Dispersal and spatial scale affect synchrony in spatial population dynamics

A large body of theoretical studies has shown that synchrony among populations is critical for the long-term persistence of species in fragmented habitats. Although the effects of dispersal and environmental factors on synchrony have been investigated theoretically, empirical studies of these relationships have been lacking. We explored the interplay between environmental and demographic factors (fecundity, survival, dispersal) on population synchrony for 53 species of birds. We show that the interspecific differences in mean synchrony were determined by global environmental factors whose action was probably mediated by the abundance of each species. After removing the effect of these global factors on synchrony, the residual synchrony was strongly correlated with dispersal distance. The relationship between dispersal and synchrony was stronger for the species nesting in wet habitats than for those nesting in dry habitats. Our results indicate that different factors synchronize bird populations at different spatial scales, thus highlighting the role of scale in understanding spatial population dynamics and extinction risks.     

桃一点斑叶蝉种群消长动态和空间分布型研究

研究探明了桃一点斑叶蝉Erythroneurasudra种群消长动态和空间分布型 ,结果表明 :该虫在桃园全年共出现 3个为害高峰 ,分别发生于 4月下旬、5月下旬和 8月上旬 ;该害虫在桃园中呈聚集型的负二项分布。讨论了适宜取样调查方法。     

荔枝蝽田间种群消长动态及空间分布型研究

对海南省儋州地区荔枝园中荔枝蝽Tessaratoma papillosa(Drury)种群动态及空间分布进行了系统调查与分析。结果表明,在2005—2006与2008—2009年期间,荔枝蝽的产卵高峰期分别为4月与2月,若虫高峰期为3月,成虫高峰期分别为4月及7月;分析表明荔枝蝽各虫态在荔枝园中均为聚集分布,且成虫个体间相互排斥。     

Northern Atlantic Oscillation effects on the temporal and spatial dynamics of green spruce aphid populations in the UK

1. The role of climate variability in determining the spatial and temporal patterns of numerical fluctuations is a central problem in ecology. The influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index on the population dynamics and spatial synchrony of the green spruce aphid Elatobium abietinum across the UK was shown. 2. Fifteen overlapping time series within the UK were analysed; we used nonparametric models for determining the feedback nonlinear structure and the climatic effects. The spatial synchrony of these populations and the relationship between synchrony and NAO was estimated. 3. From the 15 time series across the UK, 11 showed positive and significant NAO effects. In most of the cases the NAO effects were nonlinear showing strong negative effects of low values. The NAO variation improve the explained variance of the first-order feedback models in 14.5%; ranging from 0% to 48%. All data showed strong-nonlinear (concave) feedback structure. In most of the localities the explained variance by the first-order feedback was about 50-60%. 4. The spatial synchrony of the per capita growth rates and residuals is high across long distances for those populations affected by NAO. The correlation function predicts a spatial scale of synchrony of about 350-400 km for NAO influenced populations. 5. We think that simple population theoretical models describing the link between NAO fluctuations and green spruce aphid dynamics may be fundamental for predicting and simulating the consequences of different climatic scenarios of the future.     

Travelling wave dynamics and self-organization in a spatio-temporally structured population

We analyse spatial population dynamics showing that periodic or period-like chaotic dynamics produce self-organization structures, such as travelling waves. We suggest that self-organized patterns are associated with spatial synchrony patterns that often depend on geographical distance between subpopulations. The population dynamics also show statistical spatial autocorrelation patterns. We contrast our theoretical simulations with empirical data on annual damages in young sapling stands caused by voles. We conclude, on the basis of the periodicity, synchrony, and spatial autocorrelation patterns, and our simulation results, that vole dynamics represent travelling waves in population dynamics. We suggest that because such synchrony patterns are frequently observed in natural populations, spatial self-organization may be more common in population dynamics than reported in the literature.     

