Improving the use of environmental diversity as a surrogate for species representation

The continuous p‐median approach to environmental diversity (ED) is a reliable way to identify sites that efficiently represent species. A recently developed maximum dispersion (maxdisp) approach to ED is computationally simpler, does not require the user to reduce environmental space to two dimensions, and performed better than continuous p‐median for datasets of South African animals. We tested whether maxdisp performs as well as continuous p‐median for 12 datasets that included plants and other continents, and whether particular types of environmental variables produced consistently better models of ED. We selected 12 species inventories and atlases to span a broad range of taxa (plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians), spatial extents, and resolutions. For each dataset, we used continuous p‐median ED and maxdisp ED in combination with five sets of environmental variables (five combinations of temperature, precipitation, insolation, NDVI, and topographic variables) to select environmentally diverse sites. We used the species accumulation index (SAI) to evaluate the efficiency of ED in representing species for each approach and set of environmental variables. Maxdisp ED represented species better than continuous p‐median ED in five of 12 biodiversity datasets, and about the same for the other seven biodiversity datasets. Efficiency of ED also varied with type of variables used to define environmental space, but no particular combination of variables consistently performed best. We conclude that maxdisp ED performs at least as well as continuous p‐median ED, and has the advantage of faster and simpler computation. Surprisingly, using all 38 environmental variables was not consistently better than using subsets of variables, nor did any subset emerge as consistently best or worst; further work is needed to identify the best variables to define environmental space. Results can help ecologists and conservationists select sites for species representation and assist in conservation planning.     

赣江流域土地利用方式对河流水质的影响

赣江是鄱阳湖的最大支流,是鄱阳湖水污染物的主要来源,查明流域土地利用方式对赣江水质的影响和鄱阳湖的水环境保护具有重要意义。基于2012年对赣江7个主要支流NH+4-N、TP、CODMn和DO浓度的每月测定结果,通过不同空间尺度和土地类型等级划分,利用相关分析和冗余分析研究土地利用方式对赣江流域河流水质的影响。研究结果表明,子流域的土地利用方式对TP的影响大于缓冲区;对CODMn的影响在丰水期大于缓冲区,在枯水期小于缓冲区;对NH+4-N的影响在丰水期与缓冲区接近,在枯水期小于缓冲区;DO受土地利用方式的影响较小。水田中的丘陵水田是赣江水体TP和丰水期CODMn的主要来源;平原水田是枯水期CODMn的主要来源。居民建设用地中的城镇用地是赣江水体TP、NH+4-N和丰水期CODMn的主要来源,农村用地是CODMn的主要来源。水域中的水库坑塘是赣江水体TP和丰水期NH+4-N、CODMn的主要来源。     

The effect of local land use and loss of forests on bats and nocturnal insects

Land‐use intensification at local and landscape level poses a serious threat to biodiversity and affects species interactions and ecosystem function. It is thus important to understand how interrelated taxa respond to land‐use intensification and to consider the importance of different spatial scales. We investigated whether and how local land‐use intensity and landscape features affect the predator–prey interaction of bats and insects. Bats and nocturnal insects were assessed on 50 grassland sites in the Schorfheide‐Chorin. We analyzed the effect of local land use and distance to forested areas as a proxy for site accessibility on bats and insects and their biological interaction measured in bat's feeding activity. Insect abundance increased with higher land‐use intensity, while size and diversity of insects decreased. In contrast, bat activity, diversity, and species composition were determined by the distance to forested areas and only slightly by land‐use intensity. Feeding attempts of bats increased with higher insect abundance and diversity but decreased with insect size and distance to forested areas. Finally, our results revealed that near forested areas, the number of feeding attempts was much lower on grassland sites with high, compared to those with low land‐use intensity. In contrast, far from forests, the feeding attempts did not differ significantly between intensively and extensively managed grassland sites. We conclude that the two interrelated taxa, bats and insects, respond to land‐use intensification on very different scales. While insects respond to local land use, bats are rather influenced by surrounding landscape matrix. Hereby, proximity to forests reveals to be a prerequisite for higher bat species diversity and a higher rate of feeding attempts within the area. However, proximity to forest is not sufficient to compensate local high land‐use intensity. Thus, local land‐use intensification in combination with a loss of forest remnants weakens the interaction of bats and insects.     

