禁牧对锡林郭勒典型草原物种多样性的影响

为了研究禁牧对典型草原物种多样性的影响,对自由放牧和不同时间(1987、1997和2003年)禁牧的典型草原的物种组成进行了调查.结果表明:禁牧并未使典型草原的主要物种组成发生明显的改变,但使物种的相对重要性发生了明显变化,优势种的优势更加明显;同时,禁牧在一定的时间内可以提高典型草原的物种多样性,但随着禁牧时间的延长,典型草原的物种多样性和丰富度都表现出一种先上升后下降的趋势;在相同的禁牧或放牧条件下,水分条件较好的典型草原具有更高的物种多样性.可见,合理的禁牧时间与优越的水分条件有利于典型草原维持较高的物种多样性.典型草原物种多样性下降可能是人为干扰与干旱环境条件共同作用的结果.     

安徽藓类植物区系

作者在对安徽省进行实地考察和采集的2000余号苔藓植物标本的基础上,经过研究鉴定,并收集整理了有关安徽藓类的资料,对照现有文献,发现安徽已知藓类植物有46科、164属、545种(包括8亚种和32变种),其中新记录95种(包括3变种1亚种);青藓科为安徽省藓类第一大科,含9属52种,占总种数的9.6,青藓属是第一大属,包括有29种,占总种数5.3;科内种数(≥19种)优势科有10个,属内种数(≥6种)的优势属有22个。在安徽省藓类区系中,以东亚成分为主并占了28.6、北温带成分占23.0、热带亚洲成分占17.8,温带亚洲成分为10.6,中国特有成分占到10.4,这5种区系成分都超过10,它们是本省最主要的区系地理成分。     

Pollen productivity estimates and relevant source area of pollen for selected plant taxa in a pasture woodland landscape of the Jura Mountains (Switzerland)

Relevant source area of pollen (RSAP) and pollen productivity for 11 key taxa characteristic of the pasture woodland landscape of the Jura Mountains, Switzerland, were estimated using pollen assemblages from moss polsters at 20 sites. To obtain robust pollen productivity estimates (PPEs), we used vegetation survey data at a fine spatial-resolution (1 × 1 m²) and randomized locations for sampling sites, techniques rarely used in palynology. Three Extended R value (ERV) submodels and three distance-weighting methods for plant abundance calculation were applied. Different combinations of the submodels and distance-weighting methods provide slightly different estimates of RSAP and PPEs. Although ERV submodel 1 using 1/d (d = distance in meters) best fits the dataset, PPE values for heavy pollen types (e.g. Abies) were sensitive to the method used for distance-weighting. Taxon-specific distance-weighting methods, such as Prentice’s model, emphasize the intertaxonomic differences in pollen dispersal and deposition, and are thus theoretically sound. For the dataset obtained in this project, Prentice’s model was more appropriate than other distance-weighting methods to estimate PPEs. Most of the taxa have PPEs equal to (Fagus, Plantago media and Potentilla-type), or higher (Abies, Picea, Rubiaceae and Trollius europaeus) than Poaceae (PPE = 1). Acer, Cyperaceae, and Plantago montana-type are low pollen producers. This set of PPEs will be useful for reconstructing heterogeneous, mountainous pasture woodland landscapes from fossil pollen records. The RSAP for moss polsters in this semi-open landscape region is ca. 300 m.     

Pollen productivity estimates of key European plant taxa for quantitative reconstruction of past vegetation: a review

Information on the spatial distribution of past vegetation on local, regional and global scales is increasingly used within climate modelling, nature conservancy and archaeology. It is possible to obtain such information from fossil pollen records in lakes and bogs using the landscape reconstruction algorithm (LRA) and its two models, REVEALS and LOVE. These models assume that reliable pollen productivity estimates (PPEs) are available for the plant taxa involved in the quantitative reconstructions of past vegetation, and that PPEs are constant through time. This paper presents and discusses the PPEs for 15 tree and 18 herb taxa obtained in nine study areas of Europe. Observed differences in PPEs between regions may be explained by methodological issues and environmental variables, of which climate and related factors such as reproduction strategies and growth forms appear to be the most important. An evaluation of the PPEs at hand so far suggests that they can be used in modelling applications and quantitative reconstructions of past vegetation, provided that consideration of past environmental variability within the region is used to inform selection of PPEs, and bearing in mind that PPEs might have changed through time as a response to climate change. Application of a range of possible PPEs will allow a better evaluation of the results.     

