Frogs under friendly fire: How accurately can the general public recognize invasive species?

Members of the general public interact with wildlife in many ways, and an inability to distinguish between species can have significant implications for conservation. For example, attempts by environmentally-concerned private citizens to control invasive species may cause collateral damage unless people can reliably distinguish native fauna from the invader. We tested the Australian public’s ability to distinguish invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) from native frogs at egg, tadpole, subadult and adult life-history stages. Errors were common, especially for eggs and tadpoles (27-31% error rates) and less so for subadult and adult toads and frogs (5-43% error rates). Accuracy of identification was higher in people living in areas where toads occur (compared to other parts of Australia or overseas), and similar in men and women (but with a decrease in older men). Ability to identify anurans was increased by toad-identification awareness programs and membership of “toad-busting” community groups, but direct killing of cane toads by the general public may inflict substantial “friendly fire” on native frogs. In the absence of any clear evidence for ecological benefits from toad-killing, we suggest that such collecting activities should be conducted only in areas where toads are known to occur, and under the supervision of trained personnel (to identify any anuran before it is killed), rather than as an ad hoc activity pursued independently by local residents. More generally, conservation activities that involve public participation should carefully evaluate the potential rates and consequences of species misidentification by well-intentioned but untrained people.     

Nutrient limitation of alpine plants: Implications from leaf N : P stoichiometry and leaf δ15N

Nitrogen (N) deposition can affect grassland ecosystems by altering biomass production, plant species composition and abundance. Therefore, a better understanding of the response of dominant plant species to N input is a prerequisite for accurate prediction of future changes and interactions within plant communities. We evaluated the response of seven dominant plant species on the Tibetan Plateau to N input at two levels: individual species and plant functional group. This was achieved by assessing leaf N : P stoichiometry, leaf δ¹⁵N and biomass production for the plant functional groups. Seven dominant plant species—three legumes, two forbs, one grass, one sedge—were analyzed for N, P, and δ¹⁵N 2 years after fertilization with one of the three N forms: NO$ _3^- $ , NH$ _4^+ $ , or NH₄NO₃ at four application rates (0, 7.5, 30, and 150 kg N ha^–1 y^–1). On the basis of biomass production and leaf N : P ratios, we concluded that grasses were limited by available N or co‐limited by available P. Unlike for grasses, leaf N : P and biomass production were not suitable indicators of N limitation for legumes and forbs in alpine meadows. The poor performance of legumes under high N fertilization was mainly due to strong competition with grasses. The total above‐ground biomass was not increased by N fertilization. However, species composition shifted to more productive grasses. A significant negative correlation between leaf N : P and leaf δ¹⁵N indicated that the two forbs Gentiana straminea and Saussurea superba switched from N deficiency to P limitation (e.g., N excess) due to N fertilization. These findings imply that alpine meadows will be more dominated by grasses under increased atmospheric N deposition.     

Habitat fragmentation in an urban environment: large and small fragments support different arthropod assemblages

We investigated the effects of fragmentation due to urbanisation on the species composition and functional roles of ants, beetles, spiders, flies and wasps. The study was conducted in 21 fragments of heath and woodland in south-eastern Australia classed as either ‘small’ (? 4 km²) or ‘large’ (? 80 km²). Arthropods were pitfall-trapped and identified to family or genus and morphospecies and microhabitat characteristics were recorded. Large fragments did not support more species per unit area than small fragments for most arthropods, although there were more species of ants per sampling unit in small than large woodland fragments, mainly due to a higher frequency of generalist species in smaller fragments. Large and small habitat fragments contained different assemblages of spiders, wasps and ants, indicating that predators and parasitoids are affected more strongly than other trophic groups. Arthropod assemblages within larger fragments where grids were furthest apart were less similar than those within smaller fragments where grids were closer together in woodland, but not in heath. The responses of arthropods to fragmentation suggest that, in addition to effects of reduced area and proximity to the urban matrix, changes in fire regimes and the degradation of habitats resulting from urbanisation, may have a role in altering arthropod assemblages, particularly affecting those species belonging to higher trophic levels. Management goals for urban remnants should identify mechanisms for controlling fire and anthropogenic disturbance such that they closely resemble the levels of these factors in larger fragments.     

Allometric Estimates of Aboveground Biomass Using Cover and Height Are Improved by Increasing Specificity of Plant Functional Groups in Eastern Australian Rangelands

Plant aboveground biomass (AGB) is a useful metric to assess ecosystem functioning, and its sensitivity to changing environmental conditions provides insight into potential global change impacts. Allometric estimates of AGB using vegetation characteristics such as plant cover or height provide nondestructive biomass proxies for repeated measurements but can introduce uncertainty to estimates. We estimated the relationship between both plant cover and a cover·height index and AGB for 15 plant species from six sites to identify the most reliable approach to estimate biomass nondestructively in semiarid eastern Australian rangelands. Estimates were made by grouping species at four different levels of specificity, to test whether generic estimates were more robust than grouping species based on life history and morphological characteristics. Estimates were then tested on a 1.5-m² plot at each site for validation. In all cases, models were highly significant (P < 0.001) with adjusted R² values ranging from 0.42 to 0.96 for cover models and 0.38 to 0.98 for cover·height index models. We found the addition of height improved model fits in four groups while reducing model fits in two groups. The error around AGB estimates for cover·height index−based models ranged from −66.8 to 4% (absolute mean 35%). Cover-based models had errors between −13.4% and 53% (absolute mean 14.2%). For cover-based estimates of AGB in validation plots, grouping plants by plant functional types (PFTs) increased accuracy (absolute mean error 17.3%) compared with estimates using data from all 15 species (absolute mean of 65.2%). Overall cover was a useful surrogate to estimate AGB (with the exception of one site, accuracy ranged from −2.3% to 11.5%), while height (thought to be a surrogate for canopy characteristics) provided benefit in a few circumstances. We suggest that future research should test additional nondestructive proxies and group species based on PFTs to improve AGB estimates using allometry.     

