生物多样性与生态系统功能:进展与争论

生物多样性与生态系统功能的关系已成为当前人类社会面临的一个重大科学问题,生物多样性的空前丧失,促使人们开展了大量研究工作来描述物种多样性-生态系统功能关系,并试图揭示多样性与系统功能关系的内在机制,本文将多样性对生态系统功能作用机制的有关假说分为统计学与生物学两大类：前者是从统计学角度来解释观察到的多样性-系统功能模式,包括抽样效应,统计均衡效应等;而后者是基于多样性的生物学效应给出的,包括生态位互补,种间正相互作用,保险效应等,本文较为详细地介绍了该领域内有代表性的实验工作,包括“生态箱”实验,Cedar Creek草地多样性实验,微宇宙实验,欧洲草地实验,以及在这些实验结果解释上的激烈争论。     

What are we saving? Developing a standardized approach for conservation action

Are all species equal in terms of conservation attention? We developed a novel framework to assess the level of conservation attention given to 697 threatened mammals and 100 critically endangered amphibian species. Our index of conservation attention provides a quantitative framework for assessing how conservation resources are allocated, based on the degree to which conservation interventions have been proposed and implemented. Our results provide evidence of the strong biases in global conservation attention. We find that most threatened species receive little or no conservation, and that the small number receiving substantial attention is extremely biased. Species most likely to receive conservation attention are those which are well-studied, charismatic and that live in the developed world. Conservation status and evolutionary distinctiveness appear to have little importance in conservation decision-making at the global scale. Most species inhabit the tropics and are both poorly known and uncharismatic. Therefore, the majority of biodiversity is being ignored by current conservation action.     

Regional patterns of diversity and estimates of global insect species richness

The total number of insect species in the world is an important if elusive figure. We use a fresh approach to estimate global insect species richness, based on biogeographic patterns of diversity of well or better documented taxa. Estimates generated by various calculations, all variations on a theme, largely serve to substantiate suggestions that insect species are likely to number around 10 million or less.     

钱江源国家公园木本植物物种多样性空间分布格局

以数据为支撑的物种多样性空间分布是自然保护地适应性保护和管理的基础, 但当前大多数自然保护地缺乏全域物种多样性观测数据。本研究以钱江源国家公园全域663个20 m × 20 m木本植物样方调查数据为基础, 分析了国家公园内观测物种丰富度、稀疏物种丰富度、胸高断面积和树木个体数量的空间变化, 比较了这些变量在国家公园各功能区块间的差异。结果显示木本植物物种多样性的热点分布区与钱江源国家公园核心保护区基本匹配。两个物种丰富度在核心保护区古田山区块和长何齐区块及一般控制区古田-苏庄区块最大, 三者的观测物种丰富度无显著差异(P > 0.05), 古田山区块和古田-苏庄区块的稀疏物种丰富度无显著差异, 但均显著大于长何齐区块; 古田山区块和古田-苏庄区块的两个物种丰富度指标变异程度小于其他区块, 且这两个区块间无显著差异(P > 0.05)。齐溪区块、长何齐区块和古田山区块胸高断面积大于其他区块, 古田-苏庄区块次之, 前三者无显著差异, 古田-苏庄区块显著小于长何齐区块和古田山区块。古田山区块和古田-苏庄区块树木个体数量最小。长何齐区块齐溪片区部分胸高断面积大、个体数量小, 而在长虹和何田片区胸高断面积小、个体数量大。一般控制区长虹-何田区块和古田-洪源区块两个物种丰富度最小, 胸高断面积最小。结果表明, 从生物多样性角度来看钱江源国家公园的功能分区基本合理, 扩展了对国家公园物种多样性热点和保护空缺的认识: 古田山区块木本植物个体大、物种最丰富, 与其毗邻的一般控制区古田-苏庄区块物种同样丰富、个体略小, 可将其纳入保护核心区以利于钱江源国家公园主要生态系统完整性保护; 核心保护区长何齐区块长虹和何田片区物种多样性低、个体小、密度大, 待加强保护和修复; 长虹-何田区块和古田-洪源区块物种少、个体小、干扰强, 待社区发展和保护协同。本研究将为钱江源国家公园生物多样性适应性保护和管理提供科学支撑。     

高岚河大型底栖动物时空分布及影响因子研究

为了解大型底栖动物沿河流分布的物种丰富度变化及环境因子对其种群的影响,于2016年12月对高岚河的大型底栖动物进行了调查,并对理化指标进行了测定。研究结果发现,物种丰富度沿河流纵向梯度变化差异性不显著,生物多样性指数沿河流变化差异不显著,说明高岚河大型底栖动物群落结构稳定。高岚河上游的生态指示种为高翔蜉和四节蜉,中游的生态指示种为四节蜉和萝卜螺,下游的指示种为萝卜螺。模糊聚类分析发现高岚河大型底栖动物类群可划分为3个生境类群,且在梯度分布下群落生境较相似,大型底栖动物群落间关系接近,分布均匀。典范对应分析发现影响大型底栖动物群落结构沿梯度分布的主要因子是海拔、pH、浊度和深度。     

