Biogeographical patterns of Chinese spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) based on a parsimony analysis of endemicity

Aim  The distributions of Chinese spiders are used to form biotic regions and to infer biogeographical patterns.
Location  China.
Methods  China was initially divided into 294 quadrats of 2° latitude by 2° longitude. The distributions of 958 species of spiders were summarized for each quadrat. Subsequently, these quadrats were pooled into 28 areas based on topographical characteristics and to a lesser extent on the distributions of spiders. Parsimony analysis of endemicity (PAE) was used to classify the 28 areas based on the shared distributional patterns of spiders.
Results  China was found to have seven major biogeographical regions based on the distributional patterns of spiders: Western Northern region (clade B₂: Tibetan Plateau and Inner Mongolia-Xinjiang subregions), Central Northern region (clade B₃), Eastern Northern region (clade B₄), Central region (clade C₂), Eastern Southern region (clade C₃), Western Southern region (clade C₄), and Central Southern region (clade C₅).
Main conclusions  The distributional patterns of Chinese spiders correspond broadly to geological provinces. A comparison of the geological provinces and the distributional patterns of spiders reveals that the spiders occur south of the geological provinces. Furthermore, a general biogeographical classification with five natural areas is suggested as follows: Tibetan Plateau, Central Northern, Eastern Northern, Western Northern (excluding Tibetan Plateau), and Southern regions.     

A phytogeographic analysis of birch woodlands in the southern part of West Siberia

A minimum variance cluster analysis of 87 species of vascular plants occurring in south Siberian birch woodlands, based on their total distribution ranges, grouped them into 9 phytogeographic elements. The main distribution patterns of each element are illustrated by means of maps obtained by automatic mapping programs, showing the joint occurrence of the species of each element on a world scale. The results indicate a predominance of Eurasiatic-temperate taxa. The south Siberian birch woodlands can be considered as the easternmost extensions of the European deciduous forest belt, which in Siberia is compressed between the taiga biome in the north and the steppe biome in the south. The marginal position of Siberian Betula stands is reflected by the persistence of plants which are ecologically marginal with respect to true forest vegetation; most of the Eurasiatic species are typical, in Europe, of forest-meadows and forest-margins.     

Spatial-typological differentiation of ecosystems of the West Siberian Plain. Communication I: Plant cover

Similarity coefficients were quantified for the ecosystems of the West Siberian Plain on the basis of the air-dry masses of dominant and subdominant plant species in five life forms (mosses, lichens, grasses, dwarf shrubs, shrubs, and trees) indicated in the formation ranges of the phytogeographic map of the West Siberian Plain. The resultant matrix was studied with cluster analysis and two classifications were made: one averaged over the formation ranges and the other over groups of the formation ranges. Expected informativity of the proposed classifications expressed in explained variance was 11–16% higher than that of the vegetation-based division used in the original phytogeographic map.     

Quantitative phytogeography of the Italian Beech Forests

This paper presents a numerical analysis of the distribution patterns in Europe and adjoining regions of 242 vascular plant species occurring in the Italian beech forests. The classification of a matrix of species and of 531 Operational Geographic Units (OGUs) led to recognition of 15 different phytogeographic elements (chorotypes). The joint distribution of the species belonging to each chorotype is shown by a chorogram, which is a geographic map obtained by computer processing of the distributional data. Some of the chorograms show the main distributional centers for the beechwood flora in southern Europe: northwestern Balkan Peninsula and eastern Alps, southern Balkan Peninsula, Maritime Alps, northern Apennines, southern Apennines. Only 20% of the species are limited to narrow areas in southern Europe, and were not able to expand considerably their ranges in postglacial times. Migration from the refugia and colonization of vast areas in central and northern Europe led to intensive speciation phenomena, occurring chiefly through the formation of neopolyploid species. Several south European, narrow-ranging species, can be considered as palaeopolyploids with relict character. There is a good relationship between distribution and ecology of the chorotypes.Abbreviations OGU Operational Geographic Unit - OGS Operational Geographic Set - OCS Operational Character Set     

Phytogeography of the liverwort flora of the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil

Abstract

This work analyzes the phytogeographic patterns of the liverwort flora of the Atlantic Forest of the Rio de Janeiro State, south-eastern Brazil. The analysis was based on inventories made in fragments of Atlantic Forest in the state, collections from the RB herbarium, and information from the checklist and database of the bryoflora of Rio de Janeiro. The phytogeographic pattern for each taxon was characterized based on its current distribution. Three hundred and sixty liverwort taxa are recognized for Rio de Janeiro. The liverwort flora varies along an altitudinal gradient within the Atlantic Forest, with the montane belt having the greatest species richness (238), the highest number of exclusive taxa (63) and the greatest number of endemic species (23). The predominant phytogeographic element is of neotropical species (49%), followed by disjunct liverworts (18%). Forty-one taxa (11%) are endemic to the country, of which 34 are restricted to the Atlantic Forest. In the lowland and submontane formations species are wide-ranging, whereas the montane and upper montane formations are characterized by endemic species or those disjunct with the Andes. The liverwort flora emphasizes the importance of the fragments of Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro as a centre of diversity and endemism, supporting 50% of the total liverwort species known in Brazil, 72% of those recorded from Atlantic Forest and 55% of the endemic species of the country. Species with an Afro-American and Andean disjunction make up a characteristic part of the liverwort flora, probably reflecting the effects of long-distance dispersal by air currents, migration over land before the breakup of the continents and climatic similarities between the high-altitude grasslands and the northern Andes.     

Using legumes as indicators in the seasonally dry vegetation types in South America

The South American corridor of seasonally dry vegetation (SACSV) includes different types of physiognomies forming a continuous corridor with high biodiversity and endemism; however, little attention has been paid to the conservation of the SACSV. As this is an area with great diversity, cataloguing all the species is challenging. Thus, we suggest the use of Leguminosae species (trees and shrubs) as bioindicators of the different types of vegetation present in the area and to identify priority areas for conservation of the SACSV, since the family is highly represented in this vegetation. The study area was divided into 358 grid cells with recorded specimens. For each grid cell, species richness, taxonomic diversity, number of species restricted to one type of vegetation, and threatened and indicator species of phytogeographic domain were calculated. To determine the phytogeographic domains and indicator species, analysis of similarity, cluster and indicator species (ISA) were performed. The results show that 43% of the grid cells (154) have high biological importance for conservation (high taxonomic diversity, species richness and number of restricted species), all of which lie outside of protected areas. We identified 72 indicator species for seven floristic units, which, in general, include areas of the same phytogeographic domain, supporting the existing classification systems. We suggest that for effective conservation of biodiversity present in the SACSV, it is necessary to establish protected areas throughout the SACSV.     

Association of wintering raptors with Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program grasslands in Pennsylvania

ABSTRACT Conservation grasslands can provide valuable habitat resource for breeding songbirds, but their value for wintering raptors has received little attention. We hypothesized that increased availability of grassland habitat through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) has resulted in an increase or redistribution in numbers of four species of raptors in Pennsylvania since 2001. We tested this by analyzing winter raptor counts from volunteer surveys, conducted from 2001 to 2008, for Red‐tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), Rough‐legged Hawks (Buteo lagopus), Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus), and American Kestrels (Falco sparverius). During that period, numbers of wintering Northern Harriers increased by more than 20% per year. Log‐linear Poisson regression models show that all four species increased in the region of Pennsylvania that had the most and longest‐established conservation grasslands. At the county scale (N= 67), Bayesian spatial models showed that spatial and temporal population trends of all four species were positively correlated with the amount of conservation grassland. This relationship was particularly strong for Northern Harriers, with numbers predicted to increase by 35.7% per year for each additional 1% of farmland enrolled in CREP. Our results suggest that conservation grasslands are likely the primary cause of the increase in numbers of wintering Northern Harriers in Pennsylvania since 2001.     