Geothermal bryophyte habitats in the South Sandwich Islands,maritime Antarctic

Question: How does geothermal activity influence terrestrial plant colonization, species composition and community development in the Antarctic? Location: South Sandwich Islands, maritime Antarctic. Methods: Bryophytes were documented during a biological survey of the archipelago in January and February 1997. Particular attention was given to sites under current or recent influence of geothermal activity. Temperature profiles obtained across defined areas of activity on several islands were linked with the presence of specific bryophytes. Results: Greatest bryophyte richness was associated with geothermally influenced ground. Of 35 moss and nine liverwort species recorded, only four mosses were never associated with heated ground, while eight of the liverworts and 50% of the mosses were found only on actively or recently heated ground. Some species occur in unheated sites elsewhere in the maritime Antarctic, but were absent from such habitats on the South Sandwich Islands. Several species occurred in distinct zones around fumaroles. Maximum temperatures recorded within the upper 0.5 cm of the vegetation surface were 40 ‐ 47 °C, with only Campylopus introflexus tolerating such temperatures. Maximum temperatures 2.5 or 5 cm below the vegetation surface of this moss reached 75 °C. Other bryophytes regularly present in zoned vegetation included the mosses Dicranella hookeri, Sanionia georgico‐uncinata, Pohlia nutans and Notoligotrichum trichodon, and the liverworts Cryptochila grandiflora and Marchantia berteroana. Surface temperatures of 25 ‐ 35 °C and subsurface temperatures of 50 ‐ 60 °C were recorded in these species. Conclusions: These exceptional plant communities illustrate the transport of viable propagules into the Antarctic. Individually ephemeral in nature, the longer term existence of geothermal habitats on islands along the Scotia Arc may have provided refugia during periods of glacial expansion, facilitating subsequent recolonization of Antarctic terrestrial habitats.     

Aerobryum brevicuspis S.He (Brachytheciaceae), a new species from northern Vietnam

A new species of Aerobryum Dozy & Molk. (Brachytheciaceae), A. brevicuspis S.He from Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam is described and illustrated. The new species resembles epiphytic A. speciosum Dozy & Molk. in the presence of pendent, sparsely branched stems, similar shape of leaves and areolation, but differs by its apiculate to cuspidate leaf apices, a single, faint or sometimes double costae in branch leaves, rather differentiated alar cells, the presence of a central strand in the stems, and numerous clustered axillary hairs that are often 5-8(-10) cells long.     

The cephalic morphology of the Gondwanan key taxon Hackeriella (Coleorrhyncha,Hemiptera)

External and internal head structures of Coleorrhyncha, a key-taxon within the Hemiptera, are described in detail and documented using modern techniques. The main focus is on Hackeriella veitchi, but two additional representatives of the Gondwanan relict group were also examined, and also head structures of Enicocephalidae, a member of a potentially basal heteropteran lineage. Features were compared to those documented in literature for the Sternorrhyncha, Auchenorrhyncha, and Heteroptera. Coleorrhyncha are characterized by highly modified head structures and correspondingly an entire series of autapomorphies, such as for instance a strongly flattened head capsule with fenestrations. However, they also display features that are likely plesiomorphic compared to members of other hemipteran groups. These include the almost complete tentorium and the lack of the gula. The sistergroup relationship between Coleorrhyncha and Heteroptera is well supported by cephalic features. Potential synapomorphies are the presence of a distinct mandibular sulcus, the reduced number of antennomeres, the absence of clasping organs in the labial groove, coiled accessory salivary ducts, the presence of a small cervical muscle M1a (M. pronotopostoccipitalis medialis), the presence of a second mandibular promotor M14 (M. zygomaticus mandibulae), the presence of M28 (M. verticopharyngalis), and M30 (M. frontobuccalis posterior).     

Pleurozium schreberi as an ecological indicator of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in a heavily industrialized urban area

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are toxic contaminants with a persistent character and adverse effects on humans and wildlife. Therefore, the deposition of these chemicals in vegetation must be carefully controlled. Our objective was to determine PBDE concentrations (BDEs 28, 47, 66, 85, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183 and 209) in Pleurozium schreberi collected in a heavily industrialized urban agglomeration. High PBDE concentrations in the moss confirm the presence of active sources of atmospheric pollution in an area tested. The distribution of these xenobiotics was related to the vegetation cover being lower in sites surrounded by forests which indicates that PBDEs may have a tendency to be trapped from the air by tree leaves and needles. Congener profiles in P. schreberi were dominated by BDE 209 which was for 79% (in case of the coke smelter) to 95% (in case of the chemical plant) part of the total PBDE burden in this moss. The principal component and classification analysis classifying the concentration of PBDEs in P. schreberi allowed us to distinguish the pattern of these compounds characteristic for the origin of pollution. P. schreberi may be used as a bioindicator for PBDEs in areas contaminated with these chemicals.