Multiple spatial-scale resource selection function models in relation to human disturbance for moose in northeastern China

The moose (Alces alces cameloides) population in northeastern China is on the southernmost edge of its distribution in Asia. A survey was conducted to determine moose resource selection and the effects of human disturbance on moose in a study area of 20,661 ha located on the northwestern slope of the Lesser Khingan Mountains, located in northeastern China. Predictive models of resource selection were developed using logistic and autologistic regression. All models considered resource variable selection at two spatial scales, patch and landscape. At the patch scale, moose preferred larger birch (Betula platyphylla) patches, but avoided larger tamarack (Larix gmelinii) patches. At the landscape scale, moose preferred higher densities of tamarack patches, i.e., heterogeneity of tamarack stands, selected areas with more abundant annual shoots, terrain conducive to better concealment, higher altitudes and areas saturated with soil moisture. Roads and forest harvest intervals were identified as important human disturbance factors. This is the first time that moose have been reported to avoid roads, and the avoidance distance was nearly 3 km. We believe that in this region moose under the influence of roads are behaviorally plastic, compared with the indifference of moose to the presence of roads in other regions. Moose avoided forest areas logged more than 3 years previously and preferred areas logged 1–2 years previously. In addition, it may be necessary to monitor the effect of the dynamic of density of roe deer on the spatial distribution of the moose population.     

辽宁鸟类分布新记录5种:小鸦鹃、雪鹀、 红翅凤头鹃、宝兴歌鸫和黄眉姬鹟北大核心CSCD

近年来,随着观鸟活动和鸟类科研工作在辽宁的持续开展(Baietal.2015,汤姆·滨客2016),辽宁各地不断发现鸟种分布新记录种(白清泉等2019)。2012至2020年间,在丹东、大连、抚顺等市先后发现小鸦鹃(Centropus bengalensis)、雪鹀(Plectrophenax nivalis)、红翅凤头鹃(Clamator coromandus)、宝兴歌鸫(Turdus mupinensis)和黄眉姬鹟(Ficedula narcissina)5种,经查阅相关资料(邱英杰等2006,郑光美2017),确定为辽宁省鸟类分布新记录种。     

扁颅蝠与褐扁颅蝠的集群结构

2001—2002年在广西宁明县和龙州县利用直接观察、捕捉测量(共捕到197群蝙蝠,全捕180群)和标记重捕法(标记了31群的101只扁颅蝠,重捕到36只)比较研究了扁颅蝠(tylonycteris pachypusa)与褐扁颅蝠(T．robustula)的集群结构。结果发现：扁颅蝠与褐扁颅蝠主要栖宿在刺竹(Bambusa stenostachya)的竹筒内,通过竹筒上的裂缝进出。扁颅蝠栖宿的竹筒长平均为27．7cm,外围直径平均为23．6cm;褐扁颅蝠的分别为28．3cm和23．8cm。扁颅蝠栖宿群大小为1—24只,褐扁颅蝠栖宿群大小为1—13只;2种蝙蝠的栖宿群中皆为独居所占比例最大(扁颅蝠为22．30％,褐扁颅蝠为40．63％),2只所占比例次之(分别为14．87％和18．75％),其它大小类型呈不规则变化。扁颅蝠栖宿群的性别组成,以雌雄混居最常见(占54．72％),其次为独居雄性(占20．95％),而褐扁颅蝠栖宿群雌雄混居群与独居雄性所占比例相当(均为40．63％)。2种蝙蝠的雄性趋向于独居,而雌性趋向于群居。扁颅蝠与褐扁颅蝠可以栖宿在同一片竹林内,并且可以在不同时间轮流使用同一个栖宿竹筒,但2种蝙蝠从未共栖于同一个竹筒内。另外,标记重捕扁颅蝠发现：扁颅蝠经常变换栖宿竹筒(栖宿竹筒不固定);同时栖宿群之间经常发生个体交换[动物学报50(3)：326—333．2004]。     

Home range of greater and lesser rhea in Argentina : relevance to conservation

In this work we report results of radiotracking studies on the movements and home range sizes of two near-threatened species, the greater rhea (Rhea americana) and the lesser rhea (Pterocnemia pennata pennata) in relation to different land use regimes. We radiomonitored greater and lesser rheas for 3 years in their respective habitats: the Pampas and the Patagonia regions. We chose two study areas in each habitat with similar agricultural activities and different hunting control. We did not find significant differences in movements and home range size between study areas of each species. This suggests that disturbance caused by human presence in the areas did not affect rhea spacing behaviors. Moreover, lesser rheas showed larger home range and movements than greater rheas, showing that the home range size is not an immutable property of body mass, and that abundance and distribution of food appears to be the main factor that influences the movements and home range size of these birds.     

Quantification and characterization of vegetation and functional trait diversity of the riparian zones in protected forest of Kashmir Himalaya,India

Globally, riparian zones along river banks are widely recognized for their vital role in water regulation and conservation of biodiversity. Here, we specifically investigated the floristic and functional diversity of the vegetation of the riparian zones of protected forests in Kashmir Himalaya, India. A random sampling method was used for site selection while a transect method was used for data collection. Data obtained from the field was subjected to taxonomic and functional classification. Floristic analysis revealed a total of 78 species belonging to 68 genera in 40 families, suggesting an unequal distribution of species among families. Nine families contributed half of the species: Rosaceae was the dominant family with nine (12%) species followed by Asteraceae with eight species (10%), while 23 families were monotypic. In terms of functional trait diversity, herbaceous and perennial taxa dominated, and the biological spectrum showed a dominance of the therophytic life form, indicative of disturbed vegetation. The phenological spectrum revealed that the maximum flowering periods starts in March and extends into May, in which a total of 61% of the species were observed to flower. The leading leaf size spectra were mesophyll with 35%, followed by microphyll (31%). Most (64%) of the species had a simple leaf lamina type. The results of the present study serve as a means to evaluate best management practices, assess restoration and mitigation projects, prioritize riparian related resource management decisions, and establish aquatic life use standards.     

