New Zealand Demersal Fish Assemblages

Demersal fish assemblages in the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone were identified using presence–absence data from 19215 bottom trawl tows made over a 37-year period. The dataset spanned latitudes 34–54°S and depths of 4–1500m. A total of 123 taxa occurred in more than 1% of the tows (121 fish and 2 squid). Multivariate ordination and classification (correspondence analysis and Ward's cluster analysis) identified four primary species assemblages that were associated with the inner continental shelf, mid–outer continental shelf and shelf edge, upper continental slope and mid continental slope. The most frequently occurring species (> 40% of tows) in each assemblage were (in descending order): inshore – Chelidonichthys kumu, Pagrus auratus and Zeus faber; shelf – Nototodarus spp., Squalus acanthias and Thyrsites atun; upper slope – Macruronus novaezelandiae, Lepidorhynchus denticulatus, Genypterus blacodes and Hydrolagus sp.; mid slope – Hoplostethus atlanticus, Etmopterus baxteri, Halargyreus johnsonii, Coryphaenoides subserrulatus, Deania calcea, Coryphaenoides serrulatus, Pseudocyttus maculatus, Mora moro, Diastobranchus capensis and Centroscymnus crepidater. Further species associations were also identified within each primary assemblage. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that most of the explainable variation in species composition was associated with depth and latitude; longitude and season explained little extra variance. The usefulness of our results is limited by the use of presence–absence rather than abundance data, and by the uneven spatial distribution of trawl tows. However, the present study provides a large-scale framework within which to interpret the results of studies using abundance data over smaller spatial and temporal scales.     

古尔班通古特沙漠南部短命植物群落物种多样性及空间分异

短命植物是早春多雨、夏季干热环境而形成的特殊植物类型,古尔班通古特沙漠南部是短命植物集中分布区,对保持沙漠稳定、防风固沙起到重要作用.目前对短命植物群落多样性、生态功能以及空间分布等研究较少.本研究采用分层抽样方法,调查分析了古尔班通古特沙漠南部35个样点3.86×104m2的短命植物多样性特征.共发现93个物种,分属...     

The biogeography and historical ecology of Lobelia urens L.(r)(the heath lobelia) in southern England

This paper examines the past and present ecology and biogeography of Lobelia urens L. (the heath lobelia) which is threatened with extinction in southern England. A survey of the historical and documentary evidence of the distribution of the species is presented. Historical records exist for nineteen sites in the south but nowhere else in England. The status of L. urens is in decline in Britain with ten populations having been lost this century. The six remaining sites have been surveyed to describe the phytosociology of L. urens communities and the variability of the environmental factors controlling its distribution. A total of ninety-five quadrats containing 122 species were recorded and analysed using two-way indicator species analysis. Canonical correspondence analysis was used to assess the correlations between twenty-eight environmental variables and the floristic variation in the ninety-five quadrats. These were reduced to sixteen variables for the final analysis. L. urens is shown to be a member of rough, grass-heath communities (NVC M25 and W23) dominated by Molinia caerulea and situated on seasonally waterlogged, moderately acidic, nutrient-poor soils. The species is suited to both cyclical and sporadic soil disturbance regimes. The final discussion argues that existing populations will only be maintained and expansion of the species distribution occur, if conservationists prevent woodland succession in L. urens sites and periodically disturb the ground in locations where the species survives at present and also where it has been observed in the recent past. This link between historical ecology and present-day conservation management would appear very important. Further demographic and experimental work is needed to explore these predictions and their implications for the future conservation management of L. urens .     

中国部分自然保护区物种多样性与环境因子的关系

采用典范对应分析 CCA 对全国73个自然保护区的种子植物多样性的分析表明:在纬度低于25°N的自然保护区中,物种多样性主要受热量因子和水分因子的影响,并具有较高的种子植物科数和属数值;纬度范围介于25°N和30°N之间的自然保护区,其物种多样性主要受海拔的影响,并且种子植物种数较多,同时有较高的种子植物种属比;在更高纬度范围内,地理及地形因子对物种多样性影响显著,并且随着纬度的增高,纬度因子的作用有增强趋势.     

Assessment of veld conditions with multivariate techniques in mixed bushveld,South Africa

The species composition of the herbaceous layer was surveyed in eight plant communities with a small-quadrat method. Ordination techniques were applied to these data to identify relative homogenous grazing areas, assess the veld condition of each unit and to identify indicator species, based on a grazing gradient. Five relative homogenous grazing areas were identified and should be treated as such for management purposes. The veld in the Nylsvlei Nature Reserve was generally in a good condition due to the low stocking densities of game (≈0.29 animals ha^?1) which have been maintained for many years. Nine indicator species, i.e. Cynodon dactylon, Digitaria eriantha, Ischaemum afrum, Leersia hexandra, Oryza longistaminata, Setaria sphacelata, Sporobolus ioclados, Sporobolus pyramidalis, and forbs, were identified which may be used for future monitoring of veld condition in the different vegetation units.     

