Animal Sound Identifier (ASI): software for automated identification of vocal animals

Automated audio recording offers a powerful tool for acoustic monitoring schemes of bird, bat, frog and other vocal organisms, but the lack of automated species identification methods has made it difficult to fully utilise such data. We developed Animal Sound Identifier (ASI), a MATLAB software that performs probabilistic classification of species occurrences from field recordings. Unlike most previous approaches, ASI locates training data directly from the field recordings and thus avoids the need of pre‐defined reference libraries. We apply ASI to a case study on Amazonian birds, in which we classify the vocalisations of 14 species in 194 504 one‐minute audio segments using in total two weeks of expert time to construct, parameterise, and validate the classification models. We compare the classification performance of ASI (with training templates extracted automatically from field data) to that of monitoR (with training templates extracted manually from the Xeno‐Canto database), the results showing ASI to have substantially higher recall and precision rates.     

芫菁斑蝥素对几种动物蛋白磷酸酶2A的抑制作用

研究斑蝥素对马、兔、猪、鸡、眼斑芫菁Mylabris cichorii(L.)等几种动物体内PP2A的抑制作用。将斑蝥素作用于马、兔、猪、鸡、眼斑芫菁等几种动物体内的PP2A,采用蛋白磷酸酶抑制法-比色法测定斑蝥素对PP2A的抑制率。斑蝥素对马、兔、猪等哺乳动物体内的PP2A有明显的抑制作用,IC50分别为0.07、0.12、0.23 g/L;斑蝥素对鸡体内的PP2A有一定的抑制作用,而对于眼斑芫菁体内PP2A抑制作用不明显。马、兔、猪体内的PP2A对斑蝥素很敏感,而鸡和眼斑芫菁体内的PP2A对斑蝥素较不敏感。     

基于多源遥感数据的植物物种分类与识别: 研究进展与展望

物种分类与识别是生物多样性监测的基础, 明确物种的类别及其分布是解决几乎所有生态学问题的前提。为深入了解基于多源遥感数据的植物物种分类与识别相关研究的发展现状和存在的问题, 本文对2000年以来该领域的研究进行了总结分析, 发现: 当前大多数研究集中在欧洲和北美地区的温带或北方森林以及南非的热带稀树草原; 使用最多的遥感数据是机载高光谱数据, 而激光雷达作为补充数据, 通过单木分割及提供单木的三维垂直结构信息, 显著提高了分类精度; 支持向量机和随机森林作为应用最广的非参数分类算法, 平均分类精度达80%; 随着计算机技术及机器学习领域的不断成熟, 人工神经网络在物种识别领域得以迅速发展。基于此, 本文对目前基于遥感数据的植物物种分类与识别中在分类对象复杂性、多源遥感数据整合、植物物候与纹理特征整合和分类算法技术等方面面临的挑战进行了总结, 并建议通过整合多时相监测数据、高光谱和激光雷达数据、短波红外等特定波谱信息、采用深度学习等方法来提高分类精度。     

Manipulation of fertility in domestic animals

For many years artificial insemination has been widely used for the manipulation of fertility in farm animals and more recently methods for the synchronization of oestrous cycles, superovulation and embryo transplantation have been increasingly applied. These techniques now provide new opportunities for the manipulation of gametes and embryos which might further enhance reproductive potential through the production of embryos in vitro, their preservation by deep freezing, cloning from embryonic cells or genetic manipulation to increase fecundity.     

Development of incident severity classification for laboratory animals

An incident reporting system (IRS) prevents possible adverse events by collecting and analyzing incidents that occur. However, few studies are available regarding IRSs in the laboratory animal field. This study aimed to develop an incident severity classification for laboratory animals (ISCLA) to evaluate the usefulness of the IRS in laboratory animal facilities. Twenty-three incidents reported from March 2019 to February 2020 on our IRS were retrospectively reviewed. Three of the 23 incidents failed to obtain some experimental data. Two of these incidents were harmless to animals, but the other caused the animals moderate distress. In addition, two of the three incidents made animals unsuitable for experiments. Since the inconsistent impact of incidents on animals and experiments prevented the comparison of the severity of individual incidents, we developed the ISCLA. According to the ISCLA, the above three incidents were classified into Category 3b and 4a. The others were classified into Category 0 (n=5), 1 (n=6), 2 (n=3), and 3a (n=6) in ascending order of severity. No incident was classified into Category 4b and 5. Furthermore, incidents occurring in the animal housing area were more severe than those occurring in the supporting area (P=0.002). This study showed that incident occurrences had characteristics that were not visible from individual incidents alone. Moreover, the ISCLA was considered useful when conducting the IRS and taking improvement measures in laboratory animal facilities.     

