Feasible mechanisms for algal digestion in the king angelfish

To determine the ability of the king angelfish Holacanthus passer to digest algae, three algal species were immersed in acidic conditions similar to that found in the stomach of fish. Only one of them was not susceptible to acidic lysis; two were affected after 40 and 60 min at pH 2·0. King angelfish have an expanded region of the intestine called here the hindgut chamber (HC) containing populations of micro-organisms. Some of these micro-organisms have the capacity to grow in cellulose, agar, and alginic acid; the main components of algal cell walls. Micro-organisms grew in carboxymethylcellulose cultures under aerobic and micro-aerobic conditions. The HC is highly vascularized, which could increase absorptive efficiency of material digested in it.     

Adaptations for feeding on rock surfaces and sandy sediment by the fiddler crabs (Brachyura: Ocypodidae) Uca tetragonon(Herbst, 1790) and Uca vocans(Linnaeus, 1758)

Two species of fiddler crab, Uca tetragonon(Herbst, 1790) and Uca vocans(Linnaeus, 1758), which belong to the subgenus Gelasimus, dwell on rocky shores and muddy–sandy tidal flats, respectively, in Phuket Is., Thailand. We investigated their feeding ecology in relation to the morphology of their feeding organs: minor food-handling chelipeds and maxillipeds. U. tetragononfed chiefly on rocks covered by filamentous green algae. U. vocansfed on the emerged sand and in shallow water along the shoreline and in pools. While feeding, both crabs made sand pellets beneath their mouthparts and discarded them, indicating that they divided the matter scooped up with their minor chelipeds into edible and inedible fractions by using the maxillipeds in the water passing through their buccal cavity. The morphology of maxillipeds hardly differed between the two species, which means that both species are flotation-feeders. The morphology of their minor chelipeds, however, differed: the tips of the dactyl and pollex were flat in U. tetragononand pointed in U. vocans.When the minor cheliped was closed, U. tetragononhad a hemispherical space in the distal one-fourth of the gape, which was closed by the framing keratin layers and a few setae of the dactyl and pollex. On the other hand, U. vocanshad an ellipsoidal space in the distal half of the gape. We consider these morphological characters to be adaptations to the different feeding substrates for retaining more food-laden sediment. We discuss the role of the setae on the minor chelipeds on the basis of the morphological differences between populations of U. tetragononin Phuket Is. and East Africa where the crab inhabits muddy–sandy tidal flats.     

Amphibious behaviour and feeding ecology of the four-eyed blenny (Dialommus fuscus, Labrisomidae) in the intertidal zone of the island of Santa Cruz (Galapagos, Ecuador)

The labrisomid Dialommus fuscus , endemic to the Galapagos archipelago, is a predator of crustaceans, which moves up and down the intertidal zone with the tides. Its divided eye and elongated body permit it to forage in the wet sections of the intertidal habitat during low tide, both on the rocks and below the water line and in tide pools. Compared with other intertidal fishes (e.g. Bathygobius sp.), it was present on the rock flat in significantly smaller tide pools nearer to the water line during low tide.     

Historical shrub–grass transitions in the northern Chihuahuan Desert: modeling the effects of shifting rainfall seasonality and event size over a landscape gradient

We use a spatially explicit landscape model to investigate the potential role of rainfall on shrub–grass transitions in the Jornada Basin of southern New Mexico during the past century. In long‐term simulations (1915–1998) along a 2700 m transect running from a dry lake bed to the foothills of a small mountain, we test two hypotheses: (i) that wetter winters and drier summers may have facilitated shrub encroachment in grasslands, and (ii) that increases in large precipitation events may have increased soil water recharge at deeper layers, thus favoring shrub establishment and growth. Our model simulations generally support the hypothesis that wetter winters and drier summers may have played a key role, but we are unable to reproduce the major shifts from grass‐ to shrub‐domination that occurred in this landscape during the early part of the 1900s; furthermore, the positive shrub response to wetter winters and drier summers was only realized subsequent to the drought of 1951–1956, which was a relatively short ‘window of opportunity’ for increased shrub establishment and growth. Our simulations also generally support the hypothesis that an increase in the number of large precipitation events may also have favored shrub establishment and growth, although these results are equivocal, depending upon what constitutes a ‘large’ event and the timing of such events. We found complex interactions among (i) the amount/seasonality of rainfall, (ii) its redistribution in the landscape via run‐on and runoff, (iii) the depth of the soil water recharge, and (iv) subsequent water availability for the growth and reproduction of shrubs vs. herbaceous plants at various landscape positions. Our results suggest that only a mechanistic understanding of these interactions, plus the role of domestic cattle grazing, will enable us to elucidate fully the relative importance of biotic vs. abiotic factors in vegetation dynamics in this semiarid landscape.     

