Diatom communities from the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands: diversity and distribution patterns

During an extensive survey of the freshwater and moss-inhabiting diatoms of the Prince Edward Islands, a total of 214 taxa belonging to 60 genera were found. Three main communities can be found on the two islands. A large part of the samples was grouped into an aquatic group, bringing together all samples from lentic and lotic waterbodies. A second, contrasting, group was formed by all dry samples whereas in a third group all habitats with higher mineral contents were found. The habitats differed clearly in taxa composition reflecting that way possible environmental differences. Although the diatom composition between the two islands of this island group (Marion and Prince Edward Island) showed some minor qualitative differences, no marked quantitative differences have been observed. The diatom flora shows a distinct similarity with the other islands in the southern Indian Ocean, such as the Crozet archipelago and the Kerguelen Islands forming a biogeographical entity in this part of the ocean, distinctly separated from the non-marine diatom flora in other parts of the (sub-)Antarctic Region.     

An updated checklist of the vascular flora native to Italy

An updated inventory of the native vascular flora of Italy, providing details on the occurrence at regional level, is presented. The checklist includes 8195 taxa (6417 species and 1778 subspecies), distributed in 1092 genera and 152 families; 23 taxa are lycophytes, 108 ferns and fern allies, 30 gymnosperms and 8034 angiosperms. The taxa currently occurring in Italy are 7483, while 568 taxa have not been confirmed in recent times, 99 are doubtfully occurring in the country and 19 are data deficient. Out of the 568 not confirmed taxa, 26 are considered extinct or possibly extinct.     

Molecular taxonomic identification in the absence of a ‘barcoding gap’: a test with the endemic flora of the Canarian oceanic hotspot

We use a comprehensive subset of Canarian angiosperms corresponding to 23 families, 35 genera and 60 Canarian endemic taxa to test whether this flora is suitable to taxonomic identification with the two proposed plant DNA barcode sequences and whether these sequences may reveal the existence of cryptic species overlooked by morphology. The rate of discrimination success between the insular congeneric samples using the rbcL+matK combination and a ‘character‐based’ approach (where we use only the combination of nucleotide positions in an alignment that allows unambiguous species identification) is higher (82.29%) than that obtained with the ‘distance‐based’ approach (80.20%) used by the CBOL Plant Working Group in 2009 and also when compared with tests conducted in other floras. This suggests that the molecular identification of the Canarian endemic flora can be achieved as successfully as in other floras where the incidence of radiation is not as relevant. The facts that (i) a distance‐based criterion was unable to discriminate between congeneric and conspecific comparisons and (ii) only the character‐based discrimination criterion resolved cases that the distance‐based criterion did not, further support the use of a character discrimination approach for a more efficient DNA barcoding of floras from oceanic islands like the Canaries. Thus, a barcoding gap seems not to be necessary for the correct molecular characterization of the Canarian flora. DNA barcodes also suggest the possible existence of cryptic taxa to be further investigated by morphology and that the current taxonomic status of some of the taxa analysed may need revision.     

An updated checklist of the vascular flora alien to Italy

An updated inventory of the vascular flora alien to Italy, providing details on the occurrence at regional level, is presented. The checklist includes 1597 species, subspecies, and hybrids, distributed in 725 genera and 152 families; 2 taxa are lycophytes, 11 ferns and fern allies, 33 gymnosperms, and 1551 angiosperms. 157 taxa are archaeophytes and 1440 neophytes. The alien taxa currently established in Italy are 791 (570 naturalized and 221 invasive), while 705 taxa are casual aliens, 4 are not assessed, 7 are of unknown regional distribution, 47 have not been confirmed in recent times, 3 are considered extinct or possibly extinct in the country, and 40 are doubtfully occurring in Italy. This checklist allows to establish an up-to-date number (9792) of taxa constituting the whole (native and alien) Italian flora.     

