Grain-size controls on the occurrence of bioturbation

Grain size and grain-size related stresses impart a significant influence on the ichnological character of marginal-marine deposits. This is evident on the New Brunswick coastline of the Bay of Fundy, Canada, where three coarse-grained marginal-marine deposits are studied to assess grain-size controls on the occurrence and type of bioturbation. Firm mud and sand substrates exhibit the greatest diversity and density of bioturbation (i.e., bioturbation intensity). The types of organisms colonizing sands and firm-mud substrates are variable; however, the resultant trace assemblages are similar. Thixotropic muds exhibit significantly reduced trace diversity and density relative to firm mud, reflecting the additional stress placed on the organisms by the relatively soupy consistency of the sediment. A significant change in the trace assemblage occurs when sediment caliber passes the gradational sand—fine gravel boundary.Four main conclusions can be drawn from this study. First, for mixed sand and gravel, fine gravel, and coarse-gravel deposits, the degree of bioturbation (diversity ^? density) decreases more rapidly onshore (across the intertidal zone) than is noted in sand or mud deposits. Second, there is a decrease in the degree of bioturbation with increasing grain size for substrates composed of sand-sized and larger clasts. Third, burrows in gravels tend to be lined and/or robust, likely to maintain a stable environment within the burrow. Fourth, in coarse-gravel substrates or substrates with a significant component of coarse gravel, burrows are developed between the clasts and tend to be more permanent structures (than those developed in sand or mud), which are generally continuously occupied.The degree of burrowing noted in these modern gravel deposits contrasts with the relative paucity of biogenic structures reported in conglomerates preserved in the rock record. Based on the intensity of burrowing observed in the gravels, we hypothesize that ancient marginal-marine conglomerates are likely bioturbated, but that these burrows are likely distorted during burial and compaction.     

不同基质中4种电网塔基地被植物种子发芽与幼苗生长研究

以宽叶雀稗(Paspalum wettsteinii)、百喜草(P. notatum)、狗牙根(Cynodon dactylon)和猪屎豆(Crotalaria pallida) 4种植物种子为材料,研究其在沙土、园土、红壤、建筑废弃土、碎石块等基质中萌发和幼苗生长情况,筛选4种植物最适栽培基质,以期为电网基塔下及四周裸露地面复绿提供指导。结果表明,沙土适于宽叶雀稗、百喜草、狗牙根种子发芽;猪屎豆在5种基质中均不发芽。宽叶雀稗适于红壤生长;百喜草、狗牙根适于园土生长;宽叶雀稗为沙土、建筑废弃土和碎石块上最适合栽种的植物。通过灰色关联度分析,3种植物苗期生长的综合排序为δ宽叶雀稗(0.553) > δ狗牙根(0.522) > δ百喜草(0.436),故在5种基质中,宽叶雀稗幼苗生长综合表现最佳。     

Life history of the gulf darter,Etheostoma swaini (Pisces: Percidae)

Synopsis Etheostoma swaini, the gulf darter, was collected from the Black Creek drainage in southern Mississippi (February 1978 – April 1979). The gulf darter generally inhabits small- to moderate-size creeks and occurs over a sand or sandy mud bottom, often in association with aquatic vegetation or a layer of organic debris. Larval dipterans were the most important food items, both numerically and volumetrically. Chironomids were found in 71–100% of the stomachs in all except the unusual March 16 collection. The length frequency distribution and the scale annuli analysis indicated there were three year-classes present in the population at any one time. Fifty-one percent of the specimens taken were less than 12 months old. During the mid-February to late March spawning season gulf darters were most often collected over clean gravel or gravelsand substrates. Laboratory observations suggest that the female burrows into the gravel where the demersal, adhesive eggs are deposited. Female gulf darters significantly outnumbered males at a ratio of 59:41.     

祁连山东段高原鼢鼠洞道土壤微生物和土壤酶

高原鼢鼠繁杂的洞道系统对高寒草甸土壤的理化性质有着重要影响。本研究采集高原鼢鼠活动洞道土壤样本,并以无鼢鼠扰动的同深度土层土壤作为对照。对比分析了2个处理土壤微生物（细菌、真菌、放线菌）、土壤酶（脲酶、蔗糖酶、碱性磷酸酶）活性以及土壤全氮、有机质、速效磷含量的差异。结果表明：高原鼢鼠洞道土壤速效磷和全氮的含量均高于对照,其中春季和秋季的速效磷达到显著水平（P<0.05）;秋季无鼢鼠扰动的土壤有机质和真菌的含量显著高于洞道土壤（P<0.05）;3种酶活性各处理间无显著差异（P>0.05）;对照区春季土壤的细菌和秋季真菌的含量显著高于洞道土壤（P<0.05）;洞道和对照区土壤的细菌、放线菌、速效磷、全氮和有机质的含量均在夏季达到最大值,各种指标其它月份差异不显著（P>0.05）。基于以上结果,本研究发现高原鼢鼠活动洞道土壤微生物和土壤酶与对照区土壤无显著差异（P>0.05）。     

