Activity patterns and resource partitioning: seven species at watering sites in the Altun Mountains,China

As part of a larger project to examine the richness and distribution of wildlife in Kumtag Desert area, we conducted camera trapping surveys during the period 2010-2012 at seven watering sites in an arid region of the Altun Mountains in western China. Information on activity patterns of the wild bactrian camel (Camelus ferus), kiang (Equus kiang), goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa), argali (Ovis ammon), blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), and wolf (Canis lupus) was obtained. We found that the wild camel, kiang, goitered gazelle, argali, and blue sheep were predominantly diurnal at watering sites, whereas red fox and wolf were nocturnal. Five herbivores partitioned the use of watering sites in a temporal manner to minimize the risk of predation by carnivores. The wild camel was the dominant herbivorous species at the watering sites. The kiang, goitered gazelle, argali, and blue sheep displayed adaptive water use by altering spatial or temporal patterns based on the presence or absence of wild camel, to minimize the risk of interspeci?c strife. These results are suggestive of the differences in activity patterns that might modulate water partitioning by different species, and provide insights for the development of conservation strategies for integrated species and decisions regarding water development in the Altun Mountains.     

Potential for endozoochorous seed dispersal by sheep and goats: Risk of weed seed transport via animal faeces

Endozoochory is known as an important mechanism for the spread of weeds. We carried out experiments to assess the fate of seeds of several weed species (Convolvulus arvensis, Cuscuta campestris, Rumex crispus, Hordeum spontaneum and Sorghum halepense) after passing through the gut of sheep and goat. Eighteen animals of both sheep and goat received diet mixed with seeds of the weed species or control with only wheat bran (five weed species + control × three replications). Results showed that a higher proportion of seeds were missing after passage through the sheep gut than in goats. In goats, a greater proportion of seeds were dead after passage, but the number of seeds collected from dung was also greater. Weed species differed, with the highest seed recovery and viability in Cuscuta campestris. Based on time of seed passages through the animal gut estimated for the different weed species, we recommend that sheep should be kept in a corral for 96 hr to minimise seed transportation via their faeces. For goats, if R. crispus and C. arvensis seeds could be excluded from the diet, then maintaining them for 96 hr in an animal stall would ensure little seed transportation via dung, but we found R. crispus and C. arvensis seeds to be present and viable in goat dung even 120 hr after feeding. Very large numbers of viable seeds can be found in goat and sheep dung, so the use of rotted manure is highly recommended to avoid transportation of viable seeds via manure fertilisers.     

新疆卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区狼(Canis lupus)与社区牧民冲突的调查分析

近5 a来,卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区狼捕食家畜事件频繁发生,给当地社区牧民造成经济损失并带来心理恐慌,狼与牧民冲突日益尖锐。2012年7-8月,采用入户面对面访谈的方法,调查了卡拉麦里山保护区内狼的危害状况以及当地社区牧民与狼之间的冲突。结果表明：① 6个乡的牧民普遍认为在冬牧点或河谷定居点周围有狼,但是其数量有明显的差异;② 在卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区狼捕食家畜的顺序是：绵羊、牛、骆驼、山羊和马,狼对绵羊明显存在捕食偏好。每户被狼捕杀家畜的数量与家庭家畜拥有量呈极显著正相关;③ 狼袭击家畜的时间存在极显著的差异,以夜晚最为频繁,并且多发生在牧民的冬牧场,即在冬季捕食率较高;④ 狼一般远离道路和人类活动频繁的矿点、旅游点,而在靠近冬牧点和水源点的地方捕食家畜;⑤ 60.5%的牧民认为狼对草原生态系统是有害的。     

Biological control of Rumex obtusifolius and Rumex crispus by goat grazing

Rumex obtusifolius and Rumex crispus are problematic grassland weedy species, particularly under conditions of organic farming. They are avoided by cattle and horses, but they can be grazed by goats. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of continuous goat grazing of moderate intensity on R. obtusifolius and R. crispus control. In 2008, 40 seedlings of each species were transplanted into pasture that was grazed by goats (crossbreed Czech white × Czech brown) on the target sward height of 7–10 cm. The number of leaves, proportion of grazed leaves and mortality of plants were monitored over the following 4 years. The number of leaves per plant was higher for R. obtusifolius than for R. crispus. The maximal number of leaves per plant of R. obtusifolius and R. crispus was 10 and 5, respectively. The proportion of grazed leaves was generally higher for R. obtusifolius than for R. crispus and ranged from 10% to 80%. No fertile plant was recorded during the experiment, as goat grazing totally prevented the flowering of both species. The level of mortality of the plants at the start of the fourth grazing season was 70% and 87% for R. obtusifolius and R. crispus, respectively, and no plant survived the fourth grazing season. It was concluded that continuous goat grazing of a moderate intensity that is carried out over 4 years seems to be an effective method for the non‐chemical control of R. obtusifolius and R. crispus in grassland.     

