Variability in feeding ecology of a South American cichlid: a reason for successful invasion in mediterranean‐type rivers?

Abstract –  Ecological attributes behind the success of the South American cichlid Australoheros facetus in mediterranean-type rivers remain unclear. This study addresses this issue, by analysing its abundance and feeding patterns in the lower Guadiana drainage (Portugal), during the dry season of 2003. Despite slight spatial variations in abundance and individual size, A. facetus seemed well established in the Guadiana, Vascão and Ardila rivers. No seasonal or size-related changes in feeding intensity were found, but the diet changed across rivers, over time and throughout ontogeny. Feeding seemed highly generalist, with fish apparently reacting to both spatial and temporal changes in food supply and tending to use the most abundant and easily accessible food items. Overall prey breadth was broad relative to that of other native and non-native species. It is suggested that a generalist feeding strategy may play a significant role in the establishment of non-native fish in mediterranean-type rivers.     

Switch of tropical Amazon forest to pasture affects taxonomic composition but not species abundance and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community composition and species richness are affected by several factors including soil attributes and plant host. In this paper we tested the hypothesis that conversion of tropical Amazon forest to pasture changes taxonomic composition of AMF community but not community species abundance and richness. Soil samples were obtained in 300 m × 300 m plots from forest (n = 11) and pasture (n = 13) and fungal spores extracted, counted and identified. A total of 36 species were recovered from both systems, with 83% of them pertaining to Acaulosporaceae and Glomeraceae. Only 12 species were shared between systems and spore abundance of the majority of fungal species did not differ between pasture and forest. Spore abundance was significantly higher in pasture compared to forest but both systems did not differ on mean species richness, Shannon diversity and Pielou equitability. Species abundance distribution depicted by species rank log abundance plots was not statistically different between both systems. We concluded that conversion of pristine tropical forest to pasture influences the taxonomic composition of AMF communities while not affecting species richness and abundance distribution.     

Nitrogen-fixation dynamics in a cut-and-carry silvopastoral system in the subhumid conditions of Guadeloupe, French Antilles

This paper summarizes several studies on N recycling in a tropical silvopastoral system for assessing the ability of the system to increase soil fertility and insure sustainability. We analyzed the N₂ fixation pattern of the woody legume component (Gliricidia sepium), estimated the recycling rate of the fixed N in the soil, and measured N outputs in tree pruning and cut grass (Dichanthium aristatum). With this information, we estimated the N balance of the silvopastoral system at the plot scale. The studies were conducted in an 11-year-old silvopastoral plot established by planting G. sepium cuttings at 0.3 m × 2 m spacing in natural grassland. The plot was managed as a cut-and-carry system where all the tree pruning residues (every 2-4 months) and cut grass (every 40-50 days) were removed and animals were excluded. No N fertilizer was applied. Dinitrogen fixation, as estimated by the ¹⁵N natural abundance method, ranged from 60-90% of the total N in aboveground tree biomass depending on season. On average, 76% of the N exports from the plot in tree pruning (194 kg [N] ha^–1 yr^–1) originated from N₂ fixation. Grass production averaged 13 Mg ha^–1 yr^–1 and N export in cut grass was 195 kg [N] ha^–1 yr^–1. The total N fixed by G. sepium, as estimated from the tree and grass N exports and the increase in soil N content, was about 555 kg [N] ha^–1 yr^–1. Carbon sequestration averaged 1.9 Mg [C] ha^–1 yr^–1 and soil organic N in the 0-0.2 m layer increased at a rate of 166 kg [N] ha^–1 yr^–1, corresponding to 30% of N₂ fixation by the tree. Nitrogen released in nodule turnover (10 kg [N] ha^–1 yr^–1) and litter decomposition (40 kg [N] ha^–1 yr^–1) contributed slightly to this increase, and most of the recycled N came from the turnover or the activity of other below-ground tree biomass than nodules. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of shoot size and phenological variation of host plants on the spatial patterns of cynipid galls

The effects of shoot size and differences in budburst phenology ofQuercus serrata trees on the spatial patterns of galls were investigated for two cynipid species: the sexual generation ofAndricus moriokae and the agamic generation ofAphelonyx glanduliferae. There were marked differences in budburst phenology, but these did not affect the gall density on the tree. The galls of both cynipids showed a contagious distribution in their respective trees, but different abundance patterns under high gall density. The mean number of galls ofA. glanduliferae over a shoot size range was positively correlated with shoot size. More galls ofA. moriokae appeared on larger shoots on trees on which many buds had started growing before oviposition by the agamic adults. In the case of a tree on which a few buds had burst by the time of oviposition, the mean numbers ofA. moriokae galls on shoots of particular size ranges depended on the frequency of shoots in the size class. These results suggest that, although these cynipids prefer to attack larger shoots within a host tree, they may exhibit plasticity in their preference in response to changes in budburst phenology of the host plant relative to the time of oviposition.     

