Snake species distributions and temperate grasslands: A case study from the American tallgrass prairie

Many snake species are declining globally, yet data unavailability in temperate grasslands hinders snake conservation in one of the world’s most endangered biomes. To encourage and inform the conservation of snakes in these regions, I examined snake species diversity and abundance during 2 years of a mark-recapture study at 22 sites located in six American tallgrass prairie preserves in northern Illinois, USA. I emphasized landscape-scale relationships after accounting for covariance with environmental factors at both finer (microhabitat) and broader (regional) scales. A total of 120 snakes representing seven species was captured using drift fence arrays associated with funnel traps and sheet metal cover. The low numbers and diversity of snakes captured, when compared to historic evidence, indicate that since the 1930s Midwestern snake populations have declined. Non-metric multidimensional scaling and Mantel tests demonstrate that differences in snake species composition in remnant and degraded prairies are discernable along gradients of urban and agricultural land cover. However, different patterns of abundance for individual snake species indicate that the relative importance of specific landscape factors differ among species, which has significant conservation implications. Here, I recommend that conservationists use a species-specific approach to manage snake populations. I also stress the need for thorough inventory of snake populations and studies of snake-habitat relationships to advance our understanding of snake ecology and conservation within the little studied temperate grassland habitats of South America and eastern Eurasia.     

Management-induced structural dynamics in paddy soils of south east China simulated in microcosms

The puddling of paddy soils is the most common method of lowland rice cultivation in Asian countries and results in a complete distortion of the soil structure of the puddled layer and the formation of a distinct plough pan. In addition, the soil structure and the interrelated chemical and biological parameters in these soils are influenced by the alternating of flooding and drying stages. Since physical properties are basic features for the availability of water and nutrients characteristics such as soil structure and soil moisture have been recorded at the different stages of rice growth in detail. For a better understanding these results have been compared with micropedological investigations. For these purposes undisturbed microcosms filled with paddy soils of three different sites from south east China were taken and planted with rice in a climate chamber.Management-induced dynamics have been reflected very prominently as far as bulk density, pore size distribution and soil moisture of the puddled layer are concerned. The properties of the undisturbed plough pan did not change during all stages of the experiment. Most significant effects of soil puddling have been found in the soil with a clay content of more than 40%. Comparing the different sampling stages after puddling the soils with high clay contents have shown the greatest variety in pore size distribution.Micropedological investigations demonstrated the different texture-influenced aspects of pore size distribution and the arrangement of soil structure in the topsoil in detail. Micrographs verified the changes of microhabitats caused by soil structure dynamics. The structural alteration consequences different living-conditions of microorganisms and, therefore, population dynamics related to the management of paddy soils which has been reflected in this study.     

The effect of Mediterranean dehesa management on lizard distribution and conservation

Management of dehesas (i.e. oak woodland pastures) creates a patchwork of sectors that differ in their structure and composition of understorey vegetation. We analysed whether different management techniques affect the populations of several species of lizards (Podarcis hispanica, Psammodromus algirus, Psammodromus hispanicus, Acanthodactylus erythrurus, and Lacerta lepida). Multivariate analyses showed that lizards preferentially used forested areas with scrub while they avoided open herbaceous areas. The abundance of lizards increased when the understorey bushy vegetation increased. In contrast, grasslands or cereal fields were scarcely occupied even if holm oak trees (Quercus ilex) were present, apparently because low shrubs were scarce here. Therefore, some of the traditional management practices of dehesas may negatively affect lizard populations. These conclusions could have wider implications for the design of wildlife reserves within dehesas, which has been previously based on the umbrella species concept (e.g. some dehesas are managed for imperial eagle Aquila adalberti conservation), without considering habitat requirements of other representative animal groups.     

Seed germination and seedling survival of two threatened endemic species of the northwest Iberian peninsula

We examined germination and seedling survival of Petrocoptis grandiflora and Petrocoptis viscosa (Caryophyllaceae), two narrow endemic species from the northwest Iberian Peninsula. The experiments were carried out with seeds of three of eight populations of P. grandiflora and one of the three sole populations of P. viscosa. Under natural conditions, both P. grandiflora and P. viscosa produce very large numbers of seeds. However, the specific microhabitat of these species (cracks and crevices of limestone rockfaces) has very marked effects on seed germination, and subsequent seedling survival. In the present study, we examined the effects of light, cold treatment and seed weight on germination capacity. In the case of P. grandiflora, we also compared the germination of seeds of the different populations. In addition, we assessed seedling survival over a 1-year period. Seeds maintained in darkness showed higher germination percentages than seeds maintained with a 12:12 h photoperiod. The application of a short period of cold prior to germination had no significant effect in either species. In the case of P. grandiflora, population of origin had a significant effect on germination percentage. Of all the factors considered, seed weight was the most important source of variability, both in seed germination and subsequent seedling survival. In both species in the natural habitat, less than 10% of germinated seeds survived by the end of the year. Seedling survival was affected by microhabitat. Seedlings in non-rockface soil microhabitats were more likely to suffer herbivory or interspecific competition than seedlings in crevices in the rockface.     

