Increasing the phylogenetic coverage for understanding broad-scale diversity gradients

Oecologia - Despite decades of scientific effort, there is still no consensus on the determinants of broad-scale gradients of animal diversity. We argue that general drivers of diversity are...     

驯鹿对苔藓植物的选择食用及其生境的物种多样性

苔藓植物由于含有较高浓度的不饱和脂肪酸尤其是花生四烯酸可以提高动物的御寒能力,因此驯鹿和其他许多生活在寒冷地区的食草动物以及鸟类将苔藓作为主要的食物来源。为了进一步了解苔藓被采食的情况,本实验对生活在内蒙古大兴安岭满归敖鲁古雅民族乡的驯鹿3个月份的粪便(1999年采)进行了显微观察,发现其中苔藓植物在4月份占5.63%、6月份2.2%、9月份12.92%,3个月份的粪便中均以赤茎藓（Pleurozium schreberi）为主,占苔藓总量的70%以上,曲尾藓（Dicranum spp.）、毛叶苔（Ptilidium ciliare）和沼泽皱蒴藓（Aulacomnium palustre）也有少量食用。对驯鹿生活区域内4种林型下苔藓植物的盖度和生物量的测定结果表明,驯鹿对苔藓植物的选择食用与苔藓植物的物种和丰富度相关。     

The influence of microclimate on bryophyte diversity in an urban Japanese garden landscape

Landscape and Ecological Engineering - Japanese gardens play an important role in the conservation of bryophyte diversity. Previous studies have indicated that diverse garden landscapes and their...     

Epiphytic bryophyte diversity and range distributions along an elevational gradient in Marojejy,Madagascar

Describing spatial variation in species richness and understanding its links to ecological mechanisms are complementary approaches for explaining geographical patterns of richness. The study of elevational gradients holds enormous potential for understanding the factors underlying global diversity. This paper investigates the pattern of species richness and range-size distribution of epiphytic bryophytes along an elevational gradient in Marojejy National Park, northeast Madagascar. The main objectives are to describe bryophyte species composition and endemism in Marojejy National Park, to describe the species richness and distribution patterns of epiphytic bryophytes along an elevational gradient from 250 m to 2050 m and to evaluate the explanatory value of environmental variables for the observed patterns. Bryophyte samples were collected following a nested design with four hierarchical levels: elevational belts, plots, quadrats, and microplots. In total, 254 epiphytic bryophyte species were recorded, comprising 157 liverworts and 97 mosses. Twenty-three of these are endemic to Madagascar. Species richness exhibits a hump-shaped pattern along the elevational gradient, peaking at 1,250 m. Eighty-seven percent of the total recorded species have a range distribution lower than 1,000 m, at which point 36% are restricted to these single elevations. Our results suggest that mean temperature, relative humidity, and vapor pressure deficit play important roles in shaping the richness pattern observed in this study. While the liverwort richness pattern did not correlate to vapor pressure deficit and responded only weakly to relative humidity, the richness pattern shown by mosses correlates well with mean temperature, relative humidity, and vapor pressure deficit.     

Patterns of bryophyte diversity and rarity at a regional scale

Information on bryophyte diversity and rarity were combined withinformation on soil conditions and land use for Walloon Brabant (centralBelgium, 1091 km²) in order to investigate whichlandscape features sustain the most rare and diverse species assemblages.Presence–absence of 325 bryophyte species was recorded in 87 grid-squaresof 4 × 4 km. Species diversity was significantly correlatedwith forest cover (r = 0.71, P <0.001), sandy soils (r = 0.61, P <0.001), loamy soils, (r = –0.68,P < 0.001), and agricultural fields(r = –0.49, P < 0.001). Themost diverse grid-squares possessed up to 182 species and were characterized byat least 10% forest cover and the presence of unique micro-habitats.Grid-squares with forest cover reaching at least 10% but lacking uniquemicro-habitats contained between 90 and 130 species. Below 10% forest cover,diversity ranged between 55 and 110 species per grid-square. However, even theleast diverse cultivated areas included a significant amount of the regionallyrare species. A number of the latter are characteristic in other areas forspecific primary habitats lacking in Walloon Brabant but display an unexpectedability to disperse throughout hostile areas and colonize secondary habitats.The tendency of such species to occur in man-made habitats decreased our abilityto predict species richness and rarity from landscape features and soilconditions.     

The significance of deadwood for total bryophyte,lichen, and vascular plant diversity in an old-growth spruce forest

Modern silviculture has led to a reduction in deadwood, especially that of large diameter, and thus the loss of an important habitat niche in most European forests. We analyzed the significance of deadwood for the total species diversity in three plant groups (bryophytes, lichens, and vascular plants) in one of Central Europe’s few remnants of unmanaged old-growth forest. The site is a montane forest of Picea abies on Mt. Brocken, Harz Mountains, Germany, which has not been managed for at least several centuries, undergoes natural forest dynamics, and thus harbors large amounts of standing and downed deadwood. Epiphyte vegetation of live trees and the ground vegetation were studied for comparison. We did not find any obligate deadwood species. Nevertheless, 84 % (70 species) of the total species were found on standing or downed deadwood. One-third of these species, or 28 % of the total species in the forest, were only sampled on deadwood, whereas the remaining species were also found on live trees and/or the ground. Bryophytes were the largest group of species on deadwood (47 % of the deadwood-inhabiting species), followed by lichens (37 %) and vascular plants (16 %). Large-diameter deadwood in an advanced stage of decay harbored more species than smaller fragments in the early stages of decay. Despite the lack of obligate deadwood colonizers, deadwood apparently plays a key role for forest plant diversity, mainly by providing an environment with low competition and thus facilitating the establishment of species.     

