Floristic relationship between plant communities of corresponding habitats in southeast Greenland and alpine Scandinavia

Barkman's similarity coefficiënts have been calculated for twelve ecologically related communities of southeast Greenland (SEG) and alpine Scandinavia (SCA). Comparisons were made between corresponding saxicolous lichen communities, dwarf shrub communities, snow bed communities and herb and Salix shrub communities. The corresponding SEG and SCA communities of extreme habitats have the same faithful taxa or the same dominant taxa, relatively few or no area-differential (ArD) taxa and they are floristically strongly related. They should be classified in one single association; the geographical variation is expressed in terms of geographical races. Corresponding vegetation types of mesic habitats have low floristic similarity coefficiënts, many ArD taxa and the same dominant taxa, or different faithful taxa. The geographical variation should be expressed here on the association level.     

破碎化生境中粗柄独尾草种群大小对繁殖特性的影响

景观破碎化是目前存在的一种普遍现象,导致物种生存的原有生境总面积减小,产生许多大小不一的斑块种群。不同斑块生境中植物种群的大小直接反映植物对环境的响应特征和适应对策,与植物繁殖有关的开花结实特性、种子形态及萌发特性的研究将有助于深入了解植物在不同生境中的生存策略。以粗柄独尾草(Eremurus inderiensis)为研究对象,以野外调查为基础,对比研究不同斑块粗柄独尾草种群的种群大小和生殖成功,揭示不同生境中粗柄独尾草的生态适应性。结果表明:(1)不同斑块生境中,种群大小差异较大,且较小的种群幼苗比例也较小,种群大小与种群幼苗比例呈显著相关;(2)较小的种群自然座果率、结籽率较低,种群间差异显著;(3)随着生境破碎化程度增加,种子千粒重,种子长、宽等形态特征呈减小趋势,但种翅占比增大;(4)在粗柄独尾草最适萌发温度下,随着生境破碎化程度增加,种子萌发率有下降趋势。针对人类干扰程度强的衰退型粗柄独尾草种群,亟需减少人为干扰,依据不同生境中的干扰因素及种群生存现状,制定科学与切实可行的保护和恢复策略。     

Foraging behaviour of the root vole Microtus oeconomus in fragmented habitats

The effect of habitat fragmentation on spatial foraging behaviour in the root vole Microtus oeconomus was investigated in seven experimental populations. Four of the populations were established in large, continuous blocks (30 × 95 m) of meadow habitat (treatment plots), whereas the three remaining populations had six small rectangular habitat fragments (30 × 7.5 m) with variable inter-fragment distances (control plots). Both the small habitat fragments and the large continuous habitat were embedded in a non-habitat matrix area which was regularly mowed. Half-way through the study period, the continuous habitat in treatment plots was destroyed by mowing to give a configuration identical to the control plots. Dyed bait placed at the edges and in the interior of habitat fragments as well as in the matrix area was used to reveal differential use of these areas for foraging. Animals in the small-fragment plots fed more than expected along the edges, while edges were used according to availability in the large blocks of continuous habitat. In the fragmented plots, the frequency of foraging in the matrix decreased with increasing distance to the fragment border and with increasing inter-fragment distances. Furthermore, the frequency of use of more than one habitat fragment in individual foraging ranges decreased with increasing inter-fragment distances. Reproductively inactive animals of both sexes fed more often along habitat edges than reproductively active animals. Reproductively active females fed exclusively in one habitat fragment, whereas inactive animals and especially reproductively active males frequently included more than one fragment in their foraging ranges. The only effect of habitat destruction was less foraging in the matrix habitat in the post-destruction treatment plots compared to the permanently fragmented control plots. This was probably an effect of different matrix quality. Root voles in these experimental populations forage in edge and matrix habitat with great risk of becoming victims to predation, and the results are interpreted in this context. Received: 19 August 1998 / Accepted: 30 June 1999     

Patch isolation and shape predict plant functional diversity in a naturally fragmented forest

