Untangling latitudinal richness gradients at higher taxonomic levels: familial perspectives on the diversity of New World bat communities

Aims (i) To describe at the level of local communities latitudinal gradients in the species richness of different families of New World bats and to explore the generality of such gradients. (ii) To characterize the relative effects of changes in the richness of each family to the richness of entire communities. (iii) To determine differences in the rate and direction of latitudinal gradients in species richness within families. (iv) To evaluate how differences among families regarding latitudinal gradients in species richness influence the latitudinal gradient in species richness of entire communities. Location Continental New World ranging from the northern continental United States (Iowa, 42° N) to eastern Paraguay (Canindeyú, 24° S). Methods Data on the species composition of communities came from 32 intensively sampled sites. Analyses focused on species richness of five of nine New World bat families. Multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant function analysis determined and described differences among temperate, subtropical, and tropical climatic zones regarding the species richness of bat families. Simple linear regression described latitudinal gradients in species richness of families. Path analysis was used to describe: (i) the direct effect of latitude on species richness of communities, (ii) the indirect effects of latitude on the species richness of communities through its effect on the species richness of each family, (iii) the relative effects of latitude on the species richness of bat families, and (iv) the relative contribution of each family to variation in the species richness of communities. Results Highly significant differences among climatic zones existed primarily because of a difference between the temperate zone and the tropical and subtropical zones combined. This difference was associated with the high number of vespertilionids in the temperate zone and the high number of phyllostomids in the tropical and subtropical zones. Latitudinal gradients in species richness were contingent on phylogeny. Although only three of the five families exhibited significant gradients, all families except for the Vespertilionidae exhibited indistinguishable increases in species richness with decreases in latitude. The Emballonuridae, Phyllostomidae and Vespertilionidae exhibited significant latitudinal gradients whereby the former two families exhibited the classical increase in species richness with decreasing latitude and the latter family exhibited the opposite pattern. Variation in species richness of all families contributed significantly to variation in the species richness of entire communities. Nonetheless, the Phyllostomidae made a significantly stronger contribution to changes in species richness of communities than did all other families. Much of the latitudinal gradient in species richness of communities could be accounted for by the effects of latitude on the species richness of constituent families. Main conclusions Ecological and evolutionary differences among higher taxonomic units, particularly those differences involving life‐history traits, predispose taxa to exhibit different patterns of diversity along environmental gradients. This may be particularly true along extensive gradients such as latitude. Nonetheless, species rich taxa, by virtue of their greater absolute rates of change, can dominate and therefore define the pattern of diversity at a higher taxonomic level and eclipse differences among less represented taxa in their response to environmental gradients. This is true not only with respect to how bats drive the latitudinal gradient in species richness for all mammals, but also for how the Phyllostomidae drives the latitudinal gradient for all bats in the New World. Better understanding of the mechanistic basis of latitudinal gradients of diversity may come from comparing and contrasting patterns across lower taxonomic levels of a higher taxon and by identifying key ecological and evolutionary traits that are associated with such differences.     

城市公共绿地常见木本植物组成对鸟类群落的影响

快速城市化背景下, 城市公共绿地已经成为重要的鸟类栖息地, 其中的木本植物群落构成对鸟类群落结构有显著影响, 研究木本植物配置与鸟类多样性的关系对提升城市公共绿地作为鸟类栖息地的生态服务功能有重要的理论和应用价值。我们于2009–2010年间在上海市滨江森林公园就木本植物和鸟类群落的相互关系展开研究。样线法结合样点调查共记录到鸟类10目25科64种5,368只(次), 鸟类多度全年变化显著, 峰值分别出现在4月和11月。丰富度全年也呈现双峰型变化, 峰值出现在4月和12月。全年鸟类多样性(Simpson指数)差异显著, 10月最高, 8月最低。样方调查共记录到77种木本植物, 其中有14种(乔木9种、灌木5种)出现率超过5个样方, 定义为常见种, 其果期主要集中在9月到翌年2月, 其上常见林业致病害虫的发生盛期集中在5–11月。主成分分析显示, 常见木本植物上观察到的鸟类可划分为8个鸟类集团, Spearman秩相关检验显示秋冬季常见木本植物果期与植食性、肉食性、食虫性、杂食性等多个鸟类集团的多度均呈显著正相关。说明在秋冬季鸟类迁徙高峰期不同鸟类集团均能获得丰富的食物资源。就常见木本植物对鸟类群落的重要值进行排序, 结果显示, 大叶杨(Populus lasiocarpa)、枫杨(Pterocarya stenoptera)、香樟(Cinnamomum camphora)等乔木对鸟类重要值较高, 而灌木层对鸟类的重要性整体偏低, 说明滨江森林公园的灌木层作为鸟类栖息地的功能建设尚需加强。根据以上研究结果, 我们提出了提高上海城市公园鸟类多样性的植被配置建议。     