Genetic diversity of Nostoc symbionts endophytically associated with two bryophyte species

The diversity of the endophytic Nostoc symbionts of two thalloid bryophytes, the hornwort Anthoceros fusiformis and the liverwort Blasia pusilla, was examined using the tRNA(Leu) (UAA) intron sequence as a marker. The results confirmed that many different Nostoc strains are involved in both associations under natural conditions in the field. The level of Nostoc diversity within individual bryophyte thalli varied, but single DNA fragments were consistently amplified from individual symbiotic colonies. Some Nostoc strains were widespread and were detected from thalli collected from different field sites and different years. These findings indicate a moderate level of spatial and temporal continuity in bryophyte-Nostoc symbioses.     

新疆博格达山地面生苔藓植物物种多样性研究

采用相似性系数和物种多样性指数对新疆博格达山地面生苔藓植物的物种多样性进行了研究．结果表明,博格达山地区苔藓植物区系具有丰富性和复杂性的特点,共有地面生苔藓植物32科73属186种(含变种、变型);山地荒漠带和山地草原带苔藓植物物种相似性最高,为0．6809,山地森林带和高山垫状植被带相似性最低,仅为0．1342;山地森林带苔藓植物在整个博格达山地面生苔藓植物群落中占据优势地位;山地森林带苔藓植物物种多样性最为丰富,为该山地苔藓植物多样性的分布中心,是苔藓植物多样性保护的关键地区．     

湖南丹霞地貌区的苔藓植物多样性

丹霞地貌是一种特殊的红层地貌,拥有独特的植被和植物区系组成。苔藓植物在丹霞地貌植被演替中具有重要的生态意义,但其基本的种类组成和分布却不清楚。通过野外考察和标本鉴定,共发现湖南丹霞地貌区苔藓植物53科96属174种(包括变种和亚种),其中苔类植物21科24属36种,藓类植物32科72属138种,其中台湾曲柄藓(Campylopus taiwanensis)、芒尖毛口藓(Trichostomum zanderi)、小火藓(Schlotheimia pungens)、中华细枝藓(Lindergiasinensis)、疏叶叶苔(Jungermannia laxifolia)和刺叶拟蒴囊苔(Saccogynidium irregularispinosum)等6种为中国特有种;铜绿净口藓(Gymnostomum aeruginosum)、稀枝钱苔(Riccia huebeneriana)、羽枝片叶苔(Riccardia multifida)等30个种为湖南新记录种。在174种中,稀有种为87种,如梨蒴珠藓(Bartramia pomiformis)、小火藓、毛枝藓(Pilotrichopsisdentata)等,这些种大多生态幅狭窄,对生境要求较苛刻,常见种(22种)和非常常见种(30种)共52种,多为生境广泛种或世界广布种,如地钱(Marchantia polymorpha)等。文中还提供了详细的湖南丹霞地貌苔藓名录及其凭证标本信息,并建议优先保护崀山无底洞和万佛山三十六湾两个苔藓丰富的小区。     

Getting into shape: optimal ligand gradients for axonal guidance

During neural development, neurons from downstream, presynaptic regions of the nervous system (such as the retina) send spatially patterned axonal projections to upstream, target regions (the tectum or superior colliculus). A servomechanism model has been proposed to explain the pattern and time-course of axonal growth between these two regions [Honda, H., 1998. Topographic mapping in the retinotectal projection by means of complementary ligand and receptor gradients: a computer simulation study. J. Theor. Biol., 192, 235-246]. Here, we show that a modification of this model incorporating a different criterion for axonal decision-making, called the local optimum rule, is guaranteed to converge to a topographic map under a wide range of conditions encountered during neural development. A theoretical investigation of these conditions leads to new hypotheses regarding map formation.     

Functional diversity and composition of bryophyte water-related traits in Azorean native vegetation

Background: Functional trait-based approaches link species diversity patterns to ecosystem functioning. In the context of global change, understanding these links is vital for developing holistic biodiversity management strategies. Bryophytes, important ecosystem components owing to their biogeochemical functions, have not been the focus of many functional studies.

Aims: This is the first assessment of bryophyte functional diversity in the Azores archipelago, aiming to uncover multivariate trait richness and composition patterns along the elevational gradient on Terceira Island.

Methods: Based on five water acquisition and retention traits of leafy liverworts and mosses, we calculated functional diversity metrics within and among six bryophyte communities sampled along a 1021-m elevational transect.

Results: Trait composition differed significantly between coastal and mountain communities. Mosses presented inrolled leaves and ornamented leaf cells at low elevation but not at high elevation. These patterns were associated with an uphill shift from drier and warmer conditions to a moister and cooler environment.

