土壤动物群落空间格局和构建机制研究进展

群落空间格局和构建机制一直是生态学研究的核心内容。在生物多样性严重丧失的背景下, 揭示群落空间格局及其构建机制, 有助于深刻理解生物多样性丧失的原因, 更有助于应对生物多样性保护等重大生态环境问题。然而, 陆地生态系统的研究多集中于地上生物群落, 对地下生态系统, 尤其是土壤动物空间格局和构建机制的研究尚不充分。事实上, 土壤动物多样性是全球生物多样性的关键组成之一, 是地下生态系统结构和功能维持的重要部分。对土壤动物空间格局和构建机制的研究, 能明确不同空间尺度条件下土壤动物多样性的维持机制。土壤动物群落常在多种空间尺度形成复杂的空间分布格局, 因此, 本文首先介绍了不同空间尺度主要土壤动物群落的空间自相关性特征, 阐述了土壤动物群落斑块和孔隙镶嵌分布的复杂空间格局。继而阐明这种空间格局主要受生物间作用、环境过滤和随机扩散的调控, 并说明这三个过程对土壤动物群落的调控能力和作用方式。作者提出, 这三个过程仍是今后土壤动物群落空间格局和构建机制研究的重点内容, 需要进一步加强以土壤动物为研究对象的群落构建理论的验证和发展。我国土壤动物群落空间格局和构建机制起步较晚, 希望本文能够促进我国土壤动物生态学相关领域的研究。     

气候变化与生物多样性之间的复杂关系和反馈机制

气候变化与生物多样性丧失是人类社会正在经历的两大变化。气候变化影响生物多样性的方方面面, 是导致生物多样性丧失的一个主要驱动因子; 反过来, 生物多样性丧失会加剧气候变化。因此, 阻止甚至扭转气候变化和生物多样性丧失是当前人类社会亟需解决的全球性问题,但我们对气候变化与生物多样性之间的复杂关系和反馈机制尚缺乏清晰认识。本文总结了近年气候变化与生物多样性变化的研究进展, 重点概述了不同组织层次、空间尺度和维度的生物多样性对气候变化的响应和反馈等相关领域的研究进展和存在的主要问题。结果发现多数研究关注气候变化对生物多样性的直接影响, 涉及到生物多样性的不同组织层次、维度和营养级, 但针对气候变化间接影响的研究仍然较少, 机理研究同样需要加强; 生物多样性对生态系统功能影响的环境依赖和尺度推演、生物多样性对生态系统多功能性的作用机理和量化方法是当前研究面临的挑战; 生物多样性对生态系统响应气候变化的作用机制尚无统一的认识; 生物多样性对气候变化的正、负反馈效应是国内外研究的盲点。最后, 本文展望了未来发展方向和需要解决的关键科学问题, 包括多因子气候变化对生物多样性的影响; 减缓和适应气候变化的措施如何惠益于生物多样性保护; 生物多样性与生态系统功能的理论如何应用到现实世界; 生物多样性保护对实现碳中和目标的贡献。     

生物多样性控制作物病害研究进展

自然资源的合理利用和生态环境保护是人类实现可持续发展的基础, 生物多样性的研究和保护已成为世界各国普遍关注的重大问题。农作物病害是农业生产上重要的生物灾害, 是制约农业可持续发展的主要因素之一, 抗病品种大面积单一化种植导致了农业生物多样性水平严重降低, 因而农业生物多样性的过度丧失已成为可持续农业所面临的主要难题。利用生物多样性持续控制作物病害能减轻作物病害发生和作物产量损失, 达到保护作物多样性, 减少农药过量施用给农业生态环境造成破坏的最终目的, 而揭示生物多样性控制作物病害的机制能有效地指导生产上对不同作物进行合理布局和轮换, 建立作物不同组合的优化搭配和种植模式。文章从分子、生理和生态水平研究农业生物多样性控制作物病害的机制、以及影响作物多样性控制病害的因素、覆盖作物等几方面对生物多样性控制作物病害的研究进展进行概述, 同时对今后生物多样性控制作物病害机制还需加强的研究部分进行了展望。     

大数据时代的生物多样性科学与宏生态学

高质量的生物多样性数据是认知生物多样性的起源和维持机制及应对其丧失风险的科学基础。当前,在新物种发现、已知物种的地理分布、种群数量与时空动态、物种进化史、功能性状、物种与环境之间以及物种与物种之间的相互作用等7个方面都存在着知识上的空缺。大数据时代的到来为弥补这些知识空缺提供了可能,大数据的挖掘及其应用最近已成为国际生物多样性与宏生态学研究的前沿内容。如何有效地利用和分析不断增长的生物多样性大数据是生物多样性研究面临的一个极大挑战。本文通过全球、大陆和区域尺度上的研究案例展示了大数据在生物多样性研究中应用的新进展,内容涉及森林覆盖变化、保护生态学、生物多样性与生态系统功能、气候变化对生物多样性的影响等。最后,对大数据在生物多样性研究中存在的数据采集、处理和分析等方面的问题进行了总结,并对其潜在应用前景进行了探讨。     

