Rights,Resources and Rural Development: Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Southern Africa — Christo Fabricius,Eddie Koch,Hector Magome and Stephen Turner (eds) 2004

Goats select some browse species more than others, given options. Seasonal trends of diet selection of Nguni goats indexed by intake were investigated in cafeteria-style experiments. The relationships between diet selection and plant chemical/physical traits of Vachellia nilotica, Vachellia robusta, Dichrostachys cinerea, Euclea crispa, Rhus lancea and Ziziphus mucronata, representing abundant species were studied in the dry and rainy seasons. Seasonal changes in browses affected diet selection. Selection of long shoot species, which were concomitantly broad-leafed, was higher than species with short shoots. Selection was higher for spineless than spinescent species. Diet selection correlated positively with increased leaf mass. In the rainy season, cellulose positively correlated with intake, number of bites and browsing time, whereas in the dry season, cellulose correlated with bite size. Diet selection tended to be driven more by shoot morphology and leaf mass than by either spinescence or plant chemistry. Plant chemical influence on diet selection was diverse in both seasons and showed no definite trend, whereas spinescence had no significant effect on short-term intake. The results represent important input to goat production and range forage species management.     

娄底市草坪杂草种类、分布及危害

为探究娄底市草坪杂草种类、分布及危害状况,通过野外调查、查阅植物标本信息和文献资料,应用统计方法分析重要值等指标,确定娄底市草坪常见杂草有68种,隶属28科58属,以菊科、禾本科、伞形科为优势科;一年蓬(Erigeron annuus)、看麦娘(Alopecurus aequalis)、白茅(Imperata cylindrica)等13种杂草为杂草优势种,应列为主要防控对象。本研究为娄底市草坪杂草的防控与综合利用提供了重要资料,也可为其他地区杂草的类似研究参考。     

Echocardiography in the chinchilla

Heart disease has been described in the chinchilla and, with increasing popularity as a pet, the demand for diagnostic evaluation and treatment has increased. The goal of this study was to determine reference values for echocardiographic measurements in chinchillas and the effect of anesthesia on these measurements. Seventeen clinically healthy adult chinchillas were studied. All animals were anesthetized with isoflurane by mask. Standard echocardiographic views were used. A difference was seen in the echocardiographic measurements for left ventricular systolic dimension, fractional shortening, aortic (Ao) diameter, left atrial (LA) diameter, ratio of LA diameter to Ao diameter, and peak flow velocities and ejection times for Ao and pulmonary artery flows between awake and anesthetized chinchillas.     

The Breeding Season of the Multimammate Mouse Praomys (Mastomys) Natalensis (A. Smith) in the Transvaal Highveld

Certain aquatic Oligochaeta live successfully in organic-polluted waters while others cannot tolerate such conditions. Tubifex tempUtoni Southern and Llmnodrttus hoffmeisteri (Clap.), two non-gilled species, are compared to Branchiura sowerbyi (Beddard) and Dero nivea (Aiyer), two gilled species, concerning their haemoglobin concentration, the influence of low oxygen availability on the respiration rate and their reactions in an oxygen gradient. In contrast with L. hoffmeisteri and T. templetoni where a very narrow range of respiration dependency (pO₂, 0-12 mm Hg) is found, B. sowerbyi and D. nivea have a level of respiratory dependence from pO₂, 0-131 mm Hg. Haemoglobin concentrations are 6,238 - and 6,452 g/100 cm² blood in L. hoffmeisteri and T. templetoni and 3,011 and 1,611 g/100 cm² in B. sowerbyi and D. nivea respectively. In the oxygen gradient all four species have a preference for water with a high oxygen content.     

Life Histories of Frogs in the Namib Desert

Four anuran taxa inhabit the central Namib: Xenopus laevis, Tomopterna delalandei cryptotis, Phrynomerus annectens and Bufo vertebrate hoeschi. Xenopus is confined to permanent pools in the Kuiseb river canyon. Tomopterna extends further into the Namib, but is restricted to the Kuiseb river bed. The Kuiseb is normally dry, receiving water only briefly (as floods) during the rainy season. These floods are responsible for moving adults and larvae. Phrynomerus and Bufo occur on granite inselbergs. The inselbergs provide shelter mainly in the form of cracks under granite exfoliations. Large runoff surfaces collect the low rainfall (25 mm per year) in depressions in which the frogs breed. Phrynomerus is only active at night; males are aggressive towards one another; oviposition takes place in deep pools and development takes at least eight weeks. Bufo is active during the heat of the day; oviposition takes place in warm shallow pools; development takes about three weeks.     