The efficiency and effectiveness of different sea urchin removal methods for kelp forest restoration

Sea urchin overgrazing has caused widespread phase shifts from kelp forests to “urchin barrens” on many temperate reefs, reducing habitat complexity, productivity, and biodiversity. Sea urchin removal is increasingly used for kelp restoration; however, few studies have quantified the efficiency and effectiveness of different removal methods, resulting in limited understanding of their practicality. In this study, the efficiency (removal rate) and effectiveness (proportion removed) of four removal methods were evaluated in northeastern New Zealand. We compared culling or collecting sea urchins by either SCUBA or freediving in 128 small-scale plots (25 m²). We also evaluated the efficiency and effectiveness of culling in four large (1.6–2 ha) barren areas, scales relevant for restoration. On average, culling sea urchins was 1.9–4.4 times faster than collecting, and SCUBA was 1.5–3.3 times faster than freediving. Removal rates increased with sea urchin density, especially for culling on SCUBA, while freediving removal rates increased with experience. Effectiveness was lower in large-scale removals (86–93% of sea urchins ≥40 mm removed) compared to small-scale removals (98–99%), but sufficient for restoration objectives. Estimated time per area (using SCUBA culling) was similar across large-scale removals (49–57 hours/ha), despite an almost 2-fold variation in initial sea urchin densities (approximately 4–8 urchins/m²), suggesting area may better predict total removal time than simply number of sea urchins across low-density ranges. While sea urchin removal provides a rapid, feasible, and effective approach to restoring kelp in urchin barrens, restoration plans need to also address the causes of sea urchin overpopulation to ensure long-term benefits.     

接种丛枝菌根真菌对云南石漠化土壤呼吸的影响

为探明“丛枝菌根(Arbuscular mycorrhiza, AM)真菌-植物-土壤”耦合作用对石漠化土壤呼吸季节动态的影响,采用LI-6400-09土壤呼吸室和便携式光合作用测量系统,对圆柏(Sabina chinensis)接种摩西斗管囊霉(Funneliformis mosseae,FM)、根内根孢囊霉(Rhizophagus intraradices,RI) 2种AM菌种处理下土壤呼吸季节动态进行野外连续定位观测,并探究AM真菌接种处理下石漠化土壤呼吸速率与植物生长、土壤理化性质之间的关系。结果表明：(1)相较于对照,接种AM真菌对石漠化生境土壤呼吸季节动态产生了显著影响(P<0.01)。AM真菌处理具有较高的土壤呼吸季节变化幅度,即根内根孢囊霉处理土壤呼吸速率(1.55—9.10μmol m^-2 s^-1)显著高于摩西斗管囊霉(1.62—8.29μmol m^-2 s^-1)和对照(1.23—4.46μmol m^-2 s^-1);(2)AM真菌接...     

人地作用关系中生态陷阱现象解析

选择我国北方农牧交错带作为案例对象,分析了该区人地作用关系中生态脆弱的本质与恶性循环链式反应的机理,并用生态陷阱来类比描述人地作用关系中的这一现象过程.指出生态陷阱是特定生态系统属性与相应的人类活动干扰耦合导致人地作用自驱动机制形成,最终导致人地关系不断衰减恶化的现象和过程,本质上是人地作用过程中产生了路径依赖,进入了一种低水平的轨道锁定状态.生态陷阱概念或者研究视角的提出将为生态系统管理、生态建设与恢复提供更加清晰的思路,结合农牧交错带的问题提出了该区生态建设的方向性建议.     

