Spatial population structure of the Neotropical tiger catfish Pseudoplatystoma metaense: skull and otolith shape variation

Using geometric morphometrics, the skull and otolith of tiger catfish Pseudoplatystoma metaense were analysed to identify population structure in tributaries of the Apure River (i.e. the Sarare, Caparo, Guanare, Portuguesa and San Carlos Rivers) in the Orinoco basin, Venezuela. The analyses show uniformity in skull and otolith shapes of P. metaense within and among four tributaries, with only the Caparo River showing significant differences. Within the Apure basin, the stock of P. metaense was differentiated through spawning, refuge and nursery areas. This study concludes that populations of P. metaense from each major tributary in the Orinoco basin should be considered as part of a metapopulation system for management purposes. Human disturbances in the catchment have directly reduced the spawning areas available to this species, decreased the total biomass and changed the spatial distribution of spawning areas.     

安徽新安江干流滩涂湿地草本植物区系及物种多样性

以新安江干流(安徽段)滩涂湿地草本植物群落为研究对象,探讨其区系组成及不同江段物种多样性的变化规律.结果表明:(1)该区共有草本被子植物48科、131属、194种(含种下分类单位);以禾本科(Gramineae)、莎草科(Cyperaceae)、菊科(Compositae)和蓼科(Polygonaceae)为优势科;以蓼属(Polygonum)、莎草属(Cyperus)、大戟属(Euphorbia)和蒿属(Artemisia)等为优势属,属的组成相对较为分散,寡种属和单种属占总属数的97.7％;(2)从分布区类型看,科以世界分布占明显优势(43.8％);属的分布区类型以泛热带分布最多(30.5％),其次是世界分布(26.0％),总体上热带成分略多于温带成分(57/40);表明该区草本植物区系地理成分较为复杂,分布区类型多样,具有热带、亚热带与暖温带的多重性质,但以亚热带性质为主;(3)各滩涂湿地植物群落的建群种、优势种及伴生种的种类等组成特征均存在一定差异,狗牙根(Cynodon dactylon)、双穗雀稗(Paspalum distichum)和假俭草(Eremochloa ophiuroides)等为滩涂湿地的主要优势种;江段干流不同流域滩涂湿地草本植物群落的α多样性的变化格局与丰富度指数的变化格局比较一致,总体上呈现逐渐减小的趋势,表现为上游＞中游＞下游;与之相反,植物群落的β多样性——相异性系数和Cody指数总体上呈现上升的格局.这种多样性格局的成因需要进一步分析和探讨.     

长江口及邻近海域富营养化指标响应变量参照状态的确定

对长江口富营养化指标中的响应变量进行了筛选,并在长江口分区的基础上,运用参照点或观测点指标频数分布曲线法,对1992年-2010年的数据进行分析,确定了长江口外海区和舟山海区富营养化指标中响应变量的参照状态.选择叶绿素a和底层溶解氧作为响应指标的必选指标,浮游植物密度和CODMn作为辅助指标.经分析,长江口口外海区叶绿素a、浮游植物密度、CODMn和底层溶解氧的春夏秋3个季节的参照状态分别为0.87mg,/m3,17.44× 103个/L,0.42mg/L,8.36mg/L;1.88mg/m3,25.96×103个/L,0.56mg/L,4.22mg/L;0.84mg/m3,12.10×103个/L,0.46mg/L,6.95mg/L;舟山海区叶绿素a、浮游植物密度、CODMn和溶解氧的春夏秋3个季节的参照状态分别为0.73mg/m3,6.77×103个/L,0.51 mg/L,8.75mg/L;1.00mg/m3,9.72×103个/L,0.37mg/L,5.94mg/L;0.78mg/m3,4.59×103个/L,0.55mg/L,7.40mg/L.本研究确定的参照状态值能较为客观的反映该海域的富营养化参照状态,且不同分区,不同季节间的指标的参照状态亦存在着显著的差异.     

西江下游浮游植物群落周年变化模式

西江肇庆段是珠江干流汇入珠三角河网水域的咽喉通道,对2009年该江段的浮游植物群落组成及变化进行系统阐析.调查期间共发现浮游植物7门,245种(包括变种、变型),其中硅藻和绿藻是浮游植物群落组成的最主要类群,分别占总种数的42.44％和34.69％,其次是裸藻和蓝藻.PCA分析结果显示,浮游植物各类群的种类丰富度和生物量的周年变化趋势主要受水温和径流量的影响.浮游植物种类丰富度的周年变化呈现明显的高温季节高,低温季节低的特征,除因大多数藻类物种直接喜好高温之外,径流量的增大有助于真浮游绿藻种类的外源注入及半浮游和偶然性浮游硅藻种类的增加.浮游植物生物量的周年变化呈现明显的双峰型,峰值分别出现在8月和11月.然而8月份第1个高峰出现之前,生物量波动不大,尽管水温的升高有助于生物量的增加,但是径流量增大所带来的稀释作用掩盖了水温上升对浮游植物生长的促进作用.真浮游植物生物量的变化趋势和数值与总浮游植物极其接近,主要得益于真浮游硅藻物种颗粒直链藻在总种群中的绝对优势地位.综上,水温升高对浮游植物种类丰富度和生物量的增长均有促进,径流量的增大虽然有助于种类丰富度的增加,但不利于生物量的增加.     

