Specific IgE and IgG4 antibodies to Japanese cedar pollen and total IgE antibody in lumbermen

Serum levels of specific IgE and IgG4 antibodies to Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) pollen and total IgE antibody in 75 lumbermen and in 53 male office workers at an urban establishment were measured by means of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared. No significant differences of specific IgE and IgG4 to cedar pollen and total IgE were found between the lumbermen and the office workers. There were no significant differences of incidence of cedar pollinosis and positive (greater than 100 FU/ml) rate of serum specific IgE between the two groups, though the lumbermen were exposed to dense concentrations of cedar pollen in their working area. In the lumbermen who showed positive values of specific IgE, the mean value of the specific antibody in Japanese cedar pollinosis lumbermen was significantly higher than that in symptom-free lumbermen, while no significant differences of serum level of specific IgG4 were found between the two groups.     

黑龙江林口林业局森林景观格局特征

以黑龙江林口林业局1∶50000林相图作为基本信息源,利用地理信息系统软件ArcView和景观结构分析软件Fragstats,从景观格局的总体特征、景观破碎度、景观形状指数、分形维数和平均最近距离等方面,对该林业局的景观格局进行了分析.结果表明:该林业局以森林景观为主体(56.74%),居民点和农田景观也占有较高比例,而沼泽、灌木、荒山荒地、河流、迹地和裸地等景观零星分布于森林景观中;该林业局的森林景观主要以人工针叶纯林(40.47%)和天然蒙古栎林(20.96%)为主,斑块分布集中、形状复杂、边缘褶皱度高.人工林与天然林的面积基本相等,但破碎度较大、斑块形状相对简单、斑块分布较集中,软阔叶林及硬阔叶林斑块分别占11.89%和7.38%.研究表明,该林业局的森林景观受人为干扰程度过大,景观结构不合理,要实现林业的可持续发展,必须对景观斑块结构进行调整.     

浙江瑞安红双林场植物资源及其利用前景

浙江瑞安红双林场共有维管植物167科538属1055种,其中已知有一定利用价值的资源植物715种,隶属于157科429属。按其性质和用途可分为材用植物、药用植物、油脂植物、纤维植物、淀粉植物、食用植物、芳香植物、栲胶植物、保健饮料植物、牧草及饲料植物、保护与改造环境植物、观赏植物、土农药植物、蜜源植物等14类,其中药用植物种类最为丰富。以常见药用植物234种为例,根据植物资源可利用量估量法估量当地植物资源利用前景,结果表明,其中46.2%的常见药用植物可利用量估量值在12以上,可供开发利用。文后提出红双林场植物资源保护与利用建议。     

Forest vegetation structure has more influence on predation risk of artificial ground nests than human activities

As a major process affecting the reproductive success of birds, nest predation influences population density and dynamics and forces species to adapt to ecological and evolutionary time scales. The disentangling of potential natural and anthropogenic drivers of nest predation is crucial for the conservation of species. Thus, we investigated the effects of elevation, egg characteristics, vegetation structure and human activities on daily nest predation rates of artificial ground nests by baiting 700 artificial nests with quail eggs along an elevational gradient of about 1100 m. After 25 days, we found an overall daily nest predation rate of 0.045. Our generalized linear mixed model revealed increasing daily predation rates with increasing forest management, no impact of recreational activities, and lower daily predation rates in the vicinity of buildings. Furthermore, daily predation rates declined with increasing density of near-ground vegetation and increased with increasing tree cover. Finally, we found no influence of elevation, matching of egg and ground colouration, and dead wood on daily nest predation rates. Our results revealed that the risk of nest predation depends more on vegetation structure than on current levels of recreational activities. Moreover, the negative relation of nest predation risk and near-ground vegetation indicates that the changing forest structure after natural disturbances (e.g. wind throw or bark beetle infestation), which is tolerated within the benign neglect strategy applied by the authorities of protected areas, decreases the predation risk, whereas salvage logging increases this risk.     

Transcriptional analysis of Pieris rapae in response to P. rapae granulovirus

Pieris rapae granulovirus (PrGV) is an important pathogen that has been exploited as a microbial insecticide to control agriculture pests. They can specifically infect cabbage butterfly (Pieris rapae), causing a series of pathological symptoms. In this infected P. rapae at 6?h and 72?h. As a result, a series of host genes were significantly modulated following PrGV infection, including those correlated with exoskeleton, ribosome, heat shock protein (HSP), proteasome, oxidation-reduction and apoptosis. Taken together, our study unveiled the P. rapae response to PrGV at different time point and provided a potential strategy for pest management.     

Vegetation of beech forests in the Rychlebské Mountains,Czech Republic,re-inspected after 60 years with assessment of environmental changes

From 1941–;1944 nearly 30 phytosociological relevés were completed by F. K. Hartmann in the Rychlebské Mountains, a typical mountainous area in northeastern Czech Republic. Of the original plots still covered with adult grown beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest, 22 were resampled in 1998 and 1999. In order to describe the recent vegetation variability of the sites 57 relevés were recorded. Changes in vegetation were estimated using relative changes in species density and ordinations (PCA, RDA). Environmental changes were assessed using Ellenberg indicator values when no direct measurements were available. A decline in species diversity has been documented, particularly, many species occurring frequently in deciduous forests with nutrient and moisture well-supplied soils around neutral have decreased. In contrast, several light-demanding, acid- and soil desiccation-tolerant species have increased. Natural succession, quantified as forest age, contributed slightly to these changes. In Ellenberg indicator values, a decline in F (soil moisture), R (soil calcium) and N (ecosystem productivity), and an increase in L (understorey light) were shown. This is interpreted as the influence of modified forestry management and of airborne pollutants. Intensified logging caused the canopy to open and soil conditions to worsen. The latter is most likely also due to acid leaching of soil cations (Ca, K, Na). This caused a decline in soil productivity, thus the effect of nitrification could not be detected. The original relevés may have differed in size influencing the results. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

