Feeding habitats of blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) during winter and spring in Helan Mountains, China

The feeding habitat selection of blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) was studied by direct observation method in the Helan Mountains, China during winter (from November to December) and spring (from April to June) from 2003 to 2004. We established 25 line transects to collect information on feeding habitats used by blue sheep. Blue sheep in the study area preferred mountain savanna forests, a habitat dominated by Ulmus glaucescens, with medium tree density (<4 individuals / 400 m²), moderate tree height (4–6 m), higher shrub density (> 5 individuals / 100 m²), higher shrub (> 1.3 m), higher food abundance (> 50 g), moderate distance to human disturbance (< 500 m), and mild distance to bare rock (< 2 m). Such habitats characterized by 12 ecological factors were preferred as feeding areas by blue sheep during winter. Similar to habitat selection by the species during winter, blue sheep also showed a preference for mountain savanna with tree dominated by Ulmus glaucescens and medium tree density (< 4 individuals / 400 m²) during spring. Nevertheless, blue sheep preferred medium tree height (< 6 m), moderate tree density (5–10 individuals / 100 m²), medium shrub height (1.3–1.7 m), higher food abundance (> 100 g), moderate altitude (< 2 000 m), moderate distance to water resource (< 500 m), and medium hiding cover (50%–75%) during spring. Selection of the feeding habitats by sheep showed a significant difference in vegetation type, landform feature, dominant tree, tree height, shrub density, distance to the nearest shrub, food abundance, slope direction, slope degree, distance to water resource, and hiding cover between winter and spring. Results of principal components analysis indicated that the first principal component accounted for 24.493% of the total variance among feeding habitat variance during winter, with higher loadings for vegetation type, dominant tree, tree height, distance to the nearest tree, shrub density, shrub height, altitude, distance to water resource, and distance to human disturbance. In spring, the first principal components explained 28.777% of the variance, with higher loadings for vegetation type, distance to the nearest tree, shrub height, distance to the nearest shrub, food abundance, altitude, and distance to human disturbance. Translated from Zoological Research, 2005, 26(6): 580–589 [译自: 动物学研究]     

天山林区雪岭云杉和异果小檗夏季水分来源

天山雪岭云杉针叶林内乔灌木水分利用模式尚不明确,水分利用动态缺乏定量分析。本研究对雪岭云杉和伴生灌木异果小檗茎杆木质部水及各潜在水源的氢氧稳定同位素组成进行测定,运用IsoSource模型定量分析两树种夏季对各潜在水源的相对利用比例。结果表明: 7月,土壤含水量充足时,雪岭云杉和异果小檗主要吸收利用60 cm以上土壤水,相对利用比例分别为73.8%和63.2%。8月,土壤含水量相对较低时,雪岭云杉水分来源保持稳定,对60 cm以上土壤水的相对利用比例为69.5%;异果小檗则转换至利用更深层的水源,对0～20 cm浅层土壤水的相对利用比例降至14.3%,主要吸收利用中层(20～60 cm)和深层(60～100 cm)土壤水,相对利用比例为67.7%。9月,随着0～20 cm浅层土壤含水量升高,两树种恢复对浅层土壤水的吸收利用,相对利用比例达95.0%。综上,雪岭云杉表现出典型的浅根系特征,其吸收利用的水源主要来自浅层土壤水;异果小檗则能够在0～100 cm的土壤各层吸收利用水分,同时随土壤含水量的变化灵活转换其水源,从而应对环境水分变异。     

