Population dynamics of the Ethiopian endemic rodent Praomys albipes in the Menagesha State Forest

Bimonthly live-trapping over 15 months of 1 ha grid in the Menagesha State Forest, Ethiopia, revealed six species of rodents, dominated by Praomys albipes (64.3% of the catch). All age groups were recorded at each trapping occasion, and pregnant females were observed throughout the year. Both snap-trapping and captive breeding programmes suggest a mean litter size greater than 4 (range 2–8). Despite this, the monthly density and biomass of captured rodents declined towards the last trapping occasions from 35 to 12/ha and 1546 to 454 g/ha, respectively.     

Small mammals of a woodland-savannah ecosystem in Zimbabwe. II. Community structure

Community characteristics of small mammals in five woodland-savannah habitats (riverine grassland, miombo, mopane, talus, thicket) were studied at Sengwa Wildlife Research Area in Zimbabwe between July 1992 and July 1993. The study was initiated following a drought year and extended over a year of average rainfall. Fourteen species of small mammals were recorded during mark-and-recapture trapping, with the number of species known to occur in a single community ranging from three to nine. Species complements and biomass (g/ha) were lowest during the first portion of the study and peaked during the 1993 cool dry season. Species diversity (H') was lowest in the hot dry season and highest in the cool dry season. Temporal variation in biomass and species diversity was least in talus and greatest in riverine grassland. Communities in talus and thicket were most similar and those in riverine grassland and thicket least similar. In general, these results suggest that woodland-savannah communities are highly variable and appear to be resource-limited.     

不同生境下空心莲子草响应模拟昆虫采食的生长和化学防御策略

外来植物往往可以入侵多种生境并受到多种昆虫的采食,而不同生境条件将可能会影响这些入侵植物对昆虫采食的防御策略。以入侵我国的克隆植物——空心莲子草为研究对象,分别选择生长在水生生境、水陆两栖生境和陆生生境中的无性个体(分株),通过50%去叶处理模拟昆虫采食,分析不同生境下空心莲子草对模拟昆虫采食处理的生长及化学防御响应的差异。模拟昆虫采食处理显著抑制了陆生生境、水陆两栖生境以及水生生境下空心莲子草的根、茎、叶和总生物量,但对3种生境下空心莲子草的生物量分配(根冠比、根生物量分配、茎生物量分配和叶生物量分配)均无显著影响。陆生生境下空心莲子草根、茎和总生物量显著高于水陆两栖生境和水生生境,根冠比显著低于水陆两栖生境和水生生境。模拟昆虫采食处理显著降低了空心莲子草的木质素含量,而对单宁和总酚含量影响不显著。生境对木质素含量无显著影响,但陆生生境下空心莲子草单宁含量显著高于水陆两栖生境和水生生境,且总酚含量显著高于水陆两栖生境,表明陆生生境中空心莲子草具有更强的防御能力。空心莲子草木质素含量与总生物量无显著相关性,但在模拟采食情况下,其总酚含量与总生物量呈显著负相关,而无论模拟昆虫采食处理存在与否,空心莲子草单宁含量与总生物量均呈显著正相关。因此,空心莲子草存在昆虫介导的生长和化学防御之间的权衡,在昆虫采食的情况下可通过减少生长来增加对化学防御物质的投入,但生境对空心莲子草这种生长-防御权衡的影响十分有限。     

Biomass allocation patterns in terrestrial, epiphytic and aquatic species of Utricularia (Lentibulariaceae)

Utricularia forms the largest genus of carnivorous plants and is characterized by the possession of typical traps (“bladders”). Total biomass allocation was examined in three aquatic, six terrestrial and one epiphytic species of Utricularia from natural habitats in West Africa and from the Botanical Gardens, Bonn. Total biomass of aquatic species was considerably higher than that of terrestrial or epiphytic species. Epiphytic Utricularia accumulate about 35% of their biomass in green leaves, in contrast to 65% of nearly chlorophylless reproductive structures and traps. Aquatic species allocated more than 85% of their total biomass to stolons, leaves and traps, but only 10–13% to reproductive structures. This is in stark contrast to the allocation patterns of terrestrial bladderworts. These species allocate nearly 90% of their total biomass in reproductive structures, and only about 10% to stolons, leaves and traps. This reduction of photosynthetically active plant tissue strongly suggests that as a consequence of the alternative resource of chemical energy, the carnivorous habit might have partly replaced autotrophy in certain terrestrial Utricularia species, especially in some smaller ones.     

