Beaver dams,streamflow complexity,and the distribution of a rare minnow,Lepidomeda copei

Freshwater fishes are threatened globally, and often too little is known about threatened species to effectively guide their conservation. Habitat complexity is linked to fish species diversity and persistence, and degraded streams often lack habitat complexity. Beaver Castor spp., in turn, have been used to restore streams and increase habitat complexity. The northern leatherside chub Lepidomeda copei is a rare, small‐bodied, drift‐feeding minnow that has anecdotally been observed to use complex habitats associated with beaver dams in the western United States. To investigate this anecdote, we conducted fish and habitat surveys, the latter focusing on quantifying habitat complexity, in a sub‐basin of the Upper Snake River Basin in the USA. Complementary generalised linear model and path analyses revealed that northern leatherside chub occurred more often at sites with complex streamflows, and streamflows were more complex when beaver dams were present and pools were deeper. Northern leatherside chubs were also more likely to occur when temperatures were warmer, aquatic macrophytes were abundant and stream channels were narrow and deep. The linkage between chubs, complex streamflows and beaver dams needs to be evaluated more broadly to completely understand its role in the rangewide status of the species. However, it does suggests that increased use of beaver reintroductions and dam analogues for stream restoration could be a boon for the northern leatherside chub, but such efforts should be monitored to determine their effectiveness to help adapt beaver‐based restoration approaches to best benefit the species.     

四川新津白鹤滩国家湿地公园核心区植物景观配置研究

四川新津白鹤滩国家湿地公园位于成都市新津县境内,是典型的河流漫滩和沙洲地貌。受亚热带湿润气候影响,湿地公园核心区拥有种类丰富的湿地动植物资源,但近几年人们在场地周边的开发活动,对基地原有植物生态环境造成破坏_^[1]。现在核心区仅存那些对水质要求低和抗逆性强的植物,同时也因为植物种类过于单一,随之而来的就是湿地季节性功能失调现象,如对水质净化的能力差,水体富营养化严重。为缓解和改善湿地核心区现存问题,一个具有生态修复功能的植物景观配置就显得尤为重要,本论文主要以生态恢复学、植被演替理论等为理论支撑,借鉴LID技术在湿地生态修复的应用,结合对基地本身植物资源调查的基础,通过对不同植物的配置选择,构建起了多样的新旧植物景观模式,用以探索科学合理的湿地公园植物景观配置模式,以期恢复新津湿地公园植被生态多样性,提升视觉景观效果。     

Multilocus sequence typing analysis of Italian Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris strains suggests the evolution of local endemic populations of the pathogen and does not correlate with race distribution

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is the causal agent of black rot in Brassicaceae. It is widespread in Italy and severe outbreaks occur under conditions that favour disease development. In this study a multilocus sequence typing approach (MLST) based on the partial sequence of seven loci was applied to a selection of strains representative of the main areas of cultivation and hosts. The aim was to investigate whether the long tradition of brassica crops in Italy has influenced the evolution of different Xcc populations. All loci were polymorphic; 14 allelic profiles were identified of which 13 were unique to Italian strains. Based on the seven loci, the most common genotype within the Italian Xcc strains (AP1) was also the most representative genotype found in worldwide Xcc strains. This genotype was included in a new clonal complex in addition to three other clonal complexes already identified in Xcc populations. The phylogenetic reconstruction using a concatenated dataset of four conserved protein-coding genes, dnaK, fuyA, gyrB and rpoD, showed that the Italian strains belonged to two genetic groups. Physiological races were also investigated for the first time in Italy. The race structure of Xcc was determined by inoculating eight differential Brassica lines belonging to five species and showed that, in Italy, race 4 is the most widespread, followed by races 1 and 6. No correlation was found between allelic profiles, host of isolation, geographical origin and races, although a prevalent race was identified within the same clonal complex.     

四川省不同地域的核盘菌遗传多样性分析

 核盘菌(Sclerotinia sclerotiorum)属于世界性分布的植物病原真菌,可以危害油菜等多种经济作物。研究不同地域核盘菌的遗传多样性对了解核盘菌的遗传演化过程和指导病害防控具有重要意义。实验采用序列相关扩增多态性(sequence-related amplified polymorphism,SRAP)标记对四川省17个不同地理来源的66株核盘菌菌株的遗传多样性进行了分析。10对检测引物共获得129个位点,其中123个为多态位点,占95.35%。UPGMA聚类结果显示,在相似性系数为0.7时,66个核盘菌菌株分为5类(Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴ),分别包含60、2、2、1和1个菌株。在相似性系数为0.74时,第Ⅰ类又可分为3个亚类(Ⅰ-1、Ⅰ-2、Ⅰ-3),分别包含21、37和2个菌株。聚类及组成分分析结果显示,四川省各地区的核盘菌菌株具有较高的遗传多样性,但其遗传变异与菌株地理来源无明显相关性。     