东北山地水生鞘翅目昆虫多样性的比较研究

调查了东北长白山自然保护区及辽宁省医巫闾山两地静水水体中水生甲虫．结果表明,长白山阔叶红松林生态系统水生甲虫比辽宁医巫闾山农林复合生态系统水生甲虫物种丰富的多．长白山水生甲虫共有１７个属２９个种,而辽宁医巫闾山水生甲虫只有１０个属１３个种．两地水生甲虫Ｓｈａｎｎｏｎ多样性指数分别为２．１２４、１．６４３,Ｓｈａｎｎｏｎ均匀度分别为１．２６０、０．６４１,两种不同生态系统中的水生甲虫物种多度分布较好地拟合于对数级数模型,均以少数物种为优势种,其中长白山自然保护区水生甲虫以Ｈｙｄｒｏｇｌｙｐｈｕｓｊａｐｏｎｉｃｕｓ、Ｈａｌｉｐｌｕｓｓｉｍｐｌｅｘ为优势种,辽宁医巫闾山水生甲虫则以Ｈｙｄｒｏｇｌｙｐｈｕｓｐｕｓｉｌｕｓ、Ａｇａｂｕｓｕｓｕｒｉｅｎｓｉｓ、Ａｇａｂｕｓｂｒａｎｄｔｉ占优势．     

气候变化背景下近30年祁连山高寒荒漠分布时空变化

高寒荒漠作为青藏高原植被带谱的顶端类型广泛分布于祁连山高海拔地区, 其生长和分布条件与周边区域差异明显, 对气候变化的响应更为敏感, 且研究较少。该文利用1990年以来的Landsat TM、OLI数据, 采用决策树分类和人工目视解译方法, 提取了祁连山高寒荒漠的分布范围。结合气候变化情况, 综合分析了气候变化背景下近30年祁连山高寒荒漠分布的动态变化及其时空差异。结果表明: (1)近30年增温气候变化过程中, 祁连山高寒荒漠分布范围呈萎缩趋势, 萎缩速率约为348.3 km ²·a ^-1, 萎缩变化幅度表现为西段>中段>东段, 局部地段上存在扩张现象。上述现象导致高寒荒漠下界平均海拔以每10年约15 m的平均速率向更高海拔推进, 向上推进幅度为西段>东段>中段; (2)受水热条件控制, 近30年祁连山高寒荒漠分布动态变化集中分布在低坡度地区。由于水热背景条件的空间差异, 祁连山东段和中段阳坡上高寒荒漠分布动态变化大于阴坡, 而在祁连山西段表现相反; (3) 1990年以来, 祁连山增温显著, 降水量微弱增加。在气候变化以及区域地形限制共同影响下, 祁连山高寒荒漠分布变化时空差异明显, 且过渡带上归一化植被指数与气温相关性高于降水量。以上结果表明, 气候变化影响祁连山高寒荒漠分布动态变化及其空间差异, 但气温是主要的影响因子, 增温促进了高寒荒漠下接植被带主体高寒草甸的生长。     

Species richness,abundance and diversity of ichneumonid wasps in Japanese beech forests impacted by sika deer and sawfly herbivory

We investigated the community structure of ichneumonid wasps inhabiting beech forests at six sites in the Tanzawa Mountains of Japan under different magnitudes of impact by sika deer Cervus nippon and beech sawfly Fagineura crenativora on vegetation. Using yellow flight-interception traps, we captured 2,528 ichneumonid wasps representing 367 species in 23 subfamilies. The number of species at each site ranged from 77 to 136 and approximately 80% of these were low-density species (i.e. only one to two individuals captured per site). The number of individuals at each site ranged from 248 to 897, and the percentage of the beech sawfly parasitoids varied widely from 1% to 57%. The numbers of species in parasitoid groups categorized according to their hosts, that is, sawfly (not including the beech sawfly), Lepidoptera, woodborer, fungivore or the others, did not greatly differ among the study sites. Parasitoids attacking herbivorous insects exceeded others in species richness and abundance at all sites. Six sites were classified into four groups in terms of abundance of the host groups when excluding the parasitoids of the beech sawfly, but into only two groups when including these parasitoids. Species diversity and evenness were the highest at the least impacted site even if the beech sawfly parasitoids were excluded from calculation. We suggested some environmental factors, such as groundcover vegetation, abundance of the beech sawfly and structure and age of forest stands, that could have affected the community structure of ichneumonid wasps in the beech forests.     

