Anatomical diversity of Indian rattan palms (Calamoideae) in relation to biogeography and systematics

Of the 13 genera and 600 species of the subdivision Calamoideae, only four genera– Calamus, Daemonorops, Korthalsia , and Plectocomia –represent the Indian rattans which are found in three major regions: Western Ghats of Peninsular India, Andaman and Nicobar islands and north and north-eastern India. Detailed anatomical survey of 42 species shows considerable differences among the four genera. The vascular bundle in Calamus, Daemonorops and Korthalsia is characterized by a solitary metaxylem vessel and two phloem fields, while Plectocomia shows 1–2 metaxylem vessels and a single phloem field. The mechanical tissues show diversity in Korthalsia and Plectocomia with sclereids as a yellow cap on the outer side of the fibrous sheaths of vascular bundles. The size of the different cells, the diameter of the metaxylem vessel in particular, appears to be related to species habit, geography and stem size. The Andaman and Nicobar islands with equable temperature and high humidity provide the best environment for cane growth–the widest vessels are in canes from this region. While altitudinal influence on vessel diameter appears to be relatively small, the higher latitude is associated with narrow and short vessel elements. With the exception of C. erectus , an erect species with the thickest stem, vessel diameter shows positive correlation with stem diameter. Vessel perforations are simple or rarely scalariform. Climbing palms which grow to enormous heights generally have wider vessels with simple perforations, an adaptation for conductive efficiency. Based on these results, the implications of stem anatomy for rattan biogeography, systematics and identification are discussed, and identification keys to species presented.     

Musa paramjitiana sp. nov. (Musaceae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands,India

A new species of wild banana, Musa paramjitiana L. J. Singh, from the Andaman Islands, India is described and illustrated, and its conservation status is assessed. A key to the species of Musa L. from Andaman and Nicobar Islands is also provided.     

A new species of Porina from the Andaman Islands,India

A new species of foliicolous lichens, Porina andamanensis, from the Andaman Islands, India, is described and illustrated.     

Zingiber pseudosquarrosum sp. nov. (Zingiberaceae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands,India

Zingiber pseudosquarrosum L. J. Singh & P. Singh sp. nov. (Zingiberaceae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India is described and illustrated and its conservation status is evaluated. This new species seems related to Z. squarrosum Roxb. but can be distinguished by the presence of a small pseudostem, long ligule and petiole, broadly lanceolate leaves with cuneate base, caudate apex and paxillate venation, urceolate or prolate inflorescences, very long underground peduncle, long calyx, very long corolla tube, labellum deep purple red (claret) at centre, orange red (vermillion) at lateral sides with ivory (off white) spots, tip truncate and slightly notched, margin folded back, stamen with short filament, yellow orange anther, light brown ovary, blood red (cinnabar) seeds covered by a white aromatic aril. A key to the species of Zingiber Mill. from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is also provided.     

Cycas dharmrajii sp. nov. (Cyadaceae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands,India

Cycas dharmrajii L.J.Singh (Cycadaceae), a new species from the Andaman Islands, India is described and illustrated, and its conservation status is assessed. An abnormal branching habit of the giant trunk, its swollen base, often branched, polymorphic aerial roots, medium‐sized leaves, megasporophylls with well‐defined 10–28 paired lateral hook‐like structures and 1–3 pairs of ovules, 2‐schizo‐lysigenous mucilage canals in leaflet, and characteristic pitting on the periclinal walls of the epidermal cells of the leaflets distinguishes it from all previously known species. A key to the species of Cycas from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is also provided.     

Centotheca ganeshaiahiana sp. nov. (Poaceae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands,India

Centotheca ganeshaiahiana M. V. Ramana, Alok Chorghe, Prasanna & Sanjappa, a new species from Saddle Peak National Park, north Andaman, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India is described and illustrated. It is closely allied to C. uniflora Swallen, a Vietnamese species, but differs mainly in shorter culms, leaf blades and inflorescences, longer pedicels, spikelets with 2 fertile florets and lemmas with bulbous based hairs.     

