Patterns of Species Richness and Composition in Re-Created Grassland

The success of many prairie restorations is not well documented. A restoration begun in 1975 at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago, Illinois allows assessment of restoration efforts as well as changes through time. Data are presented on species richness and composition for 13 restorations planted in successive years between 1975 and 1990 and two remnant prairies. Presence of species was recorded using a stratified random design. Species richness at several scales and non‐metric multidimensional scaling ordination were used to assess trends in the vegetation. Species richness declined through time at all scales examined and was always less in the restored prairies than that found in the remnant prairies. Species composition changed with time but not in the direction of the composition found in the remnants. Our understanding of the maintenance of species richness is not sufficient to allow the re‐creation of patterns of species found in remnant grassland communities.     

Ordination methods and chironomid species in stony bottom streams

Stony bottom streams in Italy were sampled in 369 sites in different years, and 174 chironomid species (or species groups) were identified.The species by sites matrix was submitted to different ordination methods, with the aim of outlining the major factors that are responsible of the observed species composition.The methods considered were principal component analysis (PCA), detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDSCAL). These methods assume different models describing the species-responses to the environmental gradients.PCA gave poor results, the best species ordination was given by MDSCAL. DCA gave results in agreement with MDSCAL. DCA results were useful as a starting point to perform MDSCAL. MDSCAL was performed with different options. At last Procrustean analysis was carried out to have a single fitted configuration, that summarized the results given by the different MDSCAL methods.All multivariate analyses emphasized that the first ordination axis can be interpreted as a crenonrithron-potamon gradient, probably an oxygen availability and/or a water temperature gradient, whereas the second axis can be considered a water speed gradient, separating lotic from lentic sites.The 3rd and 4th ordination axes had apparently no ecological meaning.Separated clusters of species were never evident, so well defined chironomid species assemblages could not be outlined in this analysis.     

Seasonal variation in the composition and rate of change of the phytoplankton community in a deep subalpine lake (Lake Garda, Northern Italy). An application of nonmetric multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis

Seasonal variations and spatial homogeneity of the phytoplankton community were followed, from spring 1991 to spring 1992, in four pelagic stations of a large deep subalpine lake (Lake Garda, Northern Italy). Both cluster analysis and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) applied to Bray & Curtis' dissimilarity matrices computed on density and biovolume data were employed; the Bray & Curtis index, calculated between pairs of chronologically contiguous samples, was also used as a measure of the community change rate over the temporal succession. In the tree diagrams obtained both from density and biovolume data, six groups of different size have been identified, with ordered sequences of samples within them. Superimposition of the results of cluster analysis on the NMDS configurations has allowed interpretations of the trajectories of the samples as a chronological and cyclical succession of compositionally homogeneous groups. A clear relationship between the community change rate and stability of the water column has been assessed. The specific composition of the six groups has been discussed in relation to environmental variables and in terms of adaptive strategies. During winter (winter-spring group) the turbulence of the water and the availability of nutrients favour the development of colonial Bacillariophyceae (Fragilaria crotonensis Kitton, Tabellaria fenestrata (Lyngb.) Kütz., Aulacoseira spp.), Cyanophyceae (Planktothrix agardhii (Gom.) Anagn. et Kom. and Planktolyngbya limnetica (Lemur.) Kom.-Legn. et Cronb.) and Cryptophyceae. In late spring group, with the stabilisation of the water column and silicon depletion, the diatoms give way to small, opportunistic species (Ankyra judayi (G. M. Smith) Fott, Cyclotella spp., Chroomonas acuta Utermhöl) and larger species (Ceratium hirundinella (O. F. Müll.) Dujardin). The three summer groups are characterised by a development of Chlorophyceae (chiefly Chlorococcales), Cyanophyceae (mainly Chroococcales), Cyclotella spp. and Dinophyceae. With the autumn destratification the summer community undergoes a rearrangement principally in favour of Cyanophyceae and Cryptophyceae.     

浙江金华不同城市绿地大型土壤动物群落结构与多样性

2004年10-11月对金华市市区8种城市绿地生境中的大型土壤动物群落进行了调查,共获得大型土壤动物1231只,隶属3门8纲20目。其中优势类群为近孔寡毛目、膜翅目、双尾目和蜘蛛目,常见类群为正蚓目、等足目、柄眼目、鞘翅目、鳞翅目、双翅目和同翅目,其余类群为稀有类群。不同城市绿地生境中的土壤动物的类群组成以及个体数不同。在土壤动物研究中,群落复杂性指数(C)比Shannon-Wiener指数(H′)更能体现群落的复杂性与多样性,且能修正不同类群个体数对多样性的影响。大型土壤动物显示了明显的表聚现象,垂直分布有明显差异,类群数和个体数随深度增加而减少。群落聚类以及排序的结果显示,8种城市绿地生境中的大型土壤动物群落可以分为6大类:草坪类、草地类、新植草坪类、无草本层的人工林类、有草本层的人工林类和灌木林类。     

