Hybridisation with introduced chukars (Alectoris chukar) threatens the gene pool integrity of native rock (A. graeca) and red-legged (A. rufa) partridge populations

The decline of over-hunted red-legged (Alectoris rufa) and rock (A. graeca) partridge populations has been contrasted with massive releases of captive-reared birds, often hybrids with non-indigenous A. chukar. Released interspecific hybrids raise the risks of introgressive hybridisation, and can contribute to further depress the fitness of native populations. Aiming to assess the extent of hybridisation, we genotyped the mtDNA control-region and eight nuclear microsatellites in 671 red-legged, rock and chukar partridges and hybrids, identified by phenotypic traits. Results reveal a diffuse occurrence of hybridisation: (1) 39 samples (6.2%) show mtDNA haplotypes discordant with their phenotypes, indicating red-legged and chukar mtDNA introgression in native rock partridges; (2) admixture analyses of the microsatellite genotypes identified 32 additional rock partridges (5.1%) hybridised mainly with chukars. We analysed also 39 samples collected from a presumed natural red-legged x rock partridge hybrid zone in the French Alps. Surprisingly, 28% birds showed typical chukar mtDNAs, indicating hybridisation with introduced chukars or hybrids. This hybrid zone led to an introgression cline of chukar alleles into neighbouring Alpine rock partridges detectable up to 100 km, which was shorter than expected by neutral genetic theory, and that suggested natural selection against hybrids. These findings indicate that introgressive hybridisation may disrupt local adaptations in natural red-legged partridge and rock partridge populations, and call for strict control of farming and restocking operations.     

Experimental evidence for nest-site competition between invasive ring-necked parakeets (Psittacula krameri) and native nuthatches (Sitta europaea)

Ring-necked parakeets (Psittacula krameri) originate from Africa and Asia, but have been widely introduced and are thought to compete for nest-sites with native hole-nesting birds, raising concerns for the loss of native avifauna. In this study, we adopt a replicated before-after-control experimental design to test for competition between parakeets and native cavity-nesters. In experimental plots in Brussels, Belgium we blocked parakeet nesting cavities and conducted surveys to evaluate availability and use of cavities by parakeets and native hole-nesters. Numbers of breeding pairs, as well as cavity quality index - based on cavity occupancy rates - were evaluated before and after blocking. After blocking, numbers of native nuthatches (Sitta europaea) declined significantly, largely due to nest take-overs by parakeets. Nuthatches and parakeets strongly overlap in preferred nest-sites and this overlap explains the competition that leads to a reduction in nuthatch numbers when suitable cavities become scarce. Average quality of parakeet nests was lower after blocking, indicating that parakeets will utilize alternative cavities when preferred sites are not available, bringing them into greater conflict with other cavity nesters. Although some nuthatches remain in areas dominated by ring-necked parakeets, our results raise conservation concerns for the vulnerability of native cavity-nesting birds to the expansion of invasive parakeet populations.     

Ecology and management of alien plant invasions in South African fynbos: Accommodating key complexities in objective decision making

Invasive alien trees and shrubs pose significant threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services in South African fynbos ecosystems. An ambitious initiative, the Working for Water program, commenced in 1995 to reduce the extent and impact of plant invasions. Despite substantial progress, the problem remains immense, and innovative ways of improving the efficiency of control operations are urgently needed. This study sought to develop a robust conceptual framework for effective management of the most important invasive alien plant (IAP) species. Two methods were applied in exploring the complexity of problems, thereby identifying appropriate response strategies. The DPSIR (Driving forces-Pressure-State-Impacts-Responses) framework and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) tool were used to design a strategy for prioritizing management actions. This strategy considers explicitly the most influential factors that determine the distribution, abundance, spread and impacts of IAPs. Efficient management of IAPs is constrained by multiple interacting environmental and socio-economic factors. Factors related to the fire-prone nature of the ecosystem and the characteristics of the invasive stands emerged as pivotal features for setting spatially-explicit priorities for management. Results of the analyses provide an objective and quantifiable perspective for improving the management efficiency. We conclude that considerable progress in controlling the spread of IAPs in fynbos ecosystems could be achieved by better coordination of management practices and by improving the quality of species distribution data.     

