Butterflies (Lepidoptera,Diurna) in boreal forests of southeastern Russia: 1. Light coniferous forests

Species groups formed in light coniferous forests prevailing in southeastern Russia are considered using the example of butterflies. Problems concerning the formation of species composition and its originality in some insects groups are discussed. A classification analysis of species checklists for twelve local faunas of Transbaikalia and the southern Far East of Russia is performed. It is shown that the faunas of areas occupied by light coniferous forests have a common background.     

Springtail communities (Collembola) of Eastern European broad-leaf forests

The fauna and communities of Collembola in Eastern European broad-leaf forests are analyzed. A list of species and dominants, the local diversity and abundance, the range of life forms, and vertical distribution are described. Special attention is paid to the problems of dynamics and representativeness of ecological samplings. The population density of springtails is relatively low in broad-leaf forests; the local species richness is similar to that in coniferous forests and averages 25–30 species. In spite of some differences, the springtail populations of broad-leaf and coniferous forests can be assigned to the same type of community, namely that of Eastern European forests.     

The population of earthworms (Lumbricidae) in the main types of dark coniferous forests in Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve

The population of earthworms has been studied in the main types of old-growth dark coniferous forests of Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve (Komi Republic) that have not been subject to anthropogeniс impact for a long time. Ten species of earthworms have been identified. The greatest diversity (7 species), abundance, and biomass of earthworms has been revealed in the tall-grass fir–spruce forests. P. diplotetratheca had the greatest abundance. E. nordenskioldi nordenskioldi and E. atlavinyteae had the greatest biomass. The lowest species diversity (3 species), abundance, and biomass of earthworms have been found in the largefern, blueberry–green moss, and sphagnum–horsetail fir–spruce forests. The role of deadwood in maintaining the species diversity of Lumbricidae in dark coniferous forests has been demonstrated. The complexes of Lumbricidae have been considered in anthropogenically disturbed territories, where the following species with a habitat range to the south of the northern and middle taiga have been identified: L. rubellus, A. rosea, A. caliginosa caliginosa, and E. fetida.     

Asymmetric carabid beetle spillover between calcareous grasslands and coniferous forests

Central European calcareous grasslands are considered biodiversity hotspots, but are severely threatened by the change in land-use and by habitat fragmentation. Coniferous forests are typical adjacent habitats to calcareous grasslands, as abandoned calcareous grasslands are often afforested or develop into coniferous forests by succession. To investigate spillover between calcareous grasslands and coniferous forests, a total of 144 pitfall traps for carabid beetles were placed at three different distances (1, 5, 20 m) from the edge in both habitats at eight locations from April to late August. We found that both habitats had a distinct species assemblage and a decrease in spillover with increasing distance from the habitat edge into the adjacent habitat. Calcareous grasslands were more affected by spillover from the adjacent coniferous forests than vice versa because more forest specialists penetrated into calcareous grasslands than grassland specialists penetrated into coniferous forests. We conclude that spillover into small and isolated habitats can severely change species assemblages, which has to be considered in conservation measures. The protection of large sites with small edge-interior ratios can reduce negative effects on species assemblages in endangered calcareous grasslands.     

A review of gamasid mites (Parasitiformes,Mesostigmata) dwelling in the taiga of the Pechoro-Ilychskii Nature Reserve (northern Cis-Ural Region) with analysis of their assemblages in spruce forests

