Land Use and Small Mammal Predation Effects on Shortgrass Prairie Birds

ABSTRACT Grassland birds endemic to the central shortgrass prairie ecoregion of the United States have experienced steep and widespread declines over the last 3 decades, and factors influencing reproductive success have been implicated. Nest predation is the major cause of nest failure in passerines, and nesting success for some shortgrass prairie birds is exceptionally low. The 3 primary land uses in the central shortgrass prairie ecoregion are native shortgrass prairie rangeland (62%), irrigated and nonirrigated cropland (29%), and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP, 8%). Because shortgrass–cropland edges and CRP may alter the community of small mammal predators of grassland bird nests, I sampled multiple sites on and near the Pawnee National Grasslands in northeast Colorado, USA, to evaluate 1) whether small mammal species richness and densities were greater in CRP fields and shortgrass prairie–cropland edges compared to shortgrass prairie habitats, and 2) whether daily survival probabilities of ground-nesting grassland bird nests were negatively correlated with densities of small mammals. Small mammal species richness and densities, estimated using trapping webs, were generally greater along edges and on CRP sites compared to shortgrass sites. Vegetation did not differ among edges and shortgrass sites but did differ among CRP and shortgrass sites. Daily survival probabilities of artificial nests at edge and CRP sites and natural nests at edge sites did not differ from shortgrass sites, and for natural nests small mammal densities did not affect nest survival. However, estimated daily survival probability of artificial nests was inversely proportional to thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus) densities. In conclusion, these data suggest that although land-use patterns on the shortgrass prairie area in my study have substantial effects on the small mammal community, insufficient data existed to determine whether land-use patterns or small mammal density were affecting grassland bird nest survival. These findings will be useful to managers for predicting the effects of land-use changes in the shortgrass prairie on small mammal communities and avian nest success.     

Feeding Ecology of Ring-Necked Pheasant and Northern Bobwhite Chicks in Conservation Reserve Program Fields

ABSTRACT Gamebird chick survival is dependent on invertebrate availability, and the ability to access insect prey is an important characteristic defining brood habitat quality. Different mixes of warm-season grasses and forbs were established to improve the habitat quality of fields enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) for gamebirds in the Southern Plains. We analyzed the feeding ecology of human-imprinted, 4- to 10-day-old ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) and northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) chicks in wheat fields and 4 types of conservation practices (CP) fields enrolled in CRP (CP10, improved CP10, CP2, and CP25) in western Kansas, USA, during June and July, 2004 and 2005. Foraging rates were greatest for bobwhite chicks in improved CP10 and CP25 fields and greatest for pheasant chicks in CP10 and CP25 fields. Vegetation characteristics such as bare ground cover appear to have a significant impact on insect selection, because the diet was more diverse for both species in fields with more bare ground. The CP25 fields provided the best combination of mobility and diet breadth for both species. Although herbicide-treated wheat fields had low feeding rates, we determined non-herbicide-treated fields (i.e., weedy wheat) provided easy mobility and feeding rates similar to CRP fields. We suggest that management of vegetation to benefit gamebirds does not affect species equally. Feeding rates of bobwhite chicks were sensitive to vegetation-influenced mobility. Management of CRP fields for both pheasant and bobwhite chicks can be reconciled by practices that permit more open space at ground level, such as light disking or burning, to permit easier movement for chicks.     

广东省南昆山伯乐树群落特征及其保护策略

在广东省南昆山自然保护区内调查了中国特有珍稀植物伯乐树种群的分布格局、龄级结构和伴生群落的物种组成.结果表明:该种群的分布范围狭窄且集中;龄级不完整,Ⅱ、Ⅲ级幼树少见,结构呈衰退型;伴生群落呈典型的亚热带植物区系的特点,其组成不稳定、优势种不显著.建议将伯乐树幼树作为就地保护的重点,适当去除周围的罗浮槭、羊角杜鹃和黄樟等速生树种,以创造有光照和水肥条件的生境;对于Ⅳ级以上成株,应注意拟赤杨和华润楠等空间生态位相近树种的数量和密度,适当疏剪枝条,以帮助成株占据较好的空间位;同时再积极引入异龄的伯乐树幼苗,促进种群恢复和发展.     

阳际峰自然保护区地面生苔藓植物分布与环境因子关系研究

在江西阳际峰自然保护区调查的25个样地中,共采集到地面生苔藓植物34科56属106种（包括1变种）。应用CCA排序法,首次定量分析了该区38种主要地面生苔藓植物与环境因子的关系。结果表明,苔藓植物的分布和生物多样性受环境因子的影响较大,湿度、基质是影响地面生苔藓植物分布的主要环境因子,其他影响因子依次为乔木郁闭度、灌木盖度、海拔高度、人为干扰和坡度。     

江西省九岭山自然保护区鱼类资源概况

2007年10月对江西省九岭山自然保护区野生鱼类区系及资源进行了调查.共采集标本952尾,鉴定为39种,隶属于3目12科33属,多为山区溪流小型鱼类.以鲤科鱼类为主, 21种,占鱼类总物种数的53.85%.对各采样溪流进行多样性比较显示,青山站水系(H:3.2)多样性指数最高,和尚坪水系(H:1.9)多样性指数最低;各采样溪流的均匀性指数相差不大(E:0.7～0.9),且优势种群不明显(λ:0.1～0.3).     