Ecological safe management of terraced rice paddy landscapes

Ecological safe management of rice paddy landscapes is in focus of a joint research project comprising five German working groups and Chinese partners. The project is aiming at characterizing the scale-depending structures and processes of agricultural landscape of terraced paddy fields in southeast China. The specific objectives were the enlightenment of the linkage between remote sensible information and the spatial distribution of soil features, as well as soil structural processes and their relation to vertical and lateral water losses and solute leaching.The experimental watershed is located in southeast China. The soils which either developed from quaternary clay or red sandstone exhibit a (man-made) layered structure with three hydraulic-functional horizons: puddled layer, plough pan and the (water unsaturated) subsoil.The analysis of soil texture and selected chemical parameters on the catenary and catchment scale confirmed that even in old terraced and thoroughly modified landscapes, the original structures (unaffected by man) of catenary soil property distributions persist. Thus, the application of co-regionalization techniques incorporating topographical attributes as explaining variables was found to be suitable to characterize soil property distributions on both the catenary and the catchment scale.On-site field scale investigations revealed that paddy soils exhibit a dynamic soil–water system which is driven by the mechanical seed bed preparation (puddling) on the one hand and drying and wetting cycles including ponded/flooded periods on the other. It was found that the hydraulic properties depend mainly on the duration of cultivation as a rice paddy. In contrast to earlier studies, we found that a further decrease in the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the plough pan may still occur after 20 years. Even in older rice paddies, however, water losses may be significant mainly because of ineffective functioning of the surrounding bunds.Pedon and aggregate investigations demonstrated the pronounced dual porosity nature of the paddy soils with a macropore network consisting of cracks and biopores penetrating both the plough pan and the bunds. The shrinkage potential of the puddle layer was higher in older paddy fields than in younger ones while it was vice versa for soil from the plough pan. Swelling and shrinkage affected also the living conditions for soil microorganisms especially after drainage when the habitable pore space was significantly reduced. Pore scale and micro-biological investigations revealed that drainage induced stress reduced micro-biodiversity and decreased abundances of soil inhabiting microorganisms.In addition to newly proposed management strategies with recurrent wetting and drying cycles, we suggest maintaining (saturated) equilibrium conditions over longer periods to reduce soil structural dynamics and the risks of water losses and chemical leaching involved with preferential flow.     

中度石漠化小生境特征及分布格局研究

以贵州省毕节鸭池中度石漠化示范区为例,根据小生境的形成原因、外部形态特征、面积比例的量化指标等将中度石漠化生境划分成石面、石沟、石隙、台地、石洞、土面6种小生境类型。分别测定了各样地中各小生境的数量和面积比例,并绘制了小生境类型图。利用不同面积比例的样地,研究了不同小生境的分布格局、破碎化、多样性、均匀度、优势度、丰富度以及不同小生境之间的相关关系等;阐明了中度石漠化地区小生境的类型特征及空间格局分布情况。     

基于植物多样性指数对汶川地震灾区崩塌山体的微生境植被自然恢复力评价

本文将地震灾区的崩塌山体划分为碎石坡面、巨石坡面、碎石地、洼地和沟槽地5种微生境类型.在此基础上,基于植物多样性指数,对崩塌山体不同微生境的植被自然恢复力进行了测定.结果表明,不同微生境的植被自然恢复力不同,其恢复力指数大小为：沟槽地＞洼地＞碎石地＞巨石坡面＞碎石坡面.这客观上反应了地震灾区不同生境的植被天然恢复现状,可为灾区有针对性地采取不同恢复措施提供参考.     

腾格里沙漠固沙植被区微生境土壤微生物功能群时空格局

土壤微生物是探究生态系统植被生产力和生物地球化学循环的基础。然而,针对干旱沙区人工植被建立后不同建植年代、植物种、微生境指示碳、氮、磷循环的土壤微生物功能群的研究较少。以腾格里沙漠东南缘沙坡头区不同年代建植的柠条（Caragana korshinskii）和油蒿（Artemisia ordosica）土壤为研究对象,用稀释平板分离培养法研究了指示土壤碳、氮、磷循环微生物功能群数量的时空变化规律及与土壤理化性质间的关系。结果表明：（1）随固沙年限增加,微生物功能群数量显著增加,且表层（0～5 cm）土壤微生物数量高于亚表层（5～10和10～20 cm）;(2)土壤微生物功能群数量呈现明显的季节变化特征。纤维素分解菌呈“V”型分布,表现为春季低夏季高;氨化和硝化细菌从冬、春、夏到秋季均表现为逐渐上升的趋势;溶磷菌数量则是从冬季、秋季到春夏季依次递减;（3）柠条与油蒿样地中纤维素分解菌和溶磷菌数量均表现为1990年高于2010年,而油蒿地则相反;（4）全氮和有效磷对微生物功能群数量影响极显著。可见,荒漠生态系统中土壤氮、磷元素含量较碳元素含量对微生物功能群数量限制更大,上述结果为更好地理解干...     

荒漠灌木林土壤节肢动物群落特征

旨在了解荒漠典型生境土壤节肢动物群落组成。选取宁夏盐池县地区3类典型荒漠灌木林,于2008年8月至9月对大型节肢动物群落特征进行调查。结果显示:节肢动物个体数和类群数均为沙蒿灌木林甘草沙蒿灌木林沙柳灌木林;不同类型灌木林节肢动物类群之间有显著差异。以膜翅目昆虫为优势种群,占总数的75.91%,鞘翅目(5.43%)、革翅目(4.35%)、双翅目(3.01%)、同翅目(2.68%)、蜘蛛目(2.68%)和半翅目(2.17%)为常见种群,其余各目共占总数的3.76%。3种类型灌木林内节肢动物的垂直分布存在一定差异性,沙蒿灌木林、沙柳灌木林主要聚集在土壤的下层,而甘草沙蒿灌木林具明显的表聚性。因此,固定沙地(沙蒿灌木林代表)的土壤环境优于沙质草甸(甘草沙蒿灌木林代表)优于半固定沙地(沙柳灌木林代表)。