Burrow Characteristics and Microhabitat Use of the Turpan Wonder Gecko Teratoscincus roborowskii(Squamata,Gekkonidae)

Burrow structural charactersitcs and microhabitat use of the Turpan wonder gecko Teratoscincus roborowskii(Gekkonidae) were studied between April and September of 2013 in the Turpan Eremophytes Botanic Garden,in the Turpan Depression of Western China.Burrow depth,entrance orientation,entrance height and width were observed.We assessed microhabitat selection and noted differences in microhabitat use among males,females,and juveniles.The magnitude of selection was measured using Jacobs' index of selectivity.Entrance height and width of the burrows of adults were significantly larger than those of juveniles,but the difference in burrow depth was not significant.The directional orientation of the burrow entrance showed a preference for the north-northeast and south-southeast,which were likely influenced by local prevailing winds and sunlight.Both the adult and juvenile geckos prefer to construct their burrows in sandy soil within a layer of loose soil whose thickness is greater than 30 cm.A majority of the burrows were located within 20 m of the nearest plant.Nearly half(48%) of the entrances of juveniles were located within 5 m of the nearest vegetation,significantly different from those of the adults.Results showed that the Turpan wonder gecko did not utilize microhabitats according to their availability,but rather that it preferred microhabitats which contained dead wood or the caper bush.Our results suggested that burrow characteristics and microhabitat selection were important factors in T.roborowskii adaptation to harsh and arid desert habitats.     

河西走廊天然固沙植被区地表甲虫多样性及其对沙漠化的指示作用

干旱、半干旱区沙漠化强烈影响动植物分布及多样性,地表甲虫是荒漠中主要的动物类群,它们对沙漠化引起的植被和土壤环境变化响应十分敏感。鉴于此,以河西走廊中部张掖绿洲外围的天然固沙植被区作为研究区,依据沙漠化发育程度选择流动沙丘（ASD）、丘间低地（IL）、半固定（SFSD）和固定沙丘（FSD）4种生境,调查了地表甲虫群落组成及影响甲虫分布的植被和土壤环境。研究发现,4种生境地表甲虫群落组成明显不同并存在季节变异,5月ASD与IL、SFSD和FSD生境地表甲虫群落的相异性大于8月。5月和8月SFSD生境地表甲虫活动密度均显著高于其他生境,8月FSD生境地表甲虫多样性指数显著高于其他生境。不同大小甲虫对沙漠化的响应模式不同,大中型甲虫对沙漠化的响应较小型甲虫敏感,这在5月表现尤为明显。地表甲虫与环境因子的RDA分析结果表明,12个植被和土壤环境因子解释了49.8%的地表甲虫群落变异,其中植被环境解释了甲虫群落变异的16.3%,土壤环境解释了甲虫群落变异的4.2%,植被和土壤环境相互作用解释了甲虫群落变异的29.3%。pRDA分析结果表明,草本物种丰富度、灌木盖度、土壤有机碳含量和粗砂含量是影响地表甲虫分布的主要环境因子,它们解释了43.7%的地表甲虫群落变异。Pearson相关分析表明,草本物种丰富度与地表甲虫活动密度呈显著正相关,而与地表甲虫均匀度呈显著负相关;灌木盖度与地表甲虫多样性呈显著正相关;地表甲虫物种丰富度与灌木盖度和草本物种丰富度均呈显著正相关。此外,研究还发现戈壁琵甲、克氏扁漠甲、中华砚甲和甘肃齿足象可以用于指示FSD生境,东鳖甲属昆虫可以用于指数SFSD生境,谢氏宽漠王可以用于指示IL及ASD生境。     

Predation of seabirds by invasive rats: multiple indirect consequences for invertebrate communities