Effects of larval host plants on over-wintering preparedness and survival of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Laboratory colonies of cotton bollworm larvae, Helicoverpa armigera, kept at 20 degrees C under a photoperiod of L:D=10:14 were fed on five host plants (cotton, corn, kidney bean, tobacco and tomato) and an artificial diet (control) to determine the effects of larval host quality on survival and pupal over-wintering preparedness. A separate experiment showed that diapausing pupae weighed more and contained greater nutrient stores than did non-diapausing pupae. Diapausing pupae reared on different host plants showed significant differences in terms of over-wintering reserve storage, and degree of cold-hardiness (extent of low-molecular-weight substances and SCPs), and survivorship. The more nutrients the host plant had, the more the pupae weighed and the higher the levels of total lipids and glycogen. Body water content was also significantly affected by larval food quality. The mean pupal super-cooling capacities varied significantly from -16.7 to -18.9 degrees C according to host plants the larvae feed on, and these significantly related to water content, pupal weight, lipid and glycogen content, and the levels of glycerol. Levels of trehalose, glycerol, and inositol, which were mainly low-molecular-weight substances, showed no significant differences among different host plants, except for trehalose. Pupal mortality varied from 39.7% on corn to 3.3% on the artificial diet, which was significantly related to pupal weight, total lipid content, trehalose levels, and super-cooling points. These results suggest that larval food quality can affect survival and influence the over-wintering preparedness of the cotton bollworm.     

Changes in fish assemblages following 10 years of protection in Tasmanian marine protected areas

Most studies examining effects of marine protected areas (MPAs) on fish assemblages are potentially confounded, either because they are once off comparisons between fished and unfished locations, or because they are snapshot studies over a fixed period. Here we compare long-term changes within fully protected Tasmanian marine reserves with changes at external reference sites on an annual basis over the first ten years of protection. The results highlight the importance of long-term datasets for differentiating changes occurring over differing time scales. Notable results include a statistically significant increase in abundance of Latridopsis forsteri and large fish (> 300 mm) when examined across all reserves relative to controls, and a 10-fold increase in the abundance of large fish and a doubling of per site species richness of large fish within the Tinderbox Marine Reserve relative to controls. Short-term resident species that recruit sporadically show very different patterns in reserves compared to those that recruit regularly and have long-term age-class storage. While several recent reviews have suggested size of MPAs and duration of protection has little influence on the extent of recovery, our results suggest this is not the case and that responses can be slow, complex and species-specific. The extent of localised fishing pressure appeared to have a substantial influence on the degree of change detected, potentially confounding meta-analyses of recovery rates in MPAs if overlooked as a relevant parameter.     

Conservation Reserve Program Benefits on Henslow's Sparrows Within the United States

ABSTRACT Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) is one of North America's fastest declining songbirds. Population declines combined with a small global population have led to heightened conservation concern. I used data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey to assess the impact that the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has had on Henslow's sparrows throughout their United States breeding range. My analysis suggests local Henslow's sparrow population trends are correlated with CRP enrollment, with populations increasing more in areas with relatively high local CRP enrollment, and that CRP appears to be playing a significant role in reversing long-term population declines.     

江苏宜兴龙池山现代植被表土孢粉的初步研究

江苏宜兴龙池山森林自然保护区表土花粉分析结果表明,表土孢粉植物群主要以栎属(Quercus)、松属(Pinus)、青冈属(Cyclobalanopsis)、栲属(Castanopsis)/柯属(Lithocarpus)、栗属(Castanea)占优势的木本植物组成,混生有枫香属(Liquidambar)、杨梅属(Myrica)、冬青属(Ilex)、女贞属(Ligustrum)、紫树属(Nyssa)、盐肤木属(Rhus)、黄连木属(Pistacia)等亚热带常见植物类型。研究区不同海拔高度的表土孢粉组合特征基本反映了当地现今的植物构成、植被面貌及其垂直分布规律。结合长江三角洲及其周边地区其他代表性表土花粉资料,首次提出以常绿阔叶木本植物与落叶阔叶木本植物含量之比(E/D),并结合重要优势、标志木本植物科属,初步识别和确立各地带性森林植被的表土花粉指标,为这一地区开展第四纪古植被和古气候等孢粉研究提供参考性依据。     

新疆托木尔峰国家级自然保护区北山羊种群密度与栖息地利用(英文)

2005年10—12月对新疆托木尔峰国家级自然保护区北山羊(Capraibex)的种群密度与栖息地利用进行调查。种群密度调查显示该地区北山羊平均群大小为8.43只,种群密度为269.76只/100km2;栖息地选择调查结果显示北山羊广泛活动在海拔2500—3000m的区域范围内,对距悬崖距离、坡度、地形和植被类型有一定选择倾向,它倾向在悬崖附近(<100m)、坡度大于30°而小于45°和崎岖的山地活动,会避开草地和平坦山坡。北山羊这种栖息地利用模式可能与满足自身安全需要有关。