Distribution of saltmarsh plant communities associated with environmental factors along a latitudinal gradient on the south‐west Atlantic coast

Aim To produce an inventory of south‐west Atlantic saltmarshes (from latitude 31°48′ S to 43°20′ S) using remotely sensed images and field sampling; to quantify their total area; to describe the biogeographical variation of the main habitats characterized by dominant vascular plants, in relation to major environmental factors; to test the hypothesis of predominance of the reversal pattern in plant distribution (sedges and grasses dominate the lower, regularly inundated zones, while the upper zones are occupied by more halophytic species) previously described; and to compare these south‐west Atlantic saltmarshes with others world‐wide. Location South‐western Atlantic saltmarshes Methods Field samples of dominant emergent plant species positioned by the global positioning system (GPS) were obtained from most coastal saltmarshes (14) between southern Brazil and northern Patagonia, Argentina. Landsat satellite images were obtained and coastal saltmarsh habitats were quantified by supervised classification, utilizing points gathered in the field. Results Three main plant species dominated the low and middle intertidal saltmarsh, Spartina alterniflora Loesel., Spartina densiflora Brong. and Sarcocornia perennis (P. Mill.) A.J. Scott. The total area of the studied coastal saltmarshes was 2133 km², comprising 380 km² of Sp. alterniflora marsh, 366 km² of Sp. densiflora marsh, 746 km² of Sar. perennis marsh and 641 km² of brackish marsh (dominated by Juncus acutus L., Juncus kraussii Hochst., Scirpus maritimus L., Scirpus americanus Pers. and Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin.). Cluster analysis showed three habitat types: saltmarshes dominated by (1) Sp. densiflora and brackish species,(2) Sp. alterniflora and Sar. perennis and (3) Sp.densiflora only. The analysis of abiotic variables showed significant differences between groups of habitats and coordinated gradients of the abiotic variables. The south‐west Atlantic coast showed decreasing mean annual rainfall (1200 to 196 mm) and increasing mean tidal amplitude (< 0.5 to > 2.5 m) from latitude 31° to 43°. Main conclusions South‐west Atlantic saltmarshes are globally important by virtue of their total extent. Remote sensing showed that the reversal pattern in plant distribution is not widespread. Indeed, south‐west Atlantic saltmarshes are better characterized by the presence of the halophytic genera Spartina and Sarcocornia. Our results support the interpretation that south‐west Atlantic saltmarshes constitute a class of temperate type (sensu Adam, 1990 ) with transitional characteristics between Australasian–South African saltmarshes and west Atlantic saltmarshes.     

Bibarba bibarba: A new genus and species of Cobitinae (Pisces: Cypriniformes: Cobitidae) from Guangxi Province (China)

A new genus of Cobitinae, Bibarba gen. n., and a new species, B. bibarba sp. n., were discovered and are described for the Chengjiang River, a tributary of the Hongshuihe River in Guangxi Province of southern China. This river region is characterized by a Karst landscape, and the river that is inhabited by the new genus is a slowly moving stream with arenaceous and cobblestone beds. The new genus resembles Cobitis Linnaeus, 1758 (subfamily Cobitinae) in the shape and pigmentation pattern of their body, the absence of scales on their head, and the presence of a suborbital spine, but differs from it by a single Lamina circularis on the third pectoral fin ray instead of on the base of the second pectoral fin ray; two pairs of barbels (one rostral pair and one maxillo-mandibular pair) instead of three pairs of barbels (one rostral pair, one maxillary pair, and one maxillo-mandibular pair); a relatively thick and short suborbital spine with a strong medio-lateral process instead of a suborbital spine without or with a weakly formed medio-lateral process as in Cobitis; and the lack of a black stripe extending from the occiput through the eye to the insertion of the rostral barbel. The first two characters have not been reported in any other genus of the subfamily Cobitinae. A morphometric character analysis based on PCA reveals differences between B. bibarba and C. sinensis in body size, barbel length, interorbital width, pectoral fin length in males, and the position of the dorsal and ventral fins. Type specimens of the new species are kept in the Freshwater Fishes Museum of the Institute of Hydrobiology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Wuhan, Hubei Province.     

