Potential refugium on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau revealed by the chloroplast DNA phylogeography of the alpine species Metagentiana striata (Gentianaceae)

Metagentiana striata is an alpine annual herbaceous plant endemic to the east of the Qinghai–Tibet (Q–T) Plateau and adjacent areas. The phylogeography of M. striata was studied by sequencing the chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) trn S– trn G intergenic spacer. Ten haplotypes were identified from an investigation of 232 individuals of M. striata from 14 populations covering the entire geographical range of this species. The level of differentiation amongst populations was very high ( G _ST = 0.746; N _ST = 0.774) and a significant phylogeographical structure was observed ( P  < 0.05). An analysis of molecular variance found a high variation amongst populations (76%), with F _ST = 0.762 (highly significant, P  < 0.001), indicating that little gene flow occurred amongst the different regions; this was explained by the isolation of populations by high mountains along the Q–T Plateau and adjacent areas ( N _m = 0.156). Only one ancestral haplotype (A) was common and widespread throughout the distributional range of M. striata. The populations of the Hengduan Mountains region of the south-eastern Q–T Plateau showed high diversity and uniqueness of haplotypes. It is suggested that this region was the potential refugium of M. striata during the Quaternary glaciation, and that interglacial and postglacial range expansion occurred from this refugium. This scenario was in good agreement with the results of nested clade analysis, which inferred that the current spatial distribution of cpDNA haplotypes and populations resulted from range expansion, together with past allopatric fragmentation events.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 157 , 125–140.     

秦岭水灾迹地油松和华山松更新种群数量特征

 不同植物种群种间比较研究利于揭示种群的形成机制和影响因素。该文研究了秦岭地区蔡玉河流域范家庄段水灾迹地恢复17年后群落优势种油松(Pinus tabulaeformis) 和华山松(P. armandii)的种群数量特征。水灾灾后第一年（1989年）就有油松和华山松个体进入迹地,由于较大的高生长速度和侧生长速度,油松种群的平均高度和地径高于华山松,占据了较大的垂直和水平空间。相对来说, 油松和华山松高度结构和径级结构模式不同,二者均是小个体数量居多,大个体数量极少,但油松中等大小个体多于华山松。油松和华山松种群的年龄结构模式不同,油松的为单峰右偏曲线,华山松的则近似于正态分布。坡向对油松的年龄结构模式没有影响,但对华山松种 群有影响。油松和华山松种群不同高度级、径级和年龄级之间存在显著正或负相关关系,缺少一致性,表明种群大小结构不一定反映年龄结构。油松和华山松种群的密度动态和存活曲线类型一致,均为Ⅱ型,表明二者具有相同的种群动态。总体上说,油松和华山松具有不同的树种生物学特性,使得种群的大小结构和年龄结构不同,但对种群更新存活动态没有影响。     

不同龄级划分方法对种群存活分析的影响——以水灾迹地油松和华山松种群生存分析为例

 生命表、存活曲线和生存分析是研究种群动态的重要工具,其关键就是科学正确地划分龄级。该文研究了水灾迹地不同龄级划分方法对油松（Pinus abulaeformis）和华山松（P. armandii）种群存活曲线和生存分析函数曲线的影响。华山松以实际年龄作为龄级划分指标时,存活曲线为Ⅱ型;地径和树高作为划分指标时,存活曲线为Ⅲ型。生存函数和累计死亡率函数也发生类似的类型变化。油松实际年龄、地径和树高作为龄级的划分指标时,存活曲线(Ⅱ型)、生存率函数和累计死亡率函数类型一致,均为直线型。死亡率函数和危险率函数在不同树种和不同龄级划分方法间不存在明显差异。因此,华山松地径和树高作为龄级划分的代用指标不可行,而油松可行。其主要原因是华山松树高和地径与年龄的关系为指数函数关系,而油松则为直线函数关系。在此基础上把华山松地径和树高取自然对数后重新划分龄级,则存活曲线关系在地径、树高和实际年龄之间不存在差异,均为Ⅱ型。从而得出结论,地径、树高和年龄之间线性关系与否是地径和树高作为实际年龄代用指标可行性和准确性的关键。因此,在植物种群统计研究中,大小作为龄级划分代用指标要慎用。在未来研究中,种群个体年龄和大小关系及其影响因素的研究对植物种群数量动态分析和种群统计学的发展具有重要意义。     

