Indicators of biodiversity, what do they indicate? - Lessons for conservation of cryptogams in oak-rich forest

In the Nordic countries, sets of Indicator (Signal) species, predominantly cryptogams, have been used as one measure to find forest stands which may harbour Red List species. Such data could potentially also be used to prioritise among stands for protection as nature reserves. We studied if the number of Signal species indicates the number of Red List species in oak-rich mixed forest in south Sweden. We also explored if species richness of the investigated groups is correlated with the number of Red List or Signal species. In 25 stands, we surveyed epiphytic and epixylic bryophytes and lichens, ground-floor bryophytes, and wood-living fungi. We studied correlations for two datasets; (1) all forest species and (2) deciduous forest specialists. When relating the number of Signal species to the number of Red List species for each taxon and in total, a significant correlation was found for temperate deciduous forest lichens. The number of Signal species was further significantly correlated to total species richness for lichens (all forest species) and for wood-living fungi (both datasets). The number of Red List lichens was correlated to total lichen richness (deciduous forest species). Signal species seem not to be unequivocal in prioritising potential reserves among valuable oak-rich woodlands and surveys by Red List species experts may be needed. Signal species may be more useful for finding relatively valuable sites in a matrix of production forest. Moreover, Signal species seem to be useful surrogates for total cryptogam species richness.     

广西大石围天坑群风景旅游区野生观赏植物及其构景分析

调查研究大石围天坑溶洞群风景旅游区野生观赏植物种质资源．并对其构景组景加以分析与评价，结果表明：(1)景区共有野生观赏植物201种(含变种和变型)，隶属89科149属；(2)其中观赏树种最为丰富．有43科76属108种．其中花木类28种．果木类37种。叶木类48种，荫木类31种，蔓木类27种，林木类64种；(3)草本花卉种数次之，有36科51属74种，其中一、二年生花卉16种．球根花卉19种，宿根花卉11种．观赏蕨类植物24种。兰花9种；(4)种数再次的是地被植物，有32科38属52种；(5)草坪植物种数最少．仅有1科5属7种。最后．提出对景区野生观赏植物资源保护与持续利用的建议。     

甘肃省牧草种子中杂草种子种类及多样性分析

为了提高甘肃省牧草种子品质,避免牧草种子中混杂杂草种子过多导致草场质量下降,对2019 —2022年甘肃省草原生态修复项目牧草种子中混杂的杂草种子进行物种鉴定及多样性分析。结果表明,供检牧草种子中混杂各类杂草24科102种。检出频次较高的杂草有26种,其中禾本科6种,藜科、蓼科杂草各4种。外来入侵物种野燕麦、反枝苋、刺苋及有毒杂草马先蒿、草地乌头需要重点监测和防控,以避免造成草地植物种群结构失衡、生态恶化、威胁家畜生存。检出杂草的生活型以草本植物为主,共98种,占牧草中全部杂草种类的96.1%;灌木仅4种,仅占牧草中全部杂草种类的3.9%。草本植物中,一年生杂草46种,多年生杂草38种,二年生杂草8种,一年生或多年生6种。     

施用磷、钙对红壤上胡枝子生长和矿质元素含量的影响

采用红壤土培试验,研究了施用P、Ca对耐Al性不同的两个胡枝子品种的生长和矿质元素含量的影响.结果表明,单独 +P处理显著增加了耐Al 品种根和地上部生物量,而对Al敏感品种无影响;单独 +Ca处理显著促进了Al敏感品种根部的生长,而对耐Al品种的生长无影响;+P+Ca处理显著增加了两个品种根和地上部生物量.耐性品种地上部Al含量显著低于敏感品种,而根部Al含量无显著差异.两个品种体内P含量在 +P处理时耐性品种显著高于敏感品种,其他处理品种间无显著差异.整体上,胡枝子体内Ca、K、Mn和Mg含量耐性品种大于敏感品种,Fe含量反之.结果表明,低P胁迫是酸性土壤上耐Al胡枝子品种生长的主要限制因子,增施P肥效果明显,而对于Al敏感品种,Al毒是其生长的首要限制因子,只有施用石灰后对其加P,生物量才能提高.耐性品种根部有阻碍Al 向地上部运输的机制,而这种机制与体内P含量较高有着直接或间接的关系.另外,推测耐Al胡枝子品种对其他养分的吸收利用能力也较强.     

