人为干扰对溪流鱼类功能多样性及其纵向梯度格局的影响

溪流鱼类多样性沿着河流纵向梯度的空间分布规律已得到大量报道, 但这些研究大多聚焦基于物种组成的分类α多样性, 而有关分类β多样性和功能多样性的纵向梯度分布规律及其对人类干扰的响应研究较少。本文以青弋江上游3条人为干扰程度不同的河源溪流为研究区域, 比较研究了人为干扰对溪流鱼类功能α和β多样性及其纵向梯度分布格局的影响。结果显示, 人类干扰改变了河源溪流鱼类功能多样性的纵向梯度格局——由线性变化变为二项式分布。此外, 我们发现, 人为干扰导致土著种被本地入侵种取代, 且较强的土地利用和水污染排放可能增大环境的不连续性, 而群落周转和嵌套变化往往取决于环境的变化。尽管功能β多样性由嵌套成分主导, 但周转成分占比相对于人为干扰较小的溪流而言明显增加。人为干扰显著改变了受干扰溪流鱼类的物种组成和功能多样性, 且功能多样性的纵向梯度格局在不同的多样性指标上存在差异。本研究强调, 在评估人为干扰下多样性的变化时, 需要从多方面考虑, 包括空间尺度和多样性指标等。     

传粉昆虫下降背景下的授粉生态弹性: 内涵、机制和展望

全球传粉昆虫多样性正在下降, 如何保障农林生态系统传粉功能是当前研究的热点。理论上说, 传粉功能不仅与生态系统的传粉昆虫多样性相关, 还与生态系统的调节能力有关。近年来, 学者们逐渐认识到授粉生态弹性对传粉功能的影响。本文在回顾已有研究的基础之上, 总结传粉昆虫授粉生态弹性的内涵, 厘清授粉生态弹性与工程弹性、稳定性和抗性的异同。目前, 学者对授粉生态弹性形成机制开展广泛探讨, 提出功能冗余假说、密度补偿假说、响应多样性假说、连接周转假说和跨尺度弹性假说, 但这5个假说间的关系仍不清楚, 存在一词多义、词意混淆等现象。我们依次阐述功能冗余假说、密度补偿假说、响应多样性假说、连接周转假说和跨尺度弹性假说, 介绍不同假说中授粉生态弹性形成过程、研究热点和发展动态。通过解析授粉生态弹性的形成机制可知, 5个假说在内涵上存在紧密联系, 它们从不同空间尺度和研究对象下解释传粉昆虫授粉生态弹性的形成机制。未来授粉生态弹性研究将整合传粉昆虫群落动态和传粉功能动态的量化方法, 通过实验验证5个假说的合理性, 并揭示不同假说间的联系, 由此阐明授粉生态弹性的发生条件、形成阈值和动态规律。随着研究的深入, 授粉生态弹性理论有望用于指导农林生态系统传粉功能的经营管理。     

Disturbance and predation risk influence vigilance synchrony of black‐necked cranes Grus nigricollis,but not as strongly as expected

Animals monitor surrounding dangers independently or cooperatively (synchronized and coordinated vigilance), with independent and synchronized scanning being prevalent. Coordinated vigilance, including unique sentinel behavior, is rare in nature, since it is time‐consuming and limited in terms of benefits. No evidence showed animals adopt alternative vigilance strategies during antipredation scanning yet. Considering the nonindependent nature of both synchronization and coordination, we assessed whether group members could keep alert synchronously or in a coordinated fashion under different circumstance. We studied how human behavior and species‐specific variables impacted individual and collective vigilance of globally threatened black‐necked cranes (Grus nigricollis) and explored behavior‐based wildlife management. We tested both predation risk (number of juveniles in group) and human disturbance (level and distance) effects on individual and collective antipredation vigilance of black‐necked crane families. Adults spent significantly more time (proportion and duration) on scanning than juveniles, and parents with juveniles behaved more vigilant. Both adults and juveniles increased time allocation and duration on vigilance with observer proximity. Deviation between observed and expected collective vigilance varied with disturbance and predation risk from zero, but not significantly so, indicating that an independent vigilance strategy was adopted by black‐necked crane couples. The birds showed synchronized vigilance in low disturbance areas, with fewer juveniles and far from observers; otherwise, they scanned in coordinated fashion. The collective vigilance, from synchronized to coordinated pattern, varied as a function of observer distance that helped us determine a safe distance of 403.75 m for the most vulnerable family groups with two juveniles. We argue that vigilance could constitute a prime indicator in behavior‐based species conservation, and we suggesting a safe distance of at least 400 m should be considered in future tourist management.     

