Patterns of tree species richness in Jalisco,Mexico: relation to topography,climate and forest structure

The objective of this study was to identify the major environmental variables and components of forest structure associated with variability in tree species richness on a network of 806 permanent plots in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. Tree data recorded on the sample plots were used to characterize tree species richness by forest type and climatic conditions (temperature and precipitation) in the State. Species composition and other diversity indices were also calculated. Explanatory variables identified in a Poisson regression identified forest cover type, elevation, tree basal area, canopy closure, and winter precipitation as being important to changes in tree species richness. An “extreme quantile curve estimation” approach was then used to approximate the boundary that represented the maximum potential species richness response to the various levels of important variables. Maximum tree species richness decreased with increasing elevation. The relationships between maximum species richness and tree basal area, canopy closure, and winter precipitation followed a hump-back unimodal model, with intermediate values supporting the largest species richness. We believe that results of the current study will contribute to further development of a conservation plan for tree species in the State of Jalisco, Mexico.     

Differential diameter-size effects of forest management on tree species richness and community structure: implications for conservation

In this paper we tested the hypothesis that logging effects in the adult tree community reverberate upon the regeneration contingent. We examined the differences on the tree community between forest reserves and 10 year-old logged areas in the Yucatan Peninsula. We used a paired design in three independent sites to estimate the effects of logging on tree species richness, diversity, composition and structure. Analyses were conducted differentiating individuals of four diameter-size classes: 1–5, 5–10, 10–25, and >25 cm DBH. We found out that there were differential effects by size. Species richness in the smaller and larger diameter-size classes was significantly lower in logged areas. Floristic composition was also different between logged and unlogged areas, with a trend towards more secondary forest associated species and less primary forest associated species in logged areas, and a higher density of species represented by a single individual in unlogged reserves. In terms of structure, trees DBH <10 cm, lianas, and re-sprouting stumps were more abundant in logged areas. Our findings suggest that 10 years after logging, harvested areas show alterations in structure, and potentially a reduction in species richness. We suggest that to make timber extraction and forest conservation compatible at this site, it is necessary to gain a better understanding of the ecology and regeneration requirements of the less abundant species, and to assess whether current logging practices might hinder their permanence in the study area.     

Patterns of tree species richness in relation to environment in southeastern New South Wales,Australia

Abstract We present regression models of species richness for total tree species, two growth forms, rainforest trees (broadleaf evergreens) and eucalypts (sclerophylls), and two large subgenera of Eucalyptus. The correlative models are based on a data set of 166 tree species from 7208 plots in an area of southeastern New South Wales, Australia. Eight environmental variables are used to model the patterns of species richness, four continuous variables (mean annual temperature, rainfall, radiation and plot size), plus four categorical factors (topographic position, lithology, soil nutrient level and rainfall seasonality). Generalized linear modelling with curvilinear and interaction terms, is used to derive the models. Each model shows a significant and differing response to the environmental predictors. Maximum species richness of eucalypts occurs at high temperatures, and intermediate rainfall and radiation conditions on ridges with aseasonal rainfall and intermediate nutrient levels. Maximum richness of rainforest species occurs at high temperatures, intermediate rainfall and low radiation in gullies with summer rainfall and high nutrient levels. The eucalypt subgenera models differ in ways consistent with experimental studies of habitat preferences of the subgenera. Curvilinear and interaction terms are necessary for adequate modelling. Patterns of richness vary widely with taxonomic rank and growth form. Any theories of species diversity should be consistent with these correlative models. The models are consistent with an available energy hypothesis based on actual evapotranspiration. We conclude that studies of species richness patterns should include local (e.g. soil nutrients, topographic position) and regional (e.g. mean annual temperature, annual rainfall) environmental variables before invoking concepts such as niche saturation.     

