Relationships between spatial environmental heterogeneity and plant species diversity on a limestone pavement

No empirical studies have examined the relationship between diversity and spatial heterogeneity across unimodal species richness gradients. We determined the relationships between diversity and environmental factors for 144 0.18 m² plots in a limestone pavement alvar in southern Ontario, Canada, including within-plot spatial heterogeneity in soil depth, microtopography and microsite composition. Species richness was unimodally related to mean soil depth and relative elevation. Microsite heterogeneity and soil depth heterogeneity were positively correlated with species richness, and the richness peaks of the unimodal gradients correspond to the maximally spatially heterogeneous plots. The best predictive models of species richness and evenness, however, showed that other factors, such as ramet density and flooding, are the major determinants of diversity in this system. The findings that soil depth heterogeneity had effects on diversity when the effects of mean soil depth were factored out, and that unimodal richness peaks were associated with high spatial heterogeneity in environmental factors represent significant contributions to our understanding of how spatial heterogeneity might contribute to diversity maintenance in plant communities.     

互花米草入侵对黄河口潮沟形态特征和植物群落分布的影响

互花米草大规模入侵滨海湿地,对潮沟形态特征和植物群落的演变产生重大影响.本研究基于2008-2020年遥感影像,利用3S技术,结合回归分析与统计分析法,分析黄河口湿地互花米草入侵的演变特征,探究其对潮沟形态特征和植物群落分布的影响.结果 表明:2008年以来,黄河口互花米草面积增长迅速,增长速度为4.47 km2·a-...     

黄河河口盐沼植被分布、多样性与土壤化学因子的相关关系

以黄河河口盐沼实地调查的67个样地19个植物种的重要值,运用双向指示种分析将黄河河口盐沼植被分为柽柳-翅碱蓬+补血草+碱蓬群落、翅碱蓬群落、柽柳-芦苇+翅碱蓬群落、芦苇群落、穗状狐尾藻+芦苇群落和旱柳-芦苇+荻群落.利用典范对应分析(CCA)分析了土壤盐分、pH、Na+、K+、Ca2+、Mg2+、Cl-、全氮、全磷、全碳、有机质等11个土壤化学因子与黄河河口盐沼植被分布的相关关系.CCA排序结果表明,土壤盐分和土壤pH是影响黄河河口盐沼植被分布的主要土壤化学因子.CCA排序第一轴与土壤盐分呈显著正相关关系(P<0.001),第二轴主要和土壤pH呈显著负相关关系(P<0.001).柽柳-翅碱蓬+补血草+碱蓬群落排列于排序图的右上部,与生境土壤中高含盐量及中等pH相对应,穗状狐尾藻+芦苇群落和芦苇群落分布于第一排序轴的最左端,主要与土壤低含盐量相关,翅碱蓬群落位于第二排序轴的下侧, 与较高的土壤pH相关,柽柳-芦苇+翅碱蓬群落和旱柳-芦苇+荻群落,土壤pH和盐分均较低.通过物种丰富度R、香农维纳多样性H′、物种均匀度E等指数与土壤化学因子的相关分析,发现黄河河口盐沼植物物种多样性与土壤盐分没有呈现出与土壤盐分很好的负相关关系,物种丰富度R、香农维纳多样性H′、物种均匀度E均与土壤盐分呈现显著正相关关系;R、H′与土壤pH呈现出十分显著的负相关关系; R、H′与土壤Ca2+、Mg2+含量呈现极为显著正相关关系.     

基于边界特征的黄河三角洲景观变化及空间异质性

在遥感解译和景观类型制图的基础上,运用滑箱扫描的方法,基于组分边界特征计算景观整体结构指数,同时综合考虑景观要素的空间分布,采用信息熵法和孔隙度指数法对黄河三角洲农田和柽柳-芦苇2种景观组分进行异质性特征分析.结果表明:黄河三角洲景观组分之间的边界趋于复杂化,城镇扩展、石油开采及黄河断流等使耕地大量退化为柽柳-芦苇,潮滩植被侵满滩涂;与基于面积的景观指数相比,基于边界特征的景观指数更能反映景观结构的细节变化;农田和柽柳-芦苇均表现为宏观异质性特征,部分样线中小尺度上表现为微观异质性特征,但柽柳-芦苇的异质性表现尺度较农田小50个像元左右,且这种差异随时间有加大的趋势;2种异质性分析方法从不同的侧面揭示了组分类型的异质性特征,形成有益的补充.     