Zooplankton responses to predation by larval bluegill: an enclosure experiment

SUMMARY 1. Larval fish are gape-limited predators that forage on prey of specific sizes, and thus may be expected to differentially affect members of a zooplankton community, possibly altering the size-structure or species composition.
2. I used an enclosure experiment to look at the effect of predation by larval bluegill on the dynamics of two zooplankton communities, one dominated by large-bodied individuals and the other by small-bodied individuals. Enclosures containing these zooplankton received a zero, low, medium, or high density of larval bluegill predators.
3. Increasing larval density had a negative effect on zooplankton abundance and abundance declined similarly in the large-bodied and small-bodied communities.
4. Zooplankton size-structure, as estimated by the length of the average zooplankton, increased and then decreased during the experiment, decreasing faster at higher larval fish densities. When zooplankton size-structure was estimated as the length of the average cladoceran, size-structure declined in the large-bodied but not in the small-bodied community and the greatest decline in size-structure was seen in the medium and high larval density treatments.
5. Ordination of each community using multidimensional scaling (MDS) indicated that the trajectory of change in species composition differed between the presence and absence of larval fish. In both communities, the degree of response by individual taxa depended on the density of bluegill larvae. This effect on zooplankton abundance, size-structure and community composition suggests that larval fish may make an important contribution to zooplankton dynamics in many lakes and ponds.     

嘉兴石臼漾湿地冬季浮游植物群落结构特征

2010年冬季对嘉兴石臼漾饮用水水源人工湿地水体的浮游植物群落结构进行了调查,以探索湿地净化措施对浮游植物群落结构的影响.结果表明:在石臼漾湿地共发现浮游植物77种,隶属7门39属,其中硅藻门最多,为14属33种;优势种有变异直链藻、梅尼小环藻、菱形藻、色球藻、针晶蓝纤维藻、四尾栅藻、小型黄丝藻等,梅尼小环藻优势度最大,为0.144.石臼漾湿地冬季浮游植物平均密度为1.28×106 cell·L-1;出水口密度最低,为6.80×105cell·L-1,并且出水口蓝藻细胞的密度仅为进水口的14.9％(P＜0.05).各采样点Shannon多样性指数为0.94 ～1.27.经聚类和多维尺度分析,石臼漾湿地冬季浮游植物群落可分为根孔沿岸带群落、根孔植物床流水型群落(2种)、深度净化湖区静水型群落和湿地源水群落五大类;各采样点生态环境及水体流速的不同是五类群落产生的主要影响因素.     

贺兰山西坡主要山地灌丛群落的基本特征

灌丛是贺兰山最主要的植被组分, 但关于该地区灌丛群落的专门研究并不多见。为了解该地区灌丛资源的分布及生长状况, 该研究对内蒙古贺兰山国家级自然保护区内主要的山地灌丛群落进行样方调查, 通过分析样方数据, 量化描述了各群落的基本特征。结果表明: 贺兰山自然保护区沿海拔梯度主要有准噶尔栒子群系(Form. Cotoneaster soongoricus)、紫丁香群系(Form. Syringa oblata)、小叶金露梅群系(Form. Potentilla parvifolia)、虎榛子群系(Form. Ostryopsis davidiana)、小叶忍冬群系(Form. Lonicera microphylla)、银露梅群系(Form. Potentilla glabra)、山生柳群系(Form. Salix oritrepha)和鬼箭锦鸡儿群系(Form. Caragana jubata) 8种主要的山地灌丛群系。     

三峡水库175 m试验性蓄水期库区及其上游江段鱼类群落结构时空分布格局

根据2010—2012年在三峡水库及其上游江段5个江段的商业性渔获物调查结果,对该区域鱼类群落结构的时空分布格局进行了分析。调查中共收集到鱼类87种,隶属于8目18科63属。沿坝前江段溯河而上至库尾以上流水江段,鱼类种类数逐渐增加。采用聚类分析(CA)和非度量多维标度(NMDS)方法对三峡水库175 m试验性蓄水期间各江段的鱼类种类组成进行分析,发现这5个调查江段的鱼类种类组成可以分为两个类群:类群Ⅰ包括秭归、巫山、云阳3个库区的江段,其鱼类种类组成在各年间的差异程度较大;而类群Ⅱ包括库尾的涪陵江段以及上游的江津江段,其鱼类种类组成在各年间差异程度较小。采用CA和NMDS方法对鱼类群落结构时空分布格局的分析结果表明,5个调查江段的鱼类群落结构在各年间可以分为不同类群;云阳与涪陵江段的鱼类群落结构的相似性逐年增加,而与秭归、巫山江段的相似性逐年减少;涪陵江段与江津江段的鱼类群落结构相似性也呈逐年减少趋势。总体而言,175m试验性蓄水对库中和库尾江段的鱼类群落结构的影响较大,但对库首以及库尾以上流水江段的影响均较小。     