中国生境片段化对生物多样性影响研究进展

生境片段化是造成生物多样性丧失的重要因素之一。中国是生境片段化极为严重的国家之一,其高生物多样性受到了严重的威胁,然而却缺乏系统的总结研究。本文从生物类群、生境类型和空间尺度3个角度来探讨中国境内的生境片段化研究现状,以及生境片段化对当地生物多样性的影响,为生物多样性的管理和保护提供必要的研究基础。同时,对于目前生境片段化研究的不足,建议关注多尺度,多学科融合的研究,并且通过控制性实验深入研究生境片段化的机制。     

航空航天遥感在物种多样性研究与保护中的应用

人类活动导致全球范围内生物多样性丧失日趋严重。物种多样性是研究最为深入以及最贴近生物多样性管理的层次。物种多样性的研究往往受到多时空尺度生态过程的影响, 传统物种多样性调查方法受到人力物力影响, 局限性大, 物种多样性的研究与管理亟需整合不同来源的数据。遥感技术从传统的光学遥感阶段发展到不同平台、不同维度相结合的多源遥感阶段, 并逐渐进入以高空间分辨率和高光谱为特征、以激光雷达为前沿发展方向的综合遥感阶段。遥感技术因为其监测范围广、能监测人迹罕至地区以及长期可重复等特性, 为研究不同时空尺度的生态学科学问题提供了更新更优的研究手段。本文围绕种群动态、种间关系与群落多样性、功能属性及功能多样性以及生物多样性保护管理等生物多样性研究热点问题, 系统地论述了航空航天遥感技术在物种多样性研究与保护领域的应用, 总结了航空航天遥感技术在研究与物种多样性有关的主要生态学问题中的机遇与挑战。我们认为航空航天遥感技术利用多光谱甚至高光谱与激光技术从空中监测物种多样性, 从不同视角、基于不同光源提供了物种多样性不同侧面的信息, 能够减小地面调查强度, 在大范围和边远地区的物种多样性调查研究中有着至关重要的作用。依据光谱特性的物种判别以及依据激光雷达的三维结构量测将促进生物多样性的研究与管理, 加强遥感学家和生物多样性研究者的沟通交流将有助于促进不同时空尺度的生物多样性与遥感技术的结合。     

昆虫多样性三十年研究进展

当前, 全球昆虫数量和多样性均处于下降趋势, 而导致这一趋势的原因主要包括人为干扰及气候变化。本文基于森林、草地、农业、水生和土壤生态系统, 以植食性、访花、捕食性、寄生性、食果以及食腐昆虫为重点功能昆虫群, 综述了近三十年来国内外昆虫多样性研究领域的主要进展, 并分析了发展趋势。近年来, 昆虫多样性的研究维度不断拓展, 形态多样性研究不断深入, 系统发生多样性、功能多样性和遗传多样性等研究也显著加强。此外, 昆虫多样性研究的空间尺度也逐步扩大, 大尺度区域性研究甚至全球范围的调查持续增长。昆虫进化历史也被引入多样性格局研究中, 并随着系统发生信息学方法的普及而被整合到生态系统建成和生物多样性形成机制研究中。未来需要加强关键昆虫类群整合分类学研究、功能性状多样性、林冠昆虫多样性、互作网络结构等方向的研究。     

生物文化多样性研究进展

生物文化多样性包括生物多样性、文化多样性和二者之间的复杂联系,是保持自然界和人类社会健康的基础。由于其内涵丰富、涉及学科众多、研究内容广泛,在研究时把握研究对象及相应尺度尤为重要。生物多样性和文化多样性通过自然和社会的各种因素紧密连接在一起,表现为空间上的重合、共同的进化过程以及受到共同的威胁。对生物多样性和文化多样性进行共同保护是减缓生物多样性丧失和保护传统文化的有效途径。主要从生物多样性和文化多样性的关系、传统生态知识、文化景观等三大方面对相关研究进行了梳理,并指出了主要发展趋势。我国学者在生物文化多样性研究的一些领域做出了富有特色和价值的工作,但在保持我国优势和特色领域发展的同时,还需紧跟国际热点和趋势,在机制与系统分析、生物文化多样性的环境影响、生物文化多样性的保护与管理等方面加强研究。     

