基于鸟类特有种亚种分化的保护优先性

我们以中国鸟类特有种为代表,基于鸟类物种分化程度来探讨多样性保护优先区。本文参照105种中国特有鸟种的分化等级来制作物种地理分布图。依据生物种的概念,给单型种赋值“1”,对具有n各亚种分化的物种赋值“n”。利用GIS叠加与制图功能对物种的分布做图以反映不同区域的物种分化等级。结果发现分布中心赋值很高并以同心圆形式向周边递减,反映了物种在中国西南部横断山区至秦岭高度分化的地理格局,并由此向外递减。作为全球25个生物多样性热点之一的横断山区,可能不仅是物种种级而且是种下级多样性的热点。因此,该地区的多样性保护优先性,不仅要考虑目前物种多样性分布的格局而且要考虑其未来发展     

滇西北县域生物多样性本底调查与评估

中国是世界上生物多样性最丰富的国家之一, 同时也是生物多样性受威胁最严重的国家之一。为了有效保护生物多样性, 2010年国务院批准实施了《中国生物多样性保护战略与行动计划(2010-2030年)》, 划定了32个陆地生物多样性保护优先区, 并设定了开展优先区生物多样性本底调查的战略目标、优先领域与优先行动。为此, 2010-2011年, 环境保护部联合中国科学院和高校的科研人员, 在滇西北开展了18个县的以县域为单元的生物多样性本底示范调查与研究。调查内容包括生态系统(植被类型)和物种两个层次。生态系统主要调查县域内植被类型的多样性, 完成了以群系为单位的植被类型编目; 物种层次主要调查县域内高等植物、脊椎动物、大型真菌的物种多样性组成、数量和用途等, 分析了特有物种和珍稀濒危物种数量等, 完成了县域物种编目。本文基于调查结果, 比较研究了不同县域间的生物多样性组成, 发现植被类型(108个群系)和物种(高等植物4,481种、脊椎动物625种、大型真菌222种)最丰富的县均为玉龙县。同时, 与历史记录对比研究发现, 滇西北的生物多样性分布数据十分欠缺, 严重影响了生物多样性保护的客观有效决策。生物多样性本底调查是生物多样性保护的一项基础工作, 本研究为中国未来开展大规模的生物多样性本底调查与评估提供了案例。     

云南被子植物菊类分支的系统发育多样性及其分布格局

全球气候变化与人为活动等因素导致的生物多样性丧失,引起了全球各界对生物多样性保护的高度关注。传统生物多样性保护主要对物种、特有种、受威胁物种的种类组成及其分布模式开展研究,忽视了进化历史在生物多样性保护中的作用。云南是全球生物多样性热点地区的交汇区,生物多样性的保护历来受到广泛关注,为了更好地探讨云南生物多样性的保护措施,该研究以云南被子植物菊类分支物种为研究对象,基于物种间的演化关系,结合其地理分布,从进化历史的角度探讨物种、特有种、受威胁物种的种类组成及系统发育组成的分布格局,并整合自然保护地的空间分布,识别生物多样性的重点保护区域。结果表明：云南被子植物菊类分支的物种、特有种及受威胁物种的物种密度与系统发育多样性均显著正相关;通过零模型分析发现,由南向北标准化系统发育多样性逐渐降低;云南南部、东南部、西北部是云南被子植物菊类分支的重点保护区域,加强这些区域的保护,将最大化地保护生物多样性的进化历史和进化潜能。由此可见,融合进化历史信息的植物多样性格局分析不仅有助于更加深入地理解植物多样性的形成与演变,也为生物多样性保护策略的制定提供更多的思路。     

海洋生物多样性保护优先区域的确定

为了有效利用资源和资金,合理保护海洋生物多样性,海洋生物多样性保护优先区域的确定成为目前保护生物学领域的热点之一.本文首先探讨了生物多样性保护优先区域的定义和内涵,认为海洋生物多样性保护优先区域是指生物多样性丰富、物种特有化程度高、珍稀濒危物种分布集中、具有重要生态功能和过程的海洋区域.其次对保护优先区域确定的内容和方法进行了总结,主要包括单元区划、指标体系的构建及保护优先区域评估3个方面.继而根据我国海洋生物多样性现状提出保护优先区域确定的基本思路,即在海洋生物地理分区的基础上,根据物种和生境的生物多样性指标确定保护优先区域.最后针对存在问题提出建议,包括运用生物地理学方法进行单元区划、基于物种和生态系统的方法构建生物学指标以及信息网络数据库的构建等.     