Occurrence of epiphytic macrolichens in relation to tree species and age in managed boreal forest

For the maintenance of biodiversity some epiphytic macrolichens have been used to identify forests with high conservation value. To understand what these macrolichens indicate, we studied the relationships of tree species and age with the abundance of a set of 33 macrolichens (20 of them in use as indicator species) at 90 localities in a 150 km² area in south-central Sweden.
We sampled the four most common tree species Scots pine Pinus sylvestris. Norway spruce Picea abies , birch Betula spp, and aspen Populus tremula for macrolichens at 0-2 m from the base. Of the 33 target species we found 17, six of them were indicators in use for this region. In 30, out of 40 tested, cases there was a positive relation between lichen abundance and age of the tree.
On all tree species the number of the studied lichen species increased with age. The colonisation rate of the species was fastest on birch. All species occurring on birch were also found on at least one of the coniferous trees, while aspen had six species not found on other trees. Pine and spruce with a slow growth rate had more signal lichen species than fast growing trees.
We could not detect a competitive situation between common and rare species as the most abundant or largest lichens did not exclude other species. The length of the longest fruticose lichen was positively correlated with the number of species on the tree. Shade had a negative effect on the number of species.
We conclude that the indicator macrolichens encountered in this study showed a preference for old trees or aspens. This result, and the low number of indicator species, points at the importance of promoting these trees for the preservation of biodiversity in the boreal forest.     

Drivers of within-tree leaf trait variation in a tropical planted forest varying in tree species richness

In plant ecology, community-weighted trait means are often used as predictors for ecosystem functions. More recently, also within-species trait variation has been confirmed to contribute to ecosystem functioning. We here go even further and assess within-individual trait variation, assuming that every leaf in a plant individually adjusts to its micro-environment. Using forest plots varying in tree species richness (Sardinilla experiment, Panama), we analysed how leaf traits within individual trees vary along the vertical crown gradient. Furthermore, we tested whether niche partitioning in mixed stands results in a decrease of within-species leaf trait variation and whether niche partitioning can be also observed at the level of individual trees. We focused on leaf traits that describe the growth strategy along the conservative-acquisitive spectrum of growth. We found a decrease in within-species variation of specific leaf area (SLA) with increasing neighbourhood species richness. Both sampling height and local neighbourhood richness contributed to explaining within-species leaf trait variation, which however, varied in importance among different species and traits. With increasing sampling height, leaf dry matter content (LDMC), carbon to nitrogen ratio and lignin content increased, while leaf nitrogen concentration (leaf N), SLA, cellulose and hemicellulose decreased. Variation in leaf N decreased with increasing neighbourhood species richness, while the magnitude of within-individual variation of most traits was unaffected by neighbourhood species richness. Our results suggest an increased niche partitioning with increasing species richness both in a plant community and at the level of individual plants. Our findings highlight the importance of including within-individual trait variation to understand biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships.     

Response of early and late semiarid seral species to nitrogen and phosphorus gradients

Above- and below-ground biomass production, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) tissue concentrations, and root: shoot ratios were examined for five species that are characteristic of a semiarid successional sequence under controlled greenhouse conditions. In two simultaneous experiments, seedlings of one forb, two grass, and two shrub species important in a sagebrush successional sere, were subjected to seven levels of N and P. Results of the experiments suggest distinct differences in nutrient response patterns between early and late seral species. Early seral species produced more biomass but had lower tissue nutrient concentrations than late seral species. As N and P availabilities decreased, late seral species displayed characteristics indicative of increasing competitive advantage over those of early seral species. Root: shoot ratios of the five species primarily reflected patterns related to lifeform, but with some early and late seral characteristics. Results from this study 1) confirm that nutrient use pattern, nutrient availability, and seral position relationships characteristic of mesic ecosystems hold equally true for semiarid systems, and 2) suggest that nutrients are important organizing factors in semiarid ecosystems.     

A seasonal evergreen forest in Belize: unusually high tree species richness for northern Central America

Most of the undisturbed forests of northern Central America remain undescribed. Some studies predict that tree species richness in lowland forests of northern Central America should be much lower than in similar forest types in southern Central America. This paper describes the physical and biological structure of two permanent, one-hectare plots on a valley floor in the Bladen Nature Reserve, Belize and compares these plots with other forests in the Neotropics. The plots have 91 and 89 species of trees ≥ 10 cm diameter (327 and 358 individuals, respectively) and comparable or higher measures of alpha-diversity than other such forests in Central America. The recorded tree species richness from other forests in northern Central America may be lower than those in southern Belize. The plots are dominated by Mortoniella pittieri Woodson (Apocynaceae), a disjunct from Costa Rica and Nicaragua. More than 50% of the tree species have distributions ranging into Bolivia or Peru, and >75% are wide-ranging species. The plots have a lower tree density and a higher proportion of large trees (>70 cm dbh) than other wet Neotropical forests. Like other Neotropical forests, tree species in the plots are generally aggregated and have a high proportion of vertebrate-dispersed fruits. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 138 , 275–296.     