Cloning,Characterization and Diversity of Insecticidal Crystal Protein Genes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis> Native Isolates from Soils of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Bt strains were isolated from soils of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and characterized by microscopic and molecular methods. Diversity was observed both in protein and cry gene profiles, where majority of the isolates showed presence of 65 kDa protein band on SDS-PAGE while rest of them showed 130, 72, 44, and 29 kDa bands. PCR analysis revealed predominance of cry1I and cry7, 8 genes in these isolates. The PCR screening strategy presented here led us to identify putative novel cry genes which could be active against Coleoptera insects. Variation in the nucleotide sequences of cry genes from the isolates suggests that the genetic diversity of Bt isolates results from the influence of different ecological factors and spatial separation between strains generated by the conquest of different habitats in the soils of Andaman and Nicobar islands. The implications of our studies are important from the point of view of identifying novel cry genes that could be toxic to insects other than lepidoptera.     

Population Recovery of Nicobar Long-Tailed Macaque Macaca fascicularis umbrosus following a Tsunami in the Nicobar Islands,India

Natural disasters pose a threat to isolated populations of species with restricted distributions, especially those inhabiting islands. The Nicobar long tailed macaque.Macaca fascicularis umbrosus, is one such species found in the three southernmost islands (viz. Great Nicobar, Little Nicobar and Katchal) of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, India. These islands were hit by a massive tsunami (Indian Ocean tsunami, 26 December 2004) after a 9.2 magnitude earthquake. Earlier studies [Umapathy et al. 2003; Sivakumar, 2004] reported a sharp decline in the population of M. f. umbrosus after thetsunami. We studied the distribution and population status of M. f. umbrosus on thethree Nicobar Islands and compared our results with those of the previous studies. We carried out trail surveys on existing paths and trails on three islands to get encounter rate as measure of abundance. We also checked the degree of inundation due to tsunami by using Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) on landsat imageries of the study area before and after tsunami. Theencounter rate of groups per kilometre of M. f. umbrosus in Great Nicobar, Little Nicobar and Katchal was 0.30, 0.35 and 0.48 respectively with the mean group size of 39 in Great Nicobar and 43 in Katchal following the tsunami. This was higher than that reported in the two earlier studies conducted before and after the tsunami. Post tsunami, there was a significant change in the proportion of adult males, adult females and immatures, but mean group size did not differ as compared to pre tsunami. The results show that population has recovered from a drastic decline caused by tsunami, but it cannot be ascertained whether it has reached stability because of the altered group structure. This study demonstrates the effect of natural disasters on island occurring species.     

Life history,larval dispersal,and connectivity in coral reef fish among the Scattered Islands of the Mozambique Channel

The Western Indian Ocean harbors one of the world’s most diverse marine biota yet is threatened by exploitation with few conservation measures in place. Primary candidates for conservation in the region are the Scattered Islands (Îles Éparses), a group of relatively pristine and uninhabited islands in the Mozambique Channel. However, while optimal conservation strategies depend on the degree of population connectivity among spatially isolated habitats, very few studies have been conducted in the area. Here, we use highly variable microsatellite markers from two damselfishes (Amphiprion akallopisos and Dascyllus trimaculatus) with differing life history traits [pelagic larval duration (PLD), adult habitat] to compare genetic structure and connectivity among these islands using classic population structure indices as well as Bayesian clustering methods. All classical fixation indexes F _ST, R _ST, G′_ST, and Jost’s D show stronger genetic differentiation among islands for A. akallopisos compared to D. trimaculatus, consistent with the former species’ shorter PLD and stronger adult site attachment, which may restrict larval dispersal potential. In agreement with these results, the Bayesian analysis revealed clear genetic differentiation among the islands in A. akallopisos, separating the southern group (Bassas da India and Europa) from the center (Juan de Nova) and northern (Îles Glorieuses) islands, but not for D. trimaculatus. Local oceanographic patterns such as eddies that occur along the Mozambique Channel appear to parallel the results reported for A. akallopisos, but such features seem to have little effect on the genetic differentiation of D. trimaculatus. The contrasting patterns of genetic differentiation between species within the same family highlight the importance of accounting for diverse life history traits when assessing community-wide connectivity, an increasingly common consideration in conservation planning.

     

Pattern and process in mangrove forests of the Andaman Islands

Abatract The structural and functional aspects of mangrove forests of the Andaman Islands were described. The mangrove forests of Andaman are highly diversified and rich in species composition. Twenty-six species were collected, Rhizophora lamarckii and R. stylosa were reported for the first time from these islands. The mangroves of Andaman are very productive in comparison to other forest types. Maximum production of biomass was found in the undisturbed Oralkatcha forest. Maximum litter fall was also found at Oralkatcha.     