The Miocene palaeobathymetry and palaeoenvironments of Carriacou, the Grenadines, Lesser Antilles

Carriacou, a small island in the Grenadines, Lesser Antilles, has a Cenozoic rock record that has been important in interpreting the geologic history of the Southern Lesser Antilles Arc Platform. The Lower‐Middle Miocene sedimentary succession of the southeast and east coasts, consisting of the Belmont, Kendeace, Carriacou and Grand Bay formations, has been interpreted as a shallowing‐upward sequence from turbidite basin to nearshore?/beach? palaeoenvironments. An earlier interpretation of the Belmont Formation as having been deposited in shallow water is at variance with the turbiditic nature of the succession; the included fossils are considered allochthonous. However, an interpretation of the Grand Bay Formation as deep water is supported by multiple lines of evidence, including sedimentology (turbidites), ichnology (autochthonous association of burrows typical of deep‐water environments) and palaeontology (terrestrial, planktic, and shallow and deep water benthic species mixed together). The minimum depth of deposition of the Grand Bay Formation was 150–200 m. This suggests that the (unseen) contact between the Carriacou and Grand Bay formations is either an unconformity, formed following rapid deepening of the basin, or a fault, the Grand Bay Formation being deposited in a separate basin from the shallowing‐upwards Belmont‐Kendeace‐Carriacou formations, against which it is now juxtaposed     

Anthropogenic disturbances and plant biodiversity in forests of Uttaranchal,central Himalaya

Eight forest types varying in disturbance frequencies were identified along an elevational gradient in Uttaranchal, central Himalaya. Low elevation forests were close to human habitation and had high disturbance frequency, while high elevation forests were situated far from the human habitation and had low disturbance. The dominant tree species at low elevation were Pinus roxburghii and Quercus leucotrichophora, while Q. floribunda and Q. semecarpifolia dominated the high elevation forests. Pyracantha crenulata was the shrub present in all the forests except in Q. semecarpifolia forest and Anaphalis contorta, a herb species, was present in all the forests. Disturbance decreased the dominance of single species and increased the plant biodiversity by mixing species of different successional status. Species richness and diversity for all the vegetation layers were higher in low elevation–high disturbance forests. Mean tree density decreased from high to moderate and increased in low disturbance. The shrub density decreased from high to low disturbance while the reverse occured for herbs. High proportion of early successional species in disturbed forests indicated that disturbance induces succession. The mean number of young individuals increasing from high to low disturbance indicates that disturbance adversely affects regeneration. But, however, the high number of young individuals of Coriaria nepalensis, a small non-leguminous nitrogen fixing tree, in disturbed forests shows that the forest is regenerating. This species could be helpful in the re-establishment of original vegetation through triggering the regeneration of these forests. High elevation–low disturbed forests separated from low elevation–high disturbed forests. Forest type and elevation may have more influence on tree richness while shrub and herb richness may be more sensitive to disturbance and forest types.     

Taxonomic studies on the ant genus Ponera Latreille, 1804 (Hymenoptera,Formicidae), with the description of a new species from India

Four species of the ant genus Ponera Latreille, 1804, are recorded from India. The present study reports one new species Ponera sikkimensis sp. n., a divergent population of Ponera indica Bharti & Wachkoo, 2012 and one new record, Ponera paedericera Zhou, 2001 from India. An identification key and distributions for the four known Indian species of Ponera based on the worker caste are provided.     

谷蠹生态学特性的研究

谷蠹Rhyzoperthadominica（F．）生态学特性的试验结果表明,温度、湿度、粮食含水量对其各发育历期影响非常显著;食物影响不显著。     

小兴安岭大亮子河国家森林公园不同生境下土壤细菌多样性和群落结构

土壤细菌是森林生态系统的一个重要组成成分, 是生态系统中物质循环和能量流动的重要参与者, 细菌群落组成和生物多样性是反映土壤生态功能的重要指标。本文利用高通量测序技术分析了大亮子河国家森林公园内红松(Pinus koraiensis)林、落叶松(Larix gmelinii)林、蒙古栎(Quercus mongolica)林、枫桦(Betula costata)林、针阔混交林、灌木林和草甸等7种不同生境土壤细菌群落组成和多样性的差异性, 探讨该地区土壤细菌群落对不同生境的响应, 为地区森林生态系统的经营管理及生态系统稳定性的维护提供科学理论基础。在门的水平上, 各生境的细菌群落组成基本一致, 其中变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)和疣微菌门(Verrucomicrobia)在7种生境土壤中相对丰度均大于10.0%, 是细菌中的优势菌门。在属的水平上, 共测得245个菌属, 各样地共有属118个, 占总属数的48.2%, 占总相对丰度的97.8%; 优势菌属分别为Spartobacteria_ genera_incertae_sedis、Gaiella、Gp16、Gp4, 占总相对丰度的47.0%, Spartobacteria_genera_incertae_sedis在7种生境土壤中丰度均最高。7种生境下的土壤细菌多样性和土壤理化因子存在着显著的差异, 红松林的土壤细菌群落多样性和丰富度均高于其他生境。土壤pH是大亮子河森林公园影响土壤细菌多样性的关键因子。