In the plain taiga of the Pechoro-Ilychskii Nature Reserve, 91 species of gamasid mites have been revealed. Cheiroseius (7 species), Veigaia (6), Arctoseius (5), Dendrolaelaps (5), and Dinychus (4) are the most diverse genera. European (29%), Palaearctic (27%), and Holarctic species (30%) are represented in the fauna by somewhat equal fractions, whereas cosmopolitan and semicosmopolitan species constitute about 14%. Comparison of gamasid assemblages populating certain habitats allowed revealing two distinct groupings, namely, forest and floodplain ones. Forest assemblages are characterized by high population density (220–760 ind./dm²) and by predominance of Parazercon radiatus, Zercon forsslundi, Veigaia nemorensis, Gamasellus montanus, and Trachytes spp. Floodplain assemblages are less abundant (80–130 ind./dm²) and comprise mainly meadow and hydrophilic species (A. cetratus, Cheiroseius spp. Gaeolaelaps spp., and Gamasellodes bicolor). Low diversity of the family Parasitidae (4 species) and structural peculiarities of assemblages dwelling in coniferous forests (namely, the absence of Pergamasinae and significant fractions of Veigaia, Gamesellus, Trachytes, and also of representatives of the family Zerconidae) demonstrate similarities between the mesostigmatan population of this northern European region and that of the Siberian taiga. Solitary records of such Arctic species as Arctoseius ornatus and Zerconopsis labradorensis, and of the hypoarcto-montane species Iphidinychus gaieri within the taiga belt, seem to reflect the instability of range margin. Taking into account the literary data, we recognize a complex of boreal and borealmountain species (Trachytes edleri, Dinychus septentrionalis. D. crassus, Caurozercon duplex, Neozercon smirnovi, Zercon forsslundi, and Z. zelawaiensis) in the Palaearctic fauna. Their habitats, however, are not restricted only to dark coniferous forest along. The structure of gamasid mite assemblages in mesophytic spruce forests of the Palaearctic varies strongly. By contrast to vascular plants, where many species accompany the dark coniferous taiga everywhere, there is not a single mesostigmatic mite species common to all the spruce forests analyzed, ranging from Romania in the west to Sakhalin Island in the east. On the whole, changes in gamasid mite assemblages across the spruce forest belt seem to follow a succession of meridional changes in gamasid faunas regardless of an edificatory spruce species.     

Structure of Collembolan populations (Hexapoda, Collembola) in low-mountain coniferous forests of Southern Siberia

A total of 108 species of Collembola have been found in seven types of low-mountain coniferous forests in Southern Siberia, 16 species being probably new to science. The springtail populations of subnemoral smallleaved-dark coniferous forests (the so-called “chern” or tall-grass fir-aspen forests) are considered. Such forests are present only in the Altai-Sayan mountain system and have been studied in the Salair Range, Kuznetskii Alatau, and Northeast Altai. Data on piedmont pine forests (the Nazarovskaya Hollow) are used for comparison. The springtail community in the chern forests of Kuznetskii Alatau is the most specific (61 species) and characterized by the presence of conventional endemics and the prevalence of Siberian mountain-taiga species. The range types and latitudezonal groups of species are characterized.     

辽东山地古石河冰缘地貌森林生态系统苔藓物种多样性研究

基于9个20 m×30 m森林群落样地的调查数据,采用物种丰富度、α和β多样性指数,对辽东山地古石河冰缘地貌不同林型石生、树生苔藓植物物种多样性进行定量研究,采用皮尔逊相关分析方法对其影响因素进行分析。结果显示,古石河冰缘地貌苔藓植物共有26科46属59种;不同林型石生、树生苔藓植物物种丰富度和α多样性指数均为:暗针叶林针阔混交林落叶阔叶林;石生苔藓植物β多样性指数最高为落叶阔叶林-针阔混交林间(0.44),最低为落叶阔叶林-暗针叶林间(0.33);树生苔藓植物β多样性指数最高为针阔混交林-暗针叶林间(0.40),最低为落叶阔叶林-暗针叶林间(0.25);分析表明,林冠层郁闭度、海拔高度是影响辽东山地古石河冰缘地貌森林生态系统苔藓物种多样性的重要因子。     

Spatial Organization of the Bird Population in the Middle Taiga of the Western Siberian Plain

Based on long-term route surveys, the bird population is studied in the least ornithologically investigated subzone of western Siberia, in the middle taiga all along its length from the Trans-Ural region to the Yenisei valley and in all types of landscapes. It is established that the species richness of the birds and the population density increase under replacement of dark coniferous species with small-leaved species, the impact of the floodplain regime and eutrophic swamping, and an increase in mosaicism and productivity of biocoenoses. It is noted that a decrease in the number of species and individuals in bird communities is associated with the replacement of dark coniferous small-leaved forests by pine forests or wooded mesotrophic and eutrophic bogs and then upland bogs. It is shown that the frequent trends of impoverishment of bird communities are determined by industrial and residential transformation of landscapes and the transition from land habitats to water ones.     

