Spatiotemporal dynamics of Puumala hantavirus in suburban reservoir rodent populations

The transmission of pathogens to susceptible hosts is dependent on the vector population dynamics. In Europe, bank voles (Myodes glareolus) carry Puumala hantavirus, which causes nephropathia epidemica (NE) in humans. Fluctuations in bank vole populations and epidemics in humans are correlated but the main factors influencing this relationship remain unclear. In Belgium, more NE cases are reported in spring than in autumn. There is also a higher incidence of human infections during years of large vole populations. This study aimed to better understand the link between virus prevalence in the vector, vole demography, habitat quality, and human infections. Three rodent populations in different habitats bordering Brussels city, Belgium, were studied for two years. The seroprevalence in voles was influenced first by season (higher in spring), then by vole density, vole weight (a proxy for age), and capture site but not by year or sex. Moreover, voles with large maximal distance between two captures had a high probability for Puumala seropositivity. Additionally, the local vole density showed similar temporal variations as the number of NE cases in Belgium. These results showed that, while season was the main factor influencing vole seroprevalence, it was not sufficient to explain human risks. Indeed, vole density and weight, as well as the local habitat, were essential to understanding the interactions in these host‐pathogen dynamics. This can, in turn, be of importance for assessing the human risks.     

Directed seed dispersal towards areas with low conspecific tree density by a scatter‐hoarding rodent

Scatter‐hoarding animals spread out cached seeds to reduce density‐dependent theft of their food reserves. This behaviour could lead to directed dispersal into areas with lower densities of conspecific trees, where seed and seedling survival are higher, and could profoundly affect the spatial structure of plant communities. We tested this hypothesis with Central American agoutis and Astrocaryum standleyanum palm seeds on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. We radio‐tracked seeds as they were cached and re‐cached by agoutis, calculated the density of adult Astrocaryum trees surrounding each cache, and tested whether the observed number of trees around seed caches declined more than expected under random dispersal. Seedling establishment success was negatively dependent on seed density, and agoutis carried seeds towards locations with lower conspecific tree densities, thus facilitating the escape of seeds from natural enemies. This behaviour may be a widespread mechanism leading to highly effective seed dispersal by scatter‐hoarding animals.     

Phylogenetic density dependence and environmental filtering predict seedling mortality in a tropical forest

Negative density dependence (NDD) and environmental filtering (EF) shape community assembly, but their relative importance is poorly understood. Recent studies have shown that seedling's mortality risk is positively related to the phylogenetic relatedness of neighbours. However, natural enemies, whose depredations often cause NDD, respond to functional traits of hosts rather than phylogenetic relatedness per se. To understand the roles of NDD and EF in community assembly, we assessed the effects on seedling mortality of functional similarity, phylogenetic relatedness and stem density of neighbouring seedlings and adults in a species-rich tropical forest. Mortality risks increased for common species when their functional traits departed substantially from the neighbourhood mean, and for all species when surrounded by close relatives. This indicates that NDD affects community assembly more broadly than does EF, and leads to the tentative conclusion that natural enemies respond to phylogenetically correlated traits. Our results affirm the prominence of NDD in structuring species-rich communities.     

Pollination efficiency of wild bees and hoverflies provided to oilseed rape

• 1 Declining numbers in honeybees and various wild bee species pose a threat to global pollination services. The identification and quantification of the pollination service provided by different taxa within the pollinator guild is a prerequisite for the successful establishment of nature conservation and crop management regimes.
• 2 Wild bees and hoverflies are considered to be valuable pollinators in agricultural and natural systems. Although some information on pollination efficiency of individual pollinator species is available, comparative studies of both taxa at different densities are rare. In the present study, the efficiency of the solitary mason bee Osmia rufa and two hoverfly species (Eristalis tenax and Episyrphus balteatus) as pollinators of oilseed rape Brassica napus was examined in a standardized caged plant breeding regime. Honeybee Apis mellifera colonies were used as a reference pollinator taxon.
• 3 Yield parameters responded differently to pollinator density and identity. Fruit set and number of seeds per pod increased with increasing pollinator density, although these were stronger in the mason bee than the hoverfly treatment. Weight per 1000 seeds did not respond to any pollinator treatment, indicating that seed quality was not affected. Oilseed rape yield in the highest tested densities of both pollinator taxa resulted in yield values close to the efficiency of small honeybee colonies.
• 4 Hoverflies required approximately five‐fold densities of the red mason bees to reach a similar fruit set and yield. Thus, mason bees are more efficient in plant breeding and managed pollination systems. Both natural pollinator taxa, however, are of potential value in open and closed crop production systems.

     

Effects of planting method on the recovery of arboreal ant activity on revegetated farmland

Ecological restoration aims to re‐establish both biodiversity and ecological function in damaged ecosystems. Ants are important drivers of ecological functions and are early colonizers of restored ecosystems. Rates at which ants perform functions are thought to be fuelled by access to plant sugars. In revegetated farmland in south‐eastern Australia, I tested if ant activity on trees, which reflects use of arboreal sugars, follows a predictable trajectory of recovery towards a remnant‐like state. Additionally, I examined whether planting method alters this trajectory by comparing tube stock (TS), which results in low Eucalyptus densities, with direct seeding (DS), which results in high Eucalyptus densities. Replicate sites (n = 5) of young (planted between 1998 and 2001) and old (planted between 1989 and 1994) TS and DS revegetation, pastures and remnants were compared. Activity on trunks was significantly positively correlated with ant tending of Hemiptera in young and old revegetation. In DS plantings, activity and estimated liquid loads on Eucalyptus trees were low and rapidly approached that in remnants, while TS sites remained similar to high values observed in pastures with trees. Patterns for Acacia were less clear, reflecting consistent densities for this species between TS and DS. At the whole‐of‐field scale, planting methods did not differ. Importantly, although trajectories differed, neither TS nor DS sites approached the low activity or estimated liquid loads observed in remnants. Rates of ant use of arboreal sugars and associated sugar‐fuelled processes may thus take considerably longer to recover than the period covered by this study. This finding suggests planting method may affect the trajectory and outcome of revegetation for plant health, as well as sugar‐fuelled ecosystem functions performed by ants.     

