Acoustic monitoring of Orthoptera and its potential for conservation

Songs of Orthoptera can be used for inventorying and monitoring of individual species and communities. Acoustic parameters such as carrier frequency and pulse rates allow the definition of recognizable taxonomic units (RTUs) which help to overcome the taxonomic impediment due to our scanty knowledge, particularly of tropical faunas. Bioacoustic diversity is a first estimate for species richness and provides baseline data which can be a prerequisite for conservation. Additional ecological and behavioural information such as habitat preference and singing schedules can be inferred. Many Orthoptera are sensitive indicator species for habitat quality in temperate and tropical ecosystems. Examples are given for evaluation of habitat quality and deterioration by acoustic detection of Orthoptera.     

The taxonomic impediment in orthopteran research and conservation

It is estimated that only 10–15% of the world's insect fauna has been described and named. Efforts to inventory insect biodiversity are hampered by this taxonomic impediment, which is compounded by the logistical problems of an insufficient taxonomic workforce and their remote location in museums thousands of miles from the areas of highest biodiversity. Compared to most other invertebrate groups however, the taxonomic impediment is relatively benign in the order Orthoptera. This is a small to medium-sized order (approximately 20 000 described species) which is well known taxonomically, owing to the group's agricultural importance worldwide. Furthermore, orthopteran taxonomists are now fortunate to have a published up-to-date catalogue of all known species, which has just become accessible as a regularly updated database on the World Wide Web. Whilst new information technology, in the form of e-mail networks, World Wide Web sites and CD-ROM information archives, is already enhancing communication between specialists and helping to reduce the logistical problems of documenting orthopteran biodiversity, a major reinvestment in basic taxonomic research is needed if we are to reduce the existing taxonomic impediment significantly. There is general agreement that an internationally coordinated approach will be necessary and priorities must be set to tackle the biodiversity/systematics crisis. In the future, the Orthoptera can make an important contribution to invertebrate faunal surveys and have potential as an indicator taxon. Furthermore, the Orthoptera Species File establishes a taxonomic framework which could be readily enlarged to include geographic data and phenology of species from existing museum specimens.     

The grasshoppers of Costa Rica: a survey of the parameters influencing their conservation and survival

Seventy-five per cent of the acridomorph fauna of Costa Rica is confined to the wet forest environment. This habitat also has a disproportionately large proportion of species which are of restricted distribution within the country or are endemic to Costa Rica or are flightless. The grasshoppers of dry forest, grassland and swamp habitats have in general the reverse properties: they include relatively few species and most of these are capable of flight and are widely distributed both within and outside of Costa Rica. The major factor influencing the long-term survival (or, conversely, the extinction) of the major part of the grasshopper fauna of Costa Rica is likely to be the preservation (or destruction) of the wet forest habitat.     

Management of orthopteran pests: a conservation perspective

Although the vast majority of orthopterans are not pests, some species have the potential to cause serious damage to human interests. Management of pest populations frequently conflicts with conservation of orthopteran species and processes, particularly when the pest species or its ecological processes are susceptible to extinction or when the pest population is coincident with non-target orthopterans. With respect to chemical control, the greatest hazards are the broad-spectrum, highly lethal properties of most agents, which can be mitigated with formulation and application methods. Biological control risks permanent, large-scale changes to orthopteran species and processes which can be minimized with bioinsecticidal and other short-lived or selective formulations and reliable host-range testing. Cultural control may have large-scale, broad-spectrum impacts to non-target orthopterans, but these hazards can be diminished by appropriate testing and monitoring. Mechanical control methods may be impractically labour intensive, but they are highly target specific and therefore warrant further consideration. Social control measures such as education, insurance and compensation programmes appear to have little direct potential for harm to orthopteran conservation, but the complex socioeconomic and, ultimately, environmental consequences of such programmes have not been assessed. The melding of orthopteran pest management and conservation requires that we perceive these insects and their ecological processes to be vital elements of sustainable agroecosystems. Our management of orthopterans (both non-target and pest populations) must focus on keeping good stewards on the land.     

