Associations between wasp communities and forest structure: Do strong local patterns hold across landscapes?

Abstract Forest structure and habitat complexity have been used extensively to predict the distribution and abundance of insect assemblages in forest ecosystems. We tested empirically derived predictions of strong, consistent relationships between wasp assemblages and habitat complexity, using both field assessments and vegetation indices from remote sensing as measures of habitat complexity. Wasp samples from 26 paired ‘high and low’ complexity sites in two forests approximately 70 km apart, were compared with normalized difference vegetation indices (NDVIs) derived from multispectral videography of the survey sites. We describe a strong unequivocal link between habitat complexity and wasp communities, the patterns holding over coarse and fine landscape scales. NDVIs were also excellent predictors of habitat complexity and hence wasp community patterns. Sites with greater NDVIs consistently supported a greater abundance and species richness, and a different composition of wasps to sites with low NDVIs. Using vegetation indices from remote sensing to gauge habitat complexity has significant potential for ecosystem modelling and rapid biodiversity assessment.     

岷江干旱河谷-山地森林交错带震后生态恢复的关键科学技术问题

作为典型的生态过渡区,岷江干旱河谷-山地森林交错带不仅是藏羌居民生活的重要区域,而且在抑制干旱河谷上延和延伸亚高山森林生态系统的功能等方面具有十分重要的作用。但这种脆弱生态系统极易受到人类活动干扰和自然灾害的损害,使其成为“5．12”汶川大地震中受损程度较高、灾后生态恢复与重建的重点区域之一。基于岷江干旱河谷-山地森林交错带受汶川大地震破坏的特点以及该区的生态重要性和本身的脆弱性,损毁生态系统的快速评估与生态重建规划、生产与生态双赢共建关键技术、震后残存植被保育、水源涵养地植被保护与恢复、震毁植被恢复与重建、耕地生产恢复与重建、边坡综合治理、低效薪炭林改良以及居民聚居点风景林营造等被认为是震后生态恢复的关键科学技术问题。震毁生态系统的生态恢复过程监测与评估、干旱河谷-山地森林交错带生态系统的脆弱性机制及生态学过程、震后生态系统对变化环境的响应与适应机制等可能是未来的重点研究领域。     

Nitrogen and phosphorus additions impact arbuscular mycorrhizal abundance and molecular diversity in a tropical montane forest

Increased nitrogen (N) depositions expected in the future endanger the diversity and stability of ecosystems primarily limited by N, but also often co‐limited by other nutrients like phosphorus (P). In this context a nutrient manipulation experiment (NUMEX) was set up in a tropical montane rainforest in southern Ecuador, an area identified as biodiversity hotspot. We examined impacts of elevated N and P availability on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), a group of obligate biotrophic plant symbionts with an important role in soil nutrient cycles. We tested the hypothesis that increased nutrient availability will reduce AMF abundance, reduce species richness and shift the AMF community toward lineages previously shown to be favored by fertilized conditions. NUMEX was designed as a full factorial randomized block design. Soil cores were taken after 2 years of nutrient additions in plots located at 2000 m above sea level. Roots were extracted and intraradical AMF abundance determined microscopically; the AMF community was analyzed by 454‐pyrosequencing targeting the large subunit rDNA. We identified 74 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with a large proportion of Diversisporales. N additions provoked a significant decrease in intraradical abundance, whereas AMF richness was reduced significantly by N and P additions, with the strongest effect in the combined treatment (39% fewer OTUs), mainly influencing rare species. We identified a differential effect on phylogenetic groups, with Diversisporales richness mainly reduced by N additions in contrast to Glomerales highly significantly affected solely by P. Regarding AMF community structure, we observed a compositional shift when analyzing presence/absence data following P additions. In conclusion, N and P additions in this ecosystem affect AMF abundance, but especially AMF species richness; these changes might influence plant community composition and productivity and by that various ecosystem processes.     