Biosystematics and agronomic potential of some weedy and cultivated amaranths

Summary Three weedy amaranths (Amarantkus hybridus, A. retroflexus and A. powellii) from nine California sites, three domesticated species (A. caudatus, A. hypochondriacus and A. cruentus) from the USDA plant inventory as well as other sources and a naturally-occurring crop-weed hybrid were studied for numerical taxonomy using morphological and allozyme variation data. The crop and weedy species groups were easily separated and the hybrid populations were found to be intermediate. Surprisingly, very little intraspecific variation was present. Crop, weed and hybrid amaranths were also compared for their yielding ability, harvest index, seed efficiency of grain production and protein, popping quality and other agronomic traits. Although field plot yields were similar among the three groups of species (700 Kg/ha seed without fertilizer treatment and water, ranging to 3000 Kg/ha with fertilizer applications of 170 Kg N/ha, and abundant water), the harvest index of the weedy group was much higher (25–40%) than the domesticated species (10–15%). The allocation of biomass to seed production is positively correlated with seed yield in the domesticated but not in the weedy types, whereas the percentages of biomass as stem material and as seeds are negatively correlated. Several weedy and crop characteristics together should provide the basis of new improved cultivars through genetic recombination and selection.     

Population densities and community structure of birds in broadleaved woodland in the lowveld of Swaziland

Population density and community structure of birds was studied at three sites in broadleaved (combretaceous) woodland in the lowveld of Swaziland. Birds were surveyed monthly using a standard point count technique. A total of 94 species of birds was recorded. Species richness at the three sites ranged between 57 and 73 species. Population density was similar at the three sites and ranged from 11.8 to 13.9 birds/ha. Biomass of birds was also similar at the three sites. Resident birds only accounted for 49% of all species, but made up 85% of the individuals and 82% of the biomass. There was a relatively large number of vagrant species, but they only accounted for 10% of the individuals and 14% of the biomass. Species richness of intra-African and Palaearctic migrants was low, and they contributed little to the bird density or biomass. In terms of diet, most birds were insectivorous, with mixed diet and granivorous species contributing approximately equally to biomass. Frugivorous species and raptors contributed little. The avifauna of broadleaved woodland in Swaziland is compared with that of other broadleaved woodlands in southern Africa and with that of Acacia savanna in Swaziland. Broadleaved woodland in Swaziland appears to support an avifauna which is depauperate compared to that of Acacia savanna, but not distinct from it.     

千岛湖片段化栖息地地栖哺乳动物的红外相机监测及最小监测时长

作为典型的陆桥岛屿, 千岛湖成为检验栖息地片段化理论的自然研究平台。2011年5月1日至2014年3月31日, 我们在千岛湖32个岛屿和1个大陆对照样点布设了60台红外相机, 对千岛湖体型较大的地栖兽类及其最小监测时长进行了监测和研究。在27,798个相机日的监测中, 共获得动物影像照片23,639张, 照片清晰、可进行物种鉴定的有2,414张, 占照片总数的10.2%; 其中体型较大的地栖兽类独立照片988张, 识别为9个物种: 穿山甲(Manis pentadactyla)、黄麂(Muntiacus reevesi)、野猪(Sus scrofa)、华南兔(Lepus sinensis)、马来豪猪(Hystrix brachyuran)、猪獾(Arctonyx collaris)、鼬獾(Melogale moschata)、花面狸(Paguma larvata)和豹猫(Prionailurus bengalensis), 平均独立照片拍摄率为40.9%。种-面积曲线研究表明, 岛屿上的地栖兽类物种丰富度随着岛屿面积的增大而增大, 曲线的z值为0.27。大岛(>10 ha)中, 最小监测时长随面积增加而增加, 而小岛没有明显趋势; 最小监测时长随隔离度增加而减小, 但关系不显著(d.f. = 20, F = 3.067, P = 0.095), 表明建湖后栖息地的片段化与岛屿化导致了一些对面积或栖息地较为敏感的大型兽类在小岛屿上的局部灭绝。因此, 我们建议对于面积较大的片段化栖息地, 红外相机应保证较长的最小监测时长, 而面积较小的片段化栖息地在监测中应根据隔离度、基质性质、物种种类适时调整调查强度, 以完整反映当地物种实际情况。     

