Contribution to the knowledge of the Carabus (Archiplectes) satyrus Kurnakov, 1962, species complex in Abkhazia (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Carabini)

This study is based on a comparative analysis of extensive material of Carabus (Archiplectes) satyrus Kurnakov, 1962, its various forms and related taxa recently collected by the authors and some other collectors in Abkhazia. The status or specific affiliations of several subspecies are changed and a subspecies is described. Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus Kurnakov, 1972, stat. n. is treated as a separate species housing six hitherto established subspecies in addition to the nominal type: Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus mtsaranus Kurnakov, 1972, Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus duripshensis Kurnakov, 1972, Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus napraensis Belousov & Zamotajlov, 1993, Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus dsychvensis Kurnakov, 1972, Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus adzinbai Retezár, 2013, and Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus resheviensis subsp. n. Carabus (Archiplectes) satyrus is treated as monotypical while the specific status of Carabus (Archiplectes) pseudopshuensis Zamotajlov, 1991, earlier proposed by Fominykh and Zamotajlov (2012), is confirmed based on the morphological and morphometric data.     

湖北玉兰属两新种

描述了木兰科玉兰属两新种,湖北玉兰(Yulania verrucata D.L.Fu,T.B.Zhao et S.S.Chen,sp.nov.)和楔叶玉兰(Y.cuneatofolia T.B.Chao,Z.X.Chen et D.L.Fu,sp.nov.)。湖北玉兰的独特特征是:枝、叶背面、叶柄、托叶、花梗和果梗均无毛;幼枝皮孔疣状突起,棕色,狭长椭圆体形。楔叶玉兰的独特特征是:叶楔形;花被片皱曲。     

A cladistic analysis of Hydrophis subgenus Chitulia (McDowell, 1972) (Serpentes, Hydrophiidae)

The Hydrophis subgenus Chitulia was analysed using the computer program Hennig86 (version 1.5). The character data set comprises 22 two-state characters, giving a minimum of 22 steps. Four trees with a length of 37 steps and a consistency index of 0.59 were found using the "ie*" option. The results indicate that the subgenus Chitulia is paraphyletic, and that the group has been based solely on plesiomorphic character states. The order of taxa input, the display of the root, and the effect of unknown character states using Hennig86 are commented on.     

The influence of winter temperatures on the annual radial growth of six northern range margin tree species

This study explores the influence of temperature on the growth of six northern range margin (NRM) tree species in the Hudson River Valley (HRV). The HRV has excellent geographic and floristic qualities to study the influence of climate change on forested ecosystems. Indices of radial growth for three populations per species are developed and correlated against average minimum and maximum monthly temperatures from 1897 to 1994. Only positive correlations to temperature are considered for this analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) is performed on chronologies over the entire HRV and at four subregions. PCA reveals a strong common signal among populations at subregional and regional scales. January temperatures most limit growth at the ecosystem level, supporting the hypothesis that winter temperatures may control vegetational ecotones. Surprisingly, growth of the oak–hickory ecosystem is most limited by January temperatures only in the southern half of the study region. Chestnut and white oak are the primary species driving the geographic pattern. As winter xylem embolism is a constant factor for ring-porous species, snow cover and its interaction on fine root mortality may be the leading factors of the pattern of temperature sensitivity. Species-specific differences in temperature sensitivity are apparent. Atlantic white-cedar (AWC) and pitch pine are more sensitive to the entire winter season (December–March) while oak and hickory are most sensitive to January temperatures. AWC is most sensitive species to temperature. Chestnut and white oak in the HRV are more sensitive to winter temperature than red oak. Pignut hickory has the most unique response with significant relations to late growing season temperatures. Interestingly, AWC and pitch pine are sensitive to winter temperatures at their NRM while oak and hickory are not. Our results suggest that temperature limitations of growth may be species and phylogenetically specific. They also indicate that the influence of temperature on radial growth at species and ecosystem levels may operate differently at varying geographic scales. If these results apply broadly to other temperate regions, winter temperatures may play an important role in the terrestrial carbon cycle.