印度四种蝗科农业害虫的取食量定量测定及据此推测的亲缘关系

【目的】害虫的取食潜力反映了其生态学和经济学特性,这些知识有助于扩展其控制措施。能否将害虫物种按亲缘关系的远近进行分组,对它们在发育或成熟期的取食量进行定量排序？了解不同害虫种类的取食模式有助于这一问题的解答。 【方法】对印度4种蝗科农业害虫--等岐蔗蝗Hieroglyphus banian (Fab.), 暗翅剑角蝗Acrida exaltata (Walk.), 中华板胸蝗Spathosternum prasiniferum prasiniferum (Walk.) 和 Oxya fuscovittata (Mars.)的取食量进行了定量测定,估测了4种害虫雌雄各若虫龄期及整个成虫期的每日取食量和总取食量。【结果】基于其多食性特征和存在多种食物来源的情况,所有测试中均只提供最为偏好的寄主植物。在研究的4种害虫中,观察到相同的取食率模式,取食率随着若虫龄期的增加而逐步增加。4种害虫的雌虫取食量均显著高于雄虫,且成虫期害虫的取食量显著高于幼期。各龄若虫和成虫的取食量与对应的若虫或成虫历期明显相关。就整个生活期的取食量和平均存活率而言,暗翅剑角蝗A. exaltata 和中华板胸蝗S. pr. prasiniferum 的亲缘关系比其他两种昆虫略近。就整个生活期的取食量和平均存活率而言,单化性害虫（等岐蔗蝗H. banian）和二化性害虫（暗翅剑角蝗A. exaltata) 比另外两种近缘的多化性害虫（中华板胸蝗S. pr. prasiniferum 和 O. fuscovittata）的亲缘关系更近一些。【结论】寿命长的物种(每年可完成1~2个世代)在取食潜力方面比寿命短的物种（每年完成2代以上的世代）更具有可比性。通过对多个不同化性的害虫物种的研究,使我们在这方面能达到更全面的认识。     

生物系统学与自然保护

生物系统学的知识是自然监测和保护的基础。随着自然保护观念由强调重点物种或代表性生态系统保护转向强调保护地球上生物多样性,生物系统学将在自然保护中发挥更大的作用。     

利用农业生物多样性持续控制有害生物

农业生物多样性对保障全球粮食安全和农业可持续发展至关重要.人类在多样性的形成上发挥了关键作用,人类结合自然进化创造了遗传多样性、物种多样性和生态系统多样性.农业生物多样性发挥了很多社会经济和环境功能:保障粮食安全;维持农业生态系统可持续发展;赋予农村经济适变性.但当前人类毁灭农业生物多样性的速度更为惊人.在总结石油农业单一化种植的生态负效应、传统农业提倡“天人合一”的生态正效应的基础上,分析讨论了利用农业生物多样性持续控制有害生物的必要性和可行性,从生态系统多样性、物种多样性和种内遗传多样性3个层次,归纳了构建和恢复农田生物多样性的基本方法.基于病理学、生态学、营养学和生理学等学科领域,从群体异质效应、稀释效应、微生态效应、诱导抗性效应、物理阻隔效应、生理学效应和化感效应等7个方面,归纳了利用农业生物多样性持续控制有害生物的基础原理.寻求低投入、高效益、多样化和可持续的农业生产系统是当今世界许多科学家、决策者和生产者共同关心的问题.农业生物多样性具有重要的生态作用,在现代农业框架下,是合情合理构建持续、稳定、健康、高产的农田生态系统,持续控制有害生物的金钥匙.为此必须加强四方面的课题研究:各种作物之间的相生相克关系及其作用机理;各种有害生物的主要天敌种类、生物学、生态学特性及其适生环境;利用农业生物多样性全面、持续控制有害生物的农业生产模式;与其相配套的农艺措施与农业机械.     