怒江流域鱼类多样性及空间分布格局

怒江是我国西南地区重要的国际河流, 也是全球生物多样性热点区域之一。受地理位置和地形条件限制, 目前尚缺乏怒江流域鱼类物种多样性及其分布格局的系统研究。本研究利用近5年的全流域实地采样数据, 结合文献资料, 系统整理了怒江流域鱼类物种组成信息; 利用聚类和排序方法分析了怒江流域鱼类空间分布格局。结果表明, 怒江流域共有土著鱼类85种, 隶属于5目12科47属; 外来鱼类18种, 隶属于3目8科16属, 另外实地调查发现新记录外来种2种。怒江流域鱼类多样性从上游至下游呈明显的递增趋势。根据土著鱼类组成的聚类和排序分析结果, 可以将怒江25个亚流域分为3个部分: (1)西藏自治区内的上游河段, 分布有鱼类15种, 组成以裂腹鱼类、高原鳅类为主, 具有明显青藏高原冷水性鱼类区系特征。(2)贡山至泸水的中游河段, 分布有鱼类36种, 组成兼有上游冷水性鱼类和下游喜温的鲃亚科、野鲮亚科鱼类。(3)泸水以下的下游河段, 分布有鱼类74种。下游河段干流广泛分布有喜温的鲃亚科、野鲮亚科和 亚科鱼类, 支流则分布有数量众多的南鳅属(Schistura)、纹胸鮡属(Glyptothorax)鱼类, 鱼类组成以适应流水、激流环境的热带亚热带鱼类为主。2017-2021年的多次调查仅发现土著鱼类43种(占历史记录的50.6%), 土著鱼类资源衰退明显。过度捕捞、支流小水电开发、外来鱼类入侵等是主要威胁因素。随着人类活动的急剧增多, 怒江流域鱼类将面临更大的威胁, 亟需从流域层面开展系统的鱼类资源管理和保护规划。     

Fish diversity in tidepools: assembling effects of environmental heterogeneity

Tidepools are considered ecosystems of high interchangeable fish biota. However, natural and anthropogenic actions that alter negatively marine ecosystems functioning (e.g., algal exploitation) are causing homogenization of fish biodiversity. Here, we describe the functional and taxonomic assembling of fishes in beach rocks of northeastern Brazil. Traits of fish species were retrieved from Fishbase and beta diversity was assessed by the dispersion of abundance, presence-absence and functional diversity in the multivariate space. We explained spatial-temporal variation in: alpha diversity, taxonomic and functional community composition; as well as temporal variation in functional, beta and gamma diversities. We found an annual stability in fish diversity and composition, and that fish biota was assembled mainly per tidepools’ depths. Substrate heterogeneity was correlated to depth, highlighting the role of local features as filters to organize the fish fauna vertically in tidepools, especially a cultivation of algae that influences the local assembling. We also highlight the uniqueness status of beach rocks in the Brazilian tropical region.     

Plant species diversity and environmental heterogeneity: spatial scale and competing hypotheses

Questions: What is the observed relationship between plant species diversity and spatial environmental heterogeneity? Does the relationship scale predictably with sample plot size? What are the relative contributions to diversity patterns of variables linked to productivity or available energy compared to those corresponding to spatial heterogeneity? Methods: Observational and experimental studies that quantified relationships between plant species richness and within‐sample spatial environmental heterogeneity were reviewed. Effect size in experimental studies was quantified as the standardized mean difference between control (homogeneous) and heterogeneous treatments. For observational studies, effect sizes in individual studies were examined graphically across a gradient of plot size (focal scale). Relative contributions of variables representing spatial heterogeneity were compared to those representing available energy using a response ratio. Results: Forty‐one observational and 11 experimental studies quantified plant species diversity and spatial environmental heterogeneity. Observational studies reported positive species diversity‐spatial heterogeneity correlations at all points across a plot size gradient from ～1.0 × 10^?1 to ～1.0 × 10¹¹ m², although many studies reported spatial heterogeneity variables with no significant relationships to species diversity. The cross‐study effect size in experimental studies was not significantly different from zero. Available energy variables explained consistently more of the variance in species richness than spatial heterogeneity variables, especially at the smallest and largest plot sizes. Main conclusions: Species diversity was not related to spatial heterogeneity in a way predictable by plot size. Positive heterogeneity‐diversity relationships were common, confirming the importance of niche differentiation in species diversity patterns, but future studies examining a range of spatial scales in the same system are required to determine the role of dispersal and available energy in these patterns.     

