Invertebrate DNA metabarcoding reveals changes in communities across mine site restoration chronosequences

Invertebrate biomonitoring can reveal crucial information about the status of restoration projects; however, it is routinely underused because of the high level of taxonomic expertise and resources required. Invertebrate DNA metabarcoding has been used to characterize invertebrate biodiversity but its application in restoration remains untested. We use DNA metabarcoding, a new approach for restoration assessment, to explore the invertebrate composition from pitfall traps at two mine site restoration chronosequences in southwestern Australia. Invertebrates were profiled using two cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 assays to investigate invertebrate biodiversity. The data revealed differences between invertebrate communities at the two mines and between the different age plots of the chronosequences. Several characteristic taxa were identified for each age within the chronosequence, including springtails within the youngest sites (Order: Collembola) and millipedes within the oldest and reference sites (Order: Julida). This study facilitates development of a molecular “toolkit” for the monitoring of ecological restoration projects. We suggest that a metabarcoding approach shows promise in complementing current monitoring practices that rely on alpha taxonomy.     

喀斯特森林植被自然恢复过程中土壤可矿化碳库特征

2011年9月,采用空间代替时间方法,研究了茂兰自然保护区喀斯特森林自然恢复过程中土壤可矿化碳库的特征.结果表明: 研究期间,喀斯特森林自然恢复过程中不同深度土壤的总有机碳含量、可矿化碳含量和矿化速率随土层加深而减少,随恢复的进程而增加;累积矿化排放量及其速率随恢复的进程增加,其速率随培养时间延长而减小;矿化率随恢复的进程增加,而随土层加深的变化不明显;qCO₂值随恢复的进程和土层加深而递减;土壤可矿化碳与凋落物现存量及其分解质量损失率分别呈负相关(r=-0.796)和正相关(r=0.924);土壤生境由早期干扰强烈转向中后期日趋稳定,土壤的固碳能力由早期差、潜力大转向中后期强、潜力小.     

Photosynthetic traits of Sphagnum and feather moss species in undrained,drained and rewetted boreal spruce swamp forests

In restored peatlands, recovery of carbon assimilation by peat‐forming plants is a prerequisite for the recovery of ecosystem functioning. Restoration by rewetting may affect moss photosynthesis and respiration directly and/or through species successional turnover. To quantify the importance of the direct effects and the effects mediated by species change in boreal spruce swamp forests, we used a dual approach: (i) we measured successional changes in moss communities at 36 sites (nine undrained, nine drained, 18 rewetted) and (ii) photosynthetic properties of the dominant Sphagnum and feather mosses at nine of these sites (three undrained, three drained, three rewetted). Drainage and rewetting affected moss carbon assimilation mainly through species successional turnover. The species differed along a light‐adaptation gradient, which separated shade‐adapted feather mosses from Sphagnum mosses and Sphagnum girgensohnii from other Sphagna, and a productivity and moisture gradient, which separated Sphagnum riparium and Sphagnum girgensohnii from the less productive S. angustifolium, S. magellanicum and S. russowii. Undrained and drained sites harbored conservative, low‐production species: hummock‐Sphagna and feather mosses, respectively. Ditch creation and rewetting produced niches for species with opportunistic strategies and high carbon assimilation. The direct effects also caused higher photosynthetic productivity in ditches and in rewetted sites than in undrained and drained main sites.     

北京山区植被动态及生态恢复的遥感监测

基于北京地区1979、1988、1999、2005和2009年5期Landsat数据,利用基于植被指数的像元线性分解模型对植被覆盖度进行反演,分析了北京山区植被覆盖的时空动态,并通过提取植被退化和修复的区域,研究了海拔、坡度和土壤类型对生态修复的影响.结果表明：1979-1988年,北京山区植被覆盖基本稳定,其后由于社会经济的快速发展,1988-2000年北京山区植被严重退化,2000年以后由于采取多种保护措施,大部分区域生态恢复效果明显,2009年平均覆盖度达到72%,比1999年增加了13%.北京山区植被覆盖变化与地理特征密切相关,土壤贫瘠和坡度较大区域在自然状态下的退化比例相对较高,且退化后不易自然恢复,而低海拔区域受人为因素的影响更大.     