蔬菜花期蓟马的种群动态与空间分布研究

西花蓟马是近年来在我国局部地区暴发成灾的重要外来入侵害虫,有关西花蓟马入侵对本地蓟马种群动态、空间分布及优势种影响的报道较少。对云南省昆明市近郊蔬菜花期的蓟马种群动态和空间分布研究表明,蔬菜上的蓟马种类主要是西花蓟马Frankliniella occidentalis(Pergande)、花蓟马F.intonsa(Trybom)、棕榈蓟马T.palmi(Karny)和端大蓟马Megalurothrips distalis(Karny);不同蔬菜上的蓟马优势种存在一定差异,其中辣椒和茼蒿上的蓟马优势种为西花蓟马;韭菜、茄子和四季豆上的蓟马优势种分别为花蓟马、棕榈蓟马和端大蓟马。各蔬菜上的蓟马种群数量以花期为多,盛花期达最大值,其中茄子花上的蓟马成虫平均虫口密度最高,为14.93头/朵。利用聚集度指标进行空间分布检测表明,不同蔬菜上蓟马成虫的空间分布型均为聚集分布,且聚集程度随密度的增加而增大。本研究可为深入探讨西花蓟马对本地蓟马的竞争取代机制积累资料,同时为西花蓟马的综合治理奠定理论基础。     

Effects of climate on population fluctuations of ibex

Predicting the effects of the expected changes in climate on the dynamics of populations require that critical periods for climate‐induced changes in population size are identified. Based on time series analyses of 26 Swiss ibex (Capra ibex) populations, we show that variation in winter climate affected the annual changes in population size of most of the populations after accounting for the effects of density dependence and demographic stochasticity. In addition, precipitation during early summer also influenced the population fluctuations. This suggests that the major influences of climate on ibex population dynamics operated either through loss of individuals during winter or early summer, or through an effect on fecundity. However, spatial covariation in these climate variables was not able to synchronize the population fluctuations of ibex over larger distances, probably due to large spatial heterogeneity in the effects of single climate variables on different populations. Such spatial variation in the influence of the same climate variable on the local population dynamics suggests that predictions of influences of climate change need to account for local differences in population dynamical responses to climatic conditions.     

Origin of spatial genetic structure in an expanding oak population

Spatial genetic structure (SGS) results from the interplay of several demographical processes that are difficult to tease apart. In this study, we explore the specific effects of seed and pollen dispersal and of early postdispersal mortality on the SGS of a seedling cohort (N = 786) recruiting within and around an expanding pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) stand. Using data on dispersal (derived from parentage analysis) and mortality (monitored in the field through two growing seasons), we decompose the overall SGS of the cohort into its components by contrasting the SGS of dispersed (i.e. growing away from their mother tree) vs. nondispersed (i.e. growing beneath their mother tree) and initial vs. surviving seedlings. Patterns differ strongly between nondispersed and dispersed seedlings. Nondispersed seedlings are largely responsible for the positive kinship values observed at short distances in the studied population, whereas dispersed seedlings determine the overall SGS at distances beyond c. 30 m. The paternal alleles of nondispersed seedlings show weak yet significantly positive kinships up to c. 15 m, indicating some limitations in pollen flow that should further promote pedigree structures at short distances. Seedling mortality does not alter SGS, except for a slight increase in the nondispersed group. Field data reveal that mortality in this group is negatively density‐dependent, probably because of small‐scale variation in light conditions. Finally, we observe a remarkable similarity between the SGS of the dispersed seedlings and that of the adults, which probably reflects dispersal processes during the initial expansion of the population. Overall, this study demonstrates that incorporating individual‐level complementary information into analyses can greatly improve the detail and confidence of ecological inferences drawn from SGS.     

Climate and spatio-temporal variation in the population dynamics of a long distance migrant, the white stork

1. A central question in ecology is to separate the relative contribution of density dependence and stochastic influences to annual fluctuations in population size. Here we estimate the deterministic and stochastic components of the dynamics of different European populations of white stork Ciconia ciconia. We then examined whether annual changes in population size was related to the climate during the breeding period (the 'tap hypothesis' sensu Saether, Sutherland & Engen (2004, Advances in Ecological Research, 35, 185 209) or during the nonbreeding period, especially in the winter areas in Africa (the 'tube hypothesis'). 2. A general characteristic of the population dynamics of this long-distance migrant is small environmental stochasticity and strong density regulation around the carrying capacity with short return times to equilibrium. 3. Annual changes in the size of the eastern European populations were correlated by rainfall in the wintering areas in Africa as well as local weather in the breeding areas just before arrival and in the later part of the breeding season and regional climate variation (North Atlantic Oscillation). This indicates that weather influences the population fluctuations of white storks through losses of sexually mature individuals as well as through an effect on the number of individuals that manages to establish themselves in the breeding population. Thus, both the tap and tube hypothesis explains climate influences on white stork population dynamics. 4. The spatial scale of environmental noise after accounting for the local dynamics was 67 km, suggesting that the strong density dependence reduces the synchronizing effects of climate variation on the population dynamics of white stork. 5. Several climate variables reduced the synchrony of the residual variation in population size after accounting for density dependence and demographic stochasticity, indicating that these climate variables had a synchronizing effect on the population fluctuations. In contrast, other climatic variables acted as desynchronizing agents. 6. Our results illustrate that evaluating the effects of common environmental variables on the spatio-temporal variation in population dynamics require estimates and modelling of their influence on the local dynamics.     

