Genetic consequences of Pleistocene range shifts: contrast between the Arctic, the Alps and the East African mountains

In wide-ranging species, the genetic consequences of range shifts in response to climate change during the Pleistocene can be predicted to differ among different parts of the distribution area. We used amplified fragment length polymorphism data to compare the genetic structure of Arabis alpina, a widespread arctic-alpine and afro-alpine plant, in three distinct parts of its range: the North Atlantic region, which was recolonized after the last ice age, the European Alps, where range shifts were probably primarily altitudinal, and the high mountains of East Africa, where the contemporary mountain top populations result from range contraction. Genetic structure was inferred using clustering analyses and estimates of genetic diversity within and between populations. There was virtually no diversity in the vast North Atlantic region, which was probably recolonized from a single refugial population, possibly located between the Alps and the northern ice sheets. In the European mountains, genetic diversity was high and distinct genetic groups had a patchy and sometimes disjunct distribution. In the African mountains, genetic diversity was high, clearly structured and partially in accordance with a previous chloroplast phylogeography. The fragmented structure in the European and African mountains indicated that A. alpina disperses little among established populations. Occasional long-distance dispersal events were, however, suggested in all regions. The lack of genetic diversity in the north may be explained by leading-edge colonization by this pioneer plant in glacier forelands, closely following the retracting glaciers. Overall, the genetic structure observed corresponded to the expectations based on the environmental history of the different regions.     

天山北坡不同环境条件下雪岭云杉(Picea schrenkiana)林限土壤属性

为了研究干旱区天山北坡中山带长达1000余公里的单建群种山地针叶林的空间分布原因,选择精河、玛纳斯、阜康和巴里坤中山带作为四种不同的环境条件,通过对不同环境条件雪岭云杉(Picea schrenkiana)上、下限土壤的采样与分析,探讨土壤因素对天山北坡中山带雪岭云杉分布的控制作用.雪岭云杉在天山北坡的连续分布主要是水热组合条件和土壤因素相互作用的结果,上、下限土壤属性变化与环境条件变化间存在着紧密的联系,表现为降雨量丰富的玛纳斯林区土壤肥力较高,但CaCO3含量较低,而降雨量较小的巴里坤和精河林区土壤肥力较差,但CaCO3含量较高.虽然长达1000余公里的雪岭云杉中山带环境条件差异较大,但其土壤属性变化均在雪岭云杉发育所需土壤条件的允许范围之内,这主要是受土壤成土母质、不同海拔高度的降雨量、地形、局地环流等因素的共同影响.     

秦岭山地碳中和空间服务范围及其模拟预测

在当前碳中和背景下,秦岭山地碳中和的量化及其空间服务范围的测算对于碳中和合理规划和快速实现具有重要意义。采用IUEMS （Intelligent Urban Ecosystem Management System）系统对秦岭山地的固碳量进行核算,利用DMSP/OLS （Defense Meteorological Satellite Program/Operational Linescan System）和NPP-VIIRS （Net Primary Productivity-Visible infrared Imaging Radiometer）夜间灯光数据和各地市的能源消耗数据通过模型拟合对秦岭山地碳排放量进行空间量化,基于固碳量和碳排放量得到秦岭山地空间碳中和量。利用PLUS （Patch-generating Land Use Simulation Model）模型模拟了2030和2050年的碳中和空间分布,结合常见气体扩散系数计算得到常温常压下秦岭山地碳中和对周边区域的服务范围。结果表明：2000-2020年秦岭山地固碳量呈现上升的趋势,大部分区域不同时间尺度上的固碳速率呈正向趋势,空间上秦岭山地中西部区域固碳量整体较大;对秦岭固碳量影响较大的地形特征为海拔1200m左右、斜坡、半阳坡和半阴坡;研究区内碳排放量空间上整体较低,碳排放低值区面积占到了秦岭总面积的90%,碳排放较大区域主要位于秦岭北坡的城区区域,时间上碳排放量最大值为先增加后减少的变化趋势;2000-2050年秦岭山地碳汇服务范围为174-262.63km,服务范围在空间上呈逐渐扩大趋势,2030年后其扩大程度将略有减少。     