Host preferences and differential contributions of deciduous tree species shape mycorrhizal species richness in a mixed Central European forest

Mycorrhizal species richness and host ranges were investigated in mixed deciduous stands composed of Fagus sylvatica, Tilia spp., Carpinus betulus, Acer spp., and Fraxinus excelsior. Acer and Fraxinus were colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizas and contributed 5% to total stand mycorrhizal fungal species richness. Tilia hosted similar and Carpinus half the number of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungal taxa compared with Fagus (75 putative taxa). The relative abundance of the host tree the EM fungal richness decreased in the order Fagus > Tilia >> Carpinus. After correction for similar sampling intensities, EM fungal species richness of Carpinus was still about 30–40% lower than that of Fagus and Tilia. About 10% of the mycorrhizal species were shared among the EM forming trees; 29% were associated with two host tree species and 61% with only one of the hosts. The latter group consisted mainly of rare EM fungal species colonizing about 20% of the root tips and included known specialists but also putative non-host associations such as conifer or shrub mycorrhizas. Our data indicate that EM fungal species richness was associated with tree identity and suggest that Fagus secures EM fungal diversity in an ecosystem since it shared more common EM fungi with Tilia and Carpinus than the latter two among each other.     

Seedling growth of five tropical dry forest tree species in relation to light and nitrogen gradients

Aims Increasing anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition has been claimed to induce changes in species composition and community dynamics. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to examine the effect of increased N availability on growth and functional attributes of seedlings of five tree species with different life history characteristics under varying irradiances. The following questions have been addressed: (i) how do the pioneer and non-pioneer species respond in absolute growth and relative growth rate (RGR) to the interaction of light and nitrogen? (ii) how does the interaction between irradiance and nitrogen availability modulate growth attributes (i.e. functional attributes)? (iii) is there any variation in growth responses between leguminous and non-leguminous species along the light and nitrogen gradients?Methods Seedlings of five tree species (Acacia catechu, Bridelia retusa, Dalbergia sissoo, Lagerstroemia parviflora and Terminalia arjuna) were subjected to twelve combinations of irradiance and N levels. Various growth traits, including height (HT), basal area (BA), whole plant dry biomass (M D), leaf mass per unit area (LMA), leaf area ratio (LAR), net assimilation rate (NAR), RGR, biomass fractions, root-to-shoot ratio (R:S) and leaf nitrogen content, were studied to analyse intra- and inter-specific responses to interacting light and N gradients.Important findings Significant interactions for irradiance and N availability for majority of growth attributes indicates that growth and biomass allocation of seedlings were more responsive to N availability under high irradiance. However, species responded differentially to N addition and they did not follow successional status. Slow growers (B. retusa, a shade-tolerant species and L. parviflora, a light demander) exhibited greater response to N enrichment than the fast growers (A. catechu, D. sissoo and T. arjuna). However, N-mediated increment in growth traits was greater in non-legumes (B. retusa, L. parviflora and T. arjuna) compared with that of legumes (A. catechu and D. sissoo). Allocation of biomass to root was strongly suppressed at the highest N supply across species; however, at high irradiance and high N availability, a greater suppression in R:S ratio was observed for B. retusa. NAR was a stronger determinant of RGR relative to LAR, suggesting its prominent role in increased RGR along increasing irradiances. Overall, a higher growth response of slow-growing species to elevated N levels, particularly the non-pioneers (B. retusa and L. parviflora) suggests that future N deposition may lead to perturbations in competition hierarchies and species composition, ultimately affecting community dynamics in nutrient-poor tropical dry forests.     