生物多样性资源：利用、保护与管理

生物多样性在本质上是一种具有多重价值,高度综合的资源形式,是人类社会生存与发展的物质基础,在人类社会发展过程中,生物多样性资源利用与保护之间日益表现为彼此冲突的特征,但并非不可调和。本文认为,协调二者关系,实现生物多样性资源可持续利用和区域社会经济可持续发展的根本途径是生物多样性资源管理,它由主体层,客体层和目标层构成,应该具备主体多元化,参与的广泛性,过程的动态性与持续性,尺度性与地域性和公平性等基本特征,主体层是由以人为核心的各种组织形式构成的,是从社会经济系统中分化出来的一个职能层次;客体层也就是管理的对象层,是生物多样性资源系统和社会经济系统的耦合体,目标层包括生物多样性资源的可持续利用,生态文明的构建与发展和区域社会经济的可持续发展,生态文明是生物多样性资源可持续利用和区域社会可持续发展的根本保障,其中,主体层和客体层构成了生物多样性资源管理的实体部分,而目标层则是生物多样性资源管理的参照体系,生物多样性资源管理包括管理范围界定,问题辨识,目标确定,政策制定与方案运筹,实施,监测与评价,适应性调整6个基本步骤,是一个复杂的多层次动态反馈过程,这一过程中,科学研究发挥着非常重要的作用,因此应该在加强生物多样性科学研究的同时融合科学与管理的关系,使科学成果真正转化成效的管理行为。     

昆虫多样性的保护现状与趋势

昆虫是自然界中种类最多的动物,在生态系统中具有重要的作用,但是昆虫在生物多样性保护中没有受到应有的重视.多个实例证明,很多昆虫种类处在数量下降甚至绝灭的状态.究其原因,人类的认识不足是导致昆虫多样性保护未受重视的主要原因,栖息地破坏是昆虫濒危的主要原因.由于昆虫生活史的特殊性,其保护策略与大型动物的保护有很大不同.昆虫多样性的保护可以与人类活动共存.     

Using phylogenies in conservation: new perspectives

The 2011 meeting of the European Ecological Federation took place in ávila, Spain, from 26th September to 29th September. The French Ecological Society (SFE) and the Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB) sponsored a session entitled 'Evolutionary history, ecosystem function and conservation biology: new perspectives'. We report on the main insights obtained from this symposium.     

Coastal-marine discontinuities and synergisms: implications for biodiversity conservation

Coastal-marine biodiversity conservation must focus increasingly at the level of the land- and seascape. Five cases illustrate discontinuities and synergisms and how system changes may take place. For Caribbean coral reefs, the result of overfishing and disease has been a shrinkage in the entire system, the effects of which may cascade through the coastal seascape. For Beringia, patterns of benthic diversity are best understood in a manner that matches the multiscale, integrated dynamics of weather, ice, marine mammal feeding, and community structure. In the case of US East Coast estuaries, oyster reefs may be keystone elements, with important effects on functional diversity. Large-scale coastal systems depend upon the connectivity of fresh and marine waters in the coastal zone, having implications for the apparent stochasticity of coastal fisheries. And, for a coastal barrier-lagoon site, a state change may be described in terms of a combination of succession, the attainment of a quasi-equilibrium state, and disturbance. A profound problem for conservation is that there is very little information about the relationship between species diversity and ecological function. Coastal-marine biodiversity conservation is best addressed at the level of the land- and seascape.     

试论生物多样性保护理论与实践面临的困难及现实出路

保护生物学作为一门新兴的交叉科学,已经在最近的一二十年中迅速发展成为一门独立的学科,然而,人们似乎过分沉湎于保护生物学的理论研究之中,却对这样一个事实置若罔闻;保护生物多样性的实践并未能取得预期的成效,生物多样性的危机不仅远未消除,反而越来越严峻,本文从保护生物多样性的伦理妯,保护生物学的理论,保护生物多样性的实践等多个层面上,分析了生物多样性保护面临的重重困难,着重指出,来自社会人文方面的种种不利因素,尤其是经济方面的驱动力,才是制约生物多样性保护的根源所在,并提出通过人文学科的社会经济,政策,法律等方面与自然学科的技术和理论的密切合作研究,综合地探求解决生物多样性危机的有效途径,应该成为保护生物学研究一个新的重点领域。     

植物保护遗传学研究进展

保护遗传学是过用遗传学的原理和研究手段,以生物多样性尤其是遗传多样性的研究和保护为核心的一门新兴学科,近几十年来,遗传学研究在生物多样性保护的理论和实践中发挥着越来越重要的作用。本文简要回顾了保护遗传学的发展历史,研究方向和涉及的概念,着重介绍了植物保护遗传学研究所取得的一些进展,包括植物系统发育重建和保护单元的确定,遗传多样性与物种和群体适应性之间的关系,群体遗传结构与保护策略的制定以及植物遗传资源的鉴定和利用等方面的内容,并强调保护遗传学研究是未来生物多样性和保护生物学研究中一个亟待加强的研究领域。     