南海岛屿种子植物区系地理的研究

本文通过实地考察,广泛收集前人的研究资料,概述了南海岛屿地区的自然条件和植被,对南海岛屿种子植物的区系组成、特点、分布区类型、特有现象和替代现象等进行了较详细的分析,并与邻近植物区系进行了比较研究。同时,根据区内植物分布的特点和自然条件特征划分为５个植物区系小区,最后对南海岛屿地区植物区系的起源与演化进行了讨论。     

四川裸子植物区系研究

四川裸子植物 9科 2 8属 1 0 1种 (含变种 ) ,区系成分为亚热带类型。东部地区古地理环境温和稳定 ,至今保存着许多珍稀孑遗的类群 ;西部地区古地理环境变化频繁 ,科、属少而种类丰富。东、西部差异明显。松柏类在这一地区十分突出 ,集中了从原始到进化的几乎各个类群的代表。四川裸子植物区系既不是泛北极区系迁移的产物 ,也不是热带区系的后裔 ,而是在二叠纪以来的地质历史发展过程中本地起源和发展起来的。     

铜仁市万山特区木本植物区系研究

经野外调查统计,铜仁市万山特区共有木本植物82科216属495种（包括种下等级,下同）。其中,裸子植物5科6属7种;被子植物77科210属488种,包括单子叶植物3科7属17种,双子叶植物74科203属471种。区系分析结果表明：（1）区系地理成分复杂多样,温带性质明显,同时与热带区系联系紧密;（2）区系性质具有原始性,有古老和孑遗类群;（3）特有现象明显,表现为中国特有种数量较多;（4）与邻近6个地区的木本植物区系比较可知,万山特区与重庆大木山关系密切,与泸沽湖较疏远。     

辽东半岛仙人洞自然保护区植物区系多样性分析

物种多样性分析与研究对于全球生物多样性保护具有重要的意义,运用植物地理学理论,结合外业调查、多样性指数、相关分析和聚类模型等方法,对辽宁仙人洞植物区系多样性进行定量分析,以揭示山地区系生物多样性的特点及规律。结果表明:(1)本区野生植物种类组成丰富,共有维管植物109科379属803种,其中蕨类植物13科17属39种,裸子植物5科12属18种,被子植物91科350属746种,优势科现象明显,单种属和少种属占比率较高,表现出一定古老残遗性;种的区系分布型多样,区系组成复杂,但特有现象不明显;温带成分占主体,表明本区温带植物区系历史起源。(2)仙人洞与邻近山地相比较,植物区系Shannon-Wiener指数差异明显(1.736~2.053),其中仙人洞和徂徕山较高,白石砬子和长白山较低,而Simpson指数差异并不明显(0.711 4~0.825 3)。(3)经相关性分析,不同山地植物区系之间相似程度显著(P0.01),相关系数达0.811~0.997,聚类分析显示仙人洞、凤凰山、千山、五台山及小五台山区系关系较近,支持仙人洞划归华北植物区系山地植物亚地区较为合适。     

The Rubiaceae of São Tomé e Príncipe (Gulf of Guinea): taxonomy and conservation

A synoptic treatment of the Rubiaceae of São Tomé e Príncipe (Gulf of Guinea) is presented based on herbarium collections kept at BM, COI, K and LISC. There are 36 genera and 64 species of Rubiaceae represented in the flora of São Tomé e Príncipe. Identification keys are provided for genera, species and infraspecific taxa. A new combination is made in Chassalia . Twenty-nine taxa are endemic to these islands, two of which are also endemic to Annobon. The conservation status of the endemic taxa is assessed and IUCN categories of threat are proposed for ten taxa. Nineteen taxa of Rubiaceae are considered under threat in São Tomé e Príncipe and ten are considered nearly threatened.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 149 , 85–114.     