Soil nematode biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems

A review of the literature on nematode diversity (=number of species identified) of soil inhabiting nematodes was undertaken and analysed with regard to distance from the equator, vegetation type and sampling effort. After applying a correction factor for sampling effort the results indicated that species richness was greatest in temperate broadleaf forest (61.7 species per sample) followed by cultivated soil, grassland, tropical rainforest, temperate coniferous forests and polar vegetation. The maintenance of high biodiversity in cultivated soils is unexpected but may reflect the impact of dominance in calculating many indices. Species richness was greatest between latitudes 30–40° (93.9 species per sample) and least above 70°, the mean richness near the equator (i.e. 0–10°) was 80.6 species per sample. While these data would suggest that nematode diversity is not necessarily greatest at the equator, and evidence to support a 'humped back' theory of species richness is not conclusive, they contradict the suggestion that nematode diversity increases with increased latitude.     

Large-scale phylogenetic analyses reveal the causes of high tropical amphibian diversity

Many groups show higher species richness in tropical regions but the underlying causes remain unclear. Despite many competing hypotheses to explain latitudinal diversity gradients, only three processes can directly change species richness across regions: speciation, extinction and dispersal. These processes can be addressed most powerfully using large-scale phylogenetic approaches, but most previous studies have focused on small groups and recent time scales, or did not separate speciation and extinction rates. We investigate the origins of high tropical diversity in amphibians, applying new phylogenetic comparative methods to a tree of 2871 species. Our results show that high tropical diversity is explained by higher speciation in the tropics, higher extinction in temperate regions and limited dispersal out of the tropics compared with colonization of the tropics from temperate regions. These patterns are strongly associated with climate-related variables such as temperature, precipitation and ecosystem energy. Results from models of diversity dependence in speciation rate suggest that temperate clades may have lower carrying capacities and may be more saturated (closer to carrying capacity) than tropical clades. Furthermore, we estimate strikingly low tropical extinction rates over geological time scales, in stark contrast to the dramatic losses of diversity occurring in tropical regions presently.     

呼伦贝尔草原不同草地利用方式下生物多样性与生物量的关系

生物多样性与生产力的关系是当前生态学中研究的重点之一,以呼伦贝尔草原为研究对象,通过连续两个生长季的野外监测,从草地植物功能型的角度探讨了在不同利用方式下草地物种丰富度与地上生物量的关系,结果表明：（1）不同草地利用方式显著影响草地生物多样性和生产力,在3种不同利用方式中,生物多样性总体的趋势是割草〉围封〉放牧,其中Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson指数和物种丰富度均差异显著;割草草地地上生物量最高,围封草地次之,放牧草地最少。（2）将草地植物按照植物功能型分类,放牧草地1、2年生植物占优势,随着物种丰富度的增加,1、2年生植物生物量没有明显的变化趋势;割草草地以禾本科植物和非禾本科植物为主,随着物种丰富度的增加,禾本科植物生物量呈下降趋势,而非禾本科植物变化不明显;围封草地中禾本科植物占优势,其他功能型植物分布较均匀,多度、频度和生物量等差异不显著。（3）3种草地利用方式中只有围封草地物种丰富度和地上生物量存在显著的正相关,即随着物种丰富度的增加,生物量也随之升高。其他两种利用方式下,物种丰富度对地上生物量没有显著影响。     

Hoverflies of the Guelma district,with species new to Algeria and North Africa (Diptera: Syrphidae)

A survey of the hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of the region of Guelma, northeast Algeria, was carried out from August 2011 to July 2013. A total of 31 species was recorded with six (Scaeva mecogramma, Epistrophe melanostoma, Syrphus vitripennis, Brachypalpus valgus, Merodon calcaratus and M. chalybeus) new to Algeria. Of these, three species (E. melanostoma, M. calcaratus and M. chalybeus) are also new additions to the entomofauna of North Africa. The results complement those of a previous study covering Numidia and Tebessa and provide a more comprehensive view of the phenology and distribution of Syrphidae across northeast Algeria. An improved knowledge of the distribution of North African hoverflies will contribute to a better assessment of the status of each taxon and inform conservation efforts.     

Community structure of Ephemeroptera in Siberian streams

In recent decades, the relationships between environmental conditions and community structures of stream macroinvertebrates have been investigated in many parts of the world. However, knowledge about assemblages of mayflies and other stream macroinvertebrates in Siberia (northern Asia) and Asia is limited. In fact, the patterns in mayfly species richness and assemblage structure in relation to environmental parameters have not been previously examined in western Siberia. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between Ephemeroptera community structure and physical parameters along a river altitude/longitude gradient in Siberia. The results showed that maximum species richness was at relatively low altitudes, high water temperatures, slow current velocities, medium stream widths, medium‐small substrate particle size, and the presence of macrophytes. The mayfly assemblage was separated using TWINSPAN classification into eight distinct groups, which differed significantly with respect to at least one measured environmental factor. Multivariate ordination (detrended correspondence analysis) revealed that mayfly assemblages are structured by a single dominant gradient of altitude‐related environmental variables; altitude and water temperature were the best predictors. Ordination further revealed that mayfly assemblages are structured by altitude‐related environmental factors at high elevations, whereas in the lowlands these factors are less important.