The uplift of Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau and the vicariance speciation of glyptosternoid fishes (Siluriformes: Sisoridae)

Based on the phylogenetic and biogeographical studies of the glyptosternoid fishes in Qinghai-Tibet area, the following hypothesis is proposed: the speciation of this group has a direct relationship with the three uplift intervals of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This process was explained by the theory of vicariance of biogeography. The ancestor of this group was similar to Bagarus and/or Glyptothorax, which still have a wide distribution. At the moment when the Tethys sea closed, the Indian tectonic plate collided with the Eurasian tectonic plate, so the Glyptothorax-like and Bagarus-like ancestors entered Eurasia and gradually became widely distributed. After the Pleistocene, with the enforced colliding, the gradual uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau brought about the current water environment, and the Glyptosternoids were generated from Glyptotho-rax-like fish under this environment. The present Glyptosternum, distributed across the Himalayas is the ancestor of Glyptosternoids. In the three uplift inte     

The uplift of Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau and the vicariance speciation of glyptosternoid fishes (Siluriformes: Sisoridae)

Based on the phylogenetic and biogeographical studies of the glyptosternoid fishes in Qinghai-Tibet area, the following hypothesis is proposed: the speciation of this group has a direct relationship with the three uplift intervals of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This process was explained by the theory of vicariance of biogeography. The ancestor of this group was similar toBagarus and/orGlyptothorax, which still have a wide distribution. At the moment when the Tethys sea closed, the Indian tectonic plate collided with the Eurasian tectonic plate, so theGlyptothorax-like andBagarus-like ancestors entered Eurasia and gradually became widely distributed. After the Pleistocene, with the enforced colliding, the gradual uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau brought about the current water environment, and the Glyptosternoids were generated fromGlyptothorax-like fish under this environment. The presentGlyptosternum, distributed across the Himalayas is the ancestor of Glyptosternoids. In the three uplift intervals of the plateau, the water system of this region was separated gradually andGlyptosternum-like ancestor was isolated in different rivers and evolved into various species. All this resulted in the speciation and formation of the biogeographical pattern of glyptosternoids.     

Distribution and status of White-lipped Deer (Cervus albirostris) in the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau, China

We made a preliminary survey of the present status and ecology of the White-lipped Deer (Cervus albirostris) in the upper Huang He and Chang Jiang River regions of China. Eight mixed herds, ranging in size from 5 to 46 animals each, were observed. The deer lived from the rhododendron scrub just above the spruce forests to alpine grasslands, ranging in altitudes from 4000 to 5000 m. The peak of the rut occurred in October, when breeding herds were composed of a few large stags and hinds. The pasturing of domestic animals in the area influences not only the spatial distribution of the deer, but also the timing of seasonal shifts. The main distribution of the deer is in western Sichuan Province and some scattered populations in Qinghai Province are endangered. The species could survive, given adequate protection.     

The uplift of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and glacial oscillations triggered the diversification of Tetraogallus (Galliformes,Phasianidae)

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) plays an important role in avian diversification. To reveal the relationship between the QTP uplift and avian diversification since the Late Cenozoic, here, we analyzed the phylogenetic relationship and biogeographical pattern of the genus Tetraogallus (Galliformes, Phasianidae) and the probable factors of speciation in the period of the QTP uplift inferred from concatenated data of four nuclear and five mitochondrial genes using the method of the Bayesian inference. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that T. himalayensis had a close relationship with T. altaicus and conflicted with the previous taxonomy of dark‐bellied and white‐bellied groups. The molecular clock showed that the speciation of Tetraogallus was profoundly affected by the uplift of the QTP and glacial oscillations. Biogeographic analysis suggested that the extant snowcocks originated from the QTP, and the QTP uplift and glacial oscillations triggered the diversification of Tetraogallus ancestor. Specifically, the uplift of the mountain provided a prerequisite for the colonization of snowcocks Tetraogallus as a result of the collision between the Indian and the Arab plates and the Eurasian plate, in which ecological isolation (the glacial and interglacial periods alternate) and geographical barrier had accelerated the Tetraogallus diversification process. Interestingly, we discovered hybrids between T. tibetanus and T. himalayensis for the first time and suggested that T. tibetanus and T. himalayensis hybridized after a second contact during the glacial period. Here, we proposed that the hybrid offspring was the ancestor of the T. altaicus. In conclusion, the uplift of QTP and glacial oscillations triggered the snowcocks colonization, and then, isolation and introgression hybridization promoted diversification.     