Biodiversity in the Gulf of Guinea: an overview

Patterns of species-richness and endemism in the Gulf of Guinea reflect the region's biogeographic history. Bioko is a continental-shelf island that was recently connected to the African mainland, whereas Príncipe, São Tomé and Annobón are truly oceanic and have never been connected with each other or with the mainland. As a result, Bioko supports a much more diverse flora and fauna but with relatively low levels of endemism at the species level, whereas the oceanic islands are relatively depauperate because of their isolation but rich in endemic taxa. Species endemism is 0–3% on Bioko for angiosperms, bats, birds, reptiles and amphibians, compared with much higher values on Principe for these same taxa of 8% (plants) to 100% (amphibians), on São Tomé between 14% (plants) and 100% (amphibians), and on Annobón 0% (bats) to 71% (reptiles). On a global scale, for their size both Príncipe and São Tomé support unusually high numbers of single-island endemic species of birds, reptiles and amphibia. For its tiny size, Annobón is also notable for its endemic birds and reptiles. Among terrestrial molluscs the rates of endemism are in general higher than for plants and vertebrates, from ca 50% on Bioko to ca 80% on the oceanic islands. In contrast and as might be expected, only Bioko supports a rich freshwater fish fauna and it contains many endemic taxa, whereas the oceanic islands support only a few salt-tolerant species. The Gulf of Guinea islands are also important for their marine organisms, amongst which coral reef fish and marginellid molluscs show high levels of endemism, though they are not especially species-rich. The Gulf of Guinea islands are of great interest to conservationists and evolutionary biologists. Each island, of greatly differing size and degree of isolation, has acquired its unique sub-set of plants and animals separately from the neighbouring mainland, followed by adaptive radiations in situ. For this reason the conservation value of the archipelago as a whole is greater than the sum of the biodiversity contained in its individual islands. Conservation initiatives in the Gulf of Guinea should therefore ensure that representative terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats and groups of organisms are targeted in a co-ordinated manner among the islands.     

Biogeographic relationships of primates on South-East Asian islands

The number of primate species and genera on thirty-one south-east Asian islands west of the Wallace Line, including Sulawesi, is highly significantly related to surface area of the islands, as expected, but the z value (slope) of each relationship is low (0.21 for species). No association exists between number of taxa and distance to nearest mainland, or to nearest larger island. Excluding the non-Sunda Shelf islands only negligibly changes the relationships. A significant correlation exists between island size and median taxon's body mass, with taxa of 10 kg or more occurring on only the two largest islands. Hence, the primate community changes greatly with island size. The existence of several genera, but no congeners, on small islands, and a checkerboard distribution of the two nocturnal genera (Nycticebus and Tarsius), hints at interspecific competition as a cause of extinction. It is suggested that for comparative purposes, genera/area analyses might be more useful than species/area analyses, because genera are more taxonomically stable, perhaps more comparable across deeper taxa, and might be a better indication of degree of variability.     

Origin and evolution of endemic plants of the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands

The Bonin Islands are typical oceanic islands, located at the western part of the North Pacific Ocean and approximately 1,000 km south of mainland Japan. This archipelago consists of about 20 small islands. Although floristic diversity is low due to the small area and limited environmental diversity, the Bonin Islands harbor unique endemic flora as in other well-known oceanic islands. This paper presents a brief summary of the results obtained from recent studies on the endemic flora of the Bonin Islands. The results are reviewed in relation to the four stages of the evolution of endemic flora in the oceanic islands; migration, establishment, enlargement and diversification. The ancestors of the flora originated mostly from tropical and subtropical Southeast Asia or mainland Japan by rare events of long distance dispersal. The proportion of bird-dispersed species is relatively high as for other oceanic islands. Genetic data sets obtained from allozyme variation in some endemic species suggest that migration occurred several million years ago and genetic diversity is correlated with current population size. At the time of establishment, self-compatible plants are expected to have an advantage. However, the percentage of dioecious plants is relatively high. This is partly due to evolutionary changes from hermaphroditic ancestors to dioecy which occurred in two genera in the Bonin Islands. In addition, there are some examples of evolutionary changes from herbaceous ancestors to woody endemics. Adaptive radiation is found in some genera, although the number of congeneric endemic species is less than five. Studies of allozyme variation inPittosporum, Symplocos andCrepidiastrum showed that genetic identity is generally very high between congeneric species in spite of their distinct morphologies. This result suggests that divergence of these species occurred rather recently and distinct morphological differences are based on a limited number of genetic changes.     

