The historical context of contemporary climatic adaptation: a case study in the climatically dynamic and environmentally complex southwestern United States

The process of adaptation can be highly dependent upon historical and contemporary factors, especially in environmentally and topographically complex regions affected by Pleistocene glaciations. Here, we investigate Hilaria jamesii (Poaceae), a dryland C₄ graminoid, to test how patterns of adaptive genetic variation are linked to its glacial and post-glacial history. We show that the species persisted in a single, southern refugium during the last glacial period and subsequently migrated throughout its current distribution concurrent with post-glacial warming. The species’ putative adaptive genetic variation correlates with climatic gradients (e.g. monsoon precipitation and mean diurnal temperature range) that covary with the species’ probable route of demographic expansion. The short timescale and multiple climatic dimensions of adaptation imply that natural selection acted primarily upon standing genetic variation. These findings suggest that restoration and conservation practices should prioritize the maintenance of standing genetic variation to ensure that species have the capacity to respond to future environmental changes.     

Molecularly imprinted polymers—A closer look at the control polymer used in determining the imprinting effect: A mini review

Molecular recognition displayed by naturally occurring receptors has continued to inspire new innovations aimed at developing systems that can mimic this natural phenomenon. Since 1930s, a technology called molecular imprinting for producing biomimetic receptors has been in place. In this technology, tailor made binding sites that selectively bind a given target analyte (also called template) are incorporated in a polymer matrix by polymerizing functional monomers and cross‐linking monomers around a target analyte followed by removal of the analyte to leave behind cavities specific to the analyte. The success of the imprinting process is defined by two main figures of merit, that is, the imprinting factor, and selectivity, which are determined by comparing the amount of target analyte or structural analogue bound by the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) and the nonimprinted polymer (NIP). NIP is a control synthesized alongside the MIP but in the absence of the template. However, questions arise on whether these figures of merit are reliable measures of the imprinting effect because of the significant differences between the MIP and the NIP in terms of their physical and chemical characteristics. Therefore, this review critically looks into this subject, with a view of defining the best approaches for determining the imprinting effect.     

土地流转背景下不同经营规模青田稻鱼共生系统的环境影响差异——基于碳足迹的实证研究

在快速工业化和城镇化的影响下,农业文化遗产的保护与管理正面临着适龄劳动力大量外流、土地抛荒、传统知识体系难以维持等诸多威胁与挑战。推动土地流转、进行适度规模经营,可在农业文化遗产的保护中产生积极作用。土地流转在给遗产地带来经济效益的同时,对当地生态环境产生的影响变化同样值得关注,但现有研究却少有涉及。本研究以全球重要农业文化遗产——浙江青田稻鱼共生系统为例,将不同经营规模的稻鱼共生系统分为小农户经营模式和规模化经营模式,运用生命周期法对两种模式的碳足迹进行核算。结果表明: 小农户经营模式和规模化经营模式的碳足迹分别为6510.80和5917.00 kg CO₂-eq·hm^-2,单位产值碳足迹分别为0.13和0.10 kg CO₂-eq·yuan^-1。与小农户经营模式相比,规模化经营模式温室气体排放更少,单位产值的环境影响更小。农户扩大经营规模后,当地温室气体排放减少了4097.20 kg CO₂-eq。农业生产过程中积累的CH₄在碳足迹中占比最大,农业生产资料中复合肥是仅次于CH₄的第二大温室气体排放来源。对于小农户经营模式,饲料中使用的玉米和小麦也对温室气体排放有重要的影响。因此,推动土地适度规模经营,有利于传统农业系统实现经济效益和环境效益的双赢,对于农业文化遗产保护具有重要作用。     