长白山北坡植物群落间物种共有度的海拔梯度变化

群落同各生活植物及种所有植物种的共有度,一定程度上反映了群落间的相关性及沿环境梯度的物种替代关系。应用梯度格局法在长白山北坡海拔700－2600m之间,海拔每上升100m设置一块样地,共计20块样地,应用Jaccard指数,对各海拔植物群落间物种共有度的海拔梯度变化进行了分析,不同海拔群落间物种的共有度,无论以哪一层次的植物来表达,基本都以与其最相邻海拔的群落之间为最高;如相邻海拔的两个群落属于不同植被类型,其共有度较低。群落间物种共有度的峰值与谷点反映了群落类型随海拔具有间断性变化,乔、灌、草各生活型物种的共有度以及所有植物物的共有度,在同一海拔差群落间的数值都非常接近,并均随着海拔的增加呈明显的下降趋势,表明群落各层次物种的构成有很大的相关性以及物种之间的共存性。     

辽宁老秃顶子北坡植物群落物种多样性及其与土壤特性的相关性分析

通过沿海拔梯度的系统样方调查,利用物种丰富度、α多样性和β多样性等指标,对辽宁老秃顶子北坡植物群落木本层和草本层物种多样性随海拔梯度的变化趋势进行了研究,并对植物群落物种多样性与土壤特性之间的相关关系进行了初步探索。结果表明:木本植物物种多样性随海拔梯度的升高呈波动式降低的趋势;草本植物物种多样性随海拔梯度的变化趋势为先降低后升高;群落类型间的过渡带是植物物种替换速率较高的地区;老秃顶子北坡土壤类型以棕色森林土和暗棕色森林土为主,土壤有机质含量较高;群落物种多样性与土壤特性之间存在着一定的负相关性。     

广西凭祥不同年龄红椎林林下植物物种多样性及其环境解释

林下植被作为森林生态系统的重要组成部分,其在调控森林群落结构和功能上发挥着至关重要的作用。从揭示人工林林下植物物种组成的关键控制因素的目标出发,以不同年龄红椎林灌木层和草本层的植物群落作为研究对象,采用野外调查和室内分析相结合的方法,重点探究林下植物物种组成与环境因子之间的关系及其关键控制因子。研究结果表明:不同年龄红椎林的林下植物物种组成存在明显差异;RDA结果表明,胸高断面积是影响灌木层物种组成的最主要因子,胸高断面积、坡度和海拔能显著影响影响草本层的物种组成;方差分解结果表明,所调查的生物和非生物因子分别解释灌木层和草本层物种组成变异的63%和47%,微环境和植物之间的相互作用是影响林下植物群落物种变异的最主要因素,而土壤与微环境、土壤与植物两者之间,以及微环境、植物和土壤三者之间的相互作用对林下植物群落的物种组成的影响较小,甚至无影响,微环境的独立效应对林下植物物种组成的影响高于植物或土壤因素。     

Exclusion effects on vegetation characteristics and their correlation to soil factors in the semi-arid rangeland of Mu Us Sandland,China

