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1.
    
The factors that affect resource selection by a foraging herbivore can vary according to the resources or conditions associated with particular levels of organization in the environment, and to the scales over which the herbivore perceives and responds to those resources and conditions. To investigate the role of forage in this hierarchical process, we studied resource selection by a mixed‐feeding large herbivore, the impala (Aepyceros melampus). We focussed on three spatial scales: plant species, feeding station and feeding patch. In paired sites where impala were and were not observed, we identified the plant species from which animals fed, the attributes of the plants, and the characteristics of the broader site. Across all three scales, plant species available as forage was central in determining resource selection by impala. At the species level, that effect was modified by the nutritional quality (greenness) and whether it was during a period of forage abundance or scarcity (season). At the feeding‐station level, overall greenness and biomass of the station were important, but their effects were modified by the season. At the feeding‐patch level, broader‐scale factors such as the type of vegetation cover had an important influence on resource selection. The grass Panicum maximum was a preferred forage species and a key resource determining the locations of feeding impala. Our findings support the idea that selection by a foraging herbivore at fine scales (i.e. diet selection) can have consequences for broader‐scale selection that result in observed patterns of habitat use and animal distribution.  相似文献   

2.
  总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1  
The relationship between trees, grass and soil in a dry savanna in Mali was investigated, to identify variables that are most relevant to assess vegetation units. A 65 ha plateau was inventoried using a systematic square grid sampling pattern. Thirteen soil or topography variables, and tree and grass characteristics were measured at each sampling point. Multivariate analysis was used to separately analyse soil, tree and grass data, and to characterize tree–grass and tree–soil relationships. Four units of soils, four units of tree formations, and four units of grass formations were identified. There was a correspondence between these groups, indicative of four vegetation units: thicket, bare land, shrub savanna and tree savanna. Soil depth and soil texture were the soil variables that best related to tree vegetation. A negative correlation was found between tree basal area and grass dry biomass. Finally, vegetation units, as identified from tree species composition, had contrasted diameter structures and densities.  相似文献   

3.
    
How does the grass layer affect seedlings across large environmental gradients in savannas?  相似文献   

4.
林下树种幼苗是森林生态系统的一个重要组成部分, 在森林的自然更新过程中发挥着重要作用。于2007年10月底在西双版纳20 hm2热带森林动态监测样地内设置了450个幼苗样方(1 m2), 对样方内的树种幼苗(胸径<1 cm)进行了调查, 并观测了当年的实生苗(H≤30 cm)在2007~2008年旱季期间的存活变化。结果表明, 该区森林林下树种幼苗的组成比较丰富, 但个体数在物种间的分布极为不均匀。除4.17%的幼苗个体未鉴定外, 调查到的已知树种幼苗共计6 367株, 隶属于49科116属161种, 并且Simpson、Shannon-Wiener和Pielou指数分别达到了0.69、2.29和0.45。个体数少于5株的幼苗贡献了50.31%的物种数; 在1 m2的样方尺度上, 幼苗密度和种丰富度两者的平均值分别为(14.15±0.72)株·m-2和(3.73±0.10)种·m-2(Means±SE, n=450); 优势幼苗为望天树(Parashorea chinensis)、短刺锥(Castanopsis echidnocarpa)和假海桐(Pittosporopsis kerrii)等, 它们的空间分布格局与地形、海拔和母树分布三者之间存在着密切的相关性; 旱季期间, 幼苗的死亡比例较大(26.49%), 主要集中在优势幼苗。幼苗在干旱胁迫环境下的死亡格局表现出了明显的种间差异: 香花木姜子(Litsea panamanja)和望天树两优势幼苗的死亡率分别为62.65%和35.87%, 而假海桐和蚁花(Mezzettiopsis creaghii)等7种优势幼苗的死亡率较低(< 9%), 除望天树等13种优势幼苗外, 其余692株幼苗(共129种)仅死亡了10.40%, 而且有91种幼苗均没有发生死亡。幼苗间的存活差异有待于从种子大小、幼苗的形态和生理特性及其所在空间位置的生境特征等多方面开展深入的研究。  相似文献   

