短期围栏封育对高寒草甸植物群落及土壤理化性质的影响

充分了解围栏封育对植物群落及土壤理化性质的影响,是合理制定草甸恢复和利用相关政策、促进当地畜牧业经济可持续发展的关键。本研究通过对西藏三江并流区封育2年的高寒草甸的群落样方调查与土壤理化性质测定,结果表明,比较自由放牧,围封后地上和地下生物量分别提高26.24%和8.94%,但物种多样性指数略有下降;围封后土壤电导率、盐度和总溶解固体分别下降26.50%,29.03%,30.15%;围栏内地上生物量与土壤盐度、总溶解固体、电导率呈显著正相关(P<0.05),地下生物量与硝态氮、温度呈显著正相关(P<0.05);围栏外地下生物量与介电常数、体积含水率呈显著负相关(P<0.05),与铵态氮呈显著正相关(P<0.05)。研究结果表明,2年短期围封对高寒草甸植物群落及其土壤理化性质均有一定改善,可以作为应对草甸退化的干扰手段与管理措施。     

放牧和模拟降水对短花针茅荒漠草原植物功能群多样性的影响

为探究放牧和降水变化对植物功能群的影响,本文以内蒙古短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)荒漠草原为研究对象,开展了野外控制试验。试验设置围封和适度放牧,分别进行模拟降水处理(减少降水量50%、自然降水、增加降水量50%、增加降水量100%),并在每年8月观测植物群落组成。结果表明：减水会降低植物功能群多样性、生物量和物种数量,增水有利于植物功能群多样性的提高。多年生丛生禾草多样性随降水量的增加而升高。同时,对降水梯度和功能群多样性进行拟合分析发现,降水量低于年降水量16%则不利于除灌木、半灌木外其他功能群植物的生长。围封草地增水67%～79%时,功能群的Simpson指数、Shannon-Wiener指数、Pielou指数值均较高,功能群多样性较高;由于放牧提高了植物的水分利用效率,放牧地各指数在增水26%～50%时较高,功能群多样性较高。综上,适度的放牧及水分补充有利于提高植物功能群多样性。     

生物多样性与地形及土壤因素对坡面产流产沙的耦合影响

生物多样性关系到生态系统的功能,而坡度和土壤因素是影响坡面产流产沙的重要因子。本研究基于黄土丘陵区生物多样性,并引入坡度、降雨前土壤含水量和土壤容重,探究其与坡面产流产沙总量的耦合关系。通过野外人工降雨试验,记录草本、灌木和乔木群落下的产流时间和产流产沙总量,并开展土壤植被调查。结果表明,与草本和乔木群落相比,灌木群落在延长产流开始时间和降低产沙总量上表现更优;植被群落功能离散度指数(FDiv)对产沙总量影响最大,Simpson指数(D)对产流总量影响最大,坡度仍然是不可忽视的第二重要影响因素;产流总量与坡度、土壤容重、D和功能丰富度指数(FRic)的回归关系优于产流总量分别与其的回归关系;产沙总量与坡度和FDiv指数的回归关系优于产沙总量分别与其的回归关系。植被保护与坡度改善将是该区水土保持规划工作的重点。     

Using genetic tools to inform conservation of fragmented populations of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) across their range in China

A herd of 15 Chinese elephants attracted international attention during their 2021 northward trek, motivating the government to propose establishment of an Asian elephant national park. However, planning is hampered by a lack of genetic information on the remaining populations in China. We collected DNA from 497 dung samples from all 5 populations encompassing the entire range of elephants in China and used mitochondrial and microsatellite markers to investigate their genetic and demographic structure. We identified 237 unique genotypes (153 females, 84 males), representing 81% of the known population. However, the effective population size was small (28, range 25–32). Historic demographic contraction appeared to account for low haplotype diversity (H_d = 0.235), but moderate nucleotide and nuclear diversity (π = 0.6%, H_e = 0.55) was attributable to post-bottleneck recovery involving recent population expansion plus historical gene exchange with elephants in Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Vietnam. The 5 populations fell into 3 clusters, with Nangunhe elephants differing consistently from the other 4 populations (F_ST = 0.23); elephants from Mengyang, Simao, and Jiangcheng belonged to a single population (henceforth, MSJ), and differed from the Shangyong population (F_ST = 0.11). Interpopulation genetic variation reflected isolation by distance and female-biased dispersal. Chinese elephants should be managed as 2 distinct units: Nangunhe and another combining Shangyong and MSJ; their long-term viability will require restoring gene flow between Shangyong and MSJ, and between elephants in China and neighboring countries. Our results have the potential to inform conservation planning for an iconic megafaunal species.     

