An analysis of mutualistic interactions between exotic ants and honeydew producers in the Yanbaru district of Okinawa Island,Japan

Invasive exotic ants often have a mutualistic relationship with other insects excreting honeydew, and this is considered to play a key role in their invasion success. We investigated the multispecies association patterns between ants and hemipteran insects in the Yanbaru forests, Okinawa, Japan, an Asian biodiversity hotspot. We especially focused on roadside environments, which are the frontlines of invasion for exotic ants. We found that only a small number of herbaceous and pioneer plants were predominant on the roadsides. Four honeydew producers, Melanaphis formosana, Dysmicoccus sp. A, Heteropsylla cubana, and Sogata hakonensis, living on these roadside plants accounted for 94.9% of the total honeydew-producer aggregations observed. Only a few exotic ants, such as Technomyrmex brunneus and Anoplolepis gracilipes, were observed with these honeydew-producer aggregations, and densities of these ants and honeydew producers were often positively correlated. An ant exclusion experiment showed that exotic ant occurrence improved the survival of some of the hemipteran colonies. Interestingly, the abundance of native ants was not correlated with the abundance of honeydew producers, and the local density of Pheidole noda was negatively correlated with that of M. formosana. These findings, i.e., only a few ants, all exotic, tended to hemipteran honeydew producers despite the existence of many native ants, and the abundances of those exotic ants and those hemipteran insects had positive correlations, provide some insights into the mechanism of biological invasion and provide information for the management of exotic ants.     

Soil disturbance effects on the composition of seed-dispersing ants in roadside environments

Myrmecochory (the dispersal of seeds by ants) is a significant ecological process in sclerophyll woodlands, but habitat disturbance is known to alter the extent and success of this mutualism. We investigated the influence of soil disturbance on the composition of the seed-dispersing ant community. Surveys were conducted in roadside verges where soils are regularly disturbed by road maintenance activities. Using a ‘cafeteria’ bait station approach, we selected 24 roads of different widths to investigate ant composition and abundance in relation to soil disturbance. We found ant species richness was greater in non-disturbed than disturbed zones, where road verge width significantly influenced results. The composition and abundance of individual seed-dispersing ant species varied between disturbed and non-disturbed zones. Rhytidoponera metallica were more abundant in non-disturbed sites, whereas Melophorus bruneus and Monomorium rothseini were more frequently recorded in disturbed areas. Commonly found Iridomyrmex purpureus was significantly more abundant in disturbed zones in narrow roadsides and vice versa in wide roadsides, and strongly influenced total community composition. Variation in the abundance of commonly recorded Iridomyrmex and Monomorium genera were related more to site conditions (roadside width and habitat) than soil disturbance. The rich composition of seed dispersing ants in roadside environments, and the effects of soil disturbances on these ant communities that we describe, provide a key insight to important seed dispersal vectors occurring in fragmented rural landscapes.     

Edge disturbance shapes liana diversity and abundance but not liana‐tree interaction network patterns in moist semi‐deciduous forests,Ghana

Edge disturbance can drive liana community changes and alter liana‐tree interaction networks, with ramifications for forest functioning. Understanding edge effects on liana community structure and liana‐tree interactions is therefore essential for forest management and conservation. We evaluated the response patterns of liana community structure and liana‐tree interaction structure to forest edge in two moist semi‐deciduous forests in Ghana (Asenanyo and Suhuma Forest Reserves: AFR and SFR, respectively). Liana community structure and liana‐tree interactions were assessed in 24 50 × 50 m randomly located plots in three forest sites (edge, interior and deep‐interior) established at 0–50 m, 200 m and 400 m from edge. Edge effects positively and negatively influenced liana diversity in forest edges of AFR and SFR, respectively. There was a positive influence of edge disturbance on liana abundance in both forests. We observed anti‐nested structure in all the liana‐tree networks in AFR, while no nestedness was observed in the networks in SFR. The networks in both forests were less connected, and thus more modular and specialised than their null models. Many liana and tree species were specialised, with specialisation tending to be symmetrical. The plant species played different roles in relation to modularity. Most of the species acted as peripherals (specialists), with only a few species having structural importance to the networks. The latter species group consisted of connectors (generalists) and hubs (highly connected generalists). Some of the species showed consistency in their roles across the sites, while the roles of other species changed. Generally, liana species co‐occurred randomly on tree species in all the forest sites, except edge site in AFR where lianas showed positive co‐occurrence. Our findings deepen our understanding of the response of liana communities and liana‐tree interactions to forest edge disturbance, which are useful for managing forest edge.     

