Ground‐nesting by the chimpanzees of the Nimba Mountains,Guinea: environmentally or socially determined?

The chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) of the Nimba Mountains, Guinea, West Africa, commonly make both elaborate ("night") and simple ("day") nests on the ground. In this study we investigated which factors might influence ground-nesting in this population, and tested two ecological hypotheses: 1) climatic conditions, such as high wind speeds at high altitudes, may deter chimpanzees from nesting in trees; and 2) a lack of appropriate arboreal nesting opportunities may drive the chimpanzees to nest on the ground. In addition to testing these two hypotheses, we explored whether ground-nesting is a sex-linked behavior. Data were collected monthly between August 2003 and May 2004 along transects and ad libitum. To identify the sex of ground-nesting individuals, we used DNA extracted from hair samples. The results showed that the occurrence and distribution of ground nests were not affected by climatic conditions or a lack of appropriate nest trees. Support was found for the notion that ground-nesting is a sex-linked behavior, as males were responsible for building all of the elaborate ground nests and most of the simple ground nests sampled. Elaborate ground nests occurred mostly in nest groups associated with tree nests, whereas simple ground nests usually occurred without tree nests in their vicinity. These results suggest that ground-nesting may be socially, rather than ecologically, determined.     

Tree-line changes along the Andes: implications of spatial patterns and dynamics

The Andes provide an extensive latitudinal and topographical framework for studying the factors that control the spatial patterns of forests (timberlines) and their species components expressed through the presence of tree growth forms (tree lines). Despite consistent overall similarities in landscape patterns, many processes must be unique, given the dramatic differences in species richness and biophysical constraints along the Andes. In all cases evaluated to date, morphological plasticity is a common trait of plant species that dominate at tree lines. In fact, many changes observed can be related to species-specific traits. Physiological limitations on tree growth form only explain species limits, while disturbances and cyclical climate fluctuations interact to affect many landscape patterns. Over long periods of time, tree lines provide unique habitats and perhaps opportunities for speciation. Understanding the spatial organization of tree-line dynamics is one viable research approach for evaluating the likely past fluxes and possible future changes.     

湖北西部山地革螨及恙螨名录

自1989年以来,先后从湖北西部山地6个不同海拔、12个不同类型生境捕获的啮齿、食虫等小型哺乳动物体外采集到一大批革螨、恙螨和吸虱标本,经初步整理,鉴定有革螨l1科32属73种、恙螨有3亚科11属41种和亚种、吸虱3种,其中有中国新纪录1种,籁氏巨刺螨Macronyssus leucippe（Domrow）和湖北新纪录41种。     

Lower Cambrian (Botomian) polycystine Radiolaria from the Altai Mountains (southern Siberia, Russia)

Relatively well-preserved polycystine Radiolaria are here described from Lower Cambrian (Botomian) strata of the Shashkunar Formation, Altai Mountains in southern Siberia (Russia). These radiolarians display a test formed of a disorderly and three-dimensionally interwoven meshwork of numerous straight and curved bars branching from a five-rayed point-centered spicule located within the inner shell surface. The shell structure allows their assignment to the family Archeoentactiniidae, thus extending the known age range of the family down to the Lower Cambrian. The Botomian age is based essentially on trilobites (Parapagetia-Serrodiscus zone), but also on archaeocyathids identified in earlier publications. The study of the radiolarian-bearing sedimentary sequence confirms the presence of polycystine radiolaria in the external platform environments of Lower Cambrian ecosystems.     

大兴安岭北部不同海拔天然林土壤胞外酶化学计量特征及其季节动态

研究了大兴安岭北部奥克里堆山不同海拔(750～1420 m)天然林土壤胞外酶活性(EEA)和酶计量比的变化特征及影响机制。结果表明:海拔、季节及其交互作用对β-葡萄糖苷酶(BG)、N-乙酰-β-氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)、亮氨酸氨基肽酶(LAP)和酸性磷酸酶(AP)活性均存在显著影响。5月,BG和NAG活性随海拔升高呈逐渐增大趋势,AP活性随海拔升高呈先升高后降低的趋势。7月,NAG活性随海拔升高而增大,AP活性则先升高后降低。9月,不同海拔上NAG活性变化幅度较大,在1420 m处活性最高,为124.22 nmol·h^-1·g^-1。随着海拔的升高,酶化学计量比ln(BG)∶ln(NAG+LAP)呈降低的趋势。除海拔830 m外,7月化学计量比值最高。土壤C、N、P转化酶活性对数转换后的比值为1∶1.25∶0.82。海拔和土壤温度是影响土壤胞外酶的主要因素,土壤温度与BG、NAG和AP呈显著正相关。ln(BG)∶ln(NAG+LAP)和ln(NAG+LAP)∶ln(AP)与pH分别呈显著正相关和负相关,与DOC分别呈显著负相关和正相关,而ln(...     