哺乳期幼驼与成年母驼粪便菌群多样性分析

【目的】探究准噶尔双峰驼哺乳期幼驼和成年母驼粪便菌群结构组成及多样性变化,为幼驼肠道健康发育提供重要依据。【方法】选取6~7岁体况相近的健康成年母驼12峰,以及出生日期相近（3月龄）的哺乳期母幼驼12峰,母驼与幼驼在相同饲养环境下饲养。采用直肠取粪法采集粪样,用于粪便内容物细菌16S rDNA的V3-V4区测序,并对测序数据进行相应分析。【结果】母驼粪便菌群Chao1和Shannon指数均显著高于幼驼（P<0.05）;在门水平上,母驼和幼驼粪便中位于前十的菌均为厚壁菌门、拟杆菌门、疣微菌门、变形菌门、软壁菌门、螺旋体门、TM7、放线菌门、蓝藻菌门和纤维杆菌门,其中幼驼粪便中变形菌门和软壁菌门丰度均极显著高于母驼（P<0.01）;在科水平上,母驼与幼驼粪便中位于前十的菌均为瘤胃球菌科、消化链球菌科、毛螺菌科、梭菌科、克里斯滕森菌科、理研菌科、疣微菌科、拟杆菌科、艰难杆菌科和普雷沃氏菌科,其中母驼粪便中消化链球菌科和梭菌科的丰度均极显著高于幼驼（P<0.01）,而幼驼粪便中毛螺菌科的丰度极显著高于母驼（P<0.01）;在属水平上,母驼与幼驼粪便中位于前十的菌属均为梭菌属、颤螺旋菌属、瘤胃球菌属、梭菌科-梭菌属、阿克曼菌属、5-7 N15、CF231、苏黎世杆菌属、梭菌科-SMB53和密螺旋体菌属,其中母驼粪便中的梭菌属、梭菌科-梭菌属和苏黎世杆菌属的丰度均极显著高于幼驼（P<0.01）。【结论】成年母驼粪便菌群多样性显著高于哺乳期幼驼,且稳定性较好;母驼和幼驼的粪便在门、科、属水平下的主导菌属种类均一致,但是丰度均存在差异。     

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.     

Genetic management of Dutch golden retriever dogs with a simulation tool

Excessive inbreeding rates and small effective population sizes are an important problem in many populations of dogs. Proper genetic management of these populations can decrease the problem, and several measures are available. However, the effectiveness of these measures is not clear beforehand. Therefore, a simulation model was developed to test measures that aim to decrease the rate of inbreeding. The simulation program was used to evaluate inbreeding restriction measures in the Dutch golden retriever dog population. This population consisted of approximately 600 dams and 150 sires that produce 300 litters each year. The five most popular sires sire approximately 25% of the litters in a year. Simulations show that the small number of popular sires and their high contribution to the next generation are the main determinants of the inbreeding rates. Restricting breeding to animals with a low average relatedness to all other animals in the population was the most effective measure and decreased the rate of inbreeding per generation from 0.41 to 0.12%. Minimizing co‐ancestry of parents was not effective in the long run, but decreased variation in inbreeding rates. Restricting the number of litters per sire generally decreased the generation interval because sires were replaced more quickly, once they met their restriction. In some instances, this lead to an increase in inbreeding rates because the next generations were more related. The simulation tool proved to be a powerful and educational tool for deciding which breeding restrictions to apply, and can be effective in different breeds and species as well.     

放牧对草地土壤微生物的影响

土壤质量是草地生态系统生产力可持续发展的关键所在。健康的土壤必定拥有丰富的物种多样性、活跃的生命体、高效的内部养分循环及较好的抗干扰能力。土壤微生物作为土壤系统中各种生物进程的主要推动者,其作用不可小觑。因此,我们可以利用土壤微生物的数量、群落结构和多样性等特征监测土壤质量。本文综述了放牧对草地土壤微生物数量、生物量、群落结构和多样性的影响。指出通过了解土壤微生物与放牧行为间的关系,如何评估土壤质量,选取适宜的放牧梯度,完善草地管理模式,并介绍了土壤微生物群落结构和多样性研究方法的利弊。解决两个关键问题：1）土壤微生物的各种特征是如何响应放牧行为的。2）如何通过这些指标评价土壤质量,然后提出合理的放牧模式,改善和维护草地的生产力。     

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。     

RNA-Seq技术在瘤胃微生物研究中的应用进展

反刍动物瘤胃内多种多样的微生物组成一个复杂的微生态系统,它们在瘤胃内物质消化过程中发挥重要作用。RNA-Seq技术的出现为反刍动物瘤胃微生物的研究提供了前所未有的机遇。本文主要从新一代高通量测序技术出发,阐述RNA-Seq技术在瘤胃微生物代谢酶特性、瘤胃微生物的多样性、瘤胃微生物新功能基因方面的应用,以期为瘤胃微生物的研究提供参考。