Land use,rangeland degradation and ecological changes in the southern Kalahari,Botswana

Dual‐scale analyses assessing farm‐scale patterns of ecological change and landscape‐scale patterns of change in vegetation cover and animal distribution are presented from ecological transect studies away from waterpoints, regional remotely sensed analysis of vegetation cover and animal numbers across the southern Kalahari, Botswana. Bush encroachment is prevalent in semi‐arid sites where Acacia mellifera Benth. is widespread in communal areas and private ranches, showing that land tenure changes over the last 40 years have not avoided rangeland degradation. Herbaceous cover is dominated in intensively grazed areas by the annual grass Schmidtia kalahariensis Stent and in moderately grazed areas by the perennial grass Eragrostis lehmanniana Nees. Nutritious perennial grass species including Eragrostis pallens Hack. Ex Schinz remain prevalent in Wildlife Management Areas. Other ecological changes include the invasion of the exotic Prosopis glandulosa Torr. and dense stands of Rhigozum trichotomum Kuntze. in the arid southwest. Regional patterns of wildlife species show that the expansion of cattleposts and fenced ranches has led to large areas of low wildlife conservation value even in areas where cattle production is not practiced. Findings show the need for integrated landscape‐scale planning of land use if the ecological value and biodiversity of the southern Kalahari is to be retained.     

Seed weight patterns of Acacia tortilis from seven seed provenances across Botswana

Laboratory‐based seed storage systems have been developed as an alternative to in situ conservation for indigenous woody plant species. However, interactions between seed quality and environmental variables must be known for each species prior to seed collection, storage and sowing to ensure effective conservation. This study investigated Acacia tortilis seed weight/quality patterns across seven Botswana seed provenances in relation to: soil nutrient status, altitude; latitude; slope angle; % grass cover; height and density of other woody plants nearby. The higher rainfall and relatively eutrophic seed provenances of north‐western Botswana (Chobe, Okavango and Makgadikgadi) were associated with large A. tortilis species and seeds, as well as higher densities of woody plants. Spatial variation in seed weights of A. tortilis was principally a function of rainfall and soil organic carbon. Although more work is required to establish the relationship between seed weight and germination rates for A. tortilis, this research suggests that seed collection should focus on sites with high levels of rainfall and soil organic carbon.     

Isolation of polymorphic microsatellite markers in the sub‐Saharan tree,Acacia (Senegalia) mellifera (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae)

We isolated 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers from Acacia mellifera, a savannah woodland tree in sub‐Saharan Africa and southern Arabia. The loci were screened for polymorphism using 48 Kenyan individuals. Allelic diversity ranged from three to 19 per locus and the polymorphic information content varied from 0.287 to 0.893. These loci will be useful in studies of genetic structure, gene flow and breeding systems.     

二次正交旋转组合设计对马占相思组培增殖培养基的优化

在马占相思组织培养初步取得成功的基础上 ,采用二次正交旋转组合设计对马占相思增殖培养基进行优化 ,建立增殖率 (Y)对Ca2 +浓度 (X1)、6 BA浓度 (X2 )及NAA浓度 (X3 ) 3个试验因子的正交回归模型 :y=2 2 80 -0 1 68X1-0 2 5 9X2 +0 1 85X21 -0 2 1 0X22 +0 1 67X23+0 3 2 6X1X2 ,从模型推知 ,当Ca2 + 浓度为 0 5 8倍常规MS培养基浓度 ,6 BA为 0 76mg/L ,NAA为 0 1 6mg/L时 ,增殖率达最大值为 4 3 2 1 ,与事实验证结果相符。     

Mutualistic acacia ants exhibit reduced aggression and more frequent off‐tree movements near termite mounds

In many ant–plant mutualisms, ants establish colonies in hollow thorns, leaf pouches, or other specialized structures on their host plants, which they then defend from herbivores. Resource heterogeneity could affect the maintenance of these mutualisms if it leads to one or both partners altering their investment in the interaction. Such a phenomenon may be especially pertinent to the Acacia–ant mutualism found in East African savannas, where termite mounds have a profound effect on the spatial structuring of resources used by both plants and ants. Here, we examined whether the proximity to termite mounds of Acacia drepanolobium trees is associated with variation in the behavior of one of their ant associates, Crematogaster nigriceps. We found that ant colonies near termite mounds had decreased aggressive responses to simulated herbivory as well as increased off‐tree movement. We hypothesize that these changes are the result of resident ant colonies near termite mounds shifting investment from defense of their host plant to foraging for nearby resources.     