Species reassessment congruent with the phylogeographical study of the Biston falcata species group

The Himalaya, Hengduan, and Qinling mountains are very important mountain systems in China. Because they are geographically adjacent, species distributed in these three mountains usually have close relationships, but species/populations distributed in the first two mountain systems have higher genetic diversity and more complex phylogenetic structures than those found in the Qinling Mountains. In this study, we used molecular and morphological methods to explore the phylogeographical structure, species differentiation, and evolutionary history of the Biston falcata species group, which is widely distributed in the Himalaya, Hengduan, and Qinling mountains. Five species were identified; B. quercii is distributed in the Qinling Mountains and its adjacent areas, and the other four species are mainly distributed in the Himalaya and Hengduan Mountains. Four gradual species differentiation events occurred at approximately 3.07, 1.75, 1.50, and 1.30 Ma, corresponding to the stage with strong geological movements of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. The low land between the Qinling and the northern Hengduan Mountains, the Sichuan Basin, the low land between the eastern and central Himalaya Mountains and the Mekong‐Salween Divide are four geographical barriers that resulted in multiple speciations. In addition, long‐range dispersal as another mechanism for speciation is non‐negligible. In spite of failing to confirm the ancestral area, our study provided direct evidence of the speciation induced by the geographical barriers and adaptation to the plateau.     

Latitudinal comparison of altitudinal changes in forest structure,leaf-type,and species richness in humid monsoon Asia

A new template for mountain vegetation zonation along latitudinal gradients is proposed for examining geographical pattern of various forest attributes in humid monsoon Asia. The contrasting temperature regime in tropical and temperate mountains, i.e., the former is a non-seasonal, temperature-sum controlled environment, and the latter is a seasonal, low temperature limiting environment, leads to different altitudinal patterns of tree height distribution and species richness. In the tropical mountains, both tree height and species richness decrease steeply, and the tree height often stepwise. The decline of tree height and species diversity in the temperate mountains is far less pronounced except near the forest limit. Both trends are explained by their temperature regime.     

Discussions on the Palaeogeography and Palaeoclimatology of the Late Eocene Epoch and Oligocene Epoch North Jiangsu

In the present paper, using the spore-pollen analysis, we try to explain the general law of the evolution of the palaeogeography and palaeoclimatology of the fifth member of Funing group in the late Eocene Epoch, and of Dainan formation and Sanduo formation in the Oligocene Epoch, in the region of North Jiangsu. In the period of Funing group No. 5 member, this region was occupied with shallow lakes and mountains and of Central North-Subtropical climate. At then time, the topography of Dainan group was characterized by the richness of rivers, lakes, low mountains and hills. The climate of Dainan formation may be classified into the Northern North-Subtropical climate. The topography Sanduo formation was ranged from low mountain and hills to plains, and its climate was belonged to the Northern North-Subtropical climate. Two plates and two figures are presented in the paper.     

A palaeolithic map from 13,660 calBP: engraved stone blocks from the Late Magdalenian in Abauntz Cave (Navarra, Spain)

An engraved block from the cave of Abauntz is interpreted as a Magdalenian map in which the actual surrounding landscape, including mountains, rivers, and ponds, is represented. Some possible routes or avenues of access to different parts of the geography are also engraved on the landscape. The engraving seems to reproduce the meandering course of a river crossing the upper part of side A of the block, joined by two tributaries near two mountains. One of these is identical to the mountain that can be seen from the cave, with herds of ibex depicted on its hillsides, on both sides of the gorge in front of which the cave of Abauntz is strategically located. In the southern part of the gorge, there is a completely flat area where the watercourses slow down, forming meanders and flooding in springtime. The following elements are also represented on the block: tangles of concentric strokes and bundles of lines forming very marked meanders. In short, all of these engravings could be a sketch or a simple map of the area around the cave. It could represent the plan for a coming hunt or perhaps a narrative story of one that had already happened. This paper is provided in the context of recent discussions on early modern human capacities of spatial awareness, planning, and organized hunting.     

