High and dry: post‐fire tree seedling establishment in subalpine forests decreases with post‐fire drought and large stand‐replacing burn patches

Aim Climate warming and increased wildfire activity are hypothesized to catalyse biogeographical shifts, reducing the resilience of fire‐prone forests world‐wide. Two key mechanisms underpinning hypotheses are: (1) reduced seed availability in large stand‐replacing burn patches, and (2) reduced seedling establishment/survival after post‐fire drought. We tested for regional evidence consistent with these mechanisms in an extensive fire‐prone forest biome by assessing post‐fire tree seedling establishment, a key indicator of forest resilience. Location Subalpine forests, US Rocky Mountains. Methods We analysed post‐fire tree seedling establishment from 184 field plots where stand‐replacing forest fires were followed by varying post‐fire climate conditions. Generalized linear mixed models tested how establishment rates varied with post‐fire drought severity and distance to seed source (among other relevant factors) for tree species with contrasting post‐fire regeneration adaptations. Results Total post‐fire tree seedling establishment (all species combined) declined sharply with greater post‐fire drought severity and with greater distance to seed sources (i.e. the interior of burn patches). Effects varied among key species groups. For conifers that dominate present‐day subalpine forests (Picea engelmannii, Abies lasiocarpa), post‐fire seedling establishment declined sharply with both factors. One exception was serotinous Pinus contorta, which did not vary with either factor. For montane species expected to move upslope under future climate change (Larix occidentalis, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Populus tremuloides) and upper treeline species (Pinus albicaulis), establishment was unrelated to either factor. Greater post‐fire tree seedling establishment on cooler/wetter aspects suggested local topographic refugia during post‐fire droughts. Main conclusions If future drought and wildfire patterns manifest as expected, post‐fire tree seedling establishment of species that currently characterize subalpine forests could be substantially reduced. Compensatory increases from lower montane and upper treeline species may partially offset these reductions, but our data suggest important near‐ to mid‐term shifts in the composition and structure of high‐elevation forests under continued climate warming and increased wildfire activity.     

南岭国家级自然保护区蝴蝶多样性与区系研究

广东南岭国家级自然保护区位于南岭山脉中段的核心区域,在生物进化史中具有特殊的地位。对栖息微环境变化敏感的蝶类是生态环境变化的指示物种,对其进行多样性和区系的研究,可为南岭蝶类资源的保护和利用等提供科学依据。于1990-1997年,2006-2016年连续多次对该保护区蝶类进行了调查,结果显示:共记录蝴蝶11科218属501种,是国内诸保护区中蝴蝶种数最多的。分布在东洋区的蝴蝶共377种,占蝶类种数的75.2%,古北区94种,占18.8%,其它跨区系分布的只有30种,属东洋区主导的分布型;国内分布于华南、西南、华中3区的蝴蝶共391种(78.04%),其它分布区种类少,这些说明南岭蝴蝶与南岭植物一样主要属亚热带成分。从自然保护区尺度的蝴蝶区系相似性比较看出,种类数和区系相似性都随着离南岭的距离增大而减少,与海南尖峰岭相比热带成分明显减少,这些说明南岭蝴蝶组分不仅有热带向亚热带过渡的特点,而且明显表现出以南岭为核心向周边扩散,暗示了南岭中段可能为我国蝴蝶的起源和分化中心。弄蝶是蝶类中系统发育过程中最古老的类群,该保护区弄蝶达132种,占我国弄蝶种数的35.68%,这可能与丰富而古老的植物区系紧密相关;黛眼蝶属(幼虫以竹子为寄主)有28种,居国内各保护区之首,这与南岭山地丰富的竹类资源有关,这些表明植物与蝴蝶间密切的协同进化关系。     

Phylogeography suggest the Yili Valley being the glacial refuge of the genus Ixiolirion (Amaryllidaceae) in China

