５％和１６．１％,在干旱年份玉米增产７．９％．     

Post-cultivation Secondary Succession in a Venezuelan Lower Montane Rain Forest

Since tropical rain forests are widely threatened by conversion to agriculture, even within protected areas, an understanding of recovery processes is important for restoration of forest ecosystems and thus conservation of their biodiversity. Secondary succession following land clearance and crop cultivation was studied in a lower montane rain forest in a protected area of the Venezuelan Cordillera de la Costa Central. Forest recovery was studied using a chronosequence of eight 20 × 20 m plots which represented four forest types ca.10 year-old Secondary Forest, ca. 20 year-old Secondary Forest, ca. 35 year-old (uncultivated) secondary forest and mature forest. Species richness and structural complexity increased during succession, with the oldest secondary forest having a physiognomy comparable to the mature forest. Species diversity was lower in the secondary forests than the mature forest, and their floristic composition was distinct. Four phases are hypothesized to occur in the succession process, each with a distinctive species assemblage: initial colonisation by non-woody vegetation; establishment and canopy closure by short-lived small-seeded woody pioneer species; replacement by longer-lived secondary species; and gradual replacement by mature forest large-seeded climax species. Full recovery of the forests in the protected area is likely to take many years, although it may be assisted through conservation management measures.