The Importance of Primary Tropical Rain Forest For Species Diversity: An Investigation Using Arboreal Ants as an example

The arboreal ant communities of a primary lowland rain forest and three differently disturbed forests that lie close together forming an anthropogenic disturbance gradient were collected with insecticide fogging. Combined samples from all trees (87 foggings) comprised 153,504 ants sorted to 331 morphospecies. The primary forest ant fauna was characterized by high species richness and 53 foggings were necessary to collect communities representatively. Another 63 species of ants were found in the disturbed forests indicating a large regional species pool that might exceed 420 species of arboreal ants. Anthropogenic disturbance caused a change in the taxonomic composition, diversity and structure of ant communities. Community size was a predictor of species richness in the severely disturbed forest types but not in the old secondary or primary forest. Ant abundance had declined significantly in the disturbed forests and only 10% of the primary forest’s species were collected in the most disturbed forest type. In each of the secondary forests a change in the frequency distribution of species was observed and a small number of species had gained numerical dominance. Analysis of species associations indicates that the strength of species interactions changed with the degree of forest disturbance. These changes were still clearly recognizable after 40 years of forest regeneration despite optimal conditions for colonization from the adjacent primary forest, demonstrating that the time scale needed for forest recovery after anthropogenic disturbance is very long.     

Exotic plant invasion in the highly degraded upland landscape of Hong Kong, China

Plant communities in the continental tropics have suffered less from exotic plant invasions than their oceanic island counterparts. Most studies have focused on near-pristine communities. By contrast, we examine the resistance of semi-natural continental plant communities in Hong Kong, which have been suffering from chronic and massive human impacts. We compiled a list of all naturalized non-native species recorded in Hong Kong and then sampled the plant communities for exotic species along roadsides, a stream through semi-natural vegetation, and in semi-natural vegetation away from both roads and streams on Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong’s highest peak (957 m). Similar surveys were repeated in other areas of Hong Kong. More than 162 naturalized exotic plant species have been recorded in Hong Kong. On Tai Mo Shan, 29 exotic species were recorded in roadside vegetation, with the diversity but not percentage cover declining significantly with altitude. Fifteen exotic species were found along the stream, including two not found along the roadside. Only six exotic species were found away from roads and streams, all in unshaded areas disturbed by feral cattle. In all surveys, no exotics were found in closed woody vegetation or in open areas without feral cattle, except for one species. The shade-tolerant tropical Asian tree Syzygium jambos was found invading along some streamsides without anthropogenic disturbance. Despite centuries of massive human impacts, exotic plant invasions in Hong Kong are still largely confined to habitats that suffer from chronic human disturbance. Feral cattle promote invasion where people are absent, but this problem still seems potentially reversible. Only Syzygium jambos is of possible current conservation concern.     

Multiscale nest‐site selection of ducks in the western boreal forest of Alberta

There is limited data regarding the nesting ecology of boreal ducks and their response to industrial development, despite this region being an important North American breeding area. We investigated how landcover and oil and gas development affect third‐order nest‐site selection of boreal ducks. We located duck nests in Alberta''s western boreal forest between 2016 and 2018. We used multiscale analysis to identify how scale affects the selection of a resource using generalized linear mixed‐effects models and determined what scale‐optimized combination of landscape features were most important in describing where ducks nest. We located 136 nests of six species of upland nesting ducks between 2016 and 2018. The magnitude, direction, and best spatial scale varied by resource. For landcover, ducks selected nest‐sites associated with mineral wetlands (300 m) and open water (300 m). Ducks avoided greater densities of seismic lines (300 m) and pipelines (2500 m) but selected nest‐sites associated with borrow pits (300 m) and roads (1000 m). We used our models to predict important duck nesting habitat in the boreal forest, which can support conservation and management decisions. We recommend conservation actions target the conservation of mineral wetlands and associated habitats within this working landscape. Further research is necessary to understand the adaptive consequences of nest‐site selection and how industrial development influences important nest predators.     