黄河三角洲植被空间分布特征及其环境解释

为了解黄河三角洲地区植被空间分布与环境因子之间的关系,通过局地植被样方调查、区域遥感影像提取归一化植被指数(NDVI)及地形高度、地下水位埋深、表层土壤Cl~-含量等环境数据采集,综合样地植被与环境数据进行了除趋势对应分析(DCA)和除趋势典范对应分析(DCCA),并对区域NDVI与主要环境变量进行了单因子相关性分析和多元逐步回归分析。结果显示:DCA排序可将黄河三角洲植被分为翅碱蓬、柽柳-翅碱蓬、芦苇-柽柳、芦苇4个主要群落类型(群丛),DCCA与DCA排序图总体相似,但DCCA更清晰地表明其第一轴主要代表的是潜水Cl~-浓度等关键水盐因子,且随着水土环境系统盐分含量的减小,群落由翅碱蓬逐渐向芦苇演变。区域典型植被群落和NDVI分布格局与变化趋势受地下水位埋深和潜水Cl~-浓度2个环境因素影响较大(NDVI与2个环境变量间建立的二元回归方程R~2=0.57),而土壤Cl~-含量的植被效应实际上受地下水位埋深和潜水Cl~-浓度的影响。在区域地下水普遍浅埋条件下,地下水成为影响植被生长与分布的生态环境最敏感要素,而地下水位埋深和潜水Cl~-浓度是这一要素中的2个关键因子,尤其是后者梯度变化对天然植被分布格局起重要的控制作用。     

岷江上游干旱河谷植物群落分布的环境与空间因素分析

为了探讨土壤环境因子对植物群落物种数量、结构格局的影响 ,通过对岷江上游干旱河谷灌丛植被的大量群落学调查 ,采用了群落中 9个土壤特征指标 ,利用去势典范对应分析 (DCCA)排序方法 ,分析了不同群落类型中不同层次的物种数量结构的空间格局 ;定量分离了土壤、空间及其交互作用等因素对不同层次群落格局总体变异的影响。结果表明 :以水分为主导的多种环境因子耦合梯度决定着植物群落结构格局。环境因子对群落的影响程度在不同层次有差异 ,在灌木层中 ,单纯环境因子对植被格局的解释占 2 8.0 2 % ,环境 -空间耦合因子占 8.90 % ,空间因子独立占 10 .69% ,其他因子占 52 .3 9% ;而在草本层中 ,单纯环境因子对植被格局的解释占 2 0 .64% ,而环境 -空间耦合因子仅占 0 .83 % ,空间因子独立占 5.10 % ,其他因子占 73 .43 % ,草本的可解释性远远低于灌木。但无论是灌木层还是草本层 ,在诸多因子中 ,土壤水分始终在影响群落物种数量结构的空间格局分布中起着主导作用     

The spatial heterogeneity between Japanese encephalitis incidence distribution and environmental variables in Nepal

Background

To identify potential environmental drivers of Japanese Encephalitis virus (JE) transmission in Nepal, we conducted an ecological study to determine the spatial association between 2005 Nepal JE incidence, and climate, agricultural, and land-cover variables at district level.

Methods

District-level data on JE cases were examined using Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) analysis to identify spatial clusters from 2004 to 2008 and 2005 data was used to fit a spatial lag regression model with climate, agriculture and land-cover variables.

Results

Prior to 2006, there was a single large cluster of JE cases located in the Far-West and Mid-West terai regions of Nepal. After 2005, the distribution of JE cases in Nepal shifted with clusters found in the central hill areas. JE incidence during the 2005 epidemic had a stronger association with May mean monthly temperature and April mean monthly total precipitation compared to mean annual temperature and precipitation. A parsimonious spatial lag regression model revealed, 1) a significant negative relationship between JE incidence and April precipitation, 2) a significant positive relationship between JE incidence and percentage of irrigated land 3) a non-significant negative relationship between JE incidence and percentage of grassland cover, and 4) a unimodal non-significant relationship between JE Incidence and pig-to-human ratio.

Conclusion

JE cases clustered in the terai prior to 2006 where it seemed to shift to the Kathmandu region in subsequent years. The spatial pattern of JE cases during the 2005 epidemic in Nepal was significantly associated with low precipitation and the percentage of irrigated land. Despite the availability of an effective vaccine, it is still important to understand environmental drivers of JEV transmission since the enzootic cycle of JEV transmission is not likely to be totally interrupted. Understanding the spatial dynamics of JE risk factors may be useful in providing important information to the Nepal immunization program.     