Invasive species are a global problem but most studies have focused on their direct rather than indirect ecological effects. We studied litter and soil‐inhabiting invertebrate communities on 18 islands off northern New Zealand, to better understand the indirect ecological consequences of rat (Rattus) invasion. Nine islands host high densities of burrowing procellariid seabirds that transport large amounts of nutrients from the ocean to the land. The other nine have been invaded over the past 50–150 years by rat species that have severely reduced the density of seabirds by preying on eggs and chicks. Invaded islands had lower densities of seabird burrows but deeper forest litter than did the uninvaded islands, indicative of rats reducing disturbance effects of seabirds. However, despite deeper litter on the invaded islands, eight of the 19 orders of invertebrates that we measured were significantly less abundant on invaded islands. Furthermore, three soil‐inhabiting micro‐invertebrate groups that we measured were significantly less abundant on invaded islands. These differences probably result from rats thwarting transfer of resources by seabirds from the ocean to the land. We also investigated community‐level properties of each of three test groups of invertebrates (minute land snails, spiders and soil nematodes) to illustrate this process. Spiders were equally abundant on both groups of islands, but showed lower species richness on the invaded islands. The other two groups showed no difference in species richness with island invasion status, but were more abundant on uninvaded islands. Reduced abundance of soil nematodes on invaded islands provides strong evidence of indirect consequences of seabird reduction by rats, because nematodes are unavailable to rats as prey. We predict that if rats are eradicated from islands, components of below‐ground invertebrate dependent on seabird‐mediated soil conditions may take considerable time to recover because they require subsequent seabird recolonisation.     

Estimation of N2 fixation based on differences in the natural abundance of 15N among freshwater N2-fixing and non-N2-fixing algae

The hypothesis that small mammal burrows can increase the amount of water infiltrating into the soil profile was tested. The amount of water added to the soil profile from spring recharge in areas adjacent to ground squirrel (Spermophilus townsendii and S. elegans) burrows was compared to nearby areas without burrows. Recharge amounts in burrow areas were significantly higher than nonburrow areas. An average of 21% more of the winter precipitation infiltrated into the soil near burrows. The amount of recharge was also found to be positively related to burrow density. Burrows also affected the distribution of the recharge by adding significantly more water to the deeper portions (>50 cm) of the soil profile.     

两种荒漠生境条件下泡泡刺水分来源及其对降水的响应

泡泡刺通常以灌丛沙堆的形式存在,具有很强的生态适应性,在防风固沙、抗旱耐盐等方面具有独特的功能,但是水分条件仍然是限制其生存和发展的关键因素.为了明确泡泡刺在不同荒漠生境条件下的水分利用策略,研究了河西走廊临泽绿洲边缘沙质和砾质生境下泡泡刺的水分来源季节动态特征以及对不同降雨事件的响应程度.测定了两种生境下泡泡刺茎水和不同水源(降水、土壤水和地下水)的氧稳定同位素(δ¹⁸O)值,结合IsoSource模型计算了不同水源对泡泡刺水分来源的贡献比例.结果表明:两种生境下泡泡刺茎水δ¹⁸O值及其水分来源都存在显著的季节变化特征,沙质生境下泡泡刺在降水较少的春季和秋季主要利用地下水,其贡献率可达50%以上;而砾质生境下的泡泡刺无法利用深达11.5 m地下水,其水分来源受降水控制,具有较大的季节变异性.两种生境下的泡泡刺对降水响应显著,但是降水过后,随着土壤含水量的快速减小,沙质生境下的泡泡刺转而以丰富的地下水为主要水分来源,而砾质生境下的泡泡刺只能利用降水入渗至较深层土壤的较少水分.因此,两种生境下泡泡刺不同的水分利用策略是导致其生长特征差异的主要原因,同时也表明泡泡刺具有较强的自我调节和适应能力.     

Soil Moisture Rather than Soil Nutrient Regulates the Belowground Bud Bank of Rhizomatous Species <i>Psammochloa villosa</i> in Arid Sand Dunes

In arid and semi-arid sand dune ecosystems, belowground bud bank plays an important role in population regeneration and vegetation restoration. However, the responses of belowground bud bank size and composition to sand burial and its induced changes in soil environmental factors have been rarely studied. In arid sand dunes of Northwestern China, we investigated belowground bud bank size and composition of the typical rhizomatous psammophyte Psammochloa villosa as well as three key soil environmental factors (soil moisture, total carbon and total nitrogen) under different depths of sand burial. Total buds and rhizome buds increased significantly with increasing burial depth, whereas tiller buds first increased and then decreased, with a peak value at the depth of 20–30 cm. Soil moisture increased significantly with sand burial depth, and was positively correlated with the number of all buds and rhizome buds. Soil total carbon concentration first increased and then decreased with sand burial depth, and total nitrogen concentration was significantly lower under deep sand burial than those at shallow depths, and only the number of tiller buds was positively correlated with soil total nitrogen concentration. These results indicate that soil moisture rather than soil nutrient might regulate the belowground bud bank of P. villosa, and that clonal psammophytes could regulate their belowground bud bank in response to sand burial and the most important environmental stress (i.e., soil moisture). These responses, as the key adaptive strategy, may ensure clonal plant population regeneration and vegetation restoration in arid sand dunes.     