Abiotic and biotic responses to woody debris additions in restored old fields in a multi‐site Before‐After‐Control‐Impact experiment

Ecological restoration of former agricultural land can improve soil conditions, recover native vegetation, and provide fauna habitat. However, restoration benefits are often associated with time lags, as many attributes, such as leaf litter and coarse woody debris, need time to accumulate. Here, we experimentally tested whether adding mulch and logs to restoration sites in semi‐arid Western Australia can accelerate restoration benefits. All sites had been cropped and then planted with native trees and shrubs (i.e., Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, and Acacia spp.) 10 years prior to our experiment, to re‐establish the original temperate eucalypt woodland vegetation community. We used a Multi‐site Before‐After‐Control‐Impact (MBACI) design to test the effects on 30 abiotic and biotic response variables over a period of 2 years. Of the 30 response variables, a significant effect was found for just four variables: volumetric water content, decomposition, native herbaceous species cover and species richness of disturbance specialist ants. Mulch addition had a positive effect on soil moisture when compared to controls but suppressed growth of native (but not exotic) herbaceous plants. On plots with log additions, decomposition rates decreased, and species richness of disturbance specialist ants increased. However, we found no effect on total species richness and abundance of other ant species groups. The benefit of mulch to soil moisture was offset by its disbenefit to native herbs in our study. Given time, logs may also provide habitat for ant species that prefer concealed habitats. Indeed, benefits to other soil biophysical properties, vegetation, and ant fauna may require longer time frames to be detected. Further research is needed to determine whether the type, quantity, and context of mulch and log additions may improve their utility for old field restoration and whether effects on native herbs are correlated with idiosyncratic climatic conditions.     

Resilience of terrestrial and aquatic fauna to historical and future wildfire regimes in western North America

Wildfires in many western North American forests are becoming more frequent, larger, and severe, with changed seasonal patterns. In response, coniferous forest ecosystems will transition toward dominance by fire‐adapted hardwoods, shrubs, meadows, and grasslands, which may benefit some faunal communities, but not others. We describe factors that limit and promote faunal resilience to shifting wildfire regimes for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We highlight the potential value of interspersed nonforest patches to terrestrial wildlife. Similarly, we review watershed thresholds and factors that control the resilience of aquatic ecosystems to wildfire, mediated by thermal changes and chemical, debris, and sediment loadings. We present a 2‐dimensional life history framework to describe temporal and spatial life history traits that species use to resist wildfire effects or to recover after wildfire disturbance at a metapopulation scale. The role of fire refuge is explored for metapopulations of species. In aquatic systems, recovery of assemblages postfire may be faster for smaller fires where unburned tributary basins or instream structures provide refuge from debris and sediment flows. We envision that more‐frequent, lower‐severity fires will favor opportunistic species and that less‐frequent high‐severity fires will favor better competitors. Along the spatial dimension, we hypothesize that fire regimes that are predictable and generate burned patches in close proximity to refuge will favor species that move to refuges and later recolonize, whereas fire regimes that tend to generate less‐severely burned patches may favor species that shelter in place. Looking beyond the trees to forest fauna, we consider mitigation options to enhance resilience and buy time for species facing a no‐analog future.     

Temporal patterns of forest seedling emergence across different disturbance histories

