Comparing forest structure and biodiversity on private and public land: secondary tropical dry forests in Costa Rica

Secondary forests constitute a substantial proportion of tropical forestlands. These forests occur on both public and private lands and different underlying environmental variables and management regimes may affect post‐abandonment successional processes and resultant forest structure and biodiversity. We examined whether differences in ownership led to differences in forest structure, tree diversity, and tree species composition across a gradient of soil fertility and forest age. We collected soil samples and surveyed all trees in 82 public and 66 private 0.1‐ha forest plots arrayed across forest age and soil gradients in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. We found that soil fertility appeared to drive the spatial structure of public vs. private ownership; public conservation lands appeared to be non‐randomly located on areas of lower soil fertility. On private lands, areas of crops/pasture appeared to be non‐randomly located on higher soil fertility areas while forests occupied areas of lower soil fertility. We found that forest structure and tree species diversity did not differ significantly between public and private ownership. However, public and private forests differed in tree species composition: 11 percent were more prevalent in public forest and 7 percent were more prevalent in private forest. Swietenia macrophylla, Cedrela odorata, and Astronium graveolens were more prevalent in public forests likely because public forests provide stronger protection for these highly prized timber species. Guazuma ulmifolia was the most abundant tree in private forests likely because this species is widely consumed and dispersed by cattle. Furthermore, some compositional differences appear to result from soil fertility differences due to non‐random placement of public and private land holdings with respect to soil fertility. Land ownership creates a distinctive species composition signature that is likely the result of differences in soil fertility and management between the ownership types. Both biophysical and social variables should be considered to advance understanding of tropical secondary forest structure and biodiversity.     

Morphometric and molecular differences among Calvertius tuberosus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) populations associated with Andean and coastal populations of Araucaria araucana in the La Araucanía Region,Chile

Calvertius tuberosus (Curculionidae) lives exclusively on Araucaria araucana trees (commonly known as pehuen) in southern Chile. In this study, morphometric and molecular genetic analyses of Andean and coastal populations of C. tuberosus were performed to evaluate evolutionary divergence associated with the discontinuity of the Araucaria forest between the coastal and Andean regions. Specimens of C. tuberosus were collected in Nahuelbuta National Park, Villa Las Araucarias, and Malalcahuello National Reserve and were classified and stored at the Animal Biotechnology Researching Laboratory (LINBA), University of La Frontera, Temuco, Chile. Thirteen morphometric parameters and the expression patterns of ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeat) markers were analyzed. Morphometric data revealed high phenotypic similarity between coastal populations. The genetic analysis revealed a high similarity between coastal populations (genetic identity, 93%), which were differentiated from the Andean population (genetic identity, 84%). This study contributes new genotypic and phenotypic data for the C. tuberosus populations in forest ecosystems of A. araucana, and clarifies the associations between these characteristics and the geographic distributions of populations.     

Flooding and soil composition determine beta diversity of lowland forests in Northern South America

Beta diversity may be determined by dispersal limitation, environment, and phylogeographic history. Our objective was to advance the understanding of plant species turnover in rain forests in northern South America and determine which factors are affecting species beta diversity. We evaluated the relative effect of environmental variables (i.e., soil, climate, fragmentation, and flooding frequency) and dispersal limitation (i.e., geographical distance and resistance distance due mountain barriers) on tree beta diversity in 32 1‐ha lowland forest plots. We found that tree species turnover was better explained by environmental distance than by geographical distance. Although soil conditions and flooding regime were good predictors of tree species composition, almost half of the variance remained unexplained. In our study system, the eastern Andean ridge had no significant effect on plant beta diversity, probably because of its young age in relation to the phylogeny. Our results provide support for the importance of environmental factors and suggest a more restricted role of dispersal limitation. Therefore, we advise that conservation strategies of lowland trees should consider specific forest types (e.g., seasonally flooded vs. terra firme, as well as piedmont vs. central Amazonian forests).     

Effects of anthropogenic disturbance on tree population structure and diversity of a rain forest biosphere reserve in Ghana,West Africa

We evaluated the impacts of anthropogenic disturbance on community structure and diversity along three management zones of the Bia biosphere reserve in Ghana. Sixty sample plots were distributed among the core, buffer and transition zones. We estimated the degree of disturbances from discernible indicators on the field and satellite images. All tree species ≥10 cm dbh (diameter at breast height) were identified and enumerated. Inventory data were compared across the zones and related to intensity of disturbances. A total of 1176 individual trees from 108 species and 33 families were encountered. Number of species varied from 27 in the highly disturbed (HD) to 61 in the least disturbed (LD) zone. Mean basal area (BA) varied from 11.71 in the HD to 28.26 in the LD. Both Margalef's species richness and Shannon‐Weiner's α‐diversity were highest in the moderately disturbed (MD) than either the least and most disturbed zones. Our study revealed significant differences in tree abundance, stem density, BA and species diversity, attributable to differences in degree of anthropogenic disturbances among zones. Given the different levels of anthropogenic disturbance and corresponding impacts across the reserve, we recommend an integrated management strategy for the conservation of biodiversity in the Bia biosphere reserve.     

