Symmetry and range limits in importance indices

Recently, Mingo has analyzed the properties of I_imp, an importance index, and demonstrated that its range is not symmetrical. While agreeing with this comment, we believe that more light needs to be shed on the issue of symmetry in relation to such indices. Importance indices are calculated using three values: performance of the organism in the absence and in the presence of neighbors and maximum performance of the organism in ideal conditions. Because of this structure, importance indices can hardly ever achieve symmetry along the whole range of potential performances. We discuss the limitation of the symmetry range for different symmetry types and for both additive and multiplicative indices. We conclude that importance indices, as other interactions indices, are practical tools for interpreting ecological outcomes, especially while comparing between studies. Nevertheless, the current structure of importance indices prevents symmetry along their whole range. While the lack of “perfect” symmetry may call for the development of more sophisticated importance metrics, the current indices are still helpful for the understanding of biological systems and should not be discarded before better alternatives are well established. To prevent potential confusion, we suggest that ecologists present the relevant index symmetry range in addition to their results, thus minimizing the probability of misinterpretation.     

Spatial and temporal determinants of golden sun moth Synemon plana distribution

In this study we examined the spatial and temporal variation in a population of the critically endangered golden sun moth Synemon plana over four years in a conservation reserve in south‐eastern Australia. We found golden sun moth spatial distribution and abundance dramatically declined from a peak in extent and abundance from 2008–2009 to 2011–2012 due to a shift from drought to above average rainfall. Autoregressive correlative models indicated that a northerly aspect and landscape position were key predictors of abundance over time, and golden sun moth distribution shifted from wet to dry locations in the landscape. We conclude that: our data provide a counterpoint to conclusions that golden sun moth has been known to persist in very small areas and suggest that distribution can change quite markedly (from large connected populations to small patches) at a local scale, and this will be due to dispersal and survivorship; the variability in the data may have implications for adequate detection of the species over time, especially when populations have contracted and species have a naturally restricted activity and breeding period; and long‐term weather patterns and landscape configuration (aspect, wet or dry position) interact to significantly affect local distribution and abundance over time. This has implications for the species under global change; increased variability in rainfall, temperature, productivity and exotic pasture growth may all alter and interact to either reduce or enhance persistence of golden sun moth populations over time.     

模拟降雨条件下玉米植株对降雨再分配过程的影响

为系统测定玉米(Zea mays)不同生长阶段的穿透雨、茎秆流和冠层截留,采用室内模拟降雨法测定了不同降雨强度、不同叶面积指数玉米冠下穿透雨和茎秆流,采用喷雾法测定了玉米不同生长阶段的冠层截留。对其进行了量化分析,并探讨了三者与玉米叶面积指数和降雨强度的关系,阐明了玉米冠下穿透雨的空间分布特征。结果表明:玉米冠下穿透雨量占冠上总降雨量比例为30.97%—94.02%,平均为63.92%;茎秆流量占降雨量比例的变化范围为5.68%—75.70%,平均为35.28%;冠层截留量在其全生育期内变化范围为0.02—0.43 mm,平均为0.16 mm,所占总降雨量比例最大仅为1%。随玉米生长,穿透雨量逐渐降低,茎秆流量和冠层截留量逐渐增加。穿透雨与茎秆流呈现此消彼长的关系,其中穿透雨率平均由93.55%降至36.23%;茎秆流率平均由5.98%增加至70.42%。降雨强度与穿透雨量和茎秆流量呈正相关关系,但是二者占总降雨量的比例与降雨强度关系不显著(P0.05)。随着玉米生长,穿透雨冠下空间分布由均匀逐渐趋向于不均匀,使降雨经过冠层后趋于向行中汇集,但在玉米生长后期,集中于行中的穿透雨量也因叶片衰败而随之降低。揭示了玉米对降雨的再分配作用特征,可为农田水分有效利用、农田生态水文过程机理和坡耕地土壤侵蚀防治提供理论依据。     

干旱区城郊种植业水足迹分析与适宜耕地规模测算——以乌鲁木齐市为例

水足迹方法能够完整、清晰地描述种植业的耗水特征。以干旱区绿洲城市乌鲁木齐市为例,运用水足迹模型分析种植业产品耗水特征,构建水足迹强度系数以探讨种植业耗水对本地水资源的影响度,进而从作物水足迹和水源类型角度建立绿洲耕地规模测度模型测算乌鲁木齐市适宜耕地规模,研究发现:①作物生长期水足迹受土壤水分胁迫和产量损减影响呈现差异化;②2005-2011年间,绿水强度系数波动剧烈,蓝水强度系数均值超出容量极限,作物生长期对蓝水资源依赖性较强,从而进一步加剧了蓝水资源的匮乏;③乌鲁木齐市合理耕地规模约为6万hm²,2005-2011年种植业实际耕地规模均处于超载状态,超载量变化呈现先降后升的特征,现状种植业发展模式对绿洲生态系统扰动不断加剧。     

间伐强度对人工杉木林地表径流的影响

在湖南会同生态站的人工杉木林集水区,对比研究了不同间伐强度对地表径流影响。结果表明:降雨量大小是形成地表径流的主要原因,即地表径流随降雨量上升而增大。在不出现大暴雨及特大暴雨的情形下,间伐样地产生的地表径流比对照样地小,其中,30%的间伐强度更利于减小地表径流。通过对不同月份的降雨量与地表径流的关系研究,证明了单次降雨量,而非降雨总量,才是导致地表径流形成的主要原因。通过地表径流与林下植被、土壤特性的多元相关分析可知,地表径流与枯落物量、灌木草本层盖度、土壤非毛管孔隙、水稳性土壤团聚体粒径呈显著负相关,与土壤容重呈显著正相关。间伐正是通过改变上述因子而增强了水土保持能力,减小了地表径流的形成。在人工杉木林条件下和间伐强度范围内,30%的间伐强度下的影响更显著,更有助于减小地表径流。     

