How many freshwater diatoms are pH specialists? A response to Pither & Aarssen (2005)

Pither & Aarssen (2005) propose a null model approach to assess the proportion of niche specialist taxa along ecological gradients. They apply this methodology to a large data set of lacustrine diatom assemblages and conclude that a majority of the taxa are generalists on a pH gradient. This conflicts with previous work, which shows that many diatom taxa have a statistically significant relationship with pH. We demonstrate the methods used by Pither & Aarssen (2005) have a high Type II error for rare taxa, and that this problem is compounded by the non-uniform sampling of the pH gradient which effectively precludes acid-lake specialist diatoms from being recognized as such. We re-analyse the data used by Pither & Aarssen (2005) and show that most of the diatoms have a statistically significant relationship with pH, and we thus refute their conclusions that few diatom species are specialists.     

长苞铁杉群落优势种群高度生态位研究

基于天宝岩国家级自然保护区内长苞铁杉群落的调查数据 ,以不同高度作为一维资源位状态 ,以个体多度为生态位计测的资源状态指标 ,对群落中的 1 2个优势树种进行了生态位的计测和分析。结果表明 ,长苞铁杉具有较大的生态位宽度值 ,具有一定的稳定性 ;各优势树种 ,均表现出一定程度的对环境适应的相似性和生态位重叠。长苞铁杉与阳性树种柳杉、耐荫树种中偏阳性树种木荷之间的生态位相似性和生态位重叠值比与耐荫性树种深山含笑、细叶青冈之间的都要大。这些分析结果为珍稀濒危植物长苞铁杉的保护提供了科学依据     

格氏栲群落生态学研究——格氏栲林主要种群生态位的研究

采用定量分析方法,对格氏栲(Castanopsis kawakamii Hayata)自然保护区格氏栲林群落中11个主要种群进行了生态位研究.以群落组成类型:①格氏栲+马尾松+木荷+黄瑞木(Castanopsis kawakamii+Pinus massoniana+Schima superba+Adinandra millettii);②格氏栲+虎皮楠+木荷(Castanopsis kawakamii+Daphniphyllum oldhamii+Schima superba);③马尾松+木荷+格氏栲+石栎(Pinus massoniana+Schima superba+Castanopsis kawakamii+Lithocarpus glaber);④格氏栲+木荷+青冈(Castanopsis kawakamii+Schima superba+Cyclobalanopsis glauca);⑤格氏栲+马尾松+木荷(Castanopsis kawakamii+Pinus massoniana+Schima superba);⑥甜槠+格氏栲+木荷+米槠+乌饭(Castanopsis eyrei+Castanopsis kawakamii+Schima superba+Castanopsis carlesii+Vaccinium bracteatum),及海拔梯度(180～340m)综合为一维资源位,调查6个资源位,定量测定格氏栲林群落主要种群生态位宽度、生态位相似比例、生态位重叠,并分析各种群生态位的生态学意义.研究结果为进一步研究格氏栲林群落稳定性、演替、空间分布格局提供理论基础.     

秦岭冷杉群落主要种群生态位研究

基于对秦岭山区濒危植物秦岭冷杉(Abies chensiensis)分布群落的样地调查,采用定量分析的方法,研究了秦岭冷杉群落中主要种群的生态位宽度、生态位相似性比例和生态位重叠,结果表明：（1）分别用Levins和Shannon-weiner两指数测得的主要种群的生态位宽度结果基本一致,即乔木、灌木和草本层中生态位宽度最大的依次为秦岭冷杉、箭竹（Sinarundinaria nitida）和苔草（Carex lanceolata）,秦岭冷杉与生态位宽度值大的种群易形成混交林;（2）生态位宽度较高的两个种群,种对相似性比例一般较高;（3）秦岭冷杉群落中各主要种群之间的生态位重叠程度较低,表明种群对群落环境资源的分享比较充分,群落处于相对稳定状态。     

陕北典型退耕还林区林下草本物种生态位研究

基于样方法进行不同资源位的群落调查,并用群落物种多样性、生态位宽度、生态位重叠和生态位相似性比例分析了安塞县典型退耕区16种不同退耕模式及年限群落林下草本物种生态位特征。结果表明:乔木林下草本群落物种多样性高于灌木林。生态位宽度以达乌里胡枝子和阿尔泰狗娃花最大,它们的Shannon-Wiener(Bs-w,i)和Levins(Bl,i)指数分别为0.89、0.83和0.64、0.58。生态位宽度较大的种间生态位重叠程度大,如阿尔泰狗娃花、铁杆蒿、长芒草等。生态位宽度与生态位相似比例值并不一致。生态位相似性比例小于0.5的种对有174对,约占种群总对数的91.6%,说明种群对环境需求有较大的差异,各种群能较好地共生于群落中。     