新疆吉木萨尔县蝴蝶群落多样性

蝴蝶作为指示生物, 被广泛地应用于生物多样性监测及环境质量评估。探究新疆吉木萨尔县蝴蝶群落多样性, 可为当地蝴蝶多样性的保护及环境监测提供基础数据。本研究采用样线法在新疆吉木萨尔县选取山前荒漠、农田、山地草原、山地森林、亚高山草甸5种不同的生境类型, 对蝴蝶种类和群落多样性进行调查。共记录蝴蝶4,401号, 隶属于7科26属38种。其中蛱蝶科有9属12种, 为优势科; 粉蝶科的个体数最多, 占比55.01%; 绢蝶科、凤蝶科和弄蝶科的种类数和个体数最少, 均为单科种, 是该地区的稀有类群。对不同生境蝴蝶群落多样性和相似度分析比较的结果显示: 5种生境中多样性指数从高到低依次为亚高山草甸、山地森林、山地草原、农田及山前荒漠, 其中山地森林和亚高山草甸的相似性系数较高, 达到0.77, 山前荒漠和山地草原的相似性系数最低, 为0.37。蝴蝶物种数及多样性指数随海拔的增加呈上升趋势。蝴蝶群落随月份发生变化, 蝴蝶种类和数量在5月发生、7月达到峰值。蝶类个体数在3年内呈下降趋势。研究结果表明, 蝴蝶物种的组成和多样性与生境类型具有密切联系, 保护生态环境, 维持该地区植物群落的多样性、降低人为干扰程度是保护蝶类多样性的关键。     

Occupancy versus colonization–extinction models for projecting population trends at different spatial scales

Understanding spatiotemporal population trends and their drivers is a key aim in population ecology. We further need to be able to predict how the dynamics and sizes of populations are affected in the long term by changing landscapes and climate. However, predictions of future population trends are sensitive to a range of modeling assumptions. Deadwood‐dependent fungi are an excellent system for testing the performance of different predictive models of sessile species as these species have different rarity and spatial population dynamics, the populations are structured at different spatial scales, and they utilize distinct substrates. We tested how the projected large‐scale occupancies of species with differing landscape‐scale occupancies are affected over the coming century by different modeling assumptions. We compared projections based on occupancy models against colonization–extinction models, conducting the modeling at alternative spatial scales and using fine‐ or coarse‐resolution deadwood data. We also tested effects of key explanatory variables on species occurrence and colonization–extinction dynamics. The hierarchical Bayesian models applied were fitted to an extensive repeated survey of deadwood and fungi at 174 patches. We projected higher occurrence probabilities and more positive trends using the occupancy models compared to the colonization–extinction models, with greater difference for the species with lower occupancy, colonization rate, and colonization:extinction ratio than for the species with higher estimates of these statistics. The magnitude of future increase in occupancy depended strongly on the spatial modeling scale and resource resolution. We encourage using colonization–extinction models over occupancy models, modeling the process at the finest resource‐unit resolution that is utilizable by the species, and conducting projections for the same spatial scale and resource resolution at which the model fitting is conducted. Further, the models applied should include key variables driving the metapopulation dynamics, such as the availability of suitable resource units, habitat quality, and spatial connectivity.     

Can we manage fisheries with the inherent uncertainty from eDNA?

Environmental (e)DNA, as a general approach in aquatic systems, seeks to connect the presence of species' genetic material in the water and hence to infer the species' physical presence. However, fisheries managers face making decisions with risk and uncertainty when eDNA indicates a fish is present but traditional methods fail to capture the fish. In comparison with traditional methods such as nets, electrofishing and piscicides, eDNA approaches have more sources of underlying error that could give rise to false positives. This has resulted in some managers to question whether eDNA can be used to make management decisions because there is no fish in hand. As a relatively new approach, the methods and techniques have quickly evolved to improve confidence in eDNA. By evaluating an eDNA based research programmes through the pattern of the eDNA signal, assay design, experimental design, quality assurance and quality control checks, data analyses and concurrent search for fish using traditional gears, the evidence for fish presence can be evaluated to build confidence in the eDNA approach. The benefits for fisheries management from adopting an eDNA approach are numerous but include cost effectiveness, broader geographic coverage of habitat occupancy, early detection of invasive species, non-lethal stock assessments, exploration of previously inaccessible aquatic environments and discovery of new species hidden beneath the water's surface. At a time when global freshwater and marine fisheries are facing growing threats from over-harvest, pollution and climate change, we anticipate that growing confidence in eDNA will overcome the inherent uncertainty of not having a fish in hand and will empower the informed management actions necessary to protect and restore our fisheries.