广东省主要水系外来水生动物初步调查

【背景】广东省是我国遭受外来生物入侵最严重的地区之一,许多外来水生动物在广东省的河流均有分布,但有关其具体分布和数量缺乏系统研究。【方法】通过野外调查的方式对广东省鉴江、韩江、潭江、西江、北江、东江等水系的外来水生动物的分布和数量进行了初步调查,并对调查到的外来水生动物的生态学特征和入侵机制进行了初步研究。【结果】共调查到13种外来水生动物,包括巴西龟、尼罗罗非鱼、莫桑比克罗非鱼、奥利亚罗非鱼、下口鲶、革胡子鲶、食蚊鱼、麦瑞加拉鲮、露斯塔野鲮、斑点叉尾鮰、大口黑鲈等11种脊椎动物和福寿螺、克氏原螯虾2种无脊椎动物;其中以福寿螺、巴西龟和3种罗非鱼的分布最为广泛。【结论与意义】几种外来水生生物主要通过水产养殖、观赏渔业和生物防治引种入侵;典型的"R"策略者、对环境具有较强耐受力的生物、杂食性鱼类更容易成功入侵。     

Buying time for wild animals with zoos

Zoos and aquariums exhibit many rare species, but sustain few for long periods. Demanding genetic, demographic, and behavioral requirements are a part of the sustainability challenge, and historical zoo goals and limiting animal management objectives are another, but they have been overtaken by worldwide wildlife population contraction and endangerment. New policies are essential for zoo continuance and, if vanishing species are to be helped by zoo propagation, they must be given priority. However, zoos have little animal carrying capacity and propagation must be much more sharply focused. In addition, it is becoming urgent that zoos help to support parks and reserves and, where possible, manage some especially endangered species mutually with parks.     

Introduction. Speciation in plants and animals: pattern and process

Although approximately 150 years have passed since the publication of On the origin of species by means of natural selection, the definition of what species are and the ways in which species originate remain contentious issues in evolutionary biology. The biological species concept, which defines species as groups of interbreeding natural populations that are reproductively isolated from other such groups, continues to draw support. However, there is a growing realization that many animal and plant species can hybridize with their close relatives and exchange genes without losing their identity. On occasion, such hybridization can lead to the origin of new species. A key to understanding what species are and the ways in which they originate rests to a large extent on a detailed knowledge of the nature and genetics of factors that limit gene flow between species and the conditions under which such isolation originates. The collection of papers in this issue addresses these topics and deals as well with some specific issues of hybrid speciation and the causes of species radiations. The papers included arise from a 1-day symposium on speciation held during the Sixth Biennial Meeting of the Systematics Association at Edinburgh in August 2007. In this introduction, we provide some background to these papers and highlight some key points made. The papers make clear that highly significant advances to our understanding of animal and plant speciation are currently being made across the range of this topic.     

基于多源遥感的红树林监测

红树林是生长在热带以及亚热带海岸潮间带上的生态群落, 其生产力高, 固碳能力强, 对保持海岸带生物多样性具有十分重要的价值。本文介绍了利用多源遥感数据监测红树林的一些主要研究内容, 分为3个方面: (1)在时空模式研究方面, 利用高空间分辨率影像像素和对象结合的方法对红树林树种进行分类以及利用Landsat影像对红树林进行动态变化监测并分析其驱动因素; (2)在结构参数研究方面, 利用无人机多光谱数据及地面激光雷达数据对红树林叶面积指数进行反演; (3)在生理生化参数研究方面, 探讨了红树林叶绿素含量对淹没状况的响应、互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)入侵是否影响红树林光能利用率, 以及光化学反射指数(photochemical reflectance index, PRI)与光能利用率(light use efficiency, LUE)的关系。上述系列研究为提取红树林相关信息要素时如何选择合适的分析方法提供了有力的参考, 强调了遥感在研究红树林时空模式, 提取结构参数和生物生化参数监测的有效性, 从而更好地促进红树林生态系统的生物多样性保育工作。     

Patterns of diversity in microscopic animals: are they comparable to those in protists or in larger animals?