内蒙古草原布氏田鼠与绵羊的营养生态位研究

放牧活动对小型啮齿动物种群数量的影响是草原生态系统研究中的热点问题,确定绵羊和小型啮齿动物的营养生态位关系对于草原生态系统的管理具有重要的作用。运用粪便显微分析法分析了内蒙古草原动物生态研究站大型野外围栏内布氏田鼠和绵羊在6—9月份的食谱组成,确定两种草食动物食性选择和营养生态位的变化,从食物利用途径揭示放牧活动对布氏田鼠种群数量的影响方式及二者之间的竞争与共存关系。研究结果表明：围栏中共有23种植物,其中糙隐子草、克氏针茅、羊草和刺藜是围栏中的优势植物;布氏田鼠共取食10种植物,绵羊共取食8种植物,禾本植物为两种动物的主要采食植物。布氏田鼠和绵羊的喜食植物种类都存在季节性变化;除7月外,两种动物的食物多样性与围栏植物多样性有显著的正相关关系,表明动物的食性选择受植物资源变化的影响。布氏田鼠和绵羊具有很高的营养生态位重叠度,除8月(0.691)外,6、7、9月份的营养生态位重叠度均高于0.9,表明二者之间存在激烈的食物竞争;放牧活动极显著地降低了禾本科植物的地上生物量,导致布氏田鼠的食物数量减少;放牧处理下布氏田鼠的喜食植物的物种数和营养生态位宽度(除9月)增加,导致布氏田鼠的食物质量...     

Ant association facilitates the evolution of diet breadth in a lycaenid butterfly

The role of mutualistic interactions in adaptive diversification has not been thoroughly examined. Lycaenid butterflies provide excellent systems for exploring mutualistic interactions, as more than half of this family is known to use ants as a resource in interactions that range from parasitism to mutualism. We investigate the hypothesis that protection from predators offered to caterpillars by ants might facilitate host-range evolution. Specifically, experiments with the butterfly Lycaeides melissa investigated the role of ant association in the use of a novel host, alfalfa, Medicago sativa, which is a sub-optimal host for larval development. Survival on alfalfa is increased by the presence of ants, thus supporting the hypothesis that interaction with ants might be important for host-range evolution. Using a demographic model to explore ecological conditions associated with host-range expansion in L. melissa, we conclude that the presence of ants might be an essential component for populations persisting on the novel, sub-optimal host.     

雅鲁藏布江中游地区土壤淡色丝孢菌群落多样性及物种生态位研究

从雅鲁藏布江中游地区采集土壤样品35份,主要涵盖农田、城市花园、高山草甸、湿地和防护林带五种生态类型,从中分离获得土壤淡色丝孢菌12属。利用种群优势度、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、均匀度、生态位宽度、群落相似性等指标对该地区不同生境的土壤淡色丝孢菌物种(属级)的生态多样性及物种生态位进行了分析。结果表明,土壤淡色丝孢菌的数量和类群分布在该地区不同生态类型土壤中差异明显。农田生境中土壤淡色丝孢菌物种多样性指数最高,均匀度较高;防护林带生境中土壤淡色丝孢菌物种多样性指数最低,均匀度也最低。对不同生态类型土壤中淡色丝孢菌的相似性分析发现,农田和防护林带生境的相似性系数最大,说明这两种生境具有较多的共同物种;湿地和城市花园生境的相似性系数最小。物种生态位结果分析表明,在上述五种生境中,拟青霉属Paecilomyces、刺座霉属Volutella、曲霉属Aspergillus和青霉属Penicillium具有较宽的生态位宽度,属于广适性物种;而白僵菌属Beauveria和绿僵菌属Metarhizium生态位很窄,只存在于某个生境中,属于狭适性物种。     

漓江河岸带枫杨群落主要木本植物种群生态位

为了解漓江河岸带枫杨群落主要木本植物种群的生态位特征,在对其进行群落调查的基础上,利用Levins和Shannon生态位宽度、Schoener生态位相似性和Pianka生态位重叠指数对漓江河岸带枫杨群落乔木层、灌木层主要种群生态位进行定量分析.结果表明: 乔木层的枫杨、灌木层的石榕树和桑的生态位宽度较大;重要值较大的物种,其生态位宽度一般较大,但两者排名顺序并不完全一致.乔木层主要种群生态位相似性普遍小于灌木层,平均值分别为0.151和0.236,主要种群间的生态位相似性较小,各种群对资源利用的相似程度不高;乔木层主要种群生态位重叠普遍小于灌木层,它们的平均值分别为0.217和0.273,主要种群间的生态位重叠程度较低;生态位宽度与生态位相似性之间无显著相关关系,生态位宽度大的物种与其他物种发生重叠的概率更大,但生态位重叠值不一定大,生态位相似性大的物种,其生态位重叠值一般较大.漓江河岸带枫杨群落属于地带性顶极群落,种间关系相对稳定,种群更新缓慢,在发展中有衰退趋势.     