The Role of Mangroves in Retaining Penaeid Prawn Larvae in Klang Strait,Malaysia

The mangrove-fringed Klang Strait, Malaysia, retains approximately 65 billion penaeid prawn larvae annually prior to their settlement in coastal nursery grounds. This phenomenon appears to be due principally to tidal currents and lateral trapping in mangrove-fringed channels, the wind playing an insignificant role.     

One hundred years of population ecology: Successes,failures and the road ahead

Population ecology is the most mature of the three subdisciplines of ecology partly because it has a solid mathematical foundation and partly because it can address the primary questions of distribution and abundance with experimental protocols. Yet there is much left to do to integrate our population knowledge into community and ecosystem ecology to help address the global issues of food security and the conservation of biodiversity. Many different approaches are now being developed to bring about this integration and much more research will be necessary to decide which if any will be most useful in achieving our goals of explaining the changes we see in the distribution and abundance of animals and plants. Food web ecology would appear to be the best approach at present because it uses the detailed information of the population ecology of particular species in combination with data on consumer–resource interactions to apply to the applied problems of biodiversity conservation, food security, pest management and disease prevention. If we can use our understanding of population ecology to address the practical problems of our time in a creative way, we will benefit both the human population and the Earth's biodiversity. Much remains to be done.     

不同土地利用类型氨挥发氮同位素自然丰度特征

为了探讨不同土地利用类型下氨（NH3）挥发氮同位素自然丰度特征,采集3种土地利用类型（果园、菜地和林地）土壤,在可控条件下采用海绵吸收法开展了为期15d的室内培养试验,测定了不同土地利用类型下土壤NH3挥发全过程δ15N值及其变化规律。培养期间,3种土地利用类型下的土壤NH+4-N浓度均呈现先上升后下降的趋势;果园和菜...     

尼勒克县荒漠草地植物种类调查及分析

为了更好的保护尼勒克县荒漠草地植物资源,采用样方和植物踏查法对尼勒克县荒漠草地的植物种类进行调查研究。结果表明：尼勒克县荒漠草地有23科68属98种（亚种）植物,植物种类组成较丰富,有害植物少。藜科、菊科和禾本科为优势科,含有54种（亚种）植物;小型科和单科种类众多,单科植物有12种。按照经济类群划分,豆科植物占8.16%,禾本科植物占13.27%,藜科植物占27.55%,菊科植物占14.29%,莎草科植物占3.06%,杂类草占33.67%。按照饲用价值划分,优良占14.29%、良好占27.55%、一般占36.73%、差占16.33%、有毒占5.10%。     

Proteomic Characterization of Equine Cerebrospinal Fluid

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a biofluid that is reflective of overall health. Although proteomic profiling of human CSF has been performed in the context of a variety of disease states, this report represents the first comprehensive proteomic analysis of equine CSF. A total of 320 proteins were confidently identified across six healthy horses, and these proteins were further characterized by gene ontology terms mapped in UniProt, and normalized spectral abundance factors were calculated as a measure of relative abundance. Theses results provide an optimized protocol for analysis of equine CSF and lay the groundwork for future studies involving the study of equine CSF in the context of pathogenic disease states.     

Spatial and temporal trends in abundance of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, in Newfoundland with emphasis on impacts of the 1992 closure of the commercial fishery

Closure of the Newfoundland commercial Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., fishery in 1992 was the most restrictive measure introduced to help rebuild depressed local stocks of salmon. Here, the effects of the closure are evaluated by analysing trends in abundance since 1984, and estimates of survival in both freshwater and marine environments derived from enumeration of salmon at fish counting facilities. While freshwater production of smolts generally has been maintained, marine survival rates remain low (2–10%), and highly variable. Overall, total stock size differs little from that prior to the closure of the commercial salmon fishery. Spawning escapements have increased by a factor of 2 or 3 in some rivers, but in other areas total returns are lower on average than those prior to the fishery closure. Factors other than exploitation are contributing to lack of stock recovery, resulting in continued conservation concerns.