Habitat selection by wolvesCanis lupus in the uplands and mountains of southern Poland

Using data from the National Wolf Census, carried out in Poland in 2000–2001, and GIS techniques we analysed habitat selection by wolvesCanis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 in uplands and mountains of southern Poland. We compared ten habitat variables and two parameters related to wolf abundance in 52 circular plots (154 km² each) with recorded wolves and 97 randomly selected plots with no signs of wolf presence. Wolf plots were characterized by higher elevation and closer location to the state border than wolf-free plots. Furthermore, wolf plots had higher forest cover, but smaller number of villages and towns and shorter railways and roads than plots without wolves. The best model explaining wolf distribution included forest cover, number of villages, length of roads and railway lines. Compared to northern Poland, the southern part of the country offers worse habitats for wolves due to significantly denser network of settlements and transportation routes.     

Classification of the Avian Summer Population on the Western Siberian Plain

The proposed classification system reflects the difference between the three population systems: unbuilt land, built-up land, and aquatic–semiaquatic communities. Two superorder groups—north and median—further divided into types were recognized in each of the systems. Most types are divided into subtypes, classes, and subclasses (and sometimes genera of the population). The estimation of the power and generality of the influence of environmental factors (their variability correlates with heterogeneity of the avian population) has demonstrated that forestation of the territory is most significant in the first half of summer on the western Siberian Plain. The composition of the forest-forming species and zoning are less affected. The influence of moisture and hydration is 2–3 times less significant; mesorelief is 4–5 times less significant; and productivity (feeding capacity) and anthropogenic influence are 7–9 times less significant.     

Structure and dynamics of South East Indian seagrass meadows across a sediment gradient

In this study we examine the influence of non-monsoon sediment arrival on the high-diversity SE Indian seagrass meadows of the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar. We used a gradient-based approach to examine the influence of increasing sediment loads on species composition and shoot density. In addition, for the ubiquitous seagrass (Cymodocea serrulata), we tested the influence of sediment on its biomass and productivity. We identified three sites in Palk Bay and four sites in Gulf of Mannar (SE India) along a gradient of sediment input. At each of the seven locations, sediment traps were deployed to measure sedimentation rates. Nine seagrass cores were taken systematically along 50 m transects at a constant sub-tidal depth to measure shoot density and biomass. A few shoots of C. serrulata were marked to estimate the above ground seagrass growth rate. Our results indicate that sedimentation rates that ranged from 8.6 to 62.4 mg DW cm⁻² d⁻¹ could not explain species composition of the meadow or shoot density of the observed species. C. serrulata was, by far, the most abundant species and present in all sediment conditions. Sedimentation rates did not alter shoot elongation rates in C. serrulata, ranging from 1.54 ± 0.29 SD to 0.25 ± 0.02 SD cm d⁻¹, but in contrast, increased vertical rhizome elongation rate. This increase was reflected in an increase in below ground biomass along the sediment gradient (R² = 0.582, p = 0.01). C. serrulata appears to be able to adapt to the sediment dynamics in this area by allocating resources to rhizomes and roots to counteract burial and stabilizing sediments. Given that siltation is one of the most important threats to seagrass meadows, understanding the species-specific adaptive mechanisms of seagrass species in these high-sediment, high diversity South Asian meadows is an important first step in ensuring their long-term survival and functioning.     

South Siberian plant species in the flora of Amur oblast and their conservation

Data on 24 South Siberian plants of the Amur oblast are listed with brief taxonomic, geographical, ecocenotic analyses. Problems of conservation of rare plant species are considered. It is proposed to establish two regional refuges in the Amur Basin for the conservation of South Siberian steppe species included in the Red List.     