青藏高原高山植被的初步研究

青藏高原是我国高山植被类型最丰富、独特和分布最广泛的区域,发育有大面积的高山灌丛、高寒草甸、高寒草原,高寒荒漠、高山流石坡稀疏植被及零散分布的高山垫状植被。它们占据着森林上线至永久雪线之间的高山带和广阔的高原面,从高原东南部至西北部有水平方向的地域分异。联系高山带以下各垂直带的植被特征及各地的气候条件分析,初步认为高原东南部的山地植被垂直带谱属于湿润型山地垂直带结构类型,高原腹地及西北部的山地植被垂直带谱属于干旱型山地垂直带结构类型。此外,还对青藏高原高山植被类型的丰富性及高山垫状植被的生态地理分布特点进行了初步探讨。     

北京山区与城区植物组成比较

通过典型抽样法对北京山区与城区植物物种进行了调查,结果表明北京山区有植物种1283种,隶属于127科,538属,北京城区(五环内)共有维管束植物99科,307属,536种。含25种以上的科的数量在北京山区和城区都比较少,含5种以下的科的数量在北京山区和城区都比较多,而城区只含有1种植物的科要比山区多一些。植物种在属上的分布与其在科上的分布相似。城区植物中乔木、灌木和多年生草本和一年生草本的比例相差不大,而在山区,多年生草本植物优势极为明显,也是山区和城区植物种数差异的主要来源。在属级水平上,植物区系中温带成分在北京山区和城区均占有绝对优势,二者的差异主要表现在城区植物的热带成分明显高于山区,而温带成分的比例则要稍低于山区。山区和城区共有植物有329种,隶属于72科,201属。主要集中在菊科、禾本科、蔷薇科等世界性大科中。     

The cause of mollusk decline on the Ogasawara Islands

Decline of land snails on the Ogasawara Islands was studied. In Hahajima, major alien predators such as Euglandina rosea and Platydemus manokwari are not present, but some small endemic snails, for example, Hirasea spp. and Ogasawarana spp., are already rare and more common endemic snails, for example, Mandarina spp., are also declining in the northern mountains. The decline cannot be directly explained by forest deforestation and by its subsequent regeneration. Three species of flatworms were found to eat small snails under captive conditions. The distribution of these flatworms is restricted to the northern mountains of Hahajima where Mandarina is declining and its survival is low. These predators are plausible candidates as a cause of the decline of the endemic snails.     

Evolution of biological dispersal corridors through a tectonically active mountain range in New Zealand

Aim To assess the geological evolution and biogeographical implications of low mountain passes. In particular, we question the common biogeographical belief that major mountain belts form impervious physical barriers to biological dispersal, and that related taxa found on opposites sides of mountains are necessarily a result of vicariant tectonic processes. Location The Southern Alps of New Zealand form a long (500 km) narrow mountain belt at the oblique collisional Pacific–Australian tectonic plate boundary. High mountains were uplifted during the Pliocene (2–5 Ma) and uplift has continued to the present day. Methods We integrate previous work from several disciplines to obtain an overview of inter‐relationships between plate tectonic processes, geomorphology and biogeography along the main mountain barrier in New Zealand, and then extend this approach to other major mountain belts. Results The Southern Alps initially formed a barrier to at least some biological dispersal, including vicariant formation of separate species of freshwater non‐migratory galaxiid fish on either side. However, the high mountain barrier was breached in several places when passive transport of topography occurred, from the low‐erosion rain shadow on the eastern side towards the high‐erosion, high‐rainfall western side. This tectonic transport resulted in the capture of eastern rivers by west‐draining rivers, leaving low passes at the topographic divide. These low‐elevation corridors permitted biological dispersal across the mountains, although continued uplift raises these passes. A new set of passes has formed in the northern part of the mountains where younger faults are cutting across the older mountain topography. These potential dispersal corridors are becoming lower with continued erosion, and more common as the defining structures migrate southwards. Main conclusions Biological dispersal across the Southern Alps may be facilitated by numerous mountain passes, especially via the new passes formed by cross‐cutting faults. More low‐lying corridors existed than is readily apparent now, as old river capture‐related passes have been blocked by ongoing uplift. The dynamic mountain‐building and erosional environment typified by the Southern Alps occurs in all the world’s collisional mountain belts, such as the Andes, Himalayas, European Alps and North American Cordillera. Sister taxa occurring across mountain belts are not necessarily a result of vicariance driven by the rise of the mountains, as numerous passes may have permitted intermittent dispersal. The evolution of low passes may have been more prevalent than is currently appreciated, suggesting that topographically complex mountain ranges might be more effectively viewed as dynamic filters within a probability landscape rather than as static and impervious high‐altitude barriers to all but the rarest of biological dispersal events. In some cases, the biological disjunctions observed across mountains may more directly reflect habitat differentiation driven by orographic mountain development that has limited the probability of trans‐alpine dispersal success.     