Species richness of aquatic macrophyte communites in Central Canada

Aquatic macrophyte species richness (SR) was examined at 430 sites in the central Canadian region in relation to water body type, bottom substrate and 8 water chemistry parameters. SR was highest in rivers and lakes, intermediate in creeks, and lowest in ponds. The highest values occurred where granitic bedrock, highly organic substrates or sand predominated. SR was significantly inversely correlated in the study area as a whole with 7 of the water chemistry parameters; of these, total alkalinity was the most important. However, the relative importance of the respective parameters differed for various water body types. The relationship between SR and phosphorus was positive in ponds, but negative for all other water body types. Stepwise sultiple regression analysis identified phosphorus, total alkalinity and dissolved organic matter as important factors in ponds; sulphate, total alkalinity and chloride in lakes, and sulphate and phosphorus in lotic habitats. Log transformations improved the correlations for some variables. However, the water chemistry parameters examined accounted for less than half of the total variability in SR. Apparently SR depends on many different factors, including surface areaand bottom type, whose relative contributions vary with situation.     

Rotifer community structure in three shallow lakes: seasonal fluctuations and explanatory factors

The present work aimed at studying the rotifer communities of three shallow eutrophic lakes in Portugal (lakes Mira, Vela and Linhos). At the time of the study, Mira and Vela faced large inputs of allochthonous nutrients, while Linhos was facing terrestrialisation, with cycles of dominance-senescence of macrophytes. The three lakes differed in terms of their abiotic features, with Linhos presenting very high nutrient levels and low pH, while Vela and Mira shared most of the characteristics. The rotifer communities of these two lakes were poorly diversified but highly abundant (max. > 2000 ind l⁻¹), with a clear dominance of eurytopic euplanktonic species (mainly Keratella cochlearis). On the other hand, Linhos presented lower abundances (<1000 ind l⁻¹) but higher species richness, mainly due to macrophyte-associated taxa, such as the littoral genera Lepadella, Testudinella and Squatinella. In all lakes, summertime represented a peak in terms of abundance and diversity. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) identified two main environmental gradients that shape up the rotifer assemblages: a temporal gradient, mainly related to temperature, and a eutrophy gradient, associated with nitrogenous nutrients. The latter gradient is clearly dependent on between-lake variation, due to the high nutrient levels observed in lake Linhos. Variance partitioning using CCA revealed that the largest portion (27.5%) of the total variation explained (52.1%) was attributed to the interaction between lake and environmental variables.     

汾河流域中下游植物群落物种多样性与土壤因子的关系

于2011年4~10月对汾河流域中下游33个样地128个样方的植被进行样地调查和土壤取样分析,并运用双向指示种分析（TWINSPAN）进行群落分类,用典范对应分析法（CCA）分析7种土壤因子与汾河流域中下游植物群落的分布关系,以揭示汾河流域中下游植被的物种多样性与土壤因子的关系。结果表明:（1）汾河流域中下游地区共发现植物121种,隶属33科81个属,其中以菊科、禾本科、藜科和蓼科植物最多,分别占总数的24.79%、14.05%、8.26%和7.43%,且芦苇的分布频率最高,达到49%。（2）双向指示种分析表明,汾河流域中下游33个样地分为8个群落类型（Ⅰ~Ⅷ）。（3）汾河流域中下游植物群落的Patrick丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener指数变化趋势相似,而Simpson指数则与Patrick丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener指数呈相反的变化趋势;Pielou均匀度指数的变化趋势与其他3个指数均不同。（4）汾河流域中下游土壤含水量、速效钾含量在不同群落类型的不同样地间的差异大部分达到显著水平,土壤养分具有比较明显的空间分布中度不均的特点。（5）汾河流域中下游地区的土壤有机质含量与物种Simpson指数以及土壤全氮与Pielou均匀度指数均具有显著负相关关系。（6）CCA排序结果表明,土壤含水量及速效磷、速效钾含量是影响植被群落分布最重要的环境因子。     

