Abundance and distribution of mammals in Katavi National Park, Tanzania

Ground transects were used to determine densities of 24 larger mammals in Katavi National Park. The Park consists of miombo woodland habitat and two seasonal lakes. Mammalian biomass was extremely high due primarily to large numbers of buffalo. The highest mammal densities were found around Lake Chada to the south-east of the Park. Contrary to earlier reports, species' densities did not differ significantly between dry, wet and intermediate seasons, suggesting that, aside from elephant and warthog, mammals did not enter or leave the Park in large numbers. Similarly, aside from zebra and waterbuck, sightings of species in different vegetation types did not change markedly between seasons. Thus, seasonal lakes in Katavi National Park support very high local concentrations rather than acting as dry season refuges for mammals outside the Park.     

Implications of closed ecosystem conservation management: the decline of Rothschild’s giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) in Lake Nakuru National Park,Kenya

Giraffe were historically free‐ranging across most of sub‐Saharan Africa but are now most often confined to national parks, conservation areas, or private ranches. Five viable populations of Rothschild’s giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) remain in protected areas in Kenya and Uganda. The viable population in Uganda is Murchison Falls National Park and the four populations in Kenya are Lake Nakuru National Park (LNNP), Ruma National Park, Giraffe Manor, and Mwea Natural Reserve. The Kenya Wildlife Service queried a rapid decline in LNNP giraffe numbers falling from 153 individuals (1995) to 62 individuals (2002) and the failure of that population to recruit young in those years. Significantly reduced browse options, inbreeding depression and preferential lion predation were considered as potential reasons for this trend. Population genetic parameter estimates derived from multilocus genotype analyses suggest that the LNNP population was in good genetic health with respect to the likelihood of inbreeding depression. The population decline coincided with the drought attributed to the 1994 El Niño. Possible dietary complications from highly concentrated tannin levels because of forced over consumption of the park’s declining acacia trees may have compromised young giraffe, making them easy and opportunistic prey for the park’s lion population.     

Orthogonius species and diversity in Thailand (Coleoptera, Caraboidea, Orthogoniini), a result from the TIGER project

The carabid genus Orthogonius MacLeay is treated, based mainly on materials collected in Thailand through the TIGER project (the Thailand Inventory Group for Entomological Research). Among 290 specimens, 20 species are identified in total, 10 of them are new species: Orthogonius taghavianaesp. n. (Nakhon Nayok: Khao Yai National Park), Orthogonius coomanioidessp. n. (Phetchabun: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park), Orthogonius similarissp. n. (Phetchabun: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park; Loei: Phu Kradueng National Park), Orthogonius setosopalpigersp. n. (Phetchabun: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park), Orthogonius gracililamellasp. n. (Loei: Phu Kradueng National Park; Chaiyaphum: Tat Tone National Park), Orthogonius pseudochaudoirisp. n. (Phetchabum: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park; Nakhon Nayok: Khao Yai National Park), Orthogonius constrictussp. n. (Phetchabum: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park), Orthogonius pinophilussp. n. (Phetchabum: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park), Orthogonius varisp. n. (Cambodia: Siem Reap; Thailand: Ubon Ratchathani: Pha Taem National Park; Phetchabun: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park) and Orthogonius variabilissp. n. (Thailand: Phetchabun: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park; Nakhon Nayok: Khao Yai National Park; Phetchabun: Nam Nao National Park; China: Yunnan). In addition, Orthogonius mouhoti Chaudoir, 1871 and Orthogonius kirirom Tian & Deuve, 2008 are recorded in Thailand for the first time. In total, 30 species of Orthogonius have been recorded from Thailand, indicating that Thailand holds one of the richest Orthogonius faunas in the world. A provisional key to all Thai species is provided. A majority of Thai Orthogonius species are endemic. Among the ten national parks in which orthogonine beetles were collected, Thung Salaeng Luang holds the richest fauna, including 16 species.     

De Brazza's monkeys (Cercopithecus neglectus) in Kenya: Census,distribution, and conservation

The population of De Brazza's monkeys (Cercopithecus neglectus) in Kenya, East Africa, was surveyed from May to September of 1983 to estimate its numbers, distribution, and conservation status. A small number of De Brazza's monkeys are protected within Saiwa National Park; however, the vast majority of the population is endangered because they are restricted to small, isolated pockets of forests amid expanding farmland within the Trans-Nzoia area of western Kenya. A few animals are found on the slopes of Mt. Elgon and on the Cherangani Hills, although these areas offer little protection. The pressures now facing this population are loss of habitat, reproductive isolation, and a decline in numbers as the result of being killed, either as a food source or as agricultural pests. If the current situation continues and no attempt is made to conserve the remaining De Brazza's monkeys, the species faces almost certain extinction in Kenya.     