热点地区与GAP分析研究进展

生物多样性保护的优先性研究是目前资且机构和保护专家关注的热点,热点载欠 ＧＡＰ分析是进行生物多样优先笥分析的两种方法。热点地区分析是根据物种丰富度和特有度,探讨怎样以最小的代价,最大限度地保护区域的生物多样性。ＧＡＰ分析综合考虑区域阱生脊椎动物物种、土地覆主土地所有权和保护状况等方面信息,在保护土地管理实践中,使具有代表性的植被类型、重要物种都得到保护。本文介绍了热点地区和ＧＡＰ分析的概念、基本假     

黄河流域濒危物种保护热点区与保护空缺识别

黄河流域具有重要的生物多样性保护意义,通过研究珍稀濒危物种分布热点区可为生物多样性保护提供依据。选取70种濒危维管植物和陆生脊椎动物,综合多来源的分布数据,运用物种分布模型Maxent模拟物种分布区,结合自然地理区划,计算保护价值,进行热点区分析,并结合国家级自然保护区和国家公园体制试点区的分布情况进行空缺分析。研究结果显示,黄河流域濒危物种分布主要呈现出南高北低、集中于山地的特征,热点区包括秦岭区域、太行山区域、子午岭-六盘山区域、陇中高原至松潘高原、祁连山、贺兰山和沿黄湿地等。在区分自然地理区后,现有的国家级自然保护区和国家公园体制试点区覆盖了热点区面积的13.89%,保护空缺主要出现于子午岭南部、六盘山南部、松潘高原南部和拉脊山等。建议在推进黄河流域生态保护和高质量发展中将濒危物种热点区考虑在内,对黄河流域自然保护地体系进行优化,并针对黄河流域的三个自然地理分区提出了相应的保护建议。此外,研究发现,在进行热点区分析时,考虑自然地理区域划分,并综合多类群叠加和单一生物类群的分析结果进行统筹考虑,可能会更好满足生物多样性就地保护需求。     

生物多样性保护廊道构建方法研究进展

生物多样性保护廊道对遏制生态系统退化及生物多样性丧失,改善生态系统服务功能,消除生境破碎化对生物多样性的影响,恢复珍稀濒危物种的种群数量,维护自然生态系统平衡稳定具有极为重要的作用。在近20年(1997—2017)国内外生物多样性保护廊道的相关研究分析的基础上,对廊道的概念、构建理论及方法应用进行了系统总结与探讨,分析了廊道构建理论的发展过程及适用性,分类总结了现有的廊道构建方法和17种廊道构建模型工具。研究分析表明,廊道作为一种新的生物多样性保护模式,已成为目前国际生态领域研究的热点之一,随着对物种景观运动过程认识的加深,廊道构建理论逐渐趋于成熟,与之匹配的廊道构建方法及模型工具进展迅速。借助遥感与地理信息技术,大范围,高精度的获取廊道模拟数据,并集成综合模型实现目标物种廊道的构建、保护和管理是今后生物多样性保护廊道构建研究的发展方向。最后,对当前该领域的研究现状和不足展开讨论并展望了未来发展,为我国生物多样性保护廊道的应用与实践及国家生态廊道体系的建设完善提供借鉴与参考。     

