昆明地区滇蛙与昭觉林蛙同域分布种群的生境利用比较

现有两栖类生境研究报道多局限于定性描述，缺乏定量数据和统计分析支撑。以蛙的发现点为圆心，作半径1 m的样圆，测量12个生态因子。调查共记录滇蛙(Rana pleuraden)133只和昭觉林蛙(Rana chaochiaoensis)62只。采用两独立样本t-检验和非参数Mann-Whitney U-检验比较两种蛙对同一生境的利用，结果表明，在干燥草地生境仅最高植物高度差异显著；湿润草地生境至水源距离和水百分比差异极显著，水草百分比和湿泥百分比差异显著；水体生境各种生态因子的差异均不显著。主成分分析结果显示，在不同生境中滇蛙和昭觉林蛙所选择的因子往往相同或者顺序颠倒，但这些因子的值几乎均是反向分离的，即小生境不相同。两种蛙的生境利用各有偏好。滇蛙日间活动主要在水体，而昭觉林蛙则在湿润草地和干燥草地。两种蛙对泥地生境利用都少。不同体长的滇蛙对水体生境利用度均较高。昭觉林蛙随着体长增加，对隐蔽条件好的湿润草地和干燥草地生境利用度增加，对水体的利用度减少。     

滇蛙和昭觉林蛙的形态差异及其潜在的适应意义

以比较解剖学的方法,观察和比较了采自1997年8月-2000年9月的滇蛙(♂16,♀14)和昭觉林蛙(♂17,♀17)标本的外部形态、肌肉和骨骼。结果显示,两种蛙的皮肤颜色不同;滇蛙的鳞骨比昭觉林蛙的发达;滇蛙雄性个体具声囊,而昭觉林蛙则无;滇蛙和昭觉林蛙的肱三头肌、股三头肌和胫部的肌肉有显著或极显著差异;昭觉林蛙的四肢骨骼较滇蛙的细长,腰带坐骨结节较突出,髋臼也较大;两种蛙头部扩大的骨骼不同;滇蛙腹直肌具腱划4条,昭觉林蛙5条。两种蛙的这些形态差异与其栖息的小生境及生活方式的差异相适应。     

昆明滇蛙和昭觉林蛙食物比较及益害评价

:对1998年5月—2003年11月采自昆明白龙寺、花红洞及西街口的1105只滇蛙(Rana pleuraden)及428只昭觉林蛙(Rana chaochiaoensis),采用剖胃法作食性分析,分别计算它们的食物数量和频次百分比、α多样性指数、百分率相似性指数、营养生态位宽度、营养生态位重叠值和有益系数等。分析和计算结果显示,不同采集地的滇蛙以及滇蛙与昭觉林蛙之间的主要食物组成基本相同;但两种蛙之间,甚至同一物种的雌雄之间的食物多样性及营养生态位均存在分化。滇蛙和昭觉林蛙周年的有益系数都为正值,说明它们对人类的益处大于害处,其中又以滇蛙的有益程度较昭觉林蛙的高。研究结果表明,同一物种采自不同地域的种群和(或)同一种群采自不同的季节或年份,其有益系数均具可变性,即有益系数不具可比性。此系数仅表示蛙在一定时期对人类的益害程度。     

昆明滇蛙和昭觉林蛙食物比较及益害评价

对1998年5月—2003年11月采自昆明白龙寺、花红洞及西街口的1?105只滇蛙(Rana pleuraden)及428只昭觉林蛙(Rana chaochiaoensis)，采用剖胃法作食性分析，分别计算它们的食物数量和频次百分比、α多样性指数、百分率相似性指数、营养生态位宽度、营养生态位重叠值和有益系数等。分析和计算结果显示，不同采集地的滇蛙以及滇蛙与昭觉林蛙之间的主要食物组成基本相同；但两种蛙之间，甚至同一物种的雌雄之间的食物多样性及营养生态位均存在分化。滇蛙和昭觉林蛙周年的有益系数都为正值，说明它们对人类的益处大于害处，其中又以滇蛙的有益程度较昭觉林蛙的高。研究结果表明，同一物种采自不同地域的种群和(或)同一种群采自不同的季节或年份，其有益系数均具可变性，即有益系数不具可比性。此系数仅表示蛙在一定时期对人类的益害程度。     

云南昆明地区滇蛙和昭觉林蛙的形态特征及习性分化比较

根据对滇蛙（Rana pleuraden）和昭觉林蛙（R．chaochiaoensis）标本外部形态比较和野外观察结果,滇蛙和昭觉林蛙的雌雄性比大约在1：1之间,而它们的形态特征、栖境与习性、繁殖时间等均存在分化。昭觉林蛙更适应陆地生活。昆明地区的滇蛙和昭觉林蛙的繁殖策略不同,滇蛙的繁殖在3—7月,昭觉林蛙的在9—11月。昭觉林蛙选择在冬季繁殖,可以避开与其它蛙类的繁殖竞争,但其更深层次的生物学意义值得进一步探讨。     