Changes in the lower trophic levels as a consequence of the level of fish manipulation in the ponds

Cyprinid fish of different mature age classes (3+ -4+) and stocks (100, 300 and 500 kg/ha) were introduced into each of three experimental ponds with area of 0.3 ha (average depth ca 1.7 m) while the fourth pond was left free of fish. Bream (Abramis brama L.), white bream (Blicca bjoerkna L.) and roach (Rutilus rutilus L.) made up 75% of the total cyprinid biomass, with wild carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) as the remaining 25%. The introduced fish spawned successfully. The high (above 300 kg/ha) planktivorous and benthivorous fish stocks resulted in several qualitative and quantitative alterations of the food chain structure in our simulation pond experiments. These alterations must primarily be assigned to changes caused by both the zooplanktivory and benthivory nature of the stocked fish populations. At the higher levels of fish biomass, Secchi depth was influenced significantly by chlorophyll-a concentration. Most of the variance in suspended solids concentration could be explained by the biomass ratio of the mature benthivorous fish. There was a clear shift in algal cell size in the ponds with the higher fish stocks: ponds with more fish had larger cells later in the summer. The relative influence of young cyprinid fish on crustaceans species composition and biomass, and mature populations on benthic fauna abundance and biomass, was sufficiently greater at higher (300–500 kg/ha) fish stock rates.     

Differential responses of three Agriotes click beetle species to pheromone traps

1 Previous work had suggested that adult male click beetles (Agriotes spp.) show differential responses to species specific pheromone traps. This hypothesis was tested using mark–release–recapture methods to estimate the maximum sampling range and the effective sampling area of traps for three species. 2 Captured beetles of the species Agriotes lineatus, Agriotes obscurus and Agriotes sputator were marked to show the direction of release, the distance of the release point from the trap and the replicate. Analysis of variance showed that there were significant differences in recapture rates between species and release distances. There were no significant differences between release direction and replicates. 3 Calculated linear speeds suggested differences in movement rates in the order: A. lineatus > A. obscurus > A. sputator. There were also substantial differences between the species in the maximum sampling ranges and effective sampling areas of the traps. These placed the species in the same order. 4 The results are used to estimate the minimum cost of mass trapping programmes to prevent males from mating, giving values of €165/ha/year (A. lineatus), €247.5/ha/year (A. obscurus) and €2343/ha/year (A. sputator). 5 Implications for the use of pheromone traps in wireworm pest management are discussed. It is concluded that current U.K. recommendations based on the cumulative total catch of the three species over a sampling season can be improved by considering the spatial relationships between the adult trapping system and larval distribution. The current constraint to this is the general inability to separate wireworms into species.     

Ecosystem recovery in terra firme forests after cutting and burning: a comparison on species richness, floristic composition and forest structure in the Jaú National Park, Amazonia

