Vascular plant species richness along latitudinal and altitudinal gradients: a contribution from New Zealand temperate rainforests

Vascular plant species richness is known to often decrease with both increasing latitude and increasing altitude. However, a number of studies have shown the reverse trend and the primary cause of these gradients remains unknown. In the present work, generalized linear models were used to assess the relative importance of latitude and altitude as well as of a number of other factors (mean annual precipita-tion, slope, substrate and forest type) on species richness in temperate rainforests of New Zealand. The effect of Southern beech ( Nothofagus spp.) as dominant canopy species on total species richness was shown to be much smaller than postulated in most previous studies. Within the region studied, altitude had by far the strongest effect on species richness. This effect was independent of latitude and was significant for woody but not for herbaceous vegetation.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coprinopsis austrophlyctidospora</Emphasis> sp. nov., an agaric ammonia fungus from Southern Hemisphere plantations and natural forests

A new ammonia fungus, Coprinopsis austrophlyctidospora, is described from Nothofagus and Pinus forests in New Zealand and from Eucalyptus forest in Australia. In ecology and macro-morphology, this species is similar to the Northern Hemisphere species C. phlyctidospora, but the new species differs in morphological characters of the basidiospore, i.e., in having a plage, more minute surface warts, and the smaller size of the basidiospore.     

Comparison of an aquatic invertebrate assemblage between an old-growth natural forest and planted coniferous forest basins in a Japanese temperate region: the Kuroson stream in the Shimanto River basin

The purpose of this study is to clarify the differences in the aquatic invertebrate assemblage between the two basins that have the most common types of Japanese headstream forests – an old-growth natural forest (ONF) and a planted coniferous forest (PCF) – in the Kuroson stream of the Shimanto River basin and to find the groups that tend to inhabit either the ONF basin or PCF basin. Abundance, the number of families and -diversity were not different between the two basins. However, a cluster analysis of similarity showed differences in aquatic invertebrate assemblages between the ONF and PCF basins and that this difference was brought about by specific characteristics of some families, such as the Taeniopterygidae and Athericidae. We suggest that differences in the aquatic invertebrate assemblages between the two basins are a reflection of differences in the composition of the forest vegetation.     

Distinctive invertebrate assemblages in rockface seepages enhance lotic biodiversity in northern New Zealand

We measured water quality, recorded physical habitat characteristics and collected aquatic invertebrates from 17 rockface seeps, five springs and five streams in a geologically diverse region of New Zealand's North Island to investigate factors influencing invertebrate distribution and community composition within and among these habitats. A total of 147 aquatic invertebrate taxa was found; 84 taxa occurred in seepage samples and 53% of these were found only in those habitats, including several new species. Where paired stream-seepage comparisons could be made, seeps contributed on average 35% of new species to the total species pool. The invertebrate faunas of all habitats were dominated taxonomically by Trichoptera and Diptera, but seepages were relatively depauperate in Ephemeroptera and richer in Coleoptera taxa compared to streams and springs. Seepage faunas were dominated numerically by Mollusca, and had lower percent abundance of aquatic insects (23% overall) compared to springs (77%) and streams (93%). Seepages underlain by different geologies generally had distinct water quality signatures, with seeps draining greywacke, sandstone and volcanic rocks grouping close to their receiving streams in a Principal Component Analysis. Seepage invertebrate community composition reflected underlying geology and associated differences in water chemistry, as well as seepage size and cover by moss. Incorporation of seepage habitats into conservation planning and aquatic ecosystem protection, and maintenance of their function and connectivity with lotic and groundwater ecosystems are important considerations for freshwater biodiversity management. Maintenance of riparian plant cover over seepages should help sustain supplies of organic matter, moss cover and shade, providing habitat complexity and low water temperatures.     

Do riparian forest fragments provide ecosystem services or disservices in surrounding oil palm plantations?

Agricultural expansion across tropical regions is causing declines in biodiversity and altering ecological processes. However, in some tropical agricultural systems, conserving natural habitat can simultaneously protect threatened species and support important ecosystem services. Oil palm cultivation is expanding rapidly throughout the tropics but the extent to which non-crop habitat supports biodiversity and ecosystem services in these landscapes is poorly documented. We investigated whether riparian forest fragments (riparian reserves) provide a pest control service or increase pest activity (disservice) within oil palm dominated landscapes in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. We assessed the activity of potential predators of pest herbivores using plasticine caterpillar mimics and quantified herbivory rates on oil palm fronds in areas with and without riparian reserves. We also manipulated the shape and colour of the mimics to assess the extent to which artificial pest mimics reflect a predatory response. The presence of riparian reserves increased the attack rate on mimics by arthropods, but not by birds. Our methodological study suggested attacks on artificial pest mimics provide a better indication of predatory activity for birds than for arthropod predators. Herbivory rates were also not significantly affected by the presence of a riparian reserve, but we found some evidence that herbivory rates may decrease as the size of riparian reserves increases. Overall, we conclude that riparian forest fragments of 30 – 50 m width on each side of the river are unlikely to provide a pest control service. Nevertheless, our results provide evidence that these riparian buffer strips do not increase the density of defoliating pests, which should reassure managers concerned about possible negative consequences of preserving riparian buffers.     

