Geographic patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic β-diversity of angiosperm genera in regional floras across the worldOA

Beta diversity(β-diversity) is the scalar between local(α) and regional(γ) diversity.Understanding geographic patterns of β-diversity is central to ecology,biogeography,and conservation biology.A full understanding of the origin and maintenance of geographic patterns of β-diversity requires exploring both taxonomic and phylogenetic β-diversity,as well as their respective turnover and nestedness components,and exploring phylogenetic p-diversity at different evolutionary depths.In this study,we ex...     

Global patterns and ecological drivers of taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism in angiosperm generaOA

Endemism of lineages lies at the core of understanding variation in community composition among geographic regions because it reflects how speciation, extinction, and dispersal have influenced current distributions. Here, we investigated geographic patterns and ecological drivers of taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism of angiosperm genera across the world. We identify centers of paleo-endemism and neo-endemism of angiosperm genera, and show that they are mostly located in the Southern Hemisphere...     

Development of setal patterns in embryonic and adult aphids of the Hormaphidinae （Hemiptera： Aphididae）

The elementary traits and diversity of embryonic setal patterns of 31 species of 22 genera, in three tribes of Hormaphidinae are studied. The embryonic setal patterns to every species are provided. Based on the parsimony principle and the developmental principle, these patterns are analyzed in each tribe following the terminology of Richards （1965）. It is suggested that the setal patterns of abdominal tergites are the most important characters in embryonic and adult setal patterns. In conclusion, neoteny is a phylogenetic trend in the Hormaphidinae. Nipponaphidini and Hormaphidini have more typical neoteny in each genus and more diversity in different types of adult viviparous females than Cerataphidini, by showing more frequent and various protopatterns or mesopatterns.     

Geographic patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic β-diversity of aquatic angiosperms in ChinaOA

China covers a vast territory harbouring a large number of aquatic plants.Although there are many studies on the β-diversity of total,herbaceous or woody plants in China and elsewhere,few studies have focused on aquatic plants.Here,we analyse a comprehensive data set of 889 aquatic angiosperm species in China,and explore the geographic patterns and climatic correlates of total taxonomic and phylogeneticβ-diversity as well as their turnover and nestedness components.Our results show that geograph...     

An Integrative Taxonomy of Amphibians of Nepal: An Updated Status and Distribution

Amphibians are declining worldwide.At the same time,each year many species of amphibians are described,indicating that biological diversity on Earth remains poorly understood.This is especially true for mountainous regions,such as the Himalayas,which are also regarded as a biodiversity hotspot.However,it is most likely that the current diversity of amphibians in Nepal is highly underestimated.Amphibian inventories by the past researchers primarily used phenotypic characters as the basis for species identification.However,the application of molecular systematics methods to taxonomic studies has successfully uncovered the taxonomic status of several cryptic taxa.This study used both molecular(16 S rDNA sequences)and morphological comparisons and estimated the diversity of amphibians from Nepal.This study reports the occurrence of 38 species of amphibians based on both molecular and morphological comparisons.Among them,three species were recorded for the first time in Nepal.This study also invalids the taxonomic status of Sphaerotheca paschima.This study highlights the importa nce of integrative taxonomic approaches that help to resolve the current taxonomic ambiguities of Nepalese amphibians.     

Environmental filtering is the main assembly rule of ground beetles in the forest and its edge but not in the adjacent grassland

In a fragmented landscape,transitional zones between neighboring habitats are common,and our understanding of community organizational forces across such habitats is important.Edge studies are numerous,but the majority of them utilize information on species richness and abundance.Abundance and taxonomic diversity,however,provide little information on the functioning and phylogeny of the co-existing species.Combining the evaluation of their functional and phylogenetic relationships,we aimed to assess whether ground beetle assemblages are deterministically or stochastically structured along grassland-forest gradients.Our results showed different community assembly rules on opposite sides of the forest edge.In the grassland,co-occurring species were functionally and phylogenetically not different from the random null model,indicating a random assembly process.Contrary to this,at the forest edge and the interior,co-occurring species showed functional and phylogenetic clustering,thus environmental filtering was the likely process structuring carabid assemblages.Community assembly in the grassland was considerably affected by asymmetrical species flows (spillover)across the forest edge:more forest species penetrated into the grassland than open-habitat and generalist species entered into the forest.This asymmetrical species flow underlines the importance of the filter function of forest edges.As unfavorable,human-induced changes to the structure,composition and characteristics of forest edges may alter their filter function,edges have to be specifically considered during conservation management.     