天然和人工固沙灌木林蜘蛛和甲虫分布与环境因子的关系

干旱区人工植被恢复驱动的土地利用变化强烈影响了地表和土栖的节肢动物群落结构及多样性。然而,我们对地表节肢动物群落关键类群-蜘蛛和甲虫对固沙植被恢复的响应及与环境变化关系的认识还很有限。以天然固沙灌木林和2种人工固沙灌木林为研究对象,运用方差分析和多变量分析等方法定量研究了干旱区天然和人工固沙植被区地表蜘蛛和甲虫分布特征及影响要素。结果表明,天然灌木林与人工梭梭、柽柳林地表蜘蛛和甲虫群落组成明显不同,人工梭梭、柽柳林地表蜘蛛活动密度和甲虫多样性均显著高于天然灌木林,而地表甲虫密度和蜘蛛多样性变化与之相反。两种人工固沙灌木林之间蜘蛛和甲虫群落组成也存在一定差异,人工柽柳林地表蜘蛛活动密度、多样性和甲虫物种丰富度均显著高于人工梭梭林。进一步分析发现,蜘蛛群落中狼蛛科、平腹蛛科、皿蛛亚科和球蛛科与甲虫群落中拟步甲科、步甲科和象甲科等一些甲虫种属对3种生境的选择模式不同决定了蜘蛛和甲虫群落聚集结构。植被、土壤环境因子与蜘蛛和甲虫pRDA和pCCA结果表明,草本生物量、凋落物量、土壤含砂量、电导率和灌木盖度是影响蜘蛛分布的主要环境因子,它们解释了82.1%的蜘蛛群落变异;灌木盖度、草本生物量、土壤pH和砂含量是影响甲虫群落分布的主要环境因子,它们解释了60.6%的甲虫群落变异。总之,人工固沙灌木恢复影响了植被和土壤环境,它们相互作用改变了荒漠-绿洲过渡区蜘蛛和甲虫等地表节肢动物的分布格局。     

Habitat engineering under dry conditions: The impact of pikas (Ochotona pallasi) on vegetation and site conditions in southern Mongolian steppes

Question: Does ecosystem engineering by small mammals have a significant influence on vegetation patterns in the arid steppe vegetation of southern Mongolia? Location: Gobi Altay Mountains, southern Mongolia. Methods: We assessed the impact of the small lagomorph Ochotona pallasi on plant community composition, nutrient levels and biomass production in montane desert steppes. Data were derived from vegetation relevés, harvests of above‐ground standing crop and a bioassay, followed by analyses of soil and plant nutrient contents. Results: Although the local climate is arid with <150 mm annual precipitation, clear evidence of allogenic ecosystem engineering was found. Plant communities on burrows differed from those on undisturbed steppe in that they contained more species of annuals and dwarf shrubs, and a greater abundance of the important fodder grass Agropyron cristatum. Standing crop and nutrient concentrations were higher for plants growing on burrow soil. In situ measurements and a pot experiment showed that this effect was related to increased levels of soil nutrients (P, K, N) rather than moisture availability. Conclusions: The study confirms that O. pallasi positively influences soil nutrient levels on its burrows, which leads to increased grassland productivity even under dry conditions. Thus, O. pallasi does not deteriorate site conditions, and the need for presently applied pest control schemes aimed at this species should be reassessed.     

干旱区绿洲-荒漠过渡带灌丛土壤属性研究

以天山北坡绿洲 荒漠过渡带为研究区,选择3种类型的灌丛并采集不同位置和深度的灌丛土壤样品进行分析,研究灌丛土壤资源的聚集效应.结果表明,干旱区绿洲 荒漠过渡带不同类型灌丛对土壤粒度分布的影响不显著,土壤以砂和粉砂为主,红柳＋裸地灌丛土壤粒度分布的聚集效应明显;灌丛土壤有机质、全氮和速效钾含量在冠幅下最高,其次为灌丛间低矮植物下,灌丛间裸地最低,呈现出明显的“肥岛”现象;不同灌丛类型和采样位置对土壤盐分离子和总盐含量的变化影响显著,且不同灌丛土壤资源的聚集效应各异;导致不同类型灌丛土壤资源富集率不同的原因有气候因素、灌木分布的土壤环境、灌丛高度和冠幅、灌丛间有无低矮植物等.     