1. Forest ecosystems experience a myriad of natural and anthropogenic disturbances that shape ecological communities. Seedling emergence is a critical, preliminary stage in the recovery of forests post​ disturbance and is triggered by a series of abiotic and biotic changes. However, the long‐term influence of different disturbance histories on patterns of seedling emergence is poorly understood.
2. Here, we address this research gap by using an 11‐year dataset gathered between 2009 and 2020 to quantify the influence of different histories of natural (wildfire) and anthropogenic (clearcut and postfire salvage logging) disturbances on emerging seedlings in early‐successional Mountain Ash forests in southeastern Australia. We also describe patterns of seedling emergence across older successional forests varying in stand age (stands that regenerated in <1900s, 1939, 1970–90, and 2007–11).
3. Seedling emergence was highest in the first three years post disturbance. Stand age and disturbance history significantly influenced the composition and abundance of plant seedlings. Specifically, in salvage‐logged forests, plant seedlings were the most different from similarly aged forests with other disturbance histories. For instance, relative to clearcut and unlogged, burnt forests of the same age, salvage logging had the lowest overall richness, the lowest counts of Acacia seedlings, and an absence of common species including Acacia obliquinervia, Acacia frigescens, Cassinia arcuealta, Olearia argophylla, Pimelea axiflora, Polyscias sambucifolia, and Prosanthera melissifolia over the survey period.
4. Synthesis: Our findings provide important new insights into the influence of different disturbance histories on regenerating forests and can help predict plant community responses to future disturbances, which may influence forest recovery under altered disturbance regimes.

     

Drove roads: Keystone structures that promote ant diversity in Mediterranean forest landscapes

Drove roads are the traditional corridors used by pastoralists for seasonal movements of livestock (transhumance). They cover a considerable land area in Mediterranean countries and, although they are an obvious source of landscape diversity, their influence on the diversity and composition of animal assemblages has not been documented. Ant communities were studied on four active drove roads, two in forests (submediterranean and conifer) and two in open environments (croplands and rangelands). They were compared with the respective matrix communities and their contribution to local species richness was evaluated. The effects were heavily dependent on the open or closed nature of the matrix. In forest environments, drove roads increased ant species richness at the local scale, acting as clear keystone structures. Their species richness and functional diversity were highest on the fine scale, species composition was different, and a slight edge effect in the matrix was detected. In contrast, drove roads had little or even a negative effect in open environment locations. We conclude that drove roads have a high conservation value for ants in Mediterranean forest environments, in addition to their importance as reservoirs of plant biodiversity and generators of ecological goods and services.     

Invasive shrub distribution varies with distance to roads and stand age in eastern deciduous forests in Indiana, USA

We documented the relationship between densities of invasive exotic shrubs, distance to road, and successional age of the forest in 14 forested sites throughout central and southern Indiana. Roadways are increasingly abundant, human-made features that can be conduits for the spread of invasive exotic plants in a number of ecosystems. Little is known, however, about the role of roads in eastern deciduous forest ecosystems where road density is high. Further, it is not known whether the distribution of exotic plants along roads depends on the successional age of the forest. In this study, densities of four of seven exotic shrub species declined with increasing distance to the nearest road across all successional ages. Greater densities of exotic shrubs were found in young and mid-successional forests than mature forests. However, there was no interaction between distance to road and forest age, suggesting that the role of roads in the invasion process does not change across forest successional ages. We outline several potential mechanisms that may drive patterns of shrub distribution along roadside edges as a guide for future research.     

云南南部和中部地区公路旁紫茎泽兰土壤种子库分布格局

公路边缘生境促进外来植物的入侵,土壤种子库作为植被天然更新的物质基础对未来植被的构成至关重要。研究路旁生境中紫茎泽兰土壤种子库的分布格局,对揭示路旁紫茎泽兰种群的补充和更新、探讨公路与入侵植物之间的关系以及科学制定紫茎泽兰防除对策具有重要意义。本文在紫茎泽兰入侵的云南南部和中部地区选择三种不同级别的9条公路的23个取样地点,沿垂直于公路方向设置55条样线,采得374个10 cm?10 cm?10 cm土样。采用温室萌发法,研究了紫茎泽兰土壤种子库从公路沿线到邻近景观的储量、影响因子以及分布格局。结果表明：9条公路旁的土壤中贮藏着丰富的紫茎泽兰种子,其种子库密度变动于3 152～25 225 粒?m-2,占所有有效种子密度的平均比例为48.7%。公路级别、路旁景观类型和海拔对路旁紫茎泽兰种子库密度有显著影响,密度随公路级别的提高而增加;不同路旁景观类型中的种子库密度排序为：稀树林>稀树灌木林>撂荒地和荒坡>森林;海拔1 700～1 900 m范围内的种子库密度最大。不同样线的种子库密度值随垂直于公路的距离变化格局略有不同,平均密度值和平均种子数量占样线总数的比例值都呈单峰变化,在距离公路最近端已经有很高密度,大多数样线的高峰值出现在9 m以内。公路旁已经分布有一个紫茎泽兰种子带,因而提高路旁本地植物的盖度及郁闭度有利于控制紫茎泽兰通过种子更新进一步扩散。     

