New distribution limits of seagrass beds in West Africa

The southern limit of the distribution of seagrass species along the west coast of Africa is not yet clearly defined. In March 2008 an expedition was organized in Senegal to search for seagrass beds from Dakar (14°45'15" N, 17°30'31" W) southwards to Tabakouta–Delta du Saloum (13°46'59" N, 16°28'42" W). Cymodocea nodosa and Halodule wrightii were observed in sandy areas of some protected bays of Dakar, around Sarène (14°16'18" N, 16°54'17" W), Joal Fadiouth (14°09'08" N, 16°50'03" W) and the Bamboung–Sourou area (13°50'08" N, 16°33'09" W), and they probably occur all along the coast of Senegal and beyond, perhaps much further south as well.     

利安德水鼩在中国地理分布范围的讨论与修订

利安德水鼩很长时间被认为是喜马拉雅水鼩的亚种，但近年来的研究发现利安德水鼩是进化关系上与日本水鼩更加接近的独立物种。而喜马拉雅水鼩一直被认为是分布区横跨古北界和东洋界广域分布的物种，但基于Cyt b基因序列测定和系统进化关系的构建，我们确定最近在四川、浙江和湖南等地采集的水鼩标本均为利安德水鼩。基于基因序列和对馆藏标本的比对，我们修订喜马拉雅水鼩和利安德水鼩在中国的分布。四川、湖北、湖南、陕西、贵州、广西、福建、台湾、浙江等地区都是利安德水鼩的分布区，而喜马拉雅水鼩在中国确定的分布区仅在云南。这一分布格局很可能是由于在地形地貌的影响下产生隔离分化的结果。     

The effect of climatic gradients, topographic variation and species traits on the beta diversity of rain forest trees

Aim  We assessed the rates of turnover of tree species with distance (beta diversity) in wet forests of the Western Ghats (WG) complex of India to see whether climate, topographic variation or species traits influence beta diversity.
Location  The Western Ghats is a chain of mountains about 1600 km in length, running parallel to the western coast of the Indian Peninsula from above 8° N to almost 21° N latitude.
Methods  We used data from 60 small plot inventories concentrated in three regions: the southernmost part of the Western Ghats (SWG) (8°24' to 9°37' N), the Nilgiri Hills (11°12' to 11°14' N), and the central Western Ghats (CWG) (12°32' to 14°51' N). We used Sorensen's index (SI) to estimate the similarity in species composition between two plots and regressed SI against the logarithm of the distance between plots to assess beta diversity. A bootstrapping procedure provided confidence intervals for regression coefficients. To test for the effects of climate, we regressed seasonality differences between plots against SI for low-elevation (< 800 m) plots along the north–south axis, and all plots in the SWG. We assessed the impact of the rainfall gradient in the Kogar region.
Results  Among all three regions, beta diversity was highest along the latitudinal axis, and along the rainfall gradient in the Kogar region. Differences in seasonality between sites were strongly related to beta diversity along the north–south seasonality gradient and within the SWG. Within the three regions, beta diversity was highest in the region with the strongest rainfall gradient and lowest for the topographically heterogeneous SWG. Beta diversity did not differ between forest strata and dispersal modes.
Main conclusions  We conclude that climate, particularly seasonality, is probably the primary driver of beta diversity among rain forest trees of the Western Ghats complex.     

安徽省兽类一属和种新纪录——侯氏猬

Two specimens of Mesechinus hughi were collected from Pingshan, Yi County, Huangshan (29°56'23"N, 117°58'48"E) and Xikou, Xuanzhou, Xuancheng (30°34'42"N, 118°41'47"E) in Anhui Province, in July and September 2018, respectively. Ears of the two specimens are similar, in length, to the surrounding spines. The two specimens have few wholly white spines, and most spines (>95%) have four sections; white constituting the basal two-thirds, followed by a black ring, narrow light ring, and black tip. These characters are similar to those of the specimens from the type locality (Baoji, Shaanxi Province). The P-distance of Cyt b between the population in Anhui and that of Shaanxi is from 4.9% to 5.3%, and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses support the two populations as monophyletic (BS = 95%). This was the first recorded distribution of Mesechinus in Anhui Province and Mesechinus hughi south of the Changjiang River.     

