中国土壤原生动物新纪录种(纤毛虫门：多膜纲；异毛目)

报道了首次在中国土壤中鉴定到的、隶属于纤毛虫门多膜纲异毛目的７种原生动物。这些种类是泥炭藓苔扭虫、透明赭虫、长赭虫、透明扭头虫、弯曲扭头虫、旋短端突虫和梅氏扁豆虫。     

Notes on the soil ciliate biota (Protozoa, Ciliophora) from the Shimba Hills in Kenya (Africa): diversity and description of three new genera and ten new species

A very diverse ciliate community was found in nine soil samples from the Shimba Hills Nature Reserve in Kenya, equatorial Africa. The ciliates, respectively, their resting cysts, were re-activated from air-dried samples using the non-flooded Petri dish method. Species were determined from life and by silver impregnation. 34 (27%) of the 125 taxa identified had not yet been described in 1985, when the samples were collected and investigated. The richest samples, each containing 59 species, were those from a deciduous primary forest and a young secondary pine forest. The most remarkable species discovered in the Shimba Hills were Krassniggia auxiliaris, Bresslauides terricola, Gigantothrix herzogi, and Afrothrix darbyshirei. They are flagships with a very distinct morphology and easy to recognise due to their extraordinarily large body size. Krassniggia auxiliaris occurs also in Australia and probably has a restricted Gondwanan distribution, like some other ciliates. Bresslauides terricola was later found in soils from all main biogeographical regions, except for Antarctica. Gigantothrix herzogi and Afrothrix darbyshirei are still unique to the Shimba Hills. The following taxa are described in detail: Sikorops woronowiczae nov. gen., nov. spec., Arcuospathidium multinucleatum nov. spec., Dileptus similis Foissner, 1995, Plagiocampa bitricha nov. spec., Drepanomonas exigua exigua Penard, 1922, D. exigua bidentata nov. sspec., Parafurgasonia protectissima (Penard, 1922) nov. comb., P. terricola nov. spec., Brachyosoma brachypoda mucosa nov. sspec., Gigantothrix herzogi nov. gen., nov. spec., Afrothrix darbyshirei nov. gen., nov. spec., Oxytricha africana nov. spec., and O. elegans nov. spec.     

Global soil ciliate (Protozoa, Ciliophora) diversity: a probability-based approach using large sample collections from Africa, Australia and Antarctica

Large sample collections from Africa (92 samples), Australia (157) and Antarctica (90) were investigated for soil ciliates using the non-flooded Petri dish method, which re-activates the ciliates' resting cysts from air-dried samples. Species were determined from life and by silver impregnation. The African samples were the richest, containing 507 species (240 undescribed,=47%), followed by the Australian (361 species, 154=43% undescribed) and the Antarctic (95 species, 14=15% undescribed) samples. The percentage of new species/sample was consistently low, viz. 4–8% on average, indicating that new species were considerably undersampled relative to described ones, very probably due to methodological shortcomings, i.e. usually only cysts of the more euryoecious species could be reactivated. Thus, a probability theory-based statistical approach was applied to the data sets to compensate for the underestimated number of undescribed species. This procedure indicated that, depending on the region, 70–80% of the soil ciliates are still unknown and global soil ciliate diversity amounts to at least 1330–2000 species. Several indicators, especially the constant rate at which new species have been found during a 20-year period of intensive research, suggest that this estimate is conservative. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Rediscovery and redescription of the marine peritrichous ciliate Epicarchesium abrae (Precht, 1935) nov. comb. (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Peritrichia)

The morphology, infraciliature and silverline system of the marine peritrichous ciliate, Epicarchesium abrae (Precht, 1935) nov. comb., isolated from an abalone-farming pond off the coast of Qingdao, China, are investigated. E. abrae is characterized by: size of zooid in vivo 68 μm×48 μm on average; macronucleus usually J-shaped; one dorsally-located contractile-vacuole; colony regularly dichotomously branched with 4–16 zooids; total number of transverse silverlines 62–72, from peristome to aboral ciliary wreath 41–47, from aboral ciliary wreath to scopula 21–25; outer kinety of peniculus 3 prolonged and converges with peniculus 1.     