不同程度铅锌污染区丛枝菌根真菌和深色有隔内生真菌侵染特征

对陕西凤县铅硐山铅锌矿区4个不同程度铅锌污染样地植物根系的丛枝菌根真菌(AMF)和深色有隔内生真菌(DSE)进行了资源和分布调查。结果表明:(1)无铅锌污染的矿山上调查的15种植物中除黄连木没有检测到AMF侵染、栓皮栎和酸模不能被DSE侵染外,其他植物均能与AMF和DSE共生,但平均侵染率较低,仅分别为32.3%和25.9%;铅锌轻度污染的尾矿荒地和铅中度污染、锌重度污染的尾矿坝植物根系内AMF和DSE侵染率明显提高,AMF的平均侵染率分别为53.3%和68.3%,DSE的平均侵染率分别为38.6%和54.2%;铅锌重度污染的废弃冶炼厂样地植物AMF侵染率明显下降,平均只有17.6%,而DSE的侵染没有受重金属污染的抑制,仍达到60.3%。(2)4个样地植物根际土壤中AMF孢子分布不均匀,每克土的孢子密度在0.08～6.84个,平均为1.5个。对4个样地均有分布的狼牙刺、博落回、山蒿和秦岭风毛菊的AMF、DSE侵染状况调查发现,轻度和中度的铅锌污染能促进AMF与宿主共生关系的建立,而重度污染则显著抑制AMF侵染;AMF孢子密度没有呈现一定的规律性,且与AMF侵染率之间没有显著相关性;DSE侵染率与土壤锌含量存在显著正相关关系(r=0.505,P<0.05),而与土壤铅含量没有显著相关性。可见,AMF和DSE能够广泛存在于铅硐山铅锌矿区,尤其是DSE表现出较强的耐受性和适应性。     

片断化生境中滇桐传粉生物学和繁育系统

通过野外观察和人工授粉试验方法,对云南省文山州西畴县法斗分布区片断化生境中濒危植物滇桐(Craigia yunnanensis)的传粉生物学特征和繁育系统进行研究.结果表明:滇桐每个聚伞花序有2～9朵两性花,单花花期为3～4d,单花雌雄蕊在时空上有一定的隔离;杂交指数(OCI) ＞4,花粉-胚珠比(P/O)为1381±53;有效传粉昆虫为大头丽蝇(Chrysomyia megacephala);同株异花授粉结实率低;滇桐的繁育系统属于异交为主,部分自交亲和,传粉过程需要传粉者;自然状态下滇桐的座果率(56.67％±3.85％)和结籽率(6.26％±0.75％)均较低,而异株异花授粉均可显著提高座果率及结籽率(P＜0.01),这与当前片断化生境中传粉昆虫少、效率低下等有关,表明生境片断化正在影响滇桐植株的早期生殖成功.     

中国人口分布的自然成因

中国多样化的自然环境造就了人口分布的区域差异性,明晰人口分布格局与自然环境的相互关系对于增进对人地关系的理解,实现人口、资源、环境的可持续管理具有重要作用.本文以人口密度为指标,采用洛伦兹曲线与空间统计相结合的方法,分析了中国人口分布状况,并探讨了自然因素组合对人口分布的影响以及人口分布与年均温度、年均降水量、干燥度、净初级生产力、地表粗糙度、距海岸线距离等16个指标的相互关系.结果表明: 中国人口分布集聚现象显著,东、中、西部地区分别以高、中、低人口密度为主,空间上呈现出明显的正空间关联特征;人口密度与河网密度、年均温度、年均降水量、净初级生产力、≥5 ℃积温、降水量变异、相对湿度、温暖指数呈极显著的正相关关系,与相对高差、平均高程、日照时数、地表粗糙度、距海岸线距离呈显著负相关;气候因子(年均温度、温暖指数、降水量变异、净初级生产力)、地形因子(地表粗糙度、相对高差)和水系因子(河网密度)为影响人口分布的主要自然因素.建议加强对东部高人口密度区的生态环境监控,避免因人口增长导致生态环境退化;同时,强调对中西部生态环境脆弱地区的生态环境保育,增强这些地区的人口承载能力,减缓东部地区高人口密度的生态环境压力.     

Kesterite Thin‐Film Solar Cells: Advances in Materials Modelling of Cu2ZnSnS4

Quaternary semiconducting materials based on the kesterite (A₂BCX₄) mineral structure are the most promising candidates to overtake the current generation of light‐absorbing materials for thin‐film solar cells. Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS), Cu₂ZnSnSe₄ (CZTSe) and their alloy Cu₂ZnSn(Se,S)₄ consist of abundant, low‐cost and non‐toxic elements, unlike current CdTe and Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ based technologies. Zinc‐blende related structures are formed by quaternary compounds, but the complexity associated with the multi‐component system introduces difficulties in material growth, characterization, and application. First‐principles electronic structure simulations, performed over the past five years, that address the structural, electronic, and defect properties of this family of compounds are reviewed. Initial predictions of the bandgaps and crystal structures have recently been verified experimentally. The calculations highlight the role of atomic disorder on the cation sub‐lattice, as well as phase separation of Cu₂ZnSnS₄ into ZnS and CuSnS₃, on the material performance for light‐to‐electricity conversion in photovoltaic devices. Finally, the current grand challenges for materials modeling of thin‐film solar cells are highlighted.