Biogeographical network analysis of plant species distribution in the Mediterranean region

The delimitation of bioregions helps to understand historical and ecological drivers of species distribution. In this work, we performed a network analysis of the spatial distribution patterns of plants in south of France (Languedoc‐Roussillon and Provence‐Alpes‐Côte d'Azur) to analyze the biogeographical structure of the French Mediterranean flora at different scales. We used a network approach to identify and characterize biogeographical regions, based on a large database containing 2.5 million of geolocalized plant records corresponding to more than 3,500 plant species. This methodology is performed following five steps, from the biogeographical bipartite network construction to the identification of biogeographical regions under the form of spatial network communities, the analysis of their interactions, and the identification of clusters of plant species based on the species contribution to the biogeographical regions. First, we identified two sub‐networks that distinguish Mediterranean and temperate biota. Then, we separated eight statistically significant bioregions that present a complex spatial structure. Some of them are spatially well delimited and match with particular geological entities. On the other hand, fuzzy transitions arise between adjacent bioregions that share a common geological setting, but are spread along a climatic gradient. The proposed network approach illustrates the biogeographical structure of the flora in southern France and provides precise insights into the relationships between bioregions. This approach sheds light on ecological drivers shaping the distribution of Mediterranean biota: The interplay between a climatic gradient and geological substrate shapes biodiversity patterns. Finally, this work exemplifies why fragmented distributions are common in the Mediterranean region, isolating groups of species that share a similar eco‐evolutionary history.     

Fate mapping study of the endoderm in the posterior part of the 1.5-day-old chick embryo

Various endodermal sites posterior to the caudal-most somite were marked in ovo with the vital dye Dil, and the fate of marked endoderm was analyzed after 2 or 3 days' reincubation. The endoderm in this area became gut epithelium posterior to the caudal jejunum and yolk sac. The area occupied by the cells that were to contribute to the dorsal part of the digestive tube lay centrally around the area overlaid by axial and paraxial mesoderm, with the preventral digestive area lying outside with considerable overlapping, which was surrounded by the preyolk sac area. During the formation of the posterior digestive tube, the endoderm was elongated anteroposteriorly to a considerable degree. Cells that contributed to the cloaca and those that produced descendants in the large intestine occupied similar areas posterior to the center of the sinus rhomboidalis, which were included in the pre-ileal area extending more anteriorly. Prejejunal cells generally localized in a more anterior position than pre-ileal cells. Pre-allantoic cells were located in a rather small area around the posterior primitive streak.     

生态经济区划研究——以西北6省为例

汇集西北6省区近300个气象站点的多年气象数据,400多个县市的土地利用和社会经济统计数据,提取降水、气温、湿度、土地利用类型、人口、GDP、矿产资源、产业结构(三次产业)等要素,设计了水热状况、人类活动强度、工业化程度、城镇化程度等指标,借助GIS工具,通过要素指标的空间分异特征研究,构筑指标体系,进行了以县域尺度为最小空间单元的生态经济区划研究。根据西北地区县域尺度上的生态环境状况和人类活动状况,将西北划分为3级27个生态经济区。     

世界生态旅游区划

生态旅游区划是揭示全球尺度生态旅游资源与生态旅游业空间布局的重要手段,有助于从整体上把握世界生态旅游的发展。本文在探讨生态旅游区划定义与理论依据的基础上,提出生态旅游区划的理论基础是地域分异规律与生态学原理,并根据全局谋划、综合分析、主导因索、与行政区协调、兼顾自然区划等原则。将世界生态旅游地域系统划分为6个生态旅游洲、29个生态旅游大区、71个生态旅游区以及若干生态旅游地。文章还对各洲的生态旅游特点进行了阐述。     

中国地貌区划系统——以自然保护区体系建设为目标

地貌类型是重要的自然地理特征,是影响区域生物多样性空间格局变化的重要因子。地貌研究能使人们深入认识地理环境特点,有利于完善对区域自然环境和地域分异规律的认识,同时对生物地理区划和区域自然保护研究也具有很好的参考价值。采用"自上而下"的区域分割和"自下而上"的区域合并的区划方式,以中国地形DEM作为基础,使用GIS10.0对其进行高程重分类、坡度分析等量化分析,并结合现有气候区划、自然地理区划和地貌类型等资料,对中国地貌格局进行了分析。在考虑生物多样性保护过程中以地貌为主体的地理单元差异性基础上,根据分析结果,提出了以区域自然保护区体系构建为目标的中国地貌区划系统,该地貌区划系统包括了东部季风淋蚀地貌大区、西北干燥风蚀地貌大区、青藏高原高寒冻蚀地貌大区、南海诸岛地貌大区等4个地貌大区,大兴安岭、小兴安岭和内蒙古高原等40个地貌地区,完达山、老爷岭和张广才岭等127个地貌亚地区,以及473个地貌区。其地貌区划方案科学构建了区划等级系统,体现了中国地貌类型的基本特征和分布格局,其中地貌大区基本反映了中国大的地貌格局,地貌地区基本反映了高原、山地、平原等地貌特征的水平分异,地貌亚地区和地貌区基本反映了区域地貌特征。中国地貌区划系统为自然保护区体系构建提供了参考和依据,而且区划界线准确,便于使用。     