On using cluster-analysis and multidimensional scaling for describing animal movements and bird territories

Two examples are given of how multivariate analysis techniques can be used to describe bird territories and animal home-ranges, and consequently also of how observations on fauna can reveal details of the underlying physical features.     

Analyses of multivariately determined community matrices using cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling

Linear discriminant analysis was used to compute the p-variate MACARTHUR-LEVINS and Density Overlap measures of niche overlap between all pairs of 24 passerine bird species. The overlap values for the species pairs were then organized into a community matrix for each approach. The relationships inherent in the community matrices were structured by cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling. Cluster analysis identified the highly related species groups whereas multidimensional scaling demonstrated community wide relationships. In particular, the scaling approach clearly delineated shrub density and ground cover gradients.     

黑河中游荒漠灌丛斑块地面甲虫群落分布与微生境的关系

关于西北干旱区荒漠灌丛草地地面甲虫群落分布与微生境关系的系统研究尚鲜有报道。采用多元回归分析和RDA群落排序分析等方法,定量研究了甲虫群落分布与微生境因子的关系及其季节变异特征。多元回归分析表明,甲虫群落数量分布与土壤粗砂、中细砂和粘粉粒含量存在显著关系,3个因子解释了21%的甲虫群落变异。多元回归分析还表明,甲虫群落数量分布与春季地面/地下日平均温度和土壤含水量有显著关系(3个因子解释了32%的甲虫群落变异),而与夏季和秋季地面/地下日平均温度和土壤含水量无显著关系。RDA群落排序分析表明,土壤粗砂含量、中细砂含量、地面温度和地下温度对春季甲虫种群分布有显著的影响,解释了34.3%的甲虫种群变异;土壤粗砂和中细砂含量对夏季甲虫种群分布有显著影响,解释了18.8%的甲虫种群变异;土壤粗砂含量、地下日均温和土壤含水量对秋季甲虫种群分布有一定的影响,解释了17.1%的甲虫种群变异。Pearson相关分析表明不同甲虫种群对微生境因子的响应模式不同。主要结论是:微生境的非生物环境因子是决定荒漠甲虫群落空间分布格局的重要因子之一,但是环境因子的影响作用存在明显的季节变异,并且因种类不同而异。     

Response of overstory and understory vegetation 37 years after prescribed burning in an aspen-dominated forest in northern Minnesota,USA – A case study

Many studies have examined short-term changes in understory vegetation following prescribed burning. However, knowledge concerning longer term effects on both forest understory and overstory vegetation is lacking. This investigation was initiated to examine changes in understory (herbaceous and shrub) and overstory species composition almost four decades after logging and prescribed burning at the Pike Bay Experimental Forest in Minnesota. The experiment was established in 1964 with a randomized block design with four treatments: control (c); burned in spring 1967 (S0); burned in spring 1967 + repeat burn spring 1969 (S2); and burned in spring 1967 + repeat burn fall 1970 (F4). Overstory and understory species diversity indices and richness varied within and among treatments but were not strongly or consistently affected by the treatments. Multivariate analyses (multi-response block permutation procedures and non-metric multidimensional scaling) reveal some lingering effects of burning intensity and seasonal variation as well as some compositional differentiation among treatments, but only in the herb layer. In this environment, the effects of two repeated burnings (fire) have essentially disappeared for overstory and understory species diversity and community composition and have failed to convert an aspen-dominated stand to a coniferous stand (an original goal of the study).     

多元统计方法在节肢动物群落分析中的应用

近年来有关节肢动物群落的研究报道较多,而传统的、简单的多样性指数分析远远不能满足对高通量群落数据的挖掘。采用多元统计方法可以较好地分析群落数据。其中,在研究某一处理的长期效应时,主响应曲线是一种经典的多元分析方法;而非度量多维尺度分析具有能处理较大量的数据且常能以低维排序图反映结果的优点,是一种具有广泛应用前景的排序技术。本文以Bt棉与非Bt棉不同比例混作棉田的节肢动物群落为例,详尽地介绍了主响应曲线和非度量多维尺度在节肢动物群落分析中的应用。