西藏岩蜥属一新种描述：（蜥蜴亚目：鬣蜥科）

９９５～１９９６年,作者撰写《中国动物志·蜥蜴亚目》卷鬣蜥科岩蜥属（Ｌａｕｄａｋｉａ）时,曾详细研究了中国科学院成都生物研究所两栖爬行动物研究室收藏的岩蜥属全部标本,发现其中采自西藏自治区扎达县的１号雄性标本是未经描述的新种,将其订名为西藏岩蜥（Ｌａｕｄａｋｉａｐａｐｅｎｆｕｓｉ）。其种名取自美国柏克利加州大学脊椎动物学博物馆ＴｈｅｏｄｏｒｅＪ．Ｐａｐｅｎｆｕｓ先生的姓氏。Ｐａｐｅｎｆｕｓｓ先生在本世纪８０年代与我所合作进行我国西部两栖爬行动物分类与生态的研究,曾数次到西藏野外工作。西藏岩蜥与南亚岩蜥（Ｌａｕｄａｋｉａｔｕｂｅｒｃｕｌａｔａ）相近,二者的主要区别在于：（１）前者鼻鳞椭圆形,鼻孔开口于其中央;后者鼻鳞梨形,鼻孔开口于其膨大部。（２）前者上鼻鳞１枚;后者上鼻鳞２枚。（３）前者上睫脊较不发达,脊缘钝且不上翘;后者上睫脊发达,脊缘锐利且向上翘。（４）前者体背及体侧分散有多数较小浅色点斑,点斑处为普通小鳞片,体背及体侧分散的若干较大锥鳞都不位于浅色点斑处;后者体背及体侧分散有若干橘黄色圆斑,圆斑所在或为１枚大的锥鳞,或为数枚较大刺鳞,或为中央１枚大的锥鳞围以一圈小鳞,圆斑之外无刺鳞或锥鳞。     

老秃顶子石河冰缘地貌森林群落物种多样性及其影响因素

基于对24个样地的调查数据,采用物种丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener指数以及Jaccard相似性指数,对辽东山地老秃顶子石河冰缘地貌森林群落物种多样性及其影响因子进行了研究。结果显示:(1)石河冰缘地貌森林群落中落叶阔叶林、针阔混交林和暗针叶林的物种丰富度指数平均值分别为41±10、34±5和31±7。森林群落物种丰富度变异系数均为中等变异性。(2)石河冰缘地貌森林群落中落叶阔叶林、针阔混交林和暗针叶林的Shannon-Wiener指数平均值分别为1.67±0.32、1.50±0.18和1.29±0.25。(3)石河冰缘地貌森林群落间Jaccard相似性指数为0.037~0.530,且集中在极不相似和中等不相似区间。(4)相关性分析结果显示,石河冰缘地貌海拔高度与森林群落乔木层物种丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener指数呈极显著负相关(P0.01),与灌木层物种丰富度指数呈显著负相关(P0.05);土壤电导率和含盐量均与森林群落物种多样性指数呈显著正相关(P0.05);土壤pH值与灌木层物种丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener指数呈极显著正相关(P0.01);土壤CaO含量分别与乔木层和灌木层的物种丰富度指数、乔木层Shannon-Wiener指数呈显著正相关(P0.05)。这表明海拔高度、土壤电导率、盐含量、pH值和CaO含量是影响石河冰缘地貌森林群落物种多样性变化的重要因素。     

The role of outcrops in the diversity of Patagonian vegetation: Relicts of glacial palaeofloras?

Outcrops around the world enhance biodiversity as they provide heterogeneous environments and varied habitats for species with different requirements than those living in the surroundings, and in this way they increase alpha and beta diversity. We studied the floristic composition of the vegetation of rock outcrops in northwestern Patagonia, Argentina, and compared them to the surrounding matrix of shrubland and steppe. For this we sampled 50 outcrops and 50 matrix plots close to them, identified all the species present, and analyzed their floristic composition with Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA). We also analyzed the floras of the north and south faces of the outcrops. The resulting ordinations were related to geographic gradients of the region. The proportions of alien to native species, different life forms, and phylogenetic groups of the outcrop floras were compared to the matrix with G-tests. Our results showed similar dominant families, life form proportions and percentage of alien species in the outcrops and the surrounding matrix. However, species composition of the outcrops was markedly different. North Patagonian outcrops present several taxa not found in the matrix, especially in their southern, less insolated walls. The previously recorded distribution of most of these exclusive species is found in colder areas further south. Thus, we hypothesize that outcrops could be acting as relicts of cold-adapted glacial paleofloras that were probably more extended during glacial times and retreated south after the last glacial maximum.     

Prehistoric settlement developments in the multi-period sites of south India,Brahmagiri Hill

This paper is focused on the multi-period sites in the core southern Neolithic region of south India to highlight their potential archaeological features and resources to assess land use and settlement patterns adopted by the mid-Holocene societies. Systematic archaeological reworks at the multi-period sites require particular attention to identify the resource locations and non-occupation sites for developing a comprehensive picture of the demographic and social models for explaining how people managed and shared resources within the site environs that continued to exist and operated for more than three thousand years spanning from Neolithic (3000-1200 BCE), Iron Age (1200-300 BCE) and Early History (300 BCE- 500 CE). Published archaeological data on major multi-period sites of south India is reviewed, compiled and attested with exploration findings from the Brahmagiri Hill. Here a fresh approach is made to assess the impact of Ashokan rock edicts on the social fabric and any landscape changes it brought to Isila (Isila is believed to be an early historic townsite at Brahmagiri ).     