Shoot life span in relation to successional status in deciduous broad-leaved tree species in a temperate forest

In trees, leaf life span is closely related to successional status. Although leaves are attached to shoots, shoot life span has been insufficiently studied in the context of ecological systems. Interspecific variation in shoot survivorship was investigated over 27 months in 15 temperate hardwood tree species. Relationships between shoot architecture and shoot survival were also investigated. Shoot life span was shortest in early successional species, and longest in late successional species, in each of the families Betulaceae and Fagaceae. In Salicaceae, all of which were early successional species, shoot life span was longer in mountainous than in riparian species. Early successional or riparian species distributed longer shoots densely, even in proximal positions on mother shoots, resulting in mutual shading and consequent early and massive shoot shedding. By contrast, late successional or mountainous species concentrated shoots in distal positions, allowing shoots to receive equally favorable light, resulting in a longer life span. These results reveal close relationships between shoot life span and environmental resource availability or successional status and suggest a causal relationship between shoot shedding and shoot architecture.     

马尾松人工林林窗大小对两种凋落叶难降解物质含量的影响

林窗通过改变森林微环境及土壤环境而影响凋落物难降解物质的降解, 目前关于人工林林窗对凋落物分解过程中难降解物质影响的研究较少。该文采用凋落物分解袋法, 以马尾松(Pinus massoniana)人工林人工砍伐形成的7个不同面积的林窗(G1: 100 m²、G2: 225 m²、G3: 400 m²、G4: 625 m²、G5: 900 m²、G6: 1225 m²、G7: 1600 m²)为研究对象, 以林下为对照, 研究了林窗大小对两种乡土树种——樟(Cinnamomum camphora)和红椿(Toona ciliata)凋落叶分解过程中难降解物质(木质素、纤维素、总酚、缩合单宁)含量的影响。结果表明: 1)林窗大小对林窗中心红椿凋落叶缩合单宁、总酚、木质素的含量有显著影响, 对其纤维素含量和樟凋落叶中4种难降解物质含量均无显著影响。随着林窗面积的增大, 红椿凋落叶中除纤维素含量外的其余3种难降解物质含量, 中小型林窗(G1-G5, G1: 100 m², G2: 225 m², G3:400 m², G4: 625 m², G5: 900 m²)低于大型林窗(G6、G7, G6: 1225 m², G7: 1600 m²)。2)林窗不同位置, 只有红椿凋落叶中缩合单宁含量林窗中心显著低于边缘, 其余难降解物质含量和樟凋落叶中4种难降解物质含量均无显著差异。樟凋落叶的木质素含量在G3林窗显著低于林下; 红椿凋落叶除纤维素含量外的其余难降解物质含量, 中小型林窗从林窗中心到边缘均显著低于林下。3)随着分解时间的延长, 两种凋落叶都表现出缩合单宁、纤维素含量降低, 木质素含量升高, 总酚含量先升高后降低的变化趋势。研究结果表明: 中小型林窗(100-900 m²)较大面积林窗干扰更有利于凋落叶中难降解物质的降解, 而林窗内的环境异质性应该是凋落物中难分解物质分解动态的主要调控因子, 并且这种效应依赖于初始凋落物质量。     

Drivers of understorey biomass: tree species identity is more important than richness in a young forest

林下生物量影响因素：幼龄林树种特性比丰富度更重要 生物多样性与生态系统功能的正相关关系已被广泛报道,其主要来源于对草原生态系统的研究。然而,该结论并不一定适用于更复杂的环境,例如具有不同垂直层次的森林。举例而言,已有研究表明上层乔木树种丰富度与林下生产力降低有关。树种丰富度是否会通过增加(由于生境异质性)或降低(通过增强竞争)资源的可利用性进而影响林下生产力,以及林下生产力是否受树种特性的影响更大,这些影响机制都可能会随着时间的推移而改变。此外,研究还表明,丰富度-生产力关系随着环境背景的变化而改变。本研究利用可以操控树种丰富度的实验林场研究了这些不同垂直层位里的时间和环境动态。在中国亚热带森林生物多样性与生态系统功能(BEF-China)研究计划的框架下,我们在3年时间里沿树种丰富度梯度反复采集林下生物量样本,研究了不同环境处理中树种丰富度、树种特性和时间对林下生物量的影响。尽管我们发现乔木层特性对林下生物量有显著和一致的影响,但是树种丰富度对后者却不具有这种影响。另外,在森林结构层之间,可能并不存在单一的、具有普遍性的上层乔木树种丰富度与林下生产力的相关关系,并且与上层乔木相关的环境因素(如透光率)对林下生产力的贡献程度会随着时间而变化。总体而言,我们的结果表明,在研究森林结构层之间的关系时应将时间动态变化考虑在内。     

