Sexual selection and ecological generalism are correlated in antbirds

Sexual selection is thought to counteract natural selection on the grounds that secondary sexual traits are inherently costly and evolve at the expense of naturally selected traits. It is therefore commonly predicted that increased sexual selection is associated with decreased physiological tolerance or ecological plasticity. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we test this prediction by exploring relationships between traits assumed to be sexually selected (plumage dichromatism and song structure) and traits assumed to be naturally selected (altitudinal range and habitat range) in a diverse family of tropical birds. Contrary to expectations, we find that taxa with higher levels of dichromatism, and lower song pitch, occupy a wider variety of habitats and elevations. In other words, indices of sexual selection are positively related to two standard measures of ecological generalism. One interpretation of this pattern is that sexual selection combines synergistically with natural selection, thereby increasing physiological tolerance or the propensity to adapt to novel environments. An alternative possibility is that ecological generalism increases population density, which in turn promotes sexual selection in the form of greater competition for mates. Overall, our results suggest that a synergism between natural selection and sexual selection may be widespread, but the processes underlying this pattern remain to be investigated.     

云南哀牢山地区蕨类植物区系的垂直分布格局

根据大尺度的物种分布信息,利用聚类分析和数理统计的方法分析了云南哀牢山蕨类植物区系的垂直分布格局。研究结果表明,随着海拔的升高,热带区系成分所占比重呈显著递减趋势,而温带区系成分所占比重呈明显递增趋势。在整个海拔梯度上,东亚分布和热带亚洲分布成分始终占主导地位。区系过渡性随着海拔的升高呈先增强后减弱的单峰分布格局,平衡点出现于海拔1700 m左右。基于区系成分比重的聚类分析表明,在海拔1300 m,1900 m和2600 m左右,将海拔梯度上的蕨类植物分为4组,这与各海拔段内的物种组成和区系成分性质是一致的。     

Morphological variation in Puya (Bromeliaceae): an allometric study

A group of representative species of the genus Puya was studied to determine if there are allometric relationships between vegetative and floral parts, whether these relationships correlate with their pollination system and if plant size is correlated with elevation and latitude. Fifty-three species representing the morphological variation and distribution of the genus were studied. Total plant height, as well as leaf, inflorescence, petal and sepal length were measured and these data subjected to univariate and multivariate analyses. To test for correlation between plant size and altitudinal and latitudinal distribution, ANOVAs were performed. When the pollination system of a species is known, additional multivariate and univariate analyses were also performed. The results indicate that the characters studied are correlated with a size component, exhibiting positive allometry for sepal and petal length and negative allometry for leaf length. Inflorescence length is an isometric character. There was no significant correlation between plant size and altitudinal or latitudinal distribution. The ANOVAs show that the only character correlated to pollinator type was petal length. Small plants with small flowers are correlated to pollinators such as insects, while medium to large plants with medium to large-sized flowers are correlated with pollinators such as birds and bats. Large plants have small flowers, that are more evident and attract more pollinators.     

四川巴郎山齿果酸模叶片氮素及其分配的海拔响应

在卧龙自然保护区, 按海拔梯度选择了齿果酸模(Rumex dentatus)的4个分布地点(2350、2700、3150和3530 m), 对各研究地点的齿果酸模进行了叶片光合、扩散导度、叶片碳稳定同位素组成(δ¹³C)、氮素含量、光合氮利用效率(PNUE)、比叶面积(SLA))等参数的测量, 以期揭示该植物叶片氮素、氮素分配情况及其他生理生态参数随海拔的响应趋势, 进而明确氮素及其分配在齿果酸模响应和适应海拔梯度环境的生物学过程中的作用。结果表明: 随着海拔的升高, 齿果酸模的叶片单位面积氮含量(N_area)随之增加, 进而光合能力随之增加。随着海拔升高而增加的扩散导度也在一定程度上促进了这一趋势, 这可能是落叶草本植物对于高海拔低温所导致的叶寿命缩短的适应结果。沿着海拔梯度, 植物叶片氮素和扩散导度均通过羧化位点与外界CO₂分压比(P_c/P_a)而间接影响叶片δ¹³C值, 且相比之下, 以氮素为基础的羧化能力对于P_c/P_a的作用更大些, 进而导致齿果酸模叶片δ¹³C随海拔增加; 随着海拔的升高, 齿果酸模叶片将更多的氮素用于防御性结构组织的建设, 这也是SLA和PNUE降低的主要原因; 在光合系统内部, 随着海拔的升高, 植物光合组织增加了用于捕光系统氮素的比例, 使得植物可以更好地利用随海拔升高而增强的光照资源, 进而促进了光合能力的增加。可见, 氮素及其在叶片各系统间(尤其是在光合系统与非光合系统间)的分配方式是齿果酸模适应和响应海拔梯度环境的关键。     