Shadows of the colonial past – diverging plant use in Northern Peru and Southern Ecuador

This paper examines the traditional use of medicinal plants in Northern Peru and Southern Ecuador, with special focus on the Departments of Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Cajamarca, and San Martin, and in Loja province, with special focus on the development since the early colonial period. Northern Peru represents the locus of the old Central Andean "Health Axis." The roots of traditional healing practices in this region go as far back as the Cupisnique culture early in the first millennium BC. Northern Peru and Southern Ecuador share the same cultural context and flora but show striking differences in plant use and traditional knowledge. Two hundred fifteen plant species used for medicinal purposes in Ecuador and 510 plant species used for medicinal purposes in Peru were collected, identified,. and their vernacular names, traditional uses, and applications recorded. This number of species indicates that the healers, market vendors, and members of the public interviewed in Peru still have a very high knowledge of plants in their surroundings, which can be seen as a reflection of the knowledge of the population in general. In Ecuador much of the original plant knowledge has already been lost. In Peru, 433 (85%) were Dicotyledons, 46 (9%) Monocotyledons, 21 (4%) Pteridophytes, and 5 (1%) Gymnosperms. Three species of Giartina (Algae) and one species of the Lichen genus Siphula were used. The families best represented were Asteraceae with 69 species, Fabaceae (35), Lamiaceae (25), and Solanaceae (21). Euphorbiaceae had 12 species, and Poaceae and Apiaceae each accounted for 11 species. In Ecuador the families best represented were Asteraceae (32 species), Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae, and Solanaceae (11 species each), and Apiaceae, Fabaceae, Lycopodiaceae (9 species each). One hundred eighty-two (85%) of the species used were Dicotyledons, 20 Monocotyledons (9.3%), 12 ferns (5.5%), and one unidentified lichen was used. Most of the plants used (83%) were native to Peru and Ecuador. Fresh plants, often collected wild, were used in two thirds of all cases in Peru, but in almost 95% of the cases in Ecuador. The most common applications included the ingestion of herb decoctions or the application of plant material as poultices. Although about 50% of the plants in use in the colonial period have disappeared from the popular pharmacopoeia, the overall number of plant species used medicinally has increased in Northern Peru, while Southern Ecuador shows a decline of plant knowledge since colonial times.     

Post-mortem drift in Australian cuttlefish sepions: its effect on the interpretation of species ranges

ABSTRACT

Post-mortem drift is a common phenomenon within living shelled cephalopods (Nautilidae, Sepiidae and Spirulidae) and has led to the misinterpretation of geographical ranges in some species. In this study, the distributional ranges of reliably identified cuttlefish and beach-collected sepions (cuttlebones) from the Australian Museum, Museum Victoria and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory collections were compared to determine the extent of sepion drift. In 12 of the 24 species examined, the distributions of dry sepions extended beyond the currently known ranges of the living populations as ascertained from the collection of intact animals. In some cases, this was in the order of hundreds of kilometres. These discrepancies are discussed in relation to the known depth ranges of each species, sepion morphology and oceanography. The results suggest that a cautionary approach should be taken in interpreting distributional data, particularly when using electronic databases that are likely to comprise sepion and whole animal locality information. Sepion distributions alone may be indicative of drift outside the true range of a species, or may suggest wider distributions of cuttlefish populations than are currently understood based on available information. Sepion drift is postulated to be the more likely explanation.     

New probability matrices for identification of Streptomyces

The character state data obtained for clusters defined in a previous phenetic classification were used to construct two probabilistic matrices for Streptomyces species. These superseded an original published identification matrix by exclusion of other genera and the inclusion of more Streptomyces species. Separate matrices were constructed for major and minor clusters. The minimum number of diagnostic characters for each matrix was selected by computer programs for determination of character separation indices (CHARSEP) and a selection of group diagnostic properties (DIACHAR). The resulting matrices consisted of 26 phena x 50 characters (major clusters) and 28 phena x 39 characters (minor clusters). Cluster overlap (OVERMAT program) was small in both matrices. Identification scores were used to evaluate both matrices. The theoretically best scores for the most typical example of each cluster (MOSTTYP program) were all satisfactory. Input of test data for randomly selected cluster representatives resulted in correct identification with high scores. The major cluster matrix was shown to be practically sound by its application to 35 unknown soil isolates, 77% of which were clearly identified. The minor cluster matrix provides tentative probabilistic identifications as the small number of strains in each cluster reduces its ability to withstand test variation. A diagnostic table for single-membered clusters, constructed using the CHARSEP and DIACHAR programs, was also produced.     