安徽石台县与青阳县苔藓植物多样性

生物多样性保护优先区域代表了生物多样性富集区、典型生态系统与关键物种分布区, 对于生物多样性保护具有重要意义, 但优先区域内自然保护地覆盖率通常较低, 存在很大的保护空缺。苔藓植物作为生物多样性的一个重要组成部分, 在生态系统中发挥着重要作用, 但由于个体细小、分类鉴定困难等, 使得其多样性保护成为整个生物多样性保护中较为薄弱的一环。为了了解我国生物多样性保护优先区域苔藓植物多样性及受保护情况, 本文以黄山-怀玉山生物多样性保护优先区域内的石台县和青阳县为例, 通过系统的样线法调查优先区域内自然保护地内、外的苔藓植物多样性, 比较了其物种组成特点及相似性。结果表明, 该区域共有苔藓植物64科140属344种, 包括苔类植物27科40属106种、藓类植物37科100属238种, 其中有5种为濒危物种。自然保护地内有60科120属270种, 保护地外有46科90属185种, 保护地内、外苔藓植物科、属、种的Jaccard相似性系数分别为0.66、0.50和0.32, 表明自然保护地内、外物种组成差异很大。与石台县和青阳县苔藓植物历史数据相比, 本研究新增苔藓植物14科64属273种, 其中包括安徽省新记录2科9属96种, 而且有18种仅分布于自然保护地外。根据对该区域物种累积曲线及外推估计分析, 当采集足够充分时, 基于标本数的物种多样性预测值为485种, 基于样线数的预测值为563种, 说明石台县和青阳县的苔藓植物多样性仍存在被低估的可能。本研究结果一方面表明了自然保护地之外的苔藓植物在保护中有重要价值, 另一方面也反映了苔藓植物的野外就地保护存在空缺。建议在我国其他生物多样性保护优先区域开展类似的调查和研究, 以期为今后对苔藓植物的分布规律及保护研究提供翔实的基础数据。     

生物多样性保护廊道构建方法研究进展

生物多样性保护廊道对遏制生态系统退化及生物多样性丧失,改善生态系统服务功能,消除生境破碎化对生物多样性的影响,恢复珍稀濒危物种的种群数量,维护自然生态系统平衡稳定具有极为重要的作用。在近20年(1997—2017)国内外生物多样性保护廊道的相关研究分析的基础上,对廊道的概念、构建理论及方法应用进行了系统总结与探讨,分析了廊道构建理论的发展过程及适用性,分类总结了现有的廊道构建方法和17种廊道构建模型工具。研究分析表明,廊道作为一种新的生物多样性保护模式,已成为目前国际生态领域研究的热点之一,随着对物种景观运动过程认识的加深,廊道构建理论逐渐趋于成熟,与之匹配的廊道构建方法及模型工具进展迅速。借助遥感与地理信息技术,大范围,高精度的获取廊道模拟数据,并集成综合模型实现目标物种廊道的构建、保护和管理是今后生物多样性保护廊道构建研究的发展方向。最后,对当前该领域的研究现状和不足展开讨论并展望了未来发展,为我国生物多样性保护廊道的应用与实践及国家生态廊道体系的建设完善提供借鉴与参考。     

系统发育多样性测度及其在生物多样性保护中的应用

生物多样性保护面临两个基本问题：如何确定生物多样性测度以及如何保护生物多样性。传统的生物多样性测度是以物种概念为基础的,用生态学和地理学方法确定各种生物多样性指数。其测度依赖于样方面积的大小,并且所有的物种在分类上同等对待。系统发育多样性测度基于系统发育和遗传学的理论和方法,能确定某一物种对类群多样性的贡献大小。该方法比较复杂,只有在类群的系统发育或遗传资料比较齐全时方能应用。本文认为,物种生存力途径和系统发育多样性测度相结合有助于确定物种和生态系统保护的优先秩序。     

Patterns of species richness hotspots and estimates of their protection are sensitive to spatial resolution

Aim

Species richness is a measure of biodiversity often used in spatial conservation assessments and mapped by summing species distribution maps. Commission errors inherent those maps influence richness patterns and conservation assessments. We sought to further the understanding of the sensitivity of hotspot delineation methods and conservation assessments to commission errors, and choice of threshold for hotspot delineation.

Location

United States.

Methods

We created range maps and 30‐m and 1‐km resolution habitat maps for terrestrial vertebrates in the United States and generated species richness maps with each dataset. With the richness maps and the GAP Protected Areas Dataset, we created species richness hotspot maps and calculated the proportion of hotspots within protected areas; calculating protection under a range of thresholds for defining hotspots. Our method allowed us to identify the influence of commission errors by comparing hotspot maps.

