A Zooarchaeological Test for Dietary Resource Depression at the End of the Classic Period in the Petexbatun,Guatemala

Zooarchaeological analyses of animal remains from the Petexbatun sites in the Guatemalan lowlands provide proxy evidence to test a hypothesis of dietary insufficiency during the Maya “collapse.” Ecological foraging theory and resource depression models are used to interpret animal use patterns before and after the disintegration of the Petexbatun polity at the end of the Late Classic period (around a.d. 800). Environmental failure models of the Maya “collapse” at the end of the Late Classic imply that a dietary insufficiency, and particularly a lack of animal resources, was associated with the political and social transitions of this period. However, the results of this zooarchaeological study do not support this hypothesis and point instead to very limited early reductions of only highest-ranked dietary species. The lack of evidence for specific resource depression associated directly with the period of political collapse does not support a model of environmental failure during political disintegration in the Petexbatun. Correlations are found between animal use patterns and the specifics of site size and periods of peak political activity, suggesting that small-scale resource depressions might have resulted at some sites during early periods of human population growth, site expansion, and increasing political activity.     

新疆塔里木河下游荒漠河岸(林)植被合理生态水位

 该文依据塔里木河下游地下水位多年监测资料, 将地下水位按不同埋深划分为0~2、2~4、4~6、6~8、8~10和>10 m 6个梯度, 并设置植 被调查样方进行连续监测, 以分析地下水位变化对植物物种多样性与种群生态位的影响。研究结果表明: 在地下水位2~4 m时, 物种多样性最高 , 其次为4~6 m, 再次为0~2 m; 当地下水位在6 m以下时, 物种多样性锐减, Hill多样性指数曲线变化趋势趋于平直化。荒漠河岸(林)植被主要 植物种群生态位随着地下水位的逐步下降而扩展, 并在地下水位4~6 m处达到最宽; 尔后, 生态位又显著变窄; 地下水位4~6 m时, 种群间生态 位重叠最不显著, 物种数较为丰富。因此, 该文分析得出结论: 塔里木河下游植被恢复的地下水位应确保达到6 m以上, 大部分地区地下水位应 维持在4~6 m, 而部分河道附近地区地下水位争取达到2~4 m。     

Genotype by environment interactions for fitness in hybrid genotypes of Avena barbata

We examined genotype (G) by environment (E) interactions for fitness in mesic and xeric ecotypes of the self-fertilizing annual grass, Avena barbata and their recombinant inbred hybrid progeny. Fitness was assayed (1) in experimental water and nutrient treatments in the greenhouse and (2) in common gardens in each ecotype's native habitat. G x E interactions were significant in the greenhouse. Nevertheless, the same recombinant genotypes tended to have high fitness across all water and nutrient treatments. G x E interactions were less pronounced in the field, and were driven by the contrast between the uniformly low survivorship at the mesic site in 2004 and genetic variation in fitness at the other years/site combinations. Moreover, the mesic ecotype consistently outperformed the xeric in both field and greenhouse. Several of the recombinant genotypes outperformed the parents in the novel greenhouse treatments, but these genotypes did not outperform the mesic parent in field trials. Indeed, it is only in the comparison between field and greenhouse environments that there was a noticeable change in the identity of the most-fit genotype. The results provide evidence that hybridization can create genotypes that are better adapted to newer environments such as those imposed in our greenhouse experiments.     

On humans and wildlife in Mediterranean islands

Aim To investigate the effects of human‐induced landscape changes in Mediterranean islands on the ecological and evolutionary responses of bird communities and populations. The combination of mass extinction of large mammals and massive deforestation by humans was hypothesized to produce new selection regimes to which organisms were likely to respond. Habitat selection and niche breadth have been investigated at the scale of species, and phenotypic variation at the scale of local populations. Location The study was carried out along habitat gradients and in habitat mosaics at different spatial scales on the island of Corsica and in areas of similar size and structure in continental France. Methods Two sets of gradients have been used for investigating habitat selection and niche breadth: gradients of altitude, and gradients of vegetation structure. Population studies focused on the blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus. Large samples of breeding attempts by this species in 10 habitats provided detailed data on phenotypic variation of fitness‐related traits both on Corsica and on the mainland. Results The extent of niche space used by birds differed substantially depending on which habitat gradient was considered. Many species have been found to contract their habitat niche along the elevation gradient on Corsica compared with the mainland, whereas all species in the vegetation gradient broadened their niche on the island. Breeding patterns of the blue tit differed considerably depending on whether they settle in deciduous oaks (Quercus humilis) or in evergreen sclerophyllous oaks (Quercus ilex). Phenotypic variation of breeding traits was much higher on the island, where more populations were correctly timed for the best breeding period than on the mainland, a pattern that is likely to result from lower dispersal of organisms on the island. Main conclusions The differences in observed niche breadth between the two series of habitat gradients is explained both by the species‐specific ecology of the species and the human‐induced environmental history of Corsica. Large‐scale landscape changes provided new opportunities for island colonization by non‐forest species, which are isolated as small, ‘fugitive’ local populations. In both gradients, forest species that are typical components of the Corsican bird fauna definitely expanded their niche and occupied a wider range of habitats on Corsica than on the mainland. At the population scale, landscapes included habitat patches with contrasted selection regimes, which resulted in high phenotypic variation for many fitness‐related traits. Reduced dispersal of birds on the island resulted in a much higher degree of local differentiation on Corsica than on the mainland.     

