Seed dispersal in a polder after partial tidal restoration: Implications for salt‐marsh restoration

Question: The vegetation in a polder after partial tidal restoration does not resemble the targeted salt‐marsh vegetation. Is this difference in vegetation due to lack of dispersal or unsuitable abiotic conditions? What could be done for a better restoration of the site? Location: Northwestern France. Methods: Seeds were trapped at the single inlet of the polder with a 200‐μ m mesh net to estimate inputs of seeds from the bay. In parallel, seed dispersal was studied in the polder by placing Astroturf® seed traps on the surface of the sediment at three different elevations in three distinct areas. Abiotic conditions such as flooding frequency, water table level and soil salinity were monitored. Results: All but one species from the adjacent salt marshes were trapped at the inlet. Not all of these species were on the seed traps inside the polder. Seed dispersal was not homogeneous in the polder and seed trap content mostly discriminated in function of their elevation. Salinity and water logging at the bottom of the slope were very high compared to tolerance of most halophytes but decreased rapidly higher up the slope. Conclusions: The development of salt marsh target species is highly restricted by limited hydrochory inside the polder but also by unfavourable soil conditions induced by the actual hydrological regime. Halophytes are excluded at the bottom of the slope by abiotic conditions and out‐competed by sub‐halophytes higher up. In order to restore salt marsh vegetation inside the polder, a larger opening should be induced in order to increase the flooded surface, and diminish water logging and flooding frequencies.     

Feeding and Growth Response of Roach, Rutilus rutilus, to Alarm Substance

Feeding and growth responses of roach from three size classes to alarm substance (Schreckstoff) were quantified in laboratory experiments. Larger fish (60.0–80.0 mm in length) reacted stronger to treatment than two smaller sized groups (35.0–45.0 and 46.0–55.0 mm) lowering feeding rate by 80 and 40 and 50%, respectively. The reduction in feeding rate of larger fish caused decrease in growth rate in length and weight, while the lowered consumption of smaller fish caused only reduction in growth rate in weight. Condition factor of exposed to alarm substance small sized roach was lower than that of the control individuals and roach from other two size classes, both, treated and untreated. The difference in growth response to a danger of predation has its roots probably in different metabolism and growth rates of small and large fish. Small fish have higher metabolic rate and less lipid reserves than larger ones, therefore they are probably forced to feed to be able to grow. Also, small sized roach is more vulnerable to predation than large sized fish, thus growing fast seem to be crucial for survival in a risky environment. Study shows that small roach trade off their safety against food, feeding in risky environment to sustain fast growth. This ability of fast outgrowing of a dangerous, vulnerable to predators, size increases survival of juveniles in dangerous environment.     

Spatially modelling native vegetation condition

Summary   The assessment of vegetation condition is seen as an increasingly important requirement for effective biodiversity conservation in Australia. Condition assessments that operate at the scale of the site are well established. However, there is a need for mapped representations of vegetation condition at regional scales to: (i) assist with regional planning and target setting; (ii) provide regional context for site-based assessment; and (iii) monitor the change in vegetation condition at multiple scales. This paper describes a methodology for converting site condition data collected in plots into maps of vegetation condition across entire regions using a predictive statistical modelling framework (Generalized Additive Modelling) combined with a GIS. The research demonstrates how explanatory variables including topographic position, terrain roughness, landscape connectivity and remote sensing derived indices can be used to map the condition of native vegetation at the scale of a subcatchment. The inclusion of indices derived from remotely sensed imagery (SPOT4) as explanatory variables in the modelling is a novel component of this research. Although the methodology generates statistically and ecologically plausible models of vegetation condition, there are nevertheless limitations associated with the way plot data were collected and some of the explanatory variables, which impacts upon model utility. We discuss how these problems can be minimized when embarking upon studies of this type. We demonstrate how maps produced from exercises such as this could be used for conservation planning and discuss the limitations of these data for monitoring.     

Temporal response of stream benthic macroinvertebrate communities to the synergistic effects of anthropogenic acidification and natural drought events

1. We evaluated whether the surprisingly weak biological recovery associated with declines in acid deposition were related to drought‐induced re‐acidification of streams. We used test site analysis (TSA) to characterise temporal changes (1995–2003) in the degree and nature of impairments to stream benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) communities influenced by acid deposition and drought. 2. The BMI communities in four historically impacted test streams were compared with communities in 30 minimally impacted reference streams. Six multivariate (e.g. ordination axes scores) and four traditional (e.g. % Diptera) summary metrics were used to describe BMI communities. Using all metrics simultaneously (i.e. Mahalanobis or generalised distance), the TSA provided a single probability that a test community was impaired. If a test community was significantly impaired, a further analysis was done to identify the metric(s) important in distinguishing the test community from reference condition. 3. Results of the TSAs indicated that the generalised distances between test communities and the reference condition were inversely related to stream water pH (n = 36). The TSAs also indicated ordination metrics based on BMI abundance were important in distinguishing significantly impaired communities from reference conditions. Temporal trends indicated that there has been short‐term recovery of these BMI communities, but that overall improvements have been hampered by acid or metal toxicity associated with drought‐induced re‐acidification of the streams. 4. Our use of a variety of summary metrics to obtain a single statistical test of significance within the context of the reference‐condition approach provided a simple and unambiguous framework for evaluating the biological condition of test sites.     

低温条件下广聚萤叶甲成虫的耐饥饿能力

【背景】广聚萤叶甲是恶性入侵杂草豚草的一种重要专一性天敌,在冬季低温且缺乏食物的条件下,广聚萤叶甲的耐饥饿能力直接关系到其越冬种群的虫源基数。【方法】在室内观察广聚萤叶甲成虫在10℃低温条件下的存活率和死亡率,研究了水分(有水、无水)、不同密度(一雌一雄、二雌二雄、五雌五雄)、加入泥土枯枝对广聚萤叶甲耐饥饿能力的影响。【结果】无水、有水条件下,广聚萤叶甲成虫的平均存活时间分别为(15.23±1.01)、(13.33±0.88)d,水分对广聚萤叶甲的耐饥力的影响不显著;随着密度的增加,广聚萤叶甲的耐饥饿能力增强,一雌一雄、二雌二雄和五雌五雄的平均存活时间依次为(11.96±0.57)、(13.78±0.60)、(14.81±0.42)d;加入泥土和豚草枯枝后,广聚萤叶甲的耐饥饿能力明显提高,其平均存活时间为(15.97±1.05)d。【结论与意义】低温条件下广聚萤叶甲的耐饥饿能力较强,可保证部分广聚萤叶甲的自然种群在野外安全越冬,研究低温条件下广聚萤叶甲的耐饥饿能力对豚草的生物防治具有重要意义。     

1株阿魏酸酯酶产生菌的筛选鉴定及发酵条件优化

从浙江绍兴鉴湖附近土样中分离筛选到1株产阿魏酸酯酶(ferulic acid esterase,FAE)的菌株FD-8,通过菌落形态、分生孢子梗形态对比和ITS/18S rDNA分子生物学同源性分析,鉴定该菌株为溜曲霉,命名为Aspergillus tamarii FD-8。FD-8生长最适碳源和氮源分别为蔗糖和酵母浸提物,最适生长温度和pH分别为32℃和5.0,最适产酶条件为32℃、pH 6.0,发酵周期为120 h。在最适培养基中、分阶段控制pH培养条件下,FAE比酶活达到231.34 mU/mg。去淀粉麸皮可诱导FAE的合成,在发酵48 h添加20.0 g/L去淀粉麸皮,FAE最高比酶活可达到573.61 mU/mg,比对照提高1.48倍。     

不同水氮处理对玉米-大豆间作群体内作物光能截获、竞争和利用的影响

通过田间试验研究了不同水氮处理对玉米-大豆间作群体的光能截获、竞争与利用的影响。试验设置充分供水和水分亏缺两种水分处理以及施氮(亩施纯氮7.5 kg)和不施氮两种氮肥处理。结果表明,在生育中后期,同一氮肥处理条件下,充分供水处理间作作物的光能截获率显著高于水分亏缺处理;相同水分条件下,施氮处理间作大豆的光能截获率略高于不施氮处理,但未达到显著水平,而施氮处理间作玉米的光能截获率则显著高于不施氮处理。从播后第64天到成熟,同一氮肥处理条件下,充分供水提高了间作玉米的光能竞争比,但却降低了间作大豆的光能竞争比。从播后第73天到成熟,相同水分条件下,施氮处理间作玉米的光能竞争比显著高于不施氮处理,而大豆的光能竞争比在两个氮肥处理间则没有显著差异。充分供水条件下,施氮处理间作玉米的光能利用效率(LUE)为3.87 g/MJ,略高于不施氮处理(3.81 g/MJ);水分亏缺条件下,施氮处理间作玉米的LUE(3.86 g/MJ)比不施氮处理(3.72 g/MJ)高3.6%。充分供水条件下,施氮处理间作大豆的LUE(1.62 g/MJ)比不施氮处理(1.57 g/MJ)高3.2%;水分亏缺条件下,施氮处理间作大豆的LUE为1.55 g/MJ,与不施氮处理(1.54 g/MJ)基本相同,表明与氮肥处理相比,水分状况对大豆LUE的影响更为明显。     

Density dependence of developmental instability in a dimorphic ungulate

The use of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) for biomonitoring environmental stress is limited by the lack of work on how FA in particular traits responds to specific stresses. Here, by manipulating the number of individuals in an enclosed fallow deer (Dama dama) population, we describe, for the first time, clear density dependence in the FA of juvenile jaw morphology. The impact of high population density on FA was strong for both sexes, supporting the use of FA for indexing environmental stress. In addition, there was some indication that the change in FA was greater in males (43.6%) than females (28.5%). Finally, the ability to buffer density-dependent stress was independent of body condition. We suggest that, under highly limiting conditions, whole cohorts may be unable to buffer against developmental error, irrespective of individual quality.     

紫胶虫最佳生长地的植被条件分析

本文在对紫胶产区进行调查的基础上,分析了云南紫胶虫最佳生长地的植被条件、对其中的四种群落类型从植物种类成分、群落结构和群落生态等方面进行分析。根据丰富的寄主资源和有利于紫胶虫越冬的气候条件指出“暖热性稀树灌草丛”及“河谷季雨林次生林和灌丛”是云南紫胶虫及其主要寄主植物的适生类型。本文在总结紫胶产区的经验基础上,提出了开发利用的意见和改造的措施。