A preliminary study on the seasonal body temperature rhythms of the captive mountain hare (Lepus timidus)

The mountain hare (Lepus timidus) is a year-round active herbivore adapted to survive the boreal winter. Captive mountain hares (N = 4) were implanted with intraabdominal thermosensitive loggers to record their core body temperature (T_b) for a year and during food deprivation (8–48 h) in summer and winter. The average T_b was 38.7 ± 0.01 °C in summer and 38.3 ± 0.01 °C in winter. The yearly T_b correlated positively with the ambient temperature. The 24-h T_b was the highest from late scotophase to early photophase in summer and winter and the lowest during middle-late photophase in summer or during early-middle scotophase in winter. The range of the 24-h oscillations in T_b increased in three animals in winter. Food deprivation did not induce hypothermia in summer or winter. These preliminary data suggest that the mountain hare can spare a modest amount of energy with the wintertime reduction in T_b.     

The living library of The Cotapata National Park in Bolivia: an example of application of Bolivian law on the access to genetic resources

Developing countries with a rich biodiversity want to control the use of this natural patrimony, especially in the research of natural compounds of pharmaceutical interest. Here we present the organization of six permanent plots in a mountain tropical forest on the east side of the Andean Cordillera in Bolivia, and their role in the discovery of plants with antiplasmodial or antileishmanial activities. Permanent plots are widely used in ecological survey, but rarely in bioprospecting. This set-up allows Bolivian authorities to control the bioprospecting, and facilitates further chemical studies on the bioactive plants. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Lucia Acebey and Amira Apaza have contributed equally to this work.     

Changes of species richness pattern in mountain grasslands: abandonment versus restoration

Changes in plant species richness at various spatial scales were investigated by manipulative experiment in mountain grasslands. The aim of the research was to compare changes in species richness in newly abandoned sites and sites where restoration measures were applied after 20 years of abandonment. The plots were located in two vegetation types with different moisture regime. Species richness decreased significantly after abandonment, mainly at the finest spatial scale of 10 × 10 cm. There was significant increase of species richness on restored sites, but it was apparent mainly at a larger scale. However, even 4 years of regular mowing were not sufficient to restore species richness to the level typical for traditionally managed grasslands in the region. No significant difference was found in the performance of the 2 contrasting vegetation types (wet and dry) in relation to management measures. A significant difference in scale-dependent species richness was only observed. The dry type had a steeper species-area curve, with a lower number of species at the finest spatial scale. According to the results of the experiment, mountain grasslands are very vulnerable habitats, losing their conservation value quickly after abandonment. Restoration is possible due to an extensive species pool in the region, but return to the original species richness at all spatial scales is quite a long process.     

Natural and land-use history of the Northwest mountain ecoregions (USA) in relation to patterns of plant invasions

Although the Northwest currently has the least proportion of non-native invasive plant species relative to other regions of North America, invasions continue to increase into the mountainous areas of the region. Landscape structure, such as the variation found along the complex gradients of the Northwest mountain ecoregions, affects the expansion of invasive plant species and the invasibility of plant communities. Also, the history of land use and current use patterns affect the expansion of invasive plants, and many of the deteriorated environments in the region's mountains may invite and stabilize plant invasions. We examined the patterns of invasive plant diversity in Northwest mountain ecoregions, as derived from literature sources, to analyze which factors influence plant invasions. Our analysis found altered riparian systems and disturbed forests to be especially vulnerable to plant invasion. Conversely, alpine and wilderness areas are still relatively unaffected by invasive plants. Both riparian and alpine communities, while making up a relatively small area across Northwest mountain ecoregions, have significant ecological importance and deserve special protection from invasive plant introductions. Human settlement at low elevations and intense land use of upland forests will likely continue to enhance invasive plant introductions into Northwest mountain ecosystems. Knowledge of the relationships between biological and environmental factors, disturbance, and human land use will be critical for future management strategies that proactively locate, prevent, or contain plant invasions in the mountains of the Northwest.     