Aims It is known that taxonomic diversity can be predicted by the spatial configuration of the habitat, in particular by its area and degree of isolation. However, taxonomic diversity is a poor predictor of ecosystem functioning. While functional diversity is strongly linked to the functionality and stability of ecosystems, little is known about how changes in the spatial configuration of the habitat affect functional diversity. In this study, we evaluated whether the spatial configuration of forest patches predicts the functional diversity of plants in a fragmented forest.Methods Five functional leaf traits (leaf dry matter content, leaf punch force, specific leaf area, leaf size and leaf thickness) were measured for 23 dominant plant species in 20 forest patches in a naturally fragmented forest on the Yucatan Peninsula. Abundance-weighted multivariate and individual trait metrics of functional diversity were calculated and correlated with size, degree of isolation and the shape of forest patches.Important findings Patch shape was negatively correlated with multivariate and individual trait (leaf dry matter content and leaf size) metrics of functional diversity. Patch isolation measures were also negatively correlated with individual trait (leaf dry matter content, leaf punch force and leaf size) metrics of functional diversity. In other words, greater patch shape irregularity and isolation degree impoverish plant functional variability. This is the first report of the negative effects of patch shape irregularity and isolation on the functional diversity of plant communities in a forest that has been fragmented for a long time.     

千岛湖片段化生境中木本植物种子雨基本特征及其影响因子

为探究片段化生境中木本植物种子雨的基本特征,该研究根据2015—2020年(研究期间)在千岛湖样岛上的植物群落长期监测样地内每月收集的种子雨数据,采用Kruskal-Wallis检验对木本植物的种子雨密度进行年际差异分析,对不同传播方式物种的种子雨密度进行月份间差异性分析,并利用线性混合效应模型,探究岛屿空间特征(岛屿面积、距最近岛屿的距离、距大陆的距离)以及气候因子(0 ℃以上积温、降水量)对木本植物以及不同传播方式物种的种子雨密度的影响。结果表明:(1)2015—2020年6年间,在29个样岛用240个收集器共收集到877 178粒木本植物的成熟种子,属于26科40属52种。(2)动物传播是木本植物主要的种子传播方式,不同传播方式物种的种子雨时间动态存在较大差异。(3)木本植物的种子雨年密度与岛屿面积和年积温呈显著正相关,与年降水量呈显著负相关。(4)自主传播物种的种子雨月密度与距最近岛屿的距离呈显著正相关,而动物传播物种的种子雨月密度则与距大陆的距离呈显著正相关,风力传播物种的种子雨月密度与月积温呈极显著正相关。综上表明,生境片段化通过岛屿空间特征影响了木本植物种子雨的时间动态。     

中国蜈蚣衣科地衣多样性及区系研究

该研究通过对山西管涔山和五鹿山等区域采集的蜈蚣衣科地衣300余份标本的鉴定分析,结合已有报道,从物种多样性、空间分布特点、生境类型及区系成分等方面对蜈蚣衣科地衣进行研究,以明确中国蜈蚣衣科地衣物种组成及区系特点。结果表明：(1)中国蜈蚣衣科地衣共有7属197种54变种,饼干衣属(Rinodina)占绝对优势,约占蜈蚣衣科地衣总种数的30.5%。(2)中国蜈蚣衣科地衣多分布于新疆,蜈蚣衣属(Physcia)是该科中分布最广泛的属,但其中有26.4%的物种仅分布于单一地区。(3)蜈蚣衣科地衣生境类型多样,有树生、石生、藓丛生、土生和多生境5种,以多生境地衣为主(48.5%)。(4)中国蜈蚣衣科地衣的地理成分复杂,同时伴随多种区系成分,但以温带性质显著(占43.1%),东亚特色明显。(5)仅分布于中国的蜈蚣衣科地衣共4属10种,且主要分布于中国东北、西北和西南地区。     

Metapopulation dynamics of a flightless alpine insect Hemideina maori in a naturally fragmented habitat