Recent update on the prevalence of Vibrio species among cultured grouper in Peninsular Malaysia

Vibrio infections are common among marine fish and lead to serious problems in the aquaculture sector. This study reports a recent occurrence of Vibrio species (spp.) isolated from cultured groupers in Peninsular Malaysia using the gyrB and pyrH genes. A total of 147 Vibrio strains were successfully isolated from 77 (64%) groupers using culture method and subjected to gyrB and pyrH sequencing for species identification and confirmation. Results showed that 89% of Vibrio strains were identified and clustered to six groups of Vibrio spp., while 11% were not clustered to any Vibrio spp. using the gyrB sequences. Meanwhile, by analysis of the pyrH sequences all the 147 Vibrio strains (100%) were successfully identified and clustered into 11 groups of Vibrio spp., including the gyrB non‐identified strains. The pyrH gene provides a better resolution for identification of Vibrio spp. compared with the gyrB gene. Thus, the pyrH gene was more suitable for a rapid determination of Vibrio spp. distribution in Peninsular Malaysia. Using the pyrH gene, our study found higher prevalence of Vibrio vulnificus (33%), V. alginolyticus (24%) and V. parahaemolyticus (22%), followed by V. rotiferianus (5%), V. harveyi (3%), V. tubiashii (2%), V. campbellii (2%), V. ponticus (1%), V. diabolicus (1%), V. owensii (1%) and others Vibrio sp. (7%). Thus, the results of this study revealed that the occurrence of pathogenic vibrios among grouper fish is still high in Malaysian aquaculture. In addition, the pyrH gene was proved as a suitable marker for rapid identification of Vibrio species compared with the gyrB gene.     

Distribution and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrate fauna in three repeated operating ages of the blood cockle Anadara granosa cultivation in Bandon Bay,Suratthani Province,Southern Thailand

The diversity, distribution and species richness of benthic macroinvertebrate fauna as well as benthic environments were examined in the blood cockle Anadara granosa cultivations at Ban Don Bay, Suratthani Province, Southern Thailand during the summer season of April and rainy season of October in 2017. The cockle cultivations of three repeated operating ages (<5 years: S1; 5–10 years: S2; more than 10 years: S3) were selected for the study, and the sampling sites were allocated at the centre of the farm. Results indicated that there were significant differences in species number, individual number and evenness index of benthic macroinvertebrate fauna found in the two sampling seasons (p < .05) and significant differences in individual number and evenness index were found among the sampling sites (p < .05). Significant differences in pH, total phosphorus levels, sulphide levels and organic matter of sediment were found between the sampling seasons (p < .05) and differences in total nitrogen level, organic matter and clay content were found among the sampling sites (p < .05). Among the independent variables analysed, correlation analysis showed no relationship between diversity index, species richness index and evenness index and the abiotic variables (p < .05). The results of the present study suggest that the distribution and diversity variations of the benthic macroinvertebrates community fauna are not affected by all sediment parameters in various repeated cultivation of the blood cockle Anadara granosa in Bandon Bay, Suratthani Province.     

Ecological and landscape effects on genetic distance in an assemblage of headwater fishes

Environmental divergence along hierarchically structured longitudinal gradients may constitute barriers to gene flow in river networks for headwater specialised species. While known, this phenomenon has not been well studied, especially with regard to degree of headwater specialisation. We examined six headwater species that differ in habitat specialisation to assess whether patterns of differentiation vary according to geographic or environmental distance. We also identified regional environmental or anthropogenically induced fragmentation effects by comparing within‐drainage patterns of genetic distance across replicate watersheds. We used a comparative modelling framework to determine whether isolation by distance or isolation by resistance of large river habitats was a better predictor of genetic distance across species. The influence of reservoir presence and regional network characteristics that may influence the hydrology and size of large river habitats were also assessed. Resistance effects from large rivers were closely related to headwater specialisation, with increased specialisation leading to increased resistance and loss of drainagewide population connectivity. These results affirm that dendritic networks naturally fragment headwater specialised species. Further isolation from anthropogenic fragmentation was detected in two of the six drainages, indicating interactions with system‐specific conditions. Landscape variables related to the hydrology of large rivers also affected genetic distance in predicted ways, supporting the importance of large rivers in genetically structuring headwater species in drainage networks.     