《广西壮族自治区畜禽寄生虫名录》补遗与修订(Ⅰ)

本文是《广西壮族自治区畜禽寄生虫名录》的补遗与修订 ,收载了广西畜禽体内外寄生虫共计 51 8种 ,隶属于 7门 ,1 0纲 ,2 5目。它们包括 :鞭毛虫 2科 ,2属 ,2种 ;类锥体虫 2科 ,4属 ,4 6种 ;无类锥体虫 2科 ,2属 ,4种 ;纤毛虫 1科 ,1属 ,1种 ;吸虫 1 6科 ,38属 ,95种 ;绦虫 6科 ,2 4属 ,4 2种 ;线虫30科 ,64属 ,1 36种 ,棘头虫 3科 ,3属 ,5种 ;蜱螨 7科 ,1 3属 ,2 5种 ;昆虫 1 9科 ,38属 ,1 62种     

A comparative analysis of decline in the distribution ranges of orchid species in Estonia and the United Kingdom

National databases were interrogated to analyse and compare proportional alterations in the distribution ranges of orchid species between two surveys in the UK (surveys completed in 1969 and 1999) and in Estonia (surveys completed in 1970 and 2004). Nearly every species declined between the surveys in both countries, and two species may have become extinct in the UK. Mean decline in distribution range for 49 species in the UK was 50% (range 14-100%), and 23 species declined by over 50%. The mean decline for 33 orchid species in Estonia was 25% (range 0-62%), and three species declined by over 50%. These results corroborate serious range declines recently reported for orchids in other regions of Europe (the Netherlands and Flanders, Belgium). In contrast with these other regions, we found that species associated with calcareous grassland and woodland habitats had suffered greater mean contractions in range than species of wet grassland habitats. Greater decline was recorded for species found on drier soils, and for species characteristic of open habitats. In addition, greater decline was found in species with short inflorescences, and in species that were short-lived, and clonal. Our results suggest that levels of decline shown both by groups of species associated with specific habitat types, and by particular species of orchid, depend strongly on local policies and specific conservation action, and indicate the habitat types on which conservation efforts may need to be concentrated in the future. The results suggest that grazing and mowing of competing vegetation, and avoidance of substrate disturbance, will produce the greatest rewards for the most vulnerable species.     

Tree Density and Germplasm Source in Agroforestry Ecosystems in Meru,Mount Kenya

Farmers use and conserve a large variety of tree species. In Meru, a tree census on 35 farms covering 60 ha was conducted. This study included farmer interviews and biological measurements, with about 63,000 trees and 297 species being recorded. This paper discusses tree densities per species and germplasm sources for trees and species. The low densities and limited influx of germplasm from outside the farming community for some species, may result in an increased vulnerability to inbreeding and genetic erosion. This paper aims to provide some baseline data for understanding genetic resource management in agroforestry systems. It also provides suggestions for interventions to lower the vulnerability for species in Meru. Farmers need to have increased access to germplasm to diversify their farms in terms of species evenness, by substituting trees of more common species with trees of rarer species, or by increasing trees of rarer species.     