带状采伐对毛竹林林下植被物种多样性的影响

成本上升、利润下降严重影响毛竹林经济效益及竹农生产积极性,研究毛竹林新型经营管理技术、方法势在必行。本研究通过控制采伐宽度及采伐面积,观测一年恢复期后江苏宜兴国有林场内五种宽度(3 m、5 m、8 m、12 m、15 m)毛竹林带状样地郁闭状态及林下植被物种多样性特征,分析物种多样性对毛竹林采伐宽度及恢复状态的响应机制,研究表明:(1)研究区毛竹林下物种53科95属110种(灌木计37科64属76种,草本计18科30属34种),以蔷薇科、菊科、大戟科、茜草科、百合科、唇形科、禾本科、马鞭草科等为主。(2)物种丰富度随着毛竹郁闭度增加而降低,且人为采伐对物种丰富度(特别是木本植物)有显著促进作用,以8 m和15 m宽度带状样地物种增加最多。(3)带状采伐促进林下植被物种多样性,但降低了林下植被物种均匀度;8 m和15 m宽度带状样地Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson指数及Gleason物种丰富度表现优于参考样地毛竹林;五种宽度带状样地林下植被物种均匀度小于参考样地,在相同宽度样地类型中,保留样地比采伐样地物种均匀度高。(4)带状采伐对8 m和15 m宽度采伐样地林下植被生物...     

Survey for natural enemies of the invasive alien chrysomelid, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, in Central Europe

The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is the mostdestructive pest of maize (Zea mays L.)in North America, and began to successfullyinvade Central Europe in the early 1990's. Thispaper reports a three-year field surveyconducted in Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Croatia,which are currently the focal points ofinvasion, with the aim to determine theoccurrence of indigenous natural enemies ofD. v. virgifera in Europe. A total of9,900 eggs, 550 larvae, 70 pupae and 33,000adults were examined for the occurrence ofparasitoids, nematodes, and fungal pathogens. It can be concluded from the survey resultsthat effective indigenous natural enemies arenot attacking any of the life stages of D.v. virgifera in Europe. The exception is theoccurrence of the fungi Beauveriabassiana (Bals.) Vuill. (Mitosporic fungi;formerly Deuteromyces) and Metarhiziumanisopliae (Metsch.) Sorok (Mitosporic fungi)attacking adults of D. v. virgifera at anextremely low level (< 1%). However no otherentomopathogenic fungal pathogens,entomopathogenic nematodes, or parasitoids werefound on eggs, larvae, pupae or adults. Whileseveral natural enemies in North and CentralAmerica are known to attack D. v.virgifera, it is apparent that indigenousnatural enemies in Europe have not adapted tothe high population density of the alieninvasive species D. v. virgifera. Classical biological control may provide anopportunity to reconstruct the natural enemycomplex of an invading alien pest, and itsapplication to manage D. v. virgiferapopulations in Europe should be considered.     

Prevalence of coccidia parasites (Protozoa) in red squirrels ( Sciurus vulgaris): effects of host phenotype and environmental factors