Effects of land use on water quality and aquatic biota of three North Carolina Piedmont streams

Three streams in the Piedmont ecoregion of North Carolina were studied to evaluate the effect of land use (forested, agricultural, urban) on water quality and aquatic biota. In comparison with the forested stream, there were few changes in water quality at the agricultural and urban streams. Suspended-sediment yield was greatest for the urban catchment and least at the forested catchment. Suspended-sediment concentrations during storm events followed this same pattern, but at low-moderate flows suspended-sediment concentrations were greatest at the agricultural site. Most nutrient concentrations were highest at the agricultural site, and the amount of available dissolved nitrogen was elevated at both the urban and agricultural sites. High concentrations of metals (totals) in the water column were sometimes observed at all sites, but maximum average concentrations were recorded at the urban site (especially Cr, Cu, and Pb). Maximum sediment metal concentrations, however, were not found at the urban site, but were usually recorded at the forested site. Only minor differences were noted between fish communities of the forested and agricultural sites, although both abundance and average size of some species increased at the agricultural site. The fish community at the urban site was characterized by low species richness, low biomass, and the absence of intolerant species.Invertebrate taxa richness, a biotic index, and the number of unique invertebrate species (found at only one site) indicated moderate stress (Fair water quality) at the agricultural site and severe stress (Poor water quality) at the urban site. At the agricultural site, declines in taxa richness within intolerant groups were partially offset by increases within tolerant groups. The agricultural stream had the highest abundance values, indicating enrichment. The urban site, however, was characterized by low species richness for most groups and very low abundance values. Analysis of seasonal patterns suggested detritus was the most important food source for invertebrates in the forested stream, while periphyton was of greater importance in the agricultural stream. Dominant macroinvertebrate groups shifted from Ephemeroptera at the forested site, to Chironomidae at the agricultural site, and Oligochaeta at the urban site. There was little between-site overlap in dominant species (8–7%), indicating that land use strongly influenced the invertebrate community. Chemical and physical parameters measured at the three sites did not seem sufficient to account for all of the observed differences in the invertebrate communities, suggesting some unmeasured toxicity. Biological measurements, especially macroinvertebrates community structure, consistently indicated strong between-site differences in water and habitat quality.     

澜沧江中游水生昆虫生活史和生态学性状多样性的海拔格局: 气候和土地利用的影响

物种通过功能性状响应环境变化, 探究群落功能性状多样性的海拔格局是揭示生物多样性空间分布格局和形成机制的重要研究内容。气候变化和土地利用是影响溪流生物多样性变化及其群落构建的重要因素, 然而气候和土地利用沿海拔梯度如何影响水生昆虫功能性状垂直分布格局的系统研究仍旧比较缺乏。本文基于2016年和2018年在云南澜沧江中游1,000-3,000 m海拔共56个溪流样点的水生昆虫群落调查数据, 利用线性和二次回归模型探索并比较了生活史性状(化性、生活史快慢、成虫寿命)和生态学性状(营养习性、生活习性、温度偏好)的群落加权平均性状多样性指数沿海拔梯度的分布特征, 并通过随机森林模型解析流域尺度气候和土地利用变量对生活史和生态学性状多样性垂直分布格局的影响。结果表明: 生活史性状中, 少于1世代、无季节性、慢季节性、成虫寿命长等性状多样性沿海拔梯度呈显著的“U”型分布格局, 而快季节性和成虫寿命极短多样性呈显著的单峰型海拔格局, 成虫寿命短多样性呈显著递增的海拔格局。生态学性状中, 温度偏好多样性与海拔梯度无关, 附着者和爬行者的多样性沿海拔梯度分别呈显著的递增和“U”型格局, 滤食者、植食者和捕食者的多样性分别呈显著递增、递减和“U”型海拔格局。随机森林模型分析结果表明, 气候和土地利用对生活史性状多样性的解释量高于对生态学性状多样性的解释量, 年平均温度和农业面积百分比是共同的关键因素。综上, 水生昆虫群落功能性状多样性海拔格局存在差异, 主要受不同自然环境梯度和人类干扰因素驱动。研究结果可为制定澜沧江流域生物多样性保护对策提供理论基础。     