New fish assemblages from the Middle Permian from the Guadalupe Mountains,West Texas,USA

Late Wordian/Capitanian (Guadalupian, Middle Permian) fish assemblages are described from the “McKittrick Canyon Limestone”, Lamar Limestone and Reef Trail Members of the Bell Canyon Formation in the Patterson Hills and the PI section (Hegler/Pinery Members) along Highway 62/180 in the Guadalupe Mountains, West Texas. The assemblages contain chondrichthyan teeth of Stethacanthulus meccaensis, Texasodus varidentatus, Cooleyella cf. amazonensis, C. cf. peculiaris, and the new genus and species Lamarodus triangulus; and buccopharyngeal denticles of undetermined symmoriiform; chondrichthyan scales of eight morphotypes; fragment of an actinopterygian jaw, isolated teeth; the scales of Alilepis sp., Varialepis sp. and undetermined elonichthyid and haplolepid fishes. Using microtomography, the vascularization system has been observed for the first time for the teeth of Texasodus varidentatus and a new taxon Lamarodus triangulus. The distribution of chondrichthyan taxa was analyzed for the known fish assemblages of the Early, Middle, and Late Permian of the world. The end-Guadalupian crisis in the evolution of chondrichthyan fishes involved substantially more taxonomic change than the Permian–Triassic mass extinction.     

First record of Cisuralian–Guadalupian plant fossils from the Shan Plateau,eastern Myanmar

Permian plant fossils have never been reported from the Shan Plateau in eastern Myanmar. Recently, a black to gray carbonaceous mudstone unit containing abundant plant fossils was discovered just below the lowest part of Thitspin Limestone Formation from the Linwe Area, eastern Myanmar. Although only five taxa were identified, the plant assemblage provides the first evidence of the occurrence of Cathaysian elements in eastern Myanmar and potentially indicates the presence of a highly diverse Permian flora. Among the five species, Cordaites principalis and Annularia mucronata were cosmopolitan species; while Callipteridum cf. koraiense, Taeniopteris crassinervis Mo and Rhipidopsis lobata were mostly recorded in the Cathaysia Flora. Therefore, the present assemblage generally indicates a palaeobiogeographical affinity to the Cathaysian Province. Stratigraphically, Callipteridum cf. koraiense was mainly reported from Cisuralian to Wordian; whereas Taeniopteris crasssnervis Mo and Rhipidopsis lobata were recorded from Capitanian to Changhsingian, which suggests a general Permian age based on the plant assemblage itself only. However, the carbonaceous mudstone at the outcrop is overlain by the Thitspin Limestone Formation containing middle Guadalupian fusulinids. Based on previous faunal analyses, the Sibumasu terrane contains typical Gondwanan cold-water faunas during the early Cisuralian, warm-water faunas occurred after Sakmarian. Thus, age of the fossil-plant-containing carbonaceous mudstone is very likely between late Cisuralian and early Guadalupian as constrained by its overlying fusulinids and its warm Cathaysian palaeobiogeographical affinity.     

1980—2018年祁连山南坡土地利用变化及其驱动力

祁连山是我国第一阶梯和第二阶梯的分界线,生态环境脆弱,对过渡地带土地利用变化及其驱动力研究具有重要的生态意义。本研究以祁连山南坡为研究区,基于1980—2018年遥感影像数据,运用空间自相关分析法、ArcGIS空间分析方法和主成分分析法分析了土地利用的时空变化特征及其驱动力。结果表明: 1980—2018年,草地是研究区土地利用类型的主体,建设用地所占比重最小,水域、草地表现为下降趋势,未利用土地、建设用地和耕地均呈现出增长态势,林地变化较小。不同地类单一土地利用动态度从大到小依次为:建设用地＞水域＞耕地＞未利用土地＞林地＞草地,综合土地利用动态度为0.9%。不同土地利用类型空间分布表现出空间集聚性特征。耕地增加的区域和林地、草地减少的区域主要分布在门源县城所处大通河谷地西北侧,天峻县东北部大通河上游地区存在工矿建设用地占用草地的现象。土地利用变化驱动力主要为人口数量、科技、城市化、经济发展水平和政策。本研究结果可为政府合理规划和利用土地资源提供依据,对祁连山南坡生态环境保护和社会经济可持续发展具有重大意义。     