We investigated the relative importance of environmental factors versus host phenotype in determining parasite prevalence in Eurasian red squirrels ( Sciurus vulgaris). One hundred and forty-three fecal samples of 116 different squirrels collected in 2000 and 2001 from five study areas in the Italian Alps, were examined for intestinal protozoans. Two species of Eimeria were present with a medium to high prevalence in both years and in all areas, while two other species were rare, occurring only in some areas and not in all years. Cryptosporidium parvum had a high prevalence in the two study areas of the Western Alps, while in the three areas of the Central Alps it was recorded only once. The prevalence of Eimeria sciurorum and C. parvum fluctuated in parallel with squirrel density, suggesting a possible correlation between the presence of these protozoans and host density. A gender effect on E. sciurorum prevalence at low density could be explained by different space use patterns and social organization of males and females. C. parvum occurred more frequently in young squirrels, suggesting an acquired immunity in adults, but age-related susceptibility was not found for eimerian species. The coccidian community was more similar within than between regions, and study area and year were key parameters in predicting coccidia infection. There was no evidence of competition between coccidian species, but one positive interaction between E. sciurorum and E. andrewsi was observed. Our results suggest that the effects of geographic region, area features, and year effects probably related to fluctuations in host population density, were more important than individual phenotypic host characteristics in structuring the coccidian assemblage and determining levels of parasite prevalence in red squirrel populations.     

Macaranga and Mallotus species (Euphorbiaceae) as indicators for disturbance in the mixed lowland dipterocarp forest of East Kalimantan (Indonesia)

The indicator value (IV) of Macaranga and Mallotus species (Euphorbiaceae) for different types of disturbance in lowland dipterocarp forest was assessed by counting and identifying all individuals of species of these genera taller than 30 cm in 45 (10 m×300 m) plots at nine locations. Twelve Macaranga and nine Mallotus species were found. The main forest disturbance types (primary forest, secondary forest, selectively logged forest, forest burned once, and repeatedly burned forest used for shifting-cultivation) each had their own set of indicator species. The level of disturbance in the forest types was assessed by measuring nine forest structural parameters. The occurrence of Macaranga and Mallotus species was closely related to the level of disturbance in a forest. Most Macaranga species were characteristic of high disturbance levels, while most Mallotus species preferred intermediate to low levels of disturbance. However, both genera had species at both disturbance extremes. Using multiple regression analysis, combinations of Macaranga and Mallotus species were formed and used to predict the separate forest structural parameters and the general level of disturbance of a forest. The Macaranga and Mallotus species could be grouped into (1) primary forest ‘remnant’ species; (2) generalist pioneer species; and (3) high disturbance pioneer species.     

Assessing the Threatened Status of Bumble Bee Species (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Hungary,Central Europe

Decline in the populations of bumble bees and other pollinators stress the need for more knowledge about their conservation status. Only one of the 25 bumble bee species present in Hungary is included in the Hungarian Red List. We estimated the endangerment of the Hungarian bumble bee (Bombus Latr.) species using the available occurrence data from the last 50 years of the 20th century. Four of the 25 species were data deficient or extinct from Hungary. About 60% of species were considered rare or moderately rare. Changes in distribution and occurrence frequency indicated that 10 of the 21 native species showed a declining trend, while only three species increased in frequency of occurrence. According to the IUCN Red List categories, seven species (33% of the native fauna) should be labelled as critically endangered (CR) and 3 (14%) as endangered (EN). Our results stress an urgent need of protection plans for bumble bees in Hungary, and further underlines the validity of concern over bumble bees all over Europe.     

A unique euplotid ciliate, Gastrocirrhus (Protozoa, Ciliophora): assessment of its phylogenetic position inferred from the small subunit rRNA gene sequence