Abstract 1. Despite widespread acceptance of metapopulation theory, the effects that inter-patch dispersal and variability in patch size have on metapopulation dynamics in insects are two issues that require further study. In addition, previous studies of metapopulations have tended to focus on organisms with high dispersal capabilities such as some species of butterfly and bird.
2. Mountain stone weta Hemideina maori are a long-lived, flightless orthopteran that live on island rock outcrops or tors in the alpine region of southern New Zealand. A total of 480 adults and 789 juveniles was marked over three seasons on four large and 14 small tors to assess the effects of habitat fragmentation on the population dynamics of H. maori .
3. Only 12 adults (2.5% of marked adults and 4.0% of recaptured adults) and two juveniles (0.3% of marked juveniles and 0.7% of recaptured juveniles) dispersed between tors. The mean dispersal distance was 361 m (range = 36–672 m). Larger tors supported larger populations and had a higher number of emigrants and immigrants while smaller tors had proportionally higher emigration and immigration rates. Although adults on large and small tors had similar mean lifespans, five extinction events and three recolonisation events occurred during the study period, all on small tors.
4. Hemideina maori conform to many of the predictions of metapopulation theory even though they are flightless, show relatively low dispersal rates, and occur at low densities. Extinction and colonisation events are more common on small tors but may be relatively unimportant for the long-term survival of the metapopulation because they occur on the smallest habitat patches, which support the smallest proportion of the overall population.     

Cross-scale drivers of plant trait distributions in a fragmented forest landscape

During community assembly, plant functional traits are under selective pressure from processes operating at multiple spatial scales. However, in fragmented landscapes, there is little understanding of the relative importance of local-, patch- and landscape-scale processes in shaping trait distributions. Here, we investigate cross-scale influences of landscape change on traits that dictate plant life history strategies in re-assembling plant communities in a fragmented landscape in eastern China. Using forest dynamics plots (FDPs) on 29 land-bridge islands in which all woody plants have been georeferenced and identified to species, we characterized and derived two composite measures of trait variation, representing variation across the leaf economics spectrum and plant size. We then tested for trait shifts in response to local-, patch- and landscape-scale factors, and their potential cross-scale interactions. We found substantial community-wide trait changes along local-scale gradients (i.e. forest edge to interior): more acquisitive leaf economic traits and larger sized species occurred at edges, with a significant increase in trait means and trait range. Moreover, there were significant cross-scale interaction effects of patch and landscape variables on local-scale edge effects. Altered spatial arrangement of habitat in the surrounding landscape (i.e. declining habitat amount and increasing patch density), as well as decreasing area at the patch level, exacerbated edge effects on traits distributions. We suggest that synergistic interactions of landscape- and patch-scale processes, such as dispersal limitation, on local-scale environmental filtering at edges, together shape the spatial distributions of plant life history strategies in fragmented plant communities.     

Using landscape history to predict biodiversity patterns in fragmented landscapes

Landscape ecology plays a vital role in understanding the impacts of land‐use change on biodiversity, but it is not a predictive discipline, lacking theoretical models that quantitatively predict biodiversity patterns from first principles. Here, we draw heavily on ideas from phylogenetics to fill this gap, basing our approach on the insight that habitat fragments have a shared history. We develop a landscape ‘terrageny’, which represents the historical spatial separation of habitat fragments in the same way that a phylogeny represents evolutionary divergence among species. Combining a random sampling model with a terrageny generates numerical predictions about the expected proportion of species shared between any two fragments, the locations of locally endemic species, and the number of species that have been driven locally extinct. The model predicts that community similarity declines with terragenetic distance, and that local endemics are more likely to be found in terragenetically distinctive fragments than in large fragments. We derive equations to quantify the variance around predictions, and show that ignoring the spatial structure of fragmented landscapes leads to over‐estimates of local extinction rates at the landscape scale. We argue that ignoring the shared history of habitat fragments limits our ability to understand biodiversity changes in human‐modified landscapes.     