甘肃永登县土地利用景观格局的空间尺度效应

依据“斑块-廊道-基质”模式,研究了甘肃省兰州市永登县景观格局的空间尺度效应.结果表明:草地为整个研究区景观结构的基质;廊道包括道路和河流;其余景观组分(耕地、林地、园地,住宅用地、工矿用地、公共管理与服务用地和其他土地)均为斑块.斑块类型水平指数与景观水平指数均表现出明显的空间幅度依赖性.不同景观组分的斑块类型指数的尺度效应在不同幅度区间存在差异性,景观水平指数的尺度效应在不同幅度区间也存在差异性.在1～20 km幅度区间,尺度效应的组分类型、指标类型之间差异最为明显;在21～90 km幅度区间,尺度效应的组分类型、指标类型之间差异较小;在>90 km幅度后,尺度效应消失.90 km×90 km为研究景观格局尺度依赖性的有效幅度.     

小流域土地利用景观格局对水质的影响

运用GIS技术及SPSS统计分析的方法, 探讨了芦山县清源河流域土地景观格局对河流水质的影响, 并分析了丰水期、平水期和枯水期土地景观格局与河流水质的关系。结果表明: (1)林地、湿地和草地与河流水质呈显著负相关; 耕地和建设用地以及LC与河流水质呈显著正相关; (2)景观格局指数PD、FN和SHDI与河流水质呈显著正相关; LPI和CONTAG与河流水质呈显著负相关; (3)总体分析看出枯水期土地景观格局对河流水质的影响较丰水期更为显著, 丰水期下游区域(4#、5#和6#区域)土地景观格局对河流水质影响比上游区域(1#、2#和3#区域)大。     

林业活动和森林片断化对甲虫多样性的影响及保护对策

森林片断化是造成生物多样性丧失的主要原因之一,而林业活动是导致森林片断化的重要因素,同时也在森林恢复中起重要作用。本文从小尺度、局域尺度以及生物地理尺度（大尺度）3个生态尺度分析林业活动和森林片断化对甲虫多样性的影响。在小尺度下,林业活动能够通过改变森林生境或微生境的类型和特性而影响甲虫物种分布。在局域尺度下,林业活动（尤其是森林砍伐）往往能提高许多甲虫类群（如步甲）的物种丰富度（α多样性）,这主要与来自周围环境物种扩散以及保留了若干耐受新环境能力较强的森林物种有关;然而,对森林生境依赖性很强的特有种受到了森林片断化的负面影响,面临局域种群灭绝的危险。在生物地理尺度下,林业活动（伐木或森林恢复）使森林生境单一化、异质性降低,从而导致对森林生境变化敏感的物种种群数量降低甚至灭绝。基于以上结果,可以归纳出3个基本原则用于指导林业管理,既能保证林业经济收益,又能维持森林生物多样性。首先,保留大面积的原始森林作为特有种的栖息环境基地,为这些物种在将来森林恢复后重新定居提供资源;其次,由于保护区内原始森林面积有限,且所代表的生境类型有限,所以发展依据自然干扰模式的新伐木方法十分必要;最后,依据自然规律（如火灾）进行森林恢复和天然演替,避免森林的单一化,丰富森林生境类型。     

Small area and low connectivity constrain the diversity of plant life strategies in temporary ponds

Aim

(i) To determine whether area and connectivity of temporary ponds can predict plant species diversity, and the diversity and abundance of different plant life histories; (ii) To explore whether pond connectivity with the river prior to river regulation predicts better plant diversity patterns than current pond connectivity, suggestive of possible effects of connectivity loss.

Location

Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, Europe.

Methods

We fitted linear and generalized linear models (LM and GLM) to examine whether pond area and current distance from the Olt River predict plant species richness, Shannon diversity and relative cover of different social behaviour types and overall plant species richness and Shannon diversity. Using historical maps, we measured pond distance from the river ca. 60 years before the Olt River was regulated, and we refitted the LM and GLM models using pond area and past distance from the river as independent variables.

Results

Total plant species richness increased with pond area, and it decreased with the distance from the river, but total plant Shannon diversity index was affected, positively, only by pond area. The strength of responses to pond area and connectivity of species richness, Shannon diversity and relative cover varied across the different social behaviour types. Past and current distances between ponds and riverbeds had similar effects on plant diversity, with some evidence for stronger effect of the present connectivity on specialist species Shannon diversity and a weaker effect on disturbance tolerants, generalists and competitors.