The roles of habitat features, disturbance, and distance from putative source populations in structuring alien plant invasions at the urban/wildland interface on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa

Natural areas are becoming increasingly fragmented and embedded in an urban matrix. Natural and semi-natural areas at the urban/wildland interface are threatened by a variety of ‘edge effects’, and are especially vulnerable to invasion by introduced plants, with suburban gardens acting as significant sources of alien propagules. Urban/wildland interfaces also provide access for humans, leading to various types of disturbance. Alien plant invasions are one of the biggest threats facing remaining natural areas on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. The area provides an ideal opportunity to study the dynamics of invasions at the urban/wildland interface, since the largest natural area, the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), is surrounded by the city of Cape Town. We explored invasion patterns in Newlands Forest (a small section of the TMNP) and detailed the roles of habitat features and distance from putative source populations in three main habitat types: natural Afromontane forest, riverine woodland habitats, and plantations of exotic pines (Pinus radiata and P. pinaster). We also examined the role of disturbance in driving invasions in two of these habitat types (Afromontane forest and pine plantations). We hypothesized that alien richness and alien stem density would decrease with distance from the urban/wildland interface, and that alien richness and alien stem density would increase with increasing levels of human disturbance.Distance from putative source populations and levels of anthropogenic disturbance influenced alien richness in Newlands Forest but not alien stem density. Alien richness decreased significantly with distance from presumed sources in the pine habitat, and increased significantly with disturbance in the forest habitat. Percentage overstorey cover and soil pH were important environmental variables associated with alien plant species. A socio-economic approach is discussed as being the most effective approach to the management and prevention of alien plant species in Newlands Forest.     

Plant species extinction debt in a temperate biodiversity hotspot: Community, species and functional traits approaches

Destruction and fragmentation of (semi-) natural habitats are considered the main causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. Plant species may exhibit a slow response to fragmentation, resulting in the development of an extinction debt in fragmented plant communities. The detection of extinction debt is of primary importance in habitat conservation strategies. We applied two different approaches proposed in the literature to identify extinction debt in South-East Belgium calcareous grasslands. The first method compared species richness between stable and fragmented habitat patches. The second explored correlations between current species richness and current and past landscape configurations using multiple regression analyses. We subsequently examined results generated by both methods. In addition, we proposed techniques to identify species that are more likely to support extinction debt and associated functional traits. We estimated a respective extinction debt of approximately 28% and 35% of the total and specialist species richness. Similar results were obtained from both methods. We identified 15 threatened specialist species under the current landscape configuration. It is likely the landscape configuration no longer supports the species habitat requirements. We demonstrated that non-clonal species are most threatened, as well as taxa that cannot persist in degraded habitats and form only sparsely distributed populations. We discussed our results in light of other studies in similar habitats, and the overall implications for habitat conservation.     

Phenotypic differentiation in fitness related traits between populations of an extremely rare sunflower: Conservation management of isolated populations

Knowledge of the genetic and demographic consequences of rarity is crucial when evaluating the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on population viability, and for creating management plans in rare plant species. Reduction in population size and in the number of populations can lead to decreased genetic diversity and increased inbreeding. Genetic diversity is often correlated with fitness and is frequently used to identify populations of greatest conservation concern, or those that may be good candidates for ex situ conservation programs. However, an association between these factors is not always clear, and crossing studies evaluating whether there is phenotypic differentiation among populations in fitness related traits can inform managers of suffering populations or good sources for ex situ materials. Crossing studies can also evaluate the potential for genetic rescue to boost fitness in suffering populations. To address these questions, we conducted two generations of controlled crosses between populations of the extremely rare and fragmented sunflower, Helianthus verticillatus. We measured achene viability, germination, survival, and pollen viability (F₁ only) in 176 F₁ and 159 F₂ families. The populations were differentiated with respect to phenotypic fitness measures with one population having significantly lower achene viability and germination. Also, the potential for genetic rescue was observed as gene flow into the less fit population resulted in higher fitness measures in both the F₁ and F₂. Results are discussed with respect to the importance of combining genetic marker data with crosses and the implications for conservation in disjunct populations of rare species.     

