A new species of Centaurea (Asteraceae) from Sicily

A new species of Centaurea, Centaurea sicana , endemic to Sicily, is described. This new taxon is close to Centaurea parlatoris and Centaurea giardinae (Sect. Dissectae), the former occurring at Palermo and in the Madonie Mountains, while the latter occurs on the Etna volcano. The new species has so far been found only on the Sicani Mountains, a limestone mountain range in western Sicily, while the related species occur in the surrounding mountains. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 157 , 785–788.     

Morphotypes,varieties, or subspecies?: genetic diversity and differentiation of four Saintpaulia (Gesneriaceae) morphotypes from the East Usambara Mountains,Tanzania

Saintpaulia (H. Wendl.) is a forest-dependent, endangered plant genus endemic to Tanzania and Kenya. The taxonomy of Saintpaulia from the Usambara Mountains and adjacent lowlands in north-eastern Tanzania is problematic because of the morphological similarity of the species and the presence of considerable intraspecific variation. Conventional molecular phylogenetic methods have failed to reveal the genetic structure of this Saintpaulia complex. In this study, we assessed the genetic composition of 12 Saintpaulia populations, representing four different morphotypes, from the East Usambara Mountains using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Relatively high genetic diversities were observed within populations (mean h  = 0.320), indicating their adaptive potential. Little genetic differentiation amongst populations (mean F _st  = 0.063) and the genetic divergence of the rosulate and trailing morphotypes support the hypothesis of ongoing divergent evolution within the East Usambara metapopulation(s) of Saintpaulia .  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 157 , 347–355.     

Hydrodynamic characteristics and mixing behaviour of Sclerotium glucanicum culture fluids in an airlift reactor with an internal loop used for scleroglucan production

The filamentous fungus, Sclerotium glucanicum NRRL 3006, was cultivated in a 0.008 m³ airlift bioreactor with internal recirculation loop (ARL-IL) for production of the biopolymer, scleroglucan. The rheological behaviour of the culture fluid was characterised by measurement of the fluid consistency coefficient (K) and the flow behaviour index (n). Based on these measurements, the culture fluid changed from a low viscosity Newtonian system early in the process, to a viscous non-Newtonian (pseudoplastic) system. In addition, reactor hydrodynamics and mixing behaviour were characterised by measurement of whole mean gas hold-up (ɛ _g), liquid re-circulation velocity (U _ld) and mixing time (t _m). Under identical process conditions, the effects of the viscosity of the culture fluid and air flow rate on ɛ _g, U _ld and t _m were examined and empirical correlations for ɛ _g, U _ld and t _m with both superficial velocity U _g and consistency coefficient K were obtained and expressed separately. The correlations obtained are likely to describe the behaviour of real fungal culture fluids more accurately than previous correlations based on Newtonian or simulated non-Newtonian systems. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2001) 27, 208–214. Received 05 June 2000/ Accepted in revised form 18 March 2001     

Phylogeography of the red-tailed chipmunk (Tamias ruficaudus), a northern Rocky Mountain endemic

The northern Rocky Mountains have experienced a complex history of geological events and environmental fluctuation, including Pleistocene glaciation. To provide an initial assessment of the genetic impact of this history on the regional biota we estimated phylogenetic relationships within Tamias ruficaudus, a regional endemic, from cytochrome b sequence variation using parsimony, maximum likelihood, and nested clade analysis. Analyses of sequence variation in 187 individuals from 43 localities across the distribution of T. ruficaudus indicate a history of vicariance events and range fluctuation consistent with successive periods of extensive Pleistocene glaciation in the northern Rocky Mountains. Intraspecific divergence levels (c. 4.7% uncorrected) and phylogenetic structure are consistent with a genealogical vicariance initiated prior to the Late Pleistocene, whereas nested clade analyses indicate more recent population history structured by both fragmentation and range expansion. A comparison of sequence variation with bacular morphology indicates that the two genetically and morphologically differentiated entities exhibit a zone of differential character introgression. Sequence data support a multiple refugia hypothesis and provide a phylogeographical case study for the ongoing synthesis of regional biogeography for northern Rocky Mountain endemics.     

Genetic consequences of ecological reserve design guidelines: An empirical investigation

We assessed the geneticdiversity consequences of applying ecologicalreserve design guidelines to four federally-listedglobally-rare plant species. Consequences weremeasured using two metrics: proportion of allalleles and of common alleles included inreserves. Common alleles were defined as those alleleshaving a frequency of 0.05 in at least onepopulation. Four conservation professionalsapplied ecological reserve guidelines to choosespecific populations of each species forinclusion in reserves of size 1 to N – 1, whereN is the total number of populations of each species.Information regarding genetic diversity was notused in selecting populations. The resulting reservedesigns were compared to random designs, andthe agreement among experts was assessed usingKendall's coefficient of concordance.Application of ecological reserve design guidelines provedmostly ineffective in capturing more geneticdiversity than is captured selectingpopulations randomly. Meeting establishedtargets for genetic diversity, such as one advocated by theCenter for Plant Conservation, required largernumbers of populations than are suggested to besufficient. Relative performance of expertdesigns differed among species and wasdependent on whether the proportion of allalleles or of common alleles was used as a measure ofdiversity. Furthermore there was no significantconcordance among experts in order in whichpopulations were incorporated into reserves asexperts differed in priority they placed onindividual guidelines.     

古地中海退却与喜马拉雅—横断山的隆起在中国喜马拉雅成分及高山植物区纱的形成与发展上的意义

横断山－喜马拉雅植物区系的开端是在晚白垩纪和早古近纪（早第三纪）。古植物资料在古近纪初期横断山－喜马拉雅植物区系是同古地中海沿岸一致的以照叶林为主的暖湿植物区系。古近纪后期和新近纪（新第三纪）以后古地中海气候逐步旱化。原来的暖湿植物区系在地中海地区逐步消失,而在横断山及喜马拉雅和东亚其他地区得以保存和发展,现代横断山及东喜马拉雅的亚热带森林即是其后裔。古近纪中期以后由于古地中海的逐步退却,气候变得干旱,原暖湿植物区系逐步被现代旱生的地中海植物区系所取代。新近纪以后,旱生的现代地中海植物区系由于喜马拉雅和横断山的隆起而转向适应高山环境,逐步分化形成了现代的中国－喜马拉雅成分。横断山－喜马拉雅地区硬中高山栎林的起源;铁筷子属,绿绒蒿属,芒苞草属,假百合属及马桑属的地中海,喜马拉雅－横断山间断分布的形成便是古地中海植物区系残遗的体现;黄花木属,独一味属等众多中国喜马拉雅成分就是古地中海祖先的后裔。这些代表类群的分析研究表明现代的喜马拉雅－横断山的高山植物区系以及中国－喜马拉雅成分中有相当的一部分是起源于新生代旱生的地中海植物区系。     

Five-year study on the autumn food habits of the Asiatic black bear in relation to nut production

We studied the autumn food habits of the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) from 1993 to 1997, based on 202 fecal samples in the Chichibu Mountains, central Japan. Nuts occupied the highest proportions of autumn foods (59.9–85.8% important values). Although the proportion of nuts of Quercus crispula, Fagus crenata and Fagus japonica varied greatly between the years, acorns of Q.crispula were most prevalent in four of the five years. We also determined the relative nut production of these three species by counting the number of nuts or cupules on the ground. Black bears consumed the nuts according to their relative availabilities. Nuts of Q.crispula appeared to be the most important food because: (i) these nuts were eaten in the highest proportion in four of the five study years; and (ii) even in poor years the bears consumed acorns of Q.crispula, whereas nuts of Fagus spp. were not consumed. We discuss the significance of alternative foods for black bears in relation to food tree diversity in the forest and the necessity for long-term studies examining the food habits of Asiatic black bears.     

Traditional beliefs,culture, and local biodiversity protection: An ethnographic study in the Shaluli Mountains Region,Sichuan Province,China

沙鲁里山系地区位于青藏高原东南部,横断山脉的腹心地区,也是中国“横断山南段生物多样性保护优先区域”的重要组成部分,该地区生态环境类型复杂多样、生物多样性丰富且独特。从古至今,沙鲁里山系地区的藏族多信奉藏传佛教,其教义中的基本理论”戒杀生“、“因果轮回”、“众生平等”和“万物有灵”深刻地影响当地信教藏族群众的生活方式、风俗习惯和行为规范。为了解这些信仰和习俗如何影响沙鲁里山系地区的生态环境和生物多样性,以及现代化对当地传统信仰和文化的影响,我们在七个沙鲁里山系所辖县域和邻近城市进行了为期三年的民族生物学实地调查。在这个相对偏远的地区,传统的世界观深刻地塑造了当地虔诚守信的藏族人的生活方式、习俗和行为规范。这些信仰影响了他们对自然世界的看法,总体对当地生态环境和生物多样性的长期保护具有积极作用。尽管沙鲁里山系周边地区的快速发展和现代化进程对这个生物多样性热点地区造成了一些威胁,但该地区的藏传佛教寺庙和僧侣在促进环境保护、森林资源管理和野生动物保护方面发挥着积极对作用。此外,我们发现,现代化压力和不断变化的社会经济条件对这些传统产生了一些负面影响,导致生物入侵和污染当地土壤和水源的可能性更大。     

2001—2020年秦巴山区植被生产力对干旱的响应

为定量评估干旱对秦巴山区植被生产力的影响,本研究利用MODIS GPP数据和标准化降水蒸散指数(SPEI),分析了2001—2020年秦巴山区总初级生产力(GPP)和干旱时空变化特征,识别了不同植被类型GPP负异常事件的波动趋势,量化了GPP的干旱脆弱性和干旱风险。结果表明: 2001—2020年间,秦巴山区98.0%的区域年GPP呈增加趋势。除湿地外,其余植被类型GPP均呈极显著增长。秦巴山区23.8%的区域SPEI呈减小趋势。GPP负异常事件数无显著变化,但GPP异常波动程度逐渐加剧,并以耕地最明显。2011年后,所有地类GPP负异常与干旱并发事件比例均下降,但干旱在GPP负异常事件中的时空范围呈扩大趋势。与2001—2010年相比,2011年后GPP干旱脆弱性和干旱风险为正值的区域占比分别增长104.1%和6.7%,即干旱导致GPP下降的面积有所扩大。所有地类中,干旱导致湿地GPP下降的程度最大。研究结果揭示出2001—2020年干旱使秦巴山区GPP波动加剧,极端值出现频率增大,进而导致多数植被类型GPP出现不同程度的下降。     

秦岭生态系统服务协同与权衡的时空异质性

秦岭是我国重要的生态功能区,探究秦岭生态系统服务权衡与协同关系对区域的生态保护和高质量发展意义重大。本研究基于遥感、气象、土壤质地等数据,在分析2000、2010和2020年土地利用时空变化的基础上,采用CASA、InVEST和RUSLE模型计算秦岭地区植被固碳量、产水量、生境质量和土壤保持量,并探讨空间异质性特征及生态系统服务关系。结果表明: 2000—2020年,研究区耕地、草地面积持续减少,林地和建设用地面积增长,水域和未利用地变化不明显。研究区固碳量东高西低,呈增长趋势;产水量持续减少,呈现南坡高、北坡低的格局;生境质量稳定增长;土壤保持量先增后减。不同地类的生态系统服务各有差异,同一地类的各个生态系统服务也各不相同。全域尺度下固碳与土壤保持、生境质量与土壤保持、固碳与生境质量皆呈协同关系,固碳与产水、土壤保持与产水、生境质量与产水为权衡关系,但不同条件下服务量间的关系存在明显差异。研究结果有助于降低权衡风险,使总体效益最大化,可为促进生态高质量发展、实现自然资源管理与人类福祉的双赢提供参考依据。