Interrupted incubation: How dabbling ducks respond when flushed from the nest

Nesting birds must provide a thermal environment sufficient for egg development while also meeting self‐maintenance needs. Many birds, particularly those with uniparental incubation, achieve this balance through periodic incubation recesses, during which foraging and other self‐maintenance activities can occur. However, incubating birds may experience disturbances such as predator or human activity which interrupt natural incubation patterns by compelling them to leave the nest. We characterized incubating mallard Anas platyrhynchos and gadwall Mareca strepera hens’ responses when flushed by predators and investigators in Suisun Marsh, California, USA. Diurnal incubation recesses initiated by investigators approaching nests were 63% longer than natural diurnal incubation recesses initiated by the hen (geometric mean: 226.77 min versus 142.04 min). Nocturnal incubation recesses, many of which were likely the result of predators flushing hens, were of similar duration regardless of whether the nest was partially depredated during the event (115.33 [101.01;131.68] minutes) or not (119.62 [111.96;127.82] minutes), yet were 16% shorter than natural diurnal incubation recesses. Hens moved further from the nest during natural diurnal recesses or investigator‐initiated recesses than during nocturnal recesses, and the proportion of hen locations recorded in wetland versus upland habitat during recesses varied with recess type (model‐predicted means: natural diurnal recess 0.77; investigator‐initiated recess 0.82; nocturnal recess 0.31). Hens were more likely to take a natural recess following an investigator‐initiated recess earlier that same day than following a natural recess earlier that same day, and natural recesses that followed an investigator‐initiated recess were longer than natural recesses that followed an earlier natural recess, suggesting that hens may not fulfill all of their physiological needs during investigator‐initiated recesses. We found no evidence that the duration of investigator‐initiated recesses was influenced by repeated visits to the nest, whether by predators or by investigators, and trapping and handling the hen did not affect investigator‐initiated recess duration unless the hen was also fitted with a backpack‐harness style GPS–GSM transmitter at the time of capture. Hens that were captured and fitted with GPS–GSM transmitters took recesses that were 26% longer than recesses during which a hen was captured but a GPS–GSM transmitter was not attached. Incubation interruptions had measurable but limited and specific effects on hen behavior.     

旅游干扰对云丘山景区内植被的影响

选择云丘山景区为研究区域,以该区域的主要植被为研究对象,采用样方法对旅游干扰对云丘山景区内植被的影响进行了研究,共设置了40个乔木样方,并利用TWINSPAN聚类分析以及旅游干扰程度（TDD）对所取样方进行分析。结果表明：TWINSPAN聚类分类将景区内的植物群落划分为5个群系,其中、群系Ⅱ中伴人植物的优势度明显高于其它。干扰程度分析表明,在景区的40个乔木样方中,只有4个样方基本没有受到干扰,有3个样方受到中度干扰,其余的33个样方均为轻度干扰。TWINSPAN聚类分析科学合理地对旅游活动作用下植被景观的类型特征进行了分析。旅游干扰程度（TDD）直观地反映出各个样方所在地植被被干扰的程度,该研究结果可为旅游管理者提供一定的理论依据。     

Effect of spatial and temporal patterns of stress and disturbance intensities in a sub-Mediterranean grassland