实验动物新西兰兔适宜营养水平的研究

根据地方饲料资源特点 ,应用计算机软件 ,设计不同的饲料配方 ,并生产相应的颗粒料 ,饲喂 6 0只一级新西兰幼兔、 2 4只繁殖母兔。在饲养管理条件相同的情况下 ,进行动物分组对比试验 ,观察幼兔生长情况、母兔繁殖情况 ,研究新西兰兔不同发育阶段所需的适宜的营养水平。试验按 2× 3因子设计。试验结果 :1、幼兔生长发育的最佳配方 :消化能 11 0 3MJ/kg ,粗蛋白质 15 10 % ,粗脂肪 3 0 4% ,粗纤维 10 2 6 % ,钙 1 34 5 % ,磷0 5 6 %。 2、繁殖母兔的最佳配方 :消化能 10 91MJ/kg ,粗蛋白质 18 17% ,粗脂肪 2 96 % ,粗纤维 10 2 8% ,钙1 47% ,磷 0 5 8%。     

Stratigraphy of the fossil Chironomidae (Diptera) from Lake Grasmere,South Island,New Zealand,during the last 6000 years

The fossil chironomid fauna of a 3.26 m long sediment core from Lake Grasmere has been analysed. The fossil chironomid taxa belong mainly to the subgroups Tanytarsini, Orthocladiinae, Chironomini, and Tanyphodinae. Heptagyini and Podonominae were not common. Tanytarsini were the dominant component of the fauna with Corynocera sp. as the most abundant species during pre-Polynesian times (before 1000 yr BP). The abundance and the composition of the fossil chironomid taxa have fluctuated markedly over the last 6000 years. These fluctuations could be partly correlated with changes in the stratigraphy of the sediments in the core. Layers of highly minerogenic sediment contained the lowest numbers of remains whereas high abundances were found in the sections of the core with the greatest proportion of organic matter. It is suggested that major shifts in the structure of the chironomid community have been mainly caused by changes in the hydrology and inflows of the lake, and the rate and type of sedimentation, in addition to variations in lake productivity.     

New species of Euptyctima (Acari,Oribatida) from New Zealand

Abstract

Oribotritia contortula n. sp., O. contraria n. sp., O. teretis n. sp., Rhysotritia bifurcata n. sp., Microtritia contraria n. sp., M. glabrata n. sp., Hoplophthiracarus bisulcus n. sp., Austrophthiracarus pulchellus n. sp., and Notophthiracarus claviger n. sp. are described from New Zealand.

The genera of Oribotritia Jacot, Rhysotritia Märkel & Meyer, Hoplophthiracarus Jacot, and Austrophthiracarus Balogh & Mahunka are new records for New Zealand.     

新西兰果园规范化栽培技术及发展趋势

报道了新西兰水果主产区果园普遍采用的规范化栽培技术系统,包括果园布局、果树定植与枝条定向牵引、果产品全程质量管理、果园生态环境管理等技术,并分析了该技术的特点、目的和作用,对新西兰果园近年在栽培技术上的优化和创新进行了总结,提出了新西兰果园栽培的发展趋势。     

Location of a contact zone between Mus musculus domesticus and M. m. domesticus with M. m. castaneus mtDNA in southern New Zealand

The house mouse, Mus musculus, was first introduced into New Zealand in significant numbers in the early to mid nineteenth century, with genomic components from different sources of the three subspecies M. m. domesticus, M. m. musculus and M. m. castaneus. M. m. domesticus is now widely distributed in New Zealand, with genomic and morphological evidence of M. m. musculus in a few scattered locations. M. m. domesticus/M. m. castaneus hybrids are dominant in the southern third of the South Island. We anticipated that there should be a definable southern contact zone between pure M. m. domesticus and M. m. domesticus/M. m. castaneus hybrids. We tested this hypothesis by screening 170 DNA samples from mice collected in the southern South Island, using a PCR technique which rapidly distinguishes the mitochondrial genomes of the three subspecies.All mice sampled from in or north of Lincoln (43.63° S) had only M. m. domesticus mtDNA, whereas all those from or further south than Hook (44.68° S) had M. m. castaneus mtDNA. Between the two sites, mice carrying mtDNA of both subspecies were found, sometimes in the same building. On present data, this contact zone extends approximately 50 km north to south and some 30 km inland. Classical tests with three nuclear DNA markers confirmed earlier work showing that the nuclear genomes of all mice appeared to be predominantly domesticus-like.We conclude that if purebred M. m. castaneus mice did originally reach New Zealand, extensive backcrossing with M. m. domesticus has made the castaneus nuclear genome virtually undetectable with the tests that we employ.     

基于森林资源清查资料的生物量估算模式及其发展趋势

基于森林资源清查资料的森林生物量估算是在景观、区域甚至全球尺度上评估森林碳收支的重要手段。且在陆地生态系统碳循环和全球变化研究中起着十分重要的作用．对3种常见的基于森林资源清查资料估算生物量的方法及其不足进行较为系统概述的基础上,指出了其未来的研究方向：1)综合考虑森林生物学因素与非生物学因素对森林生物量的影响,特别是蓄积量和林龄,以及气候因子在估算生物量中的作用;2)明确森林总生物量与活立木生物量的关系;3)建立基于森林资源清查资料的遥感驱动生物量估算模型,为森林生物量的准确估算提供方法和依据．