Aim General patterns of biodiversity, such as latitudinal gradients and species‐area relationships, are found consistently in a wide range of organisms, but recent results for protist diversity suggest that organisms shorter than 2 mm do not display such patterns. We tested this prediction in bdelloid rotifers, pluricellular metazoans smaller than 2 mm, but with size and ecology comparable to protists. Location A single valley in northern Italy was surveyed in detail and compared to all available faunistic data on bdelloids worldwide. Methods We analysed 171 local assemblages of bdelloid rotifers living in 5 systems of dry mosses and submerged mosses in running water and in lakes. We compared patterns of alpha, beta, and gamma diversity, and nestedness of metacommunities, with those known from protists and larger organisms. Results Bdelloid rotifers showed low local species richness (alpha diversity), with strong habitat selection, as observed in larger organisms. The number of species differed among systems, with a higher number of species in dry than in aquatic mosses. There was no hierarchical structure or exclusion of species in the metacommunity pattern within each system. Local diversity for the entire valley was surprisingly high compared with worldwide bdelloid diversity, similar to observed patterns in protists. Main Conclusions Bdelloid rotifers have some of the peculiarities of protist biodiversity, although at slightly different spatial scales, thus confirming the idea of a major change in biodiversity patterns among organisms shorter than 2 mm. However, bdelloids show stronger habitat selection than protists. We suggest two possible explanations for the observed patterns: (1) dispersal is very rare, and not all bdelloid clones are arriving everywhere; and (2) dispersal is effective in displacing propagules, but environmental heterogeneity is very high and prevents many species from colonizing a given patch of moss.     

台湾地区萤火虫资源及其开发利用情况

简述了我国台湾地区萤火虫的分类、发生季节与种类及其作为一种观赏昆虫在发展生态旅游业上的重要作用。     

Effects of environmental heterogeneity on species diversity and composition of terrestrial bryophyte assemblages in tropical montane forests of southern Ecuador

Background: Most studies on tropical bryophytes deal with epiphytic species. This is the first ecological study of tropical forests that focuses specifically on terrestrial bryophytes.

Aim: To investigate the differences between slope and ridge environments in upper montane forests of southern Ecuador in terms of species diversity (richness, abundance), species composition and life forms of terrestrial bryophytes.

Methods: We used Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) to group bryophyte relevés by study location, habitat type and exposure class. Species indicator values were calculated and compared for different habitats.

Results: In total, 140 species were recorded, the majority being liverworts. NMDS analyses and Mantel correlations clearly separated between slope and ridge relevés, and between sunny and shaded microhabitats on ridges. Bryophyte life forms also showed different distribution patterns in slope and in ridge habitats. Mosses were more prominent in sunny than in shaded microhabitats.

Conclusions: Environmental differentiation between ridges and slopes, and small-scale variation in microclimatic conditions caused by differences in exposure, were stronger predictors of species richness and composition than geographical distance between study sites.     

优势种植被分类系统的逻辑分析与示例方案化

逻辑学原理是各种分类系统科学性及规范性的必要检验工具。本文采用逻辑学原理检验基于优势种的《中国植被》的植被分类系统, 结果发现目前常用的植被分类系统存在较多逻辑错误, 需要予以纠正。于是, 在强调植物生活型分类系统和植被分类系统一致性的基础上, 依据逻辑学原理给出建立植被分类系统的步骤和方法, 提出规范的植物生活型分类系统和植被分类系统示例方案。鉴于多建群种植被的客观存在及其存在形式多样, 在分类系统中给出相应的位置——多建群种植被纲。同时, 针对国内植被分类学界从未形成统一的植被命名规则, 且又有多种命名方式并存的现状, 提出了函数命名法。     