5.
Summary The foraging pattern of four sympatric fungus-growing termite species was followed for five months of the dry season in a semi-arid savanna (Senegal). Experimental plots were established with and without termites (exclusion with insecticide) and amended with different litter quality: Acacia leaves, millet canes, ground millet (<500 µm), Combretum wood and cattle manure. Results showed different foraging patterns between the fungus-growing species. Odontotermes nilensis, for example, rapidly developed its foraging activity on the litter. In contrast, Macrotermes subhyalinus delayed its foraging activity but, extensively collected the food after its discovery. Differences in food preference were evident between the termite species: Odonto-termes nilensis foraged preferentially on millet, canes and Acacia leaves, Macrotermes subhyalinus preferred cane and ground millet. Ancistrotermes guineensis selected the millet, and Microtermes sp. was mostly recorded foraging on pieces of dead wood. Relationships between different foraging parameters were established to assess the relative intensity of this activity over the dry season. The comparison between untreated plots and plots treated with Fipronil® (Aventis) clearly demonstrated that the exclusion of termites from part of the savanna is possible and that this possibility can be used to study their role on the soil and organic matter cycle in situ.  相似文献   

6.
    
The diversity and abundance of amphibians were investigated in Meru National Park, Kenya, using transect sampling, drift‐fence and pitfall trapping and opportunistic collecting. A total of 430 individuals under seven genera (Amietophrynus, Hemisus, Hyperolius, Phrynobatrachus, Phrynomantis, Ptychadena, Xenopus) comprising eleven species were sampled in three different habitats (apart from this, two additional species are known from Meru National Park): Acacia‐wooded grassland; Combretum‐wooded grassland; AcaciaCommiphora bushland. The sex ratio for almost all species was balanced (chi‐square, χ2; P > 0.5) and was not affected by habitat type (ANOVA: F = 8.3026, P = 0.6914). Shannon–Weaver Index (2.227) and Simpson's Index (8.244) were relatively high, and most of the eleven species sampled appeared to have a relatively even distribution (Shannon's Evenness Index, E = 0.927). However, Hemisus marmoratus and Phrynomantis bifasciatus were exclusively recorded in Acacia‐wooded grassland and in low abundances. There was a positive linear relationship of body weight against snout–vent length for two randomly selected anurans (Hyperolius glandicolor, Phrynobatrachus natalensis) among all three vegetation communities.  相似文献   

7.
  总被引:59,自引:1,他引:59  
Acid soils occupy approximately 30% or 3950 m ha of the world's ice free land area and occur mainly in two global belts where they have developed under udic or ustic moisture regimes. The northern belt (cold and temperate climate) is dominated by Spodosols, Alfisols, Inceptisols and Histosols and the southern tropical belt consists largely of Ultisols and Oxisols.Sixty-seven percent of the acid soils support forests and woodlands and approximately 18% are covered by savanna, prairie and steppe vegetation. Only 4.5% (179 m ha) of the acid soil area is used for arable crops. A further 33 m ha is utilized for perennial tropical crops. The value of the annual production in these areas is approximately US$ 129 billion. Value of products from forests, woodlands and permanent pastures on acid soils is difficult to evaluate.Forests of the tropics and wetlands have an invaluable role in global, regional and local ecosystem balance and a protective role for flora, fauna and water resources. While acid soils in the northern belt are increasingly protected and reafforested, the destructive exploitation of timber and abusive modern shifting cultivation have contributed to the loss of >250 million ha of tropical forest during the second half of this century leaving vast areas of anthropic savannas on heavily eroded and degraded acid soils.The authors believe that attempts to develop acid soils for agriculture and agroforestry in the tropics should concentrate on these deforested and abandoned areas of degraded acid soils. However, this will be difficult without significant initial investment and adequate technology. A three step development approach is suggested, which could help prevent or halt the annual destruction of >5 mill. ha tropical forests by untraditional shifting cultivators. It would help to protect the fragile natural ecosystems on tropical acid soils now considered to be indispensable for the future life on earth.  相似文献   