Eradication of feral goats enhances expansion of the invasive shrub Leucaena leucocephala on Nakoudo‐jima,an oceanic island

Many introduced species can co‐exist within the same ecosystem and sometimes interact with each other. Under such situations, eradication of one species may cause unexpected negative effects. Nakoudo‐jima in the Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands is an oceanic island that had feral goats that were introduced in the 1880s, but eradicated in 1999. Following their eradication, the alien invasive shrub Leucaena leucocephala (Fabaceae) was predicted to increase drastically. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the eradication of feral goats enhanced the expansion of L. leucocephala using four time‐series aerial photographs and validation work based on current field surveys of Nakoudo‐jima. Our results showed that following feral goat elimination, bare ground areas decreased and forest cover increased. This was particularly true of areas dominated by L. leucocephala. Thus, feral goats appear to have limited the expansion of L. leucocephala on Nakoudo‐jima. Grassland cover also increased following feral goat elimination, but this may have occurred prior to L. leucocephala expansion. These results suggest that L. leucocephala‐dominated forest might invade grassland areas and that grasslands may have mediated the expansion of L. leucocephala after feral goat elimination. Future management of L. leucocephala should target the species in the high‐risk expansion zones adjacent to grasslands.     

干草原区植被保护支持技术研究——冬春季绵羊最佳饲养模式初探

针对在干旱草原区生态脆弱期 (冬春季节 )放牧家畜 ,导致植被严重破坏和家畜跑青掉膘的“双损”现象 ,在该期进行了绵羊禁牧舍饲饲养和反季节育肥试验。并与该时期放牧绵羊在体重变化、经济效益、生态效益等方面进行对比分析。结果表明 ,在草原生态脆弱期采取绵羊较低成本禁牧舍饲是维护草原生态安全的较好方式 ,同时结合该期羊肉价格较贵的特点 ,搞好冬春反季节育肥出栏 ,则是促进生态效益和经济效益协调统一 ,较为理想的措施     

黄土高原丘陵沟壑区放牧林草地土壤团聚体性质研究

通过放牧试验的方法,研究土壤团聚体含量和破坏率,以探讨不同放牧强度、不同放牧畜种、不同放牧植被类型条件下表土的团聚体(＞ 0.25 mm)含量和破坏率.结果表明:放牧强度对土壤性质有影响,重度放牧下土壤团聚体含量最小;从畜牧羊种选择来看,绵羊相对于山羊来说对土壤结构破坏较小,土壤中团聚体含量较高;对于不同植被类型,放牧...     

近52 a长白山苔原带生长季气候变化特征

利用长白山苔原带天池站1959-2010年6-9月气象数据,进行生长季气候变化分析。采用距平值、小波分析、Mann Kendall检验相结合的方法,进行温度、降水周期性变化与突变点的检验;采用线性倾向估计法,分析未来气候变化的趋势;并通过气候变化指数,反映其气候变化情况。结果显示：52 a来,长白山苔原带生长季经历了暖湿-冷干-暖湿-冷干-冷湿-冷干-暖干几个主要阶段,温度变化周期为5～10 a,降水变化周期为5 a和20 a.。温度变化的突变年份发生在1998年,降水变化较之温度变化复杂,其存在多个突变年份;各气象要素的变化趋势大都表现为显著的升高,其中温度的变化最为明显,风速、日照时数的变化甚微;霜冻日数与冰点日数均显著减少,极端温度大多出现在21世纪;伴随着>0.1 mm降雨日数的显著减小,长白山苔原带降水强度不断增加;与植物生长相关的生长季≥0 ℃积温、≥3 ℃积温和≥5 ℃积温在52 a间呈显著增加趋势,积温的增加将会对生长季的延长及植物生长起到显著的促进作用。     