Results

Commission errors from coarse spatial grain data and lack of porosity in the range data inflated richness estimates and altered their spatial patterns. Coincidence of hotspots from different data types was low. The 30‐m hotspots were spatially dispersed, and some were very long distances from the hotspots mapped with coarser data. Estimates of protection were low for each of the taxa. The relationship between estimates of hotspot protection and threshold choice was nonlinear and inconsistent among data types (habitat and range) and grain size (30‐m and 1‐km).

Main conclusions

Coarse mapping methods and grain sizes can introduce commission errors into species distribution data that could result in misidentifications of the regions where hotspots occur and affect estimates of hotspot protection. Hotspot conservation assessments are also sensitive to choice of threshold for hotspot delineation. There is value in developing species distribution maps with high resolution and low rates of commission error for conservation assessments.     

Towards biodiversity hotspots effective for conserving mammals with small geographic ranges

The main goal of using global biodiversity hotspots for conservation purposes is to protect taxa with small geographic ranges because these are highly vulnerable to extinction. However, the extent to what different hotspots types are effective for meeting this goal remains controversial because hotspots have been previously defined as either the richest or most threatened and richest sites in terms of total, endemic or threatened species. In this regard, the use of species richness to set conservation priorities is widely discussed because strategies focused on this diversity measure tend to miss many of the taxa with small geographic ranges. Here we use data on global terrestrial mammal distributions to show that, hotspots of total species, endemism and threat defined in terms of species richness are effective in including 27%, 29% and 11% respectively, of the taxa with small geographic ranges. Whilst, the same hotspot types defined in terms of a simple diversity index, which is a function of species richness and range-size rarity, include 68%, 44% and 90% respectively, of these taxa. In addition, we demonstrate that index hotspot types are highly efficient because they conserve 79% of mammal species (21% more species than richness hotspot types), with 59% of species shared by three hotspot types (31% more than richness hotspot types). These results suggest that selection of different diversity measures to define hotspots may strongly affect the achievement of conservation goals.     

A comparison of methods for mapping species ranges and species richness

Aim  Maps of species richness are the basis for applied research and conservation planning as well as for theoretical research investigating patterns of richness and the processes shaping these patterns. The method used to create a richness map could influence the results of such studies, but differences between these methods have been insufficiently evaluated. We investigate how different methods of mapping species ranges can influence patterns of richness, at three spatial resolutions.
Location  California, USA.
Methods  We created richness maps by overlaying individual species range maps for terrestrial amphibians and reptiles. The methods we used to create ranges included: point-to-grid maps, obtained by overlaying point observations of species occurrences with a grid and determining presence or absence for each cell; expert-drawn maps; and maps obtained through species distribution modelling. We also used a hybrid method that incorporated data from all three methods. We assessed the correlation and similarity of the spatial patterns of richness maps created with each of these four methods at three different resolutions.
Results  Richness maps created with different methods were more correlated at lower spatial resolutions than at higher resolutions. At all resolutions, point-to-grid richness maps estimated the lowest species richness and those derived from species distribution models the highest. Expert-drawn maps and hybrid maps showed intermediate levels of richness but had different spatial patterns of species richness from those derived with the other methods.
Main conclusions  Even in relatively well-studied areas such as California, different data sources can lead to rather dissimilar maps of species richness. Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of different methods for creating a richness map can provide guidance for selecting the approach that is most appropriate for a given application and region.     

Does higher taxon diversity reflect richness of conservation interest species?: The case for birds,mammals, amphibians,and reptiles in Greek protected areas

A critical issue in conservation biology is the establishment of a strong relationship between species richness and a surrogate index. Such a relationship could provide the basis for the establishment of cost effective and easy to monitor methods for measuring biodiversity, providing an alternative for the prioritization of sites for conservation. We found that richness of species of conservation interest could reliably be predicted from the richness of higher order taxa, such as genus and family, in amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Furthermore, the networks of reserve sites selected based upon the richness of genera or families were as effective in including species diversity, as the ones selected based upon species richness.     

