Comparative performance of invasive and native <Emphasis Type="Italic">Celastrus</Emphasis> species across environmental gradients

The ability to understand and predict the success of invasive plant species in their new ranges is increased when there is a sympatric native congener available for comparison. Celastrus orbiculatus (oriental bittersweet) is a liana introduced into the United States in the mid-1800s from East Asia as an ornamental plant. Its native congener, Celastrus scandens (American bittersweet), ranges from the east coast of the United States as far west as Wyoming. In the Northeastern United States, C. orbiculatus is continuing to expand its range while C. scandens appears to be in serious decline. One hypothesis for this decline is that C. scandens does not have such a wide range of ecological tolerances in the current landscape as C. orbiculatus, which seems to tolerate a greater range of resource conditions. To investigate this hypothesis, we transplanted these two species into ten sites that spanned a full range of light and soil moisture conditions to compare their establishment and performance in terms of aboveground growth (biomass and height) and mortality. After two years, C. orbiculatus showed significantly lower mortality and greater biomass across all resource conditions compared to C. scandens. In addition, C. orbiculatus preferred more mesic soil moisture conditions, while C. scandens performed better in drier soil moisture conditions. Since much of the Northeastern United States is now forested, this preference for mesic soil conditions could make it more successful than C. scandens in the region. This study shows the utility of manipulative experiments, particularly those using congeneric native species as benchmarks, for assessing the causes and predicting the course of invasions.     

加拿大一枝黄花在安徽合肥的入侵生态因子分析

【目的】研究加拿大一枝黄花入侵区域的入侵格局,分析其入侵性与当地生态环境之间的关系。【方法】通过随机布设样地方法量化了该植物入侵区域的海拔、坡度、植物群落等22个生境因子,并进行主成分分析。【结果】(1)加拿大一枝黄花生境的22个生态因子所含的生态信息可用6个综合因子表征:土壤肥力因子、土壤理化因子、植被因子、复合因子、干扰因子和光源因子;(2)加拿大一枝黄花的发生频率与速效钾、样地中植物总株数、杂草盖度、有机质、植物种数、海拔、坡度、乔木高度、乔木大小、土壤含水率等生态因子呈正相关,但是与水源距、土壤有效磷、土壤全磷、土壤pH呈负相关。【结论】加拿大一枝黄花入侵可能与当地自然环境中的某些生态因子密切相关,生态因子可能对其入侵成功产生抑制或促进作用。本研究有助于明确加拿大一枝黄花入侵的生态因子,为该入侵植物的有效防治提供一定的理论依据。     

Spatial model for predicting the presence of cinnamon fungus (Phytophthora cinnamomi) in sclerophyll vegetation communities in south‐eastern Australia

Abstract The pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi causes extensive ‘dieback’ of Australian native vegetation. This study investigated the distribution of infection in an area of significant sclerophyll vegetation in Australia. It aimed to determine the relationship of infection to site variables and to develop a predictive model of infection. Site variables recorded at 50 study sites included aspect, slope, altitude, proximity to road and road characteristics, soil profile characteristics and vegetation attributes. Soil and plant tissues were assayed for the presence of the pathogen. A geographical information systyem (GIS) was employed to provide accurate estimations of spatial variables and develop a predictive model for the distribution of P. cinnamomi. The pathogen was isolated from 76% of the study sites. Of the 17 site variables initially investigated during the study a logistic regression model identified only two, elevation and sun‐index, as significant in determining the probability of infection. The presence of P. cinnamomi infection was negatively associated with elevation and positively associated with sun‐index. The model predicted that up to 74% of the study area (11 875 ha) had a high probability of being affected by P. cinnamomi. However, the present areas of infection were small, providing an opportunity for management to minimize spread into highly susceptible uninvaded areas.     