Exclusion has been applied as a main measure for re-vegetation all over the world.This paper,by comparing the results of year-round exclusion,seasonal exclusion,and non-exclusion,quantified the vegetation variations under three different exclusion measures and their correlation to soil factors.The analysis results for community species component and plant diversity using multi-response permutation procedures (MRPPs)showed that exclusion did change the species component and increase plant diversity remarkably,while the period of exclusion had no significant influence on these two community features.The indicator species analysis and calculation of similarity indices indicated that community for year-round exclusion were becoming xerophytization and unpalatability,and showed highly spatial heterogeneity of plant species distribution,whereas community for seasonal exclusion was under stable non-equilibrium condition.Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA)and detrend canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA)results of relationship between plant species and soil variables demonstrated that soil moisture was a controlling factor for plant species component,microbiotic soil crust cover,soil organic matter,and soil bulk density had significant effects on soil moisture,among which microbiotic soil crust was a leading factor owing to its limitation to rainfall infiltration on the one hand,and its constraints to entrance of herbaceous seeds into soil or to germination of soil seeds on the other hand.As a result of long-term removal of animal grazing,crust kept intact in year-round exclusion community,which was a main reason of community xerophytization.It was also obvious from ordination results that some important environmental factors,such as tempo-spatial change of rainfall and corresponding tempo-spatial change of soil moisture,were neglected during direct gradient analysis.In addition,biodiversity was close related to soil nutrients as well as to soil moisture condition (soil water content and crust cover),and it had positive relation to available N,and negative relation to available P.Higher soil N had advantage to non-leguminous plants growth on nutrition-poor sand land definitely.The impact of P to community component was unclear and should be studied from plant physiology.Further researches on nonequilibrium theory in semi-arid rangeland will provide a scientific and flexible animal development paradigm for being implementing livestock fen-raising and grazing-forbidden policies in China.     

Exclusion effects on vegetation characteristics and their correlation to soil factors in the semi-arid rangeland of Mu Us Sandland, China

Exclusion has been applied as a main measure for re-vegetation all over the world. This paper, by comparing the results of year-round exclusion, seasonal exclusion, and non-exclusion, quantified the vegetation variations under three different exclusion measures and their correlation to soil factors. The analysis results for community species component and plant diversity using multi-response permutation procedures (MRPPs) showed that exclusion did change the species component and increase plant diversity remarkably, while the period of exclusion had no significant influence on these two community features. The indicator species analysis and calculation of similarity indices indicated that community for year-round exclusion were becoming xerophytization and unpalatability, and showed highly spatial heterogeneity of plant species distribution, whereas community for seasonal exclusion was under stable non-equilibrium condition. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and detrend canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA) results of relationship between plant species and soil variables demonstrated that soil moisture was a controlling factor for plant species component, microbiotic soil crust cover, soil organic matter, and soil bulk density had significant effects on soil moisture, among which microbiotic soil crust was a leading factor owing to its limitation to rainfall infiltration on the one hand, and its constraints to entrance of herbaceous seeds into soil or to germination of soil seeds on the other hand. As a result of long-term removal of animal grazing, crust kept intact in year-round exclusion community, which was a main reason of community xerophytization. It was also obvious from ordination results that some important environmental factors, such as tempo-spatial change of rainfall and corresponding tempo-spatial change of soil moisture, were neglected during direct gradient analysis. In addition, biodiversity was close related to soil nutrients as well as to soil moisture condition (soil water content and crust cover), and it had positive relation to available N, and negative relation to available P. Higher soil N had advantage to non-leguminous plants growth on nutrition-poor sand land definitely. The impact of P to community component was unclear and should be studied from plant physiology. Further researches on non-equilibrium theory in semi-arid rangeland will provide a scientific and flexible animal development paradigm for being implementing livestock fen-raising and grazing-forbidden policies in China. __________ Translated from Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2005, 25(12): 3212–3219 [译自: 生态学报]     

