Anatomo-morphological features of the leaves of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hedysarum theinum</Emphasis> (Fabaceae) in Western Altai

The adaptation of Hedysarum theinum to the conditions of the mountainous areas of Western Altai (Kazakhstan) has been studied by observing the anatomical features of the leaf blade. The status of nine populations of Hedysarum theinum is estimated based on a study of ten anatomical features of the leaf blade. It is found that the combined values of features are the highest in subalpine habitats.     

Lepidoptera rhopalocera in the core of the transboundary biosphere territory “Altai:” Peculiarities of the fauna and population

Migration pathways of butterflies in Southeast Altai (the core of the Transboundary biosphere territory “Altai”) in the spring and summer seasons of 1990 and over the period of 1995–2006 were analyzed. The density of the population was assessed, and specific features of the butterfly distribution among four high-altitude belts (alpine tundra, subalpine, forest, and steppe) were revealed. Eighty-five habitats were examined and butterfly migration pathways were recorded for 359 hours of route surveys with a total length of 875 km. More than 16.5 thousand individuals belonging to 6 families, 66 genera and 107 species were recorded. The total species abundance of butterflies was found to be maximal in the forest belt; the highest population density was recorded in the alpine-tundra belt. The results obtained indicate that the basic differences among the butterfly populations are determined by the thermal conditions related to the altitude and, to a lesser degree, the degree of forestation. The distribution of most butterfly species over the transboundary territory is primarily determined by the recent environmental conditions, in particular the aridity of the tundra-steppe belt.     

Altitude modifies species richness–nutrient indicator value relationships in a country-wide survey of grassland vegetation

Nutrient enrichment is a threat to botanical diversity in Europe, and its assessment is part of biodiversity monitoring schemes. In Switzerland, this is done by calculating the average nutrient (N) indicator value of the vegetation based on a country-wide systematic vegetation survey. However, it is questionable whether N values indicate eutrophication and resulting species loss equally well across an entire country, which includes wide topographic gradients and distinct biogeographic regions. Here we analyze vascular plant species lists from 415 grassland plots (10 m²) between 365 and 2770 m a.s.l. throughout Switzerland to investigate how the relationship between N value and species richness differs with altitude and among regions. The N value strongly decreased with altitude (piecewise regression: r² = 0.77), particularly between 800 and 2000 m a.s.l., where this decrease was related to a decreasing proportion of fertilized grasslands. In the alpine belt, lower N values were associated with a greater frequency of acidic soils and a restricted species pool. Vascular plant species richness was maximal at intermediate altitude (piecewise regression: r² = 0.33) and intermediate N value (polynomial regression: r² = 0.46). When analyzed separately by altitudinal belt, the relationship between species richness and N value was negative in the lowlands and montane belt but unimodal in the subalpine belt. In the alpine belt, soil pH (R indicator values) explained most of the variation in species richness. Two indices of between-plot diversity (floristic dissimilarity and the contribution of individual plots to total species richness) were negatively related to N values from the lowlands to the subalpine belt but not in the alpine belt. All relationships differed little among the biogeographic regions of Switzerland, but they might be modified by changes in management and by the expansion of common lowland species into mountain grasslands.     

Pattern of soil methanotrophs on the natural vertical zones of the North Tianshan Mountain