Influence of the temporal resolution of data on the success of indicator species models of species richness across multiple taxonomic groups

Indicator species models may be a cost-effective approach to estimating species richness across large areas. Obtaining reliable distributional data for indicator species (and therefore reliable estimates of species richness) often requires longitudinal data, that is, surveys for indicator species repeated for several years or time steps. Maximum information must be extracted from such data. We used genetic algorithms and a Bayesian approach to compare the influence of presence/absence data and reporting rate data (the proportion of survey years in which a species was present) on models of species richness based on indicator species. Using data on birds and butterflies from the Great Basin (Nevada, USA), we evaluated models of species richness for one taxonomic group based on indicator species drawn from the same taxonomic group and from a different group. We also evaluated models of combined species richness of both taxonomic groups based on indicator species drawn from either group. We identified suites of species whose occurrence patterns explained as much as 70% of deviance in species richness of a different taxonomic group. Validation tests revealed strong correlations between observed and predicted species richness, with 83-100% of the observed values falling within the 95% credible intervals of the predictions. Whether reporting rate data improved the explanatory and predictive ability of cross-taxonomic models depended on the taxonomic group of the indicator species. The discrepancy in predictive ability was smaller for same-taxon models. Our methods provide a manager with the means to maximize the information obtained from longitudinal survey data.     

Changes in the distribution of carabid beetles in Belgium revisited: Have we halted the diversity loss?

Twenty years ago, Desender and Turin (1989) analysed the changes in the composition of carabid beetles in four NW European countries between the periods <1950 and 1950-1985. Recently, a new distribution atlas of carabid beetles in Belgium was compiled using data collected during the period 1986-2008. In the light of the Countdown2010 target of halting the loss of biodiversity, we used these new data to test whether or not previously observed trends were altered. Since 1950, 46 species were no longer recorded in Belgium and seven species were added to the Belgian fauna. By relating the changes in distribution area to ecological and life history traits as well as to conservation priorities of the species, we examined which species characteristics were associated with the strongest changes in distribution. Comparing the period before 1950 with the period 1950-1985 showed that species from nutrient-poor dry biotopes and heathlands, threatened, rare and big species declined. Generalists, non-threatened species, species with a pan-European distribution range, species in the centre of their distribution range and common species, on the other hand, increased. From the period 1950-1985 to 1986-2008, mainly macropterous species, both rare and very common species and big species decreased, while generalists, dimorphic species, species with a pan-European distribution range and species that were already common in the second period increased. For the conservation of carabid beetles in a strongly industrialised and highly fragmented NW European landscape, we propose actions on two levels: first, the protection and adequate management of high quality biotopes, especially nutrient-poor grasslands and heathlands, in large core areas for specialist species and second, the creation and/or restoration of a ‘matrix’ that facilitates the exchange of individuals between core areas for the conservation of both generalist and specialist species.     

Indicator species and the problem of spatial inconsistency in nestedness patterns

The potential as indicators of species richness were investigated for 178 species belonging to six ecologically defined species groups (epiphytic bryophytes on nutrient-rich bark, epiphytic macrolichens on nutrient rich bark, pendant lichens on conifer trees, bryophytes on siliceous rocks, bryophytes on dead conifer wood, and polypore fungi on dead conifer wood), using species data from 0.25 ha plots from three different coniferous forest areas (ca. 200 ha each). A species was defined as a potential indicator species for a species group within a study area if its distribution was statistically significantly nested within the species-plot matrix ranked according to species richness, and if the plot frequency of the species was less than 25%.Only two species were identified as potential indicators within all three areas and on average ≈80% of the potential indicator species were lost from one area to another. The results indicate that inconsistency between areas in the species’ frequency distributions and their position in nested hierarchies may strongly reduce the general predictive power of indicator species of species richness, even if significantly nested patterns are found at the community level. We suggest that indicators related to amount and quality of habitats may be an alternative to lists of indicator species of species richness.     

