Local predator composition and landscape affects biological control of aphids in alfalfa fields

The biological control service supplied to croplands is a result of the predator community present within a focal crop, which is likely influenced by surrounding landscape composition and configuration. In this study, using cage experiments in two regions near Santiago, we determined if predator communities supplied a significant biological control service in alfalfa fields, examined how the abundance of exotic and native coccinellids, as well as other key predator groups, influenced biological control of aphids and measured how landscape composition and heterogeneity at three spatial scales influenced this service. We found that predators significantly suppressed aphid populations in both regions, but the relative importance of predators versus landscape variables on biological control differed between regions. In the region where predators were abundant, biological control was higher and related to the abundance of native coccinellids and syrphids, highlighting the importance of native species as providers of crucial ecological services. In the region where predators were not abundant, biological control was lower, and it was related to landscape composition, being positively associated with the abundance of woodlots and urban habitats, and negatively associated with fruit crops in the landscape. Therefore, landscape effects on biological control service may be weaker than local factors, and only become important when local predator abundance is low.     

高黎贡山地区雉类多样性及其保护

根据高黎贡山地形和气候变化,将其分为南、中、北三段。通过查阅文献、访谈和野外调查,在该地区共记录到21种雉类。分布在海拔2500m以上的仅有9种,占45%;在海拔2500m以下的地域分布有雉类17种,占85%。北段有雉类13种,中段有11种,南段有12种。其中北、中、南段均有分布的仅有3种,北段和中段共有种为9种,中段和南段共有种为5种,北段和南段共有种也是5种。结果表明雉类多样性随海拔升高而降低,北段高于南段。生境破坏与狩猎是该区雉类生存的主要威胁因子。加强管理,恢复和建立生境走廊,加强宣传教育和执法力度以及开展观鸟旅游,可使该区雉类得到更好的保护。     

白冠长尾雉越冬期栖息地选择的多尺度分析

2000年至2002年冬季,在河南董寨国家级自然保护区对我国特有珍稀雉类白冠长尾雉（Syrmaticus reevesii）越冬期栖息地进行了调查,并结合RS和GIS在多个尺度上对其栖息地选择进行了分析.结果表明,不同尺度上影响白冠长尾雉越冬期栖息地选择的因素存在差异,影响因子之间还存在相互作用.在微生境上,影响因子主要是坡度、乔木盖度以及坡向余弦值与灌木高度的相互作用;在115 m尺度上,关键因子是灌木林、阔叶林和针叶林的面积;250m尺度上,主要因子是针叶林和阔叶林的面积及针叶林与阔叶林面积的相互作用;对于距离因素,到河漫滩和到农田的距离是影响白冠长尾雉越冬期栖息地选择的关键因子.根据回归分析和AIC及AICc值,115 m尺度上栖息地变量对白冠长尾雉越冬期的栖息地选择影响最大.综合分析发现,在较大的尺度上,影响白冠长尾雉越冬期栖息地选择的关键因子有针叶林面积、阔叶林面积、针叶林和灌丛面积的相互作用、到河漫滩的距离以及到农田的距离.     

High error rates for avian molecular sex identification primer sets applied to molted feathers

ABSTRACT Molted feathers are becoming increasingly important as a source of DNA for identifying the sex of individuals, and accurate methods for molecular sex identification are needed. Three molecular sex identification primer sets have been developed for use in nearly all nonratite birds, but performance of these primer sets has not been evaluated for molted feathers. For two species of birds, the Ring‐necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) and the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao), we evaluated success and error rates among primer sets using DNA from molted feathers and assessed the percentage of times an incorrect sex would be assigned when analyses are completed in duplicate. Amplification success rates differed among the primer sets for both species, ranging from 67.5% to 89.2% (P= 0.0002 and 0.009), and error rates were high, ranging from 1.9% to 24.2%. Success rates and error rates were not consistent between species and among primer sets. To improve the accuracy of molecular sex identification tests when using molted feathers, we suggest determining acceptable confidence levels in the accuracy of sex assignment, conducting pilot tests to evaluate the performance of different primer sets, and using high‐resolution electrophoresis systems to increase detection of errors.     