苏门答腊金合欢群落生物量和凋落物量的研究

本文从群落生态学的角度探讨了厦门地区苏门答腊金合欢人工群落的生物量和凋落物量等生态特征。1． 5年生苏门答腊金合欢群落总生物量为81t·ha-1,平均年净生产量为16.2t·ha-1;秋季消光系数为0.52;年均光能利用率为0.56%。运用生物量基径二次相关方程,可估测该群落的生物量。2． 5年生苏门答腊金合欢群落年凋落物量为7.9t·ha-1。年凋落物中氮、磷和钾的含量分别为152.1、32.3和26.0kg·ha-1。 凋落叶中的氮、磷和钾含量均高于同一生境中先锋树种台湾相思和马尾松凋落叶中的相应指标,且其凋落物的分解速率高。     

马占相思 (Acacia mangium)与湿地松 (Pinus elliotii)人工林枯落物层的水文生态功能

分析了马占相思与湿地松人工林枯落物的蓄积量、年凋落量及凋落动态、枯落物层对大气降水的截留、以及枯落物抑制土壤水分蒸发和阻滞径流的效应.结果表明①15龄的马占相思林枯落物蓄积量32.3t/hm2,年凋落量11.14t/hm2,最大持水率253.7%,最大持水量28.26t/hm2;15龄的湿地松林枯落物蓄积量18.7t/hm2,年凋落量7.30t/hm2,最大持水率216.7%,最大持水量15.82hm2;②2种林分对大气降水的截留率分别为15.9%和11.7%,截留率随1次降水降水量(>10mm)的增加而减少;③2～4cm枯落物覆盖下不同含水量的土壤水分蒸发比无覆盖的土壤减少18.2%～78.3%,枯落物层减少土壤水分蒸发的效应随枯落物层厚度和土壤含水量的增大而增加;④2种枯落物对径流流出时间的阻滞效应随径流深(<3mm)和坡度的增加而减小,随枯落物层厚度的增加呈直线增加.通过与部分其它森林类型枯落物层水文生态功能比较,认为马占相思与湿地松林枯落物层具有较为优越的水文生态功能.     

The potential role of seed banks in the recovery of dune ecosystems after removal of invasive plant species

Question: How resilient is the seed bank of an invaded dune system? Is that resilience dependent on duration of invasion? How does the accumulated litter layer contribute to the soil seed bank? Location: Coastal sand dunes invaded by Acacia longifolia, Portugal. Methods: Seedling emergence was used to quantify and compare soil seed banks in long‐invaded, recently invaded and non‐invaded areas. Changes in seed banks were also compared with areas where A. longifolia and the litter layer were removed. Results: Species richness, seedling density and diversity were higher in non‐invaded and recently‐invaded areas than in long‐invaded areas. Although there was an apparent similarity between non‐invaded and recently‐invaded areas, analyses of species traits revealed differences. Non‐invaded areas had a wider array of traits. Exotic/invasive species dominated invaded seed banks while native species dominated non‐invaded seed banks. Life forms, growth forms, longevity and dispersal mode showed differences between areas, with cleared plots of long‐invaded areas being apparently the most similar to non‐invaded plots. Acacia longifolia seeds were most abundant in long‐invaded areas, particularly where the litter layer remained. Removal of A. longifolia plus the litter had little effect on the seed bank composition of recently‐invaded areas but resulted in noticeable changes in seed banks of long‐invaded areas. Conclusions: Long‐invaded areas are less resilient and show a higher reinvasion potential, despite severe alteration of the seed banks of both areas. Seed bank studies can be a useful tool to guide management, but can give misleading results when invasion periods are protracted.