The Pleistocene climatic oscillations had profound effects on the demographic history and genetic diversification of plants in arid north-west China where some glacial refugia have been recognized. The genus Ixiolirion comprises three species, of which two, I. tataricum and I. songaricum (endemic), occur in China. In some locations they are sympatric. We investigated their population structure and population history in response to past climatic change using a sample of 619 individuals in 34 populations with nITS and ptDNA sequences. A significant genetic divergence between the two species was supported by a high level of pairwise genetic differentiation, very low gene flow, and phylogenetic analysis showing that I. songaricum haplotypes were monophyletic, whereas those of I. tataricum were polyphyletic. We found significant differentiation and phylogeographic structure in both species. The split of the two species was dated to the late Miocene (～7?Ma), but deep divergence occurred in the mid-late Quaternary. A similar haplotype distribution pattern was found in both species: one to two dominant haplotypes across most populations, with unique haplotypes in a few populations or a geographic group. The genetic diversity, haplotype number, and haplotype diversity decreased from the Yili Valley to the central Tianshan and Barluk Mountains. Additionally, ptDNA analysis showed that I. tataricum diversified in the eastern Tianshan and Barluk Mountains, which might be due to physical barriers to long distance seed dispersal such as desert. In conclusion, our results indicated that the Yili Valley was likely a glacial refuge for Ixiolirion in China, with postglacial dispersal from the Yili Valley eastward to the eastern Tianshan Mountains, and northward to the Barluk Mountains. The climatic changes in the Miocene and Pleistocene and geographic barriers are important factors driving species divergence and differentiation of Ixiolirion and other taxa.     

2006—2017年长白山阔叶红松林木本植物种子雨的时空动态

种子是森林更新的基础.为研究长白山阔叶红松林种子雨组成及时空变化,在长白山阔叶红松林25 hm²样地内设置150个面积为0.5 m²的收集器.自2006年5月至2017年12月收集252次,共收集到成熟、未成熟种子764299粒,隶属12科17属27种,其中,主林层树种13种704231粒,占总数的90%以上.种子最多的4个树种依次为紫椴、水曲柳、色木槭、假色槭,每年各个收集器都收集到这4个树种的种子;种子雨大爆发现象在各林层树种均存在,次林层和林下层较主林层树种滞后1~2年;各林层树种集中在秋季产生种子,各树种的种子雨都存在较大的时空变异性,相对而言,多数树种的空间变异性大于时间变异性;与科罗拉多岛(BCI)热带森林样地和浙江古田山亚热带常绿林样地种子产量的年际变异系数相比,长白山阔叶红松林种子产量年际变异系数较大,支持高纬度地区种子产量变异性高于低纬度地区的假说.     

2000-2017年新疆天山植被水分利用效率时空特征及其与气候因子关系分析

水分利用效率(WUE)是衡量生态系统碳水循环耦合程度的重要指标, 估算新疆天山及南北主要绿洲的植被WUE并分析其时空变化规律, 探索其影响因素, 对该区域生态系统保护、农业水资源的合理利用与开发等方面具有重要的意义。基于MODIS遥感数据、气象数据和土地利用类型数据, 分析新疆天山近18年植被WUE时空变化特征以及与气候因子的关系。结果表明: (1) 2000-2017年新疆天山植被WUE变化范围为0.84-1.34 g·mm ^-1·m ^-2, 多年均值为1.11 g·mm ^-1·m ^-2, 整体呈减少趋势, 变化率为-0.014 1 g·mm ^-1·m ^-2·a ^-1; 空间分布具有较强的垂直地带性规律, 1 000 m以上的区域随着海拔的升高而减少。(2)植被WUE年内变化呈单峰型变化格局, 具有明显的季节性差异, 表现为: 夏季>春季>秋季>冬季。(3)相关分析和统计结果表明, 新疆天山植被WUE时空变化受到气温影响的区域占33.23%, 受降水影响的区域占8.57%, 受气温和降水综合强影响的区域占5.63%, 气温和降水综合弱影响的区域占13.13%; 因此气候因素中气温在新疆天山植被WUE的变化中起到主导作用。(4)水田与旱地水分利用效率随着时间变化呈持续减少趋势, 并且这些区域基本上受到非气候因子的影响, 说明当地人类活动存在不合理性。     

大小兴安岭可培养细菌的资源多样性

细菌作为微生物中的重要组成部分, 在有机质的形成与分解、维持生态系统平衡、促进动植物发育等多方面都有着重要作用。2014-2017年, 我们采用常见培养基分离纯培养法及16S rRNA基因序列分析方法对大小兴安岭地区土壤可培养细菌的群落结构和多样性进行了调查研究。结果表明: 从大小兴安岭地区的17个自然保护区内不同生境的土壤中分离获得3,180个菌株, 隶属于24属120种。其中, 芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)的种数和株数最多, 分别为38种和2,419株, 是大小兴安岭地区可培养细菌的绝对优势类群(占总株数的76.1%); 其次是短杆菌属(Brevibacterium)(13.0%)。大兴安岭地区的物种数、Simpson多样性指数和Shannon-Wiener指数高于小兴安岭地区。优势类群芽孢杆菌属的枯草芽孢杆菌(B. subtilis)、苏云金芽孢杆菌(B. thuringiensis)、巨大芽孢杆菌(B. megaterium)等有重要的生产及科学研究价值。     