基于样带农户调查的江西省山江湖林业工程生态成效分析

"山江湖工程"实施的20多年间,以人工造林为主的消灭荒山、治理水土流失等生态建设使江西省的森林覆盖率由36%提升至60.05%。利用江西省中南部典型样带4个县181个村508户农户的入户实证调查资料及相关辅助数据,分析了"山江湖工程"实施以来的具体生态成效,以及目前存在的主要生态问题。结果表明:工程区农户通过直接参与工程的建设、管理而成为山江湖工程的主体,但大部分属于被动参与,参与收益后逐渐开始考虑参与方式和利益获取的均衡性,其主体地位体现在对造林树种、密度、方式、经营管理等方面的选择;农户通过不同经验指标衡量工程实施后的具体生态成效,认识到工程的显著成效表现在植被恢复、保持水土、保护野生动物、涵养水源等方面;对于生态成效无意识的农户,与局部地区只砍不种以及未获收益后农户经营的逆反心理有关;目前存在的主要生态问题是乱砍滥伐、超方砍伐等。     

Indian Science for Indian Tigers?: Conservation Biology and the Question of Cultural Values

The implementation of Project Tiger in India, 1973–1974, was justly hailed as a triumph of international environmental advocacy. It occurred as a growing number of conservation-oriented biologists were beginning to argue forcefully for scientifically managed conservation of species and ecosystems – the same scientists who would, by the mid-1980s, call themselves conservation biologists. Although India accepted international funds to implement Project Tiger, it strictly limited research posts to Government of India Foresters, against the protests of Indian and US biologists who hoped to conduct the scientific studies that would lead to better management and thus more effective conservation of the tiger. The foresters were not trained to conduct research, and in fact did not produce any of significance for the first 15 years of Project Tiger’s existence. The failure of biologists to gain access to India’s tigers in the 1970s was caused by many factors, but not least among them was a history of disdain among conservation-oriented biologists for government officials managing reserves, and the local politics of conservation. Project Tiger, then, serves as a case study for the discussion of the intersection of conservation biology with non-scientific concerns, including nationalism and the desire of the Indian government to more completely control its land.¹I would like to thank the participants in the 2003 Southwest Colloquium for the Life Sciences for their constructive comments on an earlier version of this paper, as well as the two unusually helpful (anonymous) reviewers.     

Short-term effects of experimental boreal forest &;logging disturbance on bumble bees,bumble &;bee-pollinated flowers and the bee–flower match

This study examines how, over the short term, logging affects the density of bumble bees (Apidae: Bombus), the understory plants commonly visited by bumble bees, and the numerical relationship between bumble bees and flowers. In the summers before and after winter logging, bumble bees and plants were surveyed in 50 deciduous stands (each of 8–10 ha) in the boreal forest of northern Alberta, Canada. Logging was replicated at three different intensities: 0, 10–20, and 50–75% of trees remaining. There were generally more bumble bees, species of bumble bee-visited plants, and flowers in moderately (50–75%) logged sites, but this pattern depended on the time of year. Before logging, bumble bees matched resources according to an ideal free distribution (IFD). Logging affected the distribution of bumble bees across floral resources: the slope of the regression relating bumble bee and flower proportions was less than one for clearcut and control treatments (i.e., undermatching), with too many bumble bees in the flower-poor compartments and too few in the flower-rich ones. Deviations from an IFD were negative in control sites, such that fewer bumble bees occurred here than warranted by flower numbers. Controlling for flower density, bumble bee density was significantly greater in clearcuts than in the other treatments. By disproportionately visiting plants in clearcuts (relative to flower density), and by undermatching, bumble bees in clearcuts should experience higher levels of competition. Conversely, the fewer (and undermatching) bumble bees in control sites (relative to flower abundances there) may cause these plants to obtain diminished pollination service. The proximity of clearcut logging to pristine areas may therefore negatively impact plants and bumble bees in the pristine areas, at least in the season immediately following logging.     

A functional relationship between species richness of spiders and lichens in spruce

Modern forestry has created stands with even age distribution of trees and fragmentation of the habitat. In boreal forests, the effects on biodiversity within many taxa need to be examined. We tested the hypothesis that species richness of foliose and fruticose lichens and spiders is positively related in the lower canopy of spruce (Picea abies) in forests with, or without, management in central Sweden. High species richness of lichens may increase the structural complexity of the microhabitat on spruce branches, and bring a higher species richness also in the spider community. In six areas, spruce branches were sampled in old-growth and managed boreal forest stands, respectively. Forest management did not affect the species richness of spiders or lichens, but an effect due to sampling area was found in the latter taxon. There was a significant covariation between species richness of lichens and spiders, and the hypothesised positive correlation was confirmed by separate analyses for each area and combining the probabilities. Moreover, regression analysis on mean values from each site revealed a positive relationship. We conclude that species richness of lichens and spiders covary on spruce branches for functional reasons, i.e. more lichen species promotes a more diverse spider community by increasing the structural heterogeneity. Our results might provide a shortcut for assessing biodiversity in boreal forests.