额济纳荒漠绿洲植物群落的数量分类及其与地下水环境的关系分析

为了科学地评价和预测生态输水对额济纳荒漠绿洲天然植被的影响, 亟需掌握额济纳荒漠绿洲的植物群落类型, 建立植被-环境因子的响应关系。该研究对额济纳荒漠绿洲的植物群落展开调查, 获取植物群落特征、分布状况及地下水环境数据, 应用双向指示种分析方法(TWINSPAN)对群落进行分类, 采用无偏对应分析(DCA)、无偏典范对应分析(DCCA)方法对群落进行排序, 得出额济纳荒漠绿洲主要植物群落类型, 以及影响植被类型变化和分布的地下水环境因子。研究结果表明: (1)采用TWINSPAN数量分类方法, 将植被划分为芦苇+杂类草(Ass. Phragmites australis + herbs)、胡杨-红柳+杂类草(Ass. Populus euphratica-Tamarix ramosissima + herbs)、沙枣-红柳+杂类草(Ass. Elaeagnus angustifolia-Tamarix ramosissima + herbs)、红柳-杂类草(Ass. Tamarix ramosissima-herbs)、花花柴-白刺+沙蒿+沙拐枣(Ass. Karelinia caspica-Nitraria tangutorum + Artemisia sp. + Calligonum sp.)、麻黄-红砂+白刺+骆驼刺(Ephedra przewalskii-Reaumuria soongorica + Nitraria tangutorum + Alhagi sparsifolia)等6个主要植物群丛; (2)对于额济纳荒漠绿洲这一特定的研究区域, 制约群落类型、植被分布格局的主要地下水因子为地下水埋深; (3)对群落产生显著影响的地下水环境因子主要有地下水埋深、pH、盐分、矿化度、电导率、HCO₃^-等6个变量。DCCA排序图明显反映出排序轴的生态意义, 第1轴突出反映了群落所在环境的地下水埋深, 沿第1轴从右到左, 地下水埋深逐渐增大, 群落的盐分及矿化度亦呈明显的增加趋势, 群丛依次从类型I到VI逐渐演变。额济纳三角洲作为干旱区的荒漠绿洲, 有着明显的特点: 植物群落组成的生物多样性趋于贫乏化和单一化, 生态结构简单, 植被稀疏, 种类单一, 群落覆盖度较低, 群落格局分异明显。地下水埋深变化是群落物种及类型变化的主要原因。     

Ecology and biogeography of plant communities associated with the post Plio-Pleistocene relict Rhododendron ponticum subsp. baeticum in southern Spain

Aims Rhododendron ponticum L. is reputed to be a post Plio‐Pleistocene relict plant species with a disjunct distribution that comprises the Iberian Peninsula to the west and the Euxinian region plus some restricted Mediterranean areas to the east. We analysed the ecological range (of subsp. baeticum) in the western area (Aljibe Mountains, north of the Strait of Gibraltar) to understand the factors determining the present area limitation. Location Sierra del Aljibe, north of the Strait of Gibraltar (Iberian Peninsula). Methods We selected 20 riparian sites where R. ponticum is common, and compiled data on the ecological diversity of associated woody species and ferns. We established a 500‐m main transect in each site, along the stream or river course, in which we placed five 20‐m‐long plots at regular intervals. We recorded physiographic habitat features, woody plants and fern abundance, and the number of R. ponticum individuals. Results Rhododendron ponticum in southern Spain is restricted to riparian forests in acidic soils (pH 4.0–6.4), and is mainly found on the banks of inclined and enclosed streams. In our inventory we recorded 59 woody taxa and 12 ferns, with R. ponticum being the dominant species of the understorey (mean abundance 78.6%). The communities are characterized by a high incidence of the humid warm temperate element, both in number of species (18.8 ± 3.7 per site) and abundance; meanwhile, the presence of the modern Mediterranean element (mean number of species 3.4 ± 3.8 per site) appears to be favoured by disturbance. These ecological–historical groups of taxa also show distinct patterns of typological habit, frequency of endemism, infrageneric diversity and geographical range. Populations of R. ponticum are characterized by a very variable density of seedlings in many sites, and the virtual lack of juveniles. Main conclusions Riparian forests of the Aljibe Mountains constitute a refuge for R. ponticum where the species persists, but populations appear to be in decline. The narrow ecological range of R. ponticum in the area strongly contrasts with its wide amplitude in the eastern natural area, mainly the Euxinian region, where R. ponticum probably finds better conditions due to the environmental heterogeneity of the region, and the lack of a hot dry season.     