Southern Ocean Biogeography of Tintinnid Ciliates of the Marine Plankton

Ciliate microzooplankton are important grazers in most pelagic ecosystems and among them, tintinnids, with their largely species‐specific loricas, allow relatively easy assessment of questions of diversity and distributions. Herein, we present the results of a survey of species records of tintinnids from the Southern Ocean (locations below 40°S) reported in 56 publications yielding 2,047 species records (synonyms included) from 402 locations. The 192 species reported can be parsed into two main groups: 32 endemic Southern Ocean species, known only from 40°S and further south, and a second group of 181 widespread species, forms with extensive geographic ranges extending into the Southern Ocean. Widespread species reported from the Southern Ocean can be further divided into a group of 81 species, each recorded multiple times in the Southern Ocean waters and 70 apparent “stray” species which have only been found but once. The endemic and widespread species of the Southern Ocean show both distinct distributional patterns and morphological differences. The assemblage of Southern Ocean endemics is found mostly within the Antarctic zone delimited by the average location of the Polar Front and contains a relatively large portion of wide‐mouthed forms. We give suggestions for future study.     

A biogeographic delineation of the European Alpine System based on a cluster analysis of Carex curvula-dominated grasslands

Biogeographic delineations within the European temperate mountains remain poorly understood, as there has been little effort to assemble and analyze vegetation relevés covering Pyrenees, Alps, Carpathians and Balkans altogether. Our study tackles this issue by focusing on the widely distributed alpine acidic grasslands dominated by Carex curvula. Cluster analysis of more than 800 vegetation relevés revealed the European-scale spatial patterns of vascular plant diversity in these alpine grasslands. The geographical distribution of floristic clusters was partly congruent with the physiography of European mountains. Southern European ranges (Southern Balkans and Pyrenees) exhibit a high level of endemism and corresponding floristic clusters are well separated from the others. Marked floristic similarities between the Easternmost Alps, the Carpathians, and the Northern Balkans (Stara Planina) supported a major floristic boundary that runs through the Austrian Alps and that is likely the legacy of a shared Quaternary history. Within the Alps, floristic clustering was mainly driven by ecological drivers and not geography. This paper presents the first detailed study of spatial patterns of species distribution within the European Alpine System, based on a comprehensive analysis of within- and between-community species diversity. It shows that the quantitative analysis of large and consistent data sets may question the traditional delineations of biogeographic regions within European mountains.     

甘肃宝积山盆地中侏罗世植物群地质时代及植物区系探讨

本文对甘肃宝积山盆地中侏罗世植物群地质时代及植物区系进行了探讨,共统计植物大化石18属53种,主要包括银杏纲10属24种,真蕨纲5属22种,苏铁纲1属3种,松柏纲1属2种,楔叶纲1属2种。该植物群在组成特征上表现为银杏类、真蕨类植物繁盛,其他植物类群相对贫乏。基于该植物群特征与国内其他植物群的对比,提出其地质时代为中侏罗世Aalenian期–Bajocian期。通过哈曼、欧式距离、罗杰斯–塔尼莫特和索卡尔–施尼斯4种方法对宝积山盆地及中国北方其余11个中侏罗世植物群进行系统聚类分析,在此基础上进一步划分了中国北方植物区系。通过计算属、种相似性系数,探讨宝积山邻近植物区系间的亲缘关系,结果表明宝积山植物区系与同属西北地区的华亭植物区系关系较为亲近。     