Distribution of the endosymbiotic bacterium Cardinium in Chinese populations of the carmine spider mite Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Abstract:  ' Candidatus Cardinium hertigii ( Cardinium )' from the Bacteroidetes group is a symbiont that has recently received attention as a reproductive manipulator of its arthropod hosts. Though the spatial distribution of symbionts depends heavily on that of their hosts, evidence has shown that dispersal limitations also have effect on some micro-organisms. In order to estimate the distribution of Cardinium in Chinese populations of the carmine spider mite, twenty seven geographical populations of Tetranychus cinnabarinus were collected and screened, using Cardinium -specific primers for the 16S ribosomal DNA. Six geographical populations collected between 30° and 36°N tested positive for the presence of Cardinium , whereas it could not be detected in populations collected between 19°–29°N and 37°–46°N, suggesting that the symbiont is not evenly distributed, comparing with a wider distribution of Wolbachia previously reported in the same populations. In addition, the infection rates of Cardinium seem to increase from the south to the north of China. All the six Cardinium -infected populations were found to be doubly infected with Wolbachia . Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rDNA gene sequence of Cardinium shows a close relationship between Cardinium in Chinese carmine spider mite and symbionts found in other species in the Tetranychidae.     

山西历山种子植物区系研究

历山位于中条山山脉的东段,有种子植物966种,隶属于490属123科。种子植物属种区系成分复杂多样,以温带成分占优势(温带属290属,占总属数的66.36%;温带种504种,占总种数的53.22%)。对科属种区系成分和植被建群种和优势种组成的分析表明,历山具有典型的暖温带落叶阔叶林的特征。应用PCA排序和多样性指数对历山及部分山地植物属的区系地理成分进行了比较研究,结果表明,历山的植物区系成份与太白山、太岳山和泰山较为相似,而与关帝山、芦芽山和长白山有明显差异。     

Elevation of the heat resistance of Salmonella typhimurium by sublethal heat shock

The survival of Salmonella typhimurium after a standard heat challenge at 55°C for 25 min increased by several orders of magnitude when cells grown at 37°C were pre-incubated at 42°, 45° or 48°C before heating at the higher temperature. Heat resistance increased rapidly after the temperature shift, reaching near maximum levels within 30 min. Elevated heat resistance persisted for at least 10 h. Preincubation of cells at 48°C for 30 min increased their resistance to subsequent heating at 50°, 52°, 55°, 57° or 59°C. Survival curves of resistant cells were curvilinear. Estimated times for a '7D' inactivation increased by 2.6- to 20-fold compared with cells not pre-incubated before heat challenge.     

ARRIVAL DATES OF THE GARDEN WARBLER SYLVIA BORIN IN CENTRAL NIGERIA

These observations were made at Vom (9° 50' N., 8° 50' E.), which lies on the central plateau of Nigeria at an altitude of about 4,000 feet, in the Guinea Savannah vegetational zone. The small residential area of Vom is round the periphery of the cone of an extinct volcano. The gardens have varying numbers of tall trees (mainly eucalyptus species) and ornamental shrubs. In the immediate vicinity is open grassland, with small forestry reserves and deep water-courses filled with varying amounts of dense bushy vegetation.     

Ecohydrology of a seasonal wetland in the Rift Valley: ecological characterization of Lake Solai

The following research describes through an ecohydrological approach, the first assessment of the ecology of Lake Solai, with a particular emphasis on the vegetation. Lake Solai is located 50 km north of Nakuru in the Rift Valley in Kenya at E36°80'–36°84' to N00°05'–00°08'. It is a shallow lake that follows a very peculiar seasonal water regime, and that faces conflicts between agriculture and conservation water users. In the upper catchment, an overview of the agricultural practices was implemented and river water uses were identified to assess river flows. Crops/grassland and woodland/shrubland were the major land uses, covering c. 65% of the catchment. Closer to the lake, vegetation samples were collected around the lake together with samples of environmental factors such as soil and water quality. Thirteen vegetation communities were identified within four main zonations: forest, grassland, river inlet and rocky outcrop. These communities showed abundance, distribution and diversity determined mostly by the human pressures, the flooding periods and the salinity. Cynodon , Cyperus and Sporobolus genera were the most abundant.     

Field Observations on some Northern Nigerian Birds

T hese observations were made during a fifteen months' tour in Nigeria. From May 1937 till February 1938 the writer was stationed at Kafanchan, 9° 40' N., 8° 20' E., in Plateau Province, with a touring area which included the Jemaa and Southern Divisions of Plateau Province and the Nasarawa Division of BenueProvince; thereafter from March till August he was engaged on sleeping sickness work, which involved extensive travelling in Plateau, Benue, and Niger Provinces.     