阿尔泰山小东沟林区乔木物种丰富度空间分布规律

对一定区域内生物多样性的合理保护往往需要在景观水平上了解生物多样性分布的总体规律.借助于典型抽样调查和遥感及地理信息系统相结合的方法来预测物种丰富度是定量研究生物多样性宏观分布规律的重要途径.以阿尔泰山小东沟林区为对象,在外业调查的基础上,选取主要气象因子、地形因子和植被指数(NDVI)作为预测变量,利用主成分分析和多元回归分析分别提取主要环境信息和构建物种丰富度预测模型,借助ArcGIS9.1的空间分析功能,得到了阿尔泰山小东沟林区乔木物种丰富度空间分布预测图,并利用残差图评价其精度.将小东沟乔木物种丰富度预测图分别与坡度、坡向和海拔图叠加,分析不同地形条件下乔木物种丰富度的空间分布规律.结果表明:占总研究区面积70.28％的区域,其乔木物种丰富度在3到4种之间.坡度0-5°的地形条件下乔木物种丰富度出现频率最高的数值是3,其余坡度条件下,乔木物种丰富度出现频率最高的数值是4;乔木物种丰富度在西坡和西北坡出现频率最高的数值是3,其余坡向乔木物种丰富度出现频率最高的数值均是4;海拔梯度上,乔木物种丰富度出现频率最高的数值呈现先增加后减少的趋势.残差类型面积统计表明,较强预测水平面积和中等预测水平面积占研究区总面积的94.62％,表明预测效果较好.     

A central Amazonian terra firme forest. I. High tree species richness on poor soils

Tree size, density, and species richness were established for three one-hectare plots of terra firme forest in central Amazonian Brazil. In the three hectares, 1916 individual trees with DBH 10 cm were sampled. A total of 58 families, 181 genera, and 513 species were determined. Hectare A had 285 species, 138 genera, and 47 families; hectare B 280 species, 123 genera, and 48 families; and hectare C 280 species, 125 genera, and 44 families. Comparably high species richness in Amazonia has heretofore only been reported from western Amazonia. This dispels the idea that high species richness can only develop in areas with rich soils and relatively high rainfall. It is suggested that such high species richness is the result of a combination of habitat heterogeneity and geological history. These high diversity forests, because they occur on nutrient poor soils, can be protected with little or no impact on development in the region because the soils are essentially useless for agriculture and for supporting long-term cattle pasture.     

Recovery of species richness and conservation of native Atlantic forest trees in the cacao plantations of southern Bahia in Brazil

The Atlantic forests of southern Bahia in Brazil present great species richness and a high degree of endemism. A large part of these native forests were transformed into cacao plantations in an agroforestry system known locally as cabrucas, where native trees were culled and cacao was planted under the shade of remaining trees. The present study analyzed the influence of time of implantation (age) and time of abandonment of management practices on tree species diversity of cabruca plantations to evaluate the capacity for conservation and recovery of species richness of native Atlantic Forest trees in cabrucas. Phytosociological surveys were conducted in five cabrucas with different conditions of age and state of abandonment. All trees, including hemiepiphytes and excluding the cacao plants, with a minimum stem diameter of 10 cm at breast height, were surveyed within a 3-ha sampling area in each plantation. A total of 2514 individual trees belonging to 293 species and 52 families were recorded in the five cabrucas. The Shannon diversity index varied from 3.31 to 4.22 among the cabrucas and was positively correlated with the time of abandonment (r = 0.97). The new cabrucas showed the highest values of estimated total richness (Chao) and the highest proportion of late successional species than the old ones. All areas preserved a very high proportion of native forest species while the three old cabrucas showed a higher proportion of exotic species than the two new ones. Thus the exotic species seem to replace more of the native species in the long run because of management practices and local preferences. The cabrucas presented also a high capacity for the regeneration of tree species richness after abandonment. Simple alterations in management practices could improve the recruitment of late successional species in these areas. Economic incentives may be necessary for the farmers to adopt management practices to retain native species which bring no economic returns.     