Factors driving adaptive radiation in plants of oceanic islands: a case study from the Juan Fernández Archipelago

Adaptive radiation is a common evolutionary phenomenon in oceanic islands. From one successful immigrant population, dispersal into different island environments and directional selection can rapidly yield a series of morphologically distinct species, each adapted to its own particular environment. Not all island immigrants, however, follow this evolutionary pathway. Others successfully arrive and establish viable populations, but they remain in the same ecological zone and only slowly diverge over millions of years. This transformational speciation, or anagenesis, is also common in oceanic archipelagos. The critical question is why do some groups radiate adaptively and others not? The Juan Fernández Islands contain 105 endemic taxa of angiosperms, 49% of which have originated by adaptive radiation (cladogenesis) and 51% by anagenesis, hence providing an opportunity to examine characteristics of taxa that have undergone both types of speciation in the same general island environment. Life form, dispersal mode, and total number of species in progenitors (genera) of endemic angiosperms in the archipelago were investigated from literature sources and compared with modes of speciation (cladogenesis vs. anagenesis). It is suggested that immigrants tending to undergo adaptive radiation are herbaceous perennial herbs, with leaky self-incompatible breeding systems, good intra-island dispersal capabilities, and flexible structural and physiological systems. Perhaps more importantly, the progenitors of adaptively radiated groups in islands are those that have already been successful in adaptations to different environments in source areas, and which have also undergone eco-geographic speciation. Evolutionary success via adaptive radiation in oceanic islands, therefore, is less a novel feature of island lineages but rather a continuation of tendency for successful adaptive speciation in lineages of continental source regions.     

海南和台湾蕨类植物多样性及其大陆性特征

海南和台湾是我国南部和东部两个最重要的大陆性岛屿,具有极为丰富的蕨类植物多样性。特有现象揭示着植物区系和植物多样性的历史,间断分布揭示着与邻近或相关植物区系的联系;特别是在岛屿地区,这种现象和意义尤其明显。海南有蕨类植物区系55科、135属、466种,其中特有种有32种,台湾蕨类植物区系57科、142属、599种,其中特有种达66种。在海南与台湾两地,有共有属104属,共有种仅有176种。台湾海峡出现始于晚白垩世,持续至第四纪;琼州海峡出现于早第四纪,因此,两地的特有现象远少于种子植物(台湾有801种,海南有501种),原因与蕨类植物具有更广的散布性相关,而且在被子植物中起重要作用的物种生物学障碍(机制)在蕨类是缺乏的;形态学的、生殖生物学特征导致蕨类植物具有较缓慢的物种演化历史和较低的灭绝率(Smith,1972)。海南和台湾蕨类植物区系的比较还表明,地理位置和海拔高度对植物区系的物种分化和物种多样性产生了极大的影响。     

Angiosperm epiphytes as conservation indicators in forest fragments: A case study from southeastern Minas Gerais, Brazil

Epiphytes play an important role in the flora and ecology of the tropical regions. Most floristic studies within the state of Minas Gerais focus on terrestrial, woody plant diversity, but this is a different approach, looking at epiphytic angiosperms in three highland areas in Southeastern Minas Gerais, namely Mata do Baú (MB), Reserva Biológica da Represa do Grama (RBRG) and Parque Estadual de Ibitipoca (PEI). Regular collections were performed in these sites between 1999 and 2007, complemented by herbarium records for PEI, and 181 species of epiphytic angiosperms were recorded in 66 genera, within 12 families. Orchidaceae, with 89 species, was by far the largest, and the most species rich genera were Peperomia (Piperaceae) and Pleurothallis s.l. (Orchidaceae), with 12 species each. Similarity analysis has shown a closer relationship between MB and RBRG, both composed by seasonal semideciduous forest, however, Jaccard (0.163) index are low. A similarity analysis including other 21 areas of southeastern and southern Brazil revealed strong influence of sazonality, vegetation type and altitude in the composition of the epiphytic flora, and a relative independence regarding the geographic proximity of the areas sampled. From the conservation standpoint, 30 species recorded for this work appear in the red list for the state of Minas Gerais, under different conservation categories. The low similarity indices obtained between the studied areas underline the importance of the conservation of each one of the remaining forest fragments in Minas Gerais, as their relative geographical proximity does not necessarily mean that their epiphytic flora is similar.     