Conclusions: Future climatic changes might affect bryophyte functional diversity patterns in Terceira Island, particularly for mosses. These results can be directly compared with those obtained for other archipelagos where the same protocol has been applied, allowing a joint assessment of insular vegetation functional diversity patterns.     

A model to estimate the optimal sample size for microbiological surveys

Estimating optimal sample size for microbiological surveys is a challenge for laboratory managers. When insufficient sampling is conducted, biased inferences are likely; however, when excessive sampling is conducted valuable laboratory resources are wasted. This report presents a statistical model for the estimation of the sample size appropriate for the accurate identification of the bacterial subtypes of interest in a specimen. This applied model for microbiology laboratory use is based on a Bayesian mode of inference, which combines two inputs: (ii) a prespecified estimate, or prior distribution statement, based on available scientific knowledge and (ii) observed data. The specific inputs for the model are a prior distribution statement of the number of strains per specimen provided by an informed microbiologist and data from a microbiological survey indicating the number of strains per specimen. The model output is an updated probability distribution of strains per specimen, which can be used to estimate the probability of observing all strains present according to the number of colonies that are sampled. In this report two scenarios that illustrate the use of the model to estimate bacterial colony sample size requirements are presented. In the first scenario, bacterial colony sample size is estimated to correctly identify Campylobacter amplified restriction fragment length polymorphism types on broiler carcasses. The second scenario estimates bacterial colony sample size to correctly identify Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis phage types in fecal drag swabs from egg-laying poultry flocks. An advantage of the model is that as updated inputs from ongoing surveys are incorporated into the model, increasingly precise sample size estimates are likely to be made.     

Protective management of trees against debarking by deer negatively impacts bryophyte diversity

When wildlife populations become too large, they impact other flora and fauna within the ecosystems that they inhabit. For example, the recent rise in population numbers of sika deer in Japan has led to the stripping of bark from tree overstories in forested areas. This has led to protective management actions, such as wrapping the trunks of trees in wire mesh. The present study investigates the impact of this management action on epiphytic diversity at Mt. Ohdaigahara, which is one of the hotspots for bryophyte diversity in Japan. The correlation between the diversity of epiphytic bryophytes and environmental variables was examined, including the presence/absence of wire mesh protection. A generalized linear model showed that species richness and bryophyte cover was significantly correlated with both tree diameter (at 1.5 m height) and tree density (P < 0.01), but negatively correlated with wire mesh protection. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysis showed a significant 3- to 6-fold higher concentration of zinc in bryophytes occupying tree bark under wire mesh protection than for those without wire mesh. Hence, the high sensitivity of bryophytes to zinc accumulation, as a result of toxicity caused by galvanized iron mesh, has led to the loss of species richness and bryophyte cover on tree trunks. Furthermore, other heavy metals found in wire mesh may also contribute to the negative effect on bryophytes. Therefore, to establish best practices for biodiversity conservation that include bryophytes, materials that are free of heavy metals should be preferentially used for tree protection.     

DsrB gene-based DGGE for community and diversity surveys of sulfate-reducing bacteria

A denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) method was developed to assess the diversity of dsrB (dissimilatory sulfite reductase beta-subunit)-genes in sulfate-reducing communities. For this purpose a PCR primer pair was optimized for the amplification of a approximately 350 bp dsrB gene fragment that after DGGE gel electrophoresis enabled us to discriminate between dsrB genes of different SRB-subgroups,-genera and -species. The dsrB-DGGE method revealed considerable genetic diversity when applied to DNA extracts obtained from aquifer samples that were derived from monitoring wells of an in situ metal precipitation (ISMP) pilot project conducted at the site of a non-ferrous industry or from environmental heavy metal contaminated samples. The sequences of the excised and sequenced DGGE bands represented dsrB genes of different SRB-subgroups,-genera and -species, thus confirming the broad applicability of the PCR primer pair. Linking the results of the physico-chemical follow-up of the field and lab experiments to the dsrB-DGGE data will provide a better understanding of the contribution of the SRB populations to the ongoing ISMP processes.     

浙江西天目山30年来苔藓物种多样性变化

苔藓物种多样性变化对苔藓植物保护和森林生态系统健康起着重要的预警作用.基于1977-1980年和2010-2011年对西天目山国家自然保护区苔藓植物的两次详细调查,本文比较了该地区1977-2011年间苔藓植物物种多样性的变化.结果表明:(1)在过去的30年间,该地区苔藓植物的科、属、种数均呈下降趋势,苔类植物的属、种数减少尤为显著;(2)青藓科、曲尾藓科、灰藓科和丛藓科一直为该地区的优势科;(3)科的稳定性均高于属、种;(4)缓冲区的总物种数变化最大,新增物种数最多;核心区(进山门-老殿)苔藓植物种类始终最为丰富,两个时期的物种相似性最高,且苔类占新增物种数百分比最高;核心区(老殿-仙人顶)苔藓物种数最少,相似性最低;(5)核心区的物种多样性要高于缓冲区,是该地区保护苔藓植物多样性的关键区域.