The steppes and deserts of the Xizang Plateau (Tibet)

The Xizang Plateau (Tibet) covers a vast area over 4 000 m with a severe environment. Steppes and deserts are widely distributed on the plateau to the west of 91.5°E. Poaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Cyperaceae are the most important families in the composition of steppe communities. The steppe can be divided into high-cold steppe and montane steppe. The former one is characterized by the Stipa purpurea community, which occupies a vast area with a cold, dry climate: annual mean temperature 0 to –6°C, annual rainfall is 150–300 mm; The latter one is distributed in some limited regions, where the climate is less severe: annual mean temperature 0–7°C, annual rainfall is 150–400 mm. The representative communities here are the Stipa glareosa and S. bungeana communities. Chenopodiaceae and Asteraceae play a principal role in both high-cold and montane deserts. The high-cold desert is unique. Its major representative is the Ceratoides compacta community, which is found at about 5 000 m, in an extremely cold and very dry climate. The Ceratoides latens and Ajania fruticulosa communities are the common ones of the montane desert which mainly appears below 4 600 m in elevation, where the annual temperature is about 0°C and the rainfall is less than 100 mm. The distribution of the steppe and the desert communities shows a clear regional differentiation, and an equally clear vertical distribution pattern.     

短期内^15N标记的铵盐和硝酸盐在青藏高原高寒草甸中的运移规律

运用^15N稳定性同位素示踪技术,对高寒草甸植物和土壤微生物固持沉降氮的能力及沉降氮在小嵩草（Kobresia pygaea)草甸中的运移规律进行了研究。施肥2周后,NO3^-－^15N和NH4^ －^15N的总恢复率分别为73．5％和78％。无论是NO3^-－^15N,还是NH4^ －^15N植物所固持的^15N总是比土壤有机质或者是土壤微生物固持的多。4周后,70．6％的NO3^-－^15N和57．4％的NH4^ －^15N被固持在土壤和植物中。其中,土壤微生物所固持。在施肥6周和8周后,NO3^-－^15N的总恢复率分别为58．4％和67％,而NH4^ －^15N的总恢复率分别为43．1％和49％。植物和土壤微生物所固持的NO3^-－^15N比NH4^ －^15N多。在整个实验期间,植物固持的NO3^-N较多,而且比土壤微生物固持了较多^15N。由于无机氮的含量一直很低,无机氮库所固持的^15N一般不超过1％。上述结果意味着短期内植物在高寒草甸中对沉降氮的去向起着决定作用。     

Into Tibet: An Early Pliocene Dispersal of Fossil Zokor (Rodentia: Spalacidae) from Mongolian Plateau to the Hinterland of Tibetan Plateau