Methane is one of the most important greenhouse gases and plays an essential role in atmospheric chemistry. Knowledge about methanotrophs and their diversity is important to understand the microbial mediation of the greenhouse gas CH₄ under climate change. The methanotrophs is one of main functional microbial groups in soil mediating methane cycles of terrestrial ecosystem. The purpose of this study was to explore spatial distribution pattern of methanotrophs diversity and the major factors affecting soil methanotrophs diversity along an elevation gradient on vertical natural belt of the North Tianshan Mountains, soil samples were collected at six sites in 2010, which were desert grassland belt (H1), Mountain grassland belt (H2), Mountain forest belt (H3), sub-alpine cushion belt (H4), alpine cushion belt (H5), alpine tundra vegetation (H6). Methanotrophs diversity in six sites from the North Tianshan Mountain were assessed with terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP).The carbon–nitrogen ratio was significant difference under different vertical natural belt, ranged from 10.34 to 20.10, soil organic carbon were lowest in alpine tundra vegetation and highest in Mountain forest belt, those numbers of belts ranging from H1 to H3 were increased, with increasing elevation, then H3 to H6 were decreased. The total number of Terminal Restriction Fragments (T-RFs) derived from all those soil samples was 233, indicating high genetic diversity of methanotrophs on vertical natural belt of the North Tianshan Mountains. Microbial communities of T-RFs 55 bp, 242 bp, 376 bp represented the dominant species in sampling sites. However, some of the T-RFs were more sensitive to environment, such as 79 bp, 176 bp and 250 bp. Methanotrophs diversity index and T-RFs numbers were lowest in mountain forest belt and highest in subalpine cushion belt. Along the elevation gradient, the trendency of those numbers are as follows, H1>H2>H3<H4>H5>H6. Cluster analysis revealed that the samples could be separated into two groups, H4, H5 and H6 clustered into one group, while H2 and H3 clustered into other group.The community shifts were further investigated by Principle component analysis (PCA). The first PCA axis, which is related to the main compositional variation, separated the communities of the different sites. The main variation was mainly caused by changes in the relative abundance of the 58 bp, 87 bp, 137 bp, 243 bp and 248 bp T-RFs.Based on canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), Shannon index(H) of methanotrophs was positively correlated with soil pH and C/N ratio and negatively correlated with elevation, content of total nitrogen and total phosphorus; and Simpson index (D) and Evenness (E) were positively correlated with soils’ C/N ratio, soil surface temperature, pH and organic carbon, and negatively with elevation, total nitrogen and total phosphorus; indicating that plant communities and soil nutrients influence the soil microbial structure.Our research showed that soil methanotrophs was high genetic diversity along the elevation gradient on vertical natural belt in the North Tianshan Mountain. Soil microorganisms were positively correlated with vegetation, soils pH, C/N ratio, and soil moisture, total nitrogen, these parameters might be the main factors controlling soil methanotrophs diversity.     

The subalpine vegetation of Mt. Vysokaya, central Sikhote-Alin

The subalpine vegetation structure of Mt. Vysokaya, the Central Sikhote-Alin, is described. This vegetation consists mainly of subalpine spruce-fir forest, a complex of subalpine meadows, shrubs, groves of Betula lanata (B. ermanii s.l.), krummholz of Pinus pumila and alpine tundras. Significant disturbances in the vegetation structure were noted, especially in the forest-tundra ecotone accompanying a sharp reduction of the belts of Betula lanata and Pinus pumila. The altitudinal level of the upper timberline reaches 1600 m a.s.l. which is 250 m less than the expected altitude calculated by Kira's warmth index. An undergrowth of scattered trees of Picea and Betula are growing up to the mountain top. Based on these data and a review of the literature, we concluded that a catastrophic lowering of the timberline and devastation of the subalpine vegetation belt occurred several centuries ago, probably as result of fires.     

Virtual issue: Alpine and subalpine plant communities: importance of plant growth,reproduction and community assemblage processes for changing environments

Natural plant communities are exposed to environmental changes such as global warming and increased human activities. It is thought that alpine and subalpine ecosystems with cool climatic conditions are sensitive to environmental changes. This virtual issue introduces multidisciplinary research at alpine and subalpine plant communities. The articles include research on (1) species diversity, vegetation and biomass, (2) species assembly, (3) climate and growth of alpine plants, (4) reproduction of alpine plants, (5) differences of growth traits among coexisting species, (6) vegetation changes by human activities and overgrazing of deer, and (7) differentiation of growth traits among ecotypes in relation to climatic conditions. These thirteen articles provide valuable information for future research on the effects of environmental changes on alpine and subalpine plant communities.     

Genetic differentiation of Altai-Sayan endemic Hedysarum theinum Krasnob. (Fabaceae) evaluated by inter-simple sequence repeat analysis

The objective of the research described in this paper was to evaluate the level of genetic variability and differentiation between the populations of Hedysarum theinum Krasnob., endemic species of Altai-Sayan Mountains. In this study, six inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers were used and generated a total of 132 molecular markers, 126 of which were polymorphic (95.5%). The large amount of DNA polymorphism at the intrapopulation level (H _pop/H _sp = 70.5) was evidenced by the analysis of a molecular variance (AMOVA) of 88.2%. The high genetic similarity (I = 0.875) detected between the populations of H. theinum reflects the strongly restricted endemic range of H. theinum, which facilitates the gene flow among populations and outcrossing. Due to the significant genetic diversity revealed among individuals against a background of moderate population differentiation collecting samples for ex situ H. theinum conservation from a small number of populations is acceptable. Finally, selected highly polymorphic ISSR markers produced consistently repeatable patterns are discussed as a powerful tool for genotype identification and the qualification of root feedstock.     