三种蛙类呼吸系统比较解剖及进化关系探讨

对昆明地区滇蛙Rana pleuraden和昭觉林蛙R.chaochiaoensis及大蹼铃蟾Bombina maxima的呼吸系统比较解剖,结果表明,3种蛙鼻孔的开合与颏下肌的收缩无关;大蹼铃蟾的内鼻孔较昭觉林蛙与滇蛙的更靠近口前端;昭觉林蛙和滇蛙的下颌下肌倾斜走向,大蹼铃蟾的呈水平走向;滇蛙和昭觉林蛙喉气管室较膨大而长,环状软骨后端有棘突,大蹼铃蟾喉气管室狭小而短,环状软骨后端无棘突;昭觉林蛙和滇蛙喉肌共5对,大蹼铃蟾喉肌仅有喉口开肌和前杓肌2对;昭觉林蛙和滇蛙肺囊表面沟回较大蹼铃蟾的小而密.     

云南昆明不同产地滇蛙的食物变化比较

要真正了解一种蛙的生态习性及食性,调查和分析其不同种群、不同生长阶段和不同性别的年周期食物组成是必要的。自1998年5月至2003年11月在昆明白龙寺、花红洞和西街口逐月采集滇蛙Rana pleuraglen标本进行食性分析,结果表明,滇蛙种群间和不同生长阶段、及雌雄个体间的食量百分比上有差异。Kruskal-Wallis检验结果显示,不同种群间和不同生长阶段的食物量组成无显著差异。Mann—Whitney U检验和Kolmogorov—Smirnov Z检验结果显示,各产地雌雄滇蛙食物量组成均无显著差异。滇蛙的食物类群相对丰富,反映它是捕食的多面手。昆明地区气候稳定,不同小地域农田生境的昆虫相几乎相同。这是食物成分相同的主要原因。而滇蛙不同种群的食物成分中,一些类群所占的比例不完全相同,又反映出三地气候和／或昆虫相的微小差异。幼年组食物中双翅目和膜翅的成分高于成年Ⅰ、Ⅱ组的。这可能与上述食物类群富含幼年组个体所需要的营养成分或者比例较高有关,所以它们食之较多。     

云南昆明地区三种蛙皮肤显微结构的比较

对昆明地区的多疣狭口蛙、昭觉林蛙及黑斑蛙的背腹皮肤切片的显微结构进行了观察和比较,尤其对它们皮肤腺体的类型和功能进行了比较分析.结果 表明:多疣狭口蛙皮肤比昭觉林蛙及黑斑蛙皮肤含有更多的腺体,尤其是颗粒腺比后两者含量更为丰富,并且在皮下存在许多腺体团,背腹皮肤较后者厚.昭觉林蛙皮肤较黑斑蛙的含有更多的颗粒腺和粘液腺.3种蛙的背部皮肤都含有色素细胞,而除了在多疣狭口蛙雌性腹部观察到少量色素细胞外,另两种蛙在腹部皮肤中均未见色素层.相比之下,昭觉林蛙和黑斑蛙皮肤结构较相似,两者同多疣狭口蛙在皮肤腺体分布及数量上差别较大,这也体现了三者不同的生态适应机制.     

四种无尾两栖类带型的分析比较以及C带、银带和次缢痕间相互关系的探讨

以骨髓为材料,利用空气干燥制片法和BSG、Ag-AS显带技术分析比较了四种蛙属两栖动物——滇蛙、牛蛙、昭觉林蛙和无指盘臭蛙的C带、银带和次缢痕。总结如下:(1)根据分布位置和染色深浅可见5种C带,无指盘臭蛙的端部C带有多态现象。(2)四种蛙都有标准NORs和众多的额外小NORs。滇蛙和无指盘臭蛙分别有14和11对NORs,它们是至今所发现的具有最高数NORs的脊椎动物。(3)滇蛙、无指盘臭蛙、昭觉林蛙和牛蛙分别有13、12、9和6对次缢痕,根据C带和银带的染色特征,它们可被归纳为5类。此外,每个种其出现频率最高的次缢痕位点就是标准NORs的位置所在。(4)对次缢痕、Ag-NORs和结构异染色质间的相互关系作了细致的考察和分析讨论。     

黑眶蟾蜍幼蛙适宜生境的探讨

报道人为设置6种不同生境对黑眶蟾蜍(Bufo melanostictus Schneider)幼蛙存活时间的影响研究。结果表明：水深超过体长或干燥环境都对幼蛙不利,存活时间短。水深低于幼蛙体长并设有陆地或保持环境泥沙湿润为适宜的生境。在适宜生境条件下,幼蛙平均存活674.86h,最长达35d。     