Comparison of Post‐mining Rehabilitation with Reference Ecosystems in Monsoonal Eucalypt Woodlands,Northern Australia

Rehabilitation of post‐mining lands frequently aims to create “self‐sustaining” systems. Where native vegetation is the designated post‐mining land use, it is generally assumed that rehabilitation that is similar to local native ecosystems is more likely to be sustainable. I compared landscape functionality, plant community composition, and vegetation structure in (1) reference sites representing pre‐mining native forest; (2) reference sites representing potential landscape analogues for the post‐mining landscape; and (3) a 23‐year chronosequence of post‐mining rehabilitation on the Weipa bauxite plateau, Cape York Peninsula, Australia. The trends across the post‐mining chronosequence indicate that vegetation growth is rapid in the first 5–8 years, and then slows with mean height approaching an asymptote after approximately 15 years. Landscape function indices showed a response that coincided with vegetation growth. Vegetation composition was significantly different from reference native forest. Most importantly, from the perspective of creating self‐sustaining ecosystems, the contribution of local framework species to vegetation in rehabilitation was significantly lower than in reference native forest. I discuss the results in relation to theoretical models of succession and conclude that without management intervention, differences between post‐mining rehabilitation and native forest are likely to be persistent.     

8种湿地植物不同苗龄植株的表型特征及相关性分析

对水葱(Scirpus validus Vahl)、香蒲(Typha orientalis Presl)、小香蒲(T.minima Funk.)、再力花(Thalia dealbata Fraser ex Roscoe)、黄菖蒲(Iris pseudacorus Linn.)、灯芯草(Juncus effusus Linn.)、梭鱼草(Pontederia cordata Linn.)和菖蒲(Acorus calamus Linn.)8种多年生湿地植物1年生和3年生植株的地上和地下部分干质量、株高(包括花序高和叶层高)、根长、根数和根粗进行了测定,并对各表型特征指标间以及苗龄与各表型特征指标间的相关性进行了分析。结果显示:8种湿地植物3年生植株的地上和地下部分干质量普遍高于1年生植株;从生长量分配情况看,除小香蒲外,其余种类3年生植株地下部分干质量所占比例均高于1年生植株。多数种类1年生和3年生植株的株高差异较小。从根系特征看,根数小于100、根粗1.0~2.0 cm的植株以1年生为主,而根数大于100、根粗1.0 cm以下和2.0~3.5 cm的植株以3年生为主;根长15~25 cm的植株以1年生所占比例较高(62.5%),而根长25~35 cm的植株1年生和3年生所占比例相等。相关性分析结果表明:1年生植株的地上部分干质量与株高、根长与根粗呈显著正相关(P<0.05),3年生植株的地下部分干质量与根粗也呈显著正相关;但不同苗龄植株的其他表型特征指标间的相关性均不显著。苗龄与植株地下部分干质量呈极显著正相关(P<0.01),但与地上部分干质量、株高、根长、根数和根粗的相关性不显著。总体而言,8种湿地植物3年生植株的表型特征优于1年生植株,更适用于污染水体及退化湿地生态系统的修复。     

桂北喀斯特石漠化地区不同植物群落土壤种子库特征及其与土壤养分关系

土壤种子库作为地上植被遗传信息库，对植被自然演替更新以及生态修复建设具有重要作用。为探明桂北喀斯特石漠化地区植被自然恢复潜力和恢复策略，该文选取恭城瑶族自治县喀斯特石漠化地区3种典型植物群落为研究对象，分析不同群落的土壤种子库结构、多样性及其对土壤养分特征的响应，以期为该地区石漠化治理和植被恢复提供理论依据。结果表明：(1)共计监测到幼苗3 648株，隶属于33科51属55种，其中1年生和2年生草本幼苗共20种，多年生草本幼苗21种，藤本幼苗5种、灌木幼苗3种、乔木幼苗6种；不同植物群落土壤种子库平均密度为三华李经济林(22 493 grain·m^-2)>青冈次生林(1 033 grain·m^-2)>金竹灌丛(793 grain·m^-2)。(2)土壤种子库植物生活型方面，三华李经济林主要分布1年生恶性杂草，青冈次生林和金竹灌丛则以多年生草本为主，木本植物占比较少；不同植被类型中土壤种子库物种多样性和相似性总体较低，同时与地上群落物种组成的相似性也较低。(3)研究区域的土壤元素存在高氮低磷的现象，其中磷元素为金...     