The effect of microhabitats on the leaf litter decomposition and on the distribution of soil animals

Earthworm burrows as microhabitats for other soil fauna were studied in a hornbeam-oak mixed forest in Hungary. Comparative chemical analysis and feeding experiments were carried out to find out whether the leaves in the burrows of large-bodied earthworms are more decomposed than those from the surrounding areas. The total organic matter content, the C/N ratio, the stability coefficient and the percentage of tannins and lipids indicate that the chemical breakdown of the litter material is more advanced in the burrows than on the other parts of the forest floor especially in autumn. No consistent differences were observed in the amounts of other organic components. Feeding experiments showed that three species of the fauna preferred the leaves pulled into the burrows to those from the surrounding areas and the preference was greater in autumn than in spring.
It is suggested that the high density of some soil animals in the burrows in autumn is due to the more palatable food there; in summer the microclimate of the burrows is favoured, whereas spring can be considered as a transition period.     

Comparative efficacy of three suction traps for collecting phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in open habitats

The efficacy of three suction traps for trapping phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) was compared. Traps were baited with Co₂ and used without any light source. CO₂‐baited CDC traps were evaluated either in their standard downdraft orientation or inverted (iCDC traps). Mosquito Magnet‐X (MMX) counterflow geometry traps were tested in the updraft orientation only. Both updraft traps (iCDC and MMX) were deployed with their opening ～10 cm from the ground while the opening of the downdraft (CDC) trap was ～40 cm above ground. Comparisons were conducted in two arid locations where different sand fly species prevail. In the Jordan Valley, 3,367 sand flies were caught, 2,370 of which were females. The predominant species was Phlebotomus (Phlebotomus) papatasi, Scopoli 1786 (>99%). The updraft‐type traps iCDC and MMX caught an average of 118 and 67.1 sand flies per trap night, respectively. The CDC trap caught 32.9 sand flies on average per night, significantly less than the iCDC traps. In the Judean desert, traps were arranged in a 3×3 Latin square design. A total of 565 sand flies were caught, 345 of which were females. The predominant species was P. (Paraphlebotomus) sergenti Parrot 1917 (87%). The updraft traps iCDC and MMX caught an average of 25.6 and 17.9 sand flies per trap per night, respectively. The CDC trap caught 7.8 sand flies on average per night, significantly less than the iCDC traps. The female to male ratio was 1.7 on average for all trap types. In conclusion, updraft traps deployed with their opening close to the ground are clearly more effective for trapping sand flies than downdraft CDC traps in open habitats.     

Thermal biology, torpor, and activity in free-living mulgaras in arid zone Australia during the winter reproductive season

Little is known about the energy conservation strategies of free-ranging marsupials living in resource-poor Australian deserts. We studied activity patterns and torpor of free-living mulgaras (Dasycercus blythi) in arid central Australia during the winter of 2006. Mulgaras are small (approximately 75 g), nocturnal, insectivorous marsupials, with a patchy distribution in hummock grasslands. Mulgaras (six males, three females) were implanted intraperitoneally with temperature-sensitive transmitters and monitored for 6-55 d. Temperature profiles for different microhabitats and the thermal properties of soil and a number of burrows were also measured. Air temperature ranged from -3 degrees C at night to 30 degrees C during the day. Although burrows buffered temperature extremes, the thermal diffusivity of the sandy soil was high, and many burrows were shallow. Hence, soil and burrow temperatures averaged about 15 degrees C. The activity of mulgaras was often restricted to a few hours after sunset, before they retired into their burrows. Mulgaras employed torpor frequently, often entering torpor during the night and arousing around midday, with arousals occurring later on cooler days. Shallow burrows allowed cooling below mean T(soil). Consequently, body temperatures as low as 10.8 degrees C were observed. The longest torpor bout was 20.8 h. Torpor patterns changed seasonally and differed between males and females. From June to August, females entered torpor almost daily despite mating and gestation, but from the end of the gestation period onward, they remained normothermic. In contrast, males showed only shallow and short torpor during the mating season, but from mid-July, a transition to more frequent and deeper torpor resembling that of females was observed. Apparently, in both sexes, the reproductive effort entails energetic costs, but torpor, as an energy-saving mechanism, and reproduction are not exclusive in mulgaras. In a resource-poor environment during the least productive part of the year, frequent torpor seems to provide the means to compensate for the increased energetic costs associated with reproduction.     