阿拉善左旗植物物种多样性空间分布特征

通过对内蒙古自治区阿拉善左旗的植被样方调查,研究干旱荒漠地区植物群落物种多样性的梯度变化和空间分布特征。通过对样方数据的群落生活型构成、物种丰富度、α多样性、β多样性分析,结合CCA排序和地统计方法,结果表明：（1）在该区域植物物种的α多样性和β多样性均起伏较大。（2）草本植物的丰富度由西向东呈增高趋势,而灌木的丰富度则呈降低趋势;随纬度的增加,草本植物丰富度呈现下降趋势,而灌木丰富度则显现出上升趋势。但是,38&#176;～39．2&#176;N之间出现了一个灌木和草本物种丰富度都相对比较低的异常区域。（3）α多样性与经度正相关,但与纬度存在负相关关系。β多样性显示,随着经度的增加,自西向东样方问物种构成的相似性降低,物种替代速率升高。随着纬度的增加,群落组成呈现逐渐单一化的趋势。（4）Shannon—Wiener指数和Shimpson指数的CO／（CO＋Cl）都在0．25—0．75之间,α多样性为中等空间相关性。CCA分析的结果表明,地理因素对于物种多样性有显著的影响,而且经度的影响大于海拔的影响。研究阿拉善左旗荒漠区植物物种多样性的梯度变化和空间分布特征,为认识和保护荒漠地区生物多样性资源提供了理论依据和实践基础。     

黄河口潮间带大型底栖动物群落特征

2013年2月、5月和8月对黄河入海口附近潮间带的大型底栖动物进行了调查,调查工作涵盖3个季节2条断面的样品,分析了黄河口潮间带大型底栖动物的群落结构特征,包括群落种类组成、丰度和生物量、优势种、多样性,采用CLUSTER聚类分析了大型底栖动物的群落结构,并用AMBI和m-AMBI对底栖群落和环境质量进行了评估。本次调查共鉴定出大型底栖动物52种,其中,多毛纲动物24种,软体动物14种,甲壳动物12种,鱼类1种,纽虫1种。多毛纲动物为该海域底栖群落的主要成分,占据了群落总种数的46.15%。从季节来看,物种数春季最高(38种),夏季则处于最低水平(16种)。群落丰度和生物量均具有明显的季节变化,丰度在春季达到最高,为3 549.33 ind/m2,远高于冬季的256.67 ind/m2和夏季的100.67 ind/m2,其中扁玉螺(Neverita didyma)是丰度的主要贡献者,贡献了全年群落总丰度的75.44%。生物量春季最高,夏季次之,冬季最低。在全年尺度上,甲壳动物的日本大眼蟹(Macrophthalmusjaponicus)是生物量的主要贡献者,占据总生物量的49.86%。群落的季节变化也得到了群落CLUSTER分析与SIMPER分析结果的验证。这与黄河入海口附近底质不稳定,易受侵蚀、环境条件如盐度等具有明显季节差异,以及一定程度的人为扰动密切相关。AMBI和m-AMBI的分析结果显示,该区域环境质量状况较好,仅受到了轻微扰动影响。     

互花米草入侵九段沙河口湿地对当地昆虫多样性的影响

为认识因互花米草(Spartinaalterniflora)入侵而给九段沙河口湿地昆虫多样性带来的影响,我们于2004年5月到2005年10月间用网捕和收割植株两种方法对3个典型植物群落中昆虫多样性作了连续调查。研究期间,共采集到昆虫11,300头。经鉴定为97个种,隶属于12目69科。互花米草群落中昆虫的物种数、个体数量以及Shannon-Wiener多样性指数均显著低于土著植物芦苇(Phragmitesaustralis)群落和海三棱藨草(Scirpusmariqueter)群落中的;而Simpson优势度指数较土著植物群落中高。聚类分析结果表明:芦苇与海三棱藨草群落中昆虫群落结构更为相似。互花米草的入侵将可能导致九段沙湿地昆虫多样性的降低和群落结构的改变。     

Contrasting environmental and regional effects on global pteridophyte and seed plant diversity