黄河首曲湿地植物群落生产力、物种多样性及其与生境的关系

近年来,在气候变化与人为干扰等因素的驱动下,高寒湿地退化导致生物多样性的丧失如何影响生态系统功能尚无共识。以黄河首曲高寒湿地为研究对象,基于野外采样数据和植物群落多样性指数,重点分析植物物种多样性、地上生物量空间分布格局及其与土壤因子关系。结果表明：首曲湿地存在一定程度退化,植物群落组成主要集中在菊科和禾本科,莎草科和豆科植物较少;植物群落物种多样性和地上生物量未表现出显著的经纬度和海拔梯度变化;Patrick丰富度指数(R)和Shannon-Weiner多样性指数(H)与地上生物量呈显著正相关,说明保护区植物多样性的保护有利于生产力维持;土壤含水量影响着高寒湿地植被群落结构,与多样性指数呈显著相关性,是高寒湿地植被恢复和重建的关键性因子。该研究结果对于认识黄河首曲高寒湿地植物生物量和物种多样性及土壤因子的空间分异规律具有一定的参考价值,同时为高寒湿地退化生态系统功能的恢复及生物多样性的保护提供科学依据。     

山西吕梁山草本群落物种多样性的海拔梯度格局及与环境因子的关系

山地草本群落物种多样性的海拔梯度格局及其与环境因子的关系一直是生态学和地理学研究的热点问题。为探究吕梁山草本群落不同尺度物种多样性(α、β、γ多样性)的海拔梯度格局及其与环境因子的关系,该研究采用样方法在吕梁山从北向南选取管涔山、关帝山、五鹿山,并对每个山地划分出高、中、低3个海拔梯度,对草本群落物种多样性和环境因子进行调查分析。结果表明:(1)α多样性随海拔升高呈先升后减的单峰变化格局,峰值出现在中海拔;β多样性中Cody指数在1 900～2 000 m间出现峰值,而BrayCurtis指数出现最小值,表明1 900～2 000 m海拔带是草本群落物种更新速率和组成变化较快的过渡地带;γ多样性随海拔升高也呈先升后减的单峰变化格局(R²=0.406,P<0.01)。(2)海拔对温度、湿度变化的影响极其显著(P<0.01);海拔、温度、湿度等环境因子共同影响物种的α多样性,其中海拔是主要影响因素(P<0.05),温度、湿度影响不显著(P>0.05)。综上所述,吕梁山草本群落多样性在海拔梯度上多表现为"中间膨胀"变化格局,海拔变化是影响多样性变...     

三峡水库秭归段消落带植物群落特征及其与环境因子的关系

消落带植被群落特征及物种多样性的研究一直是植物生态学和恢复生态学研究的热点。三峡水库的运行对消落带生态系统造成了极大的影响,如引起绝大部分河岸带土著植物消失、生物多样性降低以及土壤侵蚀严重等一系列生态学问题。研究消落带植物群落特征及其影响机制,旨在丰富消落带新生湿地生态学研究内容,为消落带植被的恢复、湿地保护和管理提供科学依据。通过对三峡水库秭归段香溪河与童庄河陡坡消落带植物群落及其环境因子的实地调查,并结合双向聚类分析及典范对应分析(CCA),研究了三峡水库消落带植物群落特征、物种多样性及其与环境因子之间的关系。结果表明:(1)在三峡水库秭归段消落带共发现维管植物34种,隶属于15科32属,其中菊科(Compositae)和禾本科(Gramineae)种类数较多,为优势物种,植物群落组成以草本植物为主,一年生和多年生草本植物为23种和11种,分别占67.65%和32.35%,一年生植物占绝对优势;(2)随海拔升高,物种数、Shannon多样性指数、Pielou均匀度从低海拔到高海拔随着海拔的增加而升高,而Simpson优势度指数指数从低海拔到高海拔呈下降趋势;(3)双向聚类显示消落带...