弱势群体利益表达机制与和谐社会构建

随着改革的深入,我国的社会阶层不断分化,产生了新的弱势群体,这些弱势群体,是社会稳定的不利因素。应建立利益诉求表达机制,拓宽民意渠道,尽最大可能实现利益大体上的均等,促进和谐社会建设。     

Single step genomic evaluation for female fertility in Nordic Red dairy cattle

Joint Nordic (Denmark, Finland, Sweden) genetic evaluation of female fertility is currently based on the multiple trait multilactation animal model (BLUP). Here, single step genomic model (ssGBLUP) was applied for the Nordic Red dairy cattle fertility evaluation. The 11 traits comprised of nonreturn rate and days from first to last insemination in heifers and first three parities, and days from calving to first insemination in the first three parities. Traits had low heritabilities (0.015–0.04), but moderately high genetic correlations between the parities (0.60–0.88). Phenotypic data included 4,226,715 animals with records and pedigree 5,445,392 animals. Unknown parents were assigned into 332 phantom parent groups (PPG). In mixed model equations animals were associated with PPG effects through the pedigree or both the pedigree and genomic information. Genotype information of 46,914 SNPs was available for 33,969 animals in the pedigree. When PPG used pedigree information only, BLUP converged after 2,420 iterations whereas the ssGBLUP evaluation needed over ten thousand iterations. When the PPG effects were solved accounting both the pedigree and the genomic information, the ssGBLUP model converged after 2,406 iterations. Also, with the latter model breeding values by ssGBLUP and BLUP became more consistent and genetic trends followed each other well. Models were validated using forward prediction of the young bulls. Reliabilities and variance inflation of predicted genomic breeding values (values for parent averages in brackets) for the 11 traits ranged 0.22–0.31 (0.10–0.27) and 0.81–0.95 (0.83–1.06), respectively. The ssGBLUP model gave always higher validation reliabilities than BLUP, but largest increases were for the cow fertility traits.     

耕地动态变化与易被侵占区风险等级划分——以大冶市为例

以大冶市为例,基于大冶市2005和2010年的土地利用现状图及土地变更登记数据,分析了大冶市5年间的耕地动态变化情况,构建并定量分析了耕地侵占因子指标体系,并结合GIS空间分析技术对耕地易被侵占区进行了风险等级划分。结果表明,建设用地侵占是大冶市耕地减少的主要原因;大冶市有48.56%的耕地位于被侵占风险较高的区域,耕地保护工作形势严峻;耕地被侵占的风险存在地区差异,陈贵镇、东岳街道、金湖街道、罗家桥街道、茗山乡等乡(镇、办事处)的耕地所面临的被侵占风险要高于其他乡(镇、办事处)。     

从2001～2008年载文量和载文作者群看《森林防火》编辑中的问题及改进方法

森林防火工作历来是党和国家很重视的。《森林防火》见证了我国森林防火工作的发展历程。对《森林防火》2001-2008年32期的载文量及各栏目载文量、文献标识码、载文作者群进行了统计分析,从而查找杂志的不足之处并提出改进方法,更好的为全国森林防火工作服务。     

典型草原枯落物分解过程中官能团的动态特征

选择锡林浩特东部国家气候观象台的生态监测研究样地,对大针茅(Stipa grandis)、羊草(Leymus chinensis)、糙隐子草(Cleistogenes squarrosa)、知母(Anemarrhena asphodeloides)枯落物的化学结构特征进行阐释。结果表明:(1)枯落物分解速率呈先增大后减小的变化趋势,且知母枯落物分解速率高于大针茅、羊草和糙隐子草;枯落物总碳(TC)含量为富集-释放模式,在第120d时,知母枯落物TC含量高于其他3种植物。(2)大针茅、羊草、知母、糙隐子草枯落物所含的主要官能团为-OH;=C-H、-CH 2、-CH 3;C=O;C=O、C=C;C-O。(3)不同植物枯落物官能团含量在分解初期迅速减少,在分解后期减少趋势较为缓慢,与分解过程中枯落物的分解速率变化趋势一致;知母的含碳官能团含量在分解结束后最低,而羊草的则最大,且知母和糙隐子草损失量最大,与分解过程中枯落物TC含量的特征一致。(4)大针茅的支链化指数最大,羊草的最小;糙隐子草的芳香性指数最大,知母的最小。不同植物芳香性指数在分解初期迅速减少,在分解后期减少趋势较为缓慢,与分解速率变化趋势一致。     

重庆三峡脆弱带生态农业发展模式与机制研究

针对重庆三峡库区生态脆弱性和人口、资源、环境、经济等特征,探寻在生态敏感脆弱带及经济欠发达地区的生态农业发展模式,并且剖析了如何利用各种政策,有效引导、激励、调控等经济发展行为以及技术进步机制、制度创新机制、农户参与机制等推动库区生态农业可持续发展的有效途径。通过以上分析,以期探索出具有创新性的思路和方法,找出重庆三峡库区生态农业可持续发展的新路。