Dynamics of distribution in animal communities: Theory and analysis

Theoretical and analytical problems of the dynamics of distribution and abundance in animal communities were examined. In many communities, species with low abundance and of limited spatial occurrence (i.e., rare species) typically form a conspicuous peak when a frequency distribution of the number of species is constructed with respect to the proportion of sites occupied within an area of distribution. Models of distribution dynamics, including a new model proposed here, were compared with a range of animal community data using a new procedure to assess single- and bi-modal patterns in frequency distributions of spatial occurrence. Data reveal that single-modality with an excess of rare species occurs more frequently than bimodality. Even when bimodality is detected, the mode representing wide-spread species is in the majority of cases smaller than that for rare species. Thus, a new model in which the rate of local extinctions is assumed to be negatively related to patch occupancy (or population abundance) is in better agreement with observed data than earlier models. Some problems of analysis, in particular model assumptions and testing, are discussed.     

A method for subgrouping the S-type of CMS forms in maize

Summary Simple correlations were calculated between nine different cms sources (cms-S, -R, -ML, -L, -CA, -EK, -C, -Rb, -T) on the basis of the weighted restoring reactions of 41 inbred lines. The Principal Component Analysis was applied to a 9 × 9 matrix which clearly grouped cytoplasms according to their similarities. The Principal Component I included S, R, ML, L, CA and EK cytoplasms; the Principal Component II contained C and Rb cytoplasms while T-cytoplasms was placed in Principal Component III. This corresponds to the main groupings indicated in the literature (Beckett 1971). However, after varimax rotation of the Principal Components, the S main group, including the 6 tested cytoplasms, fell into 3 subgroups: I.: S, R, ML; II.: L, CA; III.: EK.These data indicate that the Principal Component Analysis can be used to select a limited number of cms sources from the S group, representing the variability of the cytoplasmic gene pool of that group.     

The diversity of stomatal development in Orchidaceae subfamily Orchidoideae

The development of leaf stomata in species of Orchidoideae sensu Garay is agenous or hemimesogenous with a single mesogene cell. Both kinds of development occur in all 26 species studied and are found in a characteristic proportion which may differ markedly even between related species.
Leaf and stem stomata develop similarly but surrounding cells may divide obliquely in the latter, so that perigene cells are formed. At maturity, mesogene and perigene cells resemble other epidermal cells, the stomata being anomocytic.
In monocotyledons, the hemimesogenous development of stomata is previously known only from five orchid genera of the neottioid tribe Cranichideae sensu Dressler. This kind of stomatal development in monocotyledons is documented by micrographs for the first time. Mesogene and perigene cells are recorded for the first time in the Orchidoideae. The diversity of types of stomatal development in this group is emphasized.     

Biosynthesis of triterpenoids from amino acids in Pisum sativum. The distribution of the radioactivity in squalene biosynthesized from radioisotopically labelled l-leucine and l-valine

Radioisotopically labelled l-leucine and l-valine were fed to Pisum sativum and incorporated into squalene and β-amyrin. Chemical degradation of the radioactive squalene revealed an equal distribution of the radioactivity in the isopentenyl pyrophosphate(IPP)-derived and the 3,3-dimethylallyl pyrophosphate(DMAPP)-derived moieties of the squalene molecule, unlike the unbalanced distribution in favour of the DMAPP-derived moiety of a monoterpenoid molecule biosynthesized from these amino acids by higher plants.     