基于遥感和GIS的巢湖流域生态功能分区研究

生态功能分区是区域自然资源科学管理及可持续发展利用的基础。基于生态功能分区原则,考虑流域——子流域完整性进行巢湖流域生态功能分区。在综合分析巢湖流域生态环境基本特征的基础上,确定生态功能分区原则、依据、方法及命名,基于遥感与GIS在数据采集方面及多层面叠加功能的优势,通过遥感数据对研究区土地利用信息的提取以及利用DEM空间分析进行子流域划分等技术手段,探讨了遥感和GIS技术支持下的研究区子流域生态功能划分方法,形成了巢湖流域生态功能分区方案,将全流域分为5个生态功能区和12个生态功能亚区,并阐明了不同生态功能区的生态保护重点与经济社会发展约束。对于新调整行政区划的巢湖流域生态环境综合治理具有重要的现实意义,可为流域产业布局、生态防灾减灾、环境保护与建设规划等提供科学依据。     

Hidden areas of endemism: Small units in the South-eastern Neotropics

This study aimed to establish if the Lower Río de la Plata Basin (LRPB) wetlands can be considered a biogeographic unit. The species of this area were compiled and segregated according to the habitat, selecting only 87 endemic taxa restricted to the LRPB and linked to wetlands. Distributional data of species obtained from the literature, web databases, biological collections, and field trips were georeferenced. The areas of endemism were established as those areas where the distribution of two or more taxa overlaps in groups of rivers’ sections with geographic continuity and were tested with a cluster analysis. This congruence is due to ecological, geomorphological, and historical factors. Four areas of endemism were found: a broad area that comprises the whole study area (Riverine district), which is divided into three nested smaller areas (Paraguay–Paraná Flooding Valleys, Uruguay Basin, and Paraná Delta subdistricts). Then, we analysed 170 taxa distributions to evaluate the relationship between the study area and the neighbouring biogeographic units. According to the results, the study area belongs to the Paraná biogeographic province. Some areas of endemism are hidden inside broader areas and are hardly detected with the currently used biogeographic grid-methods. We propose to combine the information about ecological requirements of each taxon with its georeferenced records to estimate their areas of distribution as a primary step for searching areas of endemism in intracontinental studies.     

黄土高原生态分区及概况

黄土高原地域广阔,水土流失区域差异显著。为了有效治理水土流失,评估水土流失治理技术和模式及生态恢复建设工程的成效性,需要对黄土高原进行区域划分。依据自然条件、水土流失治理技术和模式的区域性特征及差异,基于国家基础地理信息系统数据的县级行政界,对其进行合并,进行生态分区的划分,并分别统计其气候、地形地貌、植被特征及水土流失现状,以期为黄土高原水土流失治理技术和模式的改良优化提供依据。主要结论如下:(1)黄土高原分为黄土高塬沟壑区,黄土丘陵沟壑区,沙地和农灌区,土石山区及河谷平原区。其中黄土高塬沟壑区和黄土丘陵沟壑区分别划分为两个副区。(2)黄土高原的气候、植被、水土流失具有明显的分区差异。降水和植被覆盖度自东南向西北递减,二者在空间分布上具有很好的一致性,降水量大的分区,植被覆盖度也高。在年际变化方面,丘陵沟壑区B2副区降水量呈增加趋势,其他分区呈减小趋势,变化均不显著。80年代以来,黄土高原和各生态分区的植被覆盖度均逐渐增加,黄土丘陵沟壑区的增加量最大。各分区的面平均气温均呈非显著增加趋势,90年代以来增温明显。(3)1970年以来,黄土高原侵蚀产沙强度减弱趋势显著,至2002—2015年,多年平均输沙模数在0.13—3924 t km~(-2) a~(-1)之间,侵蚀强度最大为中度侵蚀(2500—5000 t km~(-2) a~(-1)),但面积较小,主要分布于第二高塬沟壑区的泾河流域。     

Vertebral evolution and ontogenetic allometry: The developmental basis of extreme body shape divergence in microcephalic sea snakes

Snakes exhibit a diverse array of body shapes despite their characteristically simplified morphology. The most extreme shape changes along the precloacal axis are seen in fully aquatic sea snakes (Hydrophiinae): “microcephalic” sea snakes have tiny heads and dramatically reduced forebody girths that can be less than a third of the hindbody girth. This morphology has evolved repeatedly in sea snakes that specialize in hunting eels in burrows, but its developmental basis has not previously been examined. Here, we infer the developmental mechanisms underlying body shape changes in sea snakes by examining evolutionary patterns of changes in vertebral number and postnatal ontogenetic growth. Our results show that microcephalic species develop their characteristic shape via changes in both the embryonic and postnatal stages. Ontogenetic changes cause the hindbodies of microcephalic species to reach greater sizes relative to their forebodies in adulthood, suggesting heterochronic shifts that may be linked to homeotic effects (axial regionalization). However, microcephalic species also have greater numbers of vertebrae, especially in their forebodies, indicating that somitogenetic effects also contribute to evolutionary changes in body shape. Our findings highlight sea snakes as an excellent system for studying the development of segment number and regional identity in the snake precloacal axial skeleton.