Post-fire recovery of Mediterranean ground ant communities follows vegetation and dryness gradients

Aim In the Mediterranean Basin, the main forest communities vary in their ability to recover after fire. In this study we analyse the effects of fire on ant communities occurring in various vegetation types distributed along a geographical gradient in the western Mediterranean region. Location The study was carried out in burned and unburned habitats of 22 sites corresponding to eight vegetation types distributed along a gradient of dryness throughout Catalonia (north‐east Spain). Methods We placed five pairs of plots (one plot located in the burned area and the second one placed in the unburned margin) per site. We compared ant communities in these unburned and burned plot types 8 years after fire using pitfall traps. Traps were set out in mid‐May and mid‐July. We analysed the structure and composition of ant communities in the burned and unburned areas of these vegetation types using anova tests, correspondence analysis (CA) and linear regression. Results The resilience of ant communities varies with vegetation type. Ant communities in forests with high resilience also recover rapidly after fire, while those in forests that do not recover after fire show the lowest resilience. Species richness does not depend on burning or vegetation type. The resilience of these Mediterranean ant communities to fire is related to the environmental characteristics of the region where they live. Accordingly, differences between burned and unburned habitats are smaller for ant communities in areas with higher water deficit in summer than for those in moister ones. Main conclusions The structure and composition of ant communities after fire depends on the level of direct mortality caused by the fire. It affects ant species differently, as determined by the habitats used for nesting and foraging. The reestablishment of vegetation cover depends on forest composition before the fire. As vegetation cover determines resource and microhabitat availability and competitive relationships among species, forest composition before the fire also affects post‐fire recovery of ant communities to the medium‐term. Finally, ant communities living in drier areas recover more quickly after fire than those living in moister ones. This pattern might be because in areas with higher water deficit there are more species characteristic of open environments, which are habitats similar to those generated after fire.     

Limited contributions of plant pathogens to density‐dependent seedling mortality of mast fruiting Bornean trees

Fungal pathogens are implicated in driving tropical plant diversity by facilitating strong, negative density‐dependent mortality of conspecific seedlings (C‐NDD). Assessment of the role of fungal pathogens in mediating coexistence derives from relatively few tree species and predominantly the Neotropics, limiting our understanding of their role in maintaining hyper‐diversity in many tropical forests. A key question is whether fungal pathogen‐mediated C‐NDD seedling mortality is ubiquitous across diverse plant communities. Using a manipulative shadehouse experiment, we tested the role of fungal pathogens in mediating C‐NDD seedling mortality of eight mast fruiting Bornean trees, typical of the species‐rich forests of South East Asia. We demonstrate species‐specific responses of seedlings to fungicide and density treatments, generating weak negative density‐dependent mortality. Overall seedling mortality was low and likely insufficient to promote overall community diversity. Although conducted in the same way as previous studies, we find little evidence that fungal pathogens play a substantial role in determining patterns of seedling mortality in a SE Asian mast fruiting forest, questioning our understanding of how Janzen‐Connell mechanisms structure the plant communities of this globally important forest type.     