广西猫儿山自然保护区藓类植物区系研究

首次系统调查了猫儿山自然保护区的藓类植物区系。通过野外考察和室内鉴定,报道广西猫儿山藓类植物39科109属265种(含种下单位),其中广西新记录属6个,新记录种47个。其区系成分以东亚成分为主,占总种数的36.06%,其次为热带亚洲成分和北温带成分,具亚热带性质。将猫儿山自然保护区的藓类植物与四川峨眉山和云南大围山进行比较,结果显示其Gleason物种丰富度指数在三者间最低,Kroeber系数则指示出猫儿山与大围山藓类植物的属、种相似度略高于其与峨眉山的比较值。此外,区系谱的比较反映了猫儿山自然保护区藓类植物区系的东亚成分和其中的中国—日本成分在三者间最高。     

The fossil birds of Henderson Island, Pitcairn Group: natural turnover and human impact, a synopsis

Recent studies of island biotas have suggested that the impact of man on indigenous flora and fauna is much greater than previously suspected. This impact resulted in the introduction of many new species and the extinction of many unique life-forms. Henderson Island, in the Pitcairn Group, has been found to be an excellent laboratory for the study of natural faunal turnover and the impact of people on the natural environment. This was principally due to the island's remote location and its limestone structure, which resulted in the excellent preservation of fossil remains. During the Sir Peter Scott Commemorative Expedition to the Pitcairn Islands, extensive excavations were undertaken resulting in the collection of 42213 bird bones. It was possible to identify 31%. Of the 31 taxa identified, four seabirds appear to be vagrants, a surprisingly high number illustrating that the uncritical evaluation of fossil bird lists from other islands risks over-estimating the number of indigenous species. As a result of the arrival of Polynesian people during the first half of this millennium, half of Henderson's endemic landbirds became extinct, as did most of the small ground-nesting seabirds. The lower sea level during cold stages creates many temporary limestone 'high' islands. This results in many 'former-atolls' developing geological and ecological similarity to Henderson. Hence lower sea-level greatly facilitates the movement of flora and fauna between currently isolated oceanic 'high' islands.     

泗洱自然保护区种子植物区系特征分析

在对泗洱自然保护区详细调查的基础上,对其种子植物的科、属的分布区类型进行了统计分析。结果表明：(1)保护区内种子植物类群丰富;(2)优势科、属明显;(3)区系起源古老;(4)地理成分复杂;(5)种子植物区系在科和属级水平上均显示出温带性质,同时泛热带类型丰富;(6)保护区内植被具明显的过渡性质;(7)分化现象明显,中间类型和特有种丰富。     

山西万家寨引黄工程沿线种子植物区系分析

山西万家寨引黄工程从万家寨水利枢纽至太原市呼延水厂, 全长285.03 km 。引黄工程沿线有种子植物1 040 种, 隶属于422 属100 科, 其中裸子植物3 科5 属9 种;被子植物97 科417属1 031 种(双子叶植物79 科321 属793 种, 单子叶植物18 科96 属238 种)。引黄工程沿线种子植物属的区系成分类型多样, 具有明显的温带色彩。突出特征是温带成分占优势, 达246 属, 占总属数的58.29%(其中北温带成分155 属, 占总属数的36.73%), 在植物区系的组成中具有重要作用。在引黄工程沿线种子植物种的区系成分中, 中国特有种占绝对优势, 达311 种, 占总种数的29.90%, 它们是构成引黄工程沿线优势植被类型的建群种和优势种的主要成分, 如青、华北落叶松、油松、小叶杨、青杨、垂柳、旱榆和黄刺玫等。     

甘肃宝积山盆地中侏罗世植物群地质时代及植物区系探讨

本文对甘肃宝积山盆地中侏罗世植物群地质时代及植物区系进行了探讨,共统计植物大化石18属53种,主要包括银杏纲10属24种,真蕨纲5属22种,苏铁纲1属3种,松柏纲1属2种,楔叶纲1属2种。该植物群在组成特征上表现为银杏类、真蕨类植物繁盛,其他植物类群相对贫乏。基于该植物群特征与国内其他植物群的对比,提出其地质时代为中侏罗世Aalenian期–Bajocian期。通过哈曼、欧式距离、罗杰斯–塔尼莫特和索卡尔–施尼斯4种方法对宝积山盆地及中国北方其余11个中侏罗世植物群进行系统聚类分析,在此基础上进一步划分了中国北方植物区系。通过计算属、种相似性系数,探讨宝积山邻近植物区系间的亲缘关系,结果表明宝积山植物区系与同属西北地区的华亭植物区系关系较为亲近。