天山云杉森林土壤有机碳沿海拔的分布规律及其影响因素

对森林土壤有机碳库含量的估测及其影响因素的研究一直是学术界关注的热点。在水热梯度上可能会存在森林土壤有机碳的分布规律,但多数在混交林内开展的工作因无法区分群落类型变化的影响而无法准确反映出森林土壤有机碳在水热梯度上的变化规律。天山云杉森林为纯林类型,在天山山脉巨大山体上呈带状分布(平均海拔下限1750 m至平均海拔上限2760m),存在水热梯度,能够排除混交林中群落类型变化对土壤有机碳的影响。因此,在天山云杉森林带按海拔梯度设置系列样地并采样,用重铬酸钾-氧化外加热法测定土壤有机碳含量并研究土壤有机碳密度沿海拔的分布规律,分析水热配比关系与植物群落(生物量)对该规律的影响。结果表明:①1 m深度的标准土壤剖面上,各海拔梯度的土壤有机碳密度随着剖面深度的增加呈减少的趋势;②各海拔梯度的有机碳主要集中在土壤表面0—40 cm范围内,所占的比例约占全剖面的60%—70%,具有明显的表聚现象;③在天山北坡中段云杉森林带的海拔下限到海拔上限标准剖面总土壤有机碳密度出现不显著的先下降后上升再下降的双峰变化,峰值出现在海拔1800—2000 m与海拔2400—2600 m,海拔2600—2800 m的有机碳密度最小;④云杉纯林在不同海拔的平均胸径呈先减少后增加再减少的趋势,与土壤总有机碳密度变化规律较吻合;⑤天山云杉森林土壤有机碳密度沿海拔的变化是水热梯度变化及受其影响的森林长势二者共同作用的结果。     

Effect of Sub-Polar Gyre, North Atlantic Oscillation and ambient temperature on size and abundance in the Icelandic Arctic fox

Animals are exposed to environmental factors that influence their life history and body size. Here we used the Arctic fox ( Vulpes lagopus ) as an indicator of the complex links between largescale environmental variables that influence both marine and tundra trophic dynamics to demonstrate how they affect the fox's body size and abundance. The Arctic fox inhabits throughout Iceland, where it preys mainly on birds. We studied the effects of the Sub-Polar Gyre (SPG), winter and summer North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), mean annual winter and summer temperature, and geographic sector (eastern and western Iceland, which differ in their ecology) on variations in mandible size (6345 specimens) and body mass (2732 specimens) as well as abundance on the Arctic fox in Iceland. We found that (a) SPG index negatively affected male mandible length as well as body mass of both sexes. SPG was also negatively related to fox abundance. (b) Summer NAO had a negative effect on Arctic foxes, that is, cold summers were correlated with shorter mandibles and lower body mass. (c) Winter NAO had a significant negative effect (although weaker than that of summer NAO) on female mandible length, but not on body mass. (d) Summer temperature had a positive effect on female mandible length, but no effect on body mass. However, winter temperature had no effect on either the mandible or body mass. (e) Foxes in the eastern sector had shorter mandibles and were of lighter mass than those in the western sector. We suggest that climate conditions during the growth period of the young affected their final size both directly, by influencing energy metabolism for maintenance, but mainly through their effects on food availability. As far as we are aware, this is the first report that the SPG has an effect on vertebrates, let alone terrestrial ones.     

The change in genetic diversity down the core‐edge gradient in the eastern spadefoot toad (Pelobates syriacus)

Several hypotheses are available to predict change in genetic diversity when approaching peripheral populations. We used the eastern spadefoot toad in Israel as a model system to examine these hypotheses using population genetics analyses and network theory. Our results contradicted most of the predictions from the ‘abundant centre’ model, that edge populations should have lower density and lower genetic diversity than core populations. Furthermore, dispersal rate between core and peripheral populations is expected to be asymmetric, mostly directed outwards from the core population, but we did not detect such a trend. Our data did not support the hypothesis of no change or a non‐linear change in genetic diversity towards the range edge. However, our results did fit the Fisher (The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1930) hypothesis, which predicts increase in genetic variability from core to edge of distribution. We attributed this finding to the much harsher climatic and abiotic conditions at the edge, which must be tolerated over generations by both tadpoles and post‐metamorphic individuals in this region. Finally, our results have significant conservation implications for the survival of this species in Israel, where it is critically endangered. We identified two distinct communities, which are genetically linked through two specific rain pools in the Upper Galilee. Details on the spatial subdivision of this species are cardinal for future management and restoration of temporary wetlands in Israel.     

Genetic diversity patterns in Curcuma reflect differences in genome size

The relationships between genome size and the systematic and evolutionary patterns in vascular plants are equivocal, although a close relationship between genome size and evolutionary patterns has been previously reported. However, several studies have also revealed the dynamic nature of genome size evolution and its considerable ‘ups’ and ‘downs’. Thus, in this study, the phylogenetic relationships among three previously revealed genome size groups and among species of the highly polyploid genus Curcuma were evaluated using AFLP. Our results suggest two main lineages within Indian Curcuma reflecting evolution of genome size. The first one includes hexaploids and higher polyploids of the previously recognized genome size group I, and the second one includes mainly hexaploids of genome size groups II and III. Within genome size group I, relationships among species seem to be influenced by reticulate evolution and higher polyploids are likely to be of allopolyploid origin. Reproductive systems in Indian Curcuma vary considerably among ploidy levels and these differences considerably affect morphological and genetic variation. In general, clonally reproducing species are expected to exhibit low genotypic diversity, but, at the same time, species of allopolyploid origin are expected to maintain higher levels of heterozygosity compared with their progenitors. We investigated intra‐populational genetic variability in Curcuma spp. to evaluate whether mode of reproduction or ploidy represent the main factor influencing the degree of genetic diversity. We found that hexaploid species exhibited significantly higher genetic diversity than higher polyploids (9x, 15x). Our results suggest that this genetic diversity pattern is largely influenced by the mode of reproduction, as higher polyploids reproduce exclusively vegetatively, whereas hexaploids reproduce mainly sexually. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 165 , 388–401.     

Mammalian superorders

The superordinal level can be used to great advantage in the taxonomy of mammals and other groups. Of the two cohorts of placental mammals, the Unguiculata is divided into six superorders: Archonta (Gregory's Archonta plus Lipotyphla), Glires, Ferae (including Delta-theridia and Carnivora), Paratheria (Edentata and Pholidota), Ganodonta, and an unnamed group for the Lagomorpha plus Anagalida. The cohort Ungulata is divided much as in Simpson (1945), with an additional superorder (Mutica) for the whales and with a superorder Amblypoda, separate from the Paenungulata, and corresponding to Romer's (1966) order of that name.