Temporal changes to spatially stratified waterbird communities of the Coorong, South Australia: implications for the management of heterogenous wetlands

The Coorong, South Australia, is a globally significant wetland system, listed in the Ramsar Convention under a number of different criteria, including its importance to waterbird populations. Based on annual waterbird censuses conducted between 2000 and 2007, spatiotemporal analyses revealed that significant differences in waterbird community structure exist along the length of the Coorong. This spatial diversity in community structure was also found to be temporally consistent over this 8-year period. The abundance of the most numerically dominant bird species, such as red-necked stint Calidris ruficollis and grey teal Anas gracilis , explained much of this spatial variation. However, comparisons between data collected for the Coorong south lagoon in 1985 and 2000–2007 show that dramatic changes in these waterbird communities have occurred over longer periods of time, with 23 of the 27 most common species having declined in this period by at least 30%. The Coorong still regularly supports globally important populations (>1% of global population) of nine waterbird taxa, including three Palearctic shorebirds, confirming its Ramsar status. The functional links between the overutilized Murray-Darling basin river system and the Coorong are discussed.     

Roan (Hippotragus equinus) population decline in Kruger National Park, South Africa: influence of a wetland boundary

Effective management of grazers requires understanding of the mechanisms influencing population declines. Roan antelope, a specialist grazer, has declined in population numbers within Kruger National Park, South Africa. The most widely accepted hypothesis is that habitat deterioration throughout the entire northern plains landscape is responsible for declines in this species. Observations suggest, however, that on the northern plains of Kruger National Park, roan antelope grazes at the boundary between ephemeral wetland and the savanna matrix. The boundary is characterized by nutrient-rich soil and forage, and thus attracts grazing from both generalist and specialist species. We hypothesize that competition for resources at this ecotone, and not at other places in the landscape, is responsible for the observed declines in roan antelope. Changing management strategies to be more cognizant of patchiness and savanna heterogeneity, i.e. more spatially informed, will improve the likelihood that management will result in increasing roan population numbers.     

The decline of the Serengeti Thomson's gazelle population

Summary The population of Thomson's gazelles in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania has declined by almost two thirds over a 13 year period. In the early 1970s, numbers stood at 0.66 million animals but had decreased to less than 0.25 million animals in 1985 as estimated by 5 different censuses using two different counting techniques. Predation, interspecific competition and disease are all factors that could have contributed to this decline, and at least one of these factors, predation, could now prevent the Thomson's gazelle population from increasing.     

基于多源数据的三江源国家公园土地生态安全综合评价

开展国家公园尺度的土地生态安全综合评价,对优化三江源国家公园土地利用管理规划、加强生态网络建设具有重要借鉴价值。在“压力-状态-响应”(PSR)理论框架中融入草地退化指数、冻土稳定型分布、生态系统服务价值和景观生态脆弱性等指标,分析三江源国家公园土地生态安全状况及其主导因素。研究表明：(1)三江源国家公园景观生态脆弱性整体较低,不同园区景观生态脆弱性指数略有差异,长江源园区为中等脆弱区,黄河源园区脆弱性次之,澜沧江源园区景观生态脆弱性优于其他两园区。(2)三江源国家公园整体土地生态安全状况为较不安全,其中,长江源园区、澜沧江源园区以较不安全区等级为主、临界安全等级次之,黄河源园区临界安全及以上等级的面积比重为93.94%。(3)土地生态较安全区和安全区分布于长江源园区中南部,以及黄河源园区南北两侧边缘区,较不安全区和临界安全区在长江源园区、澜沧江源园区以及黄河源园区交错且连片分布。(4)基于地理探测器模型的自然生态和社会经济影响因素识别结果显示,居民点密度、水网密度和景观生态脆弱性是影响三江源国家公园土地生态安全的主导因素,揭示了人类活动扰动程度与生态系统脆弱性对国家公园土地生态安全状...     

Comparative performance of four survey methods for assessing Lilian’s Lovebird abundance in Liwonde National Park,Malawi

Monitoring abundance of threatened species is important for conservation planning. Lilian’s Lovebird Agapornis lilianae is a near-threatened small parrot found in mopane Colophospermum mopane woodland. Its population has not been investigated in any part of its range. We investigated the abundance and density of the Lilian’s Lovebird in Liwonde National Park, Malawi. Both distance sampling (line and point transects) methods and total counts (waterhole and flyway counts) were applied. The point count method gave very low numbers and was discontinued after the first year. Line transects conducted during the wet season had the highest density estimates of 17 ± 4.8 lovebirds km?2 of mopane woodland. However, number of observations per transect in each year were low. Waterhole counts had the lowest density estimates (10 ± 3.5 lovebirds km?2). Flyway counts gave an intermediate estimate (13 ± 3.0 lovebirds km?2). The total population of Lilian’s Lovebirds in Liwonde National Park is therefore estimated to be about 4 000 individuals. The use of line transect counts at the end of the rainy season is recommended for continued monitoring of Lilian’s Lovebirds abundance in Liwonde National Park.     

