Promoting regional sustainability by eco-province construction in China: A critical assessment

The regional level has been recognized as a good scale for implementing actions towards sustainable development (SD). An important pathway to improve regional sustainability is to locally carry out long-term ecological planning. In order to reduce environmental impacts from fast economic growth, several eastern provinces of China began Ecological Province Construction (EPC) at the end of 1990s. This paper presented a case for analyzing the progress of EPC in China via both qualitative and quantitative methods. We studied Shandong Eco-province Construction (SEPC) and evaluated its outcomes with its pre-set indicators in 2003–2010. A further evaluation with eco-efficiency and de-linking indices was conducted. The results indicated the pre-set indicators could not effectively reflect of the ecological province construction. It was recommended to introduce an evaluated framework combined with eco-efficiency and de-linking indices to indicate ecological planning at the regional scale.     

The return of the Iberian wild goat Capra pyrenaica to Portugal: From reintroduction to recolonization

The Iberian wild goat (Capra pyrenaica) is an endemic species of the Iberian Peninsula. Of the four generally accepted subspecies (Capra pyrenaica victoriae, C.p. hispanica, C.p. pyrenaica, C.p. lusitanica) only two subsist (C.p. victoriae, C p. hispanica). The subspecies once found in Portugal, C. p. lusitanica, became extinct in the 19th century. However, the reintroduction of the C. p. victoriae in north-west Spain, led to the natural recolonization of this subspecies into Portugal. Knowledge of the Iberian wild goat in Portugal is still limited, making it difficult to evaluate the major conservation/management needs. To fill this gap, here we describe the historical distribution of the Iberian wild goat in Portugal and summarize the available information on the reintroduction and recolonization process of this species. Additionally, we used line itinerary survey (2011–2012), coupled with Distance Sampling, to estimate current densities, range and population structure of the Iberian wild goat distribution in Portugal. The Iberian wild goat density is 2.78/100 ha (95% CI: 1,72–4,50; CV: 18,36%) and the abundance is of 576 (CI 95%: 356–930; CV: 18,36%). The distribution data shows that the population is divided in three nuclei: 1- Serra do Gerês (13,840 ha); 2–Serra Amarela (1235 ha); 3–Castro Laboreiro (343 ha), in a total area of 15,418 ha. Iberian wild goat population in Portugal has greatly increased in the last years, both in number and distribution range. The demographic data shows a potential for increase in the next years but our current ecological background knowledge still remains limited. Iberian wild goat management will benefit from a long-term project including public awareness, scientific research and management solutions.     

A NEW LOPHIALETID PERISSODACTYL(MAMMALIA) FROM THE EARLY EOCENE OF WUTU BASIN,SHANDONG PROVINCE

Periss0dactyla0wen,laseTaPiroideaGill,lgy2?tophiaiedaeMathedthenger,1925(Radhay,l%5)Ampeqhu!~gco'etsp'nov'TypeAfragInentaryrightmaxillawithcomPleteP2-MlandanteriorpartofM2twvlo7o2)'~andhothenCountyMine,2kmeastofWutUVillageofChangleCounty,Shandong;Eariyhee,WutUFonnahon'Inagn0dsApdrihveandmedium-edtapiroid'UPpercheekdrilow-crownedandmoderatey1ophodont,withdishnCtcuSPs;MlAnconeequalt0paraconeinfor;parastylerelativefysmall,anddosetoparacone;labialandlingUalcusPsinclinedt0ndd-dleakisof…     

Molecular phylogeography of the viperine snake Natrix maura (Serpentes: Colubridae): Evidence for strong intraspecific differentiation

The molecular phylogeography of the viperine snake, Natrix maura (Linnaeus, 1758), was investigated using complete sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and genomic ISSR-PCR fingerprinting. In a total of 120 samples, 44 unique cytochrome b haplotypes were found which defined three major genetic lineages associated with samples from Morocco, Tunisia and Europe, respectively. The same lineages were supported by nuclear data. A possible fourth lineage exists in southern Spain. Genetic distances of cytochrome b sequences between the three main lineages were in the range of 3.9–5.6%, suggesting independent evolution since the early Pliocene. Distinction of the three major lineages at the subspecies or species level is discussed to account taxonomically for the high intraspecific variation in the viperine snake. A more detailed analysis of the European samples based on genetic diversity indices and a network reconstruction suggests a complex Pleistocene history for the viperine snake in Europe. Clear differentiation was found between populations south and north of the central Iberian mountain ranges, suggesting Pleistocene glacial refugia both in the southern and northern Iberian peninsula. In the south, genetic diversity was associated with the main river valleys, whereas northern haplotypes were more broadly distributed, indicating gene flow or postglacial range expansions. Unexpectedly high levels of genetic variation in southeastern France and northwestern Italy would be compatible with the hypothesis of a glacial refugium north of the Pyrenees or in Italy. However, due to the dependence of N. maura on warm climates, the assumption of a northern refugium seems unwarranted. We believe that further sampling in northern Spain is likely to reveal genetically diverse populations which could have served as sources for postglacial recolonization of France and Italy.     