2005-2018年澜沧江下游流域景观生态安全时空变化及其驱动因素

[目的] 分析澜沧江下游流域景观生态安全时空变化规律和驱动机制，为该流域及流经国家的人与自然协调可持续发展提供科学依据。[方法] 以2005，2010，2015和2018年4期遥感影像为数据源，通过景观指数和GIS空间分析方法评价流域景观生态安全，采用双变量空间自相关方法明确城市、道路、河流、高程、坡度、气温和降水等因素对景观生态安全的驱动作用。[结果] ①2005—2018年，澜沧江下游流域的整体景观生态安全度呈先升后降的变化特征。其中，北部和中西部景观生态安全较差，东部、南部和东南部较好，但也有恶化趋势；②各景观类型中，景观生态安全度从大到小为：水域 > 林地 > 草地 > 耕地 > 建设用地 > 裸地。其中，林地和草地的景观生态安全度存在波动，耕地和水域的景观生态安全度一直上升，而建设用地和裸地的景观生态安全度持续下降；③距城市距离、距道路距离、气温和降水等社会和气象因素对景观生态安全时空变化的驱动作用最强，距河流距离也对景观生态安全的时空变化有一定解释作用，而高程和坡度等地形因素并非澜沧江下游流域景观生态安全时空变化的主要驱动因素。[结论] 应尽量降低由人类活动引起的生态环境负荷，积极发挥气象因素对生态安全的正向效应，促进澜沧江下游流域的人与自然协调可持续发展。     

宁夏原州区生态移民村生境景观连接度变化及其驱动因素

[目的]分析生态移民土地利用过程中生境景观连接度变化及其驱动因素,为生态移民的生态风险管理及移民可持续性提供科学依据。[方法]以宁夏原州区"十二五"时期4个生态移民村(丰泽、金轮、和润及泉港)为例,基于2016年高分影像数据,同时参考移民前谷歌地球2010年数据和第二次全国土地调查数据(2010年),经野外GPS校验,通过计算障碍影响指数和生境景观连接度指数,分析生态移民村土地利用生境景观分异。[结果]丰泽村和金轮村的生境景观连接度呈下降态势,和润村和泉港村呈上升态势。4个生态移民村的变化趋势明显,但极高连接度和高连接度比例很小。生态移民村生境景观变化驱动力主要为人为因素,建设用地占用耕地、园地普遍,其中泉港村与和润村建设用地面积年均增长率分别高达27.49%和21.28%,同时金轮村、和润村、泉港村无后备土地资源,生态压力突出。[结论] 4个生态移民村人口密度增大导致建设用地占用耕地明显,生态用地被分割,移民的非农活动比重大造成耕地撂荒,景观破碎化和孤岛化现象明显,生境景观呈现出不稳定状态,生态压力增加。     

Exploring tree diversity and stand structure of savanna woodlands in southeastern Sudan

Savanna woodlands in Sudan host great biodiversity, provide a plethora of ecosystem goods and services to local communities, and sustain numerous ecological functions. Although the importance of the Acacia trees in these areas is well known, up-to-date information about these woodlands' diversity is limited and changes in their woody vegetation composition, density, diversity and relative frequency are not monitored over time. This study explored tree diversity and stand stage structure in Nuara Reserved Forest, a typical savanna woodland ecosystem in southeastern Sudan. A total of 638 circular sample plots (1000 m² for each) were established using a systematic sampling grid method. The distance between plots was 200 m. In each plot, all living trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥5.00 cm were identified and counted, and their DBH values were recorded. From these data, tree composition, diversity, density and stage structure were assessed. There were 12,259 individual trees representing four species (Acacia seyal, Balanites aegyptiaca, Acacia Senegal and Acacia mellifera) that belong to two families. The dominant species was Acacia seyal. Average tree density was 191 trees/hm² and the Shannon-Weiner index for trees diversity was 0.204. Overall, young trees comprised 86.30% of the forest. The state of tree richness and density in the study area was low compared to other similar environments in the region and around the world. We recommended adoption of a proper management system that includes monitoring of woody vegetation diversity in this forest, and management actions to enhance tree diversity and sustain ecosystem services to local communities. In addition to care for the dominant Acacia seyal stands, more attention and conservation should be devoted to reestablishing Acacia senegal and Acacia mellifera trees because of their high ecological and economic values for local communities.