神农架海拔梯度上4种典型森林的乔木叶片功能性状特征

研究植物群落叶片功能性状沿环境梯度的变化可以更好地认识群落对环境的适应机制,海拔梯度在较小的空间范围内浓缩了不同的群落类型和环境梯度,是研究和理解群落与环境关系的理想场所。以神农架海拔梯度上4种典型森林为研究对象,分析了4种典型森林优势乔木树种的LMA、LDMC、N_area、N_mass、叶片厚度及叶片叶绿素含量等主要叶片功能性状随海拔的变化规律及各功能性状之间的相关性,以期从叶片功能性状角度揭示群落适应环境的机制。研究结果表明:在780-1970 m范围内,神农架海拔梯度上典型森林乔木优势种叶片的、N_area和叶片厚度随海拔升高而下降,而海拔2570 m的亚高山针叶林的LMA、N_area和叶片厚度最高,分别为187.37 g/cm²、1.92 g/m²和385.31 um,且针叶林的LMA是常绿阔叶林的2倍、落叶阔叶林的3.7倍;除常绿落叶阔叶混交林的N_mass小于落叶阔叶林外,N_mass随海拔升高(780-2570 m)而下降;海拔最高(2570 m)的针叶林和海拔最低(780 m)的常绿阔叶林的LDMC和叶绿素含量最高,分别为454.93 g/kg、407.64 g/kg和48.84、44.12;而海拔介于二者之间的常绿落叶阔叶混交林和落叶阔叶林的LDMC和叶绿素含量则最低,分别为338.93 g/kg、337.3 g/kg和38.73、38.19。叶片各功能性状之间存在着显著的相关性:叶片厚度与LMA/LDMC及LMA显著正相关。叶片叶绿素含量与N_area显著正相关。LMA与LDMC、N_area、叶片厚度、叶绿素含量显著正相关,LDMC与N_area、叶绿素含量、叶片厚度显著正相关,N_area与叶片厚度、叶绿素含量显著正相关,叶片厚度、叶绿素含量显著正相关。本研究进一步表明,随着海拔梯度上升环境条件的变化,森林群落不同物种功能性状间的相互作用共同决定着森林群落对环境的适应性。     

长白山溪流河岸带森林木本植物多样性沿海拔梯度分布规律

采用样带网格调查方法和α、β多样性指数分析方法,研究了长白山河岸带原始林和次生林群落木本植物多样性沿海拔梯度分布规律及其对采伐干扰的响应.结果表明：不同海拔区域河岸带原始林群落均由11～13个树种组成,其在群落中的地位随海拔升高而发生变化,阔叶树种优势地位逐步被针叶树种所取代,采伐干扰不仅改变了群落树种丰富度及其在群落中的地位,而且使针叶树种取代阔叶树种的趋势有所增强;河岸带原始林群落物种多样性沿海拔梯度呈现出中、低海拔区域相对较高且比较恒定(2.454～2.544),高海拔区域(2.250)下降的分布规律,采伐干扰改变了其沿海拔梯度分布格局(波动型),加大了不同海拔区域群落间的波动性(2.174～2.692);河岸带原始林群落树种沿海拔梯度的变动速率相对较低(1.5～3.5),且群落相似性较高(0.85～0.94),采伐干扰使次生林群落树种沿海拔梯度的变动幅度增大(0.5～6.0),群落相似性下降(0.68～0.91),但次生林群落沿海拔梯度分布仍具有较高连续性.     