中国阿勒泰地区鸟类物种编目、丰富度格局和区系组成

中国阿勒泰地区位于新疆北部, 与哈萨克斯坦、俄罗斯、蒙古国交界, 该区包含阿尔泰山及山前荒漠和绿洲, 属于全球200个生物多样性最丰富和最具代表性生态区之一的阿尔泰-萨彦岭生物热点地区。阿勒泰地区生境多样, 鸟类物种资源丰富。尽管以往曾在阿勒泰地区进行过一些鸟类调查, 但对于该地区不同景观和生境类型中鸟类物种丰富度和分布尚无详尽报道。本文通过2013-2016年在中国境内阿尔泰山及山前平原地区对不同生境类型中的鸟类进行实地调查, 并总结文献资料及观鸟爱好者的记录数据, 重新整理了阿勒泰地区鸟类名录及地理分布, 分析了鸟类的物种组成、区系成分; 通过鸟类分布位点数据, 选取气候、土地覆被类型、人类足迹指数及地形共4类环境因子作为自变量建立MaxEnt生态位模型, 通过模拟77种鸟类的适宜分布区并叠加分布图层, 获得了阿勒泰地区的鸟类物种丰富度分布格局。结果表明: 阿勒泰共记录鸟类344种, 隶属19目55科149属, 其中雀形目163种。在垂直海拔带上, 鸟类物种数分别为高山裸岩带24种, 高山草甸带35种, 山地森林草原带172种, 低山灌木带130种, 荒漠草原带84种, 平原绿洲带173种, 以及各海拔带的湿地与水域生境中水鸟92种; 在区系成分上, 以北方型鸟类为主(170种, 占49.4%), 其次为广布种(93种, 占27.0%)。阿尔泰山地的鸟类区系呈现出西伯利亚动物区系特征, 山前平原地区呈现蒙新区分布特征, 因此, 阿勒泰地区动物地理区系属于古北界欧洲-西伯利亚亚界阿尔泰-萨彦岭区阿尔泰亚区; 山前平原地区属于古北界中亚亚界蒙新区西部荒漠亚区。MaxEnt模型推测阿勒泰地区山前平原绿洲地区、山地森林草原带和低山灌木带具有较高的鸟类物种丰富度, 尤其是额尔齐斯河流域下游的绿洲带宽阔, 鸟类物种丰富, 而高山区和荒漠生境中鸟类物种相对较少。模型预测的结果与实际调查情况相符。阿勒泰地区应采用生态友好的经济发展策略, 加强对乔木和灌木的保护, 这有助于维持较高的鸟类物种多样性。此外, 降低生境破碎化不仅对该地区物种保护有重要作用, 也对维持阿尔泰-萨彦岭生物热点地区的山地鸟类多样性有重要意义。     

Relationships between the variability of electrophoretic profiles of seed polypeptides and ecological-geographic conditions of the habitats of populations of Hedysarum theinum Krasnob. (Fabaceae)

Relationships between the range of variation of electrophoretic profiles of seed polypeptides and ecological-phytocenotic conditions of the habitats of thirteen populations of Hedysarum theinum Krasnob. (tea sweetvetch) were studied. The variability of the seed polypeptide profiles were lower in H. theinum populations from the alpine zone than in those from the forest zone. The forest zone also included populations with the extreme values of variation. Populations from the least elevated parts of the alpine zone were characterized by low variability.     