近60年挠力河流域生态系统服务价值时空变化

根据1950-2005年挠力河流域土地利用数据,利用中国陆地生态系统单位面积生态服务价值当量表,对近60年挠力河流域生态系统服务价值的时空变化进行研究.结果表明,自1950年至2005年,挠力河流域生态系统服务价值逐渐减少,由749.84亿元降低至308.82亿元,损失约58.82％;价值空间格局由以高价值区为主导的状态逐渐转化为以低价值区为主导的状态,且价值质心由北向南发生转移;挠力河流域生态系统服务价值的全局自相关指数逐渐减小,高-高自相关类型沿河流主干道逐渐萎缩,且呈现破碎化趋势,低-低自相关类型呈先减少后增加的“V”趋势,呈现不显著连片化趋势.人为垦殖活动是该流域生态系统服务价值时空动态变化的主要驱动因素.     

石羊河下游民勤绿洲退耕地植被自然演替特征及物种多样性分析

采用重要值、Margalef物种丰富度指数、Shannon-wiener和Simpson多样性指数、Pielou和Alatalo均匀度指数对石羊河下游民勤绿洲不同年限退耕地自然恢复的植物群落进行了研究。结果表明:(1)石羊河下游民勤绿洲退耕地在50a自然恢复过程中共出现植物34种,14科,其中灌木6种,草本28种,分别占总物种数的17.65%和82.35%;藜科(8种)、禾本科(6种)、蒺藜科(4种)植物占总物种数的52.94%。(2)研究区退耕后50a植物群落演替经历为:田旋花→藜→苦苣菜→骆驼蒿→骆驼蓬→盐生草→黑果枸杞→红砂→盐爪爪的演替过程。(3)群落物种丰富度和多样性指数均随退耕时间的延长而呈现出波动式下降的变化趋势,而均匀度指数则呈现出在退耕初期(1～5a)先下降然后呈波动式上升的变化趋势。研究表明,随着退耕年限的增加,群落物种组成逐渐减少,植物群落演替向前发展的大致经历分为4个阶段:退耕1～5a为一年生草本和宿根植物迅速恢复阶段,退耕5～15a为一年生草本植物向多年生草本演替阶段,退耕15～30a为多年生草本向多年生灌木演替阶段,退耕30～50a为多年生灌木植物稳定阶段。     

黄河三角洲典型植被与地下水埋深和土壤盐分的关系

土壤盐分和地下水埋深是影响黄河三角洲植被发育和分布的重要因素.本文通过野外调查与统计分析,研究了黄河三角洲区域典型植被(翅碱蓬 柽柳、刺槐、芦苇和棉花)、地下水埋深、土壤盐分之间的关系.结果表明: 研究区地下水埋深显著影响土壤盐分,平均影响系数为0.327,地下水埋深在0.5～1.5 m的土壤盐渍化最严重;整个研究区内植被发育较差,其中,研究区78%面积的归一化植被指数(NDVI)<0.4,地下水埋深、土壤盐分对天然植被分布有显著影响;土壤盐分对研究区翅碱蓬-柽柳、刺槐、芦苇及棉花NDVI的影响显著,地下水埋深对翅碱蓬-柽柳NDVI的影响显著,对芦苇、棉花、刺槐NDVI的影响不显著.     

River barriers and cryptic biodiversity in an evolutionary museum

The Riverine Barriers Hypothesis (RBH) posits that tropical rivers can be effective barriers to gene flow, based on observations that range boundaries often coincide with river barriers. Over the last 160 years, the RBH has received attention from various perspectives, with a particular focus on vertebrates in the Amazon Basin. To our knowledge, no molecular assessment of the RBH has been conducted on birds in the Afrotropics, despite its rich avifauna and many Afrotropical bird species being widely distributed across numerous watersheds and basins. Here, we provide the first genetic evidence that an Afrotropical river has served as a barrier for birds and for their lice, based on four understory bird species collected from sites north and south of the Congo River. Our results indicate near‐contemporaneous, Pleistocene lineage diversification across the Congo River in these species. Our results further indicate differing levels of genetic variation in bird lice; the extent of this variation appears linked to the life‐history of both the host and the louse. Extensive cryptic diversity likely is being harbored in Afrotropical forests, in both understory birds and their lice. Therefore, these forests may not be “museums” of old lineages. Rather, substantial evolutionary diversification may have occurred in Afrotropical forests throughout the Pleistocene, supporting the Pleistocene Forest Refuge Hypothesis. Strong genetic variation in birds and their lice within a small part of the Congo Basin forest indicates that we may have grossly underestimated diversity in the Afrotropics, making these forests home of substantial biodiversity in need of conservation.     

THE COMPOSITION OF WATER COLLECTED FROM THE KUISEB RIVER,NAMIB DESERT,AT GOBABEB

SUMMARY

Water from the Kuiseb River at Gobabeb varied in ionic content. Various ionic dominance orders were recorded from flooding until the pools dried up. The quality was not suitable for irrigation, but would present no problems when used by stock or wildlife.     

LIMNOLOGICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR AFRICA SOUTH OF THE SAHARA

SUMMARY

Before inundation in September 1976 Barbus holubi and Labeo capensis were the dominant species each making up 46% of the total catch. Immediately after impoundment the relative density of B. holubi increased to 75% while that of L. capensis dropped to 18%. With minor changes the relative densities remained roughly constant until April 1978 when the turbidity of the dam increased. After this date the relative density of B. holubi rapidly declined, probably due to environmental changes, while that of L. capensis increased due to post-impoundment recruitment. The catches of other species remained low. Changes in catch per unit effort, which were determined from April 1978 onwards substantiate these findings.