Parasitization of bats by bat flies (Streblidae) in fragmented habitats

Parasites represent a large fraction of the world's biodiversity. They control host population sizes and contribute to ecosystem functioning. However, surveys on species diversity rarely include parasitic species. Bats often present traits favoring parasite diversity, such as large home ranges, long life spans, and large colonies. The most conspicuous bat parasites are the highly host-specific, blood-sucking bat flies (Diptera: Streblidae, Nycteribiidae). Recent studies have found a direct effect of habitat alteration on the abundance of bat species. We expected, therefore, that changes in the host community in response to anthropogenic habitat modification will also result in changes in the associated parasite community. We captured bats in three different habitats in Central Panama between 2013 and 2015. We recorded information on prevalence and intensity of bat fly parasitization of the seven most commonly captured bat species. Prevalence and intensity were both significantly influenced by roost type, abundance, and host sex and age. We found that habitat variables and matrix type significantly influenced the prevalence and intensity of parasitization, while the direction of the responses was host species- and parasite species-specific. In general, roosting conditions and behavior of host bats appear to be fundamental in explaining changes in prevalence and intensity of parasitization between different habitat types, as bat flies are bound to the roost during their reproductive cycle. Habitat alterations affect next to the host community composition also the availability of possible roost structures as well as microclimatic conditions, which all three reflect in parasitization.     

神农架南坡植物群落多样性的海拔梯度格局

神农架南坡在我国植被区划中具有十分重要的意义。在神农架南坡沿海拔梯度设置50个样方进行植物物种多样性调查,通过对样方的数量分类和DCA排序,结合物种丰富度、区系分化强度、区系成分和生活型构成等方面的分析,研究神农架南坡植物物种多样性的垂直格局。结果表明：(1)神农架南坡的植被垂直带谱为：海拔900—1000m以下为常绿阔叶林;1000-1700m为常绿落叶阔叶混交林;1600—2100m为落叶阔叶林;海拔2000—2400m为针阔叶混交林;海拔2300m以上为暗针叶林。(2)植被基带群落中,在物种数量、区系成分和重要值方面,常绿和落叶阔叶树种所占的比例都相差无几。(3)植物多样性的垂直格局基本符合“单峰”模式。峰值出现在海拔1400—1500m;但混交林类型的多样性和区系分化强度较高。(4)在植物区系中,温带成分处于主导地位;世界广布属的比例随海拔上升而增加;而中国特有属仅见于海拔2000m以下。亚热带成分和东亚区域性区系成分都随海拔上升而减少,峰值都位于山地常绿落叶阔叶混交林。(5)蕨类植物丰富度随海拔上升而减小;草本植物丰富度与海拔高度之间没有呈现显著的相关关系;木本植物丰富度总体沿海拔梯度减少,但峰椎处于常绿落叶阔叶林带。针阔混交林样方的平均木本物种数也超过落叶阔叶林带。     

Life history of the Glanville fritillary butterfly in fragmented versus continuous landscapes

Habitat loss and fragmentation threaten the long‐term viability of innumerable species of plants and animals. At the same time, habitat fragmentation may impose strong natural selection and lead to evolution of life histories with possible consequences for demographic dynamics. The Baltic populations of the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) inhabit regions with highly fragmented habitat (networks of small dry meadows) as well as regions with extensive continuous habitat (calcareous alvar grasslands). Here, we report the results of common garden studies on butterflies originating from two highly fragmented landscapes (FL) in Finland and Sweden and from two continuous landscapes (CL) in Sweden and Estonia, conducted in a large outdoor cage (32 by 26 m) and in the laboratory. We investigated a comprehensive set of 51 life‐history traits, including measures of larval growth and development, flight performance, and adult reproductive behavior. Seventeen of the 51 traits showed a significant difference between fragmented versus CL. Most notably, the growth rate of postdiapause larvae and several measures of flight capacity, including flight metabolic rate, were higher in butterflies from fragmented than CL. Females from CL had shorter intervals between consecutive egg clutches and somewhat higher life‐time egg production, but shorter longevity, than females from FL. These results are likely to reflect the constant opportunities for oviposition in females living in continuous habitats, while the more dispersive females from FL allocate more resources to dispersal capacity at the cost of egg maturation rate. This study supports theoretical predictions about small population sizes and high rate of population turnover in fragmented habitats selecting for increased rate of dispersal, but the results also indicate that many other life‐history traits apart from dispersal are affected by the degree of habitat fragmentation.     