Habitat preferences in gray marmots (Marmota baibacina)

We examined habitat preferences of the Southern Altai subspecies of gray marmots (Marmota baibacina baibacina) both at the small and large scale. Considerable differences in habitat use among the gray marmot (sub)species complex have been described; Marmota kastschenkoi possibly represents the only forest-dwelling Palearctic marmot. Our results show that habitat use in Southern Altai marmots is determined mainly by vegetation type. The Altai marmots preferred grasslands and shrublands and their distribution was limited to the alpine zone above timberline. Marmots clearly avoided woodlands, even the forest edges and forest-steppe areas with a tree cover greater than 10 %. Gray marmots occur rarely in habitats occupied by alpine pikas, whereas presence of ground squirrels had no effect on marmot distribution. Altai marmots preferred mesic habitats with permeable subsoil layers. Livestock grazing and human disturbance did not affect marmot occurrence. Habitat requirements of examined Altai subspecies M. baibacina baibacina differ from the forest-steppe M. kastschenkoi; nevertheless, the ecological factors to which the forest-dwelling species responds remain to be analyzed. A recent speciation process in gray marmot complex was followed by the evolution of ecological requirements resulting in adaptation to forest dwelling.     

Vegetation patterns at the alpine treeline ecotone: the influence of tree cover on abrupt change in species composition of alpine communities

Aims: The upper elevation limit of forest vegetation in mountain ranges (the alpine treeline ecotone) is expected to be highly sensitive to global change. Treeline shifts and/or ecotone afforestation could cause fragmentation and loss of alpine habitat, and are expected to trigger considerable alterations in alpine vegetation. We performed an analysis of vegetation structure at the treeline ecotone to evaluate whether distribution of the tree population determines the spatial pattern of vegetation (species composition and diversity) across the transition from subalpine forest to alpine vegetation. Location: Iberian eastern range of the Pyrenees. Methods: We studied 12 alpine Pinus uncinata treeline ecotones. Rectangular plots ranging from 940 to 1900 m² were placed along the forest‐alpine vegetation transition, from closed forest to the treeless alpine area. To determine community structure and species distribution in the treeline ecotone, species variation along the forest‐alpine vegetation transition was sampled using relevés of 0.5 m² set every 2 m along the length of each plot. Fuzzy C‐means clustering was performed to assess the transitional status of the relevés in terms of species composition. The relation of P. uncinata canopy cover to spatial pattern of vegetation was evaluated using continuous wavelet transform analysis. Results: Vegetation analyses revealed a large degree of uniformity of the subalpine forest between all treeline ecotone areas studied. In contrast, the vegetation mosaic found upslope displayed great variation between sites and was characterized by abrupt changes in plant community across the treeline ecotone. Plant richness and diversity significantly increased across the ecotone, but tree cover and diversity boundaries were not spatially coincident. Conclusions: Our results revealed that no intermediate communities, in terms of species composition, are present in the treeline ecotone. Ecotone vegetation reflected both bedrock type and fine‐scale heterogeneity at ground level, thereby reinforcing the importance of microenvironmental conditions for alpine community composition. Tree cover did not appear to be the principal driver of alpine community changes across the treeline ecotone. Microenvironmental heterogeneity, together with effects of past climatic and land‐use changes on ecotone vegetation, may weaken the expected correlation between species distribution and vegetation structure.     

Environmental drivers of subalpine and alpine fen vegetation in the Southern Rocky Mountains,Colorado, USA

Fens are widely distributed wetlands worldwide and provide vital habitat for plant and animal species in mountainous regions. Alpine fens are rare in the Rocky Mountains and concentrated in the San Juan Mountains where broad regions at high elevation have relatively level topography and suitable climate to favor peat accumulation. Studies of montane and boreal peatlands have identified water chemistry as a main driver of vegetation composition. This study investigated whether similar drivers of vegetation composition are important for alpine and subalpine fens in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, USA. Water chemistry variables were most important in structuring subalpine and alpine fen vegetation. However, these variables explained considerably less variation in alpine than subalpine fen vegetation. In addition, lower variance of water chemistry in alpine fens did not lead to lower beta diversity of vegetation in alpine than in subalpine fens. Although alpine and subalpine fen vegetation supports similar beta diversity, key differences occur in the environmental drivers of their vegetation composition.     

