The influence of different spatial‐scale variables on caddisfly assemblages in Flemish lowland streams

1. Patterns in species assemblages are the result of the combined influence of processes acting on different spatial scales. Various studies describe the distribution of macroinvertebrate communities and their relationship with environmental factors at different geographical scales, but only a few of these studies concentrate on Western European lowlands. 2. Using Flanders as representative for the densely populated Western‐European lowlands, the specific aims of this study are: (i) to identify the different trichopteran species assemblages and to characterise them biologically using indicator species; (ii) to determine which environmental gradients most influence the observed species assemblages; and (iii) to analyse the relative importance of different spatial scale variables in constraining the Trichoptera distributions. 3. Assessment of the main environmental gradients suggested that the absence of Trichoptera from certain locations was mainly due to elevated nutrient concentrations and lower oxygen contents, confirming their sensitivity to anthropogenic disturbance. 4. Five Trichoptera species assemblages were distinguished based on Bray–Curtis dissimilarity coefficients. These assemblages did not differ significantly in species richness, but a shift in stream zonation preference was observed. In the ordination analysis 11 variables that were selected using a stepwise model building function manifested themselves as upstream–downstream and size‐related gradients. The Trichoptera assemblages in lowland streams thus appear to follow a longitudinal succession pattern that corresponds with the species‐specific preferences. 5. Partitioning the variance over the different spatial scales indicated that the reach‐scale variables were far more important in explaining the variation in species composition. The study design, which limited the minimum–maximum range of catchment‐scale characteristics, however, may have led to an overestimation of the impact of the local‐scale variables.     

Rangewide landscape genetics of an endemic Pacific northwestern salamander

A species' genetic structure often varies in response to ecological and landscape processes that differ throughout the species' geographic range, yet landscape genetics studies are rarely spatially replicated. The Cope's giant salamander (Dicamptodon copei) is a neotenic, dispersal‐limited amphibian with a restricted geographic range in the Pacific northwestern USA. We investigated which landscape factors affect D. copei gene flow in three regions spanning the species' range, which vary in climate, landcover and degree of anthropogenic disturbance. Least cost paths and Circuitscape resistance analyses revealed that gene flow patterns vary across the species' range, with unique combinations of landscape variables affecting gene flow in different regions. Populations in the northern coastal portions of the range had relatively high gene flow, largely facilitated by stream and river networks. Near the southeastern edge of the species' range, gene flow was more restricted overall, with relatively less facilitation by streams and more limitation by heat load index and fragmented forest cover. These results suggested that the landscape is more difficult for individuals to disperse through at the southeastern edge of the species' range, with terrestrial habitat desiccation factors becoming more limiting to gene flow. We suggest that caution be used when attempting to extrapolate landscape genetic models and conservation measures from one portion of a species' range to another.     

臭氧分布及对呼吸系统的影响

臭氧是氧气的同素异形体,在常温条件下它是一种有特殊臭味的淡蓝色气体。臭氧现已成为我国主要的一种环境污染物。臭氧的分布存在着明显的时间特异性和地区特异性,与气象条件、污染物的输送与扩散以及局地光化学反应强度等因素有着重要的关系。同时在人群流行病学和动物实验中发现了臭氧可以提高慢性阻塞性肺疾病、哮喘等呼吸系统疾病的发病率和病死率,同时提示了老年人、有呼吸系统疾病病史的人群和儿童都是易受臭氧影响的高危人群。国内外学者也对臭氧对机体损伤的机制进行了研究,主要集中在臭氧的致炎作用、氧化应激作用、造成机体气道高反应性和对细胞DNA的损伤等方面。本文主要就国内外对臭氧在时空分布、对机体呼吸系统影响和臭氧造成机体损伤的机制这3方面作一简要综述。     

Site Variation in Spatial Aggregation and Phorophyte Preference in Psychilis monensis (Orchidaceae)

Aggregation patterns of plants vary according to spatial scale and developmental stage, and are dependent on vegetation dynamics and species composition. We describe the aggregation patterns of the epiphytic orchid Psychilis monensis from two sites with different vegetation structure and composition on Mona Island, Puerto Rico. We analyzed spatial variation for seedlings, juveniles, and adults using the density-independent, standardized Morisita index (I_MS). We censused a total of 879 plants. Strong preferences for some phorophyte species were evident, including dead trees, but association with bark roughness was equivocal. The highest densities occurred in the site with the lowest fruit and seed production, suggesting that the best sites for pollination and seedling establishment were not the same. Seedlings at one site were significantly aggregated, but all other stages were indistinguishable from a random distribution. Nevertheless, adults at both sites had the lowest I_MS values indicating that they tend to be the least aggregated of the three life history stages. The abundance and age structure of P. monensis were clearly affected by the frequency of their preferred hosts, but site-specific factors affecting seedling survival probably play a major role in site differences.     