河北小五台山北坡植物物种多样性的垂直梯度变化

通过野外群落调查,分析了小五台山北坡植物物种多样性的垂直梯度变化。结果表明：(1)小五台山北坡的物种丰富度随海拔的升高逐渐减小,物种组成趋于简单,乔木树种渐少。d多样性指数变化较小,但呈现出随海拔升高先增大、后减小的趋势。(2)β多样性指数很好地反映了群落之问的变化。相异系数峰值出现在海拔1．400-1500m处灌丛向森林的过渡带和海拔2600—2700m处森林向亚高山草甸的过渡带。海拔1400-1500m处出现的Cody指数极大值反映了灌丛群落向森林群落的变化,而Cody指数在海拔2100—2200m的极大值反映了阔叶林和针叶林之间的过渡。(3)作为小五台山两种最为重要的阔叶树种,白桦(Betula platyphylla)和红桦(Betula albosinensis)沿海拔梯度出现明显的替代现象,随着海拔的升高,白桦逐渐为红桦所取代。     

Correlated changes in thermotolerance traits and body color phenotypes in montane populations of Drosophila melanogaster: analysis of within- and between-population variations

Thermotolerance traits vary across geographical gradients but there is a lack of clinal variation in some Drosophila species. Thus, it is not clear whether thermotolerance or other correlated traits are the target of natural selection. In order to test selection responses, we investigated body melanization and thermotolerance traits in six altitudinal populations of Drosophila melanogaster . Based on rearing different geographical populations under uniform growth conditions at 21 °C (common garden experiments), clinal variations for cold resistance are in the direction opposite to heat resistance along an altitudinal gradient, that is darker flies from highland populations evidenced higher levels of cold resistance while lowland populations showed higher heat resistance. Phenotypic plastic responses for body melanization at 17–28 °C showed significant correlations with thermotolerance traits. At 17 °C, regression coefficients as a function of altitude are highly significant and positive for cold resistance but negative for heat knockdown. However, for flies reared at 28 °C, there is no elevational change in melanization as well as thermotolerance traits. Thus, both genetic and plastic changes of body melanization and thermotolerance traits suggest a correlated selection response. Further, within-population analyses of body melanization (based on dark, intermediate and light color phenotypes) showed significant associations with thermotolerance traits. Correlated variations in body melanization and thermal tolerances are associated with climatic thermal variability ( T _cv) but not with T _min. or T _max. along an altitudinal gradient.     

Combined effects of local environment and continental biogeography on the distribution of Ostracoda

Summary 1. The relationship between altitudinal gradients on small spatial scales and latitudinal gradients on broader scales has been repeatedly recognised in the biogeography of animals and plants. However, little is known about this topic in the ecology and biogeography of ostracod communities in Mediterranean flowing waters or the factors underlying these spatial patterns. 2. We analysed the ostracod assemblages of near‐natural headwater streams in the Betic and Pre‐Betic Mountains in the southern Iberian Peninsula to decipher the most important environmental gradients structuring ostracod communities on a local scale. In addition, the European altitudinal and latitudinal distributions of the most commonly found species were analysed with GIS and regression models to compare geographical effects from local to continental scales. 3. Forty sampling sites, distributed among six catchments and ranging in altitude between 150 and 1940 m a.s.l., were sampled seasonally. Limnological and geographical information was also recorded for each sample. Seventeen ostracod species were found, two of which were new findings for the Iberian Peninsula: Potamocypris fulva and Cypria reptans. The most common species were Potamocypris zschokkei, Candona neglecta, Herpetocypris brevicaudata, Cyclocypris ovum, Potamocypris villosa and Pseudocandona albicans. The distribution of these species in 918 European locations was analysed to test the hypothesised change in altitudinal distribution with varying latitude. 4. The best subset of logistic and linear regression models, selected by means of the information‐theoretic approach, found that oxygen content and the variables related with substratum and discharge were the most important variables with a negative influence on ostracod presence, abundance and species richness on a local scale. These findings suggest that the negative effect on benthic invertebrates of physical disturbances relates to high flow velocity and turbulences. 5. Multivariate ordination methods show how altitude and water chemistry are the most important variables to explain the distribution of ostracod assemblages on the small spatial scale. On a larger scale, differences in latitudinal distribution throughout Europe were significant for the six most common species found in Granada. In addition, four of these showed significant negative linear relationships between latitude and altitude in Europe, supporting the important effect of climate on local and continental scale distributions. While ostracod biogeographies are still poorly known, our results indicate the influence of Quaternary climate variability on ostracod dynamic colonisation and extinction in Europe in accordance with species‐specific temperature and water chemistry preferences.