Habitat productivity is a poor predictor of body size in rodents

The"resource availability hypothesis"predicts occurrence of larger rodents in more productive habitats.This prediction was tested in a dataset of 1,301 rodent species.We used adult body mass as a measure of body size and normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI)as a measure of habitat productivity.We utilized a cross-species approach to investigate the association between these variables.This was done at both the order level(Rodentia)and at narrower taxonomic scales.We applied phylogenetic generalized least squares(PGLS)to correct for phylogenetic relationships.The relationship between body mas and NDVI was also investigated across rodent assemblages.We controlled for spatial autocorrelation using generalized least squares(GLS)analysis.The cross-species approach found extremely low support for the resource availability hypothesis.This was reflected by a weak positive association between body mass and NDVI at the order level.We find a positive association in only a minority of rodent subtaxa.The best fit GLS model detected no significant association between body mass and NDVI across assemblages.Thus,our results do not support the view that resource availability plays a major role in explaining geographic variation in rodent body size.     

Disentangling the role of management,vegetation structure,and plant quality for Orthoptera in lowland meadows

Seminatural grasslands provide habitats for various species and are important for biodiversity conservation. The understanding of the diverse responses of species and traits to different grassland managenient methods is therefore urgently needed. We disentangled the role of grassland management (fertilization and irrigation), vegetation structure (biomass, sward height) and plant quality (protein and fiber content) for Orthoptera communities in lowland hay meadows in Germany. We found vegetation structure to be the most important environmental category in explaining community structure of Orthoptera (species richness, total individuals, fiinctional diversity and species composition). Intensively used meadows (fertilized, irrigated, high plant biomass) were characterized by assemblages with few species, low functional diversity, and low conservation value. Thereby, the relatively moderate fertilizer inputs in our study system of up to -75 kg N/ha/year reduced functional diversity of Orthoptera, while this negative effect of fertilization was not detectable when solely considering taxonomic aspects. We found strong support for a prominent role of plant quality in shaping Orthoptera communities and especially the trait composition. Our findings demonstrate the usefulness of considering both taxonomic and functional comp on ents (functio nal diversity) in biodiversity research and we suggest a stronger involvement of plant quality measures in Orthoptera studies.     

Distribution and conservation of near threatened plants in ChinaOA

Plants classified as Near Threatened(NT) are at high risk of becoming threatened because of anthropogenic interference and climate change.Especially in conservation efforts,such species have however long been overlooked.Here,we obtained 98,419 precise occurrence points for 2442 NT plants in China,and used species richness,species complementarity,and weighted endemism that consider all,endemic and narrow-ranged species in order to identify the diversity hotspots of NT plants.Then we evaluated the...     

Patterns of phylogenetic relatedness of non-native plants across the introduction-naturalization-invasion continuum in ChinaOA

Human activities have caused the exchange of species among different parts of the world.When introduced species become naturalized and invasive,they may cause great negative impacts on the environment and human societies,and pose significant threats to biodiversity and ecosystem structure.Knowledge on phylogenetic relatedness between native and non-native species and among non-native species at different stages of species invasion may help for better understanding the drivers of species invasion...     

Diversity and distribution patterns of non-volant smallmammals along different elevation gradients on Mt. Kenya,Kenya

The distribution of small mammals in mountainous environments across different elevations can provide important information on the effects of climate change on the dispersal of species. However, few studies conducted on Afromontane ecosystems have compared the altitudinal patterns of small mammal diversity. We investigated the species diversity and abundance of non-volant small mammals(hereafter ‘small mammals')on Mt. Kenya, the second tallest mountain in Africa,using a standard sampling scheme. Nine sampling transects were established at intervals of 200 m on the eastern(Chogoria) and western(Sirimon) slopes.A total of 1 905 individuals representing 25 species of small mammals were trapped after 12 240 trap-nights.Abundance was highest at mid-elevations on both slopes.However, species richness and their distribution patterns differed between the two slopes. More species were recorded on Chogoria(24) than on Sirimon(17). On Chogoria, species richness was higher at mid-high elevations, with a peak at mid-elevation(2 800 m a.s.l.),whereas species richness showed little variation on the Sirimon slope. These results indicate that patterns of species diversity can differ between slopes on the same mountain. In addition, we extensively reviewed literature on Mt. Kenya's mammals and compiled a comprehensive checklist of 76 mammalian species. However, additional research is required to improve our understanding of smal mammal diversity in mountain habitats in Africa.     