不同海拔温度和降水对新疆阿尔泰山西伯利亚落叶松径向生长的影响

为定量并分离关键气候因子对新疆阿尔泰山不同海拔树木径向生长的影响,通过对高、中和低海拔的西伯利亚落叶松(Larixsibirica)树轮宽度标准年表与气候因子分别进行相关、多元线性回归等统计分析,并进一步计算了线性模型中不同气候因素的绝对和相对贡献率。结果表明,高海拔地区,当年6月温度和上年7月降水分别与径向生长呈显著正相关和负相关,两者共同解释西伯利亚落叶松径向生长变异的33.1%,相对贡献率分别为66.2%和33.8%;中海拔地区,当年6月温度和上年6月降水分别与径向生长呈显著正相关和负相关,两者共同解释径向生长变异的26.8%,相对贡献率分别为40.1%和59.9%;低海拔地区,上年6月温度和7月降水分别与径向生长呈显著负相关和正相关,两者共同解释径向生长变异的29.4%,相对贡献率分别为31.9%和68.1%。这表明限制树木径向生长的主要影响因子随海拔的不同而异,在高海拔地区,温度是主要限制因子;而在低海拔地区,降雨是主要限制因子。     

新疆阿尔泰山南麓平茶渍属地衣3个中国新记录种

平茶渍属(Aspicilia)是地衣型真菌的重要类群之一。该类真菌在干旱、半干旱地区尤为丰富,因此在地处半干旱区的新疆,其分布也极其多样。该研究对采自新疆阿尔泰山南麓可可托海风景区的平茶渍属地衣标本,从形态解剖、化学显色反应及薄层层析法和生境等多个角度进行了综合分析,发现中国新记录种3个,分别为博伊金平茶渍(Aspicilia boykinii)、烟色平茶渍(A.fumosa)和斯氏平茶渍(A.sipeana)。提供了这3个新记录种的外部宏观形态和内部解剖结构彩色图。     

高黎贡山雉类生境预测

物种分布信息对野生动物的保护和管理至关重要。基于物种访查数据和气候数据,采用基于物种生境偏好、利比希最小因子定律和谢尔福德耐受性定律构建的生态位模型,综合考虑物种出现点和环境变量,预测了高黎贡山白尾梢虹雉Lophophorus sclateri、血雉Ithaginis cruentus、白鹇Lophura nycthemera、白腹锦鸡Chrysolophus amherstiae的潜在分布区域。结果表明,模型对4种雉类的预测均达到较好效果;白尾梢虹雉、血雉、白鹇和白腹锦鸡的潜在生境总面积分别为6 432 km^2、8 464 km^2、9 573 km^2和13 691 km^2,白鹇和白腹锦鸡的潜在生境面积大于白尾梢虹雉和血雉,但后两者具有更多的高质量生境。高黎贡山北段是4种雉类潜在生境的重叠区,为高黎贡山雉类保护的优先区域,尤其是白尾梢虹雉,建议加大该区域的雉类调查和保护力度。     

Is dietary or microhabitat specialization associated with environmental heterogeneity in horned lizards (Phrynosoma)?

Niche breadth is predicted to correlate with environmental heterogeneity, such that generalists will evolve in heterogeneous environments and specialists will evolve in environments that vary less over space and time. We tested the hypothesis that lizards in a heterogeneous environment were generalists compared to lizards in a homogeneous environment. We compared niche breadths of greater short‐horned lizards by quantifying resource selection in terms of two different niche axes, diet (prey items and trophic level), and microhabitat (ground cover and shade cover) between two populations occurring at different elevations. We assessed the heterogeneity of dietary and microhabitat resources within each population's environment by quantifying the availability of prey items, ground cover, and shade cover in each environment. Overall, our results demonstrate that despite differences in resource heterogeneity between elevations, resource selection did not consistently differ between populations. Moreover, environmental heterogeneity was not associated with generalization of resource use. The low‐elevation site had a broader range of available prey items, yet lizards at the high‐elevation site demonstrated more generalization in diet. In contrast, the high‐elevation site had a broader range of available microhabitats, but the lizard populations at both sites were similarly generalized for shade cover selection and were similarly specialized for ground cover selection. Our results demonstrate that environmental heterogeneity of a particular resource does not necessarily predict the degree to which organisms specialize on that resource.