Hotspots and richness pattern of grasshopper species in cultural landscapes

The success of the hotspot approach for biodiversity conservation depends on the spatial scale and the indicator species used. In this study, we investigated grasshopper species richness in Switzerland at a 1 ha resolution including a total of 111 species. We compared the representativeness of common and of endangered grasshopper species for the overall grasshopper species richness and we assessed the efficiency of the hotspot approach for grasshopper conservation. The pattern of overall grasshopper species richness was well represented by both the number of common and the number of endangered grasshopper species. For evaluating the efficiency of different hotspot approaches for conservation, we compared hotspots of common species, hotspots of endangered species (rarity hotspots), and hotspots of all grasshopper species (richness hotspots). Among these hotspot types, richness hotspots not only featured most common grasshopper species, but they even contained more endangered species than the rarity hotspots. The combination of rarity hotspots and hotspots of common species featured more species than the other combinations of hotspot types. However, the gain of combining two hotspot types compared to the single-hotspot approach was low (max. 3 species). About 24% of the species were not contained in any of the hotspots. These grasshopper species require species-specific action plans. As rarity hotspots were located in areas that are rather strongly affected by landscape change, species richness in rarity hotspots may decrease in the future. We conclude that, for grasshoppers, the hotspot approach on the 1 ha scale can be an effective way to conserve a high proportion of species richness.     

Elevational gradients in bird diversity in the Eastern Himalaya: an evaluation of distribution patterns and their underlying mechanisms

Background

Understanding diversity patterns and the mechanisms underlying those patterns along elevational gradients is critically important for conservation efforts in montane ecosystems, especially those that are biodiversity hotspots. Despite recent advances, consensus on the underlying causes, or even the relative influence of a suite of factors on elevational diversity patterns has remained elusive.

Methods and Principal Findings

We examined patterns of species richness, density and range size distribution of birds, and the suite of biotic and abiotic factors (primary productivity, habitat variables, climatic factors and geometric constraints) that governs diversity along a 4500-m elevational gradient in the Eastern Himalayan region, a biodiversity hotspot within the world''s tallest mountains. We used point count methods for sampling birds and quadrats for estimating vegetation at 22 sites along the elevational gradient. We found that species richness increased to approximately 2000 m, then declined. We found no evidence that geometric constraints influenced this pattern, whereas actual evapotranspiration (a surrogate for primary productivity) and various habitat variables (plant species richness, shrub density and basal area of trees) accounted for most of the variation in bird species richness. We also observed that ranges of most bird species were narrow along the elevation gradient. We find little evidence to support Rapoport''s rule for the birds of Sikkim region of the Himalaya.

Conclusions and Significance

This study in the Eastern Himalaya indicates that species richness of birds is highest at intermediate elevations along one of the most extensive elevational gradients ever examined. Additionally, primary productivity and factors associated with habitat accounted for most of the variation in avian species richness. The diversity peak at intermediate elevations and the narrow elevational ranges of most species suggest important conservation implications: not only should mid-elevation areas be conserved, but the entire gradient requires equal conservation attention.     

Annelids, arthropods or molluscs are suitable as surrogate taxa for selecting conservation reserves in estuaries

The urgent need to conserve aquatic biodiversity and the lack of spatial data on biodiversity has motivated conservation planners and researchers to search for more readily obtainable information that could be used as proxies or surrogates. The surrogate taxon approach shows promise in some aquatic environments (e.g. intertidal) but not others (e.g. coral reefs, temperate rocky reefs). Estuaries are transitional environments at the land–sea junction with a unique biodiversity, but are the most threatened of aquatic environments because of high levels of human use. The comparatively small numbers of conservation reserves means that estuarine biodiversity is poorly protected. Selecting additional conservation reserves within estuaries would be facilitated by the identification of a suitable surrogate that could be used in conservation planning. In one estuary in Southeast Australia, we evaluated separately the effectiveness of annelids, arthropods, and molluscs as surrogates for predicting the species richness, abundance, assemblage variation, and summed irreplaceability of other species and for coincidentally representing other species in networks of conservation reserves selected for each surrogate. Spatial patterns in the species richness and assemblage variation (but not summed irreplaceability) of each surrogate were significantly correlated with the spatial patterns of other species. The total abundance of annelids and the total abundance of arthropods were each significantly correlated with the total abundances of other species. Networks of conservation reserves selected to represent each surrogate performed significantly better than random selection in representing other species. The greatest number of non-surrogate species was coincidentally included in reserves selected for the group of mollusc species. We conclude that annelids and arthropods are effective surrogate taxa for identifying spatial variation in several measures of conservation value (species richness, abundance, assemblage variation) in estuaries. We also conclude that spatial data on annelids, arthropods or molluscs can be used to select networks of conservation reserves in estuaries. The demonstrated effectiveness of these surrogates should facilitate future conservation planning within estuaries.     