有关物种概念与划分中的一些问题

关于物种的问题已经争论了几百年，但至今仍未达成完全一致，尤其是在物种的概念、物种的划分及物种的形成等主要方面的观点分歧较大，可说是学派林立、百家争鸣。引起这些分歧的根本原因是生物的极端多样性，当然，也与每个人的观察角度和认识水平不无关系。目前，最大的矛盾是，一方面大家竟相给物种想下一个简明而又高度概括的定义，另一方面在实际操作中，对不同生物却是各有其标准。这样就必然产生了很多不同的物种概念，甚至产生了混乱。此外，种下单元的划分，不论在标准还是术语方面，都存在很大问题，尤其是种和亚种的分类及系统关系问题过去和现在都被严重地忽视了。     

The Biogeography of Cladocera (Crustacea) in Tropical Australia

Ninetysix species of Cladocera, comprising 8 Sididae, 50 Chydoridae, 17 Macrothricidae, 5 Moinidae, 2 Bosminidae, and 14 Daphniidae, occur in tropical Australia. Of this number 38% are cosmopolitan including so-called cosmopolitan species, 13.5% are circumtropical, 13.5% occur as well innear by countries, and 35% are endemic. North Queensland is a major area of speciation. Species richness varies from north to south and from wetter coastal areas to the drier inland. Major factors influencing richness and distribution are the relative proportion of floodplain billabongs in an area, coupled with rainfall reliability. The most common species include Alonella clathratula, Chydorus nr. pubsecens, Macrothrix triserialis, Oxyurella singalensis, Ephemeroporus nr. barroisi, Dadaya macrops, Diaphanosoma sarsi, Ceriodaphnia cornuta, and Dunhevedia crassa.     

纳帕海流域五种优势乔木树种光合速率日变化特征

为了解纳帕海流域高山环境中优势乔木树种光合速率特征及其对环境因子的响应规律,运用LI-6400便携式光合测定仪,分别测定了香格里拉纳帕海流域5种优势乔木树种净光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)、水分利用效率(WUE)等主要光合生理参数日变化,并对其与环境因子的相关性进行统计分析。结果表明:(1)所测定的5种优势树种中,除川滇高山栎以外,其他4个树种的Pn均呈双峰型;5种树种Pn峰值大小依次为云杉高山松山楂清溪杨川滇高山栎,分别为21.58、21.57、15.21、14.18、11.87μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)。(2)树种气孔导度(Gs)和蒸腾速率(Tr)在一天之内都呈现出早晚低、中午高的规律,胞间CO2浓度(Ci)与Pn基本呈相反趋势。(3)树种WUE和LUE日均值与Pn值表现出基本一致的顺序特征,云杉和高山松相对较高,WUE分别为3.27和5.82 mmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1),LUE分别为4.42%和2.99%,川滇高山栎最低,仅为0.92 mmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)和0.74%。(4)树种Pn对PAR和Gs的变化具有显著的响应特征。该区域树种的Pn最大值高于低海拔区域的同类树种;区域内针叶树种的WUE和LUE显著大于阔叶树种,对高山区域内相对较高的辐射环境具有更高效的适应策略;当地环湖面山上种植的大面积云杉树对区域植被的恢复具有高效的现实意义。     

How plants manipulate the scatter-hoarding behaviour of seed-dispersing animals

Some plants that are dispersed by scatter-hoarding animals appear to have evolved the ability to manipulate the behaviour of those animals to increase the likelihood that seeds and nuts will be stored and that a portion of those items will not be recovered. Plants have achieved this in at least four ways. First, by producing large, nutritious seeds and nuts that are attractive to animals and that stimulate hoarding behaviour. Second, by imposing handling costs that cause animals to hoard rather than to eat items immediately. These handling costs can take one of two forms: physical barriers (e.g. hard seed coats) that take time to remove and secondary chemicals (e.g. tannins) that impose metabolic costs. Third, by masting, where a population of plants synchronizes reproductive effort, producing large nut crops at intervals of several years. Mast crops not only satiate seed predators, but also increase the amount of seed dispersal because scatter-hoarding animals are not easily satiated during caching (causing animals to store more food than they can consume) but are satiated during cache recovery. And fourth, by producing seeds that do not emit strong odours so that buried seeds are less likely to be discovered. These, and perhaps other, traits have increased the relative success of plant species with seeds dispersed by scatter-hoarding animals.