The territorial system of the kob antelope (Kobus kob kob) in the Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire

The territorial system of kob antelopes in the Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, was studied from March 1993 until April 1997. Whereas size and shape of territories remained constant between 1993 and 1994, the number of territories decreased from 1994 onwards. A decline of the population density probably led to the decline in territory numbers and also to variations in size and shape of the remaining territories. The decline of kob numbers is the result of heavy poaching in the study area. Whereas a lekking system was present in the study area prior to 1975 when the population density was approximately 14.4 kobs/km², males switched to the resource defence territorial system present today after the population density decreased to 12.5/km² in 1993 and finally to 2.3/km² in 1997. Compared to other research areas with higher population densities, territories in the Comoé National Park are larger, almost all adult males are capable to defend a territory, fights over territories are rare and loss of territory tenureship is almost exclusively due to the death of the territorial male. We suggest that those differences can all be related to the low population density in the study area.     

Drought mortality of bush elephants in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

African bush elephants inhabiting the undeveloped Kalahari Sands region of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe are subject to episodic mortality during droughts. We monitored the drought‐related mortality of elephants in Hwange National Park over the course of an extended drought between 1993 and 1995. The drought‐related mortality of elephants was higher during 1994 than 1995, despite significantly higher rainfall in 1994 than 1995. We found significant differences in the age‐specific mortality of elephants during 1994 and 1995. The cumulative mortality profile from this study differed significantly from previous die‐offs at this site, with a higher mortality among adult age classes than that reported from earlier studies in Hwange National Park. The effective duration of the rainy season, not total annual precipitation, appears to be the best predictor for the potential severity of drought mortality among elephants in the Kalahari Sands habitats of Hwange National Park.     

Microbial diversity in nonsulfur, sulfur and iron geothermal steam vents

Fumaroles, commonly called steam vents, are ubiquitous features of geothermal habitats. Recent studies have discovered microorganisms in condensed fumarole steam, but fumarole deposits have proven refractory to DNA isolation. In this study, we report the development of novel DNA isolation approaches for fumarole deposit microbial community analysis. Deposit samples were collected from steam vents and caves in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park. Samples were analyzed by X-ray microanalysis and classified as nonsulfur, sulfur or iron-dominated steam deposits. We experienced considerable difficulty in obtaining high-yield, high-quality DNA for cloning: only half of all the samples ultimately yielded sequences. Analysis of archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that sulfur steam deposits were dominated by Sulfolobus and Acidianus, while nonsulfur deposits contained mainly unknown Crenarchaeota. Several of these novel Crenarchaeota lineages were related to chemoautotrophic ammonia oxidizers, indicating that fumaroles represent a putative habitat for ammonia-oxidizing Archaea. We also generated archaeal and bacterial enrichment cultures from the majority of the deposits and isolated members of the Sulfolobales. Our results provide the first evidence of Archaea in geothermal steam deposits and show that fumaroles harbor diverse and novel microbial lineages.     

三江源国家公园鸟类物种多样性研究

三江源国家公园位于青藏高原腹地,是生物多样性最为集中的区域。为了系统掌握公园内的鸟类分布状况,2015—2017年,对三江源国家公园区域进行了长期的野外调查,结合文献资料,发现三江源国家公园内共分布野生鸟类196种,隶属于18目45科121属。各级保护鸟类59种,占公园鸟类总数的30.1%,其中,国家I级重点保护鸟类8种;国家II级重点保护鸟类27种;青海省级保护鸟类24种。另外,还有国家三有鸟类120种。根据中国物种红色名录,受威胁(濒危、易危和近危)物种有39种,占公园鸟类总数的19.9%。中国特有鸟类15种,占园区内鸟类总数的7.65%。在地理分布型上,三江源国家公园位于古北界青藏区,古北界物种有145种;东洋界物种有37种;广布种有14种。利用G-F指数对物种多样性进行评估,三江源国家公园鸟类的G-F指数为0.825,表明公园内的鸟类物种多样性处于较高水平。长江源园区、澜沧江源园区和黄河源园区的平均动物区系相似性结果表明,三个园区之间动物区系关系均为密切关系。三江源国家公园鸟类物种多样性高、特有种及珍稀濒危物种丰富,具有极高的保护价值和意义。     

钱江源国家公园叶附生苔类植物的物种多样性

本文报道钱江源国家公园叶附生苔类植物4科9属19种, 较之前记录增加3科8属17种。与钱江源处于同纬度的我国其他地区相比, 钱江源叶附生苔类植物的种数仅次于西藏墨脱, 排名第二。鳞叶疣鳞苔(Cololejeunea longifolia)和尖叶薄鳞苔(Leptolejeunea subacuta)是钱江源国家公园最常见的2种叶附生苔类植物。丰富的叶附生苔类植物表明钱江源国家公园具有较合适的叶附生苔类植物生长环境, 这可能与该地区长期有效的保护密切相关。     

