Ecotourist trail-use affects the taxonomic,functional and phylogenetic diversity of mammals in a protected area: lessons for conservation management

Ecotourism, by definition, aims to engage peoples’ interest in wildlife and the environment. The use of tourist roads and trails to access sites within protected areas (PAs) can detrimentally affect the behavior and distribution of species. The way mammals respond to anthropogenic pressures may differ across taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic groups; nevertheless, how ecotourist trail-use affects these different diversity remains under-investigated. Here, we assessed 6 metrics of taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity for a mammal community in a PA in central China, recording how Trail use (using Trail type as a proxy) and habitat variables affected sightings and signs of mammals across 60 replicate 0.5 km transects. We then examined how Trail use affected the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity indices of species (>1 kg). Using generalized liner mixed modeling, we identified that more used trail types had a greater adverse effect on all diversity richness indices than did less used trail types. Consequently, tourist pressure was associated with a general tendency to homogenize the site's mammal community. In contrast, the effects of Trail Types on all diversity evenness indices were non-significant. Furthermore, more developed and more heavily used trail types had a greater, significant negative effect on taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic richness, whereas these richness indices were unaffected by minor trail types, used less intensively. As a general principle, lower biodiversity indices reduce ecosystem resilience, and so it is vital to better understand these responses to balance public access against biodiversity management in PAs.     

Nutrient addition and disturbance effects on the community composition and assembly in a desert steppe北大核心CSCD

The effects of short-term nutrient additions (NPKμ, 10 g·m- 2) and disturbances on the species diversity, functional traits, soil properties, and community assembly mechanisms of the herbaceous community in the Urat desert steppe were examined. A mixed linear model, principal component analysis, and null model methods were utilized and both disturbance and interaction treatments were found to significantly reduce species richness and β diversity. Short-term nutrient additions significantly reduced soil pH but increased soil electrical conductivity. Six functional traits of the dominant species (i.e. Stipa glareosa, Peganum harmala, Salsola collina, Corispermum mongolicum) and six community-weighted mean significant changes under the disturbance and nutrient addition treatments were identified. The disturbance and nutrient additions promoted the transformation of the dominant species in the community from conservative strategies to acquisitive strategies. The results of the two null models revealed that community assembly under the control tended to be a stochastic process, while the disturbance and interaction treatments tended to be deterministic processes, and that of the nutrient addition treatments tended to be weaker deterministic processes. Plant communities in the desert steppe responded and adapted to the nutrient additions and disturbances through changes in the dominant species and their crucial functional traits. © 2023 Chinese Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.     

甘肃陇南地震扰动区植被群落特征

地震扰动对当地生态环境造成极大的破坏,引起植被群落种类组成、群落结构的变化,本研究采用样带结合海拔梯度的方法,于2013年8-9月,调查和研究了甘肃陇南武都区清水沟植被群落的种类组成、群落结构受地震扰动后的现状。结果表明,研究区内共发现34种植物,分属16科30属,主要以禾本科和菊科植物为主,群落垂直结构明显,大体分为3层;植物群落中多年生草本植物种类最多,是优势生活型,其次是灌木、藤本,无乔木分布;Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(H')和Pielou均匀度指数(E)表现为中坡位下坡位上坡位,Simpson优势度指数(D)表现为上坡位下坡位中坡位。     

采煤沉陷区苦草的生物学特性及其竞争机制

采煤活动所致的动态沉陷湿地具有动态性、高潜水位和生态脆弱性等特点,探明此类人工重构湿地的水生植物群落的生物学特性及其竞争机制,有助于为采煤沉陷区湿地水生植物群落修复提供科学依据.本研究以淮南潘集区人工构建的苦草群落(Ass.Vallisneria natans)为倒,采用样方调查法,研究苦草的生物学特性及其与其他水生植物的竞争机制.结果表明,1)沉陷区苦草的生物学特性与浅水湖泊较一致.主要表现在苦草的繁殖方式、传粉方式、生活史方面,但研究区苦草以有性繁殖为主.2)沉陷区苦草能与以种子萌发形成的水烛群丛(Ass.Typha angustifolia)共生,但生物量低;在与形成两年以上的水烛群丛竞争中处于劣势,在水烛群丛盖度达到90％时苦草逐渐消失.3)沉陷区苦草在与浮叶植物莕菜群丛(Ass.Nymphoides peltatum)、苹群丛(Ass.Marsilea quadrifolia)竞争中处于弱势,其盖度、株高、生物量等指标都明显下降.4)沉陷区苦草在与沉水植物竹叶眼子菜群丛(Ass.Potamogeton malaianus)竞争中处于劣势,苦草与沉水植物黑藻群丛(Ass.Hydrilla verticillata)、狐尾藻群丛(Ass.Myrioph yllum verticillatum)、大茨藻群丛(Ass.Najas marina)、金鱼藻群丛(Ass.Ceratophyllum demersum)占据不同水层空间,种间竞争不强烈,能较好地共存.总之,苦草较之于相似生长型的植物具有较明显的竞争优势,对于具有不同生活型,尤其是挺水植物和浮叶植物,处于竞争劣势.     