Risk assessment: Simultaneously prioritizing the control of invasive plant species and the conservation of rare plant species

Although the consequences of the homogenization of Earth’s flora and fauna are not well understood, experts agree that biological invasions pose hazards to rare species. As a result, there is a need for a systematic approach to assess risks from invasive species. The Relative Risk Model can be adapted to assess combinations of rare species, invasive species, and regions. It also can be applied to different taxonomic groups and at different spatial scales. This flexibility makes it a promising tool for invasive species risk assessment. We used the Relative Risk Model to quantify risks posed to endangered plant species by non-indigenous invasive plant species in Nebraska.We modeled the suitable habitats for eight invasive plant species, which we subsequently compared to documented occurrences of endangered plant species in a Geographic Information System. We combined this data with an assessment of the ecological impacts of each invasive species in a regional risk assessment framework to simultaneously calculate relative risk scores for invasive plant species, imperiled plant species, and subregions. We assessed uncertainty with Monte Carlo simulations.The results of this assessment are discrete values indicating the relative threat posed by invasive species to rare species, the relative risk posed to the rare species, and the relative risk in subregions. Results indicate that the invasive species Elaeagnus angustifolia and Rhamnus cathartica pose the greatest risks to endangered plants in Nebraska. The rare species Panax quinquefolius and the subregion Western Corn Belt Plains show the highest risk scores.     

<广西壮族自治区畜禽寄生虫名录>补遗与修订(Ⅲ)

本文是《广西壮族自治区畜禽寄生虫名录》补遗与修订（Ⅲ）,收载了广西畜禽体内外寄生虫共计518种,隶属于7门,10纲,25目。它们包括：鞭毛虫2科,2属,2种,;类锥体虫2科,4属,46种;无类锥体虫2科,2属,4种;纤毛虫1科,1属,1种;吸虫16科,38属,95种;绦虫6科,24属,42种;线虫30科,64属,136种,棘头虫3科,3属,5种;蜱螨7科,13属,25种;昆虫19科,38属,162种。     

The Effects of Expansive Shrubs on Plant Species Richness and Soils in Semi‐arid Communal Lands,South Africa

Expansion by expansive species can have severe ecological, social and economic impacts through the reduction of ecosystem goods and services and species richness. However, expansion by expansive species may also offer benefits to ecosystems and humans, through the supply of ecosystem goods and services (such as firewood, fodder and fruits), as well as potentially offering refugia in heavily used landscapes. Here, we examine the effects of four expansive dwarf shrub species (Aspalathus subtingens , Dicerothamnus rhinocerotis , Pteronia incana and Oedera genistifolia ) on plant species richness (at the point scale), vegetation cover, soil properties and whether the expansive species offer refugia to other species. Plant species richness, cover and soil properties were recorded in 1‐m² quadrats located within a mosaic of expanded and non‐expanded patches for the four expansive shrub species. Plant species richness was significantly higher in the non‐expanded areas compared to the expanded ones for all four expansive species. Some of the expansive shrubs provided refugia to certain plant species and limited the frequency of other species. With regard to species composition, there was little separation of expanded and non‐expanded samples within sites, indicating that the site factors were stronger determinants of plant species richness and composition than expansion. Therefore, it is more likely that the reduction in species richness in expanded sites is caused by multiple drivers, including vegetation attributes cover, litter cover and soil nutrients (organic C, Zn and P) and soil compaction. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

《广西壮族自治区畜禽寄生虫名录》补遗与修订(Ⅱ)

本文是《广西壮族自治区畜禽寄生虫名录》的补遗与修订 ,收载了广西畜禽体内外寄生虫共计 51 8种 ,隶属于 7门 ,1 0纲 ,2 5目。它们包括 :鞭毛虫 2科 ,2属 ,2种 ;类锥体虫 2科 ,4属 ,4 6种 ;无类锥体虫 2科 ,2属 ,4种 ;纤毛虫 1科 ,1属 ,1种 ;吸虫 1 6科 ,38属 ,95种 ;绦虫 6科 ,2 4属 ,4 2种 ;线虫30科 ,65属 ,1 36种 ,棘头虫 3科 ,3属 ,5种 ;蜱螨 7科 ,1 3属 ,2 5种 ;昆虫 1 9科 ,38属 ,1 62种     