Effects of sample standardization on mean species detectabilities and estimates of relative differences in species richness among assemblages

Ecological surveys provide the basic information needed to estimate differences in species richness among assemblages. Comparable estimates of the differences in richness between assemblages require equal mean species detectabilities across assemblages. However, mean species detectabilities are often unknown, typically low, and potentially different from one assemblage to another. As a result, inferences regarding differences in species richness among assemblages can be biased. We evaluated how well three methods used to produce comparable estimates of species richness achieved equal mean species detectabilities across diverse assemblages: rarefaction, statistical estimators, and standardization of sampling effort on mean taxonomic similarity among replicate samples (MRS). We used simulated assemblages to mimic a wide range of species-occurrence distributions and species richness to compare the performance of these three methods. Inferences regarding differences in species richness based on rarefaction were highly biased when richness estimates were compared among assemblages with distinctly different species-occurrence distributions. Statistical estimators only marginally reduced this bias. Standardization on MRS yielded the most comparable estimates of differences in species richness. These findings have important implications for our understanding of species-richness patterns, inferences drawn from biological monitoring data, and planning for biodiversity conservation.     

Co-variation and indicators of species diversity: Can richness of forest-dwelling species be predicted in northern boreal forests?

Design and establishment of ecologically good networks of conservation areas often requires quick assessments of their biodiversity. Reliable indicators would be useful when doing such assessments. In order to explore the potential indicators for species richness in boreal forests, we studied (1) the co-variation of species richness and composition of species assemblages among beetles, polypores, birds and vascular plants, (2) the relationships between species richness and four boreal forest site types, (3) the relationship between species richness and forest physical structure and (4) the suitability of potential indicator groups within the four taxa to predict the species richness generally. The data show that there are probably not a single taxonomic or forest structural characteristic to be used as a general biodiversity indicator or surrogate for all the species. The correlations in species richness among the four taxa studied were low. However, group-specific indicators were obvious: forest site type was a good surrogate for vascular plant richness, and quantity and quality of dead wood predicted the species richness of polypores. The results support the view that different indicators shall be used for different forest types and taxonomic groups. These indicators should facilitate relatively rapid methods to assess biodiversity patterns at the forest stand level.     

城市化对植物多样性影响的研究进展

本文综述了城市化对植物多样性影响的研究进展。随着全球特别是发展中国家城市化水平的提高, 城市化对生物多样性的影响逐渐引起了人们的重视。城市化造成了本土植物物种的丢失和外来物种的增加。在空间分布上, 城市化还常使城区本土植物多样性沿着远郊农区－城郊－城区梯度性下降; 但是由于引进大量外来物种, 总体植物多样性反而升高, 沿着远郊农区－城郊－城区梯度性升高。城市化对植物种类组成也有很大影响,优势种在远郊农区、城郊和城区呈现不同。城市化对植物多样性影响的机制主要有人为引入外来物种、小生境改变以及景观格局的变化三个方面。以下四个研究方向将越来越重要: (1) 不同区域、不同方法、不同学科的系统整合研究;(2) 城市化扩张与植物多样性变化过程的定位监测研究; (3) 本土植物多样性丢失以及性状改变的内在机制研究, 特别是外来物种与本地物种的相互作用过程和机制的研究; (4) 城市植物多样性保护研究。