The role of roadsides in conserving Cerrado plant diversity

The structure of Cerrado vegetation (sensu stricto) along roadsides was compared with that of protected areas (reserves). The superior stratum of reserves had 2.7 times more individuals and 1.4 times more species than on roadsides, while in the intermediate stratum there were 1.7 times more individuals and 25 % more species in reserves. Additionally, roadsides had a lower prevalence of tree species with thin bark and from forest physiognomies. In the intermediate stratum of roadsides there was a lower proportion of forest species, and also fewer species dispersed by animals. These differences occur, possibly because the vegetation of their edges is cleared during the construction of the roads and part of the soil is taken as landfill. Later, they suffer from a higher fire frequency and high coverage of exotic grasses (80 % average). Moreover, it is likely that the absence of some dispersers on roadsides may affect the recruitment of young plants. Despite these differences, the roadsides are able to maintain at least 70 % of tree species and 72 % of shrub species found in reserves. These results show that roadside vegetation can contribute to the conservation of the flora of Cerrado. This is particularly important considering that over 60 % of the original area of this ecosystem has been destroyed and that less than 4 % is protected. With 32,012 km of roads in the Cerrado alone, the roadside vegetation may represent a cumulative area of 96,000 of hectares, an area larger than many of the Cerrado’s national parks.     

Understanding 3D structural complexity of individual Scots pine trees with different management history

Tree functional traits together with processes such as forest regeneration, growth, and mortality affect forest and tree structure. Forest management inherently impacts these processes. Moreover, forest structure, biodiversity, resilience, and carbon uptake can be sustained and enhanced with forest management activities. To assess structural complexity of individual trees, comprehensive and quantitative measures are needed, and they are often lacking for current forest management practices. Here, we utilized 3D information from individual Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees obtained with terrestrial laser scanning to, first, assess effects of forest management on structural complexity of individual trees and, second, understand relationship between several tree attributes and structural complexity. We studied structural complexity of individual trees represented by a single scale‐independent metric called “box dimension.” This study aimed at identifying drivers affecting structural complexity of individual Scots pine trees in boreal forest conditions. The results showed that thinning increased structural complexity of individual Scots pine trees. Furthermore, we found a relationship between structural complexity and stem and crown size and shape as well as tree growth. Thus, it can be concluded that forest management affected structural complexity of individual Scots pine trees in managed boreal forests, and stem, crown, and growth attributes were identified as drivers of it.     

Exotic vascular plant invasiveness and forest invasibility in urban boreal forest types

The riverine forests of the northern city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada display strong resilience to disturbance and are similar in species composition to southern boreal mixedwood forest types. This study addressed questions such as, how easily do exotic species become established in urban boreal forests (species invasiveness) and do urban boreal forest structural characteristics such as, native species richness, abundance, and vertical vegetation layers, confer resistance to exotic species establishment and spread (community invasibility)? Eighty-four forest stands were sampled and species composition and mean percent cover analyzed using ordination methods. Results showed that exotic tree/shrub types were of the most concern for invasion to urban boreal forests and that exotic species type, native habitat and propagule supply may be good indicators of invasive potential. Native forest structure appeared to confer a level of resistance to exotic species and medium to high disturbance intensity was associated with exotic species growth and spread without a corresponding loss in native species richness. Results provided large-scale evidence that diverse communities are less vulnerable to exotic species invasion, and that intermediate disturbance intensity supports species coexistence. From a management perspective, the retention of native species and native forest structure in urban forests is favored to minimize the impact of exotic species introductions, protect natural succession patterns, and minimize the spread of exotic species.     

Mapping suitable great ape habitat in and around the Lobéké National Park,South‐East Cameroon

As a result of extensive data collection efforts over the last 20–30 years, there is quite a good understanding of the large‐scale geographic distribution and range limits of African great apes. However, as human activities increasingly fragment great ape spatial distribution, a better understanding of what constitutes suitable great ape habitat is needed to inform conservation and resource extraction management. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) inhabit the Lobéké National Park and its surrounding forest management units (FMUs) in South‐East Cameroon. Both park and neighboring forestry concessions require reliable evidence on key factors driving great ape distribution for their management plans, yet this information is largely missing and incomplete. This study aimed at mapping great ape habitat suitability in the area and at identifying the most influential predictors among three predictor categories, including landscape predictors (dense forest, swampy forest, distance to water bodies, and topography), human disturbance predictors (hunting, deforestation, distance to roads, and population density), and bioclimatic predictor (annual precipitation). We found that about 63% of highly to moderately suitable chimpanzee habitat occurred within the Lobéké National Park, while only 8.4% of similar habitat conditions occurred within FMUs. For gorillas, highly and moderately suitable habitats occurred within the Lobéké National Park and its surrounding FMUs (82.6% and 65.5%, respectively). Key determinants of suitable chimpanzee habitat were hunting pressure and dense forest, with species occurrence probability optimal at relatively lower hunting rates and at relatively high‐dense forest areas. Key determinants of suitable gorilla habitat were hunting pressure, dense forests, swampy forests, and slope, with species occurrence probability optimal at relatively high‐dense and swampy forest areas and at areas with mild slopes. Our findings show differential response of the two ape species to forestry activities in the study area, thus aligning with previous studies.     