云南高黎贡山南段高山生境的鸟兽多样性

高山生态系统通常具有较高的生物多样性,分布着一些特有动植物类群。由于高山地区对环境变化较为敏感,因此该区域物种的分布及其保护问题备受关注。南北走向的高黎贡山地处全球生物多样性热点地区,但以往的调查多集中在中段,对南段的高山地区仍缺乏研究。因此,为了解该区域的鸟兽多样性本底、现状,以及大中型兽类和地栖鸟类的季节变化动态,本调查于2018年11月至2019年10月沿高黎贡山山脊海拔3 100 ~ 3 700 m区域布设红外相机进行监测。分别选择南斋公房、北斋公房和大脑子3个监测区域,有效相机工作日9 359台日,共调查记录到24种鸟类（3目11科）和19种兽类（5目14科）。其中,鸟兽物种相对多度较高的前3种依次为小熊猫（Ailurus fulgens）、毛冠鹿（Elaphodus cephalophus）和血雉（Ithaginis cruentus）。鸟兽物种数有明显的季节变化：冬季物种数少、秋季和夏季多,全年以8月最高;动物活动强度同样存在明显的季节变化和种间差异。鸟类和兽类的物种丰富度季节变化与活动强度变化,可能与动物沿海拔梯度的垂直迁移和高海拔食物资源的波动有关。将本次调查结果与中段调查数据比较,鸟类Beta多样性的周转大于嵌套,而兽类是嵌套大于周转,说明两地物种组成差异以鸟类为主。综合考虑,我们建议将动物垂直迁移和活动强度的季节变化纳入自然保护区管理和保护中,并实施高黎贡山高山生态系统的全境保护。     

Effect of rock fragments on the percolation and evaporation of forest soil in Liupan Mountains, China

The water-retaining capacity, percolation and evaporation of stony soil in Liupan Mountains, China, were measured in order to understand the effect of rock fragments on soil hydrological processes. The results indicated that the effective water-retaining capacity of soil is positively related with the volumetric content of rock fragments, but there is no relation between saturated water-retaining capacity and rock fragment content. For the soil layers within 0–40 cm, the steady infiltration rate increases with increasing volumetric content of rock fragments until it reaches the range of 15%–20%, and then it decreases when the rock fragment content further increases. For the soil layers below 40 cm, the steady infiltration rate always increases with increasing rock fragment content. The soil evaporation rate decreases with increasing volumetric content of rock fragments when it varies in the range of 0–20%, while the soil evaporation rate keeps basically stable when the rock fragment content is higher than 20%. The soil evaporation rate shows a rising tendency with increasing size of rock fragments.     

天山林区六种灌木生物量的建模及其器官分配的适应性

灌木全株生物量估算模型的构建仍存在一定困难,对灌木生物量在器官分配上所体现的适应性研究也不够充分。以天山林区6种常见灌木为研究对象,在天山的东段、中段、西段林区分别设置样地进行群落调查,由此以全株收获法取得6种常见灌木若干标准株的全株、根、枝、叶及各径级根的生物量,将D~2H(地径平方与高度的乘积)与V(冠幅面积与高度的乘积)分别选为估测模型的自变量,通过回归分析法建立了各种灌木全株生物量的最优估算模型,然后比较了此6种灌木全株生物量在营养器官上分配差异以及根系生物量在径级上的分配差异。结果表明:(1)天山林区6种常见灌木中,小檗(Berberis heteropoda Schrenk)、忍冬(Lonicera hispida Pall.ex Roem.et Schuet.)、栒子(Cotoneaster melanocarpus Lodd.)的全株生物量约为8.48—9.01 kg,蔷薇(Rosa spinosissima L.)、绣线菊(Spiraea hypericifolia L.)、方枝柏(Juniperus pseudosabina Fisch.et Mey.)的全株生物量约为2.71—3.20 kg;(2)蔷薇、绣线菊、栒子的全株生物量最优估测模型是以V为自变量的函数,小檗、忍冬、方枝柏的全株生物量最优估测模型是以D~2H为自变量的函数,各模型R~2值均在0.850以上,且在P0.05水平上达到显著,模型模拟结果达到了较高的准确度;(3)6种灌木全株生物量在根、枝上的分配比重差异不显著,仅在叶上的分配比重有差异(P0.05);根系生物量在径级上的分配均呈现随根系径级下降而减少的规律,6种灌木在径级大于2 mm根上的分配比重存在差异(P0.05,径级大于20 mm根为P0.01水平);(4)6种灌木全株生物量在营养器官上的分配差异以及根系生物量在径级上的分配差异均体现了各物种对其生境选择的适应策略。     

新疆天山北坡地区中晚全新世古生物多样性特征

选择新疆天山北坡不同海拔高度、不同植被带和不同沉积年代的大西沟、桦树窝子、小西沟、东道海子和四厂湖剖面计算孢粉复合分异度指数,并根据已发表的有关文献中关于粒度、磁化率、烧失量等多项分析的数值整合结果探讨了本区中晚全新世以来生物多样性的时空变化和环境特征。森林草原过渡带的古生物多样性远高于高山、亚高山草甸带和荒漠带,孢粉复合分异度较高,鉴定的孢粉科属数较多。3600~3200 aB.P.、1700~1400 aB.P.、1000~600 aB.P.和450 aB.P.以来4个时段的生物多样性偏高。大西沟地区3600~3200 aB.P.期间和四厂湖地区中世纪期间气候均较湿润,其古生物多样性也较高,可见古环境演变和古生物多样性的动态变化具有相对一致性,孢粉复合分异度指数在一定程度上可以反映气候与环境的变化。但由于孢粉鉴定的精确度较差、受外来花粉的干扰等多种因素影响,使得孢粉多样性指数在反映生物多样性和古环境方面存在一定的偏差。