Abstract

The present study examined a sub-Mediterranean pastoral system in the central Apennines (Italy) with a long history of grazing, where winter cold stress is alternated with summer drought stress. The research goals were to ascertain whether different floristic structures correspond to different stress conditions (xeric and semimesic), and whether peculiar functional plant traits (such as avoidance and tolerance mechanisms) respond to stress/disturbance intensities, and understand how vegetation reacts to changeable livestock pressure (through floristic and plant trait variations). Cluster analysis indicated that separate communities develop under different stress intensities. Other analyses highlighted how avoidance strategies predominate within the pastoral system. Observations of grazed and ungrazed patches conducted in 10-m transects revealed spiny cushion formation in semimesic grassland, where a brief period of overgrazing occurs in late summer, causing variations in plant community structure. All these results confirm the importance of historical grazing and current land use, showing how small disturbances and stress variations cause ecosystem responses. Best practices for management were identified. In xeric conditions, it is advisable that the intensity of disturbance be lessened, while in semimesic grassland overgrazing should be forbidden during the dry period, because it could facilitate the development of spiny patches, and subsequent spread of Brachypodium rupestre.     

Impacts of alien plants and man‐made disturbance on soil‐growing bryophyte and lichen diversity in coastal areas of Sardinia (Italy)

Abstract

Seventy phytosociological relevés were performed in 1 m × 1 m plots at 14 study sites spread along sandy shores in northern and southern Sardinia (Italy). The plots were selected in different habitat types (open dunes, native Juniperus woodlands, maquis, and plantations with Acacia, Eucalyptus and Pinus) according to a stratified sampling method in order to investigate impacts deriving from different levels of Carpobrotus spp. cover, dry litter from exotic trees, and other disturbance types. The quantile regression and logistic regression analyses revealed that the reduction in the amount of bryophyte and lichen cover on sand dunes of the study area is caused either by a high cover of Carpobrotus spp. mats or by a high cover of dry exotic litter in dense, unmanaged or poorly managed forest plantations. Additional detrimental effects are often driven by other kinds of man‐made disturbances. Forest management in the coastal areas of Sardinia should be gradually modified to take into account the conservation of bryophytes and lichens. Some of the biological indicators used are quite widespread in the Mediterranean coastal habitats or are exclusively associated with sand dunes; therefore, they can also be conveniently used as indicators of biological impacts in other countries or islands of the same biogeographical region.     

Stand characteristics and biodiversity indicators along the productivity gradient in boreal forests: Defining a critical set of indicators for the monitoring of habitat nature quality

Abstract

We quantified the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on the structure and biodiversity of boreal forests on acidic soils and created a statistically supported rational set of indicators to monitor the stand “naturalness”. For that, we surveyed various traits of tree layer, understory, herb layer, forest floor and several widely accepted biodiversity epiphytic indicators in 252 old‐aged boreal stands in Estonia, mostly dominated by Scots pine or Norway spruce. Multifactorial general linear model analyses showed that many forest characteristics and potential indicators were confounded by the gradient of soil productivity (reflected by the forest site type), local biogeographic gradients and also by stand age. Considering confounding effects, boreal forests in a near‐natural state have more large‐diameter trees (diameter at breast height >40 cm) and larger variety of diameter classes, higher proportion of spruce or deciduous trees, a larger amount of coarse woody debris in various stages, a more closed tree canopy and denser understory than managed mature forests. By increasing light availability above the field layer, forest management indirectly increases the coverage of herbs and lichens on the forest floor but reduces the alpha‐ and beta‐diversity of herbs and the proportion of graminoids. Human disturbances reduce the relative incidence of many commonly accepted biodiversity indicators such as indicator lichens, woodpeckers, wood‐dwelling insects or fungi on trees. The test for the predictive power of characteristics reacting on disturbance revealed that only a fraction of them appeared to be included in a diagnostic easy‐to‐apply set of indicators to assess the nature quality of boreal forest: the amount of dead wood, the proportion of deciduous trees, the presence of specially shaped trees and woodpeckers and, as an indicator of disturbances, the forest herb Melampyrum pratensis. Many of these indicators have already been implemented in practice.