Fruit Fate, Seed Germination and Growth of an Invasive Vine – an Experimental Test of ‘sit and Wait’ Strategy

Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.) is a non-indigenous, invasive woody vine in North America that proliferates in disturbed open sites. Unlike most invasive species, C. orbiculatus exhibits a sit and wait strategy by establishing and persisting indefinitely in undisturbed, closed canopy forest and responding to canopy disturbance with rapid growth, often overtopping trees. We compared fruit fates of C. orbiculatus and native American holly (Ilex opaca). We also explored mechanisms for this sit and wait invasion strategy by testing the effect of C. orbiculatus fruit crop density on removal rates and by examining the influence of seed treatment and light intensity on seed germination and seedling growth. More C. orbiculatus than I. opaca fruits became damaged, and damage occurred earlier. More fruit fell from C. orbiculatus than I. opaca, but removal rates by frugivores did not differ (76.0 ± 4.2% vs 87.5 ± 3.7%, respectively). Density (number of fruits in a patch) of C. orbiculatus did not influence removal rates. Scarification (bird-ingestion) of C. orbiculatus seed delayed germination but seeds germinated in similar proportion to manually defleshed seeds (sown either singly or all seeds from a fruit). Germination of seeds within intact fruits was inhibited and delayed compared to other treatments. Seed treatment did not affect seedling growth. The proportion of seeds germinating and time until germination was similar among five light intensity levels, ranging from full sun to closed-canopy. Seedlings in >70% photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) had more leaves, heavier shoots, and longer, heavier roots than seedlings at lower PAR levels. Results show that most (>75%) C. orbiculatus seeds are dispersed, seedlings can establish in dense shade, and plants grow rapidly when exposed to high light conditions. Control strategies for this highly invasive species should likely focus on minimizing seed dispersal by vertebrates.     

Logging and Edaphic Factors in the Invasion of an Asian Woody Vine in a Mesic North American Forest

Factors contributing to an invasion of the Asian woody vine Celastrus orbiculatus in a mesic forested Massachusetts (USA) sanctuary were investigated. Planting germinated C. orbiculatus seeds in the field revealed that, although they tolerate a wide range of conditions, seedlings grow largest in moist circumneutral soil under high irradiance. A study of naturally occurring vines in a logged forest suggested that C. orbiculatus invaded two years after harvest, and invasion may have been triggered by logging disturbance. Vine stems were more abundant on former logging roads than in surrounding selectively logged areas. Former logging roads had a significantly higher soil pH than surrounding areas and, due to the direction of construction, a significantly more southerly aspect. Fourteen years after harvest, logging roads continued to provide this aggressive exotic with superior habitat for establishment and growth.     

Conservation study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Myrsine seguinii</Emphasis> in Japan: current distribution explained by past land use and prediction of distribution by land use-planning simulation

The causes of the current distribution of a warm temperate tree Myrsine seguinii population were studied from topographic, geographical, and historical perspectives, and future land management to conserve this species. The study site is the Tokyo University forest located in Chiba Prefecture, at the northern distribution limit of this species. Presence and absence of individuals was surveyed in 10 × 10 m plots along the census line, making a total of 9,697 plots. The current distribution was modeled by multivariate logistic regression using environmental variables determined based on 10-m mesh digital elevation model (elevation, slope, solar radiation, topographic wetness index, surface curvature), 1-km mesh climatic information, and current (2005) and historic (1900) land-use maps. It was clarified that the current distribution area coincides with a Pinus densiflora forest present by the end of the 19th-century Meiji era, where 88.6% of individuals of M. seguinii were found. Inland suitable areas show small patches distributed among the ridges and mountainsides facing south, decreasing as the average monthly minimum winter temperature decreases. Simulated scenarios showed that in the future the potential distribution area of the studied species would decrease in the case of a complete coverage of Cryptomeria or Chamaecyparis plantation, and the case of evergreen broadleaf forest coverage would be better than these plantations. The strong effect of past land use suggests vulnerability and difficulty in the rapid recovery of M. seguinii population from human disturbance.     