Low impact of climate change on subalpine grasslands in the Swiss Northern Alps

While phenological shifts and migration of isolated species under climate change have already been observed on alpine summits, very few studies have focused on community composition changes in subalpine grasslands. Here we use permanent plots monitored since 1954 and precisely located phytosociological censuses from 1970 to study compositional changes of subalpine grasslands in two distinct regions of the Swiss Northern Alps. In both areas, warming trends during the monitoring period were associated with changes in land management (abandonment of goat and sheep pasturing or grazing replaced by mowing). Old and recent inventories were compared with correspondence analyses (CA). Ecological indicator values, community‐affinities and biological traits of the species were used to infer the factors responsible for triggering the observed changes. In both regions, subalpine grasslands were stable with smaller changes than have previously been observed in alpine environments. Only a few species appeared or disappeared and changes were generally limited to increasing or decreasing frequency and cover of certain taxa. At one site, grazing abandonment favored fallow species. Some of these species were located at their upper altitudinal distribution limits and may have spread because of rising temperatures. In both areas, declining species were predominantly alpine and low‐growing species; their decline was probably due to increased competition (e.g., shadow) with more vigorous subalpine taxa no longer limited by grazing. We conclude that vegetation communities can respond rapidly to warming as long as colonization is facilitated by available space or structural change. In the subalpine grasslands studies, changes were mainly driven by land management. These communities have a dense vegetation cover and newly arriving herbaceous species preferring warmer conditions may take some time to establish themselves. However, climate disturbances, such as exceptional drought, may accelerate community changes by opening gaps for new species.     

New species of the weevil genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sitona</Emphasis> Germ. (Coleoptera,Curculionidae) from Transcaucasia and Northeastern Turkey

New species of the weevil genus Sitona Germ. are described: Sitona transcaucasicus sp. n. from the highlands of the Republic of Nakhichevan (Azerbaijan), S. davidiani sp. n. from the highlands of Southern Daghestan (Russia), Republic of Nakhichevan, and Northeastern Turkey, and S. abchasicus sp. n. from subalpine and alpine belts of Abkhazia and southeasternmost Krasnodar Territory (Russia).     

A new Middle Ordovician conodont from central Kazakhstan, nothern Kyrgyzstan, and Altai

Naimanodus degtyarevi gen. et sp. nov., a new conodont genus and species from the Lower Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician) limestones of the Naiman Formation in central Kazakhstan is described. Three types of coniform nongeniculate elements are identified in the apparatus of this species. The new species was widespread in the Asian Paleobasin and recorded in three localities in Kazakhstan, eastern Kyrgyzstan, and Altai.     

Species diversity of butterflies in Changbai Mountain in China

Using a modified belt transect method, we investigated the butterfly communities in five different vertical vegetation belts of Changbai Mountain in China from 1992 to 2009; these belts were broadleaf deciduous forest, coniferous–deciduous mixed forest, coniferous forest, erman’s birch forest and alp tundra. We determined the number of species and abundance of butterflies in each belt and in the coniferous–deciduous mixed forest belt, we also compared these parameters among different months. Preston’s lognormal distribution was used to model the species abundance distributions and five indicators (Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′), Pielou uniformity index (J), Simpson predominance centralization index (C), Margalef abundance index (E) and Jaccard similarity coefficients) were used to analyze the butterfly community diversity. We found four main results. (1) Across all five vertical vegetation belts, 9641 butterflies were collected, belonging to 7 families, 98 genera and 196 species. As altitude increased, the number of butterfly genera and species gradually reduced. There was a relationship between the distribution of dominant species and the total species between each belt and the distribution of vascular plants. (2) The species abundance distribution was successfully modeled as a Preston’s lognormal distribution; the best fit was obtained when α = 0.326, the determinant coefficient of the equation was 0.74798. The species abundance distribution indicates that Changbai Mountain provides a suitable environment for butterflies; there was high species richness and an even distribution of butterfly species. There were few very common and very rare species, with most species having an intermediate abundance. (3) As altitude increased, H′ and E gradually became smaller, while C showed the opposite pattern, and J did not significantly change. The similarity coefficients analysis demonstrated a clear difference among belts; the farther apart any two belts, the smaller the similarity coefficient, indicating less similarity in the butterfly communities. The similarity coefficient between the deciduous forest and the coniferous–deciduous mixed forest belt was the largest (0.651) while that between the deciduous forest and the alp tundra was the smallest (0.141). (4) Comparison of the butterfly species communities among different months in the coniferous–deciduous mixed forest found that H′ and E showed similar directional changes, while the opposite pattern was found with C; the changes in J did not necessarily reflect the actual change in diversity.     