桂林会仙喀斯特湿地芦苇群落土壤氮的季节变化

该研究以桂林会仙喀斯特湿地典型芦苇植物群落土壤为对象,研究了土壤氮含量的季节动态变化特征,探讨了土壤氮对水热季节变化的响应趋势。结果表明:土壤有机氮在全氮中所占比例较大,0~10 cm土层的全氮与0~10 cm和10~20 cm土层的速效氮季节变化特征一致,表现为夏季秋季春季冬季;10~20 cm和20~30 cm土层的全氮和有机氮均表现为春季夏季秋季冬季。0~10 cm土层的有机氮和10~20 cm土层的速效氮变化趋势一致,表现为秋季夏季春季冬季。各层土壤硝态氮呈现出先升高后降低的单峰曲线变化趋势,均表现为夏季春季秋季冬季,并与铵态氮0~10 cm和10~20 cm土层的季节变化趋势相一致。20~30 cm土层的铵态氮与0~10 cm和20~30 cm土层的土壤微生物量氮含量时间动态一致,均表现为春季秋季夏季冬季,10~20 cm土层的微生物量氮表现为秋季春季夏季冬季的趋势。土壤铵态氮含量明显高于硝态氮,各层土壤铵态氮含量基本呈现出不规则"M"形的双峰曲线变化。会仙喀斯特湿地典型芦苇植物群落不同土层土壤各形态氮含量的动态特征对水热变化的季节响应差异较大,不同月份之间有所不同,但均在冬季含量最低,与月均气温和月均降雨量的变化关系表现为不完全的同步趋势。土壤氮含量季节变化特征的差异主要与气温、水分条件、不同生长期芦苇吸收利用、土壤有机碳、凋落物养分的归还以及有机氮矿化等影响有关。该研究结果为桂林会仙喀斯特国家湿地公园生态功能恢复与可持续发展利用提供了科学依据。     

Change in ecological stoichiometry of Carex brevicuspis in response to seasonal dynamics and elevation in Dongting Lake,China

Plant nutrient stoichiometry is affected by both environmental factors and plant physiological processes. However, we know little about how small elevation gradients (influencing e.g. flooding regimes) and seasonality combine with soil physicochemical properties to influence nutrient stoichiometry in wetland plants. In this study, we examined these factors in Carex brevicuspis at Dongting Lake, China, during the non‐flooding periods in March, May and December of 2015 and February of 2016. We found that total foliar C concentration increased as elevation increased, especially during December 2015 and February 2016. At the low‐elevation site, total foliar C concentration decreased over the season, whereas it first increased and then decreased over time at higher elevations. Foliar total N and P concentrations decreased from March to May and subsequently increased throughout the season, and these concentrations were always much higher at the low‐elevation site. The C:N and C:P ratios first increased and then decreased over the season, while increasing with rising elevation. The N:P ratio was lower at the low‐elevation site, especially during May 2015 and February 2016; its variation over time differed across the elevations. A canonical correspondence analysis revealed that soil organic C, total N and soil nitrate N are important for determining C. brevicuspis stoichiometry. Our results suggest that both elevation and plant life stage have a significant influence on plant stoichiometry. This study improves our understanding of the seasonal dynamics of plant nutrients under different geographical conditions.     

长白山源头溪流底栖动物群落结构季节动态

源头溪流是河流生态系统物质循环和能量流动的重要区域,对底栖动物的生物多样性维持具有重要意义。目前,针对我国源头溪流底栖动物群落结构的研究薄弱,对长白山源头溪流底栖动物季节动态的研究尚未见报道。采用野外原位定量取样的方法,力图阐释长白山源头溪流底栖动物群落结构的季节动态特征及其主要环境驱动因子。研究结果表明:(1)共计采集底栖动物90个分类单元,隶属于3纲9目38科。其中,水生昆虫85属,占绝对优势。底栖动物群落结构的季节动态明显,底栖动物密度及多样性在夏、秋季显著高于冬季和春季,并在冬季达到最低值。(2)底栖动物功能摄食类群以收集者占优势,其次为撕食者、捕食者和刮食者,滤食者相对丰度最低。不同功能摄食类群的季节动态不一致,但密度和物种丰富度整体表现为秋季最高。(3)水温、凋落叶分布和流速是长白山源头溪流底栖动物群落结构季节动态的主要环境驱动因子。本研究可为长白山源头溪流后续相关研究及长白山松花江水系生态修复提供基础数据支持及参考。     

杉木人工林种子雨组成和季节动态

杉木人工林已成为亚热带森林的重要组成部分,它具有可持续的自然更新能力,是决定杉木林群落演替方向和维持杉木林大面积存在的基础.本文以杉阔混交林和杉木纯林为研究对象,分析其种子雨的物种组成、数量大小和季节动态,以及林分优势物种种子雨数量特征和季节变化,揭示种源条件是否是制约杉木人工林天然更新的主要因素.结果表明:杉阔混交林和杉木纯林分别收集到13科18属21种和12科16属19种的种子.混交林和纯林的所有物种种子雨强度分别为3797和3300粒·m^-2.乔木物种种子数量在种子雨中占绝对优势,混交林占89.1%,纯林占86.2%,其中杉木种子数量最多,其完整种子雨强度分别为825和345粒·m^-2.两林分种子雨各类型种子所占比例均为完整种子>干瘪或腐烂种子>被取食种子.两林分种子雨均具有明显的季节动态,均在秋季到达高峰,且在落种高峰期种子雨以完整种子为主.无论是杉阔混交林还是杉木纯林都有充足的种源,种源(种子雨)条件不是制约杉木林天然更新的主要因素.