Movement,activity and hunting behaviour of leopards in the Cederberg mountains,South Africa

Few data are available on the behaviour of leopards in the absence of competing large predators and human impact, both of which are believed to influence leopard activity and movements. Remote camera traps and global positioning system (GPS) collars were used to quantify leopard activity in the Cederberg Mountains, seasonal and sexual differences in their movements, and determine whether nocturnal hunting success was related to lunar activity. Seventy‐seven per cent of camera‐trap photographs were at night, with a strong male bias (69%) in captures. Daily displacement using one location per day suggested that males moved significantly further than females. However, multiple locations (≥6 per day) showed no difference because males moved in a more linear fashion, but not further each day, than females. In the Cederberg Mountains, an open rocky habitat with low human impact and no competing predators, leopards were predominantly nocturnal, mainly hunting diurnal prey species. Hunting success was low: leopards travelled long distances between kills, with nocturnal hunting success higher on darker nights.     

Long-proboscid fly pollination of two orchids in the Cape Drakensberg mountains,South Africa

Large hovering flies with elongated nectar-feeding mouthparts play an important role in the pollination of South African plants. Here we describe and illustrate the pollination of two long-spurred orchids —Disa oreophila H. Bolus subsp.erecta Linder andBrownleea macroceras Sond. — by the long-proboscid flyProsoeca ganglbaueri Lichtwardt (Nemestrinidae).     

皮氏菊头蝠(Rhinolophus pearsoni)的栖息生态特征

皮氏菊头蝠(Rhinolophus pearsoni)是我国南方典型的洞栖食虫性蝙蝠,具有重要的生态意义。近年于湘西州及张家界市的25个溶洞中共记录到该蝠450只次,对其栖息生态特征(空间分布、姿势、体温、栖点温度和栖点安全性等)进行了较为系统的观测。结果表明:该蝠的栖点主要集中分布于离洞口440 m之内的洞段(占99.3%),栖点高度通常介于2—10 m之间(84%),主要采取双足倒挂的姿势栖息于洞顶壁或侧壁,但单足倒挂的栖息姿势也较为常见(36.2%)。体温介于10.7—25.2℃,体温总是稍高于栖点温度,但两者之间无显著性差异(P0.05),且两者呈线性正相关。约64%的栖点"安全性高",而"安全性低"和"安全性中"的栖点分别占17.6%和18.4%。减少对洞穴的人为干扰是保护该物种的有效途径。     

Contrasting patterns of Y-chromosome variation in South Siberian populations from Baikal and Altai-Sayan regions

In order to investigate the genetic history of autochthonous South Siberian populations and to estimate the contribution of distinct patrilineages to their gene pools, we have analyzed 17 Y-chromosomal binary markers (YAP, RPS4Y₇₁₁, SRY-8299, M89, M201, M52, M170, 12f2, M9, M20, 92R7, SRY-1532, DYS199, M173, M17, Tat, and LLY22 g) in a total sample of 1,358 males from 14 ethnic groups of Siberia (Altaians-Kizhi, Teleuts, Shors, Tuvinians, Todjins, Tofalars, Sojots, Khakassians, Buryats, Evenks), Central/Eastern Asia (Mongolians and Koreans) and Eastern Europe (Kalmyks and Russians). Based on both, the distribution pattern of Y-chromosomal haplogroups and results on AMOVA analysis we observed the statistically significant genetic differentiation between the populations of Baikal and Altai–Sayan regions. We suggest that these regional differences can be best explained by different contribution of Central/Eastern Asian and Eastern European paternal lineages into gene pools of modern South Siberians. The population of the Baikal region demonstrates the prevalence of Central/Eastern Asian lineages, whereas in the populations of Altai and Sayan regions the highest paternal contribution resulted from Eastern European descent is revealed. Yet, our data on Y-chromosome STRs variation demonstrate the clear differences between the South Siberian and Eastern European R1a1-lineages with the evolutionary ages compatible with divergence time between these two regional groups.     

