Sympatric diploid and hexaploid cytotypes of Senecio carniolicus (Asteraceae) in the Eastern Alps are separated along an altitudinal gradient

We explored the fine-scale distribution of cytotypes of the mountain plant Senecio carniolicus along an altitudinal transect in the Eastern Alps. Cytotypes showed a statistically significant altitudinal segregation with diploids exclusively found in the upper part of the transect, whereas diploids and hexaploids co-occurred in the lower range. Analysis of accompanying plant assemblages revealed significant differences between cytotypes along the entire transect but not within the lower part only, where both cytotypes co-occur. This suggests the presence of ecological differentiation between cytotypes with the diploid possessing the broader ecological niche. No tetraploids were detected, indicating the presence of strong crossing barriers. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

四川都江堰东方草鸮的繁殖记录

<正>东方草鸮(Tyto longimembris)隶属于鸮形目草鸮科,共有6个亚种的分化,我国分布的2个亚种为T.l.chinensis和T.l.pithecops。东方草鸮在我国主要分布于西南和华南(chinensis)以及台湾(pithecops),国外分布于印度次大陆、东南亚、菲律宾、新几内亚岛和澳大利亚(del Hoyo et al.1999,郑光美2011)。在《中国鸟类分类与分布名录》(第二版)中,东方草鸮的分布区并不包括四川省。实际上,早在2000年时就曾有报道称在四川省南充市高坪区发现草鸮的分布(胡锦矗2000),一直未能引起关注。有关东方草鸮繁殖生物学的资料,大多来自国外的     

A new species of the genus Seticornuta Morley (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae, Metopiinae) from South Korea

Old World species of the genus Seticornuta Morley are reviewed. Seven species of this genus were recorded worldwide, but only one species, Seticornuta albopilosa (Cameron), was known from the Old World. Here, we report one new species, Seticornuta koreana sp. n., from South Korea, and redescribe the other known Old World species, Seticornuta albopilosa, with photographs.     

First report of seed dispersal by ants in Dicentra peregrina (Papaveraceae), an alpine plant in the Japanese Alps

Seed dispersal by ants, known as myrmecochory, is commonly observed among various plant taxa. The seeds of these plants have an elaiosome to attract ants. In Japan, myrmecochory has been well studied in several lowland plant species, but not in highland plant species that grow above the tree line. We investigated whether the seeds of Dicentra peregrina, known as the “queen of the alpine plants” in Japan, are carried by Formica gagatoides ants at 2510 m a.s.l. on Mt Norikura, Kita‐Alps, Japan. We observed F. gagatoides workers picking up D. peregrina seeds by grasping the elaiosome and carrying the seeds into their nests. We inferred from the observed ant behavior and the seed morphology that D. peregrina is a myrmecochorous species.     

Andean uplift promotes lowland speciation through vicariance and dispersal in Dendrocincla woodcreepers

Andean uplift contributed importantly to the build-up of high Neotropical diversity. Final uplift of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia separated once-contiguous lowland faunas east and west of the Andes between 5 and 3.5 million years ago (Ma hereafter). We used DNA sequences from several moderate- to fast-evolving mitochondrial and two slow-evolving nuclear genes to generate a well-supported phylogeny of Dendrocincla woodcreepers, a genus with multiple species endemic to lowland regions both east and west of the Andes. A time-calibrated phylogeny and dispersal-vicariance analysis indicated that uplift of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia resulted in the initial vicariant separation of a widespread lowland form east and west of the Andes at c. 3.6 Ma. This was followed by two separate east-to-west dispersal events over or around the completed Andes, each producing a genetically distinct lineage. Our analysis suggests that Andean uplift promoted the build-up of biodiversity in lowland Neotropical faunas both through vicariance-based speciation during uplift and through dispersal-based speciation following uplift. In contrast to the multiple colonizations of the trans-Andean region by Dendrocincla, the Atlantic Forest was colonized from the Amazon only once, followed by in situ diversification.     

