Stream hierarchy defines riverscape genetics of a North American desert fish

Global climate change is apparent within the Arctic and the south‐western deserts of North America, with record drought in the latter reflected within 640 000 km² of the Colorado River Basin. To discern the manner by which natural and anthropogenic drivers have compressed Basin‐wide fish biodiversity, and to establish a baseline for future climate effects, the Stream Hierarchy Model (SHM) was employed to juxtapose fluvial topography against molecular diversities of 1092 Bluehead Sucker (Catostomus discobolus). MtDNA revealed three geomorphically defined evolutionarily significant units (ESUs): Bonneville Basin, upper Little Colorado River and the remaining Colorado River Basin. Microsatellite analyses (16 loci) reinforced distinctiveness of the Bonneville Basin and upper Little Colorado River, but subdivided the Colorado River Basin into seven management units (MUs). One represents a cline of three admixed gene pools comprising the mainstem and its lower‐gradient tributaries. Six others are not only distinct genetically but also demographically (i.e. migrants/generation <9.7%). Two of these (i.e. Grand Canyon and Canyon de Chelly) are defined by geomorphology, two others (i.e. Fremont‐Muddy and San Raphael rivers) are isolated by sharp declivities as they drop precipitously from the west slope into the mainstem Colorado/Green rivers, another represents an isolated impoundment (i.e. Ringdahl Reservoir), while the last corresponds to a recognized subspecies (i.e. Zuni River, NM). Historical legacies of endemic fishes (ESUs) and their evolutionary potential (MUs) are clearly represented in our data, yet their arbiter will be the unrelenting natural and anthropogenic water depletions that will precipitate yet another conservation conflict within this unique but arid region.     

Century‐long apparent decrease in intrinsic water‐use efficiency with no evidence of progressive nutrient limitation in African tropical forests

Forests exhibit leaf‐ and ecosystem‐level responses to environmental changes. Specifically, rising carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels over the past century are expected to have increased the intrinsic water‐use efficiency (iWUE) of tropical trees while the ecosystem is gradually pushed into progressive nutrient limitation. Due to the long‐term character of these changes, however, observational datasets to validate both paradigms are limited in space and time. In this study, we used a unique herbarium record to go back nearly a century and show that despite the rise in CO₂ concentrations, iWUE has decreased in central African tropical trees in the Congo Basin. Although we find evidence that points to leaf‐level adaptation to increasing CO₂—that is, increasing photosynthesis‐related nutrients and decreasing maximum stomatal conductance, a decrease in leaf δ¹³C clearly indicates a decreasing iWUE over time. Additionally, the stoichiometric carbon to nitrogen and nitrogen to phosphorus ratios in the leaves show no sign of progressive nutrient limitation as they have remained constant since 1938, which suggests that nutrients have not increasingly limited productivity in this biome. Altogether, the data suggest that other environmental factors, such as increasing temperature, might have negatively affected net photosynthesis and consequently downregulated the iWUE. Results from this study reveal that the second largest tropical forest on Earth has responded differently to recent environmental changes than expected, highlighting the need for further on‐ground monitoring in the Congo Basin.     

Fluorescence characterization and microbial degradation of dissolved organic matter leached from salt marsh plants in the Yellow River Delta

盐沼植被是沿海水体中溶解有机物(Dissolved Organic Matter, DOM)的重要贡献者。然而,不同盐沼植物释放DOM的动力学特征尚缺乏系统研究和比较。黄河三角洲湿地是中国东海岸面积最大,保护最完善的沿海生态系统之一。本论文研究了2016年10月从黄河三角洲(Yellow River Delta, YRD)盐沼中采集的三种常见沼泽植物(芦苇(Phragmites australis),碱蓬(Suaeda salsa)和獐茅(Aeluropus littoralis)的DOM释放过程。通过测定溶解有机碳(Dissolved Organic Carbon, DOC)和溶解氮(Dissolved Nitrogen, DN)发现,植物叶片释放的DOM浓度远高于其根和茎。在27天的培养期内,平均有15%的生物碳和30%的生物氮以DOC和DN的形式通过植物叶片释放。从植物中释放的DOM非常不稳定,在27天的培养期内,细菌共消耗了92.4%–98.1%的DOC和88.0%–94.6%的DN。植物释放DOM的荧光特性表明,发色溶解的有机物(Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter, CDOM)是DOM的主要组分,而类蛋白组分是植物释放CDOM的主要组分。细菌的降解作用改变了DOM的荧光性质和化学组成。上述的室内研究结果得到了实地调查的充分支撑,表明在深秋时期黄河口湿地有大量DOM溢出。本研究结果表明,盐沼植物释放的DOM是沼泽和沿海水域DOC和DN的重要来源,而且易降解DOC和DN为黄河口湿地和邻近沿海水域中的微生物群落提供了重要的食物来源。     

