Bird diversity and endemism along a land‐use gradient in Madagascar: The conservation value of vanilla agroforests

Land‐use change is the most important driver of biodiversity loss worldwide and particularly so in the tropics, where natural habitats are transformed into large‐scale monocultures or heterogeneous landscape mosaics of largely unknown conservation value. Using birds as an indicator taxon, we evaluated the conservation value of a landscape mosaic in northeastern Madagascar, a biodiversity hotspot and the center of global vanilla production. We assessed bird species richness and composition by conducting point counts across seven prevalent land‐use types (forest‐ and fallow‐derived vanilla agroforests, woody and herbaceous fallow that are part of a shifting cultivation system, rice paddy, forest fragment and contiguous old‐growth forest). We find that old‐growth forest had the highest species richness, driven by a high share of endemics. Species richness and community composition in forest‐derived vanilla agroforest were similar to forest fragment, whereas fallow‐derived vanilla agroforest was most comparable to woody fallow. The open land‐use types herbaceous fallow and rice paddy had fewest species. Across forest fragments, vanilla agroforests, and woody fallows, endemic bird species richness was positively correlated to landscape‐scale forest cover. We conclude that both fallow‐ and forest‐derived vanilla agroforests play an important but contrasting role for bird conservation: Fallow‐derived agroforests are less valuable but take fallow land out of the shifting cultivation cycle, possibly preventing further degradation. Conversely, forest‐derived agroforests contribute to forest degradation but may avoid total loss of tree cover from forest fragments. Considering the land‐use history of agroforests may thus be a promising avenue for future research beyond the case of vanilla. Abstract in Malagasay is available with online material     

Sea trout Salmo trutta in the subarctic: home-bound but large variation in migratory behaviour between and within populations

Anadromous brown trout (sea trout), Salmo trutta, is currently in decline throughout its range, largely due to anthropogenic stressors in freshwater and marine habitats. Acoustic telmetry was utilized to study the marine migration of sea trout post-smolts from three populations in a relatively pristine subarctic fjord system. While at sea, the sea trout spent a substantial part of their time close to their natal river, preferred near shore over pelagic habitats and were strongly surface oriented. Despite a fidelity towards local areas, the sea trout utilized various parts of the fjord system, with maximum dispersion >30 km and total migration distance >300 km. Almost half of the sea trout (44%) migrated between river outlets, indicating that a metapopulation approach may be appropriate when managing neighbouring sea trout populations at high latitudes. Furthermore, the different populations displayed different migratory behaviours in terms of distance migrated, dispersion from origin and the likelihood of leaving their home area. This variation in migratory behaviour is likely influenced by spatiotemporal differences in habitat quality between sites, indicating that local habitat variations may promote population-specific behavioural responses even in relatively confined fjord systems.     

Seasonal Shifts in Nocturnal Habitat Use by Coastal Bat Species

Sensitivity of bats to land use change depends on their foraging ecology, which varies among species based on ecomorphological traits. Additionally, because prey availability, vegetative clutter, and temperature change throughout the year, some species may display seasonal shifts in their nocturnal habitat use. In the Coastal Plain of South Carolina, USA, the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius), tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus), and northern yellow bat (Lasiurus intermedius) are species of conservation concern that are threatened by habitat loss. Our objective was to identify characteristics of habitat used by these species during their nightly active period and compare use between summer and winter. We conducted acoustic surveys at 125 sites during May–August and at 121 of the same 125 sites December–March 2018 and 2019 in upland forests, bottomland forests, fields, ponds, and salt marsh and used occupancy models to assess habitat use. The northern long-eared bat and southeastern myotis (i.e., myotis bats) used sites that were closer to hardwood stands, pine stands, and fresh water year-round. We did not identify any strong predictors of tri-colored bat habitat use in summer, but during winter they used bottomland forests, fields, and ponds more than salt marsh and upland forests. During summer and winter, northern yellow bats used sites close to fresh water and salt marsh. Additionally, during summer they used fields, ponds, and salt marsh more than upland and bottomland forests, but in winter they used bottomland forests, fields, and ponds more than upland forest and salt marsh. Our results highlight important land cover types for bats in this area (e.g., bottomland forests, ponds, and salt marsh), and that habitat use changes between seasons. Accounting for and understanding how habitat use changes throughout the year will inform managers about how critical habitat features may vary in their importance to bats throughout the year. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.     