Moths complement bumblebee pollination of red clover: a case for day-and-night insect surveillance

Recent decades have seen a surge in awareness about insect pollinator declines. Social bees receive the most attention, but most flower-visiting species are lesser known, non-bee insects. Nocturnal flower visitors, e.g. moths, are especially difficult to observe and largely ignored in pollination studies. Clearly, achieving balanced monitoring of all pollinator taxa represents a major scientific challenge. Here, we use time-lapse cameras for season-wide, day-and-night pollinator surveillance of Trifolium pratense (L.; red clover) in an alpine grassland. We reveal the first evidence to suggest that moths, mainly Noctua pronuba (L.; large yellow underwing), pollinate this important wildflower and forage crop, providing 34% of visits (bumblebees: 61%). This is a remarkable finding; moths have received no recognition throughout a century of T. pratense pollinator research. We conclude that despite a non-negligible frequency and duration of nocturnal flower visits, nocturnal pollinators of T. pratense have been systematically overlooked. We further show how the relationship between visitation and seed set may only become clear after accounting for moth visits. As such, population trends in moths, as well as bees, could profoundly affect T. pratense seed yield. Ultimately, camera surveillance gives fair representation to non-bee pollinators and lays a foundation for automated monitoring of species interactions in future.     

SINPV基因组酶切图谱及多角体基因的序列分析

用限制性内切酶ＥｃｏＲＩ、ＸａｂＩ、ＸｈｏＩ、ＢａｍＨＩ、ＰｓｔＩ、ＳａｃＩ、ＨｉｄｎⅢ、ＳｍａＩ酶解斜纹夜蛾核多角体病毒广州株基因组ＤＮＡ,分别得到２６、２６、２４、２０、１３、１７、９、１条片段,并算得基因组平均大小为１３６．０ｋｂｐ。以ＡｃＮＰＶ多角体基因的部分读码框为探针,经Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｍ杂交将ＳＩＮＰＶ多角体基因定位于ＸｂａＩＯ片段上。将此片段克隆并序列分析,结果表明ＳＩ     

Assessment of the stream invertebrate β‐diversity along an elevation gradient using a bidimensional null model analysis

β‐Diversity, commonly defined as the compositional variation among localities that links local diversity (α‐diversity) and regional diversity (γ‐diversity), can arise from two different ecological phenomena, namely the spatial species turnover (i.e., species replacement) and the nestedness of assemblages (i.e., species loss). However, any assessment that does not account for stochasticity in community assembly could be biased and misinform conservation management. In this study, we aimed to provide a better understanding of the overall ecological phenomena underlying stream β‐diversity along elevation gradients and to contribute to the rich debate on null model approaches to identify nonrandom patterns in the distribution of taxa. Based on presence‐absence data of 78 stream invertebrate families from 309 sites located in the Swiss Alpine region, we analyzed the effect size of nonrandom spatial distribution of stream invertebrates on the β‐diversity and its two components (i.e., turnover and nestedness). We used a modeling framework that allows exploring the complete range of existing algorithms used in null model analysis and assessing how distribution patterns vary according to an array of possible ecological assumptions. Overall, the turnover of stream invertebrates and the nestedness of assemblages were significantly lower and higher, respectively, than the ones expected by chance. This pattern increased with elevation, and the consistent trend observed along the altitudinal gradient, even in the most conservative analysis, strengthened our findings. Our study suggests that deterministic distribution of stream invertebrates in the Swiss Alpine region is significantly driven by differential dispersal capacity and environmental stress gradients. As long as the ecological assumptions for constructing the null models and their implications are acknowledged, we believe that they still represent useful tools to measure the effect size of nonrandom spatial distribution of taxa on β‐diversity.     

生态学中的点格局研究概况及其在国内的应用

点格局分析是研究生态学格局的工具之一,近年来在生态学中的应用越来越多。为深入了解点格局分析方法在国内的研究与应用情况,以所总结的研究进展、一般步骤和基本要点为背景,分析评述了1996—2015年期间以点格局为主题的国内中文核心期刊文献。结果表明,在国内生态学格局研究中,应用研究占据主导地位,研究对象广泛,包括以树木为主的乔、灌、草等不同生活型的植物,甚至包括景观;基础研究,包括概括性统计量、零模型与点过程模型等方面,以及专用软件工具包的开发等研究薄弱。在应用中存在一定问题,主要表现为:概括性统计量使用单一,且以Ripley的K-函数及其变形为主;零模型(或点过程模型)是科学问题的统计表达,但是有一半以上的研究未明确给出零模型。建议在未来应用研究中重视多种统计量的组合使用和原假设的建立,在探讨热带、亚热带森林等具有复杂空间结构系统的多样性格局时,考虑对象的不同世代和系统的不同垂直层次,并加强多变量或三维概括性统计量的开发、点格局分析方法与动态过程模型的结合研究等工作。     