四川省生物多样性基础数据库信息系统

生物多样性本底信息是开展生物多样性评价的基础,现有的生物多样性数据分布比较分散,不同的数据掌握在不同的部门,没有得到很好整合。同时,由于缺乏物种分布的空间信息,生物多样性数据很难满足环境影响评价中生物多样性评价的需求,生物多样性评价一般只限于简单的定性分析。为了促使生物多样性评价工作能更深入的开展,切实有效地保护生物多样性资源,以四川省(重点以甘孜州)为研究案例,整合了现有的生物多样性数据资源,主要包括四川省自然保护区生物多样性数据、甘孜州水生和陆生生物多样性数据、四川省环境敏感区数据以及生物多样性现场调查数据等,建立了四川省生物多样性基础数据库,同时通过数据库开发和网络开发,建立了数据库信息系统,实现了生物多样性空间数据库和属性数据库的查询检索、数据显示等功能。     

植物遗传多样性与生态系统功能关系的研究进展

全球变化和人类活动导致物种生境的萎缩, 造成很多植物种群数量缩减, 遗传多样性快速丧失。对于物种多样性低的生态系统, 优势种的遗传多样性可能比物种多样性对生态系统功能产生更大的影响。因此, 了解遗传多样性和生态系统功能的关系(GD-EF)及其机制对生物多样性保护、应对环境变化和生态修复具有指导意义。该文综述了植物遗传多样性对生态系统结构(高营养级生物群落结构)和生态系统功能(初级生产力、养分循环和稳定性)的影响及机制、功能多样性对GD-EF的影响、遗传多样性效应和物种多样性效应的比较, 以及GD-EF在生态修复等实际应用的研究进展。最后指出当前研究的不足之处, 以期为后续研究提供参考: 1)还需深入研究GD-EF机制; 2)未评估遗传多样性对生态系统多功能性的影响; 3)不同遗传多样性测度对生态系统功能的影响不明确; 4)缺少长期的和多空间尺度结合的GD-EF实验; 5)遗传多样性效应相对于其他因子的作用不清楚。     

遥感在生物多样性研究中的应用进展

随着人口的持续增长, 人类经济活动对自然资源的利用强度不断升级以及全球气候变暖, 全球物种正以前所未有的速度丧失, 生物多样性成为了全球关注的热点问题。传统生物多样性研究以地面调查方法为主, 重点关注物种或样地水平, 但无法满足景观尺度、区域尺度以及全球尺度的生物多样性保护和评估需求。遥感作为获取生物多样性信息的另一种手段, 近年来在生物多样性领域发展迅速, 其覆盖广、序列性以及可重复性等特点使之在大尺度生物多样性监测和制图以及评估方面具有极大优势。本文主要通过文献收集整理, 从观测手段、研究尺度、观测对象和生物多样性关注点等方面综述了遥感在生物多样性研究中的应用现状, 重点分析不同遥感平台的技术优势和局限性, 并探讨了未来遥感在生物多样性研究的应用趋势。遥感平台按观测高度可分为近地面遥感、航空遥感和卫星遥感, 能够获取样地-景观-区域-洲际-全球尺度的生物多样性信息。星载平台在生物多样性研究中应用最多, 航空遥感的应用研究偏少主要受飞行成本限制。近地面遥感作为一个新兴平台, 能够直接观测到物种的个体, 获取生物多样性关注的物种和种群信息, 是未来遥感在生物多样性应用中的发展方向。虽然遥感技术在生物多样性研究中的应用存在一定的局限性, 未来随着传感器发展和多源数据融合技术的完善, 遥感能更好地从多个尺度、全方位地服务于生物多样性保护和评估。     

Conservation implications of the link between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning

The relationship between biodiversity and individual ecosystem processes is often asymptotic, saturating at relatively low levels, with some species contributing more strongly than others. This has cast doubt on arguments for conservation based on maintenance of the functioning of ecosystems. However, we argue that the link between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is an important additional argument for conservation for several reasons. (1) Although species differ in importance to ecosystem processes, we do not believe that this argues for preservation of just a few species for two reasons: first, it is nearly impossible to identify all species important to the numerous systems and processes on which humans depend; second, the important species themselves may depend on an unknown number of other species in their communities. (2) Arguments for conservation based on ecosystem functioning are complementary to other utilitarian, ethical and aesthetic justifications. No single reason will convince all people or protect all species, however the combination produces a strong case for conservation of biodiversity. (3) Even if the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is asymptotic at local spatial scales and in the short term, effects of biodiversity loss are likely to be important at larger temporal and spatial scales. (4) Initial arguments for the importance of biodiversity for ecosystem functioning were largely based on a precautionary approach (points 1-3). However, we are now moving to a scientific position based on accumulating experimental evidence. The future challenge is the integration of this scientific research with policy.     

