Nest site choice by the three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus (form leiurus), in spring-fed waters

The nest site characteristics of the freshwater three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus (form leiurus ), were quantitatively investigated in springs and the main stream of the Yamayoke and the Tsuya River system, central Japan. Most nests (93·4%) were on a muddy or sandy substratum, at depths of 10–40 cm (84·3%), in water velocities less than 15 cm s⁻¹ (76·2%) and in the temperature range of 14 to 16° C (82·7%), Spring-fed localities provided more of these conditions than the main stream channel and hence contained more potential nesting areas. Thus, they were utilized by male sticklebacks both temporally (prolonged breeding season) and spatially (more nest sites).     

Carbon dioxide consumption during soil development

Carbon is sequestered in soils by accumulation of recalcitrant organic matter and by bicarbonate weathering of silicate minerals. Carbon fixation by ecosystems helps drive weathering processes in soils and that in turn diverts carbon from annual photosynthesis-soil respiration cycling into the long-term geological carbon cycle. To quantify rates of carbon transfer during soil development in moist temperate grassland and desert scrubland ecosystems, we measured organic and inorganic residues derived from the interaction of soil biota and silicate mineral weathering for twenty-two soil profiles in arkosic sediments of differing ages. In moist temperate grasslands, net annual removal of carbon from the atmosphere by organic carbon accumulation and silicate weathering ranges from about 8.5 g m^–2 yr^–1 for young soils to 0.7 g M^–2 yr^–1 for old soils. In desert scrublands, net annual carbon removal is about 0.2 g m^–2 yr^–1 for young soils and 0.01 g m^–2 yr^–1 for old soils. In soils of both ecosystems, organic carbon accumulation exceeds CO₂ removal by weathering, however, as soils age, rates of CO₂ consumption by weathering accounts for greater amounts of carbon sequestration, increasing from 2% to 8% in the grassland soils and from 2% to 40% in the scrubland soils. In soils of desert scrublands, carbonate accumulation far outstrips organic carbon accumulation, but about 90% of this mass is derived from aerosolic sources that do not contribute to long-term sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide.     

Variations in stream water uptake by Eucalyptus camaldulensis with differing access to stream water

The stable isotopes ²H and ¹⁸O were used to determine the water sources of Eucalyptus camaldulensis at three sites with varying exposure to stream water, all underlain by moderately saline groundwater. Water uptake patterns were a function of the long-term availability of surface water. Trees with permanent access to a stream used some stream water at all times. However, water from soils or the water table commonly made up 50% of these trees' water. Trees beside an ephemeral stream had access to the stream 40–50% of the time (depending on the level of the stream). No more than 30% of the water they used was stream water when it was available. However, stream water use did not vary greatly whether the trees had access to the stream for 2 weeks or 10 months prior to sampling. Trees at the third site only had access to surface water during a flood. These trees did not change their uptake patterns during 2 months inundation compared with dry times, so were not utilising the low-salinity flood water. Pre-dawn leaf water potentials and leaf ¹³C measurements showed that the trees with permanent access to the stream experienced lower water stress and had lower water use efficiencies than trees at the least frequently flooded site. The trees beside the ephemeral stream appeared to change their water use efficiency in response to the availability of surface water; it was similar to the perennial-stream trees when stream water was available and higher at other times. Despite causing water stress, uptake of soil water and groundwater would be advantageous to E. camaldulensis in this semi-arid area, as it would provide the trees with a supply of nutrients and a reliable source of water. E. camaldulensis at the study site may not be as vulnerable to changes in stream flow and water quality as previously thought.     

斑须蝽三代卵块的空间分布和田间抽样技术研究

通过田间调查和计算,明确了斑须蝽三代卵块呈聚集分布,且以负二项分布为主。理论抽样数当t＝1．00,D＝0．3时,n＝13．091/＋63．878,如果防治指标定为百株虫卵块12块时,则最大抽样数为173株,序贯抽样的累积虫卵块数量界限为：T0（N）＝0.12N±0．4735。田间随机取样以平行线和Z字形为最佳。     

Food mixing by generalist grasshoppers: Plant secondary compounds structure the pattern of feeding

Plant secondary compounds can prevent feeding by phytophagous insects or, if ingested, can be poisonous to them. Less attention has been paid to the additional effects they have on feeding behavior when they are only weakly deterrent or not deterrent at all. Experiments were carried out on the generalist grass-hopperSchistocerca americana. Individuals were presented either with two cakes of high-quality artificial food with a single deterrent compound added or with two cakes, each with a different added deterrent compound. The deterrents consisted of single plant secondary compounds that were either marginally or strongly deterrent. There were profound differences in feeding behavior between those individuals given identical and those given different cake types, including longer feeding bouts on single cakes when a choice of different cake types was available. The behavioral effects demonstrate that the presence of secondary compounds in one food can influence the patterns of feeding on other available foods and suggest that such chemicals could impact foraging activities in a complex manner.     