Main Conclusions

Pond area and connectivity with the landscape are important predictors of the diversity of plant life history strategies, and therefore, useful tools in pond conservation. Consistent species richness and Shannon diversity responses of wetland specialists to pond area and connectivity make this life history type well suited for monitoring pond condition.     

Local‐ and landscape‐level effects of land use change on bird diversity in Abiata‐Shalla Lakes National Park,Ethiopia

Understanding the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on biodiversity is important for conservation prioritization. This study examined the effects of vegetation degradation on bird diversity in Abiata‐Shalla Lakes National Park, Ethiopia. We surveyed birds and vegetation structure between January and March 2015 in disturbed (impacted by settlement and agriculture) and undisturbed (not impacted) transects of two vegetation types (savannah woodland and gallery forest). We compared between disturbed and undisturbed transects at local (within vegetation types) and landscape (across vegetation types) levels: (a) avian species richness of the entire assemblage and feeding guilds and (b) species assemblage composition. We found significantly greater mean and total bird species richness of the entire assemblage and insectivore and granivore feeding guilds in the undisturbed transects, while the nectarivore guild was totally absent in the disturbed transects. We also found significant differences in bird species assemblage composition between the disturbed and undisturbed transects both within and across the vegetation types, and bird species assemblage composition at the landscape level was positively correlated with tree abundance and understorey vegetation height. In conclusion, our results demonstrate and add to the increasing body of evidence concerning the adverse effects of human‐induced vegetation change on bird diversity.     

Comparing the effects of even‐ and uneven‐aged silviculture on ecological diversity and processes: A review

With an increasing pressure on forested landscapes, conservation areas may fail to maintain biodiversity if they are not supported by the surrounding managed forest matrix. Worldwide, forests are managed by one of two broad approaches—even‐ and uneven‐aged silviculture. In recent decades, there has been rising public pressure against the systematic use of even‐aged silviculture (especially clear‐cutting) because of its perceived negative esthetic and ecological impacts. This led to an increased interest for uneven‐aged silviculture. However, to date, there has been no worldwide ecological comparison of the two approaches, based on multiple indicators. Overall, for the 99 combinations of properties or processes verified (one study may have evaluated more than one property or process), we found nineteen (23) combinations that clearly showed uneven‐aged silviculture improved the evaluated metrics compared to even‐aged silviculture, eleven (16) combinations that showed the opposite, and 60 combinations that were equivocal. Furthermore, many studies were based on a limited study design without either a timescale (44 of the 76) or spatial (54 of the 76) scale consideration. Current views that uneven‐aged silviculture is better suited than even‐aged silviculture for maintaining ecological diversity and processes are not substantiated by our analyses. Our review, by studying a large range of indicators and many different taxonomic groups, also clearly demonstrates that no single approach can be relied on and that both approaches are needed to ensure a greater number of positive impacts. Moreover, the review clearly highlights the importance of maintaining protected areas as some taxonomic groups were found to be negatively affected no matter the management approach used. Finally, our review points to a lack of knowledge for determining the use of even‐ or uneven‐aged silviculture in terms of both their respective proportion in the landscape and their spatial agency.     

科尔沁沙地不同土地利用和管理方式对土壤质量性状的影响

研究了科尔沁沙地退化草地开垦后,在14年不同的土地利用和管理方式下土壤物理、化学和生物学性状的特征。结果表明,农林(林草)复合利用模式在土壤粒级组成、孔隙分布、持水性能、有机质和N、P养分、酶活性等方面表现出较好的质量性状特征。有机无机配施、精细管理的灌溉农田次之,而粗放管理的旱作农田。土壤质量性状严重恶化,逐步向流沙方向演变,与科尔沁原生景观草地土壤相比,管理良好的利用系统,土壤物理性状、P含量和一些酶活性指标提高,但有机质和全氮含量明显低,表明已退化生态系统C、N库的恢复和重建需要较长的时间。研究结果表明,不同的土地利用方式和管理措施显著影响土壤质量变化的程度和方向;调整土地利用结构,基本农田实行精细管理,旱作农田退耕还草还林是保护土地资源。实现区域生态恢复和重建的根本选择。     