This paper reports the fossil zokors (Myospalacinae) collected from the lower Pliocene (~4.4 Ma) of Zanda Basin, southwestern Tibet, which is the first record in the hinterland of Tibetan Plateau within the Himalayan Range. Materials include 29 isolated molars belonging to Prosiphneus eriksoni (Schlosser, 1924) by having characters including large size, highly fused roots, upper molars of orthomegodont type, m1 anterior cap small and centrally located, and first pair of m1 reentrants on opposing sides, high crowns, and high value of dentine tract parameters. Based on the cladistics analysis, all seven species of Prosiphneus and P. eriksoni of Zanda form a monophyletic clade. P. eriksoni from Zanda, on the other hand, is nearly the terminal taxon of this clade. The appearance of P. eriksoni in Zanda represents a significant dispersal in the early Pliocene from its center of origin in north China and Mongolian Plateau, possibly via the Hol Xil-Qiangtang hinterland in northern Tibet. The fast evolving zokors are highly adapted to open terrains at a time when regional climates had become increasingly drier in the desert zones north of Tibetan Plateau during the late Miocene to Pliocene. The occurrence of this zokor in Tibet thus suggests a rather open steppe environment. Based on fossils of large mammals, we have formulated an “out of Tibet” hypothesis that suggests earlier and more primitive large mammals from the Pliocene of Tibet giving rise to the Ice Age megafauna. However, fossil records for large mammals are still too poor to evaluate whether they have evolved from lineages endemic to the Tibetan Plateau or were immigrants from outside. The superior record of small mammals is in a better position to address this question. With relatively dense age intervals and numerous localities in much of northern Asia, fossil zokors provide the first example of an “into Tibet” scenario–earlier and more primitive taxa originated from outside of the Tibetan Plateau and the later the lineage became extinct in southwestern Tibet.     

青藏高原及其毗邻地区拟步甲物种多样性与区系分析

青藏高原及其毗邻地区拟步甲共7亚科47族268属1950种(亚种),以拟步甲亚科Tenebrioninae(842种)为最多,然后依次为伪叶甲亚科Lagriinae(377种)、漠甲亚科Pimeliinae(372种)、树甲亚科Stenochiinae(143种)、菌甲亚科Diaperinae(139种)、朽木甲亚科Alleculinae(76种)和弗甲亚科Phrenapatinae(1种)。青藏高原及其毗邻地区拟步甲的区系组成突出中日界成分(54.10%),其与世界其他动物地理区系的关系以东洋界+中日界共有成分最多(17.16%),其次为古北界+撒哈拉-阿拉伯界(10.82%)。青藏高原拟步甲突出青藏区成分(62.33%),与西南区关系最直接(19.14%),蒙新区次之(7.12%)。基于青藏高原及其毗邻地区拟步甲的区系特点,讨论了其作为一个独立的动物地理区的可能性。     

西藏土壤-植物-动物(人)系统中硒含量与大骨节病的关系

通过对西藏大骨节病区与非病区中土壤、粮食和儿童发样匹配采样以及对样品中硒含量的分析,探讨了硒元素在土壤-植物-动物生态系统中的含量特征及其与大骨节病分布流行的关系。结果表明,西藏地区整体处于低硒水平,所有病区样品的硒含量显著低于非病区（P<0.05）。土壤低硒是导致西藏大骨节病区粮食、人体硒水平偏低及病情流行的一个主要原因。改善土壤硒环境,提高土壤硒含量是西藏地区大骨节病防治的主要措施之一;补硒能够显著提高人体发硒水平,并有效控制大骨节病,但是需要长期坚持。     

Changes in the flora and vegetation of the coastal dunes of Voorne (The Netherlands) in relation to environmental changes

Ecologically the former isle of Voorne is very varied. This is reflected by an exceptionally high number of plant species and vegetation types. Many data regarding flora and vegetation have been collected during more than 25 years. A comparison of the early and the later data show that in this period many changes have taken place in flora and vegetation. The changes are partly the result of a natural development of the vegetation, but to a considerable extent they are due to human activities in the coastal area itself and in its surroundings. Examples of changes produced by natural developments and by human activities are given. The effects on flora and vegetation of the area are illustrated by comparing flora inventories, vegetation maps and permanent plot studies. In addition, the future development in the region which will strongly affect its natural value, is discussed.I would like to thank Michiel Boeken, Joke van der Linden and Elly van Oosterhoud who carried out the second flora inventory and Jeanette van Beuzekom and Inge Boelens who mapped parts of the Voorne dune area. I am particularly indebted to Wiecher Smant who offered assistance in many ways.     