广西百色盆地高岭坡遗址的地层及年代

广西百色盆地旧石器工业因含有众多的手斧且年代早到803 kaBP而闻名于世。盆地内发育有7级河流阶地,其中第IV级阶地发现有手斧和玻璃陨石。自从1973年第一个石器地点被发现,越来越多的遗址或地点被调查发现和发掘。以前研究认为,百色盆地旧石器只出自网纹红土层,年代均为803 kaBP。2013年以前,通常只在土状堆积的上部发掘,从来没有人对第IV级阶地的沉积物从地表到底部砾石层进行系统发掘,因此关于第IV级阶地的整体地层堆积情况及含石器层位很模糊。2013-2014年,广西文物保护与考古研究所会同田东县博物馆对百色盆地最重要的旧石器遗址之一——田东高岭坡遗址进行了系统的考古发掘。此次发掘从遗址的地表往下一直发掘到砾石层,揭露出厚度超过7m的完整地层序列,发现1处小型石器制造场和1处用火遗迹。在不同地层中发现石制品800多件,包括砍砸器、手镐、刮削器等。涵盖旧石器和新石器两个时代。根据地层对比和石制品的特征及测年结果,我们把旧石器时代文化遗存可分为3期：第一期的年代早于或等于803 kaBP,第二期为15 kaBP,第三期约为10 kaBP。     

长江三角洲核心区绿地系统时空演变特征及生态服务价值评估

在经济建设与环境保护矛盾突出的背景下,研究区域绿地系统时空演化特征,探讨人为因素对绿地系统生态服务的影响,对于改善绿地资源管理、促进区域永续协调发展具有重要意义。本研究基于景观生态学研究方法和生态服务价值当量因子评估法,运用ArcGIS 10.2软件的空间分析功能,对1990-2015年长江三角洲核心区绿地系统时空演化特征及生态服务价值进行了分析。结果表明:(1)长三角核心区绿地景观规模随时间的变化具有阶段性特征,呈现先扩大后缩减的态势;绿地景观与其他土地利用类型的转移存在阶段性与指向性特征;绿地景观格局总体上表现为初期集聚同质化、后期破碎异质化。(2)长三角核心区绿地系统生态服务价值随时间变化明显,不同绿地景观类型有不同的阶段性特征;长三角核心区绿地系统生态服务类型中,调节服务对于绿地系统整体生态服务价值贡献最大。(3)长三角核心区绿地系统生态服务价值在空间上呈现南北不均衡的特征,总体上呈南高北低态势,其中杭州市绿地系统生态服务价值在不同阶段均最高。区域地形地貌是影响区域生态服务价值的一个重要因素。     

大渡河中游干暖河谷区生境对植物群落分布格局和多样性的影响

大渡河中游干暖河谷区滑坡和泥石流灾害频发, 对该区域坡面植物群落的研究有助于揭示植被演替的方向, 为坡面植被生态恢复提供基本依据。本研究沿大渡河中游河谷区每隔约5 km设置典型样地, 调查了植被的物种组成和分布以及样地的地形、土壤等10个生境因子, 探讨河谷区植被的连续性变化, 并通过多元回归树(multivariate regression trees, MRT)、多样性指数和典范对应分析(canonical correspondence analysis, CCA)等方法对植物群落进行分类、比较和排序。结果表明: 大渡河中游干暖河谷植被以土壤碳含量、pH值和C : N等3个因子为节点, 可划分为多花胡枝子(Lespedeza floribunda)-荩草(Arthraxon hispidus)-香薷(Elsholtzia ciliate)(群落A)、地果(Ficus tikoua)-车桑子(Dodonaea viscosa)-川滇薹草(Carex schneideri)(群落B)、云南松(Pinus yunnanensis)-栓皮栎(Quercus variabilis)(群落C)和荩草-扭黄茅(Heteropogon contortus)(群落D)等4种群落。该区域以灌木和草本为主要植被类型(群落A、B、C), 间或有裸地分布, 易成为泥石流灾害产生的物源区; 以多花胡枝子为主的灌草群落A的物种丰富度、优势度与多样性表现一致, 均高于以乔木和草本为主的群落C和D, 但物种多样性优势并不显著, 灌草群落分布广而结构单一, 外来物种占比为8.33%, 是生态系统脆弱和不稳定的表现。多元回归树和典范对应分析结果表明, pH值、C : N、坡向和土壤容重等4个因子对植物群落组成和分布影响最大, 且土壤因子的影响大于地形因子。     

洮河上游紫果云杉种群结构特征

该研究以洮河上游尕海-则岔自然保护区、卡车林区和冶力关林区的紫果云杉(Picea purpurea)天然种群为研究对象, 通过样地调查和数据统计, 绘制种群结构图, 编制静态生命表, 拟合并分析存活曲线, 运用数量化方法研究种群动态, 揭示种群生存现状, 预测种群发展趋势, 以期为该物种的保护、管理及结构恢复提供理论依据。结果显示: 3个林区紫果云杉种群自然更新能力强, 幼苗、幼树储量丰富, 幼小龄期死亡率普遍偏高; 尕海-则岔种群存活曲线符合Deevey-III型, 种群稳定结构完整, 卡车林区和冶力关林区种群存活曲线均符合Deevey-II型, 且均出现了局部衰退; 3个林区种群动态指数均大于0, 说明种群均属于增长型, 增长潜力为尕海-则岔>卡车>冶力关; 受随机干扰时卡车林区紫果云杉最敏感, 冶力关次之, 尕海-则岔种群最稳定。该研究表明: 竞争和自疏作用是造成紫果云杉幼小龄级个体存活率偏低的普遍因素, 3个林区不同的生存状况反映了紫果云杉种群在不同生境及生活史下生存能力的差异, 保护幼苗生存环境并提高幼苗质量和存活率是种群更新和发展的关键。尕海-则岔紫果云杉生存良好, 种群生存状况主要受自身生物学特性和环境因子的影响; 卡车林区主要受人为影响, 种群结构遭到破坏; 冶力关林区受分布限制, 造成种群结构不稳定, 须采取一定的人工措施来促进种群更新与增长。