Six hectares, three in a primary forest and three in a 40 year old secondary forest were inventoried for all trees with Diameter at Breast Height (DNH) of 10 cm or greater in a terra firme forest 200 km north-east of Manaus, central Amazonia in order to compare the difference between structure, species richness and floristic composition. Both species richness and tree density were significantly higher in the upland forest than in the secondary forest. The forest structure pattern analysed (DBH, basal area and estimated dry biomass) did not differ significantly between the two forest types. Similarity indices at species level were only 14%. In the 3 ha of primary forest the number of species varied from 137 to 159, the number of individuals from 639 to 713, total basal area from 32.8 to 40.2 m² and estimate total of above-ground dry biomass (AGBM) from 405 to 560 tons per ha. In the 3 ha of secondary forest, the number of species varied from 86 to 90, the number of individuals from 611 to 653, total basal area from 28.8 to 39.9 m² and estimated total AGBM from 340 to 586 tons per ha. Family Importance Value (FIV) is the sum of relative density, dominance and richness of a family. The most important families in relation to FIV were Burseraceae, Chrysobalanaceae, Lecythidaceae, Myristicaceae, Bombacaceae, Fabaceae and Mimosaceae in the 3 ha of primary forest, while Burseraceae, Lecythidaceae, Sapotaceae, Arecaceae and Cecropiaceae were the most important families in the 3 ha of secondary forest. Importance Value Index (IVI) is the sum of relative density, dominance and frequency of a species. Alexa grandiflora (Caesalpiniaceae), Sckronema micranthum (Bombacaceae) and Pourouma guianensis (Cecropiaceae) were the most important species in relation IVI, in the primary forest, while Eschweilera grandiflora (Lecythidaceae), Protium apiculatum (Burseraceae) and Bertholletia excelsa (Lecythidaceae) were the most important species in the secondary forest. We conclude that species richness was significandy different between the two forests, but that forest structure patterns analysed in this study (DBH, basal area and dry biomass) were similar. This demonstrates that 40 years was sufficient time for the secondary forest to recover the original structure of the primary forest, but not the original species richness. The low species similarity between the two forests indicates that the floristic composition was quite distinct and that the mixture of primary forest and disturbed forest has led to an increase in total species diversity.     

Biomass and primary-production of herbaceous plant communities in the Amazon floodplain

The increase in biomass of different aquatic and terrestrial herbaceous plant communities was measured during various growth periods in the Amazon floodplain near Manaus. Maximum biomass varied from 4–11.2 t ha^–1 dry weight in mixed annual terrestrial communities to 6–23 t ha^–1 in aquatic annual species (Paspalum repens, Oryza perennis, Luziola spruceana and Hymenachne amplexicaulis) and 15.6–57.6 t ha^–1 in communities of the perennial species Paspalum fasciculatum. Cumulative biomass of 3 successively growing annual species reached 30 t ha^–1 a^–1. Net primary production is considerably higher than maximum biomass. Paspalum fasciculatum reached 70 t during a growth period of 8 months. If one considers for annual species a monthly loss of 10–25% of the biomass, then net primary production in areas with three successive macrophyte communities and a cumulative maximum biomass of 30 t ha^–1 is estimated to reach up to 50 t ha^–1 a^–1. Annual P/B ratio may reach about 3.     

Food Resources for Wintering and Spring Staging Black Ducks

Abstract: A bioenergetic approach has been adopted as a planning tool to set habitat management objectives by several United States Fish and Wildlife Service North American Waterfowl Management Plan Joint Ventures. A bioenergetics model can be simplified into 2 major components, energetic demand and energetic supply. Our goal was to estimate habitat-specific food availability, information necessary for estimating energy supply for black ducks (Anas rubripes) wintering on Long Island, New York, USA. We collected both nektonic and benthic samples from 85 wetland sites dispersed among 5 habitat types (salt marsh, mud flat, submersed aquatic vegetation, brackish bay, and freshwater) commonly used by black ducks in proportion to expected use. Biomass varied among habitats (F_4,5 > 7.46, P < 0.03) in 2004–2005, but there was only marginal variation in 2005–2006 (F_3,4 = 5.75, P = 0.06). Mud flats had the greatest biomass (1,204 kg/ha, SE = 532), followed by submersed aquatic vegetation (61 kg/ha, SE = 18), and salt marsh (34 kg/ha, SE = 6). In the second year of the study, freshwater had the greatest biomass (306 kg/ha, SE = 286), followed by mud flats (85 kg/ha, SE = 63), and salt marsh (35 kg/ha, SE = 4). Our results suggest food density on wintering grounds of black ducks on coastal Long Island is considerably lower than for dabbling ducks using inland freshwater habitats, indicating black duck populations are more likely than other species of dabbling ducks to be limited by winter habitat. We recommend targeting preservation, restoration, and enhancement efforts on salt marsh habitat.     