Allozyme diversity and the evolution ofCrepidiastrum (Compositae) on the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands

The genusCrepidiastrum is distributed in East Asia and includes 7 species. In the Bonin Islands, three species ofCrepidiastrum occur, and all of them are endemic to the islands. For detecting the origin and speciation of these endemic species, electrophoretic studies have been done in three endemic species of the Bonin Islands as well as in the remaining four species ofCrepidiastrum, andYoungia denticulata which is considered to be closely related toCrepidiastrum. A total of 386 individuals were sampled from 14 populations. As a result, 17 loci of 10 enzyme systems were resolved and gene frequencies for each population were calculated. The genetic variability was low in island species, as reported in some oceanic island plants. Four groups were recognized in the dendrogram generated by the UPGMA method. The Bonin endemics were clustered together, suggesting a monophyletic origin.C. ameristophyllum andC. linguaefolium were found to be genetically very similar, and this may suggest recent and rapid speciation within the islands.     

873. ECHIUM NERVOSUM

The Madeiran endemic Echium nervosum W.T. Aiton is illustrated based on plants grown at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Its ecology; phylogenetic and taxonomic placement, and conservation status are discussed. Twenty‐nine species of Echium are endemic to the Macaronesian Islands and they represent one of the most spectacular and best known examples of adaptive radiation on oceanic islands.     

Tsunami and tropical island ecosystems: a meta-analysis of studies in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Tropical islands are special and sensitive ecosystems which are subjected to various disturbances imposed by human activities and natural disasters. A detailed study about the changing landscape scenarios of these fragile island systems induced by various driving factors could be used for setting up measurements in support of conservation and sustainable development projects. The current research is a meta-analysis of the studies carried out in Andaman and Nicobar islands which analyzed the impact of tsunami of 2004 using geospatial tools. Based on the analysis, it was observed that the Nicobar islands were more affected compared to the Andaman islands. The majority of the researchers used pre- and post-tsunami satellite imagery and adopted visual interpretation method to delineate the changed classes. The study infers uplift of land in Andaman (exposing) and subsidence in Nicobar islands (inundation) with severe damage to the coastal elements like mangroves, coral reefs, plantations and in few cases interior forest. The analysis showed there were no records of the damage for some small islands. Finally, it is concluded that utility of microwave satellite data for change analysis will prove better in regions like Andaman and Nicobar where it is difficult to get cloud free optical data because of the high monsoon periods in these islands. It is also suggested that future work utilizing suitable temporal satellite imagery should focus on the extent of recovery of vegetation and other coastal elements which suffer the impact of disaster.     

Host plant utilization by butterfly larvae in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Indian Ocean)

The larval food plants of the butterflies of the Andaman and Nicobar islands have not been studied, although the butterfly fauna per se is fairly well known. For the first time we report the food plants of the larvae of 120 species of butterflies from these islands on the basis of laboratory rearing and field studies. This information is essential for the formulation of management programmes for butterfly conservation on these islands which are known to harbour critical swallowtail and (possibly) danaine faunas.     

Environmental relationships of the brush-tailed rabbit-rat, Conilurus penicillatus, and other small mammals on the Tiwi Islands, northern Australia