Classification of schoenus communities in South and Southeast Sweden

Summary The Schoenus phytocoenoses of South and South-eastern Sweden have been sampled by 189 relevés of standard areas (4 m²) and divided into clusters using the TABORD program on two homotoneity levels. Two Schoenus associations and five potential nuclei of associations, mainly Schoenus nigricans phytocoena, have been distinguished.The species have been divided into twelve groups on the basis of similarities in distribution amongst phytocoena and assumed environmental preferences. Acidophilous or indifferent species together with common mire species are characteristics of the Oxycoccus-Schoenus ferrugineus association, while basiphilous and wet-meadow species are typical of the Primula-Schoenus ferrugineus association and the Fissidens-Schoenus nigricans phytocoenon. The Primula-Schoenus ferrugineus association is characterized by species associated with Tofieldietalia and Eriophorion latifolii, while in the Oxycoccus-Schoenus ferrugineus association also Scheuchzerio-Caricetalia and Oxycocco-Sphagnetalia species play an important rôle. Another difference between the two associations is that hemicryptophytes and helomorphes dominate in the Primula-Schoenus ferrugineus association, while in the Oxycoccus-Schoenus ferrugineus association dwarf shrubs, hydrophytes and hydromorphes are rather common.The properties of the homotoneity and diversity indices used are compared and their compatibility is discussed.     

Effects of fire on long-unburned Florida uplands

Abstract. The widespread suppression of fire during the 20th century has created extensive areas of fire-prone ecosystems that are in long-unburned condition. Plant species of flatwoods and scrubby flatwoods (= oak scrub) in the southeastern USA possess adaptations that facilitate resprouting, clonal spread, or seeding following fire. While the majority of the woody species of these associations can persist for long periods without fire, fire suppression reduces the populations of ephemeral herbs. Long-unburned (> 35 yr) flatwoods and scrubby flatwoods were burned after five annual vegetation censuses. Both stands were resampled five times over a >8-yr recovery period. One recently burned (<20 yr) flatwoods and two recently burned scrubby flatwoods were censused prior to fire and were recensused over a 5-yr or 11-yr period following fire depending on the stand. In spite of the variety of recovery strategies and time since fire, there were limited changes in the compositions and structures of post-burn stands compared to their preburn states. Detrended Correspondence Analysis showed that recently burned stands returned to preburn states within 1–2 yr. However, the reintroduction of a single fire to long-unburned stands did not restore the populations of herbs typical of recently burned stands. Our results suggest that a single fire may not be effective in restoring flatwoods and scrubby flatwoods that have experienced fire suppression to states more characteristic of recently burned stands.     

Relations between carbon dioxide fluxes and environmental factors of Kobresia humilis meadows and Potentilla fruticosa meadows

Carbon dioxide fluxes of Kobresia humilis and Potentillafruticosa shrub meadows,two typical ecosystems in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,were measured by eddy covariance technology and the data collected in August 2003 were employed to analyze the relations between carbon dioxide fluxes and environmental factors of the ecosystems.August is the time when the two ecosystems reach their peak leaf area indexes and stay stable,and also the period when the net carbon absorptions of Kobresia humilis and Potentilla photo flux densities (PPFD),the carbon dioxide-uptake rate of the Kobresia humilis meadow is higher than that of the Potentilla fruticosa shrub meadow;where the PPFD are rates of the two ecosystems declined as air temperature increased,but the carbon dioxide uptake rate of the Kobresia humilis meadow decreased more quickly (-0.086) than that of the Potentilla fruticosa shrub meadow (-0.016).Soil moistures exert influence on the soil respirations and this varies with the vegetation type.The daily carbon dioxide absorptions of the ecosystems increase with increased diurnal temperature differences and higher diurnal temperature differences result in higher carbon dioxide exchanges.There exists a negative correlation between the vegetation albedos and the carbon dioxide fluxes.     