强度石漠化区不同植被修复模式下土壤螨类群落差异

石漠化治理区不同植被修复模式下的土壤螨类群落差异反映了生态系统的恢复状况,可籍以反映石漠化治理的生态效果。2014年1月、4月、8月和10月,对贵州花江喀斯特峡谷区顶坛小流域强度石漠化区域的"花椒"、"金银花"、"花椒+金银花"3种植被修复生境的土壤螨类进行了调查,共捕获土壤螨类1372头,隶属3目55科89属。采用类群(属)数、个体数量、个体密度、多样性指数(H')、丰富度指数(SR)、均匀性指数(J)、相似性指数(CN)、捕食性螨类成熟度指数(MI)和甲螨MGP类群等参数对土壤螨类群落差异进行了表征。结果显示,花椒林拥有较丰富的螨类属,金银花林拥有较高的的个体数量和个体密度。不同模式下的科、属类群组成呈现差异;属数、个体数量存在一定的季节差异,花椒林的螨类属数、金银花林的螨类个体数量和个体密度呈现一定的表聚性;群落多样性大多存在季节差异;捕食性革螨以r选择型为主,甲螨主要为O型和M型。研究表明,强度石漠化在不同植被修复模式下,土壤螨类生物生态类群存在差异,土壤生态系统仍处于修复之中,其中螨类优势属、具有典型生物学与生态学特性差异的螨类类群对石漠化治理的生态效果具有重要的指示作用。     

中国西南喀斯特地区植被变化时空特征及其成因

2000年以来,国家在中国西南喀斯特地区开展一系列生态治理工程,该地区退化生态系统得到一定程度的恢复,而2008年开展石漠化综合治理工程以来该地区的植被覆盖和生产力如何变化尚不清楚。本研究利用遥感增强型植被指数(EVI)和总初级生产力(GPP)数据,研究2000—2015年西南喀斯特地区植被EVI年均值和GPP年总量的时空变化特征,重点探讨2008年以来石漠化综合治理工程、气候变化等因素对植被覆盖及生长的影响,进而评估石漠化综合治理工程的成效。结果表明,2000—2015年西南喀斯特地区植被EVI总体显著增加,其中2008—2015年植被EVI均值和变化率分别比2000—2007年高6.9%和85.7%,EVI显著增加的区域占西南喀斯特地区的13.4%;该区域GPP年总量亦呈显著增加趋势(20.58 g C m-2a-1)。2008—2015年气温和降水对植被EVI变化趋势的贡献仅占28.3%,退耕还林还草等生态恢复措施、大气CO2浓度、大气氮沉降的增加可能是该区域植被覆盖显著增加的主要贡献因子。在100个首批石漠化综合治理试点县中,大部分试点县植被EVI的变化趋势受非气候因子的影响,其中治理面积大的县受非气候因子的影响显著高于治理面积小的县,表明石漠化综合治理工程的实施有效地促进了试点县植被覆盖的增加。     

中街山列岛岩相潮间带大型底栖动物的群落格局

于2006年9月和2007年7月在中街山列岛4个有居民海岛岩相潮间带设立8个断面,对大型底栖动物的群落结构进行了调查。共获得大型底栖动物34种,其中腔肠动物1种,环节动物3种,甲壳动物10种,软体动物20种。优势种有日本笠藤壶(Tetraclita japonica)、紫贻贝(Mytilus edulis)和节蝾螺(Turb articulatus)等4种。以季节和站位为因子对多样性指数进行双因素方差分析,结果表明只有夏、秋季丰富度指数(P=0.028)存在显著差异,其他指数的方差分析没有显著差异(P>0.05)。3个潮带4个岛屿共12个站位的聚类分析和MDS标序分析表明,12个群落可分为3组(Ⅰ、Ⅱ和Ⅲ组)。大型底栖动物ABC曲线分析表明底栖动物群落尚未受到干扰。