8.
马志良  杨万勤  吴福忠  谭波 《生态学报》2018,38(9):3078-3085
植物多酚类物质是森林凋落物中的重要组分,其含量的多寡在一定程度上决定了凋落物的分解速率。然而,凋落物分解过程中多酚类物质的降解动态仍不十分清楚。因此,以四川盆地亚热带常绿阔叶林最具代表性的3个针叶树种马尾松(Pinus massoniana)、柳杉(Cryptomeria fortunei)、杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)和3个阔叶树种香樟(Cinnamomum camphora)、红椿(Toona ciliata)、麻栎(Quercus acutissima)凋落叶为对象,采用凋落物分解袋法,研究了6种凋落叶多酚类物质在第一年不同降雨期间的降解特征。结果表明:自微量降雨期起至雨季前期止,6种凋落叶多酚类物质具有一致的降解动态,降解率均表现为随着降水量的增加而增加;自雨季后期之后,多酚类物质含量均处于稳定状态。第一个分解年,6种凋落叶多酚类物质降解率大小顺序依次为:红椿(100%)柳杉(97.81%)杉木(94.45%)麻栎(93.67%)马尾松(93.06%)香樟(91.64%)。分解初期旱季两时期(微量降雨期和春季少雨期),6种凋落叶多酚类物质均有较大的降解量,其降解率占全年降解率的42.16%—71.20%。并且,除香樟以外的5种凋落叶多酚类物质大量降解释放发生在雨季前期,占全年降解率的44.46%—55.72%。此外,凋落叶多酚类物质初始含量与其降解率呈显著的二次函数关系。可见,降雨是湿润亚热带常绿阔叶林区凋落物多酚类物质降解的关键驱动因子之一,树种组成是影响凋落物多酚类物质降解的内部因素。  相似文献   

9.
10.
    
Forest–savanna mosaics exist across all major tropical regions. Yet, the influence of environmental factors on the distribution of these mosaics is not well explored, limiting our understanding of the environmental constraints on savannas especially in Southeast Asia, where most savannas exist in mosaics. Despite clear structural and functional characteristics indicative of savannas, most SE Asian savannas continue to be classified as forest. This designation is problematic because SE Asian savannas are threatened by both fragmentation and forest-centric management practices. By studying forest–savanna mosaics across SE Asia, we aimed to parse out how landscape mosaics of forest and savanna may be constrained by fire, climate and soil characteristics. We used remotely sensed data to characterize the distribution of tree cover and forest–savanna mosaics. Using regression models, we quantified the relative effects of precipitation, fire frequency, seasonality and soil characteristics on average tree cover and landscape patchiness. We found that low tree cover, indicative of savannas, occurs in drier, seasonal subregions that experience frequent fire. Further, our results demonstrate that fire and precipitation strongly shape landscape patchiness. Landscapes were patchiest in subregions with low precipitation and intermediate fire frequency. These results demonstrate that the environmental factors important in delineating the distribution of savannas globally shape the distribution of tree cover and landscape patchiness across SE Asia. Fire especially drives patterns of tree cover across scales. In a region where fire suppression is a common management strategy, our results suggest that further research studying vegetation response to fire and fire suppression is needed to improve management and conservation of these mosaic landscapes. More broadly, this work demonstrates a useful approach for studying the environmental drivers that influence the distribution of forest–savanna mosaics.  相似文献   

11.
    