湘南地区晚奥陶世的江西笔石(Jiangxigraptus)*

本文对甘肃宝积山盆地中侏罗世植物群地质时代及植物区系进行了探讨, 共统计植物大化石 18 属 53 种, 主要包括银杏纲 10 属 24 种, 真蕨纲 5 属 22 种, 苏铁纲 1 属 3 种, 松柏纲 1 属 2 种, 楔叶纲 1 属 2 种。该植物群在组成特征上表现为银杏类、真蕨类植物繁盛, 其他植物类群相对贫乏。基于该植物群特征与国内其他植物群的对比, 提出其地质时代为中侏罗世 Aalenian 期–Bajocian 期。通过哈曼、欧式距离、罗杰斯–塔尼莫特和索卡尔–施尼斯 4 种方法对宝积山盆地及中国北方其余 11 个中侏罗世植物群进行系统聚类分析, 在此基础上进一步划分了中国北方植物区系。通过计算属、种相似性系数,探讨宝积山邻近植物区系间的亲缘关系, 结果表明宝积山植物区系与同属西北地区的华亭植物区系关系较为亲近。     

Life History Traits Reflect Changes in Mediterranean Butterfly Communities Due to Forest Encroachment

The biodiversity of the Southern Balkans, part of the Mediterranean global biodiversity hot-spot, is threatened by land use intensification and abandonment, the latter causing forest encroachment of formerly open habitats. We investigated the impact of forest encroachment on butterfly species richness, community species composition and the representation of life history traits by repeated seasonal visits of 150 one-hectare sites in five separate regions in three countries—Greece, Bulgaria, and the Republic of Macedonia (FYROM—the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)— 10 replicates for each habitat type of grasslands, open formations and scrub forest within each region. Grasslands and open formations sites hosted in average more species and more red-listed species than scrub forest, while no pattern was found for numbers of Mediterranean species. As shown by ordination analyses, each of the three habitat types hosted distinct butterfly communities, with Mediterranean species inclining either towards grasslands or open formations. Analysing the representation of life history traits revealed that successional development from grasslands and open formations towards scrub forest shifts the community composition towards species overwintering in earlier stages, having fewer generations per year, and inhabiting large European or Eurosiberian (e.g. northern) ranges; it decreases the representation of Mediterranean endemics. The loss of grasslands and semi-open formations due to forest encroachment thus threatens exactly the species that should be the focus of conservation attention in the Mediterranean region, and innovative conservation actions to prevent ongoing forest encroachment are badly needed.     

Animal‐mediated long‐distance dispersals and migrations shaping the intercontinental disjunctions of Celastrus (Celastraceae) among five continents

The mechanisms underlying the origin, evolution, and distributional patterns of organisms are a major focus of biogeography. Vicariance and long‐distance dispersal (LDD) are two important explanations for disjunctive distribution patterns among lineages. In‐depth biogeographic studies of taxa that exhibit wide‐ranging disjunctions can provide valuable information for addressing the relative importance of these biogeographic mechanisms. The genus Celastrus contains ca. 30 species that are disjunctly distributed in five continents of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, providing an excellent system for historical biogeographic analyses. Here, we used sequence data from five markers (nuclear external transcribed spacer and internal transcribed spacer, and plastid psbA‐trnH, rpl16, and trnL‐F) to reconstruct the phylogeny of Celastrus and investigate its phylogenetic relationships with Tripterygium, estimate clade divergence times using the fossil‐calibrated method, and infer its ancestral distribution range. Celastrus and Tripterygium were each supported as monophyletic. The morphology‐based classification systems were not supported by the phylogenetic results. The divergence time between Celastrus and Tripterygium was estimated to be 26.22 Ma (95% highest posterior density: 24.46–28.17 Ma), and the diversification of Celastrus were suggested to be linked to global warming events during the Miocene. Celastrus was suggested to have a tropical Asian origin, and dispersed to Central and South America, North America, Oceania, and Madagascar at different periods, most probably through LDD. Birds may have facilitated transoceanic migrations of Celastrus because of its bicolored fruits, which contain red and fleshy arils. Our results highlight the importance of key morphological innovations and animal‐mediated dispersals for the rapid diversification of plant lineages across vast distributional ranges.     