兴隆山国家级自然保护区不同生境的蝴蝶群落结构与种-多度分布

为明确甘肃兴隆山国家级自然保护区内的蝴蝶种类, 以及不同生境的蝴蝶群落结构与种-多度分布的变化情况, 在全部5个林场选取6条样线, 于2015-2018年连续4年采用样线法对保护区的蝴蝶进行调查和采集, 并分析了其多样性指数及种-多度分布。4年共采集蝴蝶标本5,719号, 经鉴定隶属8科69属120种。眼蝶科(3,093号)是保护区的优势类群, 喙蝶科仅采集到1号标本(朴喙蝶, Libythea lepita), 为保护区的稀有种类。其中, 各样线的种数、个体数、多样性指数以及物种丰富度表现为: 样线I最高, 样线IV次之, 说明其生境结构稳定, 环境良好, 适合蝶类生存; 样线III蜜源植物丰富, 各项指数较高; 样线V海拔较高, 各项指数较低; 样线II植物群落结构单一, 各项指数最低。相似性系数分析结果表明: 样线I和VI、III和IV、III和VI均为中等相似; 其余各样线间为中等不相似。区系分析结果表明: 古北种有63种, 占总种数的52.5%; 东洋种2种, 占总种数的1.7%; 广布种55种, 占总种数的45.8%。说明古北种占绝对优势, 且明显高于东洋种, 具有很强的地区代表性。种-多度分布分析结果表明: 样线I和IV呈现出对数正态分布, 模型拟合效果较好; 样线II和VI为非典型的对数级数模型, 符合生态位优先占领假说。说明不同生境以及人为干扰因素与蝶类多样性关系密切, 表现出单一生态系统蝴蝶群落的多样性指数较低, 复杂生态系统其多样性指数较高的特点。     

化龙山七筋姑种内二倍体与四倍体表型分化分析

七筋姑(Clintonia udensis Trautv. et Mey.)属百合科(Liliaceae)七筋姑属(Clintonia Raf.),多年生草本,具有二倍体(2n=14)和四倍体(4n=28)两种倍性。在陕西化龙山地区,二倍体主要分布在南坡海拔2 450 m处,四倍体主要生长在北坡海拔1 900 m左右,成为研究种内多倍体分化的理想材料。该研究从七筋姑营养和繁殖系统出发,研究其不同倍性的表型分化,揭示不同倍性的生态适应特征,为阐明七筋姑种内多倍体的演化提供线索。研究表明：(1)在根、茎、叶、花、果实、种子的11个性状中,二倍体的果实体积性状最为稳定(CV=0.02),叶长性状遗传多样性最高(CV=0.85);四倍体中果实体积性状也最为稳定(CV=0.06),而花数量性状多样性最高(CV=0.42)。(2)四倍体的果实体积平均值明显高于二倍体,但种子数量平均值显著少于二倍体,果实体积和种子体积性状在不同倍性间的分化占比最高(V_st=0.69)。(3)四倍体营养器官表型性状的遗传变异丰富度低于二倍体,其平均变异系数(CV=0.16)小于二倍体的变异系数(CV=0.44);在繁殖系统表型性状中,四倍体的遗传变异丰富度高于二倍体,平均变异系数(CV=0.30)大于二倍体(CV=0.26)。(4)显著性分析表明,二倍体与四倍体表型性状差异显著(P<0.05),而繁殖系统性状在不同倍性间无显著差异(P>0.05);PCA分析同样显示二倍体与四倍体间存在明显差异。四倍体显著的表型差异是对低海拔环境长期适应的结果。