贝壳堤岛3种植被类型的土壤颗粒分形及水分生态特征

运用土壤粒径质量分布原理与分形学理论,以黄河三角洲贝壳堤岛的3种植被类型为研究对象,以裸地为对照,测定分析土壤颗粒分形维数、粒径组成和水分物理参数,探讨不同植被类型的土壤颗粒分形特征及其影响因素。结果表明：贝壳砂土壤中粗砂粒含量最高;其次是细砂粒,而石砾和粉粘粒含量较低。灌木林地和草地具有降低石砾、粗砂粒,增加细砂粒和粉粘粒含量的作用。不同植被类型土壤颗粒分形维数均值在1.5845－1.9157之间,大小依次为酸枣林、杠柳林和草地,表层高于20－40cm土层。酸枣林、杠柳林及草地0－40cm土壤容重均值分别比裸地低23.87%,14.51%和10.47%;总孔隙度均值分别比裸地增加16.96%,16.71%和1.31%。植被恢复措施对贝壳砂表层的孔隙结构、疏松程度改善较好,草地及灌木林地的蓄水性能均表现为0－20cm高于20－40cm。土壤颗粒分形维数与粉粘粒含量、毛管孔隙度、总孔隙度、饱和蓄水量、吸持蓄水量等呈极显著正相关,与细砂粒含量呈显著正相关,与粗砂粒含量和容重呈极显著负相关,与石砾含量、非毛管孔隙度、滞留蓄水量的相关性不大。从土壤分形维数及其水分生态特征来看,贝壳堤岛3种植被类型的改良土壤物理性质及蓄水保土功能表现为灌木林好于草地,其中酸枣林好于杠柳林,0－20cm好于20－40cm土层。     

高原鼢鼠挖掘对植物生物量的效应及其反应格局

高原鼢鼠取食洞道处,在植物根系受损条件下,主要测定各类植物生物量变动的格局。原生植被样区,取食洞道回填土壤后,单子叶植物地上生物量显增加,双子叶植物地上生物量及地下总生物量显降低。植物地上总生物量与取食洞道的厚度密切相关。土厚厚度＜5cm的取食洞道,植物地上及地下生物量显下降,土层厚度＞10cm,植物地上及地下生物量无显变化。高原鼢鼠长期栖息植被退化的斑块地,在取食洞道区域,单子叶及双子叶植物地上生物量和地下总生物量均显降低。结果验证了本提出的地下啮齿动物对双子叶直根类植物的存活具有负效应,对单子叶须根类植物则产生正效应的假设。     

The burrow structure of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.)

Samples of rabbit burrows were excavated and measured at four areas around Edinburgh. Of these, 31 burrows over 2 m long were analysed for internal structural relationships and the effect of soil composition and slope of the ground on their form. Seven variables were measured for each burrow—total length, number of entrance holes, number of junctions, number of ends, average length of sections between holes, junctions and ends, average depth and maximum depth. There are three main trends in burrow variation—size, an inverse relationship between relative number of holes and average depth, and an inverse relationship between average section length and relative number of junctions. Burrows in sand have relatively fewer holes and junctions, longer element lengths, a higher average depth and three times the enclosed volume per hole. Burrows dug into slopes have a higher average depth. Areas differed significantly in the relative number of holes and junctions, and average depth. It was concluded that an apparently complex structure could be summarized in terms of relatively few components. The chief of these, size, was largely independent of the soil and site characteristics, whereas the remaining two were dependent on the soil in which the burrow was dug. This may have implications for the ecology and behaviour of rabbits in different areas, and is relevant to the success of some rabbit control procedures such as burrow fumigation and warren ripping.     

不同母岩发育土壤的可氧化态有机碳

采用KMnO4氧化法测定了8种不同母岩发育形成的土壤的可氧化态有机碳含量,结果表明,发育母岩不同,土壤可氧化态有机碳含量显著不同。通过对土壤养分、土壤颗粒组成、容重与可氧化态有机碳含量的相关性分析表明,土壤可氧化态有机碳与土壤的速效磷、全氮、速效钾、砂粒、粉粒的含量存在着极显著负相关关系;与土壤容重存在着极显著的正相关关系;与土壤的有机质、碱解氮、粗砂、细砂、粘粒、pH值、石砾含量无相关关系。