Urban domestic gardens (IX): Composition and richness of the vascular plant flora, and implications for native biodiversity

Garden floras interact with native biodiversity by providing resources for wildlife and by acting as a source of non-native species. Understanding the composition and richness of garden floras will help evaluate the relationships between these floras and the wider environment. The composition and richness of vascular plant floras were measured in a stratified sample of 61 urban, domestic gardens in Sheffield, UK, based on complete garden inventories. The entire garden flora contained 1166 species, of which 30% were native and 70% alien. Across gardens, aliens showed lower occupancy than natives, comprising 79% of the species recorded only once. The garden flora contained 146 plant families, which included 72% of the native, naturalised or recurrent casual families recorded in the wild in Britain and Ireland. Gardens contained on average 45% natives, irrespective of garden size. Garden area explained 30% of the variation in species richness within individual gardens. Doubling garden size led to an increase in species richness of 25%. The garden flora comprised 10% annuals, 63% biennial/perennials, 18% shrubs and 8% trees; shrubs were disproportionately composed of alien species. The floras of urban domestic gardens probably form the greatest source of potentially invasive alien plants. However, the plants found in domestic gardens have closer affinities with the uncultivated flora than is often perceived, and their role for wildlife in gardens deserves reassessment. Declines in garden size that result from recommendations on the density of new housing are unlikely to have major consequences for plant richness in gardens.     

雄配子体选择的遗传分化效应及其在植物改良中的应用

在植物世代交替的生活史中,配子体是产生配子和具有单倍数染色体的植物体,并且有自己的遗传表达信息。在配子产生的过程中以及配子结合之前,适者生存的法则对配子发挥着选择作用,只有最适应外界环境条件的配子才能通过竞争性受精并产生合子。雄配子体选择是影响植物遗传分化、演变和遗传多样性的重要因素,被认为是生物进化的有力动力。此外,由于植物基因组中约有2/3的基因表达交错发生在配子体阶段和孢子体阶段,因此雄配子体选择的结果会影响到下一代孢子体的表现型。在育种实践中,利用雄配子体选择对植物进行遗传改良,具有提高选择机率和缩短育种年限等优点。本文主要概述雄配子体选择与孢子体表型的关系、遗传分化效应及其在植物遗传改良中的应用,以期为雄配子选择相关研究提供参考     

Extending the rotation period in larch plantations increases canopy heterogeneity and promotes species richness and abundance of native beetles: Implications for the conservation of biodiversity

We studied the effects of extending the rotation period (long-rotation) and related ecological variables on the biodiversity of six beetle families in larch (Larix kaempferi) plantations. Beetle diversity in the forest understory and the canopy of long-rotation and middle-aged plantations was compared. The relationships between the species richness of each beetle family and 24 ecological variables were identified. We found that beetle diversity tended to increase with long-rotation and responded differently to the ecological variables in two woodland strata (understory and canopy); e.g., an increase in phytophagies occurred in the canopy. Among the 24 measured ecological variables, the species richness of naturally regenerated mature trees, their abundance, and the quality and quantity of coarse woody material (CWM) had the strongest influences on beetle diversity. The former two variables increased with long-rotation; however, most variables related to CWM did not increase because thinned trees were left in middle-aged plantations as fallen logs. Therefore, the occurrence of naturally regenerated native trees that had grown sufficiently tall to reach canopy height in long-rotation plantations underpinned the improved biodiversity in larch plantations, contributing to native beetle species richness in these woodlands. Long-rotation makes plantations more heterogeneous, particularly in the canopy, and promotes greater native beetle diversity.     