Post-bottleneck genetic diversity of elephant populations in South Africa, revealed using microsatellite analysis

Widespread hunting had fragmented and severely reduced elephant populations in South Africa by 1900. Elephant numbers increased during the 1900s, although rates of recovery of individual populations varied. The Kruger National Park elephant population increased rapidly, to more than 6000 by 1967, with recruitment boosted by immigration from Mozambique. The Addo Elephant National Park population was reduced to 11 elephants in 1931 and remains relatively small (n = 325). Loss of genetic variation is expected to occur whenever a population goes through a bottleneck, especially when post-bottleneck recovery is slow. Variation at nine polymorphic microsatellite loci was analysed for Kruger and Addo elephants, as well as museum specimens of Addo elephants shot prior to the population bottleneck. Significantly reduced genetic variation and heterozygosity were observed in Addo in comparison to Kruger (mean alleles/locus and H(E): Addo 1.89, 0.18; Kruger 3.89, 0.44). Two alleles not present in the current Addo population were observed in the museum specimens. Addo elephants represent a genetic subset of the Kruger population, with high levels of genetic differentiation resulting from rapid genetic drift. The Kruger population is low in genetic diversity in comparison to East African elephants, confirming this population also suffered an appreciable bottleneck.     

An ecological study of small rodents in the thicket-clump savanna of Lengwe National Park, Malawi

A community of small rodents was studied in thicket-clump and grassland savanna of Lengwe National Park, Malawi, from September 1984 to June 1985. Nine species were recorded on a 1·1 ha grid and five assessment lines, using a capture-mark-release technique. The three commonest species (and their percentage proportions) were Mastomys natalensis (47%), Acomys spinosissimus (24%) and Saccostomus campestris (11%). Population numbers on the grid fluctuated from–30 individuals/ha, and the numbers on the assessment lines fluctuated from–57 individuals. There were two peaks of population numbers during the year: the first was in the early wet season (when individuals emigrated from dry season refugia and there was limited reproduction) and the second was in the mid dry season (when young born at the end of the wet season entered the trappable population). The population was comprised mainly of subadults in the late dry season, adults and some young in the wet season, and young and subadults in the early and mid dry seasons. Population survival rates were low with only 30–50% of individuals surviving to the following month. The magnitude of population fluctuations are related to the strong seasonality of climate, flooding and grass characteristics; in this respect, the community of small mammals in Lengwe National Park shows similarities to those of the Kafue Valley in Zambia and the Chobe Valley in Botswana.     

Historical changes in the conductivity and ionic charateristics of the source water for the Shark River Slough,Everglades National Park,Florida, U.S.A.

Man-made changes in the hydrological regime of South Florida have significantly altered the conductivity and ionic composition of water in the Shark River Slough system of Everglades National Park. The shift in water inputs from unregulated marsh water flow to regulated delivery of canal water has resulted in a 140% increase in conductivity and 149% increase in total ionic concentration since the early 1960s. Associated with this change has been a 300–400% increase in sodium and chloride concentrations in the waters entering the Shark River Slough of Everglades National Park.     

以国家公园为主体的自然保护地体系立法思考

实现十九大报告提出的建立以国家公园为主体的自然保护地体系的改革目标需要法治保障。建设自然保护地体系涉及的不同生态系统和多个管理部门、多方利益主体, 是一个巨大的复杂系统, 需要进行整体性、系统性的立法研究。目前, 国家正在推进国家公园体制改革并已将《国家公园法》列入十三届全国人大常委会立法计划。更需要我们从自然保护地立法体系建设的高度, 正确处理《国家公园法》与未来可能制定的《自然保护地法》的关系, 在《国家公园法》制定过程中为今后出台《自然保护地法》预留空间, 并建立相应的衔接机制, 统筹谋划并协同推进国家公园法与自然保护地立法。     

Home range and movement of the common eland (Taurotragus oryx Pallas 1766) in Kenya

Data were collected in Kenya on the movements of individually recognizable wild eland over a 30-month period. Further information on movement was obtained from monthly ground counts of Nairobi National Park, and two aerial censuses of the Park and Athi Kapiti plains. Results indicated that adult male eland had restricted home ranges, but that females and juveniles carried out extensive seasonal movements between open grassland and bushed habitats. The numbers of eland in the Park were found to be related to rainfall over the previous two months in the areas outside the Park. It was concluded that females and juveniles were taking advantage of seasonal food abundance in open grassland areas, where the formation of large groups gives protection to small-sized juveniles.