Modeling the establishment of invasive species: habitat and biotic interactions influencing the establishment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bythotrephes longimanus</Emphasis>

Bythotrephes longimanus is an invasive pelagic crustacean, which first arrived in North America from Europe in early 1980s and can now be found throughout the Great Lakes and in many inland lakes and waterways. Determining the suitability of lakes to Bythotrephes establishment is an important step in quantifying its potential habitat range and environmental risk. Lake environmental conditions, planktivorous fishes, sport fishes and Bythotrephes occurrence data from 179 south-central Ontario lakes were used in this study to model lake characteristics suitable for its establishment. The performance of principal component analysis and different predictive models was used to determine the habitats that are suitable for the survival of Bythotrephes and the factors that may regulate its spread. Four modeling approaches were employed: linear discriminant analysis; multiple logistic regression; random forests; and, artificial neural networks. Ensemble prediction based on the four modeling approaches was also used as an indicator for predicting Bythotrephes occurrence. Bythotrephes appears to establish more readily in larger, deeper lakes with lower elevation, that have more sport fishes. Bythotrephes occurrence can be best predicted by artificial neural networks when including the measures of fish data, in addition to lake environmental data. Lake elevation, surface area and sport fish occurrence were ranked as the most important predictors of Bythotrephes invasion. The inclusion of biotic variables (occurrence or diversity of sport or planktivorous fishes) enhanced cross-validated models relative to analyses based on environmental data alone.     

Why does land-use history facilitate non-native plant invasion? A field experiment with Celastrus orbiculatus in the southern Appalachians

Although historic land use is often implicated in non-native plant invasion of forests, little is known about how land-use legacies might actually facilitate invasion. We conducted a 2-year field seeding experiment in western North Carolina, USA, to compare germination and first-year seedling survival of Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. in stands that had been cultivated and abandoned a century earlier and were dominated by tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.), and in paired stands that had never been cultivated and were dominated by oaks (Quercus spp.). Experiments were conducted at five sites with paired tulip poplar and oak stands by varying litter mass (none, low, or high) and litter type (tulip poplar or oak). We also performed reciprocal soil translocations using pots seeded with C. orbiculatus. Soil moisture and temperature were measured throughout the growing season. Germination and survival were highest in the tulip poplar stands. Germination was also higher in plots with low litter mass. Seedling survival was highest in plots with low litter mass or no litter. Soil moisture was higher in tulip poplar stands and under low-mass litter. Differences in germination and survival among the potted plants were minimal, suggesting that soil type and ambient site conditions were less important than litter conditions for C. orbiculatus establishment. Our results suggest that the low litter mass and mesic soil conditions that are characteristic of tulip poplar stands may confer higher invasibility and explain the higher abundance of C. orbiculatus in areas with successional overstory communities associated with historically cultivated forests.     

Mycorrhizae and soil phosphorus affect growth of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Celastrus orbiculatus</Emphasis>

Celastrus orbiculatus is an exotic liana that exploits disturbed areas in the eastern United States and once established, can invade into relatively undisturbed forest ecosystems. Mechanisms facilitating its invasion are not fully understood, including whether associations with mycorrhizal fungi are related to its invasion success. We grew C. orbiculatus in a greenhouse and compared growth responses when mycorrhizal fungi or a fungistatic were added to growth media that was either phosphorus-limiting or non-limiting. Results indicated C. orbiculatus forms association with native endomycorrhizal but not with native ectomycorrhizal fungi regardless of phosphorus level. Plants grown with sufficient phosphorus had significantly higher above-ground morphological and physiological traits but significantly lower root biomass compared to plants grown in low phosphorus conditions. Although above-ground traits did not vary significantly between mycorrhizal versus fungistatic added treatments, root biomass was significantly less in plants inoculated with mycorrhizae compared to plants receiving fungistatic. Under low phosphorus conditions, mycorrhizae appeared to be beneficial to the plant although being mycorrhizal did not fully compensate for insufficient phosphorous in the greenhouse situation where pot size limited soil exploration. Our results suggest that in the presence of mycorrhizae or sufficient phosphorus, C. orbiculatus can respond by preferentially allocating energy to above-ground growth, thus supporting its liana growth form onto trees and allowing the exotic to outcompete native species for light resources. If mycorrhizal fungi aid in acquisition of phosphorus, this association could be related to the invasion success of C. orbiculatus.     