长白山林区核桃楸种群数量动态变化的研究

运用种群年龄结构、存活曲线统计和Leslie模型对长白山核桃楸种群在水胡林、针阔混交林、核桃楸占优杂木林和杂木林4种不同群落类型中种群数量动态变化进行了研究和预测。结果表明,核桃楸种群表现出衰退型的年龄结构特点,幼苗和幼树比例较小,种群在幼年期死亡率较高,反映出核桃楸种群15~20龄在个体经历了比较强烈的环境筛作用;Leslie模型预测显示,核桃楸幼苗数量和种群总数量在今后35年基本呈下降趋势,除在核桃楸占优的林分中种群维持增长外,在其它3中森林类型都表现出衰退趋势。因此,促进核桃楸的天然更新、加强幼苗幼树的抚育工作对长白山地区核桃楸种群的发展至关重要。     

陕西米仓山自然保护区夏秋季鸟类调查

2006年7~10月,对陕西米仓山自然保护区的鸟类资源进行了调查研究。结果显示,保护区鸟类13目37科81属125种(亚种),鸟类种数分别占秦岭鸟类总种数的36·98%及陕西省鸟类总种数的33·42%。其中国家Ⅰ级重点保护野生动物1种,国家Ⅱ级重点保护野生动物12种,陕西省省级重点保护野生动物4种;我国特有鸟类13种;CITES附录Ⅱ鸟类10种。按区系成分划分,东洋种57种,古北种37种,广布种27种。按居留型划分,留鸟89种,夏候鸟32种,冬候鸟2种,旅鸟2种。与陕西佛坪、重庆大巴山等周边保护区相比,米仓山保护区的鸟类多样性比较丰富,区系成分以东洋种为主,并具有东洋界和古北界过渡区的特征。     

A preliminary study on the seasonal body temperature rhythms of the captive mountain hare (Lepus timidus)

The mountain hare (Lepus timidus) is a year-round active herbivore adapted to survive the boreal winter. Captive mountain hares (N = 4) were implanted with intraabdominal thermosensitive loggers to record their core body temperature (T_b) for a year and during food deprivation (8–48 h) in summer and winter. The average T_b was 38.7 ± 0.01 °C in summer and 38.3 ± 0.01 °C in winter. The yearly T_b correlated positively with the ambient temperature. The 24-h T_b was the highest from late scotophase to early photophase in summer and winter and the lowest during middle-late photophase in summer or during early-middle scotophase in winter. The range of the 24-h oscillations in T_b increased in three animals in winter. Food deprivation did not induce hypothermia in summer or winter. These preliminary data suggest that the mountain hare can spare a modest amount of energy with the wintertime reduction in T_b.     

The living library of The Cotapata National Park in Bolivia: an example of application of Bolivian law on the access to genetic resources

Developing countries with a rich biodiversity want to control the use of this natural patrimony, especially in the research of natural compounds of pharmaceutical interest. Here we present the organization of six permanent plots in a mountain tropical forest on the east side of the Andean Cordillera in Bolivia, and their role in the discovery of plants with antiplasmodial or antileishmanial activities. Permanent plots are widely used in ecological survey, but rarely in bioprospecting. This set-up allows Bolivian authorities to control the bioprospecting, and facilitates further chemical studies on the bioactive plants. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Lucia Acebey and Amira Apaza have contributed equally to this work.     