Persistence of Dispersal-limited Species in Structured Dynamic Landscapes

Dynamic landscape models have generally assumed random distributions of habitat although real landscapes show spatial organization at many scales. To explore the role of spatial structure in determining the frequency of dispersal-limited forest species, we used a cellular landscape model divided into two zones. Zones were distributed in a random, clustered, or regular spatial pattern. Within each zone habitat cells were randomly destroyed and regenerated, and habitat density and turnover rate were systematically varied. A hypothetical habitat-limited species dispersed between adjacent habitat cells. All trials showed a reduced species frequency relative to a static landscape. Reduction was greater at low habitat density (P = 0.30) than at high density (0.90) suggesting the importance of habitat connectivity in controlling species frequency. The greatest reduction occurred when habitat was concentrated in a small, regularly distributed zone at low habitat density reflecting the enforced isolation of individual habitat cells. Very little reduction was observed when habitat cells were packed into a small clustered zone, a situation promoting connectivity between cells. Moderate–severe frequency reduction occurred when habitat turnover was concentrated in a clustered zone at high habitat density, but little was observed when turnover was widely distributed in a regular or random pattern. These results can be interpreted in terms of a source-sink function in which spatial pattern controlled the degree of contact between landscape zones and determined opportunities for dispersal between habitat cells. We conclude that clustering of forest habitat has the potential to maintain herb species frequency in sparsely forested landscapes. Conversely, clustering of forest disturbance in heavily forested regions, or regular distribution of forest stands (as often occurs in agricultural regions) creates areas which are difficult to colonize, and should be avoided.     

Environmental niche patterns of native and non-native fishes within an invaded African river system

To test ecological niche theory, this study investigated the spatial patterns and the environmental niches of native and non-native fishes within the invaded Great Fish River system, South Africa. For the native fishes, there were contrasting environmental niche breadths that varied from being small to being large and overlapped for most species, except minnows that were restricted to headwater tributaries. In addition, there was high niche overlap in habitat association among fishes with similar distribution. It was therefore inferred that habitat filtering-driven spatial organisation was important in explaining native species distribution patterns. In comparison, most non-native fishes were found to have broad environmental niches and these fishes showed high tolerance to environmental conditions, which generally supported the niche opportunity hypothesis. The proliferation of multiple non-native fishes in the mainstem section suggest that they form a functional assemblage that is probably facilitated by the anthropogenic modification of flow regimes through inter-basin water transfer. Based on the distribution patterns observed in the study, it was inferred that there was a likelihood of negative interactions between native and non-native fishes. Such effects are likely to be exacerbated by altered flow regime that was likely to have negative implications for native ichthyofauna.     

空间异质性对样地数据空间外推的影响

应用模型结合的方法模拟了3个空间异质性等级预案下反应变量(气候变化下景观水平的树种分布面积)的变化情况,并分析模拟结果在预案之间的差异性,探讨了环境空间异质性对样地观测到的树种对气候变化响应向更大空间尺度外推的影响.结果表明：空间异质性在一般情况下对样地数据向土地类型尺度外推没有影响,而对样地尺度外推到海拔带尺度的影响则有较复杂的情况.对于对气候变化不敏感的树种以及非地带性树种,空间异质性对样地数据向海拔带尺度外推没有影响;对于大多数对气候变化敏感的地带性树种而言,空间异质性对样地数据向海拔带尺度外推则有影响.     

Genetic relatedness in groups is sex-specific and declines with age of helpers in a cooperatively breeding cichlid

Kin selection can explain the evolution of cooperative breeding and the distribution of relatives within a population may influence the benefits of cooperative behaviour. We provide genetic data on relatedness in the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher. Helper to breeder relatedness decreased steeply with increasing helper age, particularly to the breeding males. Helper to helper relatedness was age‐assortative and also declined with age. These patterns of relatedness could be attributed to territory take‐overs by outsiders when breeders had disappeared (more in breeding males), between‐group dispersal of helpers and reproductive parasitism. In six of 31 groups females inherited the breeding position of their mother or sister. These matrilines were more likely to occur in large groups. We conclude that the relative fitness benefits of helping gained through kin selection vs. those gained through direct selection depend on helper age and sex.     

Generalized estimating equations approach for spatial lattice data: A case study in adoption of improved maize varieties in Mozambique

Generalized estimating equations (GEE) are extension of generalized linear models (GLM) widely applied in longitudinal data analysis. GEE are also applied in spatial data analysis using geostatistics methods. In this paper, we advocate application of GEE for spatial lattice data by modeling the spatial working correlation matrix using the Moran's index and the spatial weight matrix. We present theoretical developments and results for simulated and actual data as well. For the former case, 1,000 samples of a random variable (response variable) defined in (0, 1) interval were generated using different values of the Moran's index. In addition, 1,000 samples of a binary and a continuous variable were also randomly generated as covariates. In each sample, three structures of spatial working correlation matrices were used while modeling: The independent, autoregressive, and the Toeplitz structure. Two measures were used to evaluate the performance of each of the spatial working correlation structures: the asymptotic relative efficiency and the working correlation selection criterions. The results showed that both measures indicated that the autoregressive spatial working correlation matrix proposed in this paper presents the best performance in general. For the actual data case, the proportion of small farmers who used improved maize varieties was considered as the response variable and a set of nine variables were used as covariates. Two structures of spatial working correlation matrices were used and the results showed consistence with those obtained in the simulation study.     

基于地统计学和GIS的苜蓿斑蚜种群空间结构分析和分布模拟

运用地理信息系统(GIS)和地统计学方法对宁夏南部固原市原州区不同时期苜蓿斑蚜(Therioaphis trifolii)种群的空间结构进行了分析,并采用普通克立格插值法模拟了苜蓿斑蚜种群空间分布.结果表明:不同时期苜蓿斑蚜种群存在空间相关性,其半变异函数曲线均为指数型,空间格局呈聚集分布,空间变异成分的变化范围为34.13%~48.77%,空间相关范围为8.751~12.049km,聚集程度和方向有从西南向东北方向聚集的趋势.空间分布模拟图能较好地从时间、空间两个角度直观地分析不同时期苜蓿斑蚜种群的动态变化,易于确定同一时期苜蓿斑蚜的发生位置和发生程度.