ABSTRACT. The morphologically unique genus Gastrocirrhus has been considered a distinct but systematically uncertain euplotid due to the absence of both morphogenetic and molecular information. Based on the small subunit rRNA gene sequence, the phylogenetic position of Gastrocirrhus monilifer Ozaki & Yagui, 1942 was re-addressed using multiple algorithms (neighbor-joining, maximum parsimony, least-squares, and Bayesian inference methods). Results indicate that: (1) all phylogenetic trees using different methods are nearly identical in topology, placing G. monilifer closest to Euplotidium arenarium ; (2) Gastrocirrhus and Euplotidium form a monophyletic group, namely the family Gastrocirrhidae, and appear to be intermediate taxa bridging the evolution of the Diophrys-Uronychia and Euplotes- complexes (i.e. Euplotes, Certesia , and Aspidisca ); (3) the order Euplotida is a paraphyletic group composed of three deeply diverged clades ( Euplotes–Certesia–Aspidisca – Gastrocirrhus–Euplotidium ; Uronychia – Diophrys ; and Prodiscocephalus ); (4) together with Prodiscocephalus , the Diophrys-Uronychia complex forms a group at the suborder level and is placed at the root of the order Euplotida, and (5) results from molecular analyses conspicuously challenge the conclusions deduced from morphological as well as morphogenetical investigations—the characteristics traditionally used to define the euplotid taxa at the generic level and/or above may not be uniformly reliable.     

Short-term effects of manipulated increase in acid deposition on soil, soil solution chemistry and fine roots in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stand on a podzol

A manipulated increase in acid deposition (15 kg S ha⁻¹), carried out for three months in a mature Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stand on a podzol, acidified the soil and raised dissolved Al at concentrations above the critical level of 5 mg l⁻¹ previously determined in a controlled experiment with Scots pine seedlings. The induced soil acidification reduced tree fine root density and biomass significantly in the top 15 cm of soil in the field. The results suggested that the reduction in fine root growth was a response not simply to high Al in solution but to the depletion of exchangeable Ca and Mg in the organic layer, K deficiency, the increase in NH₄:NO₃ ratio in solution and the high proton input to the soil by the acid manipulation. The results from this study could not justify the hypothesis of Al-induced root damage under field conditions, at least not in the short term. However, the study suggests that a short exposure to soil acidity may affect the fine root growth of mature Scots pine.     

Genetic heterogeneity in internal transcribed spacer genes of Balantidium coli (Litostomatea, Ciliophora)

The species Balantidium coli is the only ciliate that parasitizes humans. It has been described in other primates, and it has been proposed that the species B. suis from pigs and B. struthionis from ostriches are synonyms of B. coli. Previous genetic analysis of pig and ostrich Balantidium isolates found a genetic polymorphism in the ITS region but its taxonomic relevance was not established. We have extended the genetic analysis to Balantidium isolates of pig, gorilla, human and ostrich origin. We have PCR-amplified and sequenced the ITS region of individual Balantidium cells. The predicted ITS secondary structures of the sequences obtained were transferred by homology modelling to the sequences of other Trichostomatia ciliates (Isotricha, Troglodytella, Lacrymaria and Spathidium) and compared to determine the importance of the differences in the primary sequences. The results show that the ITS2 secondary structure of the species considered follows the general pattern of other ciliates, although with some deviations. There are at least two main types of ITS sequence variants in B. coli which could be present in the same cell and they are common to the mammal and avian hosts studied. These data do not support B. suis and B. struthionis as distinct species.     

宁德三都澳海岛马尾松林群落特征及物种多样性

海岛人工林建设有利于减弱和消除海岛生态脆弱性,但目前单一的人工林群落结构存在较多的缺点,选用的植被也存在不适应海岛环境的问题。通过样方法对宁德三都澳6个海岛的马尾松(Pinus massoniana)半自然林的植被类型、物种组成、植物功能性状、物种多样性进行分析,并利用冗余分析法分析物种多样性与环境因子的相关性,旨在了解其演替状况,群落结构特征和物种组成,及其物种多样性与环境因子的相关关系,丰富当地植被基础资料,同时为海岛人工林建设、植被修复选择及当地马尾松林的合理经营和管理提供理论基础。结果表明:(1) 40个样方共记录维管束植物86科168属255种(含5变种),在生活型谱上,以乔木(37.25%)和灌木(30.20%)植物种类最多,高位芽植物(83.92%)占比显著,对光耐受性以中性植物(69.02%)为主。(2) 通过组平均聚类法将研究区植被划分为5类群系33类群丛,分属于常绿针阔混交林和常绿针叶林2种植被型。(3) 常绿针阔混交林的多样性指数显著(P<0.05)高于常绿针叶林,但受林分郁闭度的影响,马尾松+杨桐(Adinandra millettii)林灌木层多样性指数明显偏低。(4) 灌木层是马尾松林中的绝对优势层片,多样性指数(除Pielou指数外)均显著(P<0.05)高于乔木层和草本层。草本层受芒萁化感作用的影响,多样性指数明显偏低。(5) 冗余分析法(RDA)分析结果表明,土壤pH和速效钾显著(P<0.05)影响群落的物种多样性指数,两者对物种多样性的总解释量为27.6%。(6) 灌木层鹅掌柴重要值与群落郁闭度之间存在显著(P<0.05)的二次函数关系。     

