Ecological niche breadth and microhabitat guild structure in temperate Australian reptiles: Implications for natural resource management in endangered grassy woodland ecosystems

Ecological theory predicts that species with narrow niche requirements (habitat specialists) are more vulnerable to anthropocentric disturbances than those with broad niche requirements (habitat generalists). Hence, understanding a species ecological niche and guild membership would serve as a valuable management tool for providing a priori assessments of a species extinction risk. It also would help to forecast a species capacity to respond to land use change, as what might be expected to occur under financial incentive schemes to improve threatened ecological vegetation communities. However, basic natural history information is lacking for many terrestrial species, particularly reptiles in temperate regions of the world. To overcome this limitation, we collated 3527 reptile observations from 52 species across an endangered woodland ecoregion in south‐eastern Australia and examined ecological niche breadth and microhabitat guild structure. We found 30% of species had low ecological niche values and were classified as habitat specialists associated with large eucalypt trees, woody debris, surface rock or rocky outcrops. Cluster analysis separated species into six broad guilds based on microhabitat similarity. Approximately 80% of species belonged to guilds associated with old growth vegetation attributes or non‐renewable litho‐resources such as surface rock or rocky outcrops. Our results suggest that agri‐environment schemes that focus purely on grazing management are unlikely to provide immediate benefits to broad suites of reptiles associated with old growth vegetation and litho‐resources. Our classification scheme will be useful for identifying reptile species that are potentially vulnerable to anthropocentric disturbances and may require alternative strategies for improving habitat suitability and reptile conservation outcomes in grassy woodland ecosystems.     

Preventing Ultimate Harm as the Justification for Biomoral Modification

Most advocates of biogenetic modification hope to amplify existing human traits in humans in order to increase the value of such traits as intelligence and resistance to disease. These advocates defend such enhancements as beneficial for the affected parties. By contrast, some commentators recommend certain biogenetic modifications to serve social goals. As Ingmar Persson and Julian Savulescu see things, human moral psychology is deficient relative to the most important risks facing humanity as a whole, including the prospect of Ultimate Harm, the point at which worthwhile life is forever impossible on the planet. These risks can be mitigated, they say, by enhancing moral psychology in novel ways. Persson and Savulescu argue that some parents should modify the underlying biogenetics of their children's moral psychology, if such measures were safe and effective, but they admit these interventions may not decouple humanity from Ultimate Harm. Neither are these modifications the only options, they concede, for addressing risks to humanity. Even with these concessions, saving humanity from itself is a fairly poor reason to modify the moral psychology of children. In most ways, adults would be better candidates, morally speaking, for modifications of psychology. Even then, there is no direct link between morally enhanced human beings and the hoped‐for effect of better protection from Ultimate Harm. Asserting a general duty of all to contribute to the avoidance of Ultimate Harm is a better moral strategy than intervening in the moral psychology of some, even though meeting that duty may involve substantial interference with the free exercise of one's interests.     

黄土旱塬区土壤水分状况与作物生长、降水的关系

土壤水分研究是统筹农业生产和生态环境建设的关键环节.本研究结合4年田间定位试验,通过对黄土高原南部长武旱塬冬小麦和春玉米2012—2015年土壤水分状况的研究,分析农田土壤干层形成情况、土壤水分对作物生长的影响、降水对土壤水库的影响以及作物对土壤水分状况的影响.结果表明: 降水年型是冬小麦地土壤干层形成的主导因素,年内降水分布不均是春玉米地土壤干层形成的主导因素.长武旱塬区冬小麦和春玉米一年一季的种植制度不会导致永久性干层的产生;相较于春玉米,冬小麦根系生长习性更符合黄土旱塬区土壤水分循环特征,黄土旱塬区土壤水分有效性可保证作物产量稳定;降水作用下,冬小麦土壤水库充、放水过程呈现收获期、休闲期和苗期连续充水、缓慢消耗期和大量消耗期连续失水相互交替的特点.0～300和300～600 cm土层土壤水库不一致性现象明显,以最大根深作为野外监测试验中土壤含水量的取样深度时,由于深层土壤水库负反馈作用,不同降水年型下,休闲期和苗期的蒸散均会被高估,缓慢消耗期和大量消耗期的蒸散均会被低估.冬小麦田间过渡层存在的范围为140～360 cm;作物生长的时间跨度影响土壤水库效应的发挥,土壤水库对冬小麦供水表现为年际间的调节作用,土壤水库对春玉米供水表现为季节间的调节作用.     