Changes of species richness pattern in mountain grasslands: abandonment versus restoration

Changes in plant species richness at various spatial scales were investigated by manipulative experiment in mountain grasslands. The aim of the research was to compare changes in species richness in newly abandoned sites and sites where restoration measures were applied after 20 years of abandonment. The plots were located in two vegetation types with different moisture regime. Species richness decreased significantly after abandonment, mainly at the finest spatial scale of 10 × 10 cm. There was significant increase of species richness on restored sites, but it was apparent mainly at a larger scale. However, even 4 years of regular mowing were not sufficient to restore species richness to the level typical for traditionally managed grasslands in the region. No significant difference was found in the performance of the 2 contrasting vegetation types (wet and dry) in relation to management measures. A significant difference in scale-dependent species richness was only observed. The dry type had a steeper species-area curve, with a lower number of species at the finest spatial scale. According to the results of the experiment, mountain grasslands are very vulnerable habitats, losing their conservation value quickly after abandonment. Restoration is possible due to an extensive species pool in the region, but return to the original species richness at all spatial scales is quite a long process.     

Natural and land-use history of the Northwest mountain ecoregions (USA) in relation to patterns of plant invasions

Although the Northwest currently has the least proportion of non-native invasive plant species relative to other regions of North America, invasions continue to increase into the mountainous areas of the region. Landscape structure, such as the variation found along the complex gradients of the Northwest mountain ecoregions, affects the expansion of invasive plant species and the invasibility of plant communities. Also, the history of land use and current use patterns affect the expansion of invasive plants, and many of the deteriorated environments in the region's mountains may invite and stabilize plant invasions. We examined the patterns of invasive plant diversity in Northwest mountain ecoregions, as derived from literature sources, to analyze which factors influence plant invasions. Our analysis found altered riparian systems and disturbed forests to be especially vulnerable to plant invasion. Conversely, alpine and wilderness areas are still relatively unaffected by invasive plants. Both riparian and alpine communities, while making up a relatively small area across Northwest mountain ecoregions, have significant ecological importance and deserve special protection from invasive plant introductions. Human settlement at low elevations and intense land use of upland forests will likely continue to enhance invasive plant introductions into Northwest mountain ecosystems. Knowledge of the relationships between biological and environmental factors, disturbance, and human land use will be critical for future management strategies that proactively locate, prevent, or contain plant invasions in the mountains of the Northwest.     

黄土丘陵区主要林分生物量及营养元素生物循环特征

以黄土丘陵区子午岭为研究区域 ,用标准木法和收获法对暖温带森林优势群落辽东栎林、油松林及刺槐人工林的生物量、营养元素生物循环量及循环特征进行了研究。结果表明 :黄土丘陵区子午岭油松林、辽东栎林和刺槐人工林 3林分总生物量为 :86 .2 4 7、12 9.0 0 5 t/ hm2和 14 4 .795 t/ hm2 ,乔木层生物量分别为 :85 .2 2 3、12 6 .989t/ hm2和 14 2 .4 88t/ hm2 ,随群落针阔树种转化替代 ,群落总生物量呈现明显的增加趋势。年均生长量为 3.2 75～ 5 .6 99t/ hm2。生物量和年生长量排序为刺槐人工林 >辽东栎林 >油松林。 3林分林下植被层生物量、凋落物贮量表现为刺槐林 >辽东栎林 >油松林 ,林下植被层生物量的差异主要是由林分郁闭度和林下凋落物的不同引起的 ;刺槐林和辽东栎林林下植被层发达的根系和较高的凋落物量有利于提高土壤肥力、保持水土。同化器官的各种元素含量高于其它器官 ,茎中营养元素的含量最低。乔木层营养元素积累量分别为 :0 .74 5、1.378t/ hm2和 1.80 5 t/ hm2 。不同林分不同营养元素的积累量差别较大。因采伐而引起的 3林分林地养分流失量分别达 6 5 .4 5 %、5 3.76 %和 2 5 .1%。 3林分林下植被层和凋落物层的营养元素积累量排序为 :刺槐林 >辽东栎林 >油松林。凋落物营养元素贮