广东西部云开山自然保护区蕨类植物多样性调查

野外调查和标本鉴定结果表明,云开山自然保护区共有185种蕨类植物,其中10种为广东新分布:中华桫椤(Alsophila costularis)、白桫椤(Sphaeropteris brunoniana)、有刺凤尾蕨(Pteris setulosacostulata)、禾秆亮毛蕨(Acystopteris tenuisecta)、高大短肠蕨(Allantodia muricata)、细裂铁角蕨(Asplenium tenuifolium)、无盖肉刺蕨(Nothoperanema shikokianum)、蓝色鳞毛蕨(Dryopteris polita)、云南舌蕨(Elaphoglossum yunnanense)和黑鳞剑蕨(Loxogramme assimilis)。该地蕨类植物区系主要由亚洲热带亚热带分布和东亚分布成分(各占约37%的种类)构成,以鳞毛蕨科(Dryopteridaceae)、水龙骨科(Polypodiaceae)、金星蕨科(Thelypteridaceae)、蹄盖蕨科(Athyriaceae)和铁角蕨科(Aspleniaceae)的植物最为丰富,包含13种中国特有种但缺乏本地特有成分。垂直分布的统计结果表明,绝大多数植物(143种)生活在海拔900~1300 m的常绿阔叶林下,局限分布于海拔800 m以下的植物有15种,而局限分布于海拔1400~1700 m的植物有23种。该地的珍稀蕨类植物有马尾杉(Phlegmariurus phlegmaria)、华南马尾杉(P. austrosinicu)、薄叶阴地蕨(Sceptridium daucifolium)、小黑桫椤(Gymnosphaera metteniana)、中华桫椤、白桫椤、长柄车前蕨(Antrophyum obovatum)、黑鳞复叶耳蕨(Arachniodes nigrospinosa)、两广鳞毛蕨(Dryopteris liangkwangensis)、云南舌蕨、燕尾蕨(Cheiropleuria bicuspis)、锯蕨(Micropolypodium okuboi)和穴子蕨(Prosaptia urceolaris)。     

Change from pre‐settlement to present‐day forest composition reconstructed from early land survey records in eastern Québec,Canada

Questions: What was the tree species composition of forests prior to European settlement at the northern hardwood range limit in eastern Québec, Canada? What role did human activities play in the changes in forest composition in this region? Location: Northern range limit of northern hardwoods in the Lower St. Lawrence region of eastern Québec, Canada. Methods: We used early land survey records (1846–1949) of public lands to reconstruct pre‐settlement forest composition. The data consist of ranked tree species enumerations at points or for segments along surveyed lines, with enumerations of forest cover types and notes concerning disturbances. An original procedure was developed to weigh and combine these differing data types (line versus point observations; taxa versus cover enumerations). Change to present‐day forest composition was evaluated by comparing survey records with forest decadal surveys conducted by the government of Québec over the last 30 years (1980–2009). Results: Pre‐settlement dominance of conifers was strong and uniform across the study area, whereas dominance of maple and birches was patchy. Cedar and spruce were less likely to dominate with increasing altitude, whereas maple displayed the reverse trend. Frequency of disturbances, especially logging and fire, increased greatly after 1900. Comparison of survey records and modern plots showed general increases for maple (mentioned frequency increased by 39%), poplar (36%) and paper birch (31%). Considering only taxa ranked first by surveyors, cedar displayed the largest decrease (19%), whereas poplar (15%) and maple (9%) increased significantly. Conclusions: These changes in forest composition can be principally attributed to clear‐cutting and colonization fire disturbances throughout the 20th century, and mostly reflected the propensity of taxa to expand (maples/aspen) or decline (cedar/spruce) with increased disturbance frequency. Québec's land survey archives provide an additional data source to reconstruct and validate our knowledge of North America's pre‐settlement temperate and sub‐boreal forests.     

Genus Colocasiomyia (Drosophilidae: Diptera) in Sabah,Bornean Malaysia: High species diversity and use of host aroid inflorescences

A total of 21 Colocasiomyia species, including 17 undescribed species, are reported from Sabah (Mt. Kinabalu and neighboring areas), Malaysia, based on samples collected from inflorescences of 14 or 15 Araceae species. This number of species is the largest as a local fauna of this genus in the world. The high species diversity is attributed to 12 undescribed species belonging to the Colocasiomyia baechlii species group. A particular breeding habit of Colocasiomyia is sharing of the same inflorescence by a pair of species, with partial niche separation between them: one species uses exclusively the pistillate (lower female‐flower) section of the spadix for oviposition and larval development, whereas the other mostly uses the staminate (upper male‐flower) section. However, the baechlii group species show quite different patterns of host plant use: many (up to eight) species cohabit on the same inflorescence. It is unlikely that they separate their breeding niches micro‐allopatrically within an inflorescence. Instead, species composition and their proportions of individual numbers vary among different localities, seasons and host plants, with partial overlap among them. Such partial separations in local distribution, phenology and host selection would in combination contribute to their coexistence and promote the species diversity of this group.     

ALGAL COMMUNITIES OF SPRINGS AND STREAMS IN THE MT. ST. HELENS REGION,WASHINGTON, U.S.A. FOLLOWING THE MAY 1980 ERUPTION1

Mt. St. Helens, a volcanic peak in the Cascade Range in southern Washington erupted violently on May 18, 1980, causing enormous damage to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The initial explosion evaporated, scoured or buried all springs and streams in the blast impact area. Ash fall and erosion from defoliated hillsides subsequently filled most of the lotic habitats with organic debris and volcanic ash. Recolonization of springs and streams by algae occurred quickly in areas where erosion through the ash progressed down to bedrock. Within 15 months or less of the eruption, algal communities were established throughout the blast impact area. However, as a result of the initial and continued disturbance these communities remained in an early successional stage. Floral assemblages were highly variable except that they were composed mostly of diatoms, with Achnanthes minutissima dominating most lotic sites. Springs showed the most rapid development toward stable floras.