Responses of soil bacterial and fungal communities to reciprocal transfers of soil between adjacent coniferous forest and meadow vegetation in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon

Little information exists on the responses of soil fungal and bacterial communities in high elevation coniferous forest/open meadow ecosystems of the northwest United States of America to treatments that impact vegetation and soil conditions. An experiment was conducted in which soil cores were reciprocally transplanted between immediately adjacent forests and meadows at two high elevation (∼1,600 m) sites (Carpenter and Lookout) in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest located in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Half of the cores were placed in PVC pipe (closed) to prevent new root colonization, whereas the other cores were placed in mesh bags (open) to allow recolonization by fine roots. A duplicate set of open and closed soil cores was not transferred between sites and was incubated in place. After 2 year, soil cores were removed and changes in fungal and bacterial biomasses determined using light microscopy, and changes in microbial community composition determined by PLFA analysis, and by length heterogeneity PCR of the internal transcribed spacer region of fungal ribosomal DNA. At both sites soil microbial community structures had responded to treatments after 2 year of incubation. At Carpenter, both fungal and bacterial community structures of forest soil changed significantly in response to transfer from forest to meadow, with the shift in fungal community structure being accompanied by a significant decrease in the PLFA biomarker of fungal biomass,18:2ω6,9. At Lookout, both fungal and bacterial community structures of forest soil changed significantly in response to open versus closed core treatments, with the shift in the fungal community being accompanied by a significant decrease in the 18:2ω6,9 content of closed cores, and the shift in the bacterial community structure being accompanied by a significant increase in bacterial biomass of closed cores. At both sites, fungal community structures of meadow soils changed differently between open and closed cores in response to transfer to forest, and were accompanied by increases in the18:2ω6,9 content of open cores. Although there were no significant treatment effects on the bacterial community structure of meadow soil at either site, bacterial biomass was significantly higher in closed versus open cores regardless of transfer.     

干旱河谷-山地森林交错带土壤水分与养分特征

干旱河谷-山地森林交错带(EDM)在延伸亚高山森林生态功能,抑制干旱河谷上延等发挥着重要且不可替代的作用。研究了交错带邻近生态系统干旱河谷(DV)、亚高山森林(SF)以及交错带内(EDMⅠ、EDMⅡ、EDM) 3个土层(L1、L2、L3)土壤水分及养分特征,结果表明,(1) 相比于DV,EDM具有更好的土壤水环境,并为植物生长提供更多的可吸收磷,但未表现出更好的土壤氮素环境;SF则是山地垂直带谱中土壤水环境和养分环境最好的区域。(2) 交错带内由于主要植物种类及其群落结构组成不同,土壤水、肥环境仍存显著差异。(3)海拔梯度上,L1中土壤水分与氨态氮相关性不显著,与其它养分均极显著相关(P<0.01)。L3中,速效养分均与土壤水分相关性不显著;剖面层次上,EDM和EDMⅠ不同层次的土壤养分与土壤水均未表现出显著相关性,而在EDMⅡ和SF却表现出显著相关。     

Sunken roads as habitats for forest plant species in a dynamic agricultural landscape: effects of age and isolation

Aim This study tests the hypothesis that linear, woody habitat patches surrounding small, sunken rural roads not only function as an unstable sink but also as a true, sustainable habitat for forest plants. Furthermore, factors affecting the presence of forest plant species in sunken roads are determined. Finally, the implications of these findings for the overall metapopulation dynamics of forest plant species in fragmented agricultural landscapes are assessed. Location The study area, c. 155 km² in size, is situated in a fragmented agricultural landscape within the loamy region of central Belgium. Methods Forest species presence–absence data were collected for 389 sunken roads. The effect of area, depth, age and isolation on sunken road species richness was assessed using linear regression and analysis of variance (anova ). Analysis of covariance was employed to study the interaction between age and isolation. Differences in plant community dispersal spectra in relation to sunken road age and isolation were analysed by means of linear regression and anova . Results Sunken roads proved to function as an important habitat for forest plants. The sink‐hypothesis was falsified by a clear species accumulation in time: sunken road species richness significantly increased with the age of the elements. Sunken road age mainly affected species richness through effects on both area and depth, affecting habitat quality and diversity. Furthermore, sunken road isolation had a significant impact on species richness as well, with the number of forest species decreasing with increasing isolation of the elements, indicating dispersal limitation in sunken road habitats. Moreover, a significant age × isolation interaction effect was demonstrated. Differences in regression slopes for isolation between age classes revealed that the effect of isolation intensified with increasing age of the elements. Differential colonization in relation to forest species dispersal capacities probably account for this, as confirmed by the analysis of sunken road plant community dispersal spectra, with the fraction of species with low dispersal capacities increasing with increasing age and decreasing isolation of the elements. Main conclusions During sunken road development, area and depth increase and, gradually, suitable habitat conditions for forest plant species arise. Depending on their ecological requirements and dispersal capacities, forest species progressively colonize these habitats as a function of the element's isolation. The functioning of sunken roads as a sustainable habitat for forest species enhances the metapopulation viability of forest plants in agricultural landscapes and has important consequences for forest restoration practices. Moreover, the results of this work call for integrating the presence of forest species in small‐scaled linear habitat patches in forest fragmentation studies.     