Food habits of striped hyena(Hyaena hyaena) in a semi-arid conservation area of India

Striped hyena(Hyaena hyaena) is a near-threatened large carnivore known to occur in arid and semi-arid landscapes in many parts of the world. Its population is declining globally and ecological information is required urgently to meet their conservation needs. We studied the diet pattern of the striped hyena in the semi-arid Gir National Park and Sanctuary(GNPS), western India. Prey items eaten by the striped hyena were identified from scats. Around 44.4% scats represented single to three mammalian preys while 55.6% of them represented four preys to seven preys. A variety of food items were identified including mammals, birds, insects and vegetable matters. Scats analysis showed that 63.91% diet of striped hyena was contributed by wild prey items, 20.94% by domestic prey and 3.31% by birds, whereas vegetable and insects contributed 9.92% and 1.93%, respectively. Diet diversity of the striped hyena computed by the Shannon-Weiner Index(H) was found to be 2.64. The presence of domestic mammals in the scat remains implied that the striped hyena might frequently visit human habitation in search for food and hence, a potential conflict between human and wildlife might arise. Reducing the dependence of hyena on domestic livestock is a challenge to ensure the survival of striped hyena outside the protected area.     

DDT and BHC residues in some body tissues of goats, buffalo, and chickens, Lucknow, India

Muscle, liver, brain, and abdominal body fat samples of goats, buffalo, and chickens, all common meat sources in India, were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) for residues of DDT and benzene hexachloride (BHC). A few samples of goat and buffalo bone marrow were also included. Relatively high residue levels were found in body fat and bone marrow compared with other tissues. DDT and BHC residue levels were highest in chicken body fat, averaging 4.157 ppm sigma DDT and 3.879 ppm BHC. DDT content was much higher in goat and buffalo bone marrow than in the corresponding body fat. DDT levels in brain samples were highest (0.138 ppm) in buffalo. p,p'-TDE levels were higher than p,p'-DDE levels in buffalo; overall DDT levels were lowest in goats. BHC residues were generally low in buffalo; alpha-BHC accounted for most BHC residues in brain tissues. Greater accumulations of DDT and BHC were found in leg muscles than in breast muscles of chickens.     

Fruit set and the diurnal pollinators of the invasive Lantana camara and the endemic Lantana peduncularis in the Galapagos Islands

Fruit set is highly relevant to a plant's reproductive success. Fruit set can vary due to predation on flowers, pollinator services and/or resource availability. Reproductive success, measured as the fruit set of the invasive Lantana camara and the endemic Lantana peduncularis in the cool–dry season and the warm–wet season of the Galapagos Islands, was studied. Also, autonomous self‐pollination ability and seed viability were probed for both species. Furthermore, flower visitors and their activity were registered for both species during the warm–wet season. Lantana peduncularis produced fewer flowers per inflorescence, but had a higher fruit set in the cool–dry season, compared to the warm–wet season. In contrast, the fruit set in L. camara did not change seasonally. The fruit set in L. camara was higher than in L. peduncularis in the warm–wet season. Moreover, ～18% of the bagged flowers of the invasive Lantana produced fruits by autonomous self‐pollination, while for the endemic Lantana, the rate of autonomous self‐pollination was very low. More than 80% of the fruits for both species had at least one viable seed per fruit. The number of pollinators and their frequency, inflorescence‐ and flower‐visiting rates and the duration of the visit per flower were higher in the invasive Lantana than in the endemic one. The endemic Lepidoptera Urbanus galapagensis (the main pollinator of both Lantana species) and the introduced Hymenia perspectalis were observed pollinating both Lantana species. These results indicate that the alien L. camara is more attractive to pollinators and it has reproductive advantages regarding fruit set in comparison with L. peduncularis, factors that contribute to the colonization pattern of this invasive species.     