浙江大山峰蕨类植物区系的研究

在野外调查和褴理资料的基础上,大山峰共有蕨类植物33科58属98种和2变种。优势科为鳞毛蕨科、水龙骨科、蹄盖蕨科．优势属为鳞毛蕨属、卷柏属和复叶耳蕨属。通过对区系组成、性质和特征的分析,表明该区地理成分复杂多样,分布区类型以泛热带分布属、东亚分布种为主,表现出亚热带向暖温带过渡的特点;区系综合系数为-0．290．在相比较的8个山地区系中位居第6;在区系关系上,该区系与天日山、三清山、武夷山区系关系密切,可以归入同一自然区,而与帽儿山区系父系疏远。     

关帝山次生林区典型森林交错带物种多样性研究

森林交错带富于高的生物多样性。应用Shannon-Weiner指数、Simpson指数、Margalef指数、Pielou指数,研究了关帝山次生林区森林交错带中处于不同演替阶段的群落物种多样性动态特征,同时对交错带内群落与相邻群落的物种多样性特怔进行了对比分析。结果表明：处于森林演替不同阶段的交错带,在由阔叶林、针阔叶混交林到针叶林的演替过程中,Shannon－Weiner多样性指数、Margalef丰富度指数均表现出单峰变化趋势,在演替中后期的针阔叶混交林阶段,指数值最高。Simpson优势度指数则表现出凹形变化．不同于多样性、丰富度指数,在演替中后期,达到最低值。Pielou均匀度指数表现出下降趋势。交错带内群落与相邻群落相比,Shannon－Weiner多样性指数较高,具有高的物种多样性,边际效应表现为正效应。Margalef丰富度指数变化与Shannon－Weiner多样性指数变化不一致,只在一定程度上证明了边际正效应的影响。两指数共同反映出研究地区的森林交错带内群落具有较高的物种多样性。     

丽水白云山与邻近地区植物区系关系的探讨

通过丽水白云山植物区系与邻近地区植物区系比较,将白云山植物区系归入了华东植物区系,通过与华东诸山优势科、届、种相似性系数的比较,说明白云山与九龙山、古田山、西天目山、凤阳山的关系较密切,但仍可归属天目山一庐山一黄山植物区。     

长白山暗针叶林苔藓植物生物量的研究

在长白山北坡暗针叶林对地面和树附生苔藓植物的生物量进行了测定．地面生苔藓采取样带调查取样法测定,树附生苔藓应用McCune方法对树干和树枝的附生苔藓生物量都做了细致的测定．结果表明,长白山暗针叶林中的苔藓植物分布很不均匀,随海拔变化差异很大,海拔1100m最低,仅为543kg·hm^-2;海拔1250m最高,达5097kg·hm^-2．苔藓植物生物量的变化对生境有很好的指示作用,特别是塔藓和拟垂枝藓的生物量随海拔的变化与森林系统的群落学特点有一定的相关性：在海拔1100～1700m,塔藓的生物量与臭冷杉的重要值变化趋势相近,随海拔升高而减少;拟垂枝藓的生物量与鱼鳞云杉重要值的变化趋势相似,随海拔升高而增加．此外,生物量随海拔的变化表明了不同苔藓植物对环境条件要求的差异,拟垂枝藓比塔藓水分条件要求更高．因此,生物量的研究在植物生理上也有一定的指示作用．     

新乡太行山区木本彩叶植物资源

概括总结了新乡太行山区的木本彩叶植物资源总量、资源种类、观赏价值和开发潜力,描述了其中几种重要的木本彩叶植物,给新乡木本彩叶植物资源的开发利用提供参考.     

长白山森林／沼泽生态交错带群落和环境梯度分析

揭示了森林－沼泽过渡带群落的结构、生产力、植物多样性等群落梯度和交错环境梯度的相关规律,并结合交错区环境梯度分析这些群落特征形成机制,为维持、保护与经营管理这一交错带生物资源提供了理论依据。将长白山地区森林和高、中、低位沼泽所形成的三大类型过渡带研究对象,采用样带网格的调查方法,并应用系统软件分析方法建立了经验回归模型,研究了森林／沼泽生态交错带群落的种类组成、群落建群种径级结构与年龄结构、植物多样性、群落生产力及其随生态交错带环境梯度变化趋势。结果表明,森林／沼泽生态交错带群落结构特征、植物多样性、群落生产力均随着交错带环境梯度的变化而呈现有规律的分布格局,沿着沼泽至森林方向的交错区环境梯度,群落建种种发生更替现象;群落种类数目呈现指数递增趋势;群落的径级结构呈现双曲线分布规律性;年龄结构一般呈三次式分布规律;揿样性呈二次式梯增分布趋势;群落生物量均呈现三次函数曲线递增趋势,表现出群落梯度和环境梯度的高度相关性。