长白山林区森林/沼泽交错群落的植物多样性

本研究应用样带网格调查方法,对森林／沼泽交错区上6种群落的植物多样性状况、优势种类与分布以及交错区环境梯度进行了研究。结果表明：森林／沼泽交错区植物多样性具有沿着交错区环境梯度逐渐增高的趋势;发育成熟的交错群落具有最高的植物多样性,且高于相对应的典型森林群落。由于交错区群落存在着沼泽植物类群、森林类群以及交错区群落的优势种类群,故发育成熟的交错区群落种类较丰富,一些优势种种群数量为森林中的5倍。因为交错区的生境对于满足这些种类的生活史具有重要作用。森林／沼泽交错群落的特征与交错区环境梯度以及两个植被类型的特征密切相关。     

Termination of belowground C allocation by trees alters soil fungal and bacterial communities in a boreal forest

The introduction of photosynthates through plant roots is a major source of carbon (C) for soil microbial biota and shapes the composition of fungal and bacterial communities in the rhizosphere. Although the importance of this process, especially to ectomycorrhizal fungi, has been known for some time, the extent to which plant belowground C allocation controls the composition of the wider soil community is not understood. A tree-girdling experiment enabled studies of the relationship between plant C allocation and microbial community composition. Girdling involves cutting the phloem of trees to prevent photosynthates from entering the soil. Four years after girdling, fungal and bacterial communities were characterized using DNA-based profiles and cloning and sequencing. Data showed that girdling significantly altered fungal and bacterial communities compared with the control. The ratio of ectomycorrhizal to saprobic fungal sequences significantly decreased in girdled treatments, and this decline was found to correlate with the fungal phospholipid fatty acid biomarker 18:2ω6,9. Bacterial communities also varied in the abundance of the two dominant phyla Acidobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria . Concomitant changes in fungal and bacterial communities suggest linkages between these two groups and point toward plant belowground C allocation as a key determinant of microbial community composition.     

Diversity of dung and carrion beetles in a disturbed Mexican tropical montane cloud forest and on shade coffee plantations

This paper analyzes the diversity of dung and carrion beetles (Scarabaeinae and Silphidae) in four human-induced habitats of a disturbed tropical montane cloud forest: polyspecific shade coffee plantations, monospecific shade coffee plantations, tropical montane cloud forest fragments, and clear cuts. The four habitats had similar richness, species composition, and assemblage structure of dung and carrion beetles. Differences were found in abundance and biomass levels for the four dominant species in the landscape. Dung beetles were more abundant than carrion beetles, but the biomass was higher for the latter. Carrion beetles were seasonal, while dung beetles were clearly not. When forest fragments and shade coffee plantations were compared to other similar habitats in the region, the same general pattern was observed. However, forests with high disturbance and monospecific shade coffee plantations had lower species richness than forests with low and medium disturbance and polyspecific shade coffee plantations. Thus shade coffee plantations maintain connectivity between patches of cloud forest in a landscape that is strongly affected by human activities. Protecting landscape diversity appears to ensure high species richness.     

