祁连山退化草地狼毒群落土壤种子库的空间格局

采用野外调查和室内分析相结合的方法,对祁连山退化草地狼毒群落土壤种子库进行研究。结果显示:(1)狼毒群落土壤种子库毒杂草物种的数量和密度占优势;(2)禾草的种子库密度随退化梯度的增加而减少直至消失,多年生杂草存在于各个植被梯度且密度较大;(3)群落物种数量及其密度呈现0~5cm10~15cm5~10cm的分布规律,各土层内密度差异明显;(4)不同梯度下种子库(0~15cm)的Shannon-wiener指数、均匀度指数和丰富度指数波动变化趋势基本一致,而优势度指数与之变化趋势相反,土壤种子库0~5cm与种子库(0~15cm)物种多样性的变化具有较大的相似性;(5)随着退化梯度的增加,种子库和植被的相似系数减小,狼毒等毒杂草的大量繁衍显著的改变了草地群落的功能群结构,自然状态下种子库对原生地带性植被建群种更新的贡献率降低,植被恢复问题严峻。     

不同草种对土著AM真菌的生长和群落结构的影响

以果园生草栽培为背景,果园土壤中土著AM真菌为研究对象,考察了柱花草、百喜草和藿香蓟对与之根系共生的AM真菌的生长与群落结构的影响。结果表明,柱花草根系的侵染率(62.2%)显著高于百喜草(36.5%)和藿香蓟(37.3%),丛枝率有相似的趋势;3种草地上部的生物量和含磷量没有差异,但是柱花草根系含磷量显著高于百喜草和藿香蓟;柱花草根际土壤中AM真菌的菌种丰度和菌丝密度均小于百喜草和藿香蓟,但是孢子密度大于藿香蓟而小于百喜草;藿香蓟根际土著AM真菌群落的多样性指数略高于柱花草和百喜草;PCR-DGGE分析结果与之吻合。试验表明,在果园土壤中,不同草种根际的土著AM真菌群落结构并不相同,在选择草种进行生草栽培的过程中应该考虑这些不同。     

Onchocerca sp. in an imported Zangersheide gelding causing suspensory ligament desmitis

A 5-year-old imported Zangersheide gelding was evaluated for SC swellings over both forelimbs and lameness localized to the distal metacarpus. Ultrasound examination of the SC masses was compatible with verminous granulomas. Linear hyperechoic foci were present within the suspensory ligament branches of both forelimbs, suggestive of ligamentous parasitic infiltrates. A diagnosis of onchocerciasis was confirmed on biopsy of a SC mass. The gelding was treated with ivermectin and a tapering course of PO dexamethasone but was eventually euthanized. Necropsy confirmed the presence of SC eosinophilic granulomas and degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis, both with intralesional nematodes. Given the location and appearance of the nematode, a diagnosis of Onchocerca sp., most likely O. reticulata, was made. Onchocerciasis should be included as a differential diagnosis for multifocal suspensory ligament desmitis with these sonographic characteristics when paired with SC masses in imported European Warmbloods.     

Ecotourist trail-use affects the taxonomic,functional and phylogenetic diversity of mammals in a protected area: lessons for conservation management

Ecotourism, by definition, aims to engage peoples’ interest in wildlife and the environment. The use of tourist roads and trails to access sites within protected areas (PAs) can detrimentally affect the behavior and distribution of species. The way mammals respond to anthropogenic pressures may differ across taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic groups; nevertheless, how ecotourist trail-use affects these different diversity remains under-investigated. Here, we assessed 6 metrics of taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity for a mammal community in a PA in central China, recording how Trail use (using Trail type as a proxy) and habitat variables affected sightings and signs of mammals across 60 replicate 0.5 km transects. We then examined how Trail use affected the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity indices of species (>1 kg). Using generalized liner mixed modeling, we identified that more used trail types had a greater adverse effect on all diversity richness indices than did less used trail types. Consequently, tourist pressure was associated with a general tendency to homogenize the site's mammal community. In contrast, the effects of Trail Types on all diversity evenness indices were non-significant. Furthermore, more developed and more heavily used trail types had a greater, significant negative effect on taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic richness, whereas these richness indices were unaffected by minor trail types, used less intensively. As a general principle, lower biodiversity indices reduce ecosystem resilience, and so it is vital to better understand these responses to balance public access against biodiversity management in PAs.     