Rangeland Monitoring and Fire: Wildfires and Prescribed Burning,Nutrient Cycling,and Plant Succession

Prescribed fires are used to manipulate and manage rangelands, but effective monitoring techniques are needed to ensure that management goals and objectives are being met. The application of an effective fire program on rangelands is not a simple task. Overgrazing by livestock since the early development of the livestock industry has altered the vegetative complex on most rangelands with an increase in woody plants. Because of its relatively low cost, prescribed fire, both cool and warm season, are sustainable practices if proper grazing management is part of the management scheme. Grazing management and prescribed fire have often been treated as separate issues by rangeland managers; however, development and application of an effective prescribed burning program requires an understanding of the relationship between fire and grazing. Ranchers need fuel (grass) to burn and they also need income from livestock, which requires forage (grass, a major part of forage). In the short-term, fire reduces carrying capacity for livestock but, in the long-term, fire increases grass production, resulting in increased carrying capacity. Therefore, some monitoring technique is needed that will allow the manager to budget grass for both fuel and forage. The Grazing Manager (TGM) is a software program that projects both forage production (expressed as animal unit days) and, animal demand (expressed as animal unit days) for each forage year. TGM has been successfully used on the Texas A&M University Research Station at Sonora as a tool to integrate prescribed fire and grazing management.     

取食不同食物的草地贪夜蛾的过冷却点和结冰点

为探明草地贪夜蛾的抗寒能力及取食不同寄主植物对其抗寒能力的影响,本试验对取食人工饲料及小麦、玉米和高粱等三种不同寄主植物的草地贪夜蛾部分虫态的过冷却点和结冰点进行了测定。试验结果表明:人工饲料饲养的草地贪夜蛾不同虫态间过冷却点和结冰点存在显著差异,其中蛹的过冷却点和结冰点最低,分别为(-16.71±0.26)℃和(-5.04±0.21)℃,显著低于其他虫态;3~6龄幼虫的过冷却点和结冰点随龄期增大而升高。取食3种不同寄主植物的草地贪夜蛾蛹的过冷却点和结冰点显著低于幼虫和成虫。在不同寄主植物之间,取食玉米的草地贪夜蛾蛹的过冷却点最低。除取食高粱的4龄幼虫外,取食3种寄主植物的幼虫的过冷却点均随龄期增大而升高。取食3种寄主植物的雌成虫过冷却点无显著差异,但取食高粱的雄成虫过冷却点显著低于取食小麦的。     

多源水汽再分析资料在青藏高原的适用性评估

评估多源水汽再分析资料在青藏高原的适用性,可为高原水汽分布及输送特征研究提供数据参考,并有利于提高高原地区气候变化研究结果的可靠性。以探空观测资料(简称"观测资料")为参照标准,对比分析JRA-25(J25)、JRA-55(J55)和ERA-interim(ERA)等再分析水汽资料在高原的适用性。结果表明:3种再分析资料均能揭示高原比湿的时空变化特征,但再分析资料与观测资料比湿偏差存在明显的季节和区域差异。水平方向上,J25与观测资料比湿均方根误差(RMSE)及相对偏差(PIC)总体较小,J55和ERA夏季及年平均比湿RMSE和PIC明显偏大,冬季较小。垂直方向上,与观测资料比湿垂直廓线相比,J25夏、冬季及年平均比湿垂直廓线一致性最好;J55和ERA比湿垂直廓线冬季一致性较好,夏季偏差较大,特别是高原主体及东南部站点偏差尤为显著。再分析资料与观测资料各层比湿RMSE低层大,高层小,且J25的RMSE最小。与观测资料相比,J25比湿数值小幅偏高,J55和ERA则整体偏低,且偏差较大。J55和ERA再分析资料比湿存在较大偏差的原因及其在我国其他区域的适用性还有待进一步检验。     

栽培牧草地蜘蛛种群动态的研究

1981—1986年在甘肃武威地区栽培牧草地采集蜘蛛隶属13科58种,分布数量较多的有7种。蜘蛛占草地捕食性天敌总量的71.32％。文中揭示了草地蜘蛛种群结构及其季节变化。在牧草生育期中,狼蛛科的种类居优势,占51.97％,平腹蛛科和管巢蛛科各占11.93％、11.40％。7月份蜘蛛混合种群的成蛛中,雄蛛数量最少,占27.06％,其蛛态结构随季节而变化,6月成蛛数量最高,占40.78％。蜘蛛种群的数量消长,随作物、牧草生育期和利用年限不同而有差异。3月上旬平均气温4.7℃时,蜘蛛始出土,4月上旬气温7.2℃时,普遍在地面活动。温度和光照强度的日变化和季节变化,明显地影响蜘蛛日活动数量的变化。耕作和7月上旬的降雨,是影响草地蜘蛛数量的重要原因。     

Goat horns: Platforms for viroid transmission to fruit trees?