Morphometric analysis of the genusHemerocallis L. (Liliaceae) in Korea

To better understand the patterns of variability and distributions ofHemerocallis in Korea, 53 locations were visited and measurements of 19 morphological and phenological characters were taken on plants directly from their natural habitats. For morphometric analysis, 10 plants from each of 34 populations and five herbarium specimens ofH. middendorffii were used and the data from 12 quantitative characters was analyzed using univariate analysis. Except the littoral populations of Cheju, Hong, Taehuksan, and Sohuksan Islands (H. hongdoensis M. Chung & S. Kang), three peninsular KoreanHemerocallis species can be recognized mainly in South Korea:H. hakuunensis Nakai (=H. micrantha Nakai, growing on southern, central, and northwestern Korea);H. thunbergii Baker (=H. coreana Nakai, found on southeastern and central Korea); andH. middendorffii Tr. et Mey. (central and northeastern Korea). Morphological and phenological features contributing to recognition of the three groups were; color of perianth, shape of roots, shape of inflorescence, flowering time, odor, length of inflorescence, width of the lowest bracts, length of perianth tube enclosing a ovary, width of the inner perianth lobes. Natural hybridization seems to be rare in KoreanHemerocallis. It appears that the KoreanHemerocallis species are relatively well characterized by their distribution patterns, phenology, and habitats compared with the JapaneseHemerocallis species.     

生态交错带（Ecotone）理论研究进展

生态交错带（Ｅｃｏｔｏｎｅ）理论研究进展高洪文（东北师范大学草地研究所,长春１３００２４）ＡｄｖａｎｃｅｍｅｎｔｏｆＴｂｅｏｒｅｔｉｃａｌＲｅｓｅａｒｃｈｉｎＥｃｏｔｏｎｅ．￥ＧａｏＨｏｎｇｗｅｎ（ＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＧｒａｓｓｌａｎｄＲｅ－ｓｅａ...     

旅游生态学—生态学应用的一个新领域

旅游生态学──生态学应用的一个新领域刘鸿雁（北京大学城市与环境学系,１００８７１）ＲｅｃｒｅａｔｉｏｎＥｃｏｌｏｇｙ─—ＡＮｅｗＡｒｅａｏｆＡｐｐｌｉｅｄＥｃｏｌｏｇｙ．￥ＬｉｕＨｏｎｇｙａｎ（ＤｅｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔｏｆＵｒｂａｎａｎｄＥｎｖｉｒｏｎｍ...     

Meristem culture of Ophiopogon japonicus and production of embryo-like structures

Meristems of Ophiopogon japonicus (Liliaceae) were grown on a modified MS medium without auxins or cytokinins and plantlets and embryogenic callus were obtained at a low frequency. When meristems growing on modified basal medium were briefly soaked in 0.54 mM naphtaleneacetic acid (NAA) or temporarily grown on medium that contained NAA or NAA and benzyladenine, a larger proportion of meristems developed into plantlets or produced callus and additional plantlets following their return to basal medium. Calluses grown in liquid culture without auxins or cytokinins produced abundant single cells and cell aggregates. Larger cell aggregates formed embryo-like structures that produced roots, cotyledons, and then plantlets following transfer to soilid medium. Prolonged liquid culture produced embryo-like structures directly in liquid medium. These structures met many of the criteria for somatic embryos and developed into normal plantlets when placed on solid medium.     

Demography and social structure of one group of muriquis (Brachyteles arachnoides)

We monitored one group of muriquis, or woolly spider monkeys (Brachyteles arachnoides), over a 9-year period at Fazenda Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The group grew from 22 to 42 individuals due to the births of 21 surviving infants. Eight immigrations involving immature females were offset by emigrations and disappearances. The home range of the group expanded as the group size increased. The group traveled as a cohesive unit during the first 6 years of the study, but recently it has begun to show greater tendencies to fission temporarily into smaller subgroups. Six adult males from the other muriqui group at this site have simultaneously increased their associations with the main study group. These observations indicate that the group is in a state of transition which may lead, ultimately, either to its division into two smaller units or to a more fluid social structure.