Depth distribution and composition of seed banks under different tree layers in a managed temperate forest ecosystem

In the present work we examined the composition and distribution across three soil layers of the buried soil seed bank under three different overstory types (Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Pinus sylvestris) and in logging areas in a 4383-ha forest in central Belgium. The objectives were: (1) to investigate whether species composition and species richness of soil seed banks are affected by different forest stands; (2) to examine how abundant are habitat-specific forest species in seed banks under different planted tree layers. The study was carried out in stands which are replicated, managed in the same way (even-aged high forest), and growing on the same soil type with the same land-use history. In the investigated area, the seed bank did show significant differences under oak, beech, pine and in logging areas, respectively in terms of size, composition and depth occurrence. All species and layers taken together, the seed bank size ranked as follows: oakwood > beechwood > logging area > pinewood. The same pattern was found for forest species. Seed numbers of Betula pendula, Calluna vulgaris, Dryopteris dilatata and Rubus fruticosus were significantly higher under the beech canopy. Carex remota, Impatiens parviflora and Lotus sp. showed a significantly denser seed bank in logging areas, while Digitalis purpurea seeds were significantly more abundant in soils under the oak canopy. The fact that the seed bank of an originally homogeneous forest varies under different planted stands highlights that a long period of canopy conversion can affect the composition and depth of buried seeds.     

Developing landscape habitat models for rare amphibians with small geographic ranges: a case study of Siskiyou Mountains salamanders in the western USA

To advance the development of conservation planning for rare species with small geographic ranges, we determined habitat associations of Siskiyou Mountains salamanders (Plethodon stormi) and developed habitat suitability models at fine (10 ha), medium (40 ha), and broad (202 ha) spatial scales using available Geographic Information Systems data and logistic regression analysis with an information theoretic approach. Across spatial scales, there was very little support for models with structural habitat features, such as tree canopy cover and conifer diameter. Model-averaged 95% confidence intervals for regression coefficients and associated odds ratios indicated that the occurrence of Siskiyou Mountains salamanders was positively associated with rocky soils and Pacific madrone (Abutus menziesii) and negatively associated with elevation and white fir (Abies concolor); these associations were consistent across 3 spatial scales. The occurrence of this species also was positively associated with hardwood density at the medium spatial scale. Odds ratios projected that a 10% decrease in white fir abundance would increase the odds of salamander occurrence 3.02–4.47 times, depending on spatial scale. We selected the model with rocky soils, white fir, and Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) as the best model across 3 spatial scales and created habitat suitability maps for Siskiyou Mountains salamanders by projecting habitat suitability scores across the landscape. Our habitat suitability models and maps are applicable to selection of priority conservation areas for Siskiyou Mountains salamanders, and our approach can be easily adapted to conservation of other rare species in any geographical location.     