Descriptive biogeography of Tomicus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) species in Spain

Aim, location Tomicus (Coleoptera, Scolytidae) species are some of the principal pests of Eurasian forest and are represented by three coexisting species in Spain, Tomicus piniperda (Linnaeus, 1758), Tomicus destruens (Wollaston, 1865) and Tomicus minor (Harting, 1834). The distribution of two taxa are unknown as they have until recently been considered separate species. Therefore, we model the potential distribution centres and establish the potential distribution limits of Tomicus species in Iberia. We also assess the effectiveness of different models by comparing predicted results with observed data. These results will have application in forest pest management. Methods Molecular and morphological techniques were used to identify species from 254 specimens of 81 plots. For each plot, a Geographical Information System was used to extract a set of 14 environmental (one topographic, six climatic) and biotic variables (seven host tree distributions). General Additive Models and Ecological Niche Factor Analysis models are applied for modelling and predicting the potential distribution of the three especies of Tomicus. Results The results of both modelling methodologies are in agreement. Tomicus destruens is the predominant species in Spain, living in low and hot areas. Tomicus piniperda occurs in lower frequency and prefers wet and cold areas of north‐central Spain. We detected sympatric populations of T. destruens and T. piniperda in Northern coast of Spain, infesting mainly P. pinaster. Tomicus minor is the rarest species, and it occupies a fragmented distribution located in high and wet areas. The remarkable biotic variable is the distribution of P. sylvestris, incorporated into the models of T. destruens and T. piniperda. Main conclusions These results indicate that in wet areas of north‐central Spain where T. piniperda occurs (and possibly the high altitudes of the southern mountains), T. destruens has a climatic distribution limit. In the northern border of this area, both species overlap their distributions and some co‐occurrences were detected. Tomicus minor potentially occurs in high and wet fragmented areas.     

大兴安岭森林草原过渡带白桦及主要草本植物生态位关系的研究

以白桦、日阴菅及其它主要草本植物的个体数量为指标,分析了各植物种群在土壤有机质,速效P和pH值3个资源维上的生态位宽度和生态位重叠及其在不同海拔条件下的变化规律。日阴菅生态位宽度随海拔升高而增大,其余植物种类在有机质资源维上的生态位宽度,大都是以中等海拔（800m)的样带最宽,而在速效P资源维上,又以中等海拔的样带为最窄,由于高海拔及相应低气温在某种程度上限制了植物种群在土壤有机质和速效P的利用,主要植物种对之间在这两个资源维上的生态位重叠以高海拔（950m)样带为最小,在土壤pH值资源维上,溪荪与其它主要植物种间的生态位重叠皆以低海拔（650m)样带为最小,可能是其特殊的环境组合迫使溪荪发生了生态位移动,大多数种对在土壤有机质,速效P和pH值3个资源维上都以海拔800m的样带生态位重叠最大。     

Interspecific trophic relationships among pelagic fish species underneath FADs

Fortnightly experimental purse-seine hauls at fish aggregation devices (FADs) and open water control sites, over a 2-year period in oceanic waters o. the eastern coast of Majorca revealed that carangid, coryphaenid, serranid, balistid and centrolophid fishes caught there were mostly planktivores. Most of the species had a high food intake. The dominance of neustonic and holoplanktonic epipelagic prey could indicate a direct link between FADs, invertebrates (biofouling) and fish. Polyprion and Schedophilus were more generalist predators than the more specialized Naucrates and Trachurus spp. There was low variation in feeding intake and the types of prey categories important for each species. Naucrates , Coryphaena and Schedophilus characterized the autumn community under FADs, while Trachurus , Seriola and Balistes were present throughout the summer. There was little diet overlap among the species suggesting only limited competition for the food resources among Trachurus spp, Naucrates and Seriola , and among Seriola and Coryphaena.     

Differences in Species Composition and Feeding Ecology of Catostomid Fishes in Two Distinct Segments of the Missouri River, North Dakota, U.S.A.

In 1997 and 1998, we sampled the Missouri River, North Dakota to determine if anthropogenic disturbances had influenced catostomid species composition and feeding ecology. We compared two distinct river segments, the Missouri River between the mouth of the Yellowstone River and Lake Sakakawea (the Yellowstone–Sakakawea segment (YSS)), a moderately altered segment and the Missouri River between Garrison Dam and Lake Oahe (the Garrison–Oahe segment (GOS)), a highly altered segment. The segments exhibited greatly different sucker communities. Bigmouth buffalo, Ictiobus cyprinellus, smallmouth buffalo, Ictiobus bubalus, and river carpsucker, Carpiodes carpio, represented 94% of the sucker catch in the YSS, whereas in the GOS, white sucker, Catostomus commersoni, and longnose sucker, Catostomus catostomus, constituted 98% of the sucker catch. In the YSS, high zooplankton densities led to greater sucker zooplanktivory and food niche overlap than in the GOS. Intense anthropogenic disturbances to the GOS are associated with the differences in sucker species composition, prey density and composition, and sucker feeding ecology between the two segments.     

两种扁颅蝠回声定位叫声的比较

对扁颅蝠 (Tylonycterispachypusa)和褐扁颅蝠 (T robustula)在飞行状态下的回声定位叫声进行了比较研究。结果表明 ,2种扁颅蝠的回声定位叫声的声谱图均呈调频 (FM)型 ,且波形相似 ;但叫声的最低频率、最高频率和主频率差异极显著 (P <0 0 1)。扁颅蝠的频率范围较高 ,为 6 2 4～ 91 6kHz ,主频率为 (76 5± 2 1)kHz ;褐扁颅蝠的频率范围较低 ,为 4 2 7～ 72 4kHz ,主频率为 (49 2± 1 8)kHz ;而 2种蝙蝠的声脉冲时程、声脉冲间隔和声脉冲重复率差异不显著 (P >0 0 5 )。回声定位叫声差异与其体型、所处的生境有关