Aim To describe the habitat characteristics and status of the brush‐tailed rabbit‐rat, Conilurus penicillatus Gould, 1842, on the Tiwi Islands, northern Australia, as part of a broader programme aimed at the conservation management of this species. In addition, comparable environmental modelling is undertaken for other co‐occurring small native mammals, including the black‐footed tree‐rat, Mesembriomys gouldii Gray, 1843, a taxonomically and ecologically related species. These objectives relate to the significance for mammal conservation of islands generally in Australia, and the recent intensification of plantation forestry on these previously little‐disturbed islands. Location Melville and Bathurst islands (Tiwi Islands), respectively, Australia's second and fifth largest islands. Methods A systematic survey was conducted for mammals across Bathurst (115 sampled quadrats) and Melville Island (236 quadrats). A broad range of environmental variables was recorded for every quadrat. All quadrats were classified by their woody plant species composition. The relative occurrence of individual mammal species across the resulting vegetation groups was examined using Kruskal–Wallis anova . The habitat relationships of C. penicillatus and the most commonly recorded mammal species were described by generalized linear modelling, with separate models for each island, for both islands combined, for all habitats and for only those sites dominated by eucalypts. Results Twelve small mammal species (excluding bats, macropods and feral animals) were recorded in this study. The most notable feature of this survey was the lack of records of M. gouldii from Bathurst Island. In contrast, the proportion of quadrats with C. penicillatus was not significantly different between the two islands. There was no significant tendency for these two species to co‐occur in quadrats on Melville Island more or less commonly than by chance. Conilurus penicillatus was most abundant in eucalypt forest while M. gouldii showed a weak association with eucalypt forests and woodlands and shrub land. The five most commonly recorded species showed highly idiosyncratic relationships with environmental variables, with this relationship showing some variation between the two islands. None showed any significant association with floristic variation within the extensive eucalypt forests, but most showed significant associations with tree height, basal area (especially of large trees), landscape position (distance to watercourse) and fire history. Main conclusions Conilurus penicillatus was most likely to occur in tall eucalypt forest away from watercourses. This habitat is now being targeted for clearance for the development of plantations of the exotic Acacia mangium. Seven of the 12 mammal species examined in this study (C. penicillatus, M. gouldii, Rattus tunneyi Thomas, 1904, Melomys burtoni Ramsay, 1887, Sminthopsis butleri Archer, 1979, Phascogale tapoatafa Meyer, 1793 and Petaurus breviceps Gould, 1842) were not recorded at all in plantations, and these (and other) species are likely to be severely disadvantaged by plantation development. The study also demonstrated that the two medium to large arboreal rodent species (C. penicillatus and M. gouldii) vary in environmental associations and found no evidence that C. penicillatus increased in areas unoccupied by M. gouldii.     

福建棕榈科原生植物资源分布与保护

棕榈科植物应用广泛,对其展开原生资源调查,有助于对其进行更为合理的保护与利用。该研究经过野外调查、收集整理有关资料,确定福建原生棕榈科资源为8属10种,其中鱼尾葵(Caryota maxima)为福建分布新记录。福建省棕榈科植物呈全省分散分布,南部种类更加丰富,以漳州市为最多(有8种),其次是龙岩、福州(各有4种)。棕榈、毛鳞省藤在福建省各市均有分布,属福建省广分布种;大叶蒲葵、鱼尾葵、刺葵、变色山槟榔、白藤仅见漳州分布,属福建省狭分布种。福建原生棕榈科植物大部分生长在亚热带常绿阔叶林中、林缘、山谷水沟旁等地,人为采伐利用或生境丧失是其导致濒危主要因素,就地保护、迁地保护、加强相关科学研究等是当前主要的保护措施。     

Island history affects faunal composition: the treeshrews (Mammalia: Scandentia: Tupaiidae) from the Mentawai and Batu Islands,Indonesia

The Mentawai and Batu Island groups off the west coast of Sumatra have a complicated geological and biogeographical history. The Batu Islands have shared a connection with the Sumatran ‘mainland’ during periods of lowered sea level, whereas the Mentawai Islands, despite being a similar distance from Sumatra, have remained isolated from Sumatra, and probably from the Batu Islands as well. These contrasting historical relationships to Sumatra have influenced the compositions of the respective mammalian faunas of these island groups. Treeshrews (Scandentia, Tupaiidae) from these islands have, at various times in their history, been recognized as geographically circumscribed populations of a broadly distributed Tupaia glis, subspecies, or distinct species. We used multivariate analyses of measurements from the skull and hands to compare the island populations from Siberut (Mentawai Islands) and Tanahbala (Batu Islands) with the geographically adjacent species from the southern Mentawai Islands (T. chrysogaster) and Sumatra (T. ferruginea). Results from both the skull and manus of the Siberut population show that it is most similar to T. chrysogaster, whereas the Tanahbala population is more similar to T. ferruginea, confirming predictions based on island history. These results are further corroborated by mammae counts. Based on these lines of evidence, we include the Siberut population in T. chrysogaster and the Tanahbala population in T. ferruginea. Our conclusions expand the known distributions of both the Mentawai and Sumatran species. The larger geographical range of the endangered T. chrysogaster has conservation implications for this Mentawai endemic, so populations and habitat should be re‐evaluated on each of the islands it inhabits. However, until such a re‐evaluation is conducted, we recommend that the IUCN Red List status of this species be changed from ‘Endangered’ to ‘Data Deficient’. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 111 , 290–304.