Lack of prey switching and strong preference for mosquito prey by a temporary pond specialist predator

1. The strengths of trophic interactions within ecosystems can be mediated by complex mechanisms that require elucidation if researchers are to understand and predict population- and community-level stabilities. Where multiple prey types co-occur, prey switching (i.e. frequency-dependent predation) by predators may facilitate low-density prey refuge effects which promote coexistence. On the other hand, lack of switching and strong preferences by predators can strongly suppress prey populations, which is especially important considering vector species such as mosquitoes. 2. The present study quantifies prey switching and preference patterns of the temporary pond specialist copepod Lovenula raynerae towards larvae of the medically important Culex pipiens mosquito complex in the presence of different proportions of alternative Daphnia pulex prey. Further, it examines whether prey switching and preferences are contingent on the sex of the predator. 3. Lovenula raynerae exhibited a lack of prey switching and strong preference for larval mosquito prey overall, irrespective of predator sex. Also, when larval mosquitoes were available in higher proportions over daphniids, the strength of this positive selectivity increased. There was very little low-density refuge for mosquitoes where they were rare. 4. Lack of prey switching and strong preferences towards mosquitoes by predatory paradiaptomid copepods may enhance population-level regulation of disease vector mosquitoes that exploit temporary pond-style habitats. Accordingly, the conservation and promotion of these predators might enable better management of medically important species across landscapes.     

Conflicting demands on wetland ecosystem services: nutrient retention,biodiversity or both?

1. Wetland ecosystems may, besides having considerable economical value, increase landscape biodiversity and function as traps for nutrients from land to freshwater‐ and marine systems. As a result of these features, wetlands are nowadays often protected and restored, and many countries have even initiated wetland construction programmes. 2. In the present study, we aim at increasing the knowledge on how to improve the design of a wetland with respect to both biodiversity and nutrient retention, by analysing physical, chemical and biological features of a large set of constructed wetlands. 3. Our results show that a combination of the wetland features, namely shallow depth, large surface area and high shoreline complexity are likely to provide a high biodiversity of birds, benthic invertebrates and macrophytes and to have high nitrogen retention, whereas a small, deep wetland is likely to be more efficient in phosphorus retention, but less valuable in terms of biodiversity. 4. Hence, among the features used to design new wetlands, area, depth and shoreline complexity have fundamental, and sometimes conflicting, effects on nutrient retention and biodiversity. This means that there are, within limits, possibilities to direct the ecosystem function of a specific wetland in desired directions.     

Effect of early dry season induced by the Three Gorges Dam on the soil microbial biomass and bacterial community structure in the Dongting Lake wetland

In this study, we used the soil microbial biomass (SMB) and the bacterial community structure as indicators to determine the potential ecological responses of the Dongting Lake wetland (China) to the early dry season that has been induced by the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), the largest hydroelectric project in the world. We measured the soil properties, SMB and bacterial community structure for samples E0, E20 and E40 (for which the dry season arrived early by 0, 20 and 40 days, respectively). The results indicated a significant increase in SMB as the dry season occurred increasingly earlier. The microbial biomass carbon (MBC) was used as a representative for the SMB and increased for the samples in the following order: E0 < E20 < E40. The bacterial 16S rDNA gene copy number changed similarly to the MBC. Significant changes were also observed in the soil bacterial community structure. The bacterial community structure of E40 was more diverse than that of E20, which was similar to that of E0. The relationship between the bacterial community composition and the soil properties was evaluated by redundancy analysis (RDA). The results indicated that the lead time of the dry season was the controlling influence on the soil bacterial community structure.     

Palatability of macrophytes to the invasive freshwater snail Pomacea canaliculata: differential effects of multiple plant traits

1. By selective grazing, invasive grazers can alter macrophyte‐herbivore relationships in shallow freshwater bodies. Evaluating the palatability of macrophytes and understanding the determinants of plant palatability can help predict grazing impact. In no‐choice feeding assays, we tested the palatability of 21 species of freshwater macrophytes to the invasive freshwater apple snail Pomacea canaliculata. 2. Daily feeding rate varied greatly with plant species, ranging from 1.1 to 22% of snail body mass. We assessed six plant properties and examined their correlation with feeding rate. Total nitrogen content was positively related, and C:N ratio and dry matter content (DMC) negatively related, to snail feeding rate. There was no significant correlation between snail feeding rate and plant phenolic content, but the feeding rate on Myriophyllum aquaticum (the plant with the highest phenolic content) was very low. 3. We repeated the feeding assays for 15 species that were not palatable as fresh leaves with reconstituted plant tissues formed by mixing ground up dried leaves with agar. The feeding rate still differed greatly among macrophyte species. Phragmites australis and Vallisneria natans (two species with the highest DMC) were eaten much more as reconstituted plant than as fresh leaves, indicating that structure (i.e. DMC) may be important in their defence against snail herbivory. For two plants (M. aquaticum and Alternanthera philoxeroides) that had moderate amounts of nitrogen/phosphorus but were consumed very little as fresh and reconstituted tissues, we incorporated their extracts into a palatable agar‐based food. The extracts from both species greatly reduced snail feeding rate, indicating the presence of chemical defences in these two species. 4. These results indicated that feeding was affected by several plant traits. The snail favoured plants with a high nitrogen content and avoided plants with a high DMC. Only a few plants possessed chemical feeding deterrents that were effective against this snail. Given the invasive spread of P. canaliculata in Asia, ecologists and managers should consider plant palatability when selecting plants for use in wetland restoration and when predicting the impact of further invasion by this species.     

