Landscape features influence genetic structure of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus)

Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) currently live in metapopulations in the parts of their range where plague, caused by the bacterium Yesinia pestis, has invaded. Prairie dogs are highly susceptible to the pathogen, with most animals within towns dying during Y. pestis outbreaks. A review of population genetic studies of prairie dogs demonstrates considerable differentiation between prairie dog towns. Despite declines and fluctuations in size of prairie dog populations, they continue to harbor considerable genetic variation. This results from continual dispersal and gene flow, likely along low-lying drainages that connect towns. When combined with estimates of population size, the landscape genetic approach described here will provide precise estimates of dispersal and gene flow, in addition to evaluation of long-term stability of prairie dog metapopulations.     

Extinction risk of wood-living model species in forest landscapes as related to forest history and conservation strategy

Dead wood is a critical resource for biodiversity in boreal forests. We analysed the persistence of five model species inhabiting dead wood. By parameterising a metapopulation model (the incidence function model), the model species were all assigned characteristics that makes it likely that they have disappeared from some (20%) forest landscapes with a long history of forest management. In the metapopulation model, a forest stand (5 ha) was regarded as a habitat patch. The amount of habitat in each patch was obtained from models of dead wood dynamics of Norway spruce in central Sweden. Dead wood generated by altered management over the entire landscape was found to be less efficient in reducing extinction risks in comparison to the same amount of dead wood generated by protecting reserves. Because generation of dead wood by altered management is often less expensive than setting aside reserves, it is difficult to determine which conservation measure is most cost-efficient. In a landscape subjected to forestry for the first time, it was better to preserve a few large reserves than many small ones. However, in a managed, highly fragmented forest landscape it was better to set aside many small reserves. The reason for this was that small plots with high habitat quality could be selected, while large reserves originally contained habitats both of high and low quality, and the rate of habitat quality increase was low. A strategy for biodiversity conservation in a managed forest landscape should include information about the history of the landscape, the current amount and spatial distribution of forest habitats, and the potential for rapid restoration of forest habitats, both on managed and unmanaged forest land.     

Are hedgerows effective corridors between fragments of woodland habitat? An evidence-based approach

Anthropogenic modification of the countryside has resulted in much of the landscape consisting of fragments of once continuous habitat. Increasing habitat connectivity at the landscape-scale has a vital role to play in the conservation of species restricted to such remnant patches, especially as species may attempt to track zones of habitat that satisfy their niche requirements as the climate changes. Conservation policies and management strategies frequently advocate corridor creation as one approach to restore connectivity and to facilitate species movements through the landscape. Here we examine the utility of hedgerows as corridors between woodland habitat patches using rigorous systematic review methodology. Systematic searching yielded 26 studies which satisfied the review inclusion criteria. The empirical evidence currently available is insufficient to evaluate the effectiveness of hedgerow corridors as a conservation tool to promote the population viability of woodland fauna. However, the studies did provide anecdotal evidence of positive local population effects and indicated that some species use hedgerows as movement conduits. More replicated and controlled field investigations or long-term monitoring are required in order to allow practitioners and policy makers to make better informed decisions about hedgerow corridor creation and preservation. The benefits of such corridors in regard to increasing habitat connectivity remain equivocal, and the role of corridors in mitigating the effects of climate change at the landscape-scale is even less well understood.     

Effect of road density on abundance of white-footed mice

While several studies have demonstrated that roads can act as barriers to small mammal movement, the relationship between road density and small mammal abundance has not yet been investigated. In southeastern Ontario, Peromyscus leucopus (white-footed mice) suffer high over-winter mortality rates, resulting in small springtime populations and frequent local extinctions. Peromyscus leucopus movement is known to be inhibited by roads, which should result in lower rates of immigration into and recolonization of habitats in landscapes with high road density. We tested two predictions: (1) Forest sites situated in landscapes with high road densities have a higher chance of P. leucopus being absent during the early spring than forest sites situated in landscapes with low road densities and (2) P. leucopus populations during the summer are smaller in forest sites situated in landscapes with high road densities than in landscapes with low road densities. We sampled P. leucopus in focal patches within nineteen landscapes (7 rural, low-road-density landscapes; 7 rural, high-road-density landscapes; 5 urban landscapes). There was no significant relationship between road density and the presence/absence of P. leucopus during the early spring. We found a significant positive effect of road density on P. leucopus relative abundance during the summer, even when we excluded the urban landscapes and based the analysis on only the 14 rural landscapes. Our results suggest that any negative effect of roads on P. leucopus populations, created by their inhibition to moving across roads, is far outweighed by some positive effect of roads on P. leucopus abundance. We suggest that the two most likely explanations are that roads are positively correlated with an important as-yet-undetermined component of habitat quality, or that roads positively affect P. leucopus by negatively affecting their predators.     