香港的生物多样性及其保育工作

香港位于热带,属海洋性气候。地势崎岖多山,山地约占全港总面积的3/4。城市发展多集中在沿海平坦地带。目前香港的城市和乡镇面积约占总面积的20%,农地约占5%(当中大部份已遭荒废),余下的均为郊野地区,这包括天然林和人工林(约占14%)、灌丛(约占36%)及草地(约占17%)。由于良好的气候和地理条件,形成了众多不同的生态环境,使总面积仅1090 km²的弹丸之地孕育出种类多样的动植物,生物多样性十分丰富。香港约有2500种原生植物,包括被子植物约1900种,裸子植物7种,蕨类植物220多种及苔藓植物300多种。动物方面,已记录的野生哺乳类动物有40多种,鸟类超过459种,两栖类23种,爬行类70多种。昆虫种类繁多,其中蜻蜓目100多种,鳞翅目2200多种(蝴蝶200多种,蛾类2000多种)。有很多是国家保护物种和特有种。植物方面属国家一级保护的有1种——刺桫椤(Alsophila spinulosa);国家二级保护的有6种,如四药门花(Tetrathryrium subcordatum);国家三级保护的有8种,如穗花杉(Amentotaxus argotaenia)。此外,香港特有种有16种,例如紫萁科(Osmundaceae)的粤紫萁(Osmunda mildei)、马兜铃科(Aristolochiaceae)的香港细辛(Asarum hongkongense)和兰科(Orchidaceae)的谢氏卷瓣兰(Bulbophyllum tseanum)。动物方面有9种属国家一级保护,例如中华白海豚(Sousa chinensis);79种属国家二级保护。特有种则有卢氏小树蛙(Philautus romeri)、包氏双足蜥(Dibamus bogadeki)及多种昆虫。为了保护丰富的野生动植物及其栖息的环境,香港特别行政区政府制定了一些法例并推行了不少保护措施,例如设立了21个郊野公园和14个特别地区,占全港陆地总面积约38%。此外,还成立了2个禁区、3个海岸公园和1个海洋保护区。另一方面,政府还设立了59个“具特殊科学价值地点”,以保护及研究各种动植物、生态系统和特殊的地质地貌。香港地少人多,总人口超过600万,是世界上人口最稠密的地区之一。多年来香港这个生物宝库不断地遭受人类活动的威胁,近年来由于人口急剧上升,对土地需求迫切,不少郊野地区被开发利用,环境污染亦日益严重。此外,一些野生植物因具有药用价值、观赏价值或其他用途而遭盗伐或采集。上述种种因素已使香港野生动植物及其生境受到严重损害,一些物种更濒于灭绝,进行生物多样性的保育工作刻不容缓。因此,香港确实需要制定整体的生物多样性保护策略。有鉴于此,香港大学生态及分类学系于1996年展开了一项为期3年的香港生物多样性调查,以增加对动植物资源现况的了解,为保护香港的珍稀濒危物种和日益恶化的自然环境提出补救方案,并为制订长远的保育策略奠定基础。     

Evolutionary biology and practical conservation: bridging a widening gap

At the ecosystem, species and population level, available measures suggest that average rates of loss of populations and habitats are now around 1% per year and seem likely to increase in the future. Habitat conversion continues in most parts of the world, especially in areas of high species richness, and novel threats, especially climate change, will pose new challenges. With this pressure, maintaining evolutionary processes in natural populations will be critical to longer term persistence, and will often require specific planning relevant to the context. However, in many areas of policy and practice, urgent actions tend to focus on pattern-based analyses and considerations of evolutionary and ecological processes are neglected. At a variety of levels, from setting goals to implementing conservation management at the site or species level, there are simple adjustments that can be made. Improved methods for integrating the work of scientists and policymakers is recommended, from the beginning to end of the planning process.     