白马雪山东坡滇金丝猴Rhinopithecus bieti群、活动路线及食性的初步观察

1981年4-7月,笔者对滇西北德钦县的白马雪山东坡滇金丝猴群的活动路线及食性作了初步观察。由于时间短促和本工作难度较大(森林茂密、坡陡、每群个体数很难确切统计),只能根据考察资料和当地多次猎获过滇金丝猴的猎人提供的情况,加以综合分析整理。 自该种订名以来的一个多世纪里,对滇金丝猴食性的研究,还未曾见有专题报道。MilneEdwards在发表新种时,仅介绍了部分生物学资料(Elliot 1913)。彭鸿缓等(1962)报导仅证明滇金丝猴确实存在。近年李致祥(1981)报导滇金丝猴的分布和习性时,关于食性部分,也只作了摘要式的说明。杨德华等(1981,1982)作了初步的考察。     

河南省鸡公山国家级自然保护区外来入侵植物1994-2014年间的变化

以河南省鸡公山国家级自然保护区外来入侵植物为研究对象,对该地区1994 -2014年间外来入侵植物的变化进行了研究。结果显示,1951 -2010年信阳市每5年的平均温度明显上升、降水量年际间的波动较大;1994 -2014年的20年间,该保护区外来入侵植物从49种增加到60种,增长了22.4%,增加的11种外来入侵植物分别为:菊科4种,豆科2种,苋科、十字花科、大戟科、酢浆草科和雨久花科各1种;该保护区外来入侵植物主要来源于美洲、欧洲、亚洲和非洲,1994 -2014年间来自美洲的入侵植物共33种(其中新增加的有6种),占2014年外来入侵物种的50.0%以上;从生活型来看,外来入侵植物主要为陆生植物,占总数的95%以上,其中,一年生植物>一、二年生植物>多年生草本植物;从入侵途径来看,有意引进>无意引入>自然扩散;新增的入侵植物以种子作为主要繁殖方式的有9种。因此,对该保护区生物多样性保护和引种过程中,要加强对来自美洲的以种子作为主要繁殖方式的陆生草本植物的入侵风险进行监控和管理。     

THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE WILLOW WARBLER PHYLLOSCOPUS TROCHILUS IN CONTINUOUS DAYLIGHT

Willow Warblers Phylloscopus trochilus at Wytham, Oxford (51° 46' N., 1° 15' W.), start to sing around sunrise, in late April to early June. In the continuous daylight at Neiden, East Finnmark (69° 42' N., 29° 25' E.), they do not sing all the time, but in late June to late July start singing between 22.45 and 01.45 hrs., the start becoming progressively later as the season draws on. At Neiden, nest visits start some time after song (01.00–02.30), and this is probably also true at Wytham.
The influence of environmental variables on the starts of the two cycles is discussed. It is concluded that song starts at Wytham when light intensity has risen above a certain threshold level, and at Neiden, when it has reached a minimum value or has started to rise again. It is suggested that the Neiden birds react to the closest approximation of their light intensity cycle to that at dawn further south. The end of daily song at Neiden may be controlled by internal factors. It is suggested that the start of the Neiden nest-visit cycle is controlled by light intensity, but modified by temperature effects. The possibility that the environment affects the bird indirectly, via its brood or food, can be ruled out. The functional significance of the retention of activity lulls in the continuous daylight of the Arctic summer is discussed.
The daily song-starts of the Garden Warbler Sylvia borin , Brambling Fringilla montifringilla , and Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella , follow the same pattern as those of the Willow Warbler. The Redwing Turdus musicus often has no daily song lull; its nest-visit lull begins and ends well before midnight. The significance of this is discussed.     

河南食虫动物分布新纪录——川西缺齿鼩(Chodsigoa hypsibia de Winton,1899)

Insectivorous animal is the third mammalian group with greater species richness. However, the study of this group was very limited in Henan Province, China. In the current study, we identified 2 male shrews collected from Longyuwan area (33° 42' N, 111° 45' E) of Luanchuan, Henan Province, China using morphological characters and the results from molecular experiments. The trapped shrews were classified as Chodsigoa hypsibia de Winton, 1899, which was a new genus and species record of insectivorous animals in Henan Province, China. The specimens (ID: IBE2019082101, IBE20190822) were stored at the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology, Zhengzhou University.     