Structure and function in two tropical gallery forest communities: implications for forest conservation in fragmented systems

1. Composition, growth and turnover of trees in two species-rich tropical gallery forests were examined to evaluate what community reorganization may be needed to transform recently created tropical forest fragments into stable refugia for regional forest biotas.
2. Rates of tree growth and turnover over a 5-year interval were comparable to those recorded in continuous forests and in both communities there had been some tree species turnover in the measured stem size classes during the 5-year interval.
3. The more abundant tree species in both communities formed three functional groups along gradients between streams and forest edges: edge-concentrators, core-concentrators and generalists.
4. Soil fertility showed no consistent increase close to streams and neither tree growth nor recruitment rates were increased in this zone. In contrast, forest edge zones exhibited increased rates of tree growth and recruitment indicating that growth processes in these forests are light-limited rather than soil-limited, and that forest edge zones are generally favourable habitats for tree populations.
5. Both communities showed signs of past fire incursions, and the tendency of a subset of tree species to concentrate in the more growth-limited core habitats is attributed to their fire sensitivity.
6. Rapid development of an edge zone of fire-insensitive tree species is considered to be essential to the survival of forest community fragments in the fire-prone landscapes of the tropics, and the edges of gallery forests are recommended as potential sources of species with which to fashion these protective ecotones.
7. Preservation of a diverse forest biota in the fire-protected interiors of fragments will require natural or artificially enhanced immigration rates that are sufficient to offset local extinctions.     

Influences of area, isolation and habitat features on distribution of snakes in Mediterranean fragmented woodlands

The effects of isolation-related and vegetational parameters on presence and relative abundance of snakes in patchy forested fragments of Mediterranean central Italy are studied. The most abundant species was Coluber viridiflavus (accounting for 47.7% of the total snake sample observed) followed by Vipera aspis (22%), Elaphe longissima (21.5%), Natrix natrix (7.7%), and Coronella austriaca (1.1%). There was a clear trend for bigger species to be less distributed among the various forest fragments than the smaller species. Presence of Coluber viridiflavus, Coronella austriaca and Natrix natrix was not influenced by woodland area, whereas that of Vipera aspis and Elaphe longissima was positively influenced by woodland area. Woodland isolation parameters did not influence the presence of Coluber viridiflavus, Coronella austriaca and Natrix natrix, but of Vipera aspis and Elaphe longissima. Discriminant stepwise analysis suggested that specific environmental features influenced the occurrence and abundance of the various snake species, Vipera aspis being the taxon more affected by isolation-related parameters. Some conservation implications of our observations are also discussed.     

Colonization and extinction of ant communities in a fragmented landscape

Abstract In this paper we tested the assumption that smaller and more isolated remnants receive fewer ant colonizers and lose more species. We also tested hypotheses to explain such a pattern. We sampled ants in Brazil for 3 years in 18 forest remnants and in 10 grasslands between them. We tested the influence of remnant area and isolation on colonization rate, as well as the effect of remnant area on extinction rate. We tested the correlation between remnant area and isolation to verify the landscape design. Colonization rate was not affected by remnant area or isolation. Extinction rate, however, was smaller in larger remnants. Remnant area and isolation were negatively correlated. We tested two hypotheses related to the decrease in ant species extinction rate with increased remnant area: (i) small remnants support smaller and more extinction‐prone populations; and (ii) small remnants are more often invaded by generalist species, which suffer higher extinction inside remnants. The density of ant populations significantly increased with area. Generalist species presented a lower colonization rate in larger remnants, contrary to the pattern observed in forest species. Generalist species suffered more extinction than expected inside remnants. The lack of response of colonization rate to remnant area can be explained by the differential colonization by generalist and forest species. The decrease of ant population density in smaller remnants could be related to loss of habitat quality or quantity. The higher colonization by generalist ant species in the smaller remnants could be related to landscape design, because smaller remnants are more similar to the matrix than larger ones. Our results have important implications for conservation strategies because small remnants seem to be more affected by secondary effects of fragmentation, losing more forest species and being invaded more often by generalist species. Studies that compare only species richness between remnants cannot detect such patterns in species composition.     