A correction factor for,and its application to,visual censuses of littoral fish

Visual estimation techniques were used between October 1976 and May 1977 on the fish fauna of an enclosed mid-intertidal pool in the eastern Cape, South Africa, to test the usefulness and accuracy of this non-consumptive census method. In January, 1977, two pools were censused for fish, then poisoned using the ichthyocide ‘pronoxfish’ and all fish collected. Forty species in 21 families were obtained from the two stations. The accuracy of visual estimates varied with the species of fish. Secretive and cryptically coloured types, as well as species which Inhabit crevices, were underestimated, between 0 and 86% being counted. Other fish with protective colours but that occur more openly and do not react adversely to divers, as well as schooling species, were also underestimated, but up to 100% of the total were observed. Those which occur singly or in small groups in the water column were counted more accurately, with 57 to 100% of the actual number being seen. Correction factors were calculated from these data and applied to a census taken of one pool in May. Comparisons of corrected and actual numbers Indicate that these factors were relatively accurate for non-secretive species. The factors will, however, vary for each species, from observer to observer, depending on their personal experience, and from area to area.     

Digestive efficiency of indigenous and invasive avian species fed fruit of invasive alien plants in South Africa

Many highly invasive plant species produce fleshy fruit that are consumed and dispersed by frugivorous birds. However, little is known about assimilation efficiency of invasive fruit by indigenous and invasive avian species. We investigated whether indigenous Knysna (Tauraco corythaix) and Purple-crested (Gallirex porphyreolophus) Turacos and invasive alien Rose-ringed Parakeets (Psittacula krameri) met their energy demands when fed fruits of four fleshy- fruited invasive alien plant species: Solanum mauritianum, Cinnamomum camphora, Psidium guajava and Morus alba. Birds were fed single-fruit diets for two consecutive days and energetic parameters were calculated for all fruit diets. Our results showed that generally both invasive and indigenous avian species managed to gain their daily energy requirements from fruits of the four respective invasive plants, suggesting that they can meet their energetic demands by feeding on them only. The exception was P. krameri, which did not feed on S. mauritianum fruit. These findings may explain why fruits of invasive alien plants are attractive to most avian frugivores and highlight the role of avian frugivores in their dispersal.     

Direct impacts of recent climate warming on insect populations

Effects of recent climate change have already been detected in many species, and, in particular, in insects. The present paper reviews the key impacts of global warming on insect development and dispersal. The effects of climate change appear to be much more complex than a simple linear response to an average increase in temperature. They can differ between seasons and bioclimatic regions. Earlier flight periods, enhanced winter survival and acceleration of development rates are the major insect responses. Differential response of insects and hosts to warming up might also lead to disruption of their phenological synchrony, but adaptive genetic processes are likely to quickly restore this synchrony. In a number of cases, warming results in removing or relocating the barriers that limit present species' ranges. It is also likely to facilitate the establishment and spread of invasive alien species. Finally, knowledge gaps are identified and future research interests are suggested.     

黄土高原撂荒地植物群落共存种光合特性对土壤水分变化的响应

植物群落共存种的环境适应性和相对竞争能力差异是植物群落动态和演替的两个决定性因素,其中光合特性与二者都有紧密关联,因此研究群落共存种光合特性的差异对理解群落演替机理具有重要意义。以黄土丘陵区10种主要的撂荒地植物群落共存种为研究对象,测定其在不同的生长月份(8-10月)和不同水分条件下(适宜水分及中度、重度干旱胁迫)光合速率、蒸腾速率和水分利用效率等的变化,分析植物群落共存种光合特性对土壤水分变化的响应。结果表明:1)3种水分条件下,无芒隐子草、白羊草、小花棘豆和达乌里胡枝子的净光合速率日变化均呈单峰曲线,而冰草和阿尔泰狗娃花的则呈双峰曲线,有光合“午休”现象,10种群落共存种以无芒隐子草的日光合能力峰值最大,冰草的最小;2)除中华隐子草和阿尔泰狗娃花外,多数种的蒸腾速率日变化在3种水分条件下均呈单峰曲线,其中,无芒隐子草的日蒸腾能力峰值最大,小花棘豆的最小;3)日均净光合速率和日均蒸腾速率存在显著种间差异和生长月份差异(P<0.05),其中,无芒隐子草的日均净光合速率和日均蒸腾速率最大,而日均水分利用效率在不同物种和生长月份之间则无显著差异(P>0.05);4)在演替生态位置上,10种群落共存种以演替前期种的日均蒸腾速率和日均水分利用效率相对较低,而演替后期种相对较高,表明演替后期的植物水分利用性能较高。在干旱半干旱的黄土高原丘陵区,伴随演替进程的土壤环境旱化,演替后期序列种凭借其较高的水分利用能力,将在撂荒地群落中占据优势地位,从而逐渐代替演替前期种。     

深圳市公园绿地暖季型草坪春夏季杂草的调查

对深圳地区暖季型草坪台湾草及假俭草春夏季草坪进行普查，发现春夏季草坪杂草共66种，分属22科55属，其中台湾草草坪杂草63种，假检草草坪杂草38种。阔叶杂草种类占全部杂草种类的79％。通过抽样、统计，分析了台湾草、假俭草草坪精细管理区、粗放管理区春夏季杂草的优势种和对草坪构成危害的主要杂草种类。结合秋季草坪杂草的调查，总结了深圳地区草坪杂草的发生规律。