Centers of endemism and diversity patterns for typhlocybine leafhoppers （Hemiptera： Cicadellidae： Typhlocybinae） in China

This study identifies ＇centers of endemism＇ for typhlocybine leafhoppers in China, revealing diversity patterns and congruence of patterns between total species rich- ness and endemism. Distribution patterns of 774 Typhlocybinae （607 described and 167 undescribed species） were mapped on a 1.5° × 1.5° latitude/longitude grid. Total species richness, endemic species richness and weighted endemism richness were calculated for each grid cell. Grid cells within the top 5% highest values of weighted endemism richness were considered as ＇centers of endemism＇. Diversity patterns by latitude and altitude were obtained through calculating the gradient richness. A congruence of diversity patterns between total species richness and endemism was confirmed using correlation analysis. To investigate the bioclimatic factors （19 variables） contributing to the congruence be- tween total species richness and endemism, we compared the factor＇s difference between non-endemic and endemic species using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Eleven centers of en- demism, roughly delineated by mountain ranges, were identified in central and southern China, including the south Yunnan, Hengduan Mountains, Qinling Mountains, Hainan Is- land, Taiwan Island and six mountain areas located in western Sichuan, northwest Fujian, southeast Guizhou, southeast Hunan, central and western Guangdong, and north Zhejiang. Total species richness and endemic species richness decreased with increased latitude and had a consistent unimodal response to altitude. The proportions of endemism decreased with increased latitude and increased with rising altitude. Diversity patterns between total species richness and endemism were highly consistent, and ＇Precipitation of Coldest Pe- riod＇ and ＇Temperature of Coldest Period＇ may contribute to the congruence of pattern. Migration ability may play a role in the relationship of endemism and species richness; climate, environment factors and important geologic isolation events can also play crucial effect     

Spatial phylogenetics of the Chinese angiosperm flora provides insights into endemism and conservation

The flora of China is well known for its high diversity and endemism. Identifying centers of endemism and designating conservation priorities are essential goals for biodiversity studies.However, there is no comprehensive study from a rigorous phylogenetic perspective to understand patterns of diversity and endemism and to guide biodiversity conservation in China. We conducted a spatial phylogenetic analysis of the Chinese angiosperm flora at the generic level to identify centers of neo-and pale...     

Molecular phylogeny of Entomobrya (Collembola: Entomobryidae) from China: Color pattern groups and multiple origins

Highly diversified colorations among springtails (Collembola) have been widely used for species diagnosis, but their phylogenetic significance is poorly known. We addressed this issue in the largest Entomobryinae genus Entomobrya, which possesses variable color patterns among species. The relationships within the genus and to other genera have also rarely been studied. Based on material mainly from China, we have conducted a multilocus phylogeny and topology tests with likelihood and Bayesian algorithms, and accordingly demonstrated the non-monophyly of Chinese Entomobrya. The division of five clades, including Entomobrya and several related genera, coincided well with five types of colorations, respectively. Further analyses of divergence time and historical biogeography revealed that Chinese Entomobrya originated mainly from Palearctic (northern and western) China in the Paleocene and Eocene. This study highlights the great phylo? genetic values as well as taxonomic uses of coloration in Chinese Entomobrya. Multiple phylogenetic and biogeographic origins of Entomobrya imply its complicated relationships with both scaled and unsealed genera of Entomobryinae.     