Toward more concern for specialisation and less for species diversity in conserving farmland biodiversity

In order to face the large and worrying biodiversity decline in agricultural landscapes, important policy instruments like agri-environmental schemes (AES) have been implemented. Studies that have examined the ecological effects of AES are now numerous and generally use indicators of biodiversity such as species richness and diversity as well as species abundance. Yet, it has been shown that simple metrics such as species richness or abundance may give misleading messages about biodiversity status and fate. Moreover, those indicators cannot detect another important source of biodiversity loss, biotic homogenisation. In this context, taking into account to a wider extent ecological difference among species would be more relevant, as well as focusing on the species specialisation which is known to be linked to higher species vulnerability. A bibliographic review investigating the criteria generally used to assess the success of AES showed that 55% of studies used species richness and/or abundance exclusively without any consideration of specialisation or other ecological traits in their evaluation of AES effectiveness. Based on data from the French breeding bird survey and studies at regional scale in France on farmland birds, we show that: (i) species richness and specialisation are generally negatively correlated in agricultural areas, (ii) habitat heterogeneity does not benefit specialist species, and (iii) monitoring of species diversity should be coupled with the monitoring of specialist species to improve conservation strategies in farming systems. Overall, this study emphasizes the need to account for both community richness and composition when assessing AES or similar conservation planning.     

辽宁地区两种菊科入侵植物与本地植物光合特性比较

为明确外来植物生理生态学性状及其与其强入侵性的关系,本研究采用野外原位气体交换参数测定的方法,分析了菊科入侵植物豚草、三裂叶豚草与其共生本地植物紫菀光合特性和叶片性状的差异。结果表明,豚草、三裂叶豚草、紫菀3种植物的光饱和点(LSP)均高于800μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1),且两种入侵植物的LSP显著高于紫菀,表观量子效率(AQY)则显著低于紫菀;3种植物的最大净光合速率(P_(nmax))大小顺序为豚草三裂叶豚草紫菀,其中,豚草和三裂叶豚草的P_(nmax)分别比紫菀高出151.28%、82.80%,且差异显著。两种入侵植物的比叶面积(SLA)、叶片的单位质量氮含量(N_(mass))、叶片单位质量磷含量(P_(mass))、光合能量利用效率(PEUE)、光合氮利用效率(PNUE)均显著高于紫菀,但3者叶片单位质量建成成本(CC_(_(mass)))差异不显著。综上所述,辽宁的两种菊科入侵植物相对于本地共生种来说有着较高的气体交换参数和叶片特性指标,且其光合特性和叶片特性也存在着密切的联系,表现在这些菊科入侵植物有着更高的P_(nmax)、PNUE、PEUE和水分利用效率(WUE)等光合特性指标和能量利用指标,使得入侵植物能够更有效地捕获和利用环境资源,成为其得以成功入侵的原因之一。     

Conversion of organic carbon from decayed native and invasive plant litter in Jiuduansha wetland and its implications for SOC formation and sequestration

Journal of Soils and Sediments - It is still controversial which type of plant litter is conducive to soil organic carbon (SOC) formation. Here we are to explore the conversion of organic carbon...     

农业景观害虫控制生境管理及植物配置方法

集约化农业生产过程中,化学农药所带来的大量环境问题日益引起关注。为减少农药的投入及其所产生的环境负效应,生物防治害虫的方法在国内外得到了更多的关注与发展。生境管理是一种有利于天敌群落发展,而不利于害虫种群增长的保护性生物防治方法,其实质是通过为自然天敌提供诸如花蜜、替代猎物或寄主、躲避不利干扰的庇护所等资源,将农业景观中天敌的害虫控制服务和功能最大化,或者通过构建不适宜害虫取食和繁殖的环境条件起到抑制或阻碍害虫发展的作用。本文在参阅国内外文献的基础上,阐述了生境管理控制害虫的机理,并总结国外生物防治的实践经验以及近些年国内外的相关研究,概括提出田间尺度上害虫生物防治的非作物生境及作物生境的建设和植物配置方法,为通过生境管理提升农业景观中害虫生物防治生态系统服务提供参考。     

Soil biodiversity and its implications for ecosystem functioning in a heterogeneous and variable environment