Spatial evolutionary and ecological vicariance analysis (SEEVA), a novel approach to biogeography and speciation research,with an example from Brazilian Gentianaceae

Aim Spatial evolutionary and ecological vicariance analysis (SEEVA) is a simple analytical method that evaluates environmental or ecological divergence associated with evolutionary splits. It integrates evolutionary hypotheses, phylogenetic data, and spatial, temporal, environmental and geographical information to elucidate patterns. Using a phylogeny of Prepusa Mart. and Senaea Taub. (Angiospermae: Gentianaceae), SEEVA is used to describe the radiation and ecological patterns of this basal gentian group across south‐eastern Brazil. Location Latin America, global. Methods Environmental data for 151 geolocated botanical collections, associated with specimens from seven species, were compiled with Arc GIS, and were matched with geolocated base layers of eight climatological variables, as well as one each of geological, soil type, elevational and vegetation variables. Sister groups were defined on the basis of the six nested nodes that defined the phylogenetic tree of these two genera. A (0, 1)‐scaled divergence index (D) was defined and tested for each of 12 environmental and for each of the six phylogenetic nodes, by means of contingency analyses. We contrast divergence indices of nested clades, allopatric and sympatric sister clades. Results The level of ecological divergence between sister clades/species, defined in terms of D measures, was substantial for five of six nodes, with 21 of 72 environmental comparisons having D > 0.75. Soil types and geological age of bedrock were strongly divergent only for basal nodes in the phylogeny, by contrast with temperature and precipitation, which exhibited strong divergence at all nodes. There has been strong divergence and progressive occupation of wetter and colder habitats throughout the history of Prepusa. Nodes separating allopatric sister clades exhibited larger niche divergence than did those separating sympatric sister clades. Main conclusions SEEVA provides a multi‐source, direct analysis method for correlating field collections, phylogenetic hypotheses, species distributions and georeferenced environmental data. Using SEEVA, it was possible to quantify and test the divergence between sister lineages, illustrating both niche conservatism and ecological specialization. SEEVA permits elucidation of historical and ecological vicariance for evolutionary lineages, and is amenable to wide application, taxonomically, geographically and ecologically.     

Going feral: Wild meat consumption and the uncanny in Melbourne,Australia

Feral animals are commonly constructed as the scourge of the Australian landscape. The transgressive act of introduced, domestic animals going wild elicits strong emotive responses within the community, often conceived in a kind of Freudian spectre of das unheimliche (the uncanny/unhomely), as the once familiar becomes uncontrolled, strange and frightening. Meanwhile, exponential global growth in human populations, and the resulting strain on the environment and food security, is necessitating the rethinking of meat consumption. In Australia, while the stigma surrounding feral animals has historically inhibited their consumption, feral meat is regarded by a growing body of advocates as an environmentally favourable alternative to farmed meat, allowing not only the avoidance of animal suffering within the industrial agriculture model, but also benefitting ecosystems through the removal of damage‐wreaking interlopers. This paper explores the feral turn and its contemporary manifestations as a growing food movement in Melbourne.     

黄土区不同退耕方式下土壤碳氮的差异及其影响因素

研究植被恢复对土壤碳氮动态的影响,对了解陆地生态系统碳氮循环,应对全球温室效应具有重要意义.本研究以黄土丘陵区不同人工恢复植被为对象,以农田为参照,分析了不同人工植被恢复方式对0～100 cm剖面土壤有机碳(SOC)和全氮(TN)含量影响的差异及其影响因素.结果表明: 退耕还林还草显著提高了土壤的SOC和TN含量.退耕后,SOC和TN含量均较农田明显提高.0～100 cm土层SOC平均含量人工乔木林为农田的1.43倍,增幅最大;其次是人工灌木,为1.36倍;最后是人工草地,为1.21倍.0～100 cm土层TN平均含量人工乔木林增幅最大,是农田的1.30倍;其次是人工草地,为1.21倍;而人工灌木增幅最小,为1.13倍.与农田相比,人工恢复植被类型间SOC和TN含量及细根密度的差异在土壤剖面深度上表现出不同,人工乔木和灌木最明显,影响深度＞100 cm;草地最小,仅为60 cm.恢复植被的细根密度、C∶N和凋落物量显著高于农作物,细根密度与SOC、TN呈显著线性相关(P<0.01).细根的质和量以及凋落物量是不同人工恢复植被下SOC和TN含量差异的重要影响因素.     