Molecular phylogeny of the endemic East African flightless grasshoppers Altiusambilla Jago, Usambilla (Sjöstedt) and Rhainopomma Jago (Orthoptera: Acridoidea: Lentulidae)

Abstract.  A molecular phylogeny of endemic flightless grasshoppers is presented for the three Lentulidae genera Altiusambilla Jago, 1981 , Usambilla Sjöstedt, 1909 and Rhainopomma Jago, 1981 based on DNA sequences (16S rRNA locus). Parsimony, distance and likelihood reconstructions were performed using different assumptions on sequence evolution. The generated phylogenies agree in almost all parts of the calculated trees and support the monophyly of the observed genera. It was shown that Usambilla and Rhainopomma are more closely related to each other, Altiusambilla being a separate clade. However, the investigated East African lentulid genera are clearly separated from South African taxa, underlining the monophyly of East African genera. Usambilla olivacea is re-established. Populations of Rhainopomma montanum from the Taita Hills of Kenya and from the West Usambara mountains of Tanzania are two separate species not closely related to each other. Rhainopomma samples from the North Pare mountains of Tanzania belong to a hitherto undescribed species.     

内蒙古半干旱区鼠类群落结构及鼠害危害类型的研究

自1988-1993年在内蒙古半干旱区约110000km² 的面积上设置样地251个,用夹日法对鼠类群落进行调查,用每个样地主要鼠种捕获率和样地构成分类量刚,应用SAS系统的快速聚类法进行分类;分类结果结合该地区地带性植被分布的特征和地貌、地形特征,将该地区的鼠类群落划分为9个地带性鼠类群落并研究其结构特征,同时根据地带性鼠类群落分布与结构特征及当地实际鼠害状况将内蒙古半干旱区鼠害划分为5大害区的7种危害类型：Ⅰ.荒漠草原鼠害危害区:①小毛足鼠、三趾跳鼠危害类型;②戈壁五趾跳鼠、赤颊黄鼠危害类型;Ⅱ.草原化荒漠鼠害鼠害危害区：③戈壁五趾跳鼠、三趾跳鼠危害类型;Ⅲ.沙地草场鼠害区：④小毛足鼠、三趾跳鼠、子午沙鼠危害类型;Ⅳ.阴山北麓旱作农田危害区：⑤长爪沙鼠、小毛足鼠危害类型;⑥长爪沙鼠、草原黄鼠危害类型;Ⅴ.阴山山脉中段次生林地和人工林地危害区：⑦棕背繙、大林姬鼠危害类型。     