艾比湖区域景观格局空间特征与地表水质的关联分析

为进一步明确区域土地利用/覆被—景观格局对河流水质影响的空间尺度。选择新疆艾比湖区域为研究对象,以25个水质采样点为中心,建立5种尺度的河流缓冲区并提取不同尺度下的土地利用/覆被-景观格局数据。首先,通过主成分分析获得水环境的主要水质变量。其次,利用冗余分析(RDA)方法探讨研究区不同宽度缓冲区土地利用/覆被—景观格局对河流水质的影响,获得水质管理的有效缓冲区。最后,引入突变点分析方法进一步寻找导致水质变量沿景观梯度突变的特定位置。结果表明:(1)土地利用/覆被—景观格局在不同宽度缓冲区内对河流水质的影响不同。4 km缓冲区土地利用/覆被—景观格局对区域水质有较强的分异解释能力,因此4 km缓冲区的景观格局合理配置对河流水质管理尤为重要。(2)通过偏RDA分析发现4 km缓冲区中,影响区域水质的主要环境变量为景观水平斑块密度、类型水平耕地斑块密度和森林聚集度。(3)在偏RDA分析的基础上,对4 km缓冲区内的景观指数进行突变点分析研究,发现区域景观水平斑块密度为90—105 m/hm~2,类型水平耕地的斑块密度ED值在90—110 m/hm~2、林草地的AI值在70%—90%,是艾比湖区域水质保护的最佳突变值,该值为艾比湖区域水质保护的阈值。本研究从多个角度对新疆艾比区域的土地利用/覆被—景观格局对区域水质的影响进行定量分析,揭示该地区景观生态变化的规律,为区域景观格局优化和土地合理规划提供理论依据,并对改善"丝绸之路经济带"生态环境、实现资源可持续利用具有重要的现实意义和理论价值。     

福寿螺对稻田水生植物群落实验的影响

福寿螺是在我国南方地区危害水稻生产的一种外来入侵软体动物,已被世界自然保护联盟入侵生物专家组列为100种危害最为严重的外来入侵物种之一。在水域生态系统中福寿螺主要以摄食各种水生植物而生存。以水稻、大薸、水葫芦、粉绿狐尾藻、水花生和鸭舌草构成的稻田水生植物群落为对象,研究了低密度（4 株/m²）、中密度（8 株/m²）和高密度（12 株/m²）福寿螺处理对稻田水生植物群落的影响,同时结合福寿螺的食物选择性实验分析其相关行为特性。结果表明：1）低密度、中密度和高密度福寿螺处理1周内水稻密度均急剧下降,高密度福寿螺造成水稻密度下降超过70%,2周后福寿螺危害水稻秧苗的程度减轻;2）各密度处理福寿螺均抑制了水花生和鸭舌草扩散,第8周时高密度福寿螺处理中水花生和鸭舌草的密度仅为对照的30%和25%。同时,低密度福寿螺处理中的水花生和鸭舌草的密度显著高于中密度和高密度处理。不同密度福寿螺处理对水葫芦、大薸和粉绿狐尾藻影响不明显;3）水稻的日均密度增长率为负值,低密度、中密度和高密度福寿螺处理间存在明显差异,且均显著低于对照。水花生和鸭舌草的日均密度增长率虽为正值,但显著低于对照,水葫芦、大薸和粉绿狐尾藻的日均密度增长率和对照无差异。福寿螺日均密度增长迅速,各密度处理无显著差异。福寿螺对水稻、水花生、鸭舌草的选择性显著高于水葫芦、粉绿狐尾藻和大薸;4） 福寿螺引入8周后稻田水生植物群落物种多样性Simpson指数、Shannon指数和均匀度指数均显著降低。Simpson指数的大小顺序为：对照 > 低密度 > 中密度、高密度,Shannon指数和均匀度指数的大小顺序为：对照 > 低密度 > 中密度>高密度。说明福寿螺对供试水生植物有明显的选择性,其入侵会严重危害稻田水生植物群落的物种多样性。     

流域尺度上河流水质与土地利用的关系

以苏子河流域内54个水质采样点为基点,生成6种尺度的河岸带缓冲区,并借助FRAGSTATS软件计算景观水平和类型水平上的8种景观指数.分别从景观空间格局与景观类型组成两方面,对景观指数与水质进行相关分析.结果表明:区域景观格局在不同缓冲区内对流域水质具有不同的效应.当缓冲区距离≤300 m时,旱地、建筑用地、水田为主要的景观类型组成,其面积比例、斑块数量、斑块密度、最大斑块指数、最大形状指数、景观斑块聚集度指数均较高,农田的连通性较高,对水质的影响较大.在距离河流较远的区域(缓冲区距离＞300 m),林地面积比例较高,林地聚集连通程度较好,对水质改善具有一定作用,但不明显.该流域耕地、建设用地等对水质有着关键的影响作用.     