Floristic Characteristics of the Karkamis Dam Reservoir Area and its Surroundings (Gaziantep-Sanliurfa: Turkey)

The natural flora of Karkamis Dam lake area and its surroundings was studied in 2000 and 2001 before the dam construction was completed. During the floristic surveys, 464 species of 279 genera belonging to 70 families were recorded. The number of endemic species is 14. The phytogeographic elements are represented in the study as follows; Irano-Turanian 104 (18.2%), Mediterranean 66 (11.5%), Euro-Siberian 7 (1.2%), Cosmopolitan 9 (1.5%), Sharo-Arabian 1 (0.1%). The phytogeographic region of 383 taxa (67.1%) is unknown, or multiregional. The spectrum of the basic life forms is as follows; Therophytes 50.0%, Hemicryptophytes 33.4%, Phanerophytes 5.2%, Geophytes 5.2%, Chamaephytes 4.3% and Hydrophytes 1.9%. According to the IUCN Red List Categories, 28 threatened plant species were identified in the study area.     

Genetic structure,ecological versatility,and skull shape differentiation in Arvicola water voles (Rodentia,Cricetidae)

Water voles from the genus Arvicola display an amazing ecological versatility, with aquatic and fossorial populations. The Southern water vole (Arvicola sapidus) is largely accepted as a valid species, as well as the newly described Arvicola persicus. In contrast, the taxonomic status and evolutionary relationships within Arvicola amphibiussensu lato had caused a long-standing debate. The phylogenetic relationships among Arvicola were reconstructed using the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Four lineages within A. amphibiuss.l. were identified with good support: Western European, Eurasiatic, Italian, and Turkish lineages. Fossorial and aquatic forms were found together in all well-sampled lineages, evidencing that ecotypes do not correspond to distinct species. However, the Western European lineage mostly includes fossorial forms whereas the Eurasiatic lineage tends to include mostly aquatic forms. A morphometric analysis of skull shape evidenced a convergence of aquatic forms of the Eurasiatic lineage toward the typically aquatic shape of A. sapidus. The fossorial form of the Western European lineage, in contrast, displayed morphological adaptation to tooth-digging behavior, with expanded zygomatic arches and proodont incisors. Fossorial Eurasiatic forms displayed intermediate morphologies. This suggests a plastic component of skull shape variation, combined with a genetic component selected by the dominant ecology in each lineage. Integrating genetic distances and other biological data suggest that the Italian lineage may correspond to an incipient species (Arvicola italicus). The three other lineages most probably correspond to phylogeographic variations of a single species (A. amphibius), encompassing the former A. amphibius, Arvicola terrestris, Arvicola scherman, and Arvicola monticola.     

Structure of communities of ground-dwelling animals at the junction of two phytogeographic zones

Changes in the structure of tenebrionid beetle, lizard and rodent communities along the aridity gradient that determines the position of a phytogeographic province boundary were studied to test: (1) whether there are two different species assemblages on either side of the boundary (2) the extent of their differentiation and (3) if they are composed of different or the same faunal elements. Several ordination methods were tested for their capacity to reflect community structure, and discriminant function analysis was selected as the primary method of ordination. Each of the ordination axes reflected a complex environmental gradient. The latter was different for each taxon. The gradient of productivity cross-cuts ecological space for each animal group in an individual manner. Revealed spatial assemblages of species were related to the level of productivity. There was one assemblage of species at high productivity and one or two assemblages occurred at low productivity in each taxon. The α–diversity curve of rodents changed weakly along the productivity gradient, whereas those of lizard and beetle communities were distinctly unimodal and had maxima near the middle of the gradient. β–diversity curves of rodents had a concave shape, but those of lizard and beetle communities increased from low productivity values to the middle of the gradient and after that weakly declined to the upper (productive) end of the gradient. Seven types of ranges or areographic groups of species were distinguished. Each species assemblage was composed of different faunal elements. Comparison of the results of ecological and areographic analyses demonstrated that two assemblages of rodents and lizards represent different guilds within the same community rather than different communities. The phytogeographic border for these taxa is an ecological rather than a geographical boundary. The difference between the two tenebrionid assemblages appears to be zoogeographical rather than ecological, and coincides with the phytogeographic boundary.