The seashore sedges of the Russian Kola Peninsula: How many species?

A necessary basis for environmental protection is thorough knowledge of the biodiversity to be protected. Setting conservation priorities in taxonomically complex groups is an especially difficult task. The seashore sedges of the Carex salina group (Cyperaceae) of the Russian White and Barents Seas form important parts of the coastal ecosystems and include species listed as rare and endangered. However, their taxonomy is poorly understood and supposed to be blurred by hybridization, also including the closely related C. aquatilis and possibly other species of sect. Phacocystis (C. bigelowii, C. nigra s. lat.). We address the taxonomic situation in the C. salina group in the Kola Peninsula with emphasis on taxa of supposed hybrid origin (C. salina and C. recta coll.). We analyzed 92 plants from 28 sites for 101 amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) and 10 morphological characters. The plants referred to three supposedly “pure” species (C. aquatilis, C. paleacea and C. subspathacea) formed different extreme parts of the morphological and molecular variation. These species could be discriminated by a combination of morphological characters. The two taxa of proposed hybrid origin had extremely variable morphology and could not be clearly distinguished from each other or from the supposedly “pure” species. Our results demonstrate extensive gene flow between all taxa, suggesting that the entire C. salina group including C. aquatilis acts as a single large biological species.     

山东苔藓植物新记录

该研究通过对采自山东的苔藓植物标本进行鉴定,首次发现裂齿藓[ Dichodontium pellucidum (Hedw.) Schimp.]和粗疣藓[ Fauriella tenuis (Mitt.) Cardot]在山东的分布,这也是昂氏藓科(Aongstroemiaceae)裂齿藓属( Dichodontium Schimp.)和粗疣藓属( Fauriella Besch.)的苔藓植物在山东的首次发现。文中还详细描述了裂齿藓和粗疣藓的形态特征,绘制了墨线图,并进行了相应的讨论。     

Atlas of Iberian water beetles (ESACIB database)

The ESACIB (‘EScarabajos ACuáticos IBéricos’) database is provided, including all available distributional data of Iberian and Balearic water beetles from the literature up to 2013, as well as from museum and private collections, PhD theses, and other unpublished sources. The database contains 62,015 records with associated geographic data (10×10 km UTM squares) for 488 species and subspecies of water beetles, 120 of them endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and eight to the Balearic Islands. This database was used for the elaboration of the “Atlas de los Coleópteros Acuáticos de España Peninsular”. In this dataset data of 15 additional species has been added: 11 that occur in the Balearic Islands or mainland Portugal but not in peninsular Spain and an other four with mainly terrestrial habits within the genus Helophorus (for taxonomic coherence). The complete dataset is provided in Darwin Core Archive format.     

山东平邑盆地古新世孢粉组合及其古气候意义

本文对山东平邑盆地卞桥镇国泰庄西ZK101井卞桥组二段的21块井壁岩芯样品进行分析,在其中5块样品中发现了大量保存较好的孢粉和一些淡水藻类化石,总计60属2亚属63种及部分未定种。据此建立了一个孢粉组合,即Pterisisporites-Ephedripites-Ulmaceae组合。该组合以凤尾蕨科和麻黄科花粉占优势,榆科有一定含量为其主要特征,并通过对一些重要分子的地质时代分布及与邻区相关孢粉组合进行对比,确定了其时代为古新世,同时讨论了该孢粉植物群所反映的古气候特点。     

Identifying bipolar knapping in the Mesolithic site of Font del Ros (northeast Iberia)

Despite recent advances in the identification of bipolar knapping, its role in many sites is not well known. We propose to assess the significance of this technique in the context of changes that occur in the Mesolithic. A lithic assemblage was recovered from unit SG at Font del Ros (Catalunya, Spain) in which pitted stones, cores and products arising from bipolar reduction (flakes, fragments and splintered pieces) were identified. This study indicates that the bipolar technique is fundamental in the settlement. These results are key to defining the organization of Holocene hunter-gatherer subsistence in northeast Iberia.