模拟增温对土壤呼吸影响机制的研究进展与展望

土壤呼吸是土壤碳库向大气碳库输入的主要途径,而温度升高会影响土壤呼吸从而改变全球碳平衡.据预测在21世纪末,全球平均地表温度将升高0.3～4.8 ℃,因此野外自然条件下的模拟增温试验对土壤呼吸的影响是全球变化研究的热点之一.本文综述了不同时空格局下土壤呼吸对模拟增温的响应特征,指出短期增温能提高土壤呼吸,而长期增温下无统一规律,并且不同生态系统之间也存在差异;重点讨论了模拟增温对土壤呼吸的影响机制,指出增温能直接影响土壤呼吸,同时增温也能通过影响土壤水分、盐分、土壤理化性质等环境因子以及光合作用、凋落物等生物因子对土壤呼吸产生间接影响;另外,分析了土壤呼吸对增温产生适应性的形成机制,主要包括微生物、根、酶的温度适应性、水分限制、氮素过量以及呼吸底物限制.在此基础上对今后的研究方向加以展望:加强根际微生态系统的研究;重点研究不对称增温下土壤呼吸的特征及机制;关注典型物候期和不同季节典型天气土壤呼吸的测定;构建土壤呼吸响应模拟增温试验的研究网络,进行联网试验.     

高效氮肥对新疆膜下滴灌棉田土壤氧化亚氮排放的影响

高效氮肥对新疆灰漠土农田氧化亚氮(N₂O)排放的影响目前尚不明确.本研究选取树脂包膜尿素(ESN)和尿素配施脲酶抑制剂和硝化抑制剂(U+I)两种高效氮肥处理,以传统尿素(U)处理为对照,研究高效氮肥对新疆膜下滴灌棉田N₂O排放的影响.ESN在播种时一次性施入,而其他处理的氮肥在生育期内随灌溉分次施入.在生育期内,采用静态箱-气相色谱法每周采集和分析2次气体样品.结果表明: 与其他处理相比,ESN处理显著增加了生育期间土壤N₂O的排放量,增幅47%～73%;在施肥后的4个月内,ESN处理下的土壤铵态氮(NH₄⁺-N)和硝态氮(NO₃^--N)含量始终处于较高水平,随后则逐渐减小并与其他处理的含量相近.ESN在播种时全部施入可能是导致土壤高NH₄⁺-N和NO₃^--N含量以及高N₂O排放量的原因.与U处理相比,U+I处理减少了9.9%的N₂O排放量,但两者间差异不显著;U+I处理NO₃^--N含量始终低于ESN和U处理.新疆灰漠土膜下滴灌棉田生育期土壤的N₂O排放为300～500 g N₂O-N·hm^-2,整体低于其他农田生态系统.与播种前全部施入相比,氮肥随滴灌多次施入更利于降低N₂O排放.本试验条件下,高效氮肥对干旱区膜下滴灌棉田土壤N₂O的减排效应有限.     

配施磷细菌肥对复垦土壤细菌多样性及磷有效性的影响

为了解磷细菌肥对复垦土壤微生物群落结构变化特征和磷有效性的影响,本研究以连续配施磷细菌肥5年的定位试验为背景,利用16S rDNA基因序列测序方法对土壤细菌群落多样性进行分析,探讨土壤细菌群落与土壤Olsen-P、碱性磷酸酶的关系.试验共设对照、单施化肥、有机肥、有机肥化肥、化肥磷细菌肥、有机肥磷细菌肥和有机肥化肥磷细菌肥7个处理.结果表明: 复垦土壤中放线菌门和变形菌门菌群的相对丰度最大,分别为21.6％～32.2％和13.8％～28.9％.有机肥化肥磷细菌肥处理的OTU数和Chao1指数分别为809和26190,均属最高.磷细菌肥处理能提高土壤中放线菌门和变形菌门菌群的相对丰度,降低土壤中酸杆菌门、热袍菌门和硝化螺旋菌门菌群的相对丰度,对诺卡氏菌属、屈挠杆菌属有一定的促进作用.有机肥化肥磷细菌肥处理能够提高复垦土壤Olsen-P及碱性磷酸酶活性.复垦土壤变形菌门与Olsen-P、碱性磷酸酶的相关系数最高(0.900、0.955),在一定程度上可以作为土壤磷有效性的灵敏性指标.