Asymbiotic nitrogen fixation in the litter and surface soil of a Pinus laricio Poiret forest (Sila,Calabria, Italy)

Abstract

Nitrogen fixation was measured in a Corsican pine (Pinus laricio Poiret) forest in Calabria (Southern Italy). Acetylene reduction activity (ARA) and CO₂ production levels were determined by incubation of litter and superficial (0–5 cm) soil layer samples in the field, at monthly intervals. ARA variations were not correlated to those of substrate moisture, air temperature and microbial respiration. In fact N₂ fixation presented phases of different intensity which irregularly followed each other. Both litter and soil showed similar rates of N₂ fixation. Based on a C₂H₂:N₂ ratio of 3:1 0.8 Kg N ha^–1 y^–1 in each layer are fixed in the Pinus laricio forest, thus contributing to the N status of the soil in this nutrient–poor forest.     

A comparison of Passalidae (Coleoptera, Lamellicornia) diversity and community structure between primary and secondary tropical forest in Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico

Comparison of the diversity and community structure of Coleoptera (Passalidae) collected in Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico, in primary and secondary tropical forest has been carried out. The saproxylophagous beetles studied can be differentiated according to their presence in three distinct microhabitats of rotting logs: underbark, sapwood—heartwood and microhabitat generalists. Over the 2-year study period, 12 passalid species were recorded (six Passalini and six Proculini) represented by a total of 2971 individuals, collected from 234 rotting logs. The rarefaction method, the lognormal species—abundance relationship, and the nonparametric jackknife method were used to compare species richness between the habitats. The data were also fitted to log series, truncated lognormal, geometric, and broken-stick species abundance models to detect changes in community structure. The community composition of Passalidae in Los Tuxtlas did not differ ostensibly between the primary and secondary forests. Neither the mean number of individuals nor the biomass per log differed significantly. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the two habitats in terms of the number of underbark, sapwood/heartwood, and microhabitat generalist species. Different richness estimators indicated that the primary forest community is only slightly richer. The slight decrease in richness of the secondary forest is related to a decrease in dominance by certain species, as well as to a more balanced abundance distribution, which is adequately described by the broken-stick model. Complementary explanations for this pattern may be: (1) that logging reduces the abundance of dominant species, thus preventing competitive exclusion in the secondary forest; and (2) that passalid diversity is not regulated by the diversity of tree species.     

Birds from the Far East in Central Europe: some side-notes to Pfeifer et al. (2007)

The “reverse migration hypothesis” as the explanation for the vagrancy of Far Eastern birds in Europe is commented on. It is concluded that, as the postulated switch of 180° along a great circle line would lead the eastern or even central Siberian birds to North America rather than to Europe, the application of the “reverse migration hypothesis” to them seems untenable (which, however, does not preclude its plausibility in case of transatlantic, southern European, or even southwestern Siberian vagrants). On the other hand, patterns of appearance of the Turdus [naumanni] superspecies (Machalska et al. 1967) suggest the relationship of the phenomenon of vagrancy to post-breeding nomadic movements and/or periodical invasions of non-migrating species.