Cyclical changes in the pituitary gonadotrophs (GTH cells) in relation to the testicular cycle in Puntius sarana (Hamilton)

The pituitary gland of Puntius sarana is of the leptobasic type and has three subdivisions--a proximal pars distalis (PPD), a rostral pars distalis (RPD) and a pars intermedia (PI) arranged vertically one below the other. The gonadotrophs (GTH cells) of the PPD were identified by their PAS, ATh, AF, aniline blue and alcian blue positivity and by their immunoreactivity to ovine anti-LH beta-subunit, anti-salmon GTH and anti-silver carp GTH. The testes of Puntius sarana have been classified as the "unrestricted type". The morphological, histological and histometric findings indicate that the testing passes through four distinct stages--preparatory, fully mature, spawning and spent. Spermatogenesis begins in January and continues up to July. The spawning season lasts from late July until October. Cyclical changes in the gonadotrophs correlate well with changes in the testes. The histometric data show that the GTH cells attain maximum values (size and number) during the breeding season. The peak values for testicular weight, lobule diameter, the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and the sperm concentration in the testes, and the number, size and amount of secretory material in the cytoplasm of the gonadotrophs, coincide with the time of maximum environmental temperature and the longest days.     

Soil C mineralization and temperature sensitivity in alpine grasslands of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

青藏高原具有独特的海拔、气候和生态系统类型, 弄清其土壤有机质分解及其温度敏感性对于揭示青藏高原土壤碳储量变化及其碳汇功能具有重要意义。该文利用青藏高原西北部草地的11个封育-自由放牧成对草地, 通过测定不同温度(5、10、15、20和25 ℃)培养下的土壤碳矿化速率, 探讨了土地利用方式对该地区土壤碳矿化及其温度敏感性的影响。实验结果表明: 温度对青藏高原高寒草地的土壤碳矿化具有显著影响, 温度越高土壤碳矿化量越大。从东至西, 土壤碳矿化量逐渐降低。草地土壤碳矿化量与土壤有机碳和土壤全氮含量显著正相关; 即土壤有机碳和土壤全氮含量越高, 土壤碳矿化量就越高。土地利用方式对土壤碳矿化的温度敏感性(Q₁₀)无显著影响, Q₁₀值变化范围为1.4-2.4; 其中, 放牧草地Q₁₀的平均值为1.83, 封育草地Q₁₀的平均值为1.86。此外, Q₁₀与土壤有机碳和土壤全氮含量无显著的相关关系, 也无明显的空间格局。放牧和封育对青藏高原高寒草地土壤碳矿化的温度敏感性无显著影响, 为深入分析青藏高原土壤碳汇功能及其对未来气温升高的响应提供了重要的理论依据。     

青藏高原东缘野生暗紫贝母生物量分配格局对高山生态环境的适应

从时空尺度研究了青藏高原东缘野生暗紫贝母(Fritillaria unibracteata)生物量分配特征对高山环境条件的生态适应。通过海拔梯度、群落类型、群落盖度、群落透光率4个变量的分析, 间接探讨了高山环境条件下水分、热量、光照和土壤养分等主要环境因子对暗紫贝母生物量分配的影响, 并主要研究了海拔梯度这一综合要素的生态效应。同时, 从时间尺度上研究了暗紫贝母不同生活史阶段的生物量分配模式, 以期了解不同发育阶段高山植物对于环境要素的适应特征。研究结果表明: 1)在一定的空间范围内, 4个环境变量中仅海拔梯度对暗紫贝母单株鳞茎生物量及总生物量的影响差异显著, 且生物量积累随海拔升高而减小。2)在空间尺度上, 海拔梯度为野生暗紫贝母生长的主要限制因子, 表明在高山地区热量条件对植物生长具有明显的制约作用, 同时不同生活史阶段的暗紫贝母其生物量分配模式对海拔梯度的响应也存在着一定的差异。2年生贝母的鳞茎生物量分配随海拔升高而降低, 叶生物量分配随之增加。3年生和4年生贝母鳞茎及叶生物量分配在不同海拔梯度上比较稳定, 而茎生物量分配随海拔升高而降低, 有性生殖(花)分配则随之而增加。各生活史阶段植株根生物量在不同海拔梯度上分配稳定。3)在时间尺度上, 不同生活史阶段贝母生物量分配模式存在显著差异。根和茎生物量分配随生活史阶段的增加而显著增加, 而鳞茎和叶生物量分配则随之显著减少。单株鳞茎生物量在3年生阶段达到最大。     