Marshland conversion to cropland in northeast China from 1950 to 2000 reduced the greenhouse effect

It has been well recognized that converting wetlands to cropland results in loss of soil organic carbon (SOC), while less attention was paid to concomitant changes in methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. Using datasets from the literature and field measurements, we investigated loss of SOC and emissions of CH₄ and N₂O due to marshland conversion in northeast China. Analysis of the documented crop cultivation area indicated that 2.91 Mha of marshland were converted to cropland over the period 1950–2000. Marshland conversion resulted in SOC loss of ～240 Tg and introduced ～1.4 Tg CH₄ and ～138 Gg N₂O emissions in the cropland, while CH₄ emissions reduced greatly in the marshland, cumulatively ～28 Tg over the 50 years. Taking into account the loss of SOC and emissions of CH₄ and N₂O, the global warming potential (GWP) at a 20‐year time horizon was estimated to be ～180 Tg CO₂_eq. yr^?1 in the 1950s and ～120 Tg CO₂_eq. yr^?1 in the 1990s, with a ～33% reduction. When calculated at 100‐year time horizon, the GWP was ～73 Tg CO₂ _eq. yr^?1 in the 1950s and ～58 Tg CO₂_eq. yr^?1 in the 1990s, with a ～21% reduction. It was concluded that marshland conversion to cropland in northeast China reduced the greenhouse effect as far as GWP is concerned. This reduction was attributed to a substantial decrease in CH₄ emissions from the marshland. An extended inference is that the declining growth rate of atmospheric CH₄ since the 1980s might be related to global loss of wetlands, but this connection needs to be confirmed.     

促淤等人为扰动对长江口滩涂湿地土壤微生物呼吸的影响

为阐明促淤和堤内农业生产对长江口滩涂湿地土壤微生物呼吸(SMR)的影响,在崇明东滩和九段沙湿地设置3个典型区域,研究了人为扰动和自然状况下湿地SMR的差异性,并通过分析不同类型湿地土壤的微生物活性和环境因子阐明了导致SMR差异的主要原因。结果显示,促淤区现有湿地SMR强度((0.41±0.22)mgCO·2g-·124h-1)高于自然状态区((0.07±0.02)mgCO·2g-·124h-1),且差异达到了极显著水平(P0.01);堤内不同农业生产模式导致的施肥强度差异对堤外湿地SMR也有一定影响。通径分析表明,促淤等人为扰动状态下湿地土壤微生物活性增强是导致其SMR较高的主要原因,其中土壤原核微生物多样性指数及蔗糖酶活性与SMR强度的关联性尤为显著。而促淤与堤内化肥施用所引起的已有滩涂湿地土壤环境条件的改变,特别是土壤含水量下降和无机氮含量增高是导致其微生物活性发生改变的重要原因。总体而言,促淤和堤内高强度施肥的农业生产模式一定程度上会增强堤外现有滩涂湿地的SMR,从而弱化其碳汇功能。     

长江河口典型湿地碳库动态研究方法

湿地生态系统在维持碳平衡和全球气候调节中起着重要作用。长江河口湿地生态系统是国际公认的生态过程敏感区,选择长江河口典型湿地——崇明东滩作为长期碳循环观测和实验模拟的研究对象,针对长江河口湿地生态系统碳库动态研究具体的科学问题,从"土壤-植被-大气"连续体(SPAC)碳流过程监测、涡度相关法碳通量监测、植物生长控制实验(开顶式气候室,OTC)、"湿地碳循环-气候变化"生态过程模型构建、多方数据源校正等方面,总结了全球气候变化条件下长江河口湿地碳库动态的研究方法。旨在了解长江河口湿地生态系统碳库动态特征,探寻湿地碳平衡的主导控制因子,评估中国东部沿海湿地碳库对全球气候变化的响应。进而为提出长江河口湿地碳储备功能的保育策略提供理论依据。