三峡水库长期水淹条件下耐淹植物甜根子草的资源分配特征

为研究历经三峡水库长期水淹的驯化后,不同海拔高程之间相同种源的甜根子草的生物量分配特征是否发生改变,进而探讨该物种对水淹胁迫表现出的适应性进化特征,试验于2008年初选育相同种源的甜根子草同龄幼苗栽植于三峡水库消落区甜根子草种植试验示范区,并考察了2012年、2013年不同海拔高程甜根子草植株的形态和生物量特征。试验共设置3个海拔高程,即水淹高程168、172m和不受水淹对照高程176m。试验结果表明:(1)较低高程的甜根子草植株较矮小细弱,168m高程的甜根子草植株主茎长和主茎基径显著低于对照176m高程(P0.05);平均节间长度随高程的降低而缩短;与之相反,主茎长/主茎基径随高程的降低而增大。(2)甜根子草的叶片厚度、叶片长/叶片宽、叶片长/叶鞘长均随海拔高程的降低而减小;与之相反,比叶面积随高程的降低而增大。(3)水淹前,甜根子草近端成熟节间的质量密度随高程的降低而增大;水淹后,其地上存活茎段基部成熟节间的质量密度在各高程之间无显著差异(P0.05)。以上研究结果表明,甜根子草历经三峡水库长期水淹的驯化后,生物量分配特征在不同海拔高程之间发生了改变,表现出了相应的驯化特征。相较于高高程的甜根子草植株而言,低高程的植株生长缓慢,采取低株高下的高向生物量投资策略;对叶的物质投资大部分分配到叶面积的增加、叶鞘的伸长生长和叶片的直立生长上,以加强植株的光合生产。     

Effects of water level and light intensity on capsule production dynamics of Sphagnum capillifolium

 选取尖叶泥炭藓(Sphagnum capillifolium)为试验材料, 在模拟水位与光强条件下, 对人工构建的苔藓植物群落进行室内培养, 每隔1-3天观察并记录植株高度、孢蒴变化过程及变化时间, 分析了不同水位与光强条件对孢蒴生产的植物功能属性动态的影响。水位上升促进了蒴柄伸长及植株高增长, 增加了孢蒴开裂率及遮蔽率。光强增加有助于孢蒴生长, 并提高了孢蒴开裂率。在孢蒴直径以及植株高增长性状上, 水位与光强存在交互作用。水位与光强对孢蒴增长率均没有影响。此外, 水位升高与光强增加使孢蒴成熟及蒴柄伸长时间提前, 总体上使孢子释放时间分别提前了4.0 d和4.8 d, 由此可能减小了孢子体因受夏季干旱影响而败育的风险。孢子释放后, 繁殖株高增长加速, 可为未来的再次繁殖奠定基础。     

模拟降雨条件下含砾石红壤工程堆积体产流产沙过程

生产建设项目开发过程中形成的工程堆积体具有特殊的结构和复杂的物质组成,坡面侵蚀特征明显有别于一般农地.采用室内人工模拟降雨试验方法,研究降雨强度对红壤区不同砾石含量(0%、10%、20%、30%)工程堆积体产流产沙过程的影响.结果表明: 坡面产流开始时间随降雨强度和砾石含量的增大而减小,减幅分别为48.5%～77.9%和4.2%～34.2%,且与降雨强度呈显著的幂函数关系.坡面径流流速和径流率均随产流历时呈先上升随后趋于稳定的变化趋势,降雨强度是其主要影响因素,砾石含量对其影响不显著.砾石对径流量的影响存在一个10%左右的阈值,1.0 mm·min^-1雨强、10%砾石含量时坡面产流量最小;雨强＞1.0 mm·min^-1时,10%砾石含量坡面产流量最大.随雨强增大径流量增加10%～60%.坡面含沙量在产流前6 min急剧下降后趋于稳定,随砾石含量增大,降雨强度对含沙量的影响减小.雨强＞1.0 mm·min^-1时,砾石具有显著的减沙效应,产沙量与降雨强度和砾石含量呈显著的线性函数关系.     

Humans rely on the same rules to assess emotional valence and intensity in conspecific and dog vocalizations

Humans excel at assessing conspecific emotional valence and intensity, based solely on non-verbal vocal bursts that are also common in other mammals. It is not known, however, whether human listeners rely on similar acoustic cues to assess emotional content in conspecific and heterospecific vocalizations, and which acoustical parameters affect their performance. Here, for the first time, we directly compared the emotional valence and intensity perception of dog and human non-verbal vocalizations. We revealed similar relationships between acoustic features and emotional valence and intensity ratings of human and dog vocalizations: those with shorter call lengths were rated as more positive, whereas those with a higher pitch were rated as more intense. Our findings demonstrate that humans rate conspecific emotional vocalizations along basic acoustic rules, and that they apply similar rules when processing dog vocal expressions. This suggests that humans may utilize similar mental mechanisms for recognizing human and heterospecific vocal emotions.