广西靖西寒武纪三叶虫Tamdaspis jingxiensis sp.nov.的个体发育及畸形

描述采自广西靖西果乐剖面三都组一三叶虫新种Tamdaspis jingxiensis sp.nov.,根据该种三叶虫完整标本的背壳特征,认为Liushuicephalus Luo,1983是Tamdaspis Lisogor,1977的晚出异名。同时描述T.jingxiensis sp.nov.的个体发育过程和两块畸形标本,并认为该畸形是因被捕食者咬伤而形成的。     

广西扶绥东罗二叠纪长兴期海相层中的植物大化石

首次描述埋葬于长兴期海相地层中的一个高地植物群,计14属23种,包括4新种,2相似种和11未定种。概略论述植物群的性质及其埋葬特征和生态意义。以松柏植物和Taeniopteris等为代表的裸子植物在这一植物群中占61%,显示由古生代向中生代过渡的性质。这一植物群与华北同期的高地植物群在属种组成上很不相同,显示两地在区系性质上的差异。     

广西东部野鲮亚科鱼类一新种——长鳍异华鲮

新种长鳍异华鲮Parasinilabeo longiventralis采自中国南部广西省富川县境内珠江水系的一条支流——贺江。新种与异华鲮属（Parasinilabeo）内的其他种的主要区别特征是：口角须长为吻须长的78.3%—90.4%; 腹鳍长度为腹鳍起点和臀鳍起点间的距离的83.7%—89.4%;在侧线鳞的后方有一宽的褐色纵条纹;体上有不规则的斑点。     

广西雅长自然保护区兰科植物多样性研究

对广西雅长兰科植物自然保护区的兰科植物多样性进行调查研究。该保护区兰科植物多样性具有如下特点:(1)物种多样性丰富,居群数量大,共有兰科植物44属113种(含5变种);(2)分布广泛,生境复杂多样;(3)地理成分兼备热带和亚热带性质,生活类型齐全;(4)垂直分布格局呈现一定规律性。文章最后提出了该保护区兰科植物多样性保护及利用的初步建议。     

天山南麓山前平原植物群落物种多样性及空间分异研究

荒漠灌丛是天山南麓山前平原主要植被类型.本研究定量分析了山前平原植物群落物种多样性及生境尺度异质性的影响.结果表明:(1)天山南麓山前平原的植物群落多样性指数Simpson、均匀度指数McIntosh及丰富度指数Margalef都较低,在地貌带的过渡上,植物分布呈现均匀化.(2)海拔和地下水埋深是影响天山南麓山前平原植物群落物种多样性的重要环境指标.海拔梯度与物种多样性指数Simpson、Margalef及McIntosh均呈显著的线性正相关关系,物种多样性均随海拔高度的增加而增加;地下水埋深与物种多样性指数呈极显著的线性负相关关系,物种多样性随地下水埋深的增加而减小.(3)土壤含盐量与物种多样性指标无显著关系,但土壤含盐量与地下水埋深相关性显著,这是天山南麓山前平原土壤盐分空间异质性的一个重要特点.土壤盐分含量变化影响着植物群落物种组成,随土壤盐分含量增加,群落中盐生植物种类逐渐占据优势.(4)海拔的变化是决定天山南麓山前平原灌丛群落生境差异的主导因子.海拔差异表征了山前平原地貌、水文地质条件及土壤的变化,而随海拔变化的水热、水盐等干扰体系的差异则进一步导致了异质性的生境,进而影响不同植被类型中群落组成结构和多样性的差异.     

人类活动对广西合浦海草床服务功能价值的影响

近年来,中国海草生态系统受到严重破坏。本文以广西合浦海草床生态系统为例,采用1980—2005年当地统计资料,综合运用生态经济学的基本理论,以海草床的食物生产、调节大气、生态系统营养循环、净化水质、维持生物多样性和科学研究功能作为指标体系,对人类活动造成合浦海草床生态系统的价值损失进行了初步估算。结果表明,从1980—2005年,合浦海草床由于人类活动造成的价值损失为34657.95万元,损失率为71.97%。直接利用价值增加了4452.88万元,而间接利用价值损失为39110.83万元,损失率高达81.82%。说明人类对合浦海草床的开发利用强度增大趋势明显。     

中国柯蚱属一新种记述(直翅目,蚱总科,蚱科)

记述采自广西柯蚱属1新种,即短背柯蚱Cooptotettixbrachynota sp.nov..模式标本保存在陕西师范大学动物研究所标本室.     

广西郑蚱属一新种(直翅目,刺翼蚱科)

记述采自广西壮族自治区防城区直翅目刺翼蚱科郑蚱属1新种:弯刺郑蚱Zhengitettix curvispinus sp.nov.,模式标本保存于中山大学生物博物馆.