玛曲县植被覆被变化及其对环境要素的响应

植被覆被变化是气象要素和人类活动综合作用的结果,能够反映区域内生态系统的演替趋势。玛曲高寒生态区作为黄河上游重要的水源涵养和补给区,具有维持区域生物多样性和生态安全,保障经济社会健康发展的重要作用,因此厘清该区域植被变化与气候及人类活动等环境要素的相互关系有助于为玛曲县生态治理与恢复提供科学参考。鉴于此,以2000-2015年MODIS/NDVI数据为基础,结合同期气象与人类活动数据,应用趋势分析法、相关分析以及通径分析等方法,分析了玛曲县植被NDVI的时空变化规律,并详细探讨了气象要素和人类活动对植被覆被变化的影响。结果表明：（1）2000-2015年玛曲县NDVI呈波动上升趋势,上升速率为0.01015/10a;各土地利用/覆被类型中,增加幅度由大到小依次为高山稀疏植被、湿地、沙化草甸、山地疏林地、高寒草甸、亚高山硬叶灌丛、亚高山阔叶灌丛和高寒草原;增加面积占相应地类总面积比例由大到小分别是高山稀疏植被（75.57%）、山地疏林地（71.45%）、沙化草甸（71.18%）、湿地（70.66%）、高寒草甸（68.15%）、亚高山硬叶灌丛（66.96%）、亚高山阔叶灌丛（66.24%）和高寒草原（66.05%）;（2）气象要素中,气温与NDVI间具有显著正相关（P < 0.05）,是影响植被覆被的决定性因子,利于植被的生长与发育;降水与NDVI间相关不显著（P > 0.05）,对植被覆被的影响较小;（3）人类活动要素中,与放牧强度密切相关的大牲畜存栏数和羊存栏数是植被生长的主控因子,其中大牲畜存栏数呈显著的抑制作用（P < 0.05）,羊存栏数具有较强的促进作用（P < 0.05）;（4）通径分析发现,气温、大牲畜存栏数和羊存栏数的决定系数依次为0.3005,-0.0563和0.0128,说明气温对NDVI的综合作用强度最高、大牲畜存栏数次之,羊存栏数最低;此外,剩余通径系数为0.53。该数值较大,表明仍有部分对NDVI增加存在影响的环境要素未考虑到,需在今后的研究中给予关注。     

Diversity of subalpine and alpine vegetation of the eastern part of the Nízke Tatry Mts in Slovakia: major types and environmental gradients

Changes in composition and structure of alpine and subalpine plant communities in relation to ecological factors were analysed in the Nízke Tatry Mts, Slovakia. Species cover values of vascular and non-vascular plants in each vegetation plot were recorded on the nine-degree scale. A data set of 156 relevés of alpine and subalpine vegetation was sampled recently during one year in the eastern part of the Nízke Tatry National Park. The data set was analysed by cluster analysis and Detrended Correspondence Analysis. analyses were carried out on the entire data set, including the subset of short grassland and dwarf-shrub vegetation. Major gradients and clusters were ecologically interpreted using Ellenberg indicator values. In the entire data set, the major gradient in species composition was associated with nutrient availability and the second most important gradient with light. In the case of short grassland and dwarf-shrub vegetation, the gradients were different. The first one was associated with soil reaction and the second gradient was associated with moisture. Clusters proposed by numerical classification reproduced many traditional phytosociological associations, namely Seslerietum distichae, Sphagno capillifolii-Empetretum nigri, Junco trifidi-Callunetum vulgaris, Juncetum trifidi, Dryopterido dilatatae-Pinetum mugo, Luzuletum obscurae, Agrostio pyrenaiceae-Nardetum strictae, while some other associations were less clearly differentiated (communities of the alliances Calamagrostion villosae, Adenostylion alliariae, Trisetion fusci, Cratoneuro filicini-Calthion laetae or Salicion herbaceae). The next clusters included Vaccinium and Festuca supina dominated communities and artificial roadside grasslands sown 50 years ago. Bryophytes and lichens were highly represented among diagnostic species of particular associations. Distribution pattern of particular plant communities was strongly influenced by site position either on northern or southern slope of the mountains.