The effect of spatial scale on interactions between two weevils and their parasitoid

1. The effect of spatial scale on the interactions between three hymenopteran parasitoids and their weevil hosts was investigated. The parasitoid Mesopolobus incultus (Walker) parasitised Gymnetron pascuorum Gyll.; the parasitoids Entodon sparetus (Walker) and Bracon sp. parasitised Mecinus pyraster Herbst. Both of these weevils develop inside the seedhead of Plantago lanceolata L. but occupy different niches. Seedheads were sampled annually from 162 plants at each of two experimental sites consisting of a series of habitat patches of two distinct sizes. Data were analysed from three site‐years. 2. Parasitoid densities at each site‐year were closely related to the abundance of their respective weevil hosts. The overall proportion of hosts parasitised was more variable for M. incultus than for E. sparetus and Bracon sp. 3. Changes in spatial scale affected the variability of parasitoid densities. For M. incultus, there was generally a greater degree of additional heterogeneity for all increases of scale; for E. sparetus, this was true only at the largest scales; for Bracon sp., all components of variance were negative. 4. The rate of parasitism was related to host density in different ways at different spatial scales. Mesopolobus incultus exhibited inverse density dependence at the finest (seedhead) scale, direct density dependence at the intermediate (plant) scale, and density independence at the large (habitat area 729 m²) scale. Entodon sparetus showed no response to variation in host density at any spatial scale. Bracon sp. showed direct density dependence only at the intermediate and largest scales. 5. Parasitoids E. sparetus and Bracon sp. seemed able to detect more than one M. pyraster individual in seedheads with multiple host occupancy; a greater incidence of conspecific parasitoids than expected emerged from such seedheads.     

Studies on population dynamics and spatial distribution of leafhoppers in vineyards (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

Thirty-two species of Cicadellidae, including the Macropsinae, Agalliinae, Penthimiinae, Aphrodinae, Cicadellinae, Typhlocybinae and Deltocephalinae, 10 of which were already known as phytoplasma vectors, were captured in vineyards using yellow sticky traps. Adult population dynamics of the most abundant species of Penthimiinae and Deltocephalinae were studied over the whole growing season. Penthimia nigra was captured in May and June, Anoplotettix fuscovenosus in June-August, Fieberiella florii in August-October, Macrosteles sexnotatus in May and October, Scaphoideus titanus in July-September, Thamnotettix spp. (Th. confinis, Th. dilutior, Th. exemtus, Th. zelleri) in April-June, while Euscelidius variegatus, Neoaliturus fenestratus, Platymetopius major and Psammotettix spp. (P. alienus, P. confinis) were trapped throughout the growing season. The aggregation level of the above species was investigated by means of Taylor's power law. A. fuscovenosus showed a nearly random distribution in vineyards (0.95 < b < 1.11), while N. fenestratus, P. major and S. titanus were strongly aggregated (1.32 < b < 1.81). The other species showed intermediate levels of aggregation (1.12 > b < 1.32). The results indicate that at least six Deltocephalinae species, A. fuscovenosus, E. variegatus, F. florii, M. sexnotatus, N. fenestratus and S. titanus, known as phytoplasma vectors and commonly found in vineyards, could play a role in Grapevine Yellows (GY) epidemiology. GY transmission trials with these species are needed.     