Rainfall, fire and competition are emphasized as determinants of the density and basal area of woody vegetation in savanna. The semi‐arid savannas of Australia have substantial multi‐year rainfall deficits and insufficient grass fuel to carry annual fire in contrast to the mesic savannas in more northern regions. This study investigates the influence of rainfall deficit and excess, fire and woody competition on the population dynamics of a dominant tree in a semi‐arid savanna. All individuals of Eucalyptus melanophloia were mapped and monitored in three, 1‐ha plots over an 8.5 year period encompassing wet and dry periods. The plots were unburnt, burnt once and burnt twice. A competition index incorporating the size and distance of neighbours to target individuals was determined. Supplementary studies examined seedling recruitment and the transition of juvenile trees into the sapling layer. Mortality of burnt seedlings was related to lignotuber area but the majority of seedlings are fire resistant within 12 months of germination. Most of the juveniles (≤1 cm dbh) of E. melanophloia either died in the dry period or persisted as juveniles throughout 8.5 years of monitoring. Mortality of juveniles was positively related to woody competition and was higher in the dry period than the wet period. The transition of juveniles to a larger size class occurred at extremely low rates, and a subsidiary study along a clearing boundary suggests release from woody competition allows transition into the sapling layer. From three fires the highest proportion of saplings (1–10 cm dbh) reduced to juveniles was only 5.6% suggesting rates of ‘top‐kill’ of E. melanophloia as a result of fire are relatively low. Girth growth was enhanced in wet years, particularly for larger trees (>10 cm dbh), but all trees regardless of size or woody competition levels are vulnerable to drought‐induced mortality. Overall the results suggest that variations in rainfall, especially drought‐induced mortality, have a much stronger influence on the tree demographics of E. melanophloia in a semi‐arid savanna of north‐eastern Australia than fire.  相似文献   

12.
Because of potential conflicts between commercial and conservation interests, one challenge in coastal-area management is how to regulate harvesting practices in coastal areas without adversely affecting the survival of migratory waterbirds. In most Spanish intertidal areas of importance for shorebirds, managers have concentrated only on stock management of the shellfish species. Here, we studied aspects of the foraging behaviour of Eurasian curlews Numenius arquata migrating through a Ramsar area in north Spain in the presence and absence of hand harvesters. We aimed to assess potential negative effects on curlews with a view to making coastal management recommendations that would help reduce conflict between local people and waterbirds. The average density of hand harvesters and foraging curlews at low tide was 0.56±0.09 persons per 10 ha and 16.47±0.73 birds per 10 ha, respectively. The presence of harvesters had a significant effect on foraging activity (no harvesting: 86.47±1.01%; harvesting: 82.70±1.00%). However, the absence of significant differences in all other foraging variables, between days with and without harvesting, indicated that curlews were able to compensate for the impact of harvesters on their foraging activity. We recommend, as a point of departure, that intertidal coastal managers of this Spanish site and similar areas of importance for shorebirds limit the harvesting load to <0.56 persons per 10 ha−1 at least during autumn migration.  相似文献   

13.
    
Trees that maintain some leaves throughout dry seasons become important ruminant browse depending on nutritive and antinutritive values. Leaves from seven tree species that maintained some leaves during the dry season were collected during dry and wet seasons and analysed for nutritive and antinutritive values. Neutral detergent fibre of leaves was either not different or less (≤ 0.05) during the dry season as compared to the wet season depending on species. Acid detergent fibre was either not different or greater (≤ 0.05) during the dry season as compared to the wet season. Crude protein and condensed tannins (CT) were either not different or less (≤ 0.05) during the dry season than during the wet season for the seven species. The biological activity (protein‐binding ability; PB) of the CT was highly species specific and was either not different between seasons, more bioactive during the wet season, or more bioactive during the dry season depending on the species. Based on combinations of low fibre, high protein and potentially beneficial levels of bioactive CT, Senegalia caffra, Vachellia karoo and Searsia lancea may be the most promising dry‐season browse of the species studied.  相似文献   

14.
利用Granier树干液流测定系统对广东鹤山丘陵地马占相思(Acacia mangium)林进行长期监测,并同步监测环境因子(空气温度、相对湿度、光合有效辐射、土壤体积含水量),选择胸径具有代表性的样树,结合马占相思的形态学参数,计算马占相思的整树蒸腾.通过对光合有效辐射(PAR)分级,建立不同辐射强度等级的湿季(土壤水分θ≥33%)整树蒸腾与水汽压亏缺(VPD)的相关方程,以干季(θ≤24%)的VPD代入对应PAR等级的湿季的拟合方程,求出干季的潜在蒸腾,以潜在蒸腾和干季实际蒸腾之差分析不同径级整树蒸腾在不同季节的实际变化.在所有的PAR分级内,干季整树蒸腾显著低于湿季,仅占湿季蒸腾的10%~20%,就蒸腾减少的绝对量而言,优势木>中间木>劣势木.土壤水分下降缩小了不同径级树木之间液流密度的差异,土壤水分亏缺限制了树木的蒸腾,对马占相思的生长造成一定程度的水分胁迫.  相似文献   

15.
    