In situ measurement of fine root water absorption in three temperate tree species—Temporal variability and control by soil and atmospheric factors

Miniature heat balance-sap flow gauges were used to measure water flows in small-diameter roots (3–4 mm) in the undisturbed soil of a mature beech–oak–spruce mixed stand. By relating sap flow to the surface area of all branch fine roots distal to the gauge, we were able to calculate real time water uptake rates per root surface area (J_s) for individual fine root systems of 0.5–1.0 m in length. Study aims were (i) to quantify root water uptake of mature trees under field conditions with respect to average rates, and diurnal and seasonal changes of J_s, and (ii) to investigate the relationship between uptake and soil moisture θ, atmospheric saturation deficit D, and radiation I. On most days, water uptake followed the diurnal course of D with a mid-day peak and low night flow. Neighbouring roots of the same species differed up to 10-fold in their daily totals of J_s (<100–2000 g m⁻² d⁻¹) indicating a large spatial heterogeneity in uptake. Beech, oak and spruce roots revealed different seasonal patterns of water uptake although they were extracting water from the same soil volume. Multiple regression analyses on the influence of D, I and θ on root water uptake showed that D was the single most influential environmental factor in beech and oak (variable selection in 77% and 79% of the investigated roots), whereas D was less important in spruce roots (50% variable selection). A comparison of root water uptake with synchronous leaf transpiration (porometer data) indicated that average water fluxes per surface area in the beech and oak trees were about 2.5 and 5.5 times smaller on the uptake side (roots) than on the loss side (leaves) given that all branch roots <2 mm were equally participating in uptake. Beech fine roots showed maximal uptake rates on mid-summer days in the range of 48–205 g m⁻² h⁻¹ (i.e. 0.7–3.2 mmol m⁻² s⁻¹), oak of 12–160 g m⁻² h⁻¹ (0.2–2.5 mmol m⁻² s⁻¹). Maximal transpiration rates ranged from 3 to 5 and from 5 to 6 mmol m⁻² s⁻¹ for sun canopy leaves of beech and oak, respectively. We conclude that instantaneous rates of root water uptake in beech, oak and spruce trees are above all controlled by atmospheric factors. The effects of different root conductivities, soil moisture, and soil hydraulic properties become increasingly important if time spans longer than a week are considered.     

A multi‐data ensemble approach for predicting woodland type distribution: Oak woodland in Britain

Interactions between soil, topography, and climatic site factors can exacerbate and/or alleviate the vulnerability of oak woodland to climate change. Reducing climate‐related impacts on oak woodland habitats and ecosystems through adaptation management requires knowledge of different site interactions in relation to species tolerance. In Britain, the required thematic detail of woodland type is unavailable from digital maps. A species distribution model (SDM) ensemble, using biomod2 algorithms, was used to predict oak woodland. The model was cross‐validated (50%:50% ‐ training:testing) 30 times, with each of 15 random sets of absence data, matching the size of presence data, to maximize environmental variation while maintaining data prevalence. Four biomod2 algorithms provided stable and consistent TSS‐weighted ensemble mean results predicting oak woodland as a probability raster. Biophysical data from the Ecological Site Classification (forest site classification) for Britain were used to characterize oak woodland sites. Several forest datasets were used, each with merits and weaknesses: public forest estate subcompartment database map (PFE map) for oak‐stand locations as a training dataset; the national forest inventory (NFI) “published regional reports” of oak woodland area; and an “NFI map” of indicative forest type broad habitat. Broadleaved woodland polygons of the NFI map were filled with the biomod2 oak woodland probability raster. Ranked pixels were selected up to the published NFI regional area estimate of oak woodland and matched to the elevation distribution of oak woodland stands, from “NFI survey” sample squares. Validation using separate oak woodland data showed that the elevation filter significantly improved the accuracy of predictions from 55% (p = .53) to 83% coincidence success rate (p < .0001). The biomod2 ensemble, with masking and filtering, produced a predicted oak woodland map, from which site characteristics will be used in climate change interaction studies, supporting adaptation management recommendations for forest policy and practice.     