岩生植物金发草生长特征研究

研究了重庆地区金发草在3种基质种生境中的生长特征.结果表明,种生境下金发草基径、冠幅、高度及根系面积、最长根和根深差异极显著.3种基质中,紫色土中金发草的地上部分基径(15.18cm)、冠幅(3086.77cm²)和高度(66.8cm)均为最大值,而紫色砂岩金发草的基径(10.89cm)、冠幅(1868.79cm²)和高度(60.7cm)均为最小值,但差异不显著.砂岩中金发草的根系比紫色土中分布广泛,差异显著,说明岩石生境中金发草将较多生物量投入到根系,通过增加根系的生长,提高其在岩石上的固着能力,扩大根系吸收面积,忍耐岩石基质的干燥和贫瘠.     

Rock-phosphate mobilization induced by the alkaline uptake pattern of legumes utilizing symbiotically fixed nitrogen

Summary Soybean and alfalfa were grown on sand and soil to which P was added in the form of finely ground rock phosphates. When the legumes depended on NO₃ as N source, more anionic than cationic nutrients were absorbed. This resulted in a pH increase in the growth medium and in very low availability of P added as rock phosphate. When, however, the legumes made use of symbiotically fixed N, more cationic than anionic nutrients were absorbed leading to an acidification of the growth medium and an ensuing mobilization and higher availability of the rock phosphates.Symbiotic N fixation which initiates the chain of reactions leading to an increased availability of rock phosphate-P is dependent on photosynthate supply and on the availability of phosphate. Therefore, in a separate experiment it was investigated whether a priming effect exerted by a small quantity of added easily soluble phosphate, could enhance the availability of rock phosphate-P to legumes. Results obtained indicated that easily soluble phosphate might indeed be effective in this respect.     

The Megophthalmidia (Diptera,Mycetophilidae) of North America including eight new species

Megophthalmidia Dziedzicki is a small leiine genus (Mycetophilidae) with seven species described from the Neotropics and ten species from the Palearctic region. Two species of Megophthalmidia have been reported for North America. Recent collecting of Mycetophilidae in California and Arizona, however, shows current North American diversity of Megophthalmidia is at least on par to other regions of the world. Eight new species of Megophthalmidia are described here, increasing the number of Nearctic Megophthalmidia species to nine. Included is a particularly atypical member of the genus, M. saskia sp. n., which expands the genus concept of Megophthalmidia. Of the two species previously recorded for North America, only one actually belongs in the genus. Megophthalmidia occidentalis Johannsen, is fully described and illustrated. The other named species, M. marceda (Sherman) is illustrated and transferred to the genus Ectrepesthoneura Enderlein. A lectotype is designated for this species. A key to the species of Megophthalmidia of North America is provided. The biology of these flies is not yet known. Three of the new Megophthalmidia species – M. lenimenta, M. misericordia, and M. radiata – are only known to occur within small protected areas within the California State Park and UC Natural Reserve systems.     

Endophytic bacteria in cacti seeds can improve the development of cactus seedlings

A plant–bacterium association between the giant cardon cactus Pachycereus pringlei and endophytic bacteria help seedlings establish and grow on barren rock. This cactus, together with other desert plants, is responsible for weathering ancient lava flows in the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. When cardon seeds are inoculated with endophytic bacteria, the seedlings grow in pulverized rock for at least a year without fertilization and without showing distress. The bacteria–plant association released significant amounts of necessary nutrients from the substrate. When endophytic bacteria were eliminated from the seeds by antibiotics, development of seedlings stopped. In complementary experiments of sterile seeds inoculated with the same endophytic bacteria, plant growth was restored. This study and the previous one show that, under extreme environmental conditions, a symbiotic relationship is present between endophytic bacteria and their cactus host.     

Physical, biogeochemical and isotopic processes related to heterogeneity of a shallow crystalline rock aquifer

This study deals with the chemical characterization of the biogeochemical processes occurring in a shallow aquifer in crystalline rocks. The influence of rock heterogeneity and the related physical processes on the aquifer biogeochemistry have been investigated. A hydrochemical survey (major anion and cation analysis) shows that rock heterogeneity leads to a stronger spatial than temporal variability. Some rapidly recharged and low- mineralized waters are present at the soil/rock interface. However the pumped well intersects a preferential flow path and pumps nitrate-rich water. Sulfur and oxygen isotope data from sulfates in the pumped water clearly show sulfide oxidation with only 20–30% of the oxygen atoms in sulfates formed by sulfide oxidation coming from atmospheric oxygen. This low contribution of molecular oxygen in sulfide oxidation, associated with the drastic decrease in nitrate concentration, involves a marked relationship between the nitrogen and sulfur cycles through denitrification, coupled with sulfide oxidation. Conversely, for rapidly recharged waters, the rock physical heterogeneity allows sulfide oxidation by molecular oxygen indicated by a contribution of atmospheric oxygen of nearly 70% in the newly formed sulfate. As the aquifer biogeochemistry is controlled by the physical characteristics of the rocks, pumping may overcome the natural flux pattern described previously. This anthropogenic disturbance leads to a modification of water pathways (spatial mixing or relative contribution of the fracture/matrix waters to the global fluxes) and, consequently, to a modification of the physical and biogeochemical processes occurring in the aquifer.