In Serengeti fire is used as a management tool to improve the forage quality for large herbivores. However, little is known of the effects of fire on grazing resources particularly sward structure, its influence on herbivore forage patch selection and utilization to the relative amount of phytomass consumed in burnt and nonburnt patches. From September 2003 to July 2004, consumption of phytomass by large herbivores was assessed with eight samplings in six grassland sites in the Western Corridor in Serengeti National Park. Each site had burnt and nonburnt plots. Movable cages were used to exclude grazing between samplings and plant material harvests were used to assess phytomass and sward structure changes in time. Nonburnt grasslands had consistently larger phytomass at all sampling events whereas the ratio for live leaf/total phytomass was higher in burnt grassland at early postfire stages, but declined later in the season. Moreover, periodic consumption of both total phytomass and different phytomass components shifted between burnt and nonburnt grasslands, but there were also large site-specific responses. The shift appears to be related to the balance between the amount of phytomass available and the quality of the forage in terms of the ratio between live and total phytomass. The study highlights the significance of maintaining mosaics of burnt and nonburnt areas with an adequate provision of forage amount and quality all year round.  相似文献   

16.
17.
  总被引:3,自引:0,他引:3  
Restoration of many terrestrial plant communities involves the reintroduction of fire. However, there have been few studies of the effects of fire on the avifauna during the restoration process. To study the effects of oak savanna restoration on avian communities, breeding birds were censused and the vegetation structure documented in seven experimental burn units (8–18 ha) that had experienced different frequencies of controlled burns during the past 31 years (0–26 burns). Data were analyzed with both direct and indirect gradient analyses using multivariate techniques. The results showed that, as savanna restoration proceeded, there was a general decline in predominantly insectivorous species, particularly those that feed in the upper canopy region (leaves and air space), and a general increase in omnivorous species, particularly those that feed on the ground and in the lower canopy. Insectivorous bark gleaners (woodpeckers) also increased during restoration and were correlated with the increase in standing dead trees resulting from the fires. Overall, savanna restoration resulted in increases in the abundance of many open country bird species, including many species that have been declining in central and eastern North America, including red‐headed woodpecker, Baltimore oriole, eastern kingbird, vesper sparrow, field sparrow, lark sparrow, brown thrasher, American goldfinch, and brown‐headed cowbird. The shifts in species and guilds were correlated with changes in burn frequency and the macro vegetation structure—tree and shrub density, leaf area index, and relative proportion of standing dead trees. The findings show that savanna restoration can increase bird diversity and provide important habitat for uncommon or declining bird species. These birds are most likely attracted to one or more of the distinctive habitat features of the restored savanna environments, including scattered mature trees, standing dead trees and snags, and presence of both shrubby and grassland vegetation. The findings also suggest that restoration ecologists and wildlife biologists will need to work together to achieve desired goals, since different types of savanna restoration efforts may produce different effects on the breeding bird community.  相似文献   

18.
    
Digging mammals are often considered ecosystem engineers, as they affect important properties of soils and in turn nutrient exchange, vegetation dynamics and habitat quality. Returning such species, and their functions, to areas from where they have been extirpated could help restore degraded landscapes and is increasingly being trialled as a conservation tool. Studies examining the effects of digging mammals have largely been from arid and semi‐arid environments, with little known about their impacts and importance in mesic systems. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated the ecological role of a recently introduced population of eastern barred bandicoots (Perameles gunnii) on Churchill Island, Victoria, south‐eastern Australia, from which all digging mammals have been lost. We quantified the annual rate of soil turnover by estimating the number of foraging pits bandicoots created in 100‐m2 plots over a 24‐h period. Foraging pit counts could not be completed in each season, and the overall turnover estimate assumes that autumn/winter months represent turnover rates for the entire year; however, this is likely to fluctuate between seasons. Ten fresh and ten old pits were compared to paired undug control sites to quantify the effect soil disturbance had on soil hydrophobicity, moisture content and soil strength. Plots contained between zero and 64 new foraging pits each day. We estimated that an individual eastern barred bandicoot digs ~487 (95% CI = 416–526) small foraging pits per night, displacing ~13.15 kg (95% CI = 11.2–14.2 kg) of soil, equating to ~400 kg (95% CI = 341–431 kg) of soil in a winter month. Foraging pits were associated with decreased soil compaction and increased soil moisture along the foraging pit profile. Eastern barred bandicoots likely play an important role in ecosystems through their effects on soil, which adds to an increasing body of knowledge suggesting restoration of ecosystems, via the return of ecosystem engineers and their functions, holds much promise for conserving biodiversity and ecological function.  相似文献   