Effect of elevation on the insect herbivory of Mongolian oaks in the high mountains of southern South Korea

Elevation is strongly associated with the diversity and ecology of plants and animals. We explored how elevation affects herbivores on one of the major cool-temperate trees, Quercus mongolica, in southern South Korea. The feeding activities of insect herbivores were measured through insect-feeding damage on leaves. Of 78 types of insect-feeding damage that were observed from Jirisan Mountain (Mount.) and Hallasan Mount. in Korea, 61.6% was associated with externally feeding insects. The sum of feeding damages per leaf was significantly higher on Jirisan Mount. than on Hallasan Mount., and higher at higher elevation in both mountains. Two feeding guilds, externally feeding, and piercing and sucking were strongly related with elevation, but the relationship was opposite depending on feeding guild. Leaf damage by the internal feeding guild showed no effect of elevation at the two mountains. These study results showed that insect herbivory responds to elevational differences in temperate forests, and that such response can vary among feeding guilds.     

Assessing patterns of plant endemism in neotropical uplands

Conservation of biodiversity will necessitate choices among areas, taxa, and land-use patterns. Lack of data on distribution and pattern in biodiversity makes these difficult decisions even more problematic for those charged with the conservation and sustainable use of the diversity of life. Quantitative methods have promise in helping with this task in that they allow people to make their values explicit, and they also allow representation and comparison of many different types of data. In this article I examine patterns of species richness and range-size rarity, or endemism, in the Neotropics with a data set from the genusSolanum (Solanaceae). Distribution data for 180 species of forest-dwelling solanums were analyzed. Patterns of species richness, range-size rarity (endemism), and several area-selection methods were examined. Montane areas are relatively rich both in all species and in endemic species, with maximal peaks in the Andes. The peak of species richness coincides with the domain (i.e., continental) midpoint (9°30′ S latitude), suggesting that the pattern observed may be partly due to the geometry of species ranges. TheSolanum results are compared with those obtained for other taxonomic groups in the Neotropics, and problems with quantitative data sets in conservation are discussed. Collecting deficit, parochial taxonomy, and habitat destruction, both historical and current, are all factors that will affect the utility of such analyses. It is clear that if conservation is to work on the ground, we need to know more about what occurs in the montane Neotropics and that continued work at a basic taxonomic level is essential to our ultimate ability to conserve biological diversity.     

Phylogeny, biogeography and adaptive radiation of Pachycladon (Brassicaceae) in the mountains of South Island, New Zealand

Aim To report analyses and propose hypotheses of adaptive radiation that explain distributional patterns of the alpine genus Pachycladon Hook.f. – a morphologically diverse genus from New Zealand closely related to Arabidopsis thaliana. Location South Island, New Zealand. Methods Morphological and nrDNA ITS sequence phylogenies were generated for Pachycladon. An analysis is presented of species distributional patterns and attributes. Results Phylogenetic analyses of morphological characters and nrDNA ITS sequence data were found to be congruent in supporting three New Zealand clades for Pachycladon. Monophyletic groups identified within the genus are geographically distinct and are associated with different geological parent materials. Distribution maps, latitude and altitude range, and data on geological parent material are presented for the nine named and one unnamed species of Pachycladon from New Zealand. Main conclusions (a) Panbiogeographic hypotheses accounting for the origin and present‐day distribution of Pachycladon in New Zealand are not supported.
(b) Species diversity and distributions of Pachycladon are explained by a Late Tertiary–Quaternary adaptive radiation associated with increasing specialization to geological substrates. Pachycladon cheesemanii Heenan & A.D.Mitch. is morphologically similar to the closest overseas relatives. It is a geological generalist and has wide latitudinal and altitudinal ranges, and we suggest it resembles the ancestral form of the genus in New Zealand. Pachycladon novae‐zelandiae (Hook.f.) Hook.f. and P. wallii (Carse) Heenan & A.D.Mitch. are a southern South Island group that predominantly occurs on Haast Schist, are polycarpic, have lobed leaves, and lateral inflorescences. Pachycladon enysii (Cheeseman) Heenan & A.D.Mitch., P. fastigiata (Hook.f.) Heenan & A.D.Mitch., and P. stellata (Allan) Heenan & A.D.Mitch. are restricted to greywacke in the eastern South Island, and are facultatively monocarpic, have serrate leaves, and stout terminal inflorescenes.
(c) Present distributions of Pachycladon species may relate to Pleistocene climate change. Pachycladon enysii reaches the highest altitude of New Zealand species of Pachycladon and is most common in the Southern Alps in Canterbury. We propose that this species survived on nunataks at the height of the last glaciation. In contrast, P. fastigiata grows at a lower altitude and is absent from the high mountains of the Southern Alps. We suggest it was extirpated from this area during the last glaciation.     