This paper evaluates theoretical arguments and empirical evidence on the interrelation of soil biodiversity and ecological functioning, in order to identify appropriate methodologies and promising fields of investigation. Predictions from a range of general theories are evaluated against the background of empirical findings and results from models on specific soil ecosystems with reference to the functional effects of species losses (1) within trophic levels, (2) in food-webs, and (3) those that depend on the size of the spatial scale. Difficulties in proving species richness effects empirically arise because (i) a range of mechanisms can compensate species richness effects, (ii) predictions on the effects of species richness are context-dependent, which renders valid generalisations less likely, and (iii) species richness effects are of a probabilistic, rather than a deterministic nature. Generally, the effects of changes in species richness are likely to be stronger in species-poor communities than in species-rich communities. The authors deduce the hypotheses that (a) the species richness within trophic levels is likely to reduce functional gaps in space and time, (b) the species richness across trophic levels of the decomposer food web can enhance synchronisation of subprocesses of nutrient cycling, and (c) differences in species richness are likely to be more pronounced on larger spatial scales. The authors infer that an explicit consideration of spatiotemporal variation is essential in experimentation, as well as in modelling, in order to analyse species richness–function relationships.     

Synergy between nature reserves and agri-environmental schemes in enhancing ditch bank target species plant diversity

The issue of what conservation strategies to apply in agricultural landscape for the most effective protection of biodiversity has been debated for some years. The creation and maintenance of nature reserves is often hampered by both ecological and economic factors, while the ecological effectiveness of agri-environment schemes (AES) is still being queried. Our study examined how the spatial pattern of nature reserves and AES affects the diversity of 25 target species of conservation interest in ditch banks and how this information might be used to develop a strategy resulting in synergy between protected areas and enhanced matrix quality. We studied target species plant diversity on 92 ditch banks under AES and on 102 banks not under such a regime; all of them running parallel to nature reserves. We compared the results with those obtained from a previous study which focused on ditch banks running transverse. On non-AES ditch banks running parallel to nature reserves, there was a significant decline in species richness with increasing distance from the nature reserve while this was not the case for AES ditch banks. The effect of AES differed between the two directions, with a significant effect beyond 200 m in the parallel direction and within 200 m in the transverse direction. Our results indicate that synergy between nature reserves and AES can enhance plant diversity and, since the AES effect was different in different direction due to wind direction and nitrogen input to adjacent fields, location of AES should be chosen carefully.     

Isozyme variation in Passiflora subgenera Tacsonia and Manicata. Relationships between cultivated and wild species

Isozyme variation was studied in 87 plants from 32 cultivated and wild accessions of banana passion fruit (P. tripartita var. mollissima, P. tripartita var. tripartita, P. tarminiana, and P. mixta), rosy passion fruit (P. cumbalensis), tin-tin (P. pinnatistipula), gulián (P. ampullacea), P. antioquensis, P. bracteosa, and P. manicata, from the Andes of Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. Six polymorphic enzyme systems (IDH, PGDH, PGM, DIA, PRX, and ACP) revealed 31 zymotypes characterized by the presence or absence of 31 electromorphs. Cluster analysis separated clearly the accessions of P. tarminiana, P. tripartita, P. mixta, and P. cumbalensis from the less typical species of subgenus Tacsonia, which is consistent with morphological evidence. P. mixta showed the highest intraspecific variation and the closest affinity with P. tripartita. The accessions of these two species formed two clusters, one dominated by Colombian genotypes and the other dominated by Ecuadorian genotypes. One of the P. tripartita var. mollissima accessions clustered close to P. tarminiana accessions. The affinity between these three species is particularly interesting for conservation and use of banana passion fruit genetic resources. All the other species formed monospecific clusters.     

Weed seeds as nutritional resources for soil Ascomycota and characterization of specific associations between plant and fungal species