Secondary invasion of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acer negundo</Emphasis>: the role of phenotypic responses versus local adaptation

During plant species invasions, the role of adaptive processes is particularly of interest in later stages of range expansion when populations start invading habitats that initially have not been disposed to invasions. The dioecious tree Acer negundo, primarily invasive in Europe in wet habitats along riversides and in floodplains, has increased its abundance in dry habitats of industrial wasteland and ruderal sites during the last decades in Eastern Germany. We chose 21 invasive populations from wet and from dry habitats in the region of Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, to test whether Acer negundo exhibits a shift in life-history strategy during expansion into more stressful habitats. We analyzed variables of habitat quality (pH, soil moisture, exchangeable cations, total C and N content) and determined density, sex ratio and regeneration of the populations. In addition, we conducted germination experiments and greenhouse studies with seedlings in four different soil moisture environments. Local adaptation was studied in a reciprocal transplant experiment. We found habitat type differentiation with lower nutrient and water supply at the dry sites than at the moist sites and significant differences in the number of seedlings in the field. In accordance, seeds from moist habitats responded significantly faster to germination treatments. In the transplant experiment, leaf life span was significantly larger for populations originating from dry habitat types than from moist habitats. This observed shift in life history strategy during secondary invasion of A. negundo from traits of establishment and rapid growth towards traits connected with persistence might be counteracted by high gene flow among populations of the different habitat types. However, prolonged leaf life span at dry sites contributed remarkably to the invasion of less favourable habitats, and, thus, is a first indication of ongoing adaptation.     

Ecological niches of ectoparasites

On mammals and birds communities of ectoparasites are present, which can include scores of ticks, mites and insects species. The parasitizing of arthropods terrestrial vertebrates appeared as far back a the Cretaceous period, and after 70-100 mil. years of the coevolution ectoparasites have assimilated all food resources and localities of the hosts' bodies. To the present only spatial and (to the less extent) trophic niches of parasitic insects, ticks and mites are studied completely enough. The main results these investigations are discussed in the present paper. A high abundance of the communities is reached because of their partition into the number of ecological niches. Host is complex of ecological niches for many ectoparasites species. These niches reiterate in the populations of a species closely related species of hosts and repeat from generation to generation. The each part of host (niche) being assimilated be certain parasite species is available potentially for other species. The partition of host into ecological niches is clearer than the structure of ecosystems including free-living organisms. A real extent of the ecological niches occupation by different species of ticks, mites and insects is considerably lower than a potential maximum. The degree of ecological niches saturation depends on the history of the coevolution of parasites community components, previous colonization be new ectoparasite species and many other ecological factors affecting host-parasite system. The use of the ecological niche conception in parasitology is proved to be rather promising. Ectoparasites communities because of their species diversity, different types of feeding and a number of habitats on host represent convenient models and study of them can contribute significantly to the developmeht of the general conception of ecological niche.     

Microhabitat Segregation of Parapatric Frogs in the Qinling Mountains

Coexistence mechanisms for species with similar ecological traits and overlapping geographic distributions are basic questions in ecology and evolutionary biology. Specific habitat requirements often limit distribution range as well as facilitate partitioning resource utilization in ecological similar species. Understanding niche segregation and differences in microhabitat utilization can contribute to identifying coexistence mechanisms between parapatric species. Feirana quadranus and F. taihangnica are two closely related frog species with parapatric geographic ranges and an elongated contact zone within the Qinling Mountains, which is an important watershed for East Asia. Here, we analysed the difference in microhabitat utilization between the two frog species and explored the key ecological factors that induced their microhabitat differentiation based on quadrats sampled in the contact zone. Our comparison of twenty environmental variables showed that both species used microhabitats with alkalescent warm water and gentle slope conditions. The principal component analysis indicated that climate-related variables, vegetation conditions, and river width were the important factors for microhabitat utilization of these species. These findings contribute to our understanding on the coexistence mechanisms of these two related and parapatric Asian mountain frog species. This study can also be helpful for identifying target habitats to conduct conservation actions and management strategies effectively in the face of environmental changes.     