Meiosis during Microsporogenesis in Siberian Spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) in the South of Central Siberia

Russian Journal of Developmental Biology - The results of meiosis studies during microsporogenesis in Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) in the forest ecosystems of the south of Central Siberia...     

Classification of South Swedish Isoetid vegetation with the help of numerical methods

Relevés of Isoetid vegetation from 60 lakes in southern Sweden have been classified with the help on numerical methods. A community system is constructed, at the variant level by clustering with the TABORD program, and at the community and subcommunity levels by reference to traditional floristic characteristics. The diagnostic species were selected with the help of PCA. Isoëtes lacustris, Lobelia dortmanna and Littorella uniflora determined the community composition together with Eleocharis acicularis. The differentation of the syntaxa along the first three ordination axes of a PCA was clear. The complex water depth factor determines clearly the position of the small syntaxa (variants) in the PCA ordination space. At high levels of similarity the relevés were grouped effectively with the TABORD program, so that the clusters are floristically homogeneous and easy to identify on the basis of floristicsociological criteria. At higher syntaxon levels a selective use of diagnostic species was made.     

Restoration of brook valley meadows in the Netherlands

Until recently, restoration measures in Dutch brook valley meadows consisted of re-introducing traditional management techniques, such as mowing without fertilisation and low-intensity grazing. In the Netherlands, additional measures, such as rewetting and sod cutting, are now carried out on a large scale to combat negative influences of drainage and acidifying influences by atmospheric deposition. An analysis of successful and unsuccessful projects shows that restoration of brook valley meadows is most successful if traditional management techniques are applied in recently abandoned fields that had not been drained or fertilised. Large-scale topsoil removal in former agricultural fields that had been used intensively for several decades is often unsuccessful since seed banks are depleted, while hydrological conditions and seed dispersal mechanisms are sub-optimal. In areas with an organic topsoil, long-term drainage had often led to irreversible changes in chemical and physical properties of the soil. Successful sites were all characterised by a regular discharge of calcareous groundwater provided by local or regional hydrological systems, and, where not very long ago, populations of target species existed. On mineral soils, in particular, sod removal in established nature reserves was a successful measure to increase the number of endangered fen meadow species. It is argued that attempts to restore species-rich meadows should be avoided on former agricultural fields, where pedological processes have led to almost irreversible changes in the soil profile and where soil seed banks have been completely depleted. From a soil conservation point of view, such areas should be exploited as eutrophic wetlands that are regularly flooded.     

草地植物群落物种多样性取样强度的研究

本文以羊草(Leymus chinensis)-杂类草群落和贝加尔针茅(Stipa baicalensis)-线叶菊(Filifolium sibiricum)群落为代表,在东北松嫩平原研究了草地植物群落物种多样性的取样强度。巢式样方种-面积曲线结果表明：两个群落的最小面积均为1/4～1/2 m²。 Pielou积累样方多样性指数-取样数曲线结果表明：羊草-杂类草群落1、1/4、1/6 m²正方形样方最小取样数分别在12、22、28个左右; 贝加尔针茅-线叶菊群落分别在10、18、25个左右。群落水平结构的复杂性导致取样数目的增加。当积累样方数超过最小取样数后,多样性指数-取样数曲线进入平衡状态,上述3种取样面积的结果趋于一致,并在概率95%水平差异不显著。赞成小面积大数目的取样策略。