EFFECTS OF GRAZING INTENSITY AND BUSH ENCROACHMENT ON HERBACEOUS SPECIES AND RANGELAND CONDITION IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Grazing intensity and bush encroachment are disturbance factors that may alter the floristic composition of herbaceous species. This paper investigates impacts of grazing (intensity) and bush encroachment on herbaceous species and rangeland conditions in Borana, southern Ethiopia. Herbaceous species richness and the abundance of each species were greater in the light‐ and moderate‐grazed areas than heavy‐grazed sampling plots. Similarly, herbaceous species richness was highest at an intermediate level of biomass and seems to decline as biomass increases. Among a total of 40 herbaceous species recorded, 20 per cent were tolerant of grazing, whereas the remaining 80 per cent were highly susceptible to heavy grazing. In both encroached and non‐encroached sampling plots, species richness varied from three to six species 0·25 m⁻². Overall, herbaceous species richness and abundance, in relation to grazing gradient, might disclose a better picture of the effect of grazing on individual herbaceous species. As species richness seems to decline under heavy grazing intensity, low to intermediate grazing levels may promote and conserve key forage species in savanna grazing lands. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Habitat quality and biodiversity indicator performances of a threatened butterfly versus a multispecies group for wet heathlands in Belgium

We analyzed whether a single species (i.e., the threatened Alcon Blue butterfly Maculinea alcon) was a useful indicator for the quality and area of wet heathlands in Belgium. During a survey of 18 wet Erica tetralix heathlands, we identified 624 species from 20 different taxonomic groups. Sites with the single indicator species M. alcon were significantly richer in typical wet heathland species and in Red List species but did not show significant differences in biotope quality (i.e., the number of different typical wet heathland biotope attributes) than sites without. In addition, we used a multispecies indicator approach including a group of nine species from five different taxonomic groups (two birds, two dragonflies, two butterflies, two vascular plants and one grasshopper). High quality sites (5-9 species from the multispecies indicator group present) tended to have more Red list species than low quality sites (0-4 species from the multispecies indicator group present) but did not expose differences in overall species richness, typical wet heathland species or in biotope quality. The number of species in this umbrella group, however, was positively correlated with both the diversity of typical wet heathland species and with biotope quality. Furthermore, the complementary information of the species in the multispecies indicator group usefully signalled distinctions in biotope area and configuration, vulnerability to fragmentation, eutrophication, desiccation and contained species of different trophic levels; this was not the case for M. alcon as a single indicator species. We discuss the use of a single indicator and of a multispecies group as conservation umbrella and advocate a much wider use of combined knowledge from different taxonomic groups in conservation planning and evaluation.     

Effects of microsite, water, weeding, and direct seeding on the regeneration of native and alien species within a Hawaiian dry forest preserve

Tropical dry forests are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world in general and in Hawaii in particular. To investigate the regeneration ecology of native and alien dry forest species on the island of Hawaii, we used a factorial experiment with microsite (sub-canopy vs. inter-canopy), water (supplemental vs. ambient), and weeding (alien species removed vs. not removed) treatments, and also seeded six native woody species into each plot at the start of the experiment. At the end of the 21-month study, the biomass of the volunteer native and alien species (i.e. unplanted species consisting mainly of relatively fast-growing shrubs) was nearly three and 13 times that of the seeded species, respectively. The biomass of the native volunteers was greater in the inter-canopy plots, greater for the seeded species in the sub-canopy plots, and did not differ significantly within this treatment for the alien species. Few species survived in the ambient water plots, resulting in greater biomass in the watered plots for all species. There were no significant differences in the biomass of the native species within the weeded vs. non-weeded plots; on the contrary, we found consistently positive correlations between the abundance of the seeded species and the volunteer native and alien species. Thus it may be possible to restore Hawaii's degraded dry forests by manipulating these naturally recruiting species to create microsites favorable for the eventual re-establishment of the endangered native canopy tree flora.     