Pteridophytes (ferns and fern‐allies) represent the second‐largest group of vascular plants, but their global biogeography remains poorly studied. Given their functional biology, pteridophytes are expected to show a more pronounced relation to water availability and a higher dispersal ability compared to seed plants. We test these assertions and document the global pattern of pteridophyte richness across 195 mainland and 106 island regions. Using non‐spatial and spatial simple and multiple regression models, we analyze geographic trends in pteridophyte and seed plant richness as well as pteridophyte proportions in relation to environmental and regional variables. We find that pteridophyte and seed plant richness are geographically strongly correlated (all floras: r=0.68, mainland: r=0.82, island floras: r=0.77), but that the proportions of pteridophytes in vascular plant floras vary considerably (0–70%). Islands (mean=15.3%) have significantly higher proportions of pteridophytes than mainland regions (mean=3.6%). While the relative proportions of pteridophytes on islands show a positive relationship with geographic isolation, proportions in mainland floras increase most strongly along gradients of water availability. Pteridophyte richness peaks in humid tropical mountainous regions and is lowest in deserts, arctic regions, and on remote oceanic islands. Regions with Mediterranean climate, outstanding extra‐tropical centres of seed plant richness, are comparatively poor in pteridophytes. Overall, water‐energy variables and topographical complexity are core predictors of both mainland pteridophyte and seed plant richness. Significant residual richness across biogeographic regions points to an important role of idiosyncratic regional effects. Although the same variables emerge as core predictors of pteridophyte and seed plant richness, water availability is clearly a much stronger constraint of pteridophyte richness. We discuss the different limitations of gametophytes and sporophytes that might have limited the ability of pteridophytes to extensively diversify under harsh environmental conditions. Our results point to an important role of taxon‐specific functional traits in defining global richness gradients.     

Disturbance effects on plant community diversity: spatial scales and dominance hierarchies

It is proposed that evaluations of disturbance effects upon community diversity will be influenced by two factors currently overlooked in models addressing disturbance-diversity relationships: (1) the spatial scale of inquiry, and (2) the level of the species abundance (dominance) hierarchy at which the search for diversity is done. We analyzed how two disturbance types—cattle grazing and large flooding—affected community diversity at two spatial scales (stand and patch) and three levels of species dominance in a grassland of the Flooding Pampa, Argentina. The effect of disturbance interaction was also examined. Species diversity at the stand scale was reduced by either grazing or flooding. Both disturbances decreased community spatial heterogeneity. At the patch scale, diversity declined with flooding but was enhanced by grazing. Flooding increased diversity under grazing conditions. However, stand diversity was highest in the undisturbed grassland; pattern diversity was the salient feature in this condition. The combination of disturbances yielded the highest patch-scale diversity; grazing increased richness whilst flooding enhanced evenness. Comparisons among grassland conditions appeared scale-dependent. Moreover the extent of disturbance effects varied with the level of dominance hierarchy considered. We point out the relevance of site history and initial conditions, encompassing the possibility of disturbances interaction, to the patters produced by disturbance events. Effects perceived at different spatial scales, or in species positioned at separate dominance levels, may parallel meaningful changes in the relative importance of factors controlling species coexistence and community organization.     

黄河口及邻近海域氮、磷及环境质量评价

根据2008年和2009年5、8月4个航次黄河口及邻近海域监测数据,分析了该海域氮磷含量和分布,与历史数据进行比较,分析年际动态变化、营养类型,并进行有机污染和营养状态评价。结果表明:整个黄河口及邻近海域氮营养水平较高,大部分海域磷酸盐营养水平较低,营养类型为磷限制潜在性富营养;整个监测海域处于中～富营养状态,春季(5月)富营养水平稍重于秋季(8月),河口近岸海域和南部海域富营养水平较重;2008年5月和2009年8月监测海域有机污染评价为开始受污染,2008年8月和2009年5月水质较好。     

Direct and indirect effects of environmental factors,spatial constraints,and functional traits on shaping the plant diversity of montane forests

Understanding the relative importance of the factors driving the patterns of biodiversity is a key research topic in community ecology and biogeography. However, the main drivers of plant species diversity in montane forests are still not clear. In addition, most existing studies make no distinction between direct and indirect effects of environmental factors and spatial constraints on plant biodiversity. Using data from 107 montane forest plots in Sichuan Giant Panda habitat, China, we quantified the direct and indirect effects of abiotic environmental factors, spatial constraints, and plant functional traits on plant community diversity. Our results showed significant correlations between abiotic environmental factors and trees (r = .10, p value = .001), shrubs (r = .19, p value = .001), or overall plant diversity (r = .18, p value = .001) in montane forests. Spatial constraints also showed significant correlations with trees and shrubs. However, no significant correlations were found between functional traits and plant community diversity. Moreover, the diversity (richness and abundance) of shrubs, trees, and plant communities was directly affected by precipitation, latitude, and altitude. Mean annual temperature (MAT) had no direct effect on the richness of tree and plant communities. Further, MAT and precipitation indirectly affected plant communities via the tree canopy. The results revealed a stronger direct effect on montane plant diversity than indirect effect, suggesting that single‐species models may be adequate for forecasting the impacts of climate factors in these communities. The shifting of tree canopy coverage might be a potential indicator for trends of plant diversity under climate change.