祁连山不同植被类型土壤微生物群落多样性差异

土壤微生物是土壤生态系统的重要组成部分,在生态系统物质循环和能量转化中占有重要的地位。以祁连山中段不同海拔的4种植物群落,即垫状植被(cushion plants,CP)、高寒草甸(alpine meadow,AM)、沼泽化草甸(swamp meadow,SM)和高寒灌丛(alpine shrub,AS)作为实验样地,采用BIOLOG技术,探讨了土壤微生物群落多样性在不用海拔梯度形成的植被条件下的变化特征。结果表明,反映微生物活性的平均颜色变化率(average well color development,AWCD)的大小顺序为:沼泽化草甸高寒草甸高寒灌丛垫状植被,沼泽化草甸土壤微生物群落代谢活性最高;高寒草甸和沼泽化草甸土壤微生物群落碳源利用模式相似,土壤微生物群落的Shannon-Wiener物种丰富度指数(H)与土壤有机碳和全氮显著相关(P0.05),Simpson优势度指数(D)和Mc Intosh指数(U)与土壤全氮显著相关(P0.05);冗余分析表明,土壤有机碳、p H和全氮可能是土壤微生物利用碳源的控制因子。研究结果为进一步探讨高寒草甸与土壤微生物之间的关系奠定了基础。     

毛竹林群落类型水源涵养功能的初步研究

对毛竹林群落类型水源涵养功能的研究结果认为:1.植冠截留量,毛竹、常绿落叶阔叶混交林>毛竹纯林>毛竹、杉木混交林;2.枯枝落叶层持水量,毛竹、常绿落叶阔叶混交林>毛竹、杉木混交林>毛竹纯林;3.土壤层的蓄水功能,毛什、常绿落叶阔叶混交林>毛竹纯林>毛竹、杉木混交林。通过本研究,将为毛竹林群落类型的科学管理及其生态经济功能发挥,提供依据。     

山地植物群落生物多样性与生物生产力海拔梯度变化研究进展

文中从生物学谱中群落和生态系统尺度，根据国内外的野外观测文献，总结了山地植被在群落生物多样性和生物生产力2方面的海拔梯度变化特征，以及群落生物生产力与生物多样性的关系，并提出目前该领域研究的几个热点问题。     

地带性木本植物群落功能型的水热分布格局

植物功能型是对环境条件做出相似的反应和对关键生态学过程具有相似影响的植物组合.不同功能型植物对生态系统过程的作用不同,通过植物功能型的分析对揭示生态系统功能至关重要.甘肃省境内5种地带性木本植物群落(亚热带常绿落叶阔叶林、暖温带落叶阔叶林、温带针阔混交林、寒温性针叶林和荒漠旱生灌木群落)依据植物体的高度、叶片的生长对策及果实类型可划分出23种功能型.其分布格局与水热因子的相关分析表明:1)湿热的生境利于乔木、大灌木、藤木、寄生植物和常绿植物及翅果、坚果、核果、NFDA5NFDA6果、颖果类植物的发育,干冷生境利于灌木、小灌木和落叶植物以及蒴果类植物的发育.2)干果类和肉果类的成因可能与植物生长环境中水分供应状况密切相关,即潮湿的生境利于肉果类植物的发育,干旱的生境有利于干果类(如胞果)的发育.3)研究区域地带性木本植物群落物种丰富度和功能型的丰富度格局主要受制于水分梯度影响,而良好的水热组合可孕育木本植物群落最丰富的果实类型.     

火烧迹地下小叶樟-刺梅蔷薇群落及主要伴生种间关联性分析

以大兴安岭火烧迹地下小叶樟-刺梅蔷薇群落为研究对象,采用2×2列联表,运用方差比率法(VR)、X2统计量检验,以共同出现百分率(PC)等指标为参考,对小叶樟-刺梅蔷薇群落及其伴生种的种间关联性进行分析,结果表明:群落内物种的总体关联性的方差比率为1.18,表现为净的正关联性,但并不显著,反映了整个群落处于稳定状态.在13个主要物种形成78个种对中,28个为正相关,其中有3个种对显著正相关,其余47个种对为负相关.