柴达木盆地中西部土壤中暗色丝孢菌群落多样性分析

从柴达木盆地中西部采集土样59份,涵盖的生态类型有:沙漠、戈壁、湿地、小镇-绿洲等。分离获得暗色丝孢菌108株,经鉴定分属于15属。利用种群优势度、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、物种均匀度、生态位宽度四项指数,对柴达木盆地中西部不同生境土壤中的有关暗色丝孢菌物种(属级)进行物种多样性分析。结果表明,该地区土壤中暗色丝孢菌的物种优势度存在明显差异:沙漠生境中,链格孢属Alternaria和细基格孢属Ulocladium真菌优势度较高;戈壁生境中,单格孢属Monodictys真菌的优势度最高;湿地和小镇-绿洲生境中,则分别以瓶霉属Phialophora和枝孢属Cladosporium真菌占优势。在小镇-绿洲生境中,土壤暗色丝孢菌的Shannon-Wiener多样性指数最高,均匀度较低;而在沙漠和戈壁生境中多样性指数明显较低,而物种的均匀度较高。在上述四类生境中,链格孢属Alternaria和细基格孢属Ulocladium真菌具有较宽的生态位,为广适性物种;而平脐蠕孢属Bipolaris、卷旋孢属Cirrenaria、弯孢属Curvularia、矛束霉属Doratomyces、粘束孢属Graphium、漆斑霉属Myrothecium、齿梗孢属Scolecobasidium、帚霉属Scopulariopsis、节隔孢属Scytalidium和葡萄穂霉属Stachybotrys10个属真菌的生态位较窄,为狭适性物种。     

珠海市陆生天然次生林优势种的生态位

在珠海市10个陆生次生林群落中设置了112个10m×10m样方,用于珠海市次生林群落23个优势种的生态位宽度和生态位重叠的研究。结果表明:珠海次生林群落23个优势种的Shannon-Wiener生态位宽度和Levins生态位变度值范围为0.4049～0.7736和0.0551～0.3086,生态位宽度较大的种类分别是山油柑(Acronychia pedunculata)、大头茶(Gordonia axillaris)、银柴(Aporosa dioica)、小盘木(Microdesmis casearifolia)、白颜树(Giron-niera subaequalis)和假苹婆(Sterculia lanceolata);生态位相似性比例值为0～0.3810,银柴与阴香(Cinnamomum burmanii)的生态位相似性比例值最高;山油柑与另外22个优势种均存在不同程度的生态位重叠;大头茶只与少数优势种存在生态位重叠;另有20.6%的种对之间不存在生态位重叠。建议使用山油柑、大头茶、白颜树和黄桐(Endospermum chinense)等生态位宽度较高、分布广泛、适应力强的树种,进行森林恢复与人工林改造。     

浙江乐清湾浮游动物空间生态位

基于2016年5月至2017年2月在乐清湾进行的4个航次浮游动物调查数据,计算乐清湾浮游动物优势种的优势度指数(S)、平均拥挤度(X*)、生态位宽度(Bi)及生态位重叠值(Qik).结果表明:乐清湾海域浮游动物优势种(S＞0.02)共17种,生态位宽度值差异较大,优势度指数与生态位宽度值呈极显著正相关.浮游动物的生态位...     

Field-based insights to the evolution of specialization: plasticity and fitness across habitats in a specialist/generalist species pair

Factors promoting the evolution of specialists versus generalists have been little studied in ecological context. In a large-scale comparative field experiment, we studied genotypes from naturally evolved populations of a closely related generalist/specialist species pair (Polygonum persicaria and P. hydropiper), reciprocally transplanting replicates of multiple lines into open and partially shaded sites where the species naturally co-occur. We measured relative fitness, individual plasticity, herbivory, and genetic variance expressed in the contrasting light habitats at both low and high densities. Fitness data confirmed that the putative specialist out-performed the generalist in only one environment, the favorable full sun/low-density environment to which it is largely restricted in nature, while the generalist had higher lifetime reproduction in both canopy and dense neighbor shade. The generalist, P. persicaria, also expressed greater adaptive plasticity for biomass allocation and leaf size in shaded conditions than the specialist. We found no evidence that the ecological specialization of P. hydropiper reflects either genetically based fitness trade-offs or maintenance costs of plasticity, two types of genetic constraint often invoked to prevent the evolution of broadly adaptive genotypes. However, the patterns of fitness variance and herbivore damage revealed how release from herbivory in a new range can cause an introduced species to evolve as a specialist in that range, a surprising finding with important implications for invasion biology. Patterns of fitness variance between and within sites are also consistent with a possible role for the process of mutation accumulation (in this case, mutations affecting shade-expressed phenotypes) in the evolution and/or maintenance of specialization in P. hydropiper.