Dispersal of fleshy-fruited species: a matter of spatial scale?

The processes associated with the dispersal of fleshy-fruited species have been an important focus of ecological research during the last two decades. These processes include fruit removal, seed rain, seed predation, seed bank dynamics, germination and establishment. Some of them interfere with the mutualistic interaction of frugivorous birds and fleshy-fruited plants. We might expect such interference to be most pronounced where the intensity of the different processes has a spatial distribution similar to that of the original seed shadow. The central theme of this review is that the main processes associated with dispersal and recruitment act at different spatial scales. To investigate this idea, about 140 publications on dispersal of fleshy-fruited species from 1980 to 2000 were screened for the spatial scaling of these processes. Microhabitat, habitat, landscape, region and biome were the five spatial scales most commonly used. However, the representation of the different scales was not fully balanced; large-scale studies were scarce and most publications considered only one scale.The review reveals some trends in scaling of the main processes of plant dispersal and recruitment. Seed dispersal by birds and seed predation by rodents are strongly determined at the habitat level, and several studies report negative results for contrasts between microhabitats. Germination and seedling establishment, on the other hand, appear to be mainly influenced by differences between microhabitats, though information on larger scales is scarce. Genetic differentiation and phenology of fruiting have mostly been investigated at the habitat, landscape and regional scale, whereas information on the abundance of frugivorous birds and patterns in plant distribution results are available across the full range of scales from the level of the microhabitat to the region and biome. Future research should be directed to the major gaps in our knowledge, i.e. regional and zonal comparisons of the processes associated with dispersal. They should also be more sensitive to scale issues and ideally should have a multi-scaled design.     

Understanding extinction debts: spatio–temporal scales,mechanisms and a roadmap for future research

Extinction debt refers to delayed species extinctions expected as a consequence of ecosystem perturbation. Quantifying such extinctions and investigating long‐term consequences of perturbations has proven challenging, because perturbations are not isolated and occur across various spatial and temporal scales, from local habitat losses to global warming. Additionally, the relative importance of eco‐evolutionary processes varies across scales, because levels of ecological organization, i.e. individuals, (meta)populations and (meta)communities, respond hierarchically to perturbations. To summarize our current knowledge of the scales and mechanisms influencing extinction debts, we reviewed recent empirical, theoretical and methodological studies addressing either the spatio–temporal scales of extinction debts or the eco‐evolutionary mechanisms delaying extinctions. Extinction debts were detected across a range of ecosystems and taxonomic groups, with estimates ranging from 9 to 90% of current species richness. The duration over which debts have been sustained varies from 5 to 570 yr, and projections of the total period required to settle a debt can extend to 1000 yr. Reported causes of delayed extinctions are 1) life‐history traits that prolong individual survival, and 2) population and metapopulation dynamics that maintain populations under deteriorated conditions. Other potential factors that may extend survival time such as microevolutionary dynamics, or delayed extinctions of interaction partners, have rarely been analyzed. Therefore, we propose a roadmap for future research with three key avenues: 1) the microevolutionary dynamics of extinction processes, 2) the disjunctive loss of interacting species and 3) the impact of multiple regimes of perturbation on the payment of debts. For their ability to integrate processes occurring at different levels of ecological organization, we highlight mechanistic simulation models as tools to address these knowledge gaps and to deepen our understanding of extinction dynamics.     

Productivity–species richness relationship changes from unimodal to positive linear with increasing spatial scale in the Inner Mongolia steppe

Productivity–species diversity relationships have been a controversial research topic in ecology with scale believed to be among the main reasons for discovering different relationships. We collected data on species diversity (richness) and productivity (peak above-ground biomass) of the Stipa breviflora association in the Inner Mongolia grassland to examine spatial scale dependency and possible underlying mechanisms responsible for the relationships found. One local and seven different landscape scales (the first level corresponds in extent to a 100 × 100 km area, which is increased consecutively by 100 km resulting in the 700 × 700 km area at the highest level) were considered. We found that: (1) unimodal relationships dominated the local scale, but this varied depending on the position along successional gradients; (2) a positive linear relationship was common at larger spatial scales; (3) biotic processes were the most likely primary factor underlying local scale unimodal relationships, but environmental heterogeneity (precipitation patterns) was the main determinant of relationships found at larger spatial scales; (4) our study contributed to other empirical evidence and predictions of theoretical models regarding scale dependency of productivity–species richness relationships; (5) while earlier research demonstrated positive linear species richness–productivity relationships across a number of ecological scales in the Inner Mongolia steppe, our study specifically tested a spectrum of geographical scales to confirm the scale-dependency of this relationship. Lastly, our study emphasized the critical role played by precipitation patterns in controlling biodiversity and grassland ecosystem functioning, which maintains the relatively high level of biodiversity and stable ecosystem processes.     