19.
【目的】微塑料(粒径<5 mm)具有疏水表面、吸附能力强、难降解等特征,可长期留存于环境中,并且易被微生物所定殖,对生态系统存有潜在风险。本研究以鄱阳湖湿地微塑料表面微生物为研究对象,探究不同水期微塑料表面细菌群落结构分布特征。【方法】分别在丰水期和枯水期采集湿地水体、沉积物及沉积物中微塑料样品。借助16SrRNA基因高通量测序技术,对样品的细菌多样性及群落结构展开分析。【结果】不同水期环境中的细菌丰富度和多样性皆高于微塑料表面。丰水期水体和沉积物细菌群落结构相似,环境与微塑料表面细菌结构差别较大,枯水期水体和沉积物以及微塑料表面细菌群落结构差别均较大。环境样品中的细菌门水平上以变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和放线菌门(Actinobacteria)为主,而丰水期微塑料表面细菌群落主要包括变形菌门、拟杆菌门、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes),枯水期微塑料表面细菌群落与环境中相似。微塑料表面细菌群落中假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)相对丰度比环境中高。丰水期和枯水期细菌群的关键种中大部分属于变形菌门,包括鞘氨醇单胞属(Sphingomonas)等。【结论】本研究揭示了鄱阳湖湿地不同水期环境中以及微塑料表面细菌群落结构差异,研究可以丰富和完善我国湖泊湿地中微塑料的相关知识,为湖泊环境治理与管控提供理论支持与依据,以便对鄱阳湖湿地进行生态系统管理。  相似文献   

20.
Abstract .During the decade from 1984 to 1993, nine species of the Simulium damnosum complex of blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) were identified from the area covered by the Onchocerciasis Control Programme. These were S. damnosum s.s., S. dieguerense, S. konkourense, S. leonense, S. sanctipauli, S. sirbanum, S. soubrense, S. squamosum, and S. yahense. Some of these species were found to consist of two chromosomal variant populations. These were S. konkourense‘Konkouré' and ‘Menankaya' forms, S. sanctipauli sensu stricto and‘Djodji' form, S. soubrense‘Chute Milo' and ‘Beffa' forms. The distribution of these twelve cytological taxa was assessed in relation to the two main vegetation zones of West Africa (forest and savanna), topography, river size and other factors. The range of each species was influenced by seasonal climatic changes in wind movement and river water level. The most widely distributed species were S. sirbanum and S. damnosum s.s., associated with savanna areas, recorded from all river basins. Simulium dieguerense was restricted mainly to Western Mali on the Rivers Bafing and Bakoye in the Senegal River basin. Simulium squamosum was identified from rivers draining mountainous areas in both the forest and savanna zones. Simulium yahense was found in small permanent rivers along a wide forested band parallel to the coast and was absent from the plains of Togo and Benin. Members of the S. sanctipauli subcomplex had restricted distributions except for S. sanctipauli s.s., which was widespread in large rivers of the forest zone from Sierra Leone to the Volta Lake in Ghana. Simulium soubrense‘Beffa' form occurred in Togo and Benin, S. soubrense‘Chutes Milo' form in Guinea, both ‘Konkouré' and ‘Menankaya' forms of S. konkourense occurred predominantly in Guinea and S. leonense in Sierra Leone. The relevance of the distribution maps and the importance of the data bank to vector control larvicidal operations are discussed.  相似文献   

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