Effects of Climate Variability and Accelerated Forest Thinning on Watershed-Scale Runoff in Southwestern USA Ponderosa Pine Forests

The recent mortality of up to 20% of forests and woodlands in the southwestern United States, along with declining stream flows and projected future water shortages, heightens the need to understand how management practices can enhance forest resilience and functioning under unprecedented scales of drought and wildfire. To address this challenge, a combination of mechanical thinning and fire treatments are planned for 238,000 hectares (588,000 acres) of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests across central Arizona, USA. Mechanical thinning can increase runoff at fine scales, as well as reduce fire risk and tree water stress during drought, but the effects of this practice have not been studied at scales commensurate with recent forest disturbances or under a highly variable climate. Modifying a historical runoff model, we constructed scenarios to estimate increases in runoff from thinning ponderosa pine at the landscape and watershed scales based on driving variables: pace, extent and intensity of forest treatments and variability in winter precipitation. We found that runoff on thinned forests was about 20% greater than unthinned forests, regardless of whether treatments occurred in a drought or pluvial period. The magnitude of this increase is similar to observed declines in snowpack for the region, suggesting that accelerated thinning may lessen runoff losses due to warming effects. Gains in runoff were temporary (six years after treatment) and modest when compared to mean annual runoff from the study watersheds (0–3%). Nonetheless gains observed during drought periods could play a role in augmenting river flows on a seasonal basis, improving conditions for water-dependent natural resources, as well as benefit water supplies for downstream communities. Results of this study and others suggest that accelerated forest thinning at large scales could improve the water balance and resilience of forests and sustain the ecosystem services they provide.     

云南橡胶林和天然次生林枯落物层蚂蚁物种多样性、群落结构差异及指示种

橡胶树Hevea brasiliensis是云南省重要的经济林木, 但对其生态服务功能尚存在争议。本研究以天然次生林为对照, 使用Winkler法对橡胶林枯落物层蚂蚁进行初步研究, 探讨橡胶林枯落物层蚂蚁的生态状况。于2012年10月和2013年4月采用Winkler袋法调查了云南省绿春县大黑山乡橡胶林和牛孔乡天然次生林枯落物层蚂蚁群落的物种多样性、 群落结构差异及指示种。结果表明： 橡胶林枯落物层蚂蚁多度（转换后）、 物种丰富度S和ACE值显著低于无干扰的天然次生林（P<0.05）; 蚂蚁多度（转换后）显著低于有干扰的天然次生林（P<0.05）, 而物种丰富度S和ACE值差异不显著。橡胶林枯落物层蚂蚁群落结构与两种天然次生林都不相似（F=3.93, df=12, P<0.01）。橡胶林中流浪种大头蚁属Pheidole的蚂蚁种类与天然次生林相比, 物种丰富度增加了100%。天然次生林枯落物层中蚂蚁指示种有3种, 分别为刘氏隆头蚁Strumigenys lewisi、 黄足厚结猛蚁Pachycondyla luteipes和女娲角腹蚁Recurvidris nuwa, 而橡胶林枯落物层中指示种仅为菱结大头蚁Pheidole nodus。枯落物层蚂蚁物种多样性与枯落物厚度呈显著正相关, 而枯落物盖度仅与蚂蚁多度（转换后）有相关性。结果说明, 橡胶林经过长期的经营管理, 生态环境趋于稳定, 对枯落物层蚂蚁群落具有一定的保护作用, 但与天然次生林相比, 蚂蚁多度（转换后）及群落结构仍显示出明显的不同。