Molecular phylogeny and phylogeography of ricefishes (Teleostei: Adrianichthyidae: Oryzias) in Sri Lanka

Ricefishes of the genus Oryzias occur commonly in the fresh and brackish waters in coastal lowlands ranging from India across Southeast Asia and on to Japan. Among the three species of Oryzias recorded from peninsular India, two widespread species, O. carnaticus and O. dancena, have previously been reported from Sri Lanka based on museum specimens derived from a few scattered localities. However, members of the genus are widespread in the coastal lowlands of Sri Lanka, a continental island separated from India by the shallow Palk Strait. Although recent molecular phylogenies of Adrianichthyidae represent near‐complete taxon representation, they lack samples from Sri Lanka. Here, based on sampling at 13 locations representative of the entire geographic and climatic regions of the island''s coastal lowlands, we investigate for the first time the molecular phylogenetic relationships and phylogeography of Sri Lankan Oryzias based on one nuclear and two mitochondrial markers. Sri Lankan Oryzias comprise two distinct non‐sister lineages within the javanicus species group. One of these is represented by samples exclusively from the northern parts of the island; it is recognized as O. dancena. This lineage is recovered as the sister group to the remaining species in the javanicus group. The second lineage represents a species that is widespread across the island''s coastal lowlands. It is recovered as the sister group of O. javanicus and is identified as O. cf. carnaticus. Ancestral‐range estimates suggest two independent colonizations of Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka by widespread ancestral species of Oryzias during two discrete temporal windows: late Miocene and Plio‐Pleistocene. No phylogeographic structure is apparent in Sri Lankan Oryzias, suggesting that there are no strong barriers to gene flow and dispersal along the coastal floodplains, as is the case also for other generalist freshwater fishes in the island.     

江西武夷山中亚热带南方铁杉针阔混交林群落组成与结构

长期监测型固定样地是研究物种分布格局、群落动态和生物多样性维持机制等森林生态系统特征、过程与机理的重要平台。我国亚热带地区已建立的森林固定样地多为阔叶林类型,而针叶(阔叶混交)林类型十分有限。按照巴拿马Barro Colorado Island大型森林固定样地的建设规范,于2014年在江西武夷山国家级自然保护区内海拔1800 m左右的南方铁杉(Tsuga chinensis var. tchekiangensis)天然种群分布区域建立中亚热带针阔混交林6.4 hm~2固定样地。木本植物调查结果表明:(1)样地内胸径≥1 cm的木本植物共有29科53属89种,显著低于我国亚热带阔叶林样地平均水平,但显著高于温带针叶(阔叶混交)林样地平均水平;(2)在区系组成上,科以热带成分为主,而属以温带成分为主;(3)样地内独立个体数密度为2252株/hm~2,与温带针叶(阔叶混交)林平均水平相当,但显著低于亚热带阔叶林平均水平;(4)胸高断面积为37.89 m~2/hm~2,与亚热带阔叶林样地平均水平相当,但显著低于温带针叶(阔叶混交)林平均水平;(5)群落成层现象显著,优势种明显,多度排名前4位的物种的个体数占总个体数的55%,而排名后40的物种仅占1%;(6)群落总径级结构呈倒"J"型分布,其中胸径≤10 cm的小径木占总个体数的76.9%,而胸径30 cm的大径木仅占5.3%;(7)主要树种的径级结构有偏正态分布和"L"型分布等类型,但它们的种群在空间上均呈现显著的聚集分布特征;(8)南方铁杉虽然是群落现阶段最重要的优势种,但它的种群更新缓慢。研究结果充分显示该样地对中国森林多样性监测以及南方铁杉种群保育的重要意义。