Mechanical inoculations with contaminating tools and propagation of infected budwood were considered the main causes for the omnipresence of multiple viroid species among citrus and other Middle Eastern and Mediterranean fruit trees and grapevines. However, neither means could explain viroid infections of wild trees — scattered on terrains inaccessible to humans — nor the finding of similar viroids among graft-incompatible plants. Northern hybridization of RNA extracts made of scrapings from the surfaces of goat (Capra hircus) horns that were rubbed against etrog (Citrus medica) stems infected with a citrus viroids complex, revealed accumulation of considerable amounts ofCitrus exocortis viroids (CEVd) andHop stunt viroids (HSVd). Experimental transmission of both CEVd and HSVd was obtained by rubbing healthy citrus plants with goat horns that had been rubbed 24 h earlier on infected etrog stems. These results implicate goats as possible vectors of viroids. Transmissionvia goats could have facilitated the long-range spread of viroids among cultivated and wild plants andvice versa and also among graft-incompatible plants.     

Use of Selenate-Resistant Strains as Markers for the Spread and Survival of Botrytis cinerea Under Greenhouse Conditions

ABSTRACT Botrytis cinerea marked strains combining traits of fungicide resistance or sensitivity (carbendazim, iprodione) with resistance to selenate were created and assessed for use in studying the dispersal of B. cinerea and its survival inside plant tissue under greenhouse conditions. Marked strains differed in their ability to cause lesions and to disperse in the greenhouse. A strain that was the most aggressive in infecting plants was also the most successful in spreading across the greenhouse. Following 7 to 14 days of exposure to marked inoculum, about 90% of plants showed quiescent B. cinerea infection with no significant difference between hosts or seasons. However, in a warm season, most of the plants were infected with wild-type B. cinerea, whereas most of the winter-recovered B. cinerea strains were of the marked phenotype, showing the importance of local inoculum from within the glasshouse in winter. The air of the greenhouse contained the same population of marked B. cinerea in warm and in cold periods, whereas the total population was significantly higher in summer. In the warm season, mycelium of B. cinerea inside plant debris lost viability within 3 to 4 months, whereas it stayed viable for 4 months in the winter (December to March) and started to lose viability in April.     

水资源可持续利用优化决策模型在典型牧区的应用

以干草原和荒漠草原牧区为典型,针对典型牧区水资源短缺,草原生态环境日益恶化等问题,建立了牧区水资源可持续利用优化决策模型。以具有代表性的鄂托克前旗典型牧区为例,进行人工种植冷季补饲型和暖季放牧冷季舍饲型两个方案的优化计算。主要解决了以下五个方面的问题:(1)优选夏秋牧场面积和冬春牧场面积;(2)优选种植业结构及规模;(3)采用节水节能措施合理利用水资源,优化灌溉设施配置;(4)充分合理利用劳动力资源;(5)获得最佳或满意的经济、生态和社会效益。     

巴音布鲁克草地畜牧业持续发展的探讨

巴音布鲁克是一个高寒牧业区，生长季委，草地生产力较低，生节草地资源不平衡，暖季载畜量趋于饱和，冷季已过载，草地负载大，退化严重，风雪灾害导致牲畜大量死亡和冷季掉膘等，是影响该区草地畜牧业持续，稳定发展的主要因素。     

Rainfall,evapotranspiration, and soil moisture as herbage production predictors for Wyoming rangelands

Rangelands are an important ecosystem in the western US, and herbage and livestock production are important issues throughout the western states. Making stocking rate decisions early in the growing season is difficult because of high variation in annual herbage production. In this study, regression analysis was used to relate herbage biomass to monthly and growing season predicator variables (rainfall, actual evapotranspiration, and soil moisture) using data collected from fifteen Wyoming rangeland sites. Both predictor and response variables were scaled before regression to correct for different physical and environmental conditions between sites. Growing season precipitation was the strongest predictor of herbage biomass production (r² = 0.79), followed by growing season actual evapotranspiration (r² = 0.69), and growing season profile-average soil water content (r² = 0.59). April profile-average (0–90 cm) and April surface (0–30 cm) soil moisture also predicted herbage biomass (r² = 0.53–0.54), indicating that early growing season soil moisture can be used to inform stocking rate and grazing management decisions as it provides information at the onset of the growing season.