The role of local and regional processes in shaping dung beetle communities in tropical forest plantations in Borneo

We examine whether rain forest dung beetle species found in plantations in Sabah, northern Borneo, tend to be endemic or geographically widespread. In addition, linear regressions of abundance vs. distance from a major river in primary rain forest are calculated to see if species found in plantation forest show affinity to one specific biotope (riverine vs. interior forest) in their natural habitat. Results show that 14 of the 40 species recorded from plantations are endemic to Borneo. Only edge‐specialist endemic species are found in plantation forest, with no interior‐forest specialists recorded. Data suggest that endemic species that are adapted to more exposed conditions in primary rain forest, such as riverine species, can in some instances tolerate man‐made habitats. Twenty‐nine species (±SE 4.0) per transect are recorded from plantation transects, whereas 44.2 (±1.7 SE) are recorded in primary rain forest. As species richness is much lower in plantations than natural forest, implying loss of biodiversity, we conclude that measures of biogeographic distinctiveness, whereby endemic species confer higher values, may be misleading unless they take into account edge‐affinity. Local‐ as well as regional‐distributional data may therefore be needed to interpret correctly patterns of species assemblages in derived forest ecosystems.     

Importance of rare habitats and riparian zones in a tropical forest fragment: preferential use by Tayassu pecari, a wide-ranging frugivore

In forest fragments, rare habitats contribute to heterogeneity and may provide unique resources for frugivorous species like peccaries with spatially and temporally complex patterns of range use. This study examined seasonal habitat use by two sympatric peccary species ( Tayassu pecari and Tayassu tajacu ) in an Atlantic forest fragment on the plateau region of São Paulo state, Brazil. Previous studies showed that range use by T. pecari was highly nonrandom, and that both species persisted at population densities typical of larger forest fragments. To explain this, we quantified the use and availability of habitats and riparian zones with compositional analysis. Use by T. pecari was nonrandom with respect to availability. Habitat preferences were different during dry and wet seasons and corresponded closely with seasonal movements, core range and fruit use. Although aquatic habitats made up a small proportion of the herd home range, they were most preferred by T. pecari during both seasons. Headwater palmito Euterpe edulis swamps were most favored in the dry season, whereas swamps and marshes near larger streams were preferred in the wet season. Tayassu pecari preferred riparian zones <50 m from streams over drier zones. These habitats were important sources of fruits, travel routes and corridors between forest patches in the agricultural matrix. The least-preferred habitat of T. pecari during both seasons was disturbed forest edge dominated by bamboo. Habitat and riparian zone use were herd-specific for T. tajacu and related to habitat quality and composition where stable home ranges had been established. The persistence of viable peccary populations after 75 years of fragmentation-associated pressures is related to preservation of rare habitats and overall habitat diversity. Thus, T. pecari is an indicator of high habitat diversity in forest fragments and will function as an umbrella species when targeted for conservation.     

东祁连山退化高寒草地土壤细菌群落与土壤环境因子间的相互关系

为探究东祁连山不同退化高寒草地细菌群落分布特征与土壤环境因子间的相互关系,采用高通量测序技术对轻度、中度和重度退化草地的土壤细菌群落结构变化及其多样性进行分析,运用CANOCO 4.5软件对土壤细菌群落与土壤环境因子间关系进行冗余分析(RDA).结果表明:不同退化高寒草地土壤理化性质间均差异显著,高通量测序共得到257125条有效序列,180826条优质序列,4790个OTUs.细菌群落Chao1指数依次为轻度>中度>重度;Shannon指数依次为轻度>重度>中度.系统发育分析表明,各样地土壤细菌类群分属于33个门,其中放线菌门、变形菌门和厚壁菌门是3种不同退化草地土壤中的优势类群.对不同退化草地土壤细菌各门所占比例分析发现,放线菌门、酸杆菌门和变形菌门随着退化程度加剧先减少后增加,厚壁菌门反之.RDA分析结果显示,细菌优势类群与蔗糖酶、纤维素酶和磷酸酶呈极显著相关,与pH、电导率、速效氮、速效钾呈显著相关.说明东祁连山不同退化高寒草地土壤细菌群落间差异明显,土壤环境因子是影响土壤细菌群落分布的重要因素.     