Beyond Reserves: A Research Agenda for Conserving Biodiversity in Human-modified Tropical Landscapes

To truly understand the current status of tropical diversity and to forecast future trends, we need to increase emphasis on the study of biodiversity in rural landscapes that are actively managed or modified by people. We present an integrated landscape approach to promote research in human-modified landscapes that includes the effects of landscape structure and dynamics on conservation of biodiversity, provision of ecosystem services, and sustainability of rural livelihoods. We propose research priorities encompassing three major areas: biodiversity, human–environment interactions, and restoration ecology. We highlight key areas where we lack knowledge and where additional understanding is most urgent for promoting conservation and sustaining rural livelihoods. Finally, we recommend participatory and multidisciplinary approaches in research and management. Lasting conservation efforts demand new alliances among conservation biologists, agroecologists, agronomists, farmers, indigenous peoples, rural social movements, foresters, social scientists, and land managers to collaborate in research, co-design conservation programs and policies, and manage human-modified landscapes in ways that enhance biodiversity conservation and promote sustainable livelihoods.     

广西木论喀斯特森林土壤养分水平与植被及地形的关系

研究了广西木论喀斯特森林原生植被和次生植被的土壤养分特征,测定了陡坡、缓坡、洼地3种主要地形内林地0～5 cm表层土壤中的有机质(SOM)、氮、磷、钾含量,以及它们在石土面、土面两类主要小生境间的差异.结果表明:林分成熟度高、优势种不明显的原生林积累了高水平的SOM,缓坡石土面最高,达345 g kg-1,洼地的含量较低,但仍在80 g kg-1以上;土壤全氮(TN)、碱解氮(AN)含量也较高.以红背山麻杆(Alchornea trewioides)、广西野桐(Mallotus conspuyrcatus)、伞花木(Eurycorymbus cavderiei)等为优势种的次生林,物种多样性较原生林低,SOM、TN、AN含量也低,缓坡石土面和土面小生境的SOM分别为110 g kg-1和77 g kg-1,是原生林的32%和35%,下降幅度最大,其次为陡坡,而洼地的差异不明显.全磷(TP)、有效磷(AP)、全钾(TK)、有效钾(AK)含量在两林型间差异无明显规律.原生林和次生林土壤养分含量(除TK外)以缓坡>陡坡>洼地;但次生林中三者间无显著差异.同类型样地内小生境土壤养分含量(除TK外)均为石土面含量高于土面.     

甘肃甘南藏族自治州生态环境现状与恢复对策

甘南藏族自治州生态环境状况,对于保障黄河、长江中下游地区生态安全具有重要作用。受多种因素影响,该地区生态环境受到严重破坏。在资料查阅、实地考察与访谈的基础上,阐述了甘南藏族自治州生态环境的现状,分析了产生这种现状的原因,最后提出了重建对策。     

Multivariate analysis of the vegetation of the volcanoes Tláloc and Pelado,Mexico

Abstract. Multivariate analysis was used to describe the composition and distribution of vegetation types on the slopes of the volcanoes Tláloc and Pelado, Mexico. These volcanoes are situated in the transitional zone between the Holarctic and Neotropical floristic regions, which offers a partial explanation for the relatively high α and β diversities. Previous research argued that human activities, i.e. burning and grazing, rather than abiotic factors, play a major role in determining the distribution and floristic composition of the vegetation. TWINSPAN, Detrended Correspondence Analysis and Canonical Correspondence Analysis were used to test this hypothesis. Floristic and environmental data from 138 relevés and seven explanatory environmental variables were included: elevation, soil depth, soil moisture, percentage litter cover, percentage cover of bare ground, burning and grazing were included in the analysis. Soil moisture and elevation accounted for ca. 63% of the residual inertia and none of the remaining explanatory variables proved to be correlated significantly with the first two axes. The present results suggest that burning and grazing operate on a finer scale. In conclusion, soil moisture and elevation are the most relevant variables to explain the distribution of the vegetation under study.     

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。