中国黄牛品种多样性及其保护

总结关于中国黄牛起源和品种多样的文献,依据头颅骨分类,毛色,血液蛋白多态性,体型体态,梁色体组型,线粒体DNA和考古论证的资料可知,在各地的牛种中,中国的无峰牛来自于两种原牛,在长城以北有长角型的普通牛的分支土雷诺蒙古利亚（truano-mognolia)和青藏高原有矮型的短角型普通牛（draft pimigenius),有峰牛来自于三种原牛,来自北非,西亚的瘤牛,印度瘤牛和东南亚瘤牛,这些牛的后裔大多以混血种形态存在,关中和中原地区牛受西亚瘤牛的影响,胸垂较发达,多皱折,体格圈套 ,云南部分高峰牛受印度瘤牛影响,东南地区高峰牛为古代准牛属爪哇牛被东南亚瘤牛吸收杂交的后裔,属矮小型,体躯体而皱折贫乏,肩峰属头位,耳端较尖而不下垂,在起源上,藏牛为原始种,海南高峰牛（zebu sinsis)为一个瘤牛的发源地,云南高峰牛是一个特殊种,击阳牛是含有非洲瘤牛血淮的特殊种,全国的黄牛在总体上可分为两大系统三大类型,根据体态特征分为无峰,低身和有峰三种,按地理分布为蒙古,黄淮和长珠三组,现代国民经济发展引进30个外国品种,加速了地方品种的灭绝,本文还提出了农牛保种应以特殊品种和边缘地区以及特有生态区牛种为主要的主张。     

Microbial diversity: the importance of exploration and conservation

Microbial diversity is fundamental to maintenance and conservation of global genetic resources. As extreme environments are explored, the richness of microbial diversity is increasingly evident. Measures must be taken to estimate, record, and conserve microbial diversity, not only to sustain human health but also to enrich the human condition globally through wise use and conservation of genetic resources of the microbial world. Received 24 April 1996/ Accepted in revised form 07 January 1997     

基于系统保护规划方法东北生物多样性热点地区和保护空缺分析

根据东北地区生物多样性特征,利用系统保护规划方法和国际上常用的保护规划软件C- plan,计算了规划单元的不可替代性值,确定了区域生物多样性热点地区,并根据保护区分布现状进行了生物多样性保护空缺分析.结果显示,东北地区不可替代性较高的热点地区有4个,分别是:(1)长白山西北部林区,(2)大兴安岭北段山地区,(3)大兴安岭南部森林与草原过渡区,(4)松嫩平原中部湿地区. 在优先、一般、非优先3个等级中,需要优先保护地区的总面积是19.49×104km2,约占区域总面积的20.91%.同时,根据已建保护区分布情况研究发现,区域内存在3个明显的保护空缺,即长白山西北部林区、大兴安岭北段山地区和大兴安岭南段森林草原过渡区.建议新建和扩建保护区,同时建立生态廊道把相应的保护区关联起来,以实现区域内生物多样性保护目标.     

Leaving uncut refuges during meadow harvesting increases the functional diversity of Orthoptera

In the past, insect species richness was high in Central European seminatural grasslands, which were characterized by low‐intensity land use. Currently, however, the hay in most of these grasslands is mechanically harvested, which negatively impacts insect biodiversity. One way to reduce this negative effect is to leave unmown patches as refuges. In the current research we evaluated the short‐term effects of leaving an unmown patch on the taxonomic and functional diversity of the Orthoptera assemblage in a meadow. We found that orthopteran species richness and abundance were significantly reduced by mowing, whether or not a patch was left uncut. In contrast, functional evenness, indicating distribution of species abundances in a niche space, was reduced by mowing only if the plot lacked an uncut refuge. Functional richness, indicating the amount of niche space occupied by species, was elevated if the plot had an uncut refuge. Larger species were negatively affected by mowing, while habitat specialists, mobile species and soil‐ovipositing species benefitted from it. We infer that the presence of an uncut patch increased the diversity of habitats available to orthopterans and maintained even distribution of species among niche space. In summary, leaving an unmown refuge in grasslands could increase the functional diversity of orthopterans, even if it does not preserve taxonomic diversity.     

长江流域的生物多样性及其与经济协调发展的对策

长江流域的生物多样性及其与经济协调发展的对策陈家宽李博（武汉大学生命科学学院,武汉４３００７２）吴千红（复旦大学生命科学学院,上海２００４３３）众所周知,生物多样性（ｂｉｏｄｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙ）是当代国际社会日益关注的重大问题之一。生物多样性是人类赖以...