Mountain coniferous forests, refugia and butterflies

The boreal coniferous forests form the most extended vegetation zone of the Northern Hemisphere. As opposed to North America, they are disconnected from the mountain coniferous forests in Europe, because of the dominant east-west direction of the mountain chains. Consequently, the mountain forests show some unique characteristic features of glacial survival and postglacial history, as well. The mountain coniferous forests have numerous common floral and faunal elements with the boreal zone. However, the few unique faunal elements of the European mountain coniferous forests can be used to unravel the peculiar patterns and processes of this biome. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Thomas Schmitt and Karola Haubrich (2008) use the relatively common and taxonomically well-studied butterfly, the large ringlet (Erebia euryale) to identify the last glacial refugia and postglacial expansion routes.     

长白山北坡阔叶红松林和暗针叶林的土壤水分物理性质

对长白山北坡阔叶红松林和暗针叶林的土壤水分物理性质进行了观测和对比分析.结果表明:两种森林类型的土壤容重和各种孔隙度随土壤深度的变化趋势相同,即随着土壤深度的增加,容重和毛管孔隙度逐渐增加,总孔隙度和非毛管孔隙度逐渐降低;两种森林类型土壤物理性质的差异比较明显,阔叶红松林0～100 cm土层的平均土壤容重、总孔隙度、毛管孔隙度和非毛管孔隙度分别为1.41 g·cm^-3、52.31%、46.11%和6.20%,暗针叶林地土壤分别为0.98 g·cm^-3、50.65%、40.32%和10.33%;阔叶红松林和暗针叶林地土壤100 cm土层贮水能力相差较大,分别为619.89和1 033.05 t·hm^-2.两种森林类型的土壤水分特征曲线与一般土壤水分特征曲线相一致.     

Coniogramme intermedia Hieron. (Hemionitidaceae Pichi Sermolli) in the northern Sikhote-Alin

The distributional pattern of Coniogramme intermedia within the Russian Far East has been characterized. The characteristics of location, species diversity and structure of plant groupings in the inhabited places are given. Some measures are proposed to preserve endangered communities of coniferous and broad-leaved forests with the participation of Coniogramme intermedia.     

Fires and pyrogenic successions in the forests of the south Baikal region

The southern coast of Baikal is characterized by the most humid climate in the Baikal region. Precipitation falls mainly on summer, thus reducing the actual of fire occurrence in mountain forests of the region. However, since 1989 the fire occurrence has been increased and disastrous crown fires have become more frequent, especially in the west. It is shown that fire occurrence is a function of the number, duration of rainless periods and monthly sums of rain precipitation, which have large amplitude of changes from year to year. Progressive pyrogenic successions in dark coniferous forests take place mostly without usual replacement by small-leaved tree species at the expense of successful regeneration of Pinus sibirica (in the western Khamar-Daban mountains) and Abies sibirica (in the central part) on the burnt areas during 15–25 years.     

Reconstruction of forest ecosystem Holocene dynamics in the left bank of Kas River (Krasnoyarsk Region)

A reconstruction of forest-cover dynamics in the northern part of the Kas River basin has been done for the first time. This study based on a palynological analysis of the peat profile. Six pollen zones and respective phases of forest evolution are distinguished. It is inferred that changes in the forest species composition over the last 8000 years were determined by variations in the global and regional climate. The warm and humid climate of the Atlantic period promoted the development of dark coniferous birch-spruce-fir forests. Cooling and smaller precipitation in the Subboreal period led to a change in dominant species to Scotch pine and birch-Siberian pine forests with an admixture of spruce and fir. In the Subatlantic period, closed coniferous forests eventually evolved, with Siberian pine-pine remaining dominant.     

Resurvey studies of terricolous bryophytes and lichens indicate a widespread nutrient enrichment in German forests

Questions

Vegetation resurveys, both single studies and meta-analyses, have predominantly been based on vascular plant data while bryophytes and lichens have largely been neglected. Our study aims to fill this gap and addresses the following research questions: has the overall species richness of terricolous bryophytes and lichens in forests changed over time? Which are the winners and losers among single species and ecological species groups? Do the results give a signal of the impact of nutrient enrichment, of changes in the light regime and of climate change?