山地麻竹林生态系统养分分配格局

通过对不同年龄和器官山地麻竹养分垂直分布及生态系统现存养分分配格局研究 ,结果表明 :麻竹地上器官各养分浓度随高度的升高有增加的趋势 ;在竹林层中 ,各年龄单株麻竹地下器官含量低于地上部分 ,但 N、Ca、Si O2 养分现存总量高于地上部分 ,P、K低于地上部分器官总量 ;各养分在竹秆不同高度含量不同 ,呈现随高度增加而减少的变化规律 ,竹枝和竹叶养分量随高度的分配呈现“小 -大 -小”的变化规律 ,但两个年度麻竹养分量最大值出现的高度不同 ;不同年龄麻竹单株养分含量都以幼竹为最小 ,1年生麻竹 N、P、K含量高于 2年生麻竹 ,但 Ca、Si O2 含量低于 2年生麻竹 ;地下器官中 ,竹蔸各种养分含量高于根。在群落中 ,各种养分都以麻竹林层占绝对优势 ,N、P、K、Ca、Si O2 分别占群落养分的 89.0 931%、89.0 2 4 7%、89.5 0 2 7%、93.186 7%和 88.4 135 % ,凋落物层养分其次 ,林下植被层最低     

Global analysis of reptile elevational diversity

Aim Latitudinal‐ and regional‐scale studies of reptile diversity suggest a predominant temperature effect, unlike many other vertebrate richness patterns which tend to be highly correlated with both temperature and water variables. Here I examine montane gradients in reptile species richness with separate analyses of snakes and lizards from mountains around the world to assess a predominant temperature effect and three additional theories of diversity, including a temperature–water effect, the species–area effect and the mid‐domain effect (MDE). Location Twenty‐five elevational gradients of reptile diversity from temperate, tropical and desert mountains in both hemispheres, spanning 10.3° N to 46.1° N. Methods Elevational gradients in reptile diversity are based on data from the literature. Of the 63 data sets found or compiled, only those with a high, unbiased sampling effort were used in analyses. Twelve predictions and three interactions of diversity theory were tested using nonparametric statistics, linear regressions and multiple regression with the Akaike information criterion (AIC). Results Reptile richness and, individually, snake and lizard richness on mountains followed four distinct patterns: decreasing, low‐elevation plateaus, low‐elevation plateaus with mid‐elevation peaks, and mid‐elevation peaks. Elevational reptile richness was most strongly correlated with temperature. The temperature effect was mediated by precipitation; reptile richness was more strongly tied to temperature on wet gradients than on arid gradients. Area was a secondary factor of importance, whereas the MDE was not strongly associated with reptile diversity on mountains. Main conclusions Reptile diversity patterns on mountains did not follow the predicted temperature–water effect, as all diversity patterns were found on both wet and dry mountains. But the influence of precipitation on the temperature effect most likely reflects reptiles' use of radiant heat sources (sunning opportunities) that are more widespread on arid mountains than wet mountains due to lower humidity, sparser vegetation and less cloud cover across low and intermediate elevations.     

Where do the treeless tundra areas of northern highlands fit in the global biome system: toward an ecologically natural subdivision of the tundra biome

According to some treatises, arctic and alpine sub‐biomes are ecologically similar, whereas others find them highly dissimilar. Most peculiarly, large areas of northern tundra highlands fall outside of the two recent subdivisions of the tundra biome. We seek an ecologically natural resolution to this long‐standing and far‐reaching problem. We studied broad‐scale patterns in climate and vegetation along the gradient from Siberian tundra via northernmost Fennoscandia to the alpine habitats of European middle‐latitude mountains, as well as explored those patterns within Fennoscandian tundra based on climate–vegetation patterns obtained from a fine‐scale vegetation map. Our analyses reveal that ecologically meaningful January–February snow and thermal conditions differ between different types of tundra. High precipitation and mild winter temperatures prevail on middle‐latitude mountains, low precipitation and usually cold winters prevail on high‐latitude tundra, and Scandinavian mountains show intermediate conditions. Similarly, heath‐like plant communities differ clearly between middle latitude mountains (alpine) and high‐latitude tundra vegetation, including its altitudinal extension on Scandinavian mountains. Conversely, high abundance of snowbeds and large differences in the composition of dwarf shrub heaths distinguish the Scandinavian mountain tundra from its counterparts in Russia and the north Fennoscandian inland. The European tundra areas fall into three ecologically rather homogeneous categories: the arctic tundra, the oroarctic tundra of northern heights and mountains, and the genuinely alpine tundra of middle‐latitude mountains. Attempts to divide the tundra into two sub‐biomes have resulted in major discrepancies and confusions, as the oroarctic areas are included in the arctic tundra in some biogeographic maps and in the alpine tundra in others. Our analyses based on climate and vegetation criteria thus seem to resolve the long‐standing biome delimitation problem, help in consistent characterization of research sites, and create a basis for further biogeographic and ecological research in global tundra environments.     