Ecological and biodiversity gradients across alpine dry grassland habitats: implications for an endangered species

Dry grasslands are of great interest for nature conservation in Europe, because they have a central role in the conservation of numerous rare and endangered species. In this study carried out in the Brenta mountain group (Italian alps), we investigated the effect of environmental factors mainly controlled by topography, on the biodiversity trends across different dry grassland habitats where the threatened alpine stenoendemic Erysimum aurantiacum grows. Plant community data and ecological factors were analysed by means of a multi‐habitat CCA approach and by analysis of biodiversity gradients in 7 natural and semi‐natural habitats. We found that species turnover and biodiversity patterns vary as a function of multi‐factorial ecological gradients. For the single habitats, elevation gradient was the main factor explaining compositional variation, followed by inclination and proportion of exposed rock surface. Despite its endangered status, E. aurantiacum showed a relatively high degree of ecological plasticity across these semiarid grassland habitats that probably allows it to survive in different environments, including in some cases those impacted by human activities. This prompts for habitat‐ more than species‐level conservation actions. According to their characteristics and threats, habitat‐specific management practices are recommended for long term conservation of plant species communities in the different ecological niches.     

Geographical and ecological distributions of frog hemiclones suggest occurrence of both 'General-Purpose Genotype' and 'Frozen Niche Variation' clones

Asexuals often occupy broad geographical and ecological ranges. Two models have been proposed to explain the ubiquity of asexuals: the General‐Purpose Genotype (GPG) and the Frozen Niche Variation (FNV) model. According to these models, asexuals differ in their ecological niche width and may occupy narrow specialist niches or ubiquitous niches. A thousand water frogs from 37 different populations located in France in different habitats were studied, and two (hemi)clonal hybrid types were identified genetically, Rana esculenta and R. grafi. Altogether, 13 hemiclones were identified both in R. grafi and R. esculenta. Three of these were geographically and ecologically widely distributed, and usually very common in populations. In contrast, the remaining 10 hemiclones had small geographical ranges and were restricted to special habitat types, suggesting ecological niche specialization. The results suggest that in hybridogenetic water frogs GPG and FNV hemiclones coexist.     

Demography of source—sink populations and the evolution of ecological niches

Summary The demography of populations living in variable environments is an important factor molding the evolution of ecological niches, for it determines the relative strength of selection pressures on adaptations to different habitats. Here I consider a coarse-grained environment consisting of two habitat types and investigate how the selection pressure on reproductive success in different habitats depends on their quality and frequency and the dispersal pattern. The results suggest that selection on adaptations to optimal habitats will usually be stronger than on adaptations to poor habitats and the ecological niche will thus tend to be an evolutionarily conservative character. It is because under the habitat choice or limited dispersal that seem to prevail in natural populations, more individuals encounter the better habitat than would be expected solely on the basis of its relative area. This bias results in reduced selection pressure on reproductive success in the poorer habitat. With habitat choice or limited dispersal, selection pressure on reproductive success in the poorer habitat may exceed that on reproductive success in the better habitat only if the poorer habitat is much more frequent in the environment than the better habitat and the difference in their quality is not large.     

Theoretical habitat templets, species traits, and species richness: Trichoptera in the Upper Rhône River and its floodplain

• 1 For Trichoptera occurring in two sites of the Upper Rhône River (France) we examine: (i) relationships among species traits; (ii) habitat utilization of Trichoptera species; (iii) the relationship between species traits and habitat utilization; (iv) trends of species traits in the framework of spatial–temporal habitat variability to test predictions of the habitat templet concept; and (v) trends of species richness in the framework of spatial–temporal habitat variability to test predictions of the patch dynamics concept.
• 2 Of the sixteen species traits selected, twelve have high correlation ratios for the seventy-five species used in this analysis; these traits are related to behavioural, morphological, or physiological aspects. Traits related to reproduction or life cycle have lower correlation ratios.
• 3 An ordination by species traits separates the five main families into three groups: (i) Hydropsychidae and Polycentropodidae; (ii) Hydroptilidae; and (iii) Leptoceridae and Limnephilidae. An ordination of the habitat utilization of the species in ten habitats indicates that the Hydropsychidae occur preferentially in the main channel, Hydroptilidae, Polycentropodidae, and Limnephilidae occur in backwaters or oxbow lakes, and the Leptoceridae are ubiquitous.
• 4 The Hydropsychidae exhibit a relationship between species traits and habitat utilization, i.e. they use similar habitat types with similar species traits. The species traits of the other four families are similar but their habitat utilization is quite different.
• 5 The Hydropsychidae occur in lowest spatial–temporal variability habitats and Limnephilidae in the highest. Therefore, net spinners and filterers are characteristic of habitats with a low spatial–temporal variability, whereas shredders and case makers using plant material are characteristic of habitats with high spatial–temporal variability. The trends in species traits show little agreement with trends predicted from the river habitat templet.
• 6 Trends of species richness in the framework of spatial and temporal variability do not follow the predictions of the patch dynamics concept because richness is similar in all superficial habitats. This implies that each habitat, in spite of large differences in their spatial and temporal variability, offers Trichoptera a similar but limited number of ecological niches.