山西蟒河自然保护区种子植物区系研究

蟒河自然保护区位于山西省中条山脉东端的阳城县境内,112°22'11"~112°31'35"E,35°12'30"~35°17'20"N,面积5573 hm²。蟒河自然保护区有种子植物866种,隶属于435属103科,其中裸子植物3科5属6种,被子植物100科430属860种(双子叶植物90科364属748种;单子叶植物10科66属112种)。蟒河自然保护区种子植物科属种的区系地理成分复杂多样。科的分布区类型以热带亚热带温带分布占优势(共45科,占总科数的43.69%),其次是温带分布(共29科,占28.16%)。属的分布区类型以温带成分占优势(共264属,占总属数的60.69%),其中北温带分布型优势明显(136属,占总属数的31.26%),反映出该区系明显的暖温带性质。种的分布区类型中国特有分布占有绝对优势(305种,占总种数的35.22%),作为群落建群种或优势种的有油松、白皮松、青杨、红桦、橿子栎、青檀、锐齿槲栎、虎榛子、陕西荚蒾等,其次是温带亚洲分布(190种,35.22%)、东亚分布(154种,17.78%)。保护区内有国家级保护的珍惜濒危野生植物8种,如南方红豆杉、连香树、无喙兰和天麻等。     

Cryopreservation of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) sperm I. The importance of oxygen supply

Experiments were carried out on the cryopreservation of common carp ( Cyprinus carpio L.) sperm. The effects of pre-freezing oxygen supply on post-thaw motility and the efficacy of different extenders were studied. Sperm diluents contained DMSO as a cryoprotectant in 10% final concentration. The dilution rate was 1:9 (sperm:diluent). Sperm was diluted and equilibrated (10 min) at 0°C. Sperm was then frozen in plastic straws (0.5 ml) at the following rate: 0°C–4°C: 4°C min⁻¹−4°C–80°C: 11°C min⁻¹ from −80°C, straws were plunged directly into liquid nitrogen (−196°C) for further storage. Frozen samples were thawed in a water bath at 40°C.
The freezability of common carp sperm showing reduced motility (due to suboptimal oxygen supply) after transportation could be restored when 30 min of oxygenation was applied prior to freezing. Highest post-thaw motility (57%, percent of control) was achieved when sperm was diluted with modified Kurokura's 'Extender 2'.     

Heat resistance of Listeria: strain differences and effects of meat type and curing salts

The heat resistances of 27 strains of Listeria monocytogenes and two strains of L. innocua were compared in broth heated at 57°C. No strain was exceptionally resistant. The heat resistance of a representative isolate of L. monocytogenes was compared in fresh and cured beef and chicken, and an equation was derived to predict the time necessary to achieve a '7D' inactivation at temperatures between 50 and 70°C.     

中国热带生物地理北界的建议

以前多个关于中国热带北界的建议由于依据的指标和学科不同,存在很大的差异。我们基于202个中国地理区的植物区系和气象资料,对中国种子植物属的地理成分分布格局及其与气候、经纬度分布的关系进行研究,同时依据覆盖中国北纬30°以南地区的135个地方植物区系资料,对种子植物属的地理成分分布格局进行了研究。结果显示,在中国植物区系中,依据种子植物区系科和属的地理成分(即分布区类型),发现热带分布属中80%以上的区域基本上在中国南部和东南部北纬22°30'以南。在这条界线以南地区,位于基带(低海拔或水平地带性区域)的原始植被为热带森林(热带雨林、季雨林),并且具有在中国分布的典型热带植物科,但在中国西南部,热带森林沿云南西部可达到北纬24°30',在西藏南部的深切河谷可达到北纬29°。这条界线与中国的热带雨林、季雨林区划的北界相符合,亦与植物区系分区上的泛北极植物区系与古热带植物区系的地理分界线相吻合。结合中国植被和植物区系区划,我们建议将北纬22°30'作为中国南部和东南部的生物地理热带北界。这条热带北界比气候上的热带北界(21°30'N,年积温8000℃以上)更北,这暗示中国热带地区在历史上可能曾达到更北的范围,支持在古生态学研究上提出的全新世中期中国东部地区热带和亚热带常绿阔叶林曾北移的结论。     

Some Spanish cestode fish parasites

Cestode fish parasites were studied in 569 fish of 13 species, comprising 72 specimens of Hyperoplus lanceolatus caught between April and July 1987 and 497 other fish caught between December 1986 and March 1987 at 42° 45' N, 9° 26' W (Table I).
Bothriocephalus was found for the first time in H. lanceolatus , though its prevalence was very low. The presence of these larvae in a species that forms part of the turbot's Scophthalmus maximus food chain suggests that they may infect the turbot via H. lanceolatus as well as via copepods. Dupond & Gabrion (1986) and Robert et al. (1988)