Effects of forest gap size on litter recalcitrant components of two tree species in Pinus massoniana plantations

Aims The objective of the study was to evaluate the dynamics of recalcitrant components during foliar litter decomposition at different forest gap size in Pinus massoniana plantation in the low hilly land, Sichuan basin. Methods The experiment was set up by thinning P. massoniana plantation to establish seven different gap sizes (G1: 100 m², G2: 225 m², G3: 400 m², G4: 625 m², G5: 900 m², G6: 1225 m², G7: 1600 m²). The contents of four recalcitrant components (condensed tannins, total phenol, lignin, cellulose) in foliar litter of two native species (Cinnamomum camphora and Toona ciliata) placed in litterbags at different locations in the forest gaps were evaluated. The litterbags placed under closed canopy were used as the control. Litterbags with air-dried leaves of C. camphora and T. ciliata were placed at center, edge of the gap and under the closed canopy in November 2013, and collected in December 2013, February 2014, May 2014 and August of 2014 for lab analysis. Important findings The results showed that: 1) Forest gap size had significant effect on the content of condensed tannins, total phenol and lignin for T. ciliata in gap center. However, the forest gap size had no significant effect on the content of recalcitrant components in the litters of C. camphora and cellulose content of T. ciliata. With the increase of gap size, except for cellulose content, the other three recalcitrant components content in small and medium sized gaps (G1-G5) were significant lower than in large gaps (G6, G7). 2) The condensed tannis content of T. ciliata at the gap center were significant lower than at the gap edge. The lignin contents at gap center of G3 was significant reduced in the C. camphora litter. The condensed tannins, total phenol, and lignin contents of T. ciliata litter in small and medium gaps significantly decreased. 3) The contents of the four recalcitrant components in both species’ foliar litter changed with time. The contents of condensed tannins and cellulose decreased and the content of lignin increased significantly with time, however, the total phenol content increased initially, and then decreased. Therefore, small and medium sized gaps (100-900 m²) could be the optimal gap sizes to promote the degradation of litter recalcitrant components for two native species in P. massoniana plantations.     

Fern richness,tree species surrogacy,and fragment complementarity in a Mexican tropical montane cloud forest

We related pteridophytes versus tree species composition to identify surrogate measures of diversity, and complementarity of seven cloud forest fragments. Forest structure, and fern and tree composition were determined in 70 (2 × 50 m) transects. Fern density (10,150–25,080 individuals/ha) differed among sites. We recorded 83 fern species in the transects. Nonparametric richness estimators indicated that more sampling effort was needed to complete fern inventories (14 more species). However, ferns recorded outside of the transects increased richness to 103 species (six more species than predicted). Twenty-eight species were unique and rare due to special habitat requirements (Diplazium expansum, Hymenophyllum hirsutum, Melpomene leptostoma, Terpsichore asplenifolia), or were at a geographical distribution edge (Diplazium plantaginifolium, Lycopodium thyoides, Pecluma consimilis, Polypodium puberulum). Correlations between fern richness and tree richness and density were not significant, but were significant between fern richness and fern density, between epiphytic fern density and tree richness and density. Tree richness is not a good surrogate for fern diversity. Only three species were recorded in all fragments (Polypodium lepidotrichum, P. longepinnulatum, P. plebeium); thus fragments pteridophytes compositions are highly complementary, but more similar for ferns than for trees. A regional conservation approach which includes many small reserves needs to focus supplementarity on patterns of tree and fern species richness.     

Species richness and abundance of forest birds in relation to radiation at Chernobyl

The effects of low-level radiation on the abundance of animals are poorly known, as are the effects on ecosystems and their functioning. Recent conclusions from the UN Chernobyl forum and reports in the popular media concerning the effects of radiation from Chernobyl on animals have left the impression that the Chernobyl exclusion zone is a thriving ecosystem, filled with an increasing number of rare species. Surprisingly, there are no standardized censuses of common animals in relation to radiation, leaving the question about the ecological effects of radiation unresolved. We conducted standardized point counts of breeding birds at forest sites around Chernobyl differing in level of background radiation by over three orders of magnitude. Species richness, abundance and population density of breeding birds decreased with increasing level of radiation, even after controlling statistically for the effects of potentially confounding factors such as soil type, habitat and height of the vegetation. This effect was differential for birds eating soil invertebrates living in the most contaminated top soil layer. These results imply that the ecological effects of Chernobyl on animals are considerably greater than previously assumed.