Impacts of climate change on Swiss biodiversity: An indicator taxa approach

We present a new indicator taxa approach to the prediction of climate change effects on biodiversity at the national level in Switzerland. As indicators, we select a set of the most widely distributed species that account for 95% of geographical variation in sampled species richness of birds, butterflies, and vascular plants. Species data come from a national program designed to monitor spatial and temporal trends in species richness. We examine some opportunities and limitations in using these data. We develop ecological niche models for the species as functions of both climate and land cover variables. We project these models to the future using climate predictions that correspond to two IPCC 3rd assessment scenarios for the development of ‘greenhouse’ gas emissions. We find that models that are calibrated with Swiss national monitoring data perform well in 10-fold cross-validation, but can fail to capture the hot-dry end of environmental gradients that constrain some species distributions. Models for indicator species in all three higher taxa predict that climate change will result in turnover in species composition even where there is little net change in predicted species richness. Indicator species from high elevations lose most areas of suitable climate even under the relatively mild B2 scenario. We project some areas to increase in the number of species for which climate conditions are suitable early in the current century, but these areas become less suitable for a majority of species by the end of the century. Selection of indicator species based on rank prevalence results in a set of models that predict observed species richness better than a similar set of species selected based on high rank of model AUC values. An indicator species approach based on selected species that are relatively common may facilitate the use of national monitoring data for predicting climate change effects on the distribution of biodiversity.     

广西沿海红树林区的水鸟

广西沿海地区位于一条重要的候鸟迁徙通道上，那里的红树林区给为数众多的水鸟提供了繁殖、越冬和迁徙中途歇息的场所。在红树林区记录到115种水鸟。这些鸟类中，102种是候鸟，包括13种夏候鸟、64种冬候鸟、25种旅鸟，因此红树林区水鸟类的多样性表现出明显的季节性。迁徙季节水鸟的种类和数量都最多，繁殖季节则最少。黑脸瑟鹭（Platalea minor)是世界上最濒危的鸟类之一，一个越冬种群在该地区红树林中被发现。     

Invasion success of exotic plants in natural ecosystems: the role of disturbance, plant attributes and freedom from herbivores

Invasion of natural ecosystems by exotic species is a major threat to biodiversity globally. We assessed two alternative (but not exclusive) hypotheses to explain the success of exotic species in urban bushland on low fertility sandstone-derived soils in Sydney, Australia. These were that success of exotic species is promoted by: (1) plant attributes in particular disturbance types; and (2) freedom from herbivores. We tested these at sites subject to different types of disturbance: nutrient and water enrichment (below stormwater outlets), nutrient enrichment (riparian zones of creeks with an urban catchment) and physical disturbance (tracks), and control sites. At each site we estimated percentage cover of all species and surveyed leaves for damage by herbivores. Species were classified as native, non-invasive exotic or invasive exotic. We found that sites without any disturbance did not support exotic plants. Physically disturbed sites on low fertility soils supported only one exotic species, suggesting that nutrient enrichment is a critical prerequisite for exotic species invasion on low fertility soils. Exotic species cover was highest and native species richness most reduced in areas of highest nutrient enrichment. Both invasive exotic and non-invasive exotic species had significantly lower levels of leaf herbivory than native species, implying that release from pests alone cannot account for the success of invasive species. Specific leaf area of invasive exotic species was consistently higher than specific leaf area of non-invasive exotic and native species, regardless of disturbance type. In physically disturbed sites of higher soil fertility, exotic species were small herbs and grasses of long flowering duration and with small unassisted or wind-dispersed seeds. In sites subject to nutrient-enrichment, exotic species were more likely to be climbers, able to propagate vegetatively, and with seeds dispersed by vertebrates. Thus different plant attributes contribute to exotic species success under different disturbance types. The clearest consistent difference we found between invasive exotic and non-invasive exotic species was in specific leaf area, suggesting that large specific leaf area facilitates invasiveness.