基于线粒体细胞色素b基因序列的虹雉属鸟类的系统发育关系

通过雉科虹雉属(Lophophorus)、角雉属(Tragopan)、勺鸡属(Pucrasia)和血雉属(Ithaginis)7种鸟类的细胞色素b(cyt b)基因序列比较,构建的虹雉属及其近缘属的分子系统树表明：①3种虹雉构成一个单系群(monophyletic group),虹雉属与角雉属、勺鸡属构成一个单系群;②虹雉属内分为白尾梢虹雉,以及棕尾虹雉和绿尾虹雉两个演化枝。综合分子系统学、地理分布格局和形态学的证据,推测虹雉属鸟类起源于中国的横断山脉,其中繁衍生活在原地的一枝演化为白尾梢虹雉;另一枝则分别进入喜马拉雅山区(西)和中国西南部(东),向西的演化为棕尾虹雉,向东的则为绿尾虹雉。     

血雉的产卵时间和产卵间隔

鸟类的产卵时间和产卵间隔因种而异 ,并会影响其繁殖成功。采用在巢内放置含有温度数据自动记录装置的假卵 ,通过记录其温度的变化来监测雌鸟产卵行为的方法 ,对分布于我国青藏高原森林鸟类血雉(Ithaginiscruentus)的产卵时间和产卵间隔进行了研究。结果表明 ,雌鸟每次入巢产卵的时间是在 15 :16± 2 2min (13 :30～ 18:5 1) ,产卵高峰集中在 14:0 0～ 16 :0 0 ,每次在巢中停留 (2 2± 0 2 6 )h。产卵间隔为 (46 4± 3 0 8)h ,大多数 (75 % )产卵间隔 45 8～ 48 9h。由此推测 ,血雉产卵时间较为集中很可能与避开夜行性捕食者的活动高峰有关 ;而隔天产卵则是对高原恶劣环境条件的适应。     

甘肃莲花山蓝马鸡孵卵节律的初步研究

2002～2003年5～6月,应用温度自动监测技术,在甘肃省莲花山自然保护区对蓝马鸡（Crossoptilon auritum）的繁殖及孵卵节律进行了初步研究。蓝马鸡的巢址位于海拔2900—3020m的针阔混交林或灌木林中,蓝马鸡的窝卵数为9．5（n=4）,孵卵期的主要天敌为哺乳类。根据对4个巢的监测,蓝马鸡雌鸟在孵卵期的平均日离巢次数在1．25～4.00次,平均日离巢时间在16.6～46．4min之间。雌鸟的平均在巢率为97.0％（n=3）。根据对4号巢雌鸟孵卵节律连续27d的观测,发现雌鸟在每日离巢2次或3次时,其首次离巢时间要显著早于每日仅离巢1次的时间。     

广东海丰鸟类自然保护区褐翅鸦鹃数量调查

为掌握褐翅鸦鹃(Centropus sinensis)在广东海丰鸟类自然保护区的种群现状,提出有针对性的保护措施,2005年对保护区内褐翅鸦鹃数量行了调查.4个季节中,夏季记录的个体数最多(32只),其样线平均个体数与春季、秋季相比,差异性显著(P＜0.05);夏季种群密度最大,达17.78只,km2,冬季仅为1.11只/km2.单次记录到的多为单只个体.不同季节在3个保护站记录到的褐翅鸦鹃数量存在一定的差异.总体上,东关联安围记录到的个体数最多.     

Susceptibility of a native and an exotic lady beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) to Beauveria bassiana

The exotic multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis, became established and recently spread across much of North America and southern Canada. In a habitat now used by both the invading H. axyridis and a native lady beetle, Olla v-nigrum, we discovered that the native lady beetle was commonly infected by Beauveria bassiana; whereas, the exotic H. axyridis, was not. Laboratory assays revealed that B. bassiana isolates collected from naturally infected O. v-nigrum were pathogenic to adult O. v-nigrum but not to adult H. axyridis. In contrast, the GHA strain of B. bassiana was not significantly pathogenic to O. v-nigrum nor H. axyridis. Late-season field collections revealed significantly higher B. bassiana infection of O. v-nigrum than H. axyridis. Our results lead us to hypothesize that low susceptibility of H. axyridis to B. bassiana (found to infect O. v-nigrum) may provide an intraguild advantage to H. axyridis over O. v-nigrum; this may also occur with other species of native lady beetles and other endemic entomopathogens in different habitats and regions.