Density dependence and temporal plasticity of competitive interactions during utilisation of resources by a community of lepidopteran stemborer species

Interactions within and between species sharing the same resources are characterised by competition or facilitation, and can be influenced by factors such as larval numbers and phenotypic plasticity of the interactions. The effect of larval density on the survival and relative growth rate of the stemborers Busseola fusca (Fuller) and Sesamia calamistis Hampson (both Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) were studied, as well as the temporal plasticity of their competitive interactions. These stemborers attack maize crops (Zea mays L.) (Poaceae) in sub‐Saharan Africa. Experiments were conducted in the laboratory under controlled conditions at the optimum development temperature (25 °C) for the three species. Surrogate stems filled with artificial diet were intra‐ and interspecifically infested with larvae of each species. The effect of larval density on competition was studied at low (six larvae) and high (12 larvae) levels of infestation, whereas the temporal plasticity of competition was evaluated at 7, 14, 21, or 28 days after infestation. The two experiments involved single‐ and multi‐species infestation treatments. Larval numbers and wet mass in each artificial stem were recorded in each experiment. Survival and relative growth rate of the three species were significantly higher at low‐infestation levels when facing either intra‐ or interspecific competition. The intensity of competition was also temporally plastic among the species and increased as the duration of competition increased. These results are discussed in terms of general infestations of cereal crops by borers.     

Host‐associated differentiation in a pecan and water hickory Aphidomorpha community

Host‐associated differentiation (HAD) is the formation of genetically distinct, host‐associated populations created and maintained by ecologically mediated reproductive isolation. HAD potentially accounts for species origins in parasites, including herbivorous insects. Although case studies testing the occurrence of HAD are accumulating, it is still unclear how common HAD is and which specific ecological traits explain its occurrence. To address these issues, studies are needed that include negative results (i.e., instances in which parasite populations do not exhibit HAD) and test for HAD across communities (i.e., several parasite species on the same set of host species). In this study, HAD was tested in a community of six species of Aphidomorpha (Hemiptera) that share a host‐plant pair: pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K.Koch] and water hickory [Carya aquatica (F.Michx) Nutt., both Juglandaceae] trees. All six species are parthenogenetic and three species are endophagous, traits that can exacerbate host‐specific selection. AFLP markers were employed to detect the presence of genetically distinct, host‐associated populations for each insect species. Strict HAD (i.e., the occurrence of genetically distinct pecan‐associated and water hickory‐associated genotypes) was found in Phylloxera notabilis Pergande (Phylloxeridae), Phylloxera devastatrix Pergande, and Monelliopsis pecanis Bissel (Aphididae). Monellia caryella Fitch (Aphididae) displayed a pattern of partial HAD (i.e., the occurrence of only a genetically distinct pecan‐associated genotype). No HAD was found in Melanocallis caryaefoliae Davis (Aphididae) or Phylloxera texana Stoetzel. The pattern of HAD occurrence in the pecan and water hickory Aphidomorpha community indicated that neither parthenogenesis nor endophagy sufficiently explain the occurrence of HAD in this system.     

农地整理中路沟渠生态化设计研究进展

农地整理是人类对农田生态系统的强烈干扰.传统农地整理中路沟渠设计的主要技术经济指标是方便生产通行和调配水资源以及提高水的利用率,尚缺少系统化、生态化考量,已经影响了农田物种扩散,导致生物栖息地环境的退化,并对农田生态系统的生物竞争机制、缓冲和补偿能力、抵御虫害能力产生了显著的负效应.本文系统总结了路沟渠生态化的功能,着重介绍了近年来生态化路沟渠的形式与结构设计、路沟渠生态工法参数的试验以及路沟渠生态材料选择的技术和方法.未来的相关研究应根据各级道路、灌排沟渠的不同功能要求和规格,按照田间不同生物的习性和栖息要求,精确设计能够满足大多数生物需求的农田路沟渠形态、结构和控制性尺寸,切实解决农地整理带来的上述问题.     