黄土丘陵沟壑区退耕还林(草)工程的经济效应——以安塞县为例

退耕还林(草)工程的经济效应关系到人工重构生态系统的稳定性,研究退耕区农村经济的发展情况,对科学评价退耕还林(草)工程经济效应具有十分重要的意义;本研究以安塞县退耕还林(草)试点工作为对象,采用参与性农村评估(Participatory Rural Appraisal, PRA)为调查方法,对安塞县实行退耕还林工程以来农村经济效应的变化情况进行调查;采用主成分析法对6个经济指标与退耕还林(草)经济效应的关系进行分析;用聚类分析法对8个模式的经济效应进行分类.主成分分析结果表明:6个经济效应指标可以简化为特色农业收入因子、粮食收入因子和非农业收入因子,并对各因子对经济效应的贡献作了详细分析.聚类分析结果表明:8个退耕模式可分成4个经济效应发展类型:经济效应增效型、经济效应稳步型、经济效应迟缓型和经济效应滞后型;从而进一步验证经济效应与农业结构调整、后续产业的发展、剩余劳动力转移的关系,为退耕还林(草)的顺利开展提供研究依据.     

Latent Dirichlet Allocation reveals spatial and taxonomic structure in a DNA‐based census of soil biodiversity from a tropical forest

High‐throughput sequencing of amplicons from environmental DNA samples permits rapid, standardized and comprehensive biodiversity assessments. However, retrieving and interpreting the structure of such data sets requires efficient methods for dimensionality reduction. Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) can be used to decompose environmental DNA samples into overlapping assemblages of co‐occurring taxa. It is a flexible model‐based method adapted to uneven sample sizes and to large and sparse data sets. Here, we compare LDA performance on abundance and occurrence data, and we quantify the robustness of the LDA decomposition by measuring its stability with respect to the algorithm's initialization. We then apply LDA to a survey of 1,131 soil DNA samples that were collected in a 12‐ha plot of primary tropical forest and amplified using standard primers for bacteria, protists, fungi and metazoans. The analysis reveals that bacteria, protists and fungi exhibit a strong spatial structure, which matches the topographical features of the plot, while metazoans do not, confirming that microbial diversity is primarily controlled by environmental variation at the studied scale. We conclude that LDA is a sensitive, robust and computationally efficient method to detect and interpret the structure of large DNA‐based biodiversity data sets. We finally discuss the possible future applications of this approach for the study of biodiversity.     

南宁市植物群落结构特征与局地小气候效应关系分析

着重探讨植物群落结构特征与生态小气候因子间的相关性。结果表明:(1)在林荫处,植物群落总冠幅盖度、总密度、群落重要值均与温度成极显著的负相关;植物群落群落重要值还与相对湿度达到显著正相关。(2)在林隙处,植物群落总平均株高与光照强度成显著正相关,与风速成极显著负相关。(3)植物群落结构特征与其小气候生态效应间的相关性是:总平均株高与遮光效应值达到极显著的正相关,与挡风效应值亦达到显著的正相关。另外,总冠幅盖度与降温效应值成极显著的正相关。同时,总密度与降温效应值亦成极显著的正相关。特别是群落重要值与降温、增湿、挡风、遮光等生态效应值都成显著甚至极显著的正相关。通过分析与探讨南宁市植物群落结构和小气候因子间的相关性机理,可为科学地进行城市绿化、生态城市建设提供理论依据。     

鼎湖山针阔叶混交林优势种树干液流特征及其与环境因子的关系

运用Granier 热扩散式探针法,于2010年干湿季对鼎湖山自然保护区针阔混交林4种优势树种马尾松、锥栗、木荷和广东润楠的树干液流密度进行连续监测,并同步观测气温、相对湿度和光合有效辐射等环境因子的变化,研究其树干液流特征及其对环境因子的响应.结果表明： 在干湿季,4种优势树种的树干液流速率日变化均呈“昼高夜低”的典型单峰曲线,阔叶树锥栗、木荷和广东润楠的平均液流速率和峰值以及日液流量均显著大于针叶树马尾松;马尾松、锥栗、木荷和广东润楠的最大树干液流密度分别为29.48、38.54、51.67、58.32 g H₂O·m-2·s-1.优势树种树干液流速率的变化与环境因子的昼夜变化存在时滞;液流速率变化与光合有效辐射、水汽压亏缺和气温等环境因子的变化呈显著正相关,其中湿季以光合有效辐射为主导因子,干季以气温为主导因子.