Ectomycorrhiza communities of red oak (<Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Quercus rubra</Emphasis> L.) of different age in the Lusatian lignite mining district,East Germany

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) communities were assessed on a 720 m² plot along a chronosequence of red oak (Quercus rubra) stands on a forest reclamation site with disturbed soil in the lignite mining area of Lower Lusatia (Brandenburg, Germany). Adjacent to the mining area, a red oak reference stand with undisturbed soil was investigated reflecting mycorrhiza diversity of the intact landscape. Aboveground, sporocarp surveys were carried out during the fruiting season in a 2-week interval in the years 2002 and 2003. Belowground, ECM morphotypes were identified by comparing sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions from nuclear rDNA with sequences from the GenBank database. Fifteen ECM fungal species were identified as sporocarps and 61 belowground as determined by morphological/anatomical and molecular analysis of their ectomycorrhizas. The number of ECM morphotypes increased with stand age along the chronosequence. However, the number of morphotypes was lower in stands with disturbed soil than with undisturbed soil. All stands showed site-specific ECM communities with low similarity between the chronosequence stands. The dominant ECM species in nearly all stands was Cenococcum geophilum, which reached an abundance approaching 80% in the 21-year-old chronosequence stand. Colonization rate of red oak was high (>95%) at all stands besides the youngest chronosequence stand where colonization rate was only 15%. This supports our idea that artificial inoculation with site-adapted mycorrhizal fungi would enhance colonization rate of red oak and thus plant growth and survival in the first years after outplanting.     

陕北水蚀风蚀交错带柠条适应不同生境的形态和生理可塑性

以陕北水蚀风蚀交错带4个不同坡位与土壤质地生境[沟底+坝淤绵沙土(A)、梁坡+红黄土(B)、坡顶+绵沙土(C)、坡顶+风沙土盖绵沙土(D)]中生长的柠条为研究对象,研究了其生长、光合和水力性状的可塑性变化,以揭示柠条对不同生境的适应机制。结果表明:(1)生境D和生境A样地1~3m和3m土层的平均含水量明显高于生境B和C;(2)与生境B和C相比,生境A和D中生长的柠条冠幅、株高和新枝长显著增加,叶厚度减小,正午叶水势、净光合速率、气孔导度和蒸腾速率亦显著增加,但不同生境中柠条枝比导水率、Huber值和栓塞程度无显著差异;(3)柠条各测定指标中,新枝长、净光合速率、气孔导度和蒸腾速率表现出较大的可塑性。研究认为,柠条可能主要通过新枝长或光合生理特征的改变来适应不同的水分生境。     

Impact of sudden oak death on tree mortality in the Big Sur ecoregion of California

The Big Sur ecoregion in coastal California is a botanically and ecologically diverse area that has recently experienced substantial mortality of oak (Quercus spp.) and tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) trees due to the emerging forest disease sudden oak death, caused by the invasive pathogen Phytophthora ramorum. In response to the urgent need to examine environmental impacts and create management response strategies, we quantified the impact of P. ramorum invasion on tree mortality across the Big Sur ecoregion using high-resolution aircraft imagery and field data. Using the imagery, we mapped all detectable oak and tanoak trees possibly killed by P. ramorum infection within redwood-tanoak forests and mixed oak woodlands. To validate and improve our remote assessment, we quantified the number, size, and infection status of host trees in 77 field plots (0.25 ha). The field data showed that our remote assessment underestimated mortality due to the occurrence of dead trees in the forest understory. For each forest type, we developed regression models that adjusted our remote assessments of tree mortality in relation to field observations of mortality and local habitat variables. The models significantly improved remote assessment of oak mortality, but relationships were stronger for mixed oak woodlands (r ² = 0.77) than redwood-tanoak forests (r ² = 0.66). Using the field data, we also modeled the amount of dead tree basal area (m²) in relation to the density of mapped dead trees in mixed oak woodlands (r ² = 0.73) and redwood-tanoak forests (r ² = 0.54). Application of the regression models in a GIS estimated 235,678 standing dead trees in 2005 and 12,650 m² of tree basal area removed from the ecoregion, with 63% of mortality occurring in redwood-tanoak forests and 37% in mixed oak woodlands. Integration of the remote assessment with population estimates of host abundance, obtained from an independent network of 175 field plots (0.05 ha each), indicated similar prevalence of mortality in redwood-tanoak forests (20.0%) and mixed oak woodlands (20.5%) at this time. This is the first study to quantify a realistic number of dead trees impacted by P. ramorum over a defined ecological region. Ecosystem impacts of such widespread mortality will likely be significant.

基于逻辑斯蒂回归模型的鹭科水鸟栖息地适宜性评价

近年来湿地生态系统遭到不同程度破坏,湿地水鸟及其生存空间日益受到威胁。以香港米埔-后海湾湿地为例,收集2003年1月份与鹭科水鸟密切相关的15个自变量和鹭科水鸟实测数据作为因变量构建逻辑斯蒂回归模型,通过筛选获取9个变量因子,分别为土地利用,NDVI,坡度,降雨,TM4纹理,TM3纹理,道路密度,道路距离,人居密度。经Nagelkerke R2检验模型精度达到0.743,拟合度较高。利用模型结果快速聚类,对栖息地进行适宜性分级,分级结果与同期鹭科水鸟实测数据做拟合,精度达到77.4%。最后采集2009年1月份各变量因子数据对回归方程进行时间尺度检验,与同期实测鹭科水鸟数据拟合精度同样达到75.8%,模型具有较好的通用性。     

Environmental relationships and vegetation associates of columnar cacti in the northern Sonoran Desert

The environmental distribution, habitat segregation, and vegetation associates of the columnar cacti Carnegiea gigantea, Stenocereus thurberi, and Lophocereus schottii were examined in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona. Three primary environmental gradients were identified with principal components analysis of environmental data: soil texture, elevation/nutrients, and xericness (based on slope aspect and angle). Environmental influents of spatial variation in density were modeled with ordinary least squares regression analysis, and common associates were identified with two-way indicator species analysis for each cactus. Of the three cacti, Carnegiea gigantea occurred over the broadest ecological range of habitats, but was densest on coarse, granitically derived alluvial soils of flat upper bajadas and basin floors, where it was associated with Larrea tridentata, Ambrosia deltoidea, and Opuntia fulgida. Stenocereus thurberi reached its maximum densities on coarse sandy soils of steep, south-facing granitic slopes, with Encelia farinosa, Jatropha cuneata, and Opuntia bigelovii as associates. Lophocereus schottii was restricted to very coarse, granitically derived alluvial soils in the southern part of the monument, where it occurred along wash banks with Beloperone californica, Hymenoclea salsola, Acacia greggii, and Opuntia arbuscula.Abbreviations DCA Detrended correspondence analysis - OPCNM Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument - OLS Ordinary least squares - PCA Principal components analysis - RA Reciprocal averaging - TWINSPAN Two-way indicator species analysis     

Modelling habitat use and distribution of golden eagles <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aquila chrysaetos</Emphasis> in a low-density area of the Iberian Peninsula

We analyse the current situation of the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) in the region of Galicia in NW Spain. At present, the entire Galician population (five pairs) is located within an area of about 2000 km² in the province of Ourense. To identify high-priority areas for golden eagle conservation, we derived predictive models of habitat suitability using logistic regression and a Geographic Information System (GIS). Specifically, to model the distribution of the breeding population we considered topographic features, land use and degree of humanization, using a 10 × 10 km grid. Presence/absence of golden eagle nests was used as the dependent variable; analyses were performed both considering current nesting areas and considering old nesting areas (1960s and 70s). At the spatial scale considered, the best predictors of habitat suitability for breeding were topographical variables indicative of rugged relief. For current nesting areas the most parsimonious model included maximum altitude. We consider that the predictive models obtained may be of use for the monitoring and conservation management of the golden eagle population in this region. Conservation problems associated with habitat constraints such as food supply, availability of nesting sites, changes in land use and human disturbance are discussed.