不同空间尺度景观特征对南流江水质的影响差异

流域景观特征决定了非点源污染物来源与地表景观削减消纳能力,但尚缺乏全流域不同空间尺度对二者关联性的认识。以广西北部湾南流江为例,分别在子流域、河岸缓冲带以及监测点圆形缓冲区三种尺度上,基于2020年Landsat 8 OLI遥感影像解译的土地利用类型特征,结合水质监测数据,运用数理统计和GIS空间分析方法,探讨了流域景观特征在不同空间尺度上对河流水质的影响。结果表明：(1)在子流域尺度,土地利用类型以林地为主,而在河岸缓冲带与监测点圆形缓冲区均以耕地为主;(2)水质指标高锰酸盐指数、生化需氧量与景观特征相关性最为显著,耕地、建设用地、其他用地和园地与其呈正相关,是南流江水质污染负荷的重要来源区;景观格局指数中,斑块密度、蔓延度指数、多样性指数、均匀度指数是引起河流水质指标变化的主要景观因子;(3)受流域内或不同子流域间景观特征差异,景观组成面积占比和景观格局指数均在河岸缓冲带尺度对水质状况影响最大,分别可解释57.0%和64.7%的水质指标变化;子流域尺度次之,圆形缓冲区尺度最小,且景观格局指数对水质状况的影响大于景观组成面积占比。建议在河岸带50 m范围内严格控制耕地面积,建设河岸缓...     

Influence of vegetation regeneration and agricultural land use on lizard composition,taxonomic and functional diversity between different vegetation types in Caatinga domain,Brazil

Anthropogenic changes in habitats are one of the main threats to biodiversity. Understanding how species diversity and their functions are affected by these changes is crucial to assess environmental impacts. In this work, we aim to understand how lizard composition, taxonomic and functional diversity respond to differences in native vegetation regeneration stages (conserved vegetation and open secondary vegetation) and agricultural land use in different vegetation types (Caatinga sensu stricto, Cerrado sensu stricto and Relictual Humid Forest) in Caatinga domain, Brazil. In more degraded areas (open secondary vegetation and agricultural areas), we found a decline in species evenness, shown by greater dominance of few species. Moreover, we found a lower functional evenness in agricultural areas than in areas of conserved vegetation, which suggests that a smaller portion of functional traits present greater dominance in more anthropized areas. We did not detect any significant differences in species richness, but we did registered differences in species composition in Relictual Humid Forest. Contrary to our expectations, lizard abundance was also greater in more degraded areas, probably as a result of the increased abundance of species benefited by anthropization. In this work, we advance the knowledge of how anthropogenic changes influence lizard diversity and emphasize the importance of analysing different facets of diversity and different habitat environments to understand how anthropization affects patterns in community ecology.     

中国未来土地利用变化对地上植被生物量的影响

土地利用变化通过改变生态系统结构对植被生物量产生很大影响.采用土地利用动态模型模拟了沿历史趋势情景(未来土地利用面积变化由1988-2005年的历史趋势推衍而来)和规划情景下(未来土地利用面积变化基于国家尺度上的土地利用规划来制定)中国至2030年土地利用变化的时空分布格局,基于此格局并结合密度法估算了植被生物量空间分布.模拟结果表明:沿历史趋势情景下,森林面积将减少,但随着林龄的增长,森林生物量密度增加,至2030年中国植被生物量为14619 Tg,比2005年增加了251.19 Tg;规划情景下,森林面积将增加,至2030年中国植被生物量为15468Tg,比2005年增加了1100Tg.在规划情景下,由于人工林面积较大,林龄普遍较低,导致至2030年植被生物量密度低于沿历史趋势情景,因此规划情景下中国植被作为碳汇的潜力更大.