黄龙山林区不同演替时期典型树种光诱导的气孔动力学研究

光诱导的气孔动力学响应快慢是影响植物叶水分利用效率的重要因素,为探索黄土高原不同演替阶段树种水分利用效率差异的生理机制,该研究以黄龙山林区典型树种(演替早期种山杨和白桦、演替后期种辽东栎)的幼龄实生苗为材料,采用盆栽试验,研究了叶片光诱导的气孔导度动力学参数差异及其与气孔特征、叶长期水分利用效率的关系。结果表明：(1)山杨和白桦气孔开放过程中气孔导度(g_s)增加的时间常数(K_i)小于辽东栎,但气孔关闭过程中气孔导度降低的时间常数(K_d)则大于辽东栎,表明山杨和白桦气孔开放更快,而辽东栎的气孔关闭更快。同时,气孔开放过程中山杨和白桦的g_s响应幅度均大于辽东栎,气孔关闭过程中山杨的g_s响应幅度亦大于辽东栎。(2)3种树种中,辽东栎的气孔密度最大,气孔最小,气孔指数最大,辽东栎气孔特征无法解释其慢速的气孔开放过程。 (3)山杨和白桦具有高的光合速率、最大羧化效率和最大电子传递速率,3种树种碳同位素比率(δ¹³C)表征的长期水分利用效率表现为山杨>白桦>辽东栎。研究认为,演替早期种山杨和白桦的高水分利用效率与其快速的气孔开放有关,而演替后期种辽东栎快速的气孔关闭并未增加其水分利用效率,且长期水分利用效率低于山杨和白桦,可能与辽东栎慢速的气孔开放限制了其光合速率有关。     

涌泉根灌下水氮耦合对陕北山地苹果光合特性、产量和水氮利用的影响

以陕北山地7年生‘寒富’苹果树为试验材料,设置3个灌水水平[高水(W₁,85%～100%θ_f,θ_f为田间持水量)、中水(W₂,70%～85%θ_f)、低水(W₃,55%～70%θ_f)]和3个施氮水平[高氮(N₁,600 kg·hm^-2)、中氮(N₂,400 kg·hm^-2)、低氮(N₃,200 kg·hm^-2)],研究涌泉根灌条件下水氮耦合对山地苹果树光合特性、产量和水氮利用的影响。结果表明: 相同灌水条件下,随着施氮量的减少,苹果树叶片的净光合速率(P_n)、蒸腾速率(T_r)、气孔导度(g_s)和瞬时水分利用效率(WUE_i)降低,但胞间CO₂浓度(C_i)增加;相同施氮条件下,随着灌水量的减少,叶片P_n、T_r、g_s和WUE_i降低,而C_i增加。W₁N₁处理的P_n、T_r日均值最大,但与W₁N₁处理相比,W₂N₂处理的WUE_i最大。苹果产量、灌溉水利用效率(IWUE)和氮肥偏生产力(NPFP)受灌水和施氮量的显著影响,W₂N₂处理的产量最高(26761 kg·hm^-2),减小灌水量和增大施氮量使IWUE显著提高,而增大灌水量和降低施氮量使NPFP显著增加。回归分析表明,产量和IWUE同时获得最优解时,灌水量和施氮量组合最接近W₂N₂处理。因此,W₂N₂处理为涌泉根灌条件下陕北山地苹果最佳的水氮组合模式。     

限水减氮对关中平原冬小麦氮素利用和氮素表观平衡的影响

研究限水减氮对冬小麦产量、氮素利用率和氮素表观平衡的影响,探讨限水减氮管理模式在关中平原冬小麦生产中的可行性,可为实现关中平原灌区冬小麦生产的稳产高效和环境友好发展提供科学依据。本研究于2017—2018和2018—2019年连续2年在陕西杨凌地区进行小麦田间裂区试验,灌水量为主处理,设置两个灌溉水平,1200 m³·hm^-2(常规灌溉,在越冬期和拔节期灌溉, W₂)和600 m³·hm^-2(限水灌溉,仅在越冬期灌溉, W₁);施氮量为副处理,设置4个施氮水平,300 kg·hm^-2(关中地区常规施氮量,N₃₀₀)、225 kg·hm^-2(减量施氮25%,N₂₂₅)、150 kg·hm^-2(减量施氮50%,N₁₅₀)和0 kg·hm^-2(不施氮,N₀),分析冬小麦产量、氮素利用效率、收获后土壤硝态氮积累量和氮素表观平衡。结果表明: 限水减氮能显著增加冬小麦植株和籽粒氮素含量,提升产量和氮素携出量,提高氮素利用效率、氮素收获指数、氮肥表观利用率和氮肥农学效率,减少硝态氮的淋失,降低氮素盈余量,维持氮素平衡。2017—2019年在W₁N₁₅₀处理基础上增加了灌溉量和施氮量,冬小麦产量和氮素携出量不会显著增加。2017—2018年和2018—2019年,与W₂N₃₀₀相比,W₁N₁₅₀同时期植株氮素含量分别提高0.1%～25.5%和14.0%～31.6%,籽粒氮素含量分别提高0.1%和4.6%。氮素利用效率、氮素收获指数、氮肥表观利用率和氮肥农学效率平均提高95.3%、4.2%、81.7%和33.0%,氮素盈余量分别减少97.2%和95.1%,有效减少了土壤硝态氮的淋失。综合各项指标,越冬期灌溉600 m³·hm^-2配合施氮量150 kg·hm^-2的限水减氮组合能够保证关中平原冬小麦高产、高效和环境友好发展。     

Effects of faba bean,blue lupin and rapeseed meal supplementation on nitrogen digestion and utilization of dairy cows fed grass silage-based diets

