云南省古林箐自然保护区物种多样性及保护

古林箐自然保护区位于北回归线以南,哀牢山南端以东的滇东南高原向东南半岛延伸的结合部,南亚热带与热带的过渡地带。在这特殊的自然地理条件下,成为我国三大生物多样性中心之一的滇东南—桂西北的核心部位,区内有发育完整,保存完好的森林生态系统和丰富的生物资源。但在管理中存在许多方面问题,据此提出保护措施。     

甘肃省兴隆山区域丛枝菌根真菌多样性初探

本研究采用Illumina HiSeq分子测序技术,探究了兴隆山东山丛枝菌根(Arbuscular mycorrhizal,AM)真菌多样性及其在不同海拔高度的分布特征。结果表明:1)自兴隆山东山土壤分离获得AM真菌共52种,隶属于4目8科13属,其中球囊霉属(Glomus)和原囊霉属(Archaeospora)为主要物种,分别为20种和9种,共占总物种的55.77%;2)各海拔梯度AM真菌种属分布结果表明,优势属球囊霉属(Glomus)和类球囊霉属(Paraglomus)随海拔变化呈现规律性分布,其余各属均匀分布于不同海拔梯度;球状巨孢囊霉(Gigaspora margarita)、蜜色无梗囊霉(Acaulospora mellea)、白色球囊霉(Glomus albidum)、球囊霉属的Glomus sp.1和Glomus sp.4,还有弯丝硬囊霉(Sclerocystis sinuosa)仅在部分海拔梯度出现,为不同海拔特有种;3)AM真菌丰富度分析表明,从低海拔到高海拔,ACE和Chao1指数总体上表现出“单峰”变化曲线,且部分海拔间差异性显著(P<0.05)。Spearman相关性分析发现,该地区AM真菌种属分布受海拔因子影响较小,两者间不具有显著相关性。综上,兴隆山东山AM真菌资源丰富,物种繁多,具有较大的应用潜力。     

新疆草地优势种植物相对生物量沿海拔梯度变化特征

优势种作为草地生态系统中地上生物量的主要贡献者,其生物量既受到环境因素的影响,也受到共存种种间关系的影响。然而,由于物种的不同和环境梯度的差异,目前有关优势种生物量与环境因素关系的研究,尚未获得一致性的结论。基于此,本研究以2011-2013年对新疆9种草地类型397个样地中优势种相对生物量的调查数据为基础,首先统计了不同草地类型中优势种组成,其次通过一般线性模型分析了优势种相对生物量随海拔梯度变化特征,以及共存优势种相对生物量之间的关系。结果显示：1）新疆草地共有169个优势种,隶属31科120属。这些优势种主要以禾本科植物为主,占据了优势种的19.53%。其中,高寒草原、温性草甸草原、温性草原、温性荒漠草原和温性草原化荒漠中,最主要的优势种均为针茅。而在高寒草甸、山地草甸和温性荒漠中,最主要的优势种则分别为珠芽蓼、千叶蓍和角果藜;2）优势种相对生物量与海拔的关系可以归为5类,分别呈现无显著关系、先降低后升高的U型变化趋势、显著正相关关系、显著负相关关系和先增加后降低的单峰型关系。这5类关系所对应的优势种数量分别为50、9、8、6和4个,分别占优势种总数的64.9%、11.7%、10.4%、7.8%和5.2%;3）24个共存优势种之间,其相对生物量共存在19对显著关系,且大多数共存优势种相对生物量之间主要表现为负相关关系。本研究表明,优势种相对生物量与海拔的关系,因物种不同呈多种变化格局且受到共存优势种的影响,结果可对未来新疆草地地上生物量的维持和管理,提供一定的参考依据。     

PEG干旱胁迫对3种葱属植物种子萌发期渗透调节物质及酶活性的影响

为探明东北地区常见野生葱属植物耐旱能力,筛选野生葱属植物耐旱种质资源,本研究以野韭（Allium ramosum L.）、山韭（Allium senescens L.）和蒙古韭（Allium mongolicum Regel）3种葱属植物为材料,采用不同浓度的PEG-6000模拟干旱胁迫,分析其种子萌发期渗透调节物质及酶活性的影响,并结合主成分分析和隶属函数分析比较抗旱性。结果表明：干旱胁迫下,3种葱属植物种子萌发期相对电导率显著升高（P<0.05）,丙二醛、脯氨酸、可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白含量及超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶、过氧化物酶、多酚氧化酶活性均呈现先上升后下降的趋势。3种植物相比,山韭相对电导率最低,渗透调节物质积累量最高,酶活性变化明显。主成分分析表明,4种酶活性之间显示出强相关性。隶属函数分析得出3种植物种子的抗旱性由高到低依次为：山韭 > 野韭 > 蒙古韭。     