Disturbance by large herbivores alters the relative importance of the ecological processes that influence the assembly pattern in heterogeneous meta‐communities

Disturbance caused by large herbivores can affect the relative importance of ecological processes in determining community assembly and may cause a systematic loss of biodiversity across scales. To examine changes in the community assembly pattern caused by an overabundance of large herbivores in Japan, we analyzed community composition data from before and after the overabundance occurred. The community assembly pattern becomes more random after the deer overabundance. In addition, result of variation partitioning revealed decrease in importance of environmental processes and increase in importance of spatial processes. However, response of turnover rate, niche breadth, and niche overlap was heterogeneous, according to scale of each environmental gradient. Our results emphasize the importance of conserving habitat specialists that represent the local environment (habitat type and topography) at various altitudinal ranges to maintain biodiversity at regional scales under the increasing pressure of large herbivores.     

Disentangling the pathways of land use impacts on the functional structure of fish assemblages in Amazon streams

Agricultural land use is a primary driver of environmental impacts on streams. However, the causal processes that shape these impacts operate through multiple pathways and at several spatial scales. This complexity undermines the development of more effective management approaches, and illustrates the need for more in‐depth studies to assess the mechanisms that determine changes in stream biodiversity. Here we present results of the most comprehensive multi‐scale assessment of the biological condition of streams in the Amazon to date, examining functional responses of fish assemblages to land use. We sampled fish assemblages from two large human‐modified regions, and characterized stream conditions by physical habitat attributes and key landscape‐change variables, including density of road crossings (i.e. riverscape fragmentation), deforestation, and agricultural intensification. Fish species were functionally characterized using ecomorphological traits describing feeding, locomotion, and habitat preferences, and these traits were used to derive indices that quantitatively describe the functional structure of the assemblages. Using structural equation modeling, we disentangled multiple drivers operating at different spatial scales, identifying causal pathways that significantly affect stream condition and the structure of the fish assemblages. Deforestation at catchment and riparian network scales altered the channel morphology and the stream bottom structure, changing the functional identity of assemblages. Local deforestation reduced the functional evenness of assemblages (i.e. increased dominance of specific trait combinations) mediated by expansion of aquatic vegetation cover. Riverscape fragmentation reduced functional richness, evenness and divergence, suggesting a trend toward functional homogenization and a reduced range of ecological niches within assemblages following the loss of regional connectivity. These results underscore the often‐unrecognized importance of different land use changes, each of which can have marked effects on stream biodiversity. We draw on the relationships observed herein to suggest priorities for the improved management of stream systems in the multiple‐use landscapes that predominate in human‐modified tropical forests.     

Inferring macro‐ecological patterns from local presence/absence data

Biodiversity provides support for life, vital provisions, regulating services and has positive cultural impacts. It is therefore important to have accurate methods to measure biodiversity, in order to safeguard it when we discover it to be threatened. For practical reasons, biodiversity is usually measured at fine scales whereas diversity issues (e.g. conservation) interest regional or global scales. Moreover, biodiversity may change across spatial scales. It is therefore a key challenge to be able to translate local information on biodiversity into global patterns. Many databases give no information about the abundances of a species within an area, but only its occurrence in each of the surveyed plots. In this paper, we introduce an analytical framework (implemented in a ready‐to‐use R code) to infer species richness and abundances at large spatial scales in biodiversity‐rich ecosystems when species presence/absence information is available on various scattered samples (i.e. upscaling). This framework is based on the scale‐invariance property of the negative binomial. Our approach allows to infer and link within a unique framework important and well‐known biodiversity patterns of ecological theory, such as the species accumulation curve (SAC) and the relative species abundance (RSA) as well as a new emergent pattern, which is the relative species occupancy (RSO). Our estimates are robust and accurate, as confirmed by tests performed on both in silico‐generated and real forests. We demonstrate the accuracy of our predictions using data from two well‐studied forest stands. Moreover, we compared our results with other popular methods proposed in the literature to infer species richness from presence to absence data and we showed that our framework gives better estimates. It has thus important applications to biodiversity research and conservation practice.