There is increasing interest in using locally produced protein supplements in dairy cow feeding. The objective of this experiment was to compare rapeseed meal (RSM), faba beans (FBs) and blue lupin seeds (BL) at isonitrogenous amounts as supplements of grass silage and cereal based diets. A control diet (CON) without protein supplement was included in the experiment. Four lactating Nordic Red cows were used in a 4 × 4 Latin Square design with four 21 d periods. The milk production increased with protein supplementation but when expressed as energy corrected milk, the response disappeared due to substantially higher milk fat concentration with CON compared to protein supplemented diets. Milk protein output increased by 8.5, 4.4 and 2.7% when RSM, FB and BL were compared to CON. The main changes in rumen fermentation were the higher propionate and lower butyrate proportion of total rumen volatile fatty acids when the protein supplemented diets were compared to CON. Protein supplementation also clearly increased the ruminal ammonia N concentration. Protein supplementation improved diet organic matter and NDF digestibility but efficiency of microbial protein synthesis per kg organic matter truly digested was not affected. Flow of microbial N was greater when FB compared to BL was fed. All protein supplements decreased the efficiency of nitrogen use in milk production. The marginal efficiency (amount of additional feed protein captured in milk protein) was 0.110, 0.062 and 0.045 for RSM, FB and BL, respectively. The current study supports the evidence that RSM is a good protein supplement for dairy cows, and this effect was at least partly mediated by the lower rumen degradability of RSM protein compared to FB and BL. The relatively small production responses to protein supplementation with simultaneous decrease in nitrogen use efficiency in milk production suggest that economic and environmental consequences of protein feeding need to be carefully considered.     

Spatial co‐localisation of extreme weather events: a clear and present danger

Extreme weather events have become a dominant feature of the narrative surrounding changes in global climate with large impacts on ecosystem stability, functioning and resilience; however, understanding of their risk of co‐occurrence at the regional scale is lacking. Based on the UK Met Office’s long‐term temperature and rainfall records, we present the first evidence demonstrating significant increases in the magnitude, direction of change and spatial co‐localisation of extreme weather events since 1961. Combining this new understanding with land‐use data sets allowed us to assess the likely consequences on future agricultural production and conservation priority areas. All land‐uses are impacted by the increasing risk of at least one extreme event and conservation areas were identified as the hotspots of risk for the co‐occurrence of multiple event types. Our findings provide a basis to regionally guide land‐use optimisation, land management practices and regulatory actions preserving ecosystem services against multiple climate threats.     

晋西黄土区典型乔灌木短期水分利用效率对环境因子的响应

为明确晋西黄土区植物的水分利用规律及对半干旱区的适应策略, 提高黄土地区植被建设效益, 该研究对该地区典型乔灌木短期水分利用效率随环境因子的变化进行了探究。以典型乔木油松(Pinus tabuliformis)、刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)及其林下灌木黄刺玫(Rosa xanthina)、杠柳(Periploca sepium)为研究对象, 测定叶片可溶性糖稳定碳同位素比值(δ¹³C_leaf)与枝条渗出液稳定碳同位素比值(δ¹³C_branch), 使用δ¹³C_leaf推导计算7-10月叶片尺度下植物短期水分利用效率(WUE_leaf)变化趋势, 使用δ¹³C_branch明确植物光合作用后分馏情况, 确定半干旱区植物在生长季的水分变化规律对环境因子变化的响应。结果表明: (1) 7-10月4种植物δ¹³C_leaf总体呈现降低趋势, δ¹³C_branch呈现先升高后降低趋势。δ¹³C_leaf在种间和生活型中均存在差异。具体表现为: 灌木>乔木, 常绿乔木(油松) >落叶乔木(刺槐)。研究过程中未发现明显的碳同位素在光合作用后发生分馏的情况。(2) 4种植物WUE_leaf在7-8月保持稳定, 9-10月逐渐升高。21.5 ℃、0.9 kPa、52.4%分别为WUE_leaf随温度(T_a)、饱和水汽压差(VPD)、相对湿度(RH)变化的突变点, 突变点之后4种植物WUE_leaf均表现出稳定的变化趋势, 不再随T_a、VPD、RH升高而降低。(3) WUE_leaf与T_a、RH、VPD之间存在显著负相关关系, T_a通过非气孔因素, 即酶的作用改变光合速率, 引起WUE_leaf变化。RH、VPD等水分因子则通过改变气孔开度, 影响蒸腾, 进而改变WUE_leaf。随着土壤含水量(SWC)的升高, WUE_leaf呈现先升高后降低的趋势。油松林和刺槐林在SWC分别达到15%-18%、13%-14%时, WUE_leaf达到最高值。经过混合线性模型(LMM)分析得到, 油松和刺槐WUE_leaf主导环境因子分别为RH和VPD, 黄刺玫和杠柳WUE_leaf主导环境因子均为T_a。该研究得到了黄土地区典型乔灌木生长季水分利用效率变化的规律和主要环境影响因子, 明确了黄土地区植物对气候因子变化的适应机制。