采煤沉陷区苦草的生物学特性及其竞争机制

采煤活动所致的动态沉陷湿地具有动态性、高潜水位和生态脆弱性等特点,探明此类人工重构湿地的水生植物群落的生物学特性及其竞争机制,有助于为采煤沉陷区湿地水生植物群落修复提供科学依据。本研究以淮南潘集区人工构建的苦草群落(Ass. Vallisneria natans)为例,采用样方调查法,研究苦草的生物学特性及其与其他水生植物的竞争机制。结果表明,1)沉陷区苦草的生物学特性与浅水湖泊较一致。主要表现在苦草的繁殖方式、传粉方式、生活史方面,但研究区苦草以有性繁殖为主。2)沉陷区苦草能与以种子萌发形成的水烛群丛(Ass. Typha angustifolia)共生,但生物量低;在与形成两年以上的水烛群丛竞争中处于劣势,在水烛群丛盖度达到90%时苦草逐渐消失。3)沉陷区苦草在与浮叶植物莕菜群丛(Ass. Nymphoides peltatum)、苹群丛(Ass. Marsilea quadrifolia)竞争中处于弱势,其盖度、株高、生物量等指标都明显下降。4)沉陷区苦草在与沉水植物竹叶眼子菜群丛(Ass. Potamogeton malaianus)竞争中处于劣势,苦草与沉水植物黑藻群丛(Ass. Hydrilla verticillata)、狐尾藻群丛(Ass. Myriophyllum verticillatum)、大茨藻群丛(Ass. Najas marina)、金鱼藻群丛(Ass. Ceratophyllum demersum)占据不同水层空间,种间竞争不强烈,能较好地共存。总之,苦草较之于相似生长型的植物具有较明显的竞争优势,对于具有不同生活型,尤其是挺水植物和浮叶植物,处于竞争劣势。     

汾河河漫滩三种草本植物群落的生物量研究

草本群落是汾河河漫滩的主要植被类型。在对汾河河漫滩植被全面调查的基础上选择了 3种广泛分布的典型群落 :北水苦荬群落、水莎草 +狼把草群落和苔草群落 ,用收获法对它们的生物量进行了研究。研究结果表明 ,这 3种群落的总生物量分别为 785.9g/ m2 、4 94 .6g/ m2 和 34 5.5g/ m2 ,与其它草地群落相比 ,大于荒漠草地和典型草原 ,小于草甸草原。各群落的建群种或共建种的生物量占群落总生物量和各群落地上部分和地下部分生物量的比例均大于 70 %。北水苦荬群落和水莎草 +狼把草群落的地上部分生物量 >地下部分生物量 ,苔草群落的地上部分生物量 <地下部分生物量。另外 ,通过对群落特征、干鲜重比率以及群落生物量的综合分析得出 ,水因子是影响湿地植被群落结构、组成和生物量的主导因子 ,这 3种群落的分布呈现显著的水分生态梯度     

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN RETRACTED Exergy as an ecological application used in the recovery process of benthic communities

Exergy, the thermodynamic function that represents the distance of an open system from equilibrium, is proposed as an ecological indicator for summarizing the complex dynamics occurring in a disturbed community during its recovery processes. These complex dynamics can be difficult to capture by using classical indices. In this study, we sampled macrobenthos using the BACI scheme (before versus after; control versus impact) in tidal wetlands of west Chongming Island, China, an area that has been disturbed by ecological engineering measures. Exergy storage is estimated for benthic communities. The control area is proposed as dynamic reference for estimating local exergy storage of the benthic community. Three different methods were used for estimating exergy on the basis of coefficients: (a) taken for taxa groups; (b) estimated from coding genes given for broad taxonomic groups; and (c) estimated from genome size taken as close as possible to the taxonomic level of the species, providing a basis for inferring similarities. We found a decrease of local exergy content in the disturbed area 9 days after the disturbance. Subsequently, the reference exergy of the benthic community increased (i.e. in the surrounding control area) in accordance with the proposed hypothesis regarding the dynamics of exergy storage during a system's development. Estimates of local exergy arrived at using the three methods provided comparable results. Based on this, we then discuss the feasibility of using the more readily available genome size data for estimating exergy. This result may have important implications for broader application of this indicator to biological systems. Moreover, the adjacent control samples seem to represent an appropriate dynamic reference for estimating the local exergy of disturbed communities. We found that exergy was a useful indicator that integrates the processes underlying the recovery of the benthic community after disturbance.