Non-woody life-form contribution to vascular plant species richness in a tropical American forest

We provide total vascular plant species counts for three 1-ha plots in deciduous, semi-deciduous and evergreen forests in central Bolivia. Species richness ranged from 297 species and 22,360 individuals/ha in the dry deciduous forest to 382 species and 31,670 individuals/ha in the evergreen forest. Orchidaceae, Pteridophyta and Leguminosae were among the most species-rich major plant groups in each plot, and Peperomia (Piperaceae), Pleurothallis (Orchidaceae) and Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae), all epiphytes, were the most species-rich genera. This dominance of a few but very diverse and/or widespread taxa contrasted with the low compositional similarity between plots. In a neotropical context, these Central Bolivian forest plots are similar in total species richness to other dry deciduous and humid montane forests, but less rich than most Amazonian forests. Nevertheless, lianas, terrestrial herbs and especially epiphytes proved to be of equal or higher species richness than most other neotropical forest inventories from which data are available. We therefore highlight the importance of non-woody life-forms (especially epiphytes and terrestrial herbs) in Andean foothill forest ecosystems in terms of species richness and numbers of individuals, representing in some cases nearly 50% of the species and more than 75% of the individuals. These figures stress the need for an increased inventory effort on non-woody plant groups in order to accurately direct conservation actions. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Plant diversity effects on soil heterotrophic activity in experimental grassland ecosystems

The loss of plant species from terrestrial ecosystems may cause changes in soil decomposer communities and in decomposition of organic material with potential further consequences for other ecosystem processes. This was tested in experimental communities of 1, 2, 4, 8, 32 plant species and of 1, 2 or 3 functional groups (grasses, legumes and non-leguminous forbs). As plant species richness was reduced from the highest species richness to monocultures, mean aboveground plant biomass decreased by 150%, but microbial biomass (measured by substrate induced respiration) decreased by only 15% (P = 0.05). Irrespective of plant species richness, the absence of legumes (across diversity levels) caused microbial biomass to decrease by 15% (P = 0.02). No effect of plant species richness or composition was detected on the microbial metabolic quotient (qCO₂) and no plant species richness effect was found on feeding activity of the mesofauna (assessed with a bait-lamina-test). Decomposition of cellulose and birchwood sticks was also not affected by plant species richness, but when legumes were absent, cellulose samples were decomposed more slowly (16% in 1996, 27% in 1997, P = 0.006). A significant decrease in earthworm population density of 63% and in total earthworm biomass by 84% was the single most prominent response to the reduction of plant species richness, largely due to a 50% reduction in biomass of the dominant `anecic' earthworms. Voles (Arvicola terrestris L.) also had a clear preference for high-diversity plots. Soil moisture during the growing season was unaffected by plant species richness or the number of functional groups present. In contrast, soil temperature was 2 K higher in monocultures compared with the most diverse mixtures on a bright day at peak season. We conclude that the lower abundance and activity of decomposers with reduced plant species richness was related to altered substrate quantity, a signal which is not reflected in rates of decomposition of standard test material. The presence of nitrogen fixers seemed to be the most important component of the plant diversity manipulation for soil heterotrophs. The reduction in plant biomass due to the simulated loss of plant species had more pronounced effects on voles and earthworms than on microbes, suggesting that higher trophic levels are more strongly affected than lower trophic levels.     

