Relative efficiency of extensive grazing vs. wild ungulates management for dung beetle conservation in a heterogeneous landscape from Southern Europe (Scarabaeinae, Aphodiinae, Geotrupinae)

The goal of this paper is to evaluate the relative efficiency of two strategies that favour dung beetles conservation (Scarabaeinae, Aphodiinae, Geotrupinae) in Southern Europe: extensive grazing and wild ungulate management. We conducted a study in the French Cévennes national park/UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve where dung beetles are distributed in a dichotomous sheep (grasslands, shrublands) and deer (clearings, shrublands, forests) droppings dominating abroad landscape. Natural sheep droppings and deer lumps dung beetle assemblages have been sampled two consecutive years during spring, summer and autumn in five representative habitats. This sampling of natural assemblages allowed for the estimation of (i) the density of trophic resource in the habitats, (ii) the regional dung beetle fauna and the distribution of species among the habitats and (iii) the density of beetles in natural droppings and the evenness of assemblages. High diversity, high species density in droppings and high evenness were observed in grazed shrubland, whereas fewer species were observed in deer lumps. Our results clearly showed that, while wild ungulates manure is not enough to ensure the conservation of the regional dung beetle species pool, the spatial habitat heterogeneity of grazed shrubland allows the local coexistence of numerous species. Consequently, one may expect that the conservation of European dung beetle fauna, especially Scarabaeinae and several long lifetime species, could be enhanced by extensive grazing.     

The distribution patterns and temporal dynamics of carabid beetles (Coleoptera:Carabidae) in the forests of Jiaohe,Jilin Province,China

Carabid beetles,predatory insects,are abundant in forests and sensitive to environmental changes.The dis-tribution patterns and diversity of carabid beetles in several natural forests were studied to provide a basis for evaluating the importance of a forest in the protection of carabid beetle diversity.Carabids were captured by pitfall traps during their seasonal activity from 2012 to 2013 in a poplar-birch forest,ash-walnut forest and broad-leaved Korean pine forest.A total of 5252 individuals,representing 21 species,were col-lected.Carabid abundance was highest in the broad-leaved Korean pine forest and lowest in the ash-walnut forest.Carabus billbergi Mannerheim and Pterostichus pertinax(Tschitscherine) were the dominant beetle species in each stand.Carabus canaliculatus Adams was dominant in the poplar-birch and ash-walnut forests,and Leistus niger Gebler was dominant in the ash-walnut forest.The carabids were affected differently by stand factors.C.billbergi and P.per-tinax was positively correlated with mean DBH.C.cana-liculatus and L.niger were not positively correlated with any stand factors.The broad-leaved Korean pine forest with greater age,large DBH and thick leaf litter fostered a high diversity of carabid species.The main yearly activity period for most carabids was during July.Different carabid species responded differently to seasonality,and the activity period of several species was relatively late (August) in the year.     

宁夏罗山拟步甲物种多样性及分布特点

采用巴氏罐诱法于2009年5月至9月对宁夏罗山国家级自然保护区拟步甲垂直分布及群落多样性进行调查,共收集拟步甲19属40种,3 507只,其中粗背伪坚土甲(Scleropatrum horridum horridum)、弯齿琵甲(Blaps femoralis femoralis)、郝氏刺甲(Platyscelis hauseri)、突角漠甲(Trigonocnera pseudopimelia)、条纹琵甲(Blaps potanini)和宁夏漠土甲(Melanesthes ningxiensis)为优势种,个体数量分别占总数的28.74%、7.93%、7.13%、6.81%、6.47%和6.47%。5种主要生境(山地荒漠草地、浅山灌丛、山地针阔混交林、山地针叶林和亚高山灌丛草甸)中,山地荒漠草地拟步甲物种多样性指数和丰富度均高于其他生境,浅山灌丛次之,山地针叶林最低,山地荒漠草地和浅山灌丛是拟步甲主要的分布带。山地荒漠草地和浅山灌丛之间拟步甲物种相似性最高(0.648 6),而山地荒漠草地和山地针叶林之间的相似性系数最低(0.027 8)。根据拟步甲生态分布特征,并结合植被、地形、地貌,应用除趋势对应分析可将40种拟步甲划分为3个生态种组。     

Potential environmental consequences of administration of anthelmintics to sheep

Anthelmintics, veterinary medicines for the control of endoparasites, enter into the environment largely through faeces of the treated animals. Sheep dung is a patchily distributed, ephemeral resource, with a functionally important decomposer community. The nature of this community and the pharmacokinetics of anthelmintics in sheep mean that the ecotoxic impacts of these drugs in sheep dung may differ markedly from those in cattle dung, where most research has been focussed. The period of maximum residue excretion is generally more transient in sheep than cattle dung, but low-level excretion may continue for longer, giving the potential for extended sub-lethal effects. Here, the environmental impacts of sheep anthelmintics, as well as alternative endoparasite control methods are reviewed. Impacts are discussed in terms of the potential for residues to enter into the environment, the toxicity and the impact on ecosystem functioning at an appropriate scale. Future research priorities are also discussed; these include the need for studies of the functional contributions of dung-colonising species, as well as the development of higher-tier ecotoxicological methods bridging the gap between laboratory and field experiments. Large-scale and long-term studies, including the development of appropriate models, are necessary to allow the consequences of anthelmintic administration to be assessed, particularly within the remit of sustainable animal production.     

花绒寄甲应用研究综述

花绒寄甲是我国林业重要害虫天牛的天敌,能够有效的防治天牛,对环境友好。本文总结了花绒寄甲的习性,人工繁育技术及防治天牛的效果,为进一步的研究和应用提供参考。     

Distribution of carabid beetles among 40-year-old regenerating plantations and 100-year-old naturally regenerated forests in Southwestern China

Effects of reforestation by native tree species on species assemblages of carabid beetles were studied between 40-year-old regenerating plantations and 100-year naturally regenerated forests in Southwestern China. Two old naturally regenerated forest types (ca.100 years old) were chosen: hemlock-spruce forests (Tsuga chinensis and Picea brachytyla) and birch forests (Betula albo-sinensis). Three young regenerating forest types (ca. 40 years old), including spruce plantations (P. brachytyla), larch plantations (Larix kaempferi and Larix mastersian), and natural broad-leaved forests, were established after the logging of the old naturally regenerated forests. Using pitfall traps, we compared the distribution of carabid beetles in the five forest types. Three replicated plots for each forest type were chosen, and each plot was investigated with four trap sites twice each month during the growing season (May to October) in 2004. Our results showed that species richness and abundance were significantly higher in the young regenerating forests than in the old naturally regenerated forests. Analysis of complementarity in carabid species lists across the forest ages and types showed that the old naturally regenerated birch forests had the lowest similarity with the young regