Conifer Cover Increase in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: Frequency,Rates, and Spatial Variation

Extensive fires in recent decades in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) garnered much attention for causing a significant decrease in the extent of conifer forest cover. Meanwhile, conifer forests in unburned parts of the GYE have continued to increase in extent and density. Conifer cover increase has been well documented by repeat historical photography, but the average rate of increase and the spatial variation remain unquantified. We examined changes in conifer cover across biophysical gradients in the GYE based on stratified random samples from aerial photographs. The percent conifer cover for samples in 1971 and 1999 was quantified to determine the frequency and rate of conifer cover change. A slight majority of samples (56%) showed no change, whereas increases (22%) were balanced by decreases (22%). However, among samples that were not recently burned or logged, or already closed-canopy, nearly 40% increased in conifer cover, at an average annual rate of 0.22%. We quantified significant variability in the frequency and rate of conifer cover increase across gradients of elevation, aspect, vegetation type, and proximity to nearby conifer forest. The most dynamic locations were low density conifer woodlands on northerly aspects at lower elevations, with average annual rates of increase up to 0.51%. This study is significant because it demonstrates that rates of conifer cover increase vary across biophysical gradients, an important consideration for management of dynamic forest ecosystems. Improved understanding of this variability helps us to better understand what factors ultimately cause conifer cover increase. It is also a critical step towards accurate quantification of the magnitude of carbon uptake by conifer cover increase.     

Asymmetric reproductive character displacement in male aggregation behaviour

Reproductive character displacement--the evolution of traits that minimize reproductive interactions between species--can promote striking divergence in male signals or female mate preferences between populations that do and do not occur with heterospecifics. However, reproductive character displacement can affect other aspects of mating behaviour. Indeed, avoidance of heterospecific interactions might contribute to spatial (or temporal) aggregation of conspecifics. We examined this possibility in two species of hybridizing spadefoot toad (genus Spea). We found that in Spea bombifrons sympatric males were more likely than allopatric males to associate with calling males. Moreover, contrary to allopatric males, sympatric S. bombifrons males preferentially associated with conspecific male calls. By contrast, Spea multiplicata showed no differences between sympatry and allopatry in likelihood to associate with calling males. Further, sympatric and allopatric males did not differ in preference for conspecifics. However, allopatric S. multiplicata were more variable than sympatric males in their responses. Thus, in S. multiplicata, character displacement may have refined pre-existing aggregation behaviour. Our results suggest that heterospecific interactions can foster aggregative behaviour that might ultimately contribute to clustering of conspecifics. Such clustering can generate spatial or temporal segregation of reproductive activities among species and ultimately promote reproductive isolation.     

Development of genomic resources for Wenchengia alternifolia (Lamiaceae) based on genome skimming data

Wenchengia alternifolia (Lamiaceae), the sole species of the genus Wenchengia is extremely rare and is currently listed as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. The species had long been considered endemic to Hainan Island, China and was once believed to be extinct until a small remnant population was rediscovered at the type locality in 2010. Four more populations were later found on Hainan and in Vietnam. In order to develop genomic resources for further studies on population genetics and conservation biology of this rare species, we identified infraspecific molecular markers in the present study, using genome skimming data of five individuals collected from two populations on Hainan Island and three populations in Vietnam respectively. The length of plastome of the five individuals varied from 152,961 bp to 150,204 bp, and exhibited a typical angiosperm quadripartite structure. Six plastid hotspot regions with the Pi > 0.01 (trnH-psbA, psbA-trnK, rpl22, ndhE, ndhG-ndhI and rps15-ycf1), 1621 polymorphic gSSRs, as well as 1657 candidate SNPs in 237 variant nuclear genes were identified, thereby providing important information for further genetic studies.     

Vegetation responses to past volcanic disturbances at the Araucaria araucana forest‐steppe ecotone in northern Patagonia

Volcanic eruptions play an important role in vegetation dynamics and its historical range of variability. However, large events are infrequent and eruptions with a significant imprint in today''s vegetation occurred far in the past, limiting our understanding of ecological processes. Volcanoes in southern Andes have been active during the last 10 ka and support unique ecosystems such as the Araucaria–Nothofagus forest. Araucaria is an endangered species, with a fragmented distribution and well‐adapted to fire and volcanic disturbances. Yet, it was suggested that volcanism might have increased the fragmentation. Through the use of pollen and tephra analysis from a sedimentary record, this paleoecological study aims to provide an insight into the vegetation responses to past volcanic disturbances, to assess the role of volcanic disturbance on the vegetation dynamics and to determine if the current fragmentation has been caused by volcanism. Results show that during the last 9 kyr, 39 tephra falls buried the vegetation around Lake Relem, more frequently between 4 and 2 ka. The pollen percentage indicates that the vegetation changed after small tephra fall but seldom caused significant changes. However, the large eruption of Sollipulli volcano (~3 ka) changed the environmental conditions affecting severely the vegetation. Ephedra dominated the early successional stage, perhaps facilitating Nothofagus recovering after ~500 years. Slight increase of Araucaria and Nothofagus obliqua‐type pollen percentages suggests that forest resisted without permanent changes and recovered relatively fast after the large eruption, perhaps because of sparse biological legacies distributed in the landscape. In the study area, the relative stability of Araucaria pollen after several tephra fall suggests no change in its past distribution at the current forest‐steppe ecotone, thus not affecting its current conservation status. Perhaps, random factors, the colonization patterns of the high elevations in the Andes after deglaciation and topography might play a more important role than previously thought.     

东南亚生物多样性热点地区的形成与演化

东南亚地处热带,生物多样性极为丰富,可分为4个热点地区:印度-缅甸区的中南半岛、巽他区(含马来半岛、婆罗洲、苏门答腊岛)、菲律宾区(菲律宾群岛)、华莱士区(苏拉威西岛、爪哇岛、马鲁古群岛、小巽他群岛等)。中南半岛在泥盆纪便已是欧亚大陆的一部分,在印度板块撞击欧亚大陆之后受挤压而出;巽他区来自于冈瓦纳古陆和澳洲古陆;菲律宾群岛部分来自于劳亚古陆的碎片向南漂移,部分来自于太平洋西南岛弧的向北迁移;华莱士区则是劳亚古陆碎片、太平洋西南岛弧以及澳洲古陆北侧碎片的组合。巽他区地处赤道,常年温湿;菲律宾区、华莱士区、中南半岛则都受到不同程度的季风气候决定的干湿季变动。地质历史和季风气候影响程度的不同,奠定了东南亚4个生物多样性热点地区的雏形。华莱士区保存有大量的早期被子植物原始类群如睡莲目(Nymphaeales)和木兰藤目(Austrobaileyales),是现代被子植物起源地和冰期避难所之一。巽他区(婆罗洲)和中南半岛是亚洲热带植物的现代分布中心和"进化前沿",是整个东南亚地区重要的种源;而华莱士区的爪哇岛和小巽他群岛主要是物种迁入和中转的种库。这样的物种形成历史与迁移格局,塑造了东南亚4个...     

卧龙自然保护区典型生态系统服务时空变化研究

自然保护区作为生态系统服务的产生区和生物多样性保护的重点区,评估其关键生态系统服务,对提高保护区管理水平和生态保护与建设效率有重要意义。利用CASA模型、RUSLE模型、InVEST模型及水量平衡原理等方法分别定量评估了卧龙自然保护区2000年和2015年碳固定（NPP）、土壤保持、生境质量和水源涵养4种生态系统服务并分析了其时空分布及其变化特征,揭示了不同地形位梯度和土地利用类型上生态系统服务的差异,识别了生态系统服务的热点区域。研究结果揭示了2000-2015年4种生态系统服务及其变化的时空异质性：1）研究期间保护区4种生态系统服务供给量均有所增加,且增益面积大于减损面积;2）空间上,NPP、土壤保持和生境质量3种服务表现为东南高、西北低,水源涵养空间分布无明显规律,4种服务的空间分布特征均变化不大且保持相对稳定;3）4种生态系统服务空间分布及变化与地形位和土地利用类型有关。4种服务的高值和增益的优势分布区均位于较低地形位指数梯度上,以保护区东南部最为突出;林地和草地是对保护区生态系统服务贡献较大的土地利用类型,尤以林地突出;4）热点分析表明保护区东南部是主要的生态系统服务供给热点区,研究期间Ⅳ类热点区面积显著增加。结合研究区域生态系统特征和生态恢复与管理政策,探讨分析了目标生态系统服务时空变化的自然生态和社会经济驱动力,为本区域生态系统恢复和生物多样性保护提供依据和建议。     

Nucleotide Sequence Assessment of Four ORFs of Citrus Tristeza Virus: Evidence of Recombination

Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV), usually occurs in nature as a mixture of genotypes. Six naturally infected citrus (Citrus sinensis) trees grafted on sour orange rootstock were collected from three citrus growing governorates in Egypt (Sharqia, Qalyubia and Garbia). In this study, RT-PCR, Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP) and nucleotide sequence analysis were used for four independent CTV genomic regions (p65, p18, p20, and p23) to detect and assess the sequence and genetic variabilities among CTV Egyptian isolates. RTPCR products (650 bp) for the CTV p23 gene obtained from the selected isolates were used for the SSCP analysis and DNA sequencing. SSCP patterns of p23 gene for individual isolates yielded different complex haplotype patterns. Nucleotide sequence analysis of p23 region amplified from six isolates under study revealed that p23 shared high nucleotide identity 98.7% with T36 isolate from USA, Florida. Phylogenetic analysis of p23 gene indicated a close evolutionary relationship between all examined isolates and Qaha isolate (T36 isolate group), suggesting that they may have originated from closely related ancestors. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the three genes located on CTV 3′-coterminal overhang, p18, p20 and p65, amplified from isolate A3, Sharqia governorate, revealed that the p18, p65, and p20 genes were related to the T3-KB isolate from South Africa with 99%–100% sequence homology. Phylogenetic relationship analysis for p65, p18 and p20 ORFs clustered the current A3 isolate with T3 genotype group. The recombination analysis identified three of six isolates from Sharqia, and Garbia as potential recombinant for p23 gene. The isolates T36 and T3 were identified as major donors for recombination events in isolate A3. Our results concluded that p23 ORF likely to be as a hotspot region for recombination and originated through recombination event. The current study indicated that recombination is an important factor for the origin of CTV strains in Egypt.     

Are We Losing the Best Parts of Our Protected Areas in Tropical Mountains?

Protected areas (PAs) on tropical mountains undergo greater forest destruction in their lower altitudes. We compared the extent of forested, nonforested, and fragmented areas between lowland (<1000 m asl) and montane zones of the Blue Mountains inside the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park established in Jamaica in 1993. We found that in 2008, inside the montane zone, only 4 percent of forest was cleared, and forest fragmentation was minimal. In the lowland zone, however, the percentage of forest cleared was seven times as high, and the density of fragments was 11-fold higher. We established twenty-five 0.04 ha lowland plots; ordination of tree species composition in these plots reflected a rainfall gradient, showing that plots on the wetter northern side of the Blue Mountains were floristically different from those on the drier southern side. The conservation value of the remaining lowland forest is high because of its high endemism (18% of species in our plots) and beta diversity. In addition, IUCN Red List data show that about 71 percent of threatened tree species in the Blue Mountains grow in the lowland region, 92 percent of which are endemic. From these findings, we identify a ‘protected area hotspot zone’, which lies between the PA boundary and the core high-altitude zone, and which should be instituted in IUCN categories I and II PAs.     

可持续生计研究热点与前沿的可视化分析

可持续生计目前已成为全球环境变化研究的热点领域,正日益发展为可持续性科学的重要研究范式之一。论文以Web of science核心库为数据源,应用可视化分析软件CiteS paceⅢ,采取关键词共现分析、文献共被引分析、突现词分析等方法对国际可持续生计研究现状进行系统分析。研究发现,可持续生计研究文献数量呈逐年上升趋势,主要分布在生态、环境、资源及管理相关学科;瓦赫宁恩大学、中国科学院、昆士兰大学、哥伦比亚大学、博茨瓦纳大学等研究机构表现出较强的研究实力;研究人员及机构的成规模的合作网络已经形成。Scoones I、Chambers R、Conway G、Ellis F和Ostrom E等学者及其代表作品对可持续生计理论知识基础的构建及相关研究的推进奠定了坚实的基础。生计与生态环境的相互关系一直是研究重点,交叉学科的综合集成研究将成为可持续生计研究的新热点。