树种水平的大兴安岭地上生物量变化特征及其与气候和干扰的关系

树种水平地上生物量(每个树种的地上生物量)是衡量森林生态系统结构功能的重要指标。为揭示树种水平森林地上生物量变化机制及其与气候变化和干扰的关系,运用KNN (k-nearest neighbor distance)方法将森林调查数据和MODIS数据相结合,估算了黑龙江大兴安岭2000、2010和2015年树种水平的森林地上生物量,在此基础上运用典型对应分析和随机森林方法,分析了研究区树种水平地上生物量变化特征及其与气候和干扰因素的关系。研究结果表明:2000—2015年期间,研究区总的森林地上生物量增加了8.9%(0.41×10~8 t),其中2010—2015年期间地上生物量的增加速度要明显高于2000—2010年;地上生物量增加最多的树种为白桦(Betula platyphylla Suk.),与2000年相比生物量增加了0.40×10~8 t,其次为樟子松(Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica Litv.)、山杨(Populus davidiana Dode)和蒙古栎(Quercus mongolica Fisch. ex Ledeb.),落叶松(Larix gmelinii(Rupr.) Kuzen)地上生物量下降了0.08×10~8 t,柳树(Chosenia arbutifolia(Pall.) A. Skv.)和云杉(Picea koraiensis Nakai)基本上没有变化;林火、采伐和造林等森林干扰均对树种水平地上生物量影响显著,林火对树种水平地上生物量的影响要高于造林和采伐;气候要素显示出了比干扰要素更为重要的作用,多年平均温度和降水解释了最多的树种水平地上生物量变异。年均温度与阔叶树种的生物量以及林火干扰有显著的正相关性,与总的森林地上生物量呈现出显著的负相关,与落叶松和白桦表现出微弱的负相关,预示着气候变暖将影响该区域的树种组成并降低该区域的森林生产力。     

Bryophyte Species Richness and Composition along an Altitudinal Gradient in Gongga Mountain,China

An investigation of terrestrial bryophyte species diversity and community structure along an altitudinal gradient from 2,001 to 4,221 m a.s.l. in Gongga Mountain in Sichuan, China was carried out in June 2010. Factors which might affect bryophyte species composition and diversity, including climate, elevation, slope, depth of litter, vegetation type, soil pH and soil Eh, were examined to understand the altitudinal feature of bryophyte distribution. A total of 14 representative elevations were chosen along an altitudinal gradient, with study sites at each elevation chosen according to habitat type (forests, grasslands) and accessibility. At each elevation, three 100 m × 2 m transects that are 50 m apart were set along the contour line, and three 50 cm × 50 cm quadrats were set along each transect at an interval of 30 m. Species diversity, cover, biomass, and thickness of terrestrial bryophytes were examined. A total of 165 species, including 42 liverworts and 123 mosses, are recorded in Gongga mountain. Ground bryophyte species richness does not show any clear elevation trend. The terrestrial bryophyte cover increases with elevation. The terrestrial bryophyte biomass and thickness display a clear humped relationship with the elevation, with the maximum around 3,758 m. At this altitude, biomass is 700.3 g m⁻² and the maximum thickness is 8 cm. Bryophyte distribution is primarily associated with the depth of litter, the air temperature and the precipitation. Further studies are necessary to include other epiphytes types and vascular vegetation in a larger altitudinal range.     

Amphibia as a Vector of Transfer of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Omega-3 Fatty Acids from Aquatic to Terrestrial Ecosystems

The flow of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of the omega-3 family, namely, eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3, EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA), exported by amphibian metamorphs from water to terrestrial ecosystems in the Medveditsa River floodplain, was quantified for the first time. The total biomass export by three amphibian species (Pelobates fuscus, Bombina bombina, and Pelophylax ridibundus) per unit area of the lake surface was 0.594 g/m² per year (as a mean for 2 years). The biomass flow per unit area of land was 0.726 g/ha per year (0.302 g/ha per year for organic carbon) in 2015–2016. The average annual total removal of EPA + DHA by amphibians from the floodplain lake was 1.47 mg/m² of water surface area. Due to the high content of EPA and DHA in biomass, amphibians are potentially a valuable food for terrestrial predators having no access to other sources of essential PUFAs.     

Recolonization of regenerating open forest by terrestrial lizards following sand mining