盐城自然保护区新洋港河口不同生境冬季鸟类群落组成及其梯度变化

沿海湿地是鸟类重要的栖息地,人类活动导致的湿地生境变化对鸟类群落造成了一定的影响。在盐城自然保护区新洋港河口内,人类活动大体上导致了由陆向海方向,形成芦苇沼泽、农田、鱼塘和滩涂4种不同干扰程度的生境。分别在不同生境中设置3条长3 km的样线,对越冬鸟类的种类、数量进行了调查,运用多响应置换过程测试、指示种分析、双向聚类分析和除趋势对应分析等统计方法,研究了不同生境中冬季鸟类的指示物种、群落结构及梯度变化,结果表明:1)4种生境共记录鸟类67种,其中鱼塘生境的鸟类种类最多,为37种;滩涂生境的D'多样性指数在各生境不同时段中为最高,芦苇沼泽生境的H'多样性指数在各生境不同时段中为最高。与其余生境比较,芦苇沼泽、滩涂的均匀度也更高。生境间的差异性与鸟类群落的组成有关。2)MRPP分析表明,芦苇沼泽、农田生境的鸟类组成差异不显著(P0.05);其余组合各生境间的鸟类组成具有显著差异。灰鹤等9种鸟类可分别作为4种不同生境的指示种。3)双向聚类分析法把12种观测条件分为4大类,与生境划分非常吻合。在剩余信息40%水平上,鸟类可聚为7类。利用12种观测条件作为变量进行DCA排序的结果表明,鸟类类群在轴1上可以分为3个集群,分别为适应开阔水域环境的鸟类、依赖水生植被环境的鸟类和依赖陆地植被环境的鸟类。根据结果分析,生境异质性、干扰程度及潮水涨落等与鸟类多样性组成有密切关系;不同生境具有明显的指示种;鸟类群落结构为适应生境变化而出现一定的梯度变化。应加强芦苇沼泽的保护,在开垦农田、鱼塘和在光滩引入互花米草时应考虑到人类活动对鸟类多样性的影响。     

海州湾及邻近海域冬季鱼类群落结构及其与环境因子的关系

根据2011年冬季在海州湾及邻近海域进行的渔业资源底拖网和环境调查数据,应用物种多样性指数和多元分析等方法,对该海域鱼类种类组成、多样性和群落结构及其与环境因子的关系进行了研究.结果表明: 该海域冬季捕获鱼类共60种,隶属于10目34科51属,以暖温性和暖水性底层鱼类为主.站位间物种丰富度指数介于1.14～2.84,多样性指数介于1.08～2.64,均匀度指数介于0.41～0.83之间.经聚类分析和非度量多维标度(MDS)分析,该海域鱼类群落在空间上可分为站位组Ⅰ(35° N以北水域站位)、站位组Ⅱ(靠近湾顶的近岸水域站位)和站位组Ⅲ(35° N以南水域站位).鱼类群落种类组成在站位组间及两两间的比较均差异极显著(R=0.45～0.91).典范对应分析表明,底层水温、水深和表层盐度是影响海州湾及邻近海域冬季鱼类群落结构的主要环境因子.     

Subfossil Cladocera in relation to contemporary environmental variables in 54 Pan-European lakes

1. Changes in cladoceran subfossils in the surface sediments of 54 shallow lakes were studied along a European latitude gradient (36–68°N). Multivariate methods, such as regression trees and ordination, were applied to explore the relationships between cladoceran taxa distribution and contemporary environmental variables, with special focus on the impact of climate. 2. Multivariate regression tree analysis showed distinct differences in cladoceran community structure and lake characteristics along the latitude gradient, identifying three groups: (i) northern lakes characterised by low annual mean temperature, conductivity, nutrient concentrations and fish abundance, (ii) southern, macrophyte rich, warm water lakes with high conductivity and high fish abundance and (iii) Mid‐European lakes at intermediate latitudes with intermediate conductivities, trophic state and temperatures. 3. Large‐sized, pelagic species dominated a group of seven northern lakes with low conductivity, where acid‐tolerant species were also occasionally abundant. Small‐sized, benthic‐associated species dominated a group of five warm water lakes with high conductivity. Cladoceran communities generally showed low species‐specific preferences for habitat and environmental conditions in the Mid‐European group of lakes. Taxon richness was low in the southern‐most, high‐conductivity lakes as well as in the two northern‐most sub‐arctic lakes. 4. The proportion of cladoceran resting eggs relative to body shields was high in the northern lakes, and linearly (negatively) related to both temperature and Chl a, indicating that both cold climate (short growing season) and low food availability induce high ephippia production. 5. Latitude and, implicitly, temperature were strongly correlated with conductivity and nutrient concentrations, highlighting the difficulties of disentangling a direct climate signal from indirect effects of climate, such as changes in fish community structure and human‐related impacts, when a latitude gradient is used as a climate proxy. Future studies should focus on the interrelationships between latitude and gradients in nutrient concentration and conductivity.