Location

Deciduous and coniferous forests in Germany.

Methods

We compiled 35 single resurvey data sets, including 1096 plots in total (each sampled twice). The time interval between initial surveys and resurveys ranged from 10 to 65 years. The differences between old and new plots were analysed with respect to the frequency of single species, total species richness, and the absolute and relative numbers of taxa in the species groups. Trend scores of species were related to ecological indicator values to identify the main environmental drivers behind the observed changes.

Results

Total species richness did not systematically change, while pleurocarpous mosses had increased at the expense of acrocarpous mosses and, in coniferous forests, of lichens. Weak changes were generally observed in deciduous forests on base-rich soils. In coniferous forests and in deciduous forests on acid soils, species with high nitrogen demand and high shade tolerance had increased, whereas those being typical for more infertile and open forest sites had decreased. There were trends towards a larger share of taxa with a more oceanic distribution.

Conclusions

The changes in the vegetation of terricolous bryophytes and lichens in the studied forests indicate nutrient enrichment and increasingly shady conditions in forests on acid soils, likely caused by nitrogen deposition and shrub layer closure.     

Site factors controlling epiphytic lichen abundance in northern coniferous forests

Epiphytic lichens are an important part of the vegetation of northern coniferous forests of Eurasia and North America. Much progress has been made during recent decades at disentangling relevant site factors, which control the diversity and distribution of epiphytic lichens in boreal and oroboreal forests. The present paper aims at summarizing the present state of knowledge. Relevant site factors include the microclimate, nutrient supply, structural diversity and, if applicable, air pollution. The continuity of site conditions decides over the presence of species with dispersal limitations. The effects of fire on epiphytic lichens are largely unstudied, although fire is an important ecological factor in boreal forests.     

Crustose lichens as indicators of forest continuity in boreal coniferous forests

The crustose lichen flora of fifteen areas in boreal coniferous forests from southern Sweden to Lapland was surveyed. Many of these areas are included in a national programme for monitoring long-term environmental change, the PMK programme. In all 190 species were recorded, 129 of them occurring on bark of conifers and lignum. Some species were found exclusively in forests with a long continuity. By using ordination and hierarchical classifications further species with similar habitat requirements were identified. An Indicator Species Index of Forest Continuity (ISIFC) was designed. Only two of the twenty index species occur on deciduous trees. The ISIFC was highly correlated with forest continuity and also with occurrence of species listed as threatened. Correlations with macroclimatic variables are considered sampling artifacts, and microclimatic factors are suggested to be of primary importance for species occurring in forests with a long continuity.     

Ground-dwelling spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) in fragmented old forests and surrounding managed forests in southern Finland

We studied the structure of spider assemblages in fragments of old coniferous forest in the southern Finnish taiga We sampled spiders with pitfall traps in the interiors and in the edges of the old-forest patches and in the surrounding managed forests We surveyed assemblages of ground-dwelling spiders and the relation of species to formerly mentioned three forest-habitat categories We analysed spider assemblages in relation to vegetation structure as well As in forest spiders there are no habitat specialists, no strict old-forest species were found However, the spider assemblages of old forests were different from those in the surrounding managed forests The difference was attributable to habitat differences, mainly to reduced tree-canopy cover in managed forests Large hunting-spider species (Gnaphosidae, Lycosidae) benefitted from clearcutting and other management measures, whereas the catches of small forest-living species (Linyphiidae) decreased in plantations and open forests The hunters colonized the edges of old-forest fragments, and were seldom found in the interior of old forest Size of old-forest fragment did not affect significantly the spider assemblage The results indicate that a buffer zone of mature forest with closed canopy should be left to surround the old-growth reserves in order to minimize the edge effect in the fragments     

High plant species richness indicates management-related disturbances rather than the conservation status of forests