The Compositae of Xizang (Tibet)

1) The Compositae in Tibet so far known comprise 508 species and 88 genera, which nearly amounts to one fourth of the total number of genera and one third of the total number of species of Compositae in all China, if the number of 2290 species and 220 genera have respectively been counted in all China. In Tibet there are all tribes of Compositae known in China, and surprisingly, the large tribes in Tibetan Compositae are also large ones in all China and the small tribes in Tibet are also small ones in all China. Generally speaking, the large genera in Tibet are also large ones in all China and the small genera in Tibet are likewise small ones in all China. In this sense it is reasonable to say that the Compositae flora of Tibet is an epitome of the Compositae flora of all China. In the Compositae flora of Tibet, there are only 5 large genera each containing 30 species or more. They are Aster, Artemisia, Senecio, Saussurea and Cremanthodium. And 5 genera each containing 10—29 species. They are Erigeron, Anaphalis, Leontopodium, Ajania, Ligularia and Taraxacum. In addition, there are 77 small genera, namely 87% of the total of Compositae genera in Tibet, each comprising 1—9 species, such as Aja-niopsis, Cavea and Vernonia, etc. 2) The constituents of Compositae flora in Tibet is very closely related to those of Sichuan-Yunnan provinces with 59 genera and 250 species in common. Such a situation is evidently brought about by the geographycal proximity in which the Hengtuang Shan Range links southeastern and eastern Tibet with northern and northwestern SichuanYnnnan. With India the Tibetan Compositae have 59 genera and 132 species in common, also showing close floristic relationships between the two regions. Apparently the floristic exchange of Compositae between Tibet and India is realized by way of the mountain range of the Himalayas. The mountain range of the Himalayas, including the parallel ranges, plays a important role as a bridge hereby some members of the Compositae of western or northern Central Asia and of the northern Africa or of western Asia have migrated eastwards or southeastwards as far as the southern part of Fibet and northern part of India, or hereby some Compositae plants of eastern and southeastern Asia or Asia Media have migrated northwestwards as the northern part of Central Asia. Some of the species and genera in common to both Tibet and Sinjiang indicate that this weak floristical relationship between these regions is principally realized through two migration routes: one migration route is by way of the Himalayas including the parallel ranges to Pamir Plataeu and Tien Shan, or vice versa. The other migration route is by way of northern Sinjiang to Mongolia, eastern Inner Mongolia, southwards to Gansu, Qinghai (or western Sichuan), eastern Tibet up to the Himalayas, or vice versa. However, Tibet is not entirely situated at a migration crossroad of the floral elements. An ample amount of the data shows that Compositae flora have a particular capability of development in Tibet. of the total number of species of Tibetan Compositae, 102 species and 1 genus (Ajaniopsis Shih) are endemic. Besides, 8 genera are regional endemics with their range extending to its neighbourhood. The higher percentage of endemics at specific level than at generic in Tibetan Compositae may be a result of active speciation in response to the new enviromental conditions created by the uplifting of the Himalayas. The flora in Tibetan Plateau as a whole appears to be of a younger age. 3) The uprising of the Himalayas and of the Tibetan Plateau accompanied by the ultraviolet ray radiation, the microthermal climate and the high wind pressure has, no doubt, played a profound influence upon the speciation of the native elements of Tibetan Compositae. The recent speciation is the main trend in the development of the Com-positae flora native in Tibet in the wake of upheaval of the plateau.