AFLP analysis of Russian <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alternaria tenuissima</Emphasis> populations from wheat kernels and other hosts

Alternaria tenuissima is a common pathogen on a number of plants described in several geographic regions of the world. Genetic variation within and between Russian Far East, North West and Caucasus populations of A. tenuissima from wheat was examined. In addition, genetic differences between isolates from various hosts were estimated. In total, 101 isolates of A. tenuissima were studied using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) with four primer combinations. Wright’s fixation index (F _st), gene flow (N _m) and gene diversity (H _s) were calculated. AFLP banding patterns indicated significant genetic distance and at the same time a low level of gene flow between the Far East and the two other groups of isolates originating from the European part of country. The degree of similarity between the North West and Caucasus populations was very high, as was the migration rate. Isolates analysed by UPGMA-based cluster analysis were grouped according to location of origin but irrespective of plant host. Based on the F _st value, the group of isolates originating from wheat and barley were not found to differ significantly from each other.     

Density estimates of rural dog populations and an assessment of marking methods during a rabies vaccination campaign in the Philippines

We estimated the population density of dogs by distance sampling and assessed the potential utility of two marking methods for capture-mark-recapture applications following a mass canine rabies-vaccination campaign in Sorsogon Province, the Republic of the Philippines. Thirty villages selected to assess vaccine coverage and for dog surveys were visited 1 to 11 days after the vaccinating team. Measurements of the distance of dogs or groups of dogs from transect lines were obtained in 1088 instances (N = 1278 dogs; mean group SIZE = 1.2). Various functions modelling the probability of detection were fitted to a truncated distribution of distances of dogs from transect lines. A hazard rate model provided the best fit and an overall estimate of dog-population density of 468/km² (95% confidence interval, 359 to 611). At vaccination, most dogs were marked with either a paint stick or a black plastic collar. Overall, 34.8% of 2167 and 28.5% of 2115 dogs could be accurately identified as wearing a collar or showing a paint mark; 49.1% of the dogs had either mark. Increasing time interval between vaccination-team visit and dog survey and increasing distance from transect line were inversely associated with the probability of observing a paint mark. Probability of observing a collar was positively associated with increasing estimated density of the dog population in a given village and with animals not associated with a house. The data indicate that distance sampling is a relatively simple and adaptable method for estimating dog-population density and is not prone to problems associated with meeting some model assumptions inherent to mark-recapture estimators.     

中草药复合添加剂防治兔球虫病及增重效果研究

选用无感染幼兔４２只,随机分为Ａ、Ｂ、Ｃ、Ｄ、Ｅ５组,进行防治兔球虫病和增重试验,其中Ａ组为中药加矿微加喹乙醇组,Ｂ组为中药加矿微组,Ｃ组为西药对比组,Ｄ组为感染不给药组,Ｅ组为不感染不给药组;在同样饲料、同等饲养条件下,饲养３０天。结果,Ａ组保护率９０％,增重率９８．２％;Ｂ组保护率１００％,增重率１３２．１％;Ｃ组保护率９０％,增重率７６．６％;Ｄ组兔于第１１天全部死亡;Ｅ组保护率１００％,增重率９６．２％。试验结果证明,保护率以纯中药Ｂ组最佳,Ａ组次之,增重率Ａ、Ｂ组均高于Ｃ组和Ｅ组,以Ｂ组最佳。     

河南农产品主产区农民收入增长因素分析

在对河南１８地市农村统计资料进行聚类、回归分析的基础上，找出了影响河南农产品主产区农民收入增长的因素。认为畜牧业、非农产业的发展是提高农民收入的关键因素，并提出农村产业结构调整等政策建议。     

城市森林对周边小气候时空格局的影响

以对城市森林生态效应的动态评价为目的,研究绿地和非绿地之间的物质交换特点与规律,描述和揭示植物群落的生态效应时空格局。试验对森林周边温度和湿度在空间和时间的梯度变化进行测试。结果表明,杨树林对其周边环境有着明显的降温和增湿效应,中午时段绿地生态场效应最高,下午测试时段对周边空气温湿度的影响与常规是逆反的。     

遮阴生境下假俭草的形态变化与能量分配研究

设四个遮阴梯度(0%、25%、45%、75%的光照),对遮阴生境下雅安、峨眉两野生假俭草居群的能量分配、形态变化进行了初步研究。结果表明:在遮阴情况下,两假俭草居群的叶片长度和宽度、节间长度、草层高度皆随遮阴梯度的增加而增加,茎的直径随遮阴梯度的增加而下降。在这些指标中,雅安居群随遮阴度变化的幅度比峨眉居群大。两者的生物量主要由地上部分组成,地上生物量与总生物量的比值都在0.88以上。遮阴度越大,两居群地上部分所占的比重也越大。两者相比较雅安的生物量小于峨眉,但地上/总生物量、叶量/茎量的值较大。