There is a wealth of smaller-scale studies on the effects of forest management on plant diversity. However, studies comparing plant species diversity in forests with different management types and intensity, extending over different regions and forest stages, and including detailed information on site conditions are missing. We studied vascular plants on 1500 20 m × 20 m forest plots in three regions of Germany (Schwäbische Alb, Hainich-Dün, Schorfheide-Chorin). In all regions, our study plots comprised different management types (unmanaged, selection cutting, deciduous and coniferous age-class forests, which resulted from clear cutting or shelterwood logging), various stand ages, site conditions, and levels of management-related disturbances. We analyzed how overall richness and richness of different plant functional groups (trees, shrubs, herbs, herbaceous species typically growing in forests and herbaceous light-demanding species) responded to the different management types. On average, plant species richness was 13% higher in age-class than in unmanaged forests, and did not differ between deciduous age-class and selection forests. In age-class forests of the Schwäbische Alb and Hainich-Dün, coniferous stands had higher species richness than deciduous stands. Among age-class forests, older stands with large quantities of standing biomass were slightly poorer in shrub and light-demanding herb species than younger stands. Among deciduous forests, the richness of herbaceous forest species was generally lower in unmanaged than in managed forests, and it was even 20% lower in unmanaged than in selection forests in Hainich-Dün. Overall, these findings show that disturbances by management generally increase plant species richness. This suggests that total plant species richness is not suited as an indicator for the conservation status of forests, but rather indicates disturbances.     

川西亚高山暗针叶林恢复过程中不同恢复阶段的定量分析

以空间代替时间的方法,运用种间联结测定、主成分分析和最优分割法对川西亚高山箭竹-暗针叶林和藓类-暗针叶林经采伐后自然恢复形成的不同恢复系列(20、30、40和50年),以及未被采伐而保留下来的160~200年生暗针叶老龄林进行恢复阶段的定量分析.结果表明:藓类和箭竹暗针叶次生林向暗针叶老龄林恢复过程中,红桦、卧龙柳、五角槭、疏花槭、康定野樱桃、挂苦绣球、椴树和川滇柳归并为衰退种组;湖北花楸、陕甘花楸和微毛野樱桃归并为过渡种组;岷江冷杉、紫果云杉、铁杉和青扦归并为进展种组.20~40年生的次生林进入以红桦为主的阔叶林阶段,其森林类型分别为藓类-红桦林和箭竹-红桦林;恢复到50年,则开始进入红桦和岷江冷杉组成的针阔混交林阶段,其森林类型分别为藓类-红桦-岷江冷杉林和箭竹-红桦-岷江冷杉林;未被采伐而保留下来的160~200年生暗针叶林是以岷江冷杉为主的暗针叶老龄林阶段,其森林类型分别为藓类-岷江冷杉林和箭竹-岷江冷杉林.     

川西亚高山暗针叶林恢复过程中岷江冷杉天然更新状况及其影响因子

在川西亚高山米亚罗林区海拔3 100~3 600 m阴坡、半阴坡, 以立地条件基本一致的箭竹和藓类林型不同恢复阶段(20~40 a生的箭竹阔叶林、50 a生的箭竹针阔混交林、160~200 a生的箭竹原始暗针叶老龄林; 20~40 a生的藓类阔叶林、50 a生的藓类针阔混交林、160~200 a生的藓类原始暗针叶老龄林)的群落为研究对象, 共设置了50个样方(20 m×20 m), 采用空间代时间的方法分析了岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)的天然更新状况, 并采用通径分析法对其影响因子进行分析。结果表明: 箭竹和藓类两种森林类型岷江冷杉幼苗、幼树和小树的密度偏低。对于箭竹林型不同恢复阶段, 岷江冷杉幼苗密度＜幼树密度＜小树密度; 对于藓类林型不同恢复阶段, 藓类阔叶林幼树密度大于幼苗和小树密度, 藓类针阔混交林小树密度大于幼苗和幼树密度, 而藓类原始暗针叶老龄林幼苗密度大于幼树和小树密度。藓类林型岷江冷杉天然更新状况好于箭竹林型。对箭竹林型而言, 影响岷江冷杉天然更新的关键因子为母树密度、倒木蓄积量、箭竹盖度和苔藓层厚度, 其中母树密度和倒木蓄积量对岷江冷杉天然更新起着促进作用, 箭竹盖度和苔藓层厚度对岷江冷杉天然更新起着阻碍作用; 对于藓类林型而言, 影响岷江冷杉天然更新的关键因子为灌木盖度和苔藓层厚度。灌木和苔藓有利于幼苗的发生, 但不利于幼苗向幼树、小树的过渡。