黄河兰州段湿地典型植物群落物种多样性研究

以黄河兰州段分布最广泛的芦苇-假苇拂子茅群落和酸模叶蓼-灰绿藜群落为研究对象,研究2个群落的植物物种组成和多样性特征。结果表明:芦苇群落有植物22种,隶属于13科20属,酸模叶蓼群落有植物24种,隶属于11科22属,2个群落的共种有10种,相似性系数为43.48%,菊科、禾本科、藜科、蓼科是该植物区系的优势科。物种多样性的分析说明2个群落的Pielou指数(J)波动比较小,Simpson指数(D)和Shannon-Wiener指数(H)均波动都比较大,并且H指数与J指数存在明显的正比例关系,而与D指数呈显著的反比例关系。方差分析表现出两群落S,H,D和J指数的差异并不明显,说明组成两群落的物种有一定的相似性和连续性,也存在着差异。     

Livestock grazing has minimal effect on the species richness and diversity of semi-arid shrubland in the Western Little Karoo,South Africa

The Succulent Karoo, one of two arid biodiversity hotspots in the world, is known for its high plant species richness, but little is known about the influence of topography and how it mediates the potentially deleterious effects of grazing. Changes in vegetation species composition, cover and species diversity were examined along piosphere gradients on northerly slopes, bottomlands and low-lying plains on 45 farms. Landscapes differed in the plant speciesand life-form composition, species richness and cover, with the more species-rich, heterogeneous grassy northerly slopes distinct from the plains and bottomlands, which were dominated by Pteronia pallens, Psilocaulon junceum and Drosanthenum spp. with more annual and ephemeral species. Overall, species richness declined linearly with decreasing rangeland condition. A weak grazing effect was detected only on the north-facing slopes, where shrubs and grass decreased with intense grazing. Years of overgrazing have resulted in the widespread dominance of P. pallens, especially on the plains and bottomlands, rendering them insensitive to grazing. The current condition of the northern slopes should be maintained and managed such that palatable species can spread to more degraded areas of the landscape.     

Michigan Mute Swan Management: A Case Study to Understand Contentious Natural Resource Management Issues

U.S. state fish and wildlife agencies have responded to perceived ecological and social threats posed by mute swans by implementing population control strategies. In Michigan, some stakeholder groups have vocally opposed particular control activities. To better understand and characterize key aspects of the underlying media dialogue about mute swan management in Michigan, one factor in the development of public perceptions about wildlife issues, we conducted a qualitative content analysis of Michigan-specific online news articles. Results revealed tensions between stakeholder groups about management priorities were rooted in differing ideas about healthy social and ecological systems, appropriate wildlife behavior, and the acceptability of lethal control (i.e., shooting living birds). Characterizing which stakeholder groups aligned with particular arguments might allow managers to tailor and direct messaging to specific audiences.     

DNA barcoding for identification of cryptic species in the field and existing museum collections: a case study of Aethomys and Micaelamys (Rodentia: Muridae)

DNA barcoding has been proposed as a method for species identification. However, this method has been criticised for its over-reliance on a single mitochondrial gene. In this study, four mitochondrial gene regions and one nuclear gene region were used to investigate their different abilities to identify tissue associated with museum specimens of Aethomys chrysophilus, Aethomys ineptus and Micaelamys namaquensis. Aethomys chrysophilus and the more recently elevated A. ineptus are indistinguishable on morphological grounds; however, their ranges are largely parapatric with only one syntopic locality currently known. All of the mitochondrial gene regions were able to separate M. namaquensis from A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus, but they varied in their abilities to resolve differences between A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus. The sequence results identified a specimen from KwaZulu-Natal that was misclassified and should have been identified as A. ineptus. Seven specimens that had not been reclassified following the elevation of A. ineptus to species level were identified as A. ineptus. Individuals of A. chrysophilus from Malawi could not be classified as either A. chrysophilus or A. ineptus, and may be a hybrid or a new, distinct species. This study indicates that DNA barcoding may be used to separate M. namaquensis from A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus, and although it was not able to separate A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus, it did indicate specimens from Malawi may be a new cryptic species.     

A morphological analysis of the skull size and shape of Kerivoulinae (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Vietnam

Southeast Asia is a region of high biodiversity, containing species of plants and animals that are yet to be discovered. In this region, bats of the subfamily Kerivoulinae are widespread and diverse with six species recorded in Vietnam. However, the taxonomy of the Kerivoulinae in Asia is complicated. In our study, we used diagnostic characters and multivariate analysis to determine morphological differences between the genera Kerivoula and Phoniscus. We showed that the two genera are distinguishable by the size of second upper incisors, the shape of skull, nasal sinus, canines, second upper and lower premolars. In addition, the two genera can be osteometrically separated by measurements of the braincase height, interorbital width and shape of anterior palatal emargination. Our data clearly revealed the morphological variations in the skull shape of Kerivoula hardwickii in Vietnam. This suggests a possible separation into three morphotypes, representing cryptic species supported by statistical differences with wide variation in skull shape, size and teeth. These results demonstrated Kerivoula hardwickii can be separated three subspecies, and the result will serve as the basis for the future assessment and classification of this group in Southeast Asia.