黑龙江大豆蚜种群动态及田间空间分布研究

2007-2009年对黑龙江大豆蚜田间种群动态的调查结果表明,6月中旬大豆蚜Aphis glycines Matsumura开始在田间出现,3～5周后田间有蚜株率达到100%。7月未至8月初蚜量达到高峰期,9月中下旬在田间逐渐消失。大豆蚜有翅蚜与无翅蚜的发生动态基本一致,有翅蚜高峰期有时会稍有提前。2007年大豆蚜发生时期早、基数大、增长周期长导致高峰期蚜量显著高于2008年和2009年。大豆蚜田间分布聚集度指标I﹥0、m*/m﹥1、Ca﹥0、C﹥1,整个生长季种群都表现为聚集分布。建立的Iwao回归关系方程(m*=7.14758+1.11200m)表明种群分布的基本成分为个体群,个体之间表现为相互吸引。     

松突圆蚧及友恩蚜小蜂空间分布型和种群消长动态研究

通过对广东省试验林区内松突圆蚧Hemiberlesia pitysophila Takagi及其本地种寄生蜂友恩蚜小蜂Encarsia amicula Viggiani et Ren林间空间分布型和种群消长动态的调查研究发现:两者空间分布型相吻合,都为均匀分布;两者在林间全年种群消长曲线均呈"S"型变化。松突圆蚧种群密度高峰期出现在3月下旬至4月下旬,友恩蚜小蜂种群密度高峰期则分别出现在2月下旬和4月下旬至5月中旬。另外友恩蚜小蜂对松突圆蚧的寄生率全年共出现2个高峰期,分别是2月下旬和4月下旬至6月上旬。结果表明,友恩蚜小蜂和寄主松突圆蚧在林间时空发生规律具有高度一致性。     

黄猄蚁对橡胶盔蚧种群消长的影响

调查西双版纳地区黄猄蚁OecophyllasmaragdinaFabricius对橡胶盔蚧Parasaissetianigra(Nietner)种群数量和寄生蜂的影响。结果表明:黄猄蚁对橡胶盔蚧种群消长及寄生蜂均有影响。"有蚂蚁"枝条上介壳虫种群数量显著高于"无蚂蚁"枝条。"有蚂蚁"枝条介壳虫死亡率和寄生蜂都显著低于"无蚂蚁"枝条。说明黄猄蚁的存在影响了橡胶树介壳虫的种群繁殖率和死亡率。建议在今后综合防治中,充分利用蚂蚁与橡胶树介壳虫关系。通过驱逐橡胶树上的蚂蚁来有效遏制介壳虫的发生。     

Cohort effects and population dynamics

Cohort effects originate from environmental conditions, and can have long‐term consequences for the cohort's performance. It has been proposed that cohort effects tend to increase population fluctuations. However, differences among individuals, which cohort effects introduce into a population, usually have stabilizing effects. There are thus two different predictions regarding the impact of cohort effects on population fluctuations. We argue that it is important to distinguish between environmental variability and its long‐term effects on individual quality, and approach the question with a population model that can include or exclude such effects. We show that the influence of cohort effects depends on the inherent dynamics: cohort effects can have stabilizing effects if dynamics are inherently unstable. However, the most common outcome is destabilization whenever cohort effects act on top of inherently stable dynamics. Intriguingly, both alternatives are due to individual differences affecting the structure of density dependence in a similar way.     

Fine-scale spatial genetic structure in mixed oak stands with different levels of hybridization

Oaks are model species for the study of natural introgressive hybridization. High interfertility among oak taxa might result in collective evolution, through transpecific spread of advantageous alleles, challenging the standard concept of species. Nine highly polymorphic microsatellite (nuSSR) loci were analysed in three mixed oak populations of Quercus pyrenaica and Quercus petraea (Montejo, Somosierra and Robregordo) with different density and hybridization rates. Both leaf morphology and molecular markers were used to assess individual admixture rates. Insights about the relative effect of density and hybridization rates on fine-scale spatial genetic structure (SGS) were obtained from autocorrelograms and Sp statistics. Differences in SGS among populations were higher than between species. These differences cannot be attributed solely to census densities but also relate to other factors, such as the spatial configuration of the population. Hybridization was an important factor shaping within-population spatial genetic structure, and an interspecific component of SGS was found in Somosierra. Indirect estimates of historical gene flow in Montejo were compared with actual values of gene dispersal assessed by parentage analysis in a former study. Similar values were found for current and historical gene flow in both species, which might reflect demographical stability.