Current interest in biological-based management of weed seed banks in agriculture furthers the need to understand how microorganisms affect seed fate in soil. Many annual weeds produce seeds in high abundance; their dispersal presenting ready opportunity for interactions with soil-borne microorganisms. In this study, we investigated seeds of four common broadleaf weeds, velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti), woolly cupgrass (Eriochloa villosa), Pennsylvania smartweed (Polygonum pensylvanicum), and giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida), for potential as sources of carbon nutrition for soil fungi. Seeds, as the major source of carbon in an agar matrix, were exposed to microbial populations derived from four different soils for 2 months. Most seeds were heavily colonized, and the predominant 18S rRNA gene sequences cloned from these assemblages were primarily affiliated with Ascomycota. Further, certain fungi corresponded to weed species, regardless of soil population. Relatives of Chaetomium globosum (98–99% sequence identity) and Cordyceps sinensis (99%) were found to be associated with seeds of woolly cupgrass and Pennsylvania smartweed, respectively. More diverse fungi were associated with velvetleaf seeds, which were highly susceptible to decay. The velvetleaf seed associations were dominated by relatives of Cephaliophora tropica (98–99%). In contrast to the other species, only few giant ragweed seeds were heavily colonized, but those that were colonized resulted in seed decay. The results showed that seeds could provide significant nutritional resources for saprophytic microbes, given the extant populations can overcome intrinsic seed defenses against microbial antagonism. Further, weed species-specific associations may occur with certain fungi, with nutritional benefits conferred to microorganisms that may not always result in seed biodeterioration.     

Case studies on breeding systems and its consequences for germplasm conservation: 3. Electrophoretic mobility of phaseolins in wild populations of Lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus L.) in the Central Valley of Costa Rica

We studied the variation in the electrophoretic mobility of phaseolins of 202 individual seeds from thirty-eight wild populations of Lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus) in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. We found four main polypeptides or banding regions with molecular weights which ranged from 21.5 to 31 kDaltons. Two of these peptides were polymorphic, and their combination resulted in four distinct genotypes. The frequency of the different genotypes varies among populations, but two of them, namely B¹¹C¹¹, B²²C²², were found in most of the populations studied (37 out of 38 populations examined). Overall, there was a lack of heterozygotes among the individuals examined, which strongly suggests that there is gametic disequilibrium for the encoding regions involved in the synthesis of these polypeptides. When we arranged the populations into eight groups according to their proximity and phenology, we found that the distribution of the peptides was also variable among them. The possible association between the distribution of the patterns of electrophoretic mobility observed and climatic factors, such as mean annual rainfall, mean annual temperature and mean annual relative humidity is discussed.     

Condensed tannins in Trifolium species and their significance for taxonomy and plant breeding

Summary Populations of 59 Trifolium taxa were screened for condensed tannin content using the vanillin-HC1 test. Eight species (T. arvense, T. aureum, T. badium, T. campestre, T. dubium, T. micranthum, T. patens and T. spadiceum) were shown to contain tannins. These species are all found in Section Chronosemium or Section Trifolium Subsection Arvensia of the genus, and thus presence of tannins appears to have a taxonomic significance. Screening populations within species showed differences in tannin content, but no plants in these species were free of tannins.     

Identifying and mapping biodiversity processes for conservation planning in islands: A case study in Réunion Island (Western Indian Ocean)

Over the last century, island biodiversity has become one of the most threatened in the world. Although many island conservation plans address biodiversity requirements at the species level, few plans address the spatial requirements of the biodiversity processes that underpin the persistence of these species. Using systematic conservation planning principles, we map the spatial components of biodiversity processes (SCBPs) and use these to design broad-scale conservation corridors for Réunion Island. Our method is based upon a literature review, expert knowledge, spatially explicit base data, conservation planning software, and spatial modelling. We combine a target-driven algorithm with least-cost path analyses to delineate optimal corridors for capturing key biodiversity processes while simultaneously considering biodiversity pattern targets, conservation opportunities, and future threats. We identify five SCBPs: the oceanic-terrestrial interface; riverine corridors; macrohabitat interfaces; the boundaries of isolated topographic units; and lowland-upland gradients. A large proportion of the SCBPs (81.3%) is currently untransformed, whereas 3% is irreversibly transformed by urbanisation and 15.7% is transformed but restorable. However, SCBPs are almost fully disrupted by urbanisation in the lowlands, thereby compromising functional corridors along full altitudinal gradients. This study is a contribution toward the reconciliation of conservation versus development objectives on Réunion Island but we believe that the delineation method is sufficiently general to be applied to other islands. Our results highlight the need for integrating marine, coastal and terrestrial conservation planning as a matter of urgency, given the rapid transformation of coastal areas on islands.