互花米草群落功率最大化倾向

植物新种进入新区域后,通过扰动或搅局,改变生态系统的结构,形成有特色的自组 织生态系统,趋向新条件下的功率最大化.本文应用能值分析的方法,分别对苏北互花米草 生态系统和光滩生态系统进行能值分析和系统评估.结果表明：互花米草生态系统每年能值 产出比光滩生态系统高1.52E+18 sej.能值密度是光滩的4.72倍,基础能值产出率约为光滩生态系统的5倍.互花米草生态系统能更有效地利用能量,增加系统内部的 能值贮存,实现系统内部的功率最大化.互花米草入侵某区域滩涂后,通过自组织促使整个互花米草生态系统趋于功率最大化,充分发挥生态服务功能,但由于其繁殖扩散过快,导致种群爆发,产生了一系列负面效应,如抑制本土物种、侵占航道、危害贝类养殖等.     

生态位理论在张家界市主要旅游景区评价中的应用

选择张家界市5个主要旅游景区作为研究对象、50种影响旅游景区发展的资源状态作为评价指标, 通过指标逐级合并处理, 在3个指标级别(Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ级)上分析了生态位宽度和生态位重叠. 结果表明: 张家界市旅游景区生态位宽度受指标级别的影响显著(F=10.278, P=0.006), 而采用相对生态位宽度则不受指标级别的影响, 说明在旅游景区开发潜力评价中, 相对生态位宽度比绝对生态位宽度更具合理性; 从Ⅲ级指标到Ⅰ级指标, 旅游景区生态位重叠度值有增大趋势, 表明指标级别的选择会影响旅游景区间实际生态位重叠的评价. 随着评价指标的逐步细化, 当观测到的Pianka指数和采用Monte Carlo模拟的Pianka指数的差值达到显著水平时, 该指标级别可作为评价指标细化的最低标准, 模拟的生态位重叠值可作为旅游景区竞争评价的重要参考.     

Recolonisation patterns of benthic invertebrates: a field investigation of restored former sewage channels

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Testing the pressure‐specific invertebrate index (PSI) as a tool for determining ecologically relevant targets for reducing sedimentation in streams

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Deep impact: in situ functional responses reveal context‐dependent interactions between vertically migrating invasive and native mesopredators and shared prey

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Stoichiometric and growth responses of a freshwater filamentous green alga to varying nutrient supplies: slow and steady wins the race

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Lineage admixture during postglacial range expansion is responsible for the increased gene diversity of Kalopanax septemlobus in a recently colonised territory

We aimed to reveal the effects of range expansion and subsequent lineage admixture from separated glacial refugia on genetic diversity of Kalopanax septemlobus in Japan, by combining nuclear microsatellite data and ecological niche modelling. Allelic richness and gene diversity were compared at the population and regional level. We also statistically examined these indices as a function of population accessibility to the last glacial maximum (LGM) palaeodistribution reconstructed by ecological niche modelling to test a simple range expansion scenario from glacial refugia. Genetic diversity was highest in the populations of southern Japan and gradually decreased towards the north. However, an additional centre of genetic diversity, when measured as gene diversity, was found in northern Honshu Island, where distinct lineages were shown to be in contact. Positive effects of population accessibility to the LGM range were detected in both diversity indices at different spatial scales. The combined data support independent postglacial range expansions towards the north from the edge populations on the exposed coastal shelf of Pacific and Sea of Japan in northern Honshu during the LGM, which subsequently resulted in markedly low genetic diversity in the northernmost extant range, Hokkaido. The regional increase in gene diversity in northern Honshu is likely to be the result of postglacial lineage admixture. Relative difference in the spatial scales best relating population genetic diversity with the LGM distribution can be explained by a higher rate of allelic richness diversity loss during range expansions and stronger effects of lineage admixture on gene diversity.