Phylogeography and Cryptic Species Diversity of Paramesotriton caudopunctatus Species Group(Salamandridae: Paramesotriton) in Guizhou,China

The Paramesotriton caudopunctatus species group is mainly distributed in the karst mountain ecosystems of Guizhou, China. Although some species have been included in previous phylogenetic studies, the evolutionary relationships and divergence-time of members of this species group as a whole remain unexplored. In this study, we report the sequencing of one protein coding mitochondrial gene fragment(ND2) and one nuclear gene(POMC), and use a combination of phylogenetic analyses and coalescent simulations to explore the cryptic diversity and evolutionary history of the P. caudopunctatus species group. Phylogenetic relationships revealed that the P. caudopunctatus species group is composed of two major groups, i. e., East Clade and Western-South Clade. The divergence-time and ancestral area estimation suggested that the P. caudopunctatus species group likely originated in the Doupeng Mountains in Guizhou, China at 12.34 Ma(95% HPD: 8.30–14.73), and intraspecific divergence began at about 2.17 Ma(95% HPD: 1.39–2.97). This timing coincides with the orogenesis of the Miaoling Mountains during the Late Miocene to early Pleistocene. The delimitation of species in the P. caudopunctatus species group supports the existence of the currently identified species, and consensus was confirmed across methods for the existence of least to two cryptic species within what has been traditionally considered to be P. caudopunctatus species group. This study is of significance for understanding the species formation, dispersal, and diversity of the tailed amphibians in the karst mountains ecosystem of Guizhou and the role of the Miaoling Mountains as a geographical barrier to species dispersal.     

Nitrogen deposition and reduction of terrestrial biodiversity:Evidence from temperate grasslands

Biodiversity is thought to be essential for ecosystem stability, function and long-term sustainability. Since nitrogen is the limiting nutrient for plant growth in many terrestrial ecosystems, reactive nitrogen has the potential to reduce the diversity of terrestrial vegetation and associated biota through favouring species adapted to quickly exploiting available nutrients. Although the potential has long been recognised, only recently has enough evidence come together to show beyond reasonable doubt that these changes are already occurring. Linked together, experimental, regional/empirical, and time-series research provide a powerful argument that enhanced deposition of reactive nitrogen across Great Britain, and potentially the rest of Europe, has resulted in a significant and ongoing decline in grassland species richness and diversity.     

Avian genetic ecotoxicology： DNA of the canary in a coalmine

Genotoxic chemicals, through damage and alteration of the genetic material of wild organisms, pose significant threats to the persistence of wild animal populations. Their damaging effects can ultimately impair the health of the ecosystem and its provision of services to human society. Bird species are good candidates for the role of sentinels of the effects of genotoxins, thanks to （i） the diversity of their ecological niches, （ii） their ubiquity across environments, （iii） their conspicuousness, abundance and approachability, together with （iv） their well-known life histories and the availability of historical data series. Avian diversity increases the likelihood that adequate model species be available for monitoring genotoxicants and assessing their impact. This paper reviews the methods utilized by genetic ecotoxicological studies of wild birds, highlighting their benefits and shortcomings. It also summarizes the genetic ecotoxicological studies so far conducted. In spite of a paucity of studies, several classes of genotoxicants have already been investigated across a variety of species and environments, thus supporting the versatility of birds as monitors of genotoxic contamination. Future technical advancements and applications are suggested, with par- ticular reference to the analysis of mutational events, gene expression and methylation patterns. Finally, I argue that the development of avian genetic ecotoxicology will contribute to the understanding of natural variation in the underlying machinery for coping with DNA damage and oxidative stress, both of which are increasingly recognized as proximate factors in the evolution of life history adaptations [Current Zoology 60 （2）： 285-298, 2014].     

Phylogenetic diversity of eastern Asia-eastern North America disjunct plants is mainly associated with divergence time

The underlying causes of biodiversity disparities among geographic regions have long been a fundamental theme in ecology and evolution.However,the patterns of phylogenetic diversity(PD) and phylogenetic beta diversity(PBD) of congeners that are disjunctly distributed between eastern Asia-eastern North America(EA-ENA disjuncts) and their associated factors remain unknown.Here we investigated the standardized effect size of PD(SES-PD),PBD,and potentially associated factors in 11natural mixed fores...     

Historical biogeography and evolutionary diversification of Lilium(Liliaceae): New insights from plastome phylogenomicsOA

Here, we infer the historical biogeography and evolutionary diversification of the genus Lilium. For this purpose, we used the complete plastomes of 64 currently accepted species in the genus Lilium(14plastomes were newly sequenced) to recover the phylogenetic backbone of the genus and a timecalibrated phylogenetic framework to estimate biogeographical history scenarios and evolutionary diversification rates of Lilium. Our results suggest that ancient climatic changes and geological tectonic act...