The terrestrial lizard fauna of a regenerating mining path situated in open forest on coastal sand dunes was surveyed by pitfall trapping. The regeneration age of the series of chronosequence plots used ranged from 3.9 to 15.9 years. No lizards were recorded on plots less than 5.9 years old. Only four species of lizard were regularly found on the mining path. The skink Ctenotus robustus was the first colonizer and attained peak abundance and biomass after 9 years’ regeneration. Amphibolurus muricatus and Ctenotus taeniolatus were less abundant than C. robustus and did not appear on the mining path until 9 to 11 years’ regeneration. The abundance of C. taeniolatus continued to increase up to the oldest age class (16 years). Linear multiple regression analysis showed that sparse patchy vegetation in the 0–1 m layer and the amount of live shrub cover jointly accounted for 72% of the variance in abundance and 68% of variance in biomass for C. robustus. Fifty percent of the variance in C. taeniolatus abundance was explained by the proportion of plant species endemic to forest, regeneration age and the patchiness in understorey vegetation height. However, 67% of C. taeniolatus biomass was accounted for by plant species richness, plant species diversity, and the proportion of endemic forest and heath plant species. Some lizard species recorded from the surrounding forest were not found on the mining path. Lizards appear to recolonize revegetated areas more slowly than some other animal groups; this ‘sensitivity’ implies that they can act as important ‘indicator species’ of successful regeneration in disturbed areas. The non-linear response with time of some habitat variables makes it difficult to predict the time required for the complete rehabilitation of the mining path; however, it seems likely that a period well in excess of 20 years may be necessary before the lizard fauna on the mining path reaches premined levels.     

Distributional patterning of terrestrial herpetofauna on the Wessel and English Company Island groups,northeastern Arnhem Land,Northern Territory,Australia

Forty-four species of terrestrial reptiles and eight species of frogs were recorded from 60 continental islands of the Wessel and English Company groups off northeastern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. Two gecko species, Oedura rhombifer and Heteronotia binoei, were present on the most islands (34 and 31, respectively), and occurred on islands < 5 ha. In contrast, agamids, pygopodids and varanids were absent from islands < 18 ha, and snakes and frogs were not reported from islands < 240 ha. Island size explained 82% of the variation in species richness for terrestrial reptiles, and 84% of that for lizards. The relationship was less good for (i) groups with generally uncommon species (notably snakes), for which sampling effort explained more variation, and (ii) groups with species which had relatively specific habitat requirements (notably frogs), for which island size and isolation factors were not especially relevant. For most taxonomic groups considered, isolation factors added little to the relationship between species richness and island size. Across all reptiles, larger species were found on fewer islands, and had larger island size thresholds. This relationship broke down with analysis restricted to the single most species-rich family, Scincidae. Only 6 of the 20 most frequently recorded species showed significant variation in abundance among 8 vegetation types sampled by 226 quadrats across 40 islands. The number of species (alpha-diversity) and total abundance of herpetofauna within quadrats was generally unrelated to island size; however, (with analysis restricted to islands on which they occurred) six individual species were significantly more abundant on smaller islands than on larger islands, with no species showing the opposite pattern. The islands’ herpetofauna is largely a relatively depauperate subset of that of the far more complex sandstone massif and escarpment of western Arnhem Land, especially missing species associated with rugged sandstone gorges, riparian areas, open forests, swamps and clay soils. Patterns in species richness and composition are explained by greater range of environments on larger islands allowing better retention of species since isolation and/or richer tallies at the time of isolation. The evidence suggests that there has been relatively little colonization, although at least two gecko species and one varanid may have moved reasonably frequently.     

Ecology of nematophagous fungi: distribution and habitat

A survey of 161 samples of soil and plant material collected from sites throughout Ireland has shown that nematophagous fungi exist in a wide range of habitats. 205 isolations were made consisting of 11 endoparasitic and 20 predatory species. The commonest endoparasites and their frequency of occurrence were Myzocytium spp. (9·3%), Acrostalagmus obovatus (6·8%) and Harposporium anguillulae (6·2%). Predators were equally abundant, the commonest being Dactylella bembicodes (8·7%), D. mammillata (6·8%) and D. ellipsospora (6·2%). Arthrobotrys oligospora and A. musiformis both had a highly restricted distribution. Adhesive knobs and constricting rings were significantly more abundant than the other trapping mechanisms. All the samples were classified into one of 10 broad habitat types. Of these temporary agricultural pasture, coastal vegetation and coniferous leaf litter had the greatest percentage of sites from which nematophagous fungi were isolated. A number of species showed distinct habitat associations, in particular Arthrobotrys robusta, A. musiformis and Dactylella cionopaga.