Ecological features affect patterns of plant communities in Mediterranean temporary rock pools

In this paper, the results of a study on the ecology, floristic composition and spatial assemblages of temporary limestone rock pool plant communities of a central Mediterranean area (S Sicily, the Maltese Islands and Lampedusa) are presented. A total of 76 temporary pools were studied, distributed between the infra-mediterranean and thermo-mediterranean bioclimatic belt. For each temporary rock pools, the floristic composition and cover of the species were determined using standard relevé methods. Moreover, for 50 of these pools, pH, conductivity, soil depth, water-level, altitude and floristic richness and diversity index were assessed. The plant communities were analysed using unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages and Euclidean distance classification and ordination methods such as canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). A total of four plant communities with specific floristic composition were established, each one with a different dominant species: Callitriche truncata; Elatine gussonei; Tillaea vaillantii and Lythrum hyssopifolia. According to the CCA, the spatial patterns of plant communities follow an ecological gradient related to water level and depth/size of the rock pools: these are the main ecological features affecting the distribution of the plant communities of rock pools. In addition, floristic richness and diversity index showed a slight increase in trend from temporary pools submerged for long periods towards pools submerged for short periods.     

Analysis of macrofungal communities reveals a complex reciprocal influence between Mediterranean montane calcareous grassland and surrounding forest habitats

Fungi are essential components of all terrestrial ecosystems. Despite the crucial ecological role of soil fungi in grasslands, knowledge about fungal community diversity and structure in Mediterranean meadow habitats is still fragmentary. We analyzed macrofungal communities in three geographically distinct Mediterranean montane calcareous grasslands and surrounding forests, by means of fruit body surveys. We investigated a number of biotic and abiotic factors influencing the studied fungal communities, including plant species composition. Out of 6365 fruit bodies, a total of 268 species belonging to 84 genera were found. In general, there was a significant correlation between plant species richness and fungal richness. Variation in vegetation and plant community structure accounted for approximately 20% of variance in fungal community structure. Tree and shrub vegetation played a dominant role in shaping the analyzed fungal communities, both in meadows and surrounding forests, with particular influence on ectomycorrhizal, litter, and lignicolous saprotrophic fungi. Fungal biodiversity in the studied meadows was increased by the presence of tree and shrub species from the adjacent forests, but was reduced by the increasing vegetation cover.     

中国种子植物特有属的地理分布格局

生物特有现象的地理格局及其形成机制是生物地理学的重要研究内容.本文通过整合173个地区的中国种子植物特有属编目资料、环境和空间因子数据,运用多元回归和方差分解的方法,探索了中国种子植物特有属丰富度及其占全部种子植物属丰富度的比例(特有属比例)与环境(生境异质性和气候)和空间因子的关系.结果表明:(1)特有属丰富度及特有...     

Genetic diversity and population divergence in fragmented habitats: Conservation of Idaho ground squirrels

The Idaho ground squirrel, which consists of a northern (Spermophilus brunneus brunneus) and a southern subspecies (S. b. endemicus), has suffered from habitat loss and fragmentation, resulting in a reduction in both numbers and geographic range of the species. The northern Idaho ground squirrel (NIDGS) is listed as a threatened subspecies under the Endangered Species Act, and the southern Idaho ground squirrel (SIDGS) is a candidate. Because Idaho ground squirrel populations are small and often isolated, they are susceptible to inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity through drift. This research evaluates levels of genetic diversity and patterns of population divergence in both subspecies of Idaho ground squirrels. We hypothesized that NIDGS would exhibit lower genetic diversity and greater population divergence due to a longer period of population isolation relative to most SIDGS populations. Genetic diversity and divergence were quantified using 8 microsatellite loci. Contrary to expectations, SIDGS populations exhibited consistently lower levels of microsatellite diversity. Additionally, NIDGS exhibited only modest divergence among populations, while divergence levels among SIDGS populations were highly varied. Preliminary evaluations of mitochondrial DNA diversity and structure revealed lower diversity in NIDGS and some differences in gene flow that warrant further study. Based on our results, we suggest different management strategies for the two subspecies. Habitat restoration appears to be the most desirable conservation strategy for NIDGS populations. In contrast, low genetic diversity observed in SIDGS may warrant supplementation of isolated populations through translocations or captive breeding to mitigate further loss of genetic variability.