泉州灌丛、灌草丛和山地草丛草甸的特征与分布

泉州的灌丛大多为南亚热带雨林或南亚热带山地照叶林遭受破坏后的次生植被类型,灌草丛多是森林或灌丛反复破坏后所形成,它们的分布都极为广泛。在一些较高海拔山地至近山顶,草本植物生长茂密,灌木种类稀少,多为山地草丛。在低温、潮湿的一些山顶缓坡或台地、低洼地,有山地草丛草甸的生长。对以上植被类型的种类组成、群落结构和分布进行分析表明,它们都具有亚热带灌丛、灌草丛及亚热带草丛的群落特征。     

Inter-glacial isolation caused divergence of cold-adapted species: the case of the snow partridge

Deciphering the role of climatic oscillations in species divergence helps us understand the mechanisms that shape global biodiversity. The cold-adapted species may have expanded their distribution with the development of glaciers during glacial period. With the retreat of glaciers, these species were discontinuously distributed in the high-altitude mountains and isolated by geographical barriers. However, the study that focuses on the speciation process of cold-adapted species is scant. To fill this gap, we combined population genetic data and ecological niche models (ENMs) to explore divergence process of snow partridge (Lerwa lerwa). Lerwa lerwa is a cold-adapted bird that is distributed from 4,000 to 5,500 m. We found 2 genetic populations within L. lerwa, and they diverged from each other at about 0.40–0.44 million years ago (inter-glacial period after Zhongliangan glaciation). The ENMs suggested that L. lerwa expanded to the low elevations of the Himalayas and Hengduan mountains during glacial period, whereas it contracted to the high elevations, southern of Himalayas, and Hengduan mountains during inter-glacial periods. Effective population size trajectory also suggested that L. lerwa expanded its population size during the glacial period. Consistent with our expectation, the results support that inter-glacial isolation contributed to the divergence of cold-adapted L. lerwa on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. This study deepens our understanding of how climatic oscillations have driven divergence process of cold-adapted Phasianidae species distributed on mountains.     

Ecological geography of the range of theAbies mariesii forest in northeast Honshu,Japan, with special reference to the physiographic conditions

In the subalpine areas of the snowy regions of Japan (the Japan Sea side), there are some mountains with no or very small stands ofAbies mariesii, although this species dominates the subalpine coniferous forests of the region. In order to discuss the cause and process of this phenomenon, present horizontal and vertical ranges, as well as physiographic conditions, of theA. mariesii forest were examined in detail on the mountains in the Tohoku District. Sites in the subalpine zone were classified into two types: ‘azonal sites’ which should be excluded from the habitat ofA. mariesii because of their edaphic or small-scale climatic properties, and ‘zonal sites’. Mountains with vast less-inclined zonal sites generally had well developed stands ofA. mariesii forest. On the mountains with only small, solitary stands ofA. mariesii, the distribution was limited to flats or slightly inclined slopes at relatively low altitudes. These less-inclined zonal sites were regarded as an important habitat for theA. mariesii forest in the Hypsithermal period and the extent of these sites controls the extent of the stands in that period and the success of the subsequent range expansion of the forest.     

Description of the male of Potamocypris villosa (Jurine, 1820) (Crustacea,Ostracoda)

A bisexual population of Potamocypris villosa, found in Lago de Encina, a mesotrophic lake in the Cantabrian mountains, NW Spain, is the first certain record of the male of this species. Valves and soft parts are described. Males of Potamocypris-species lack a furca although a rudimentary furca is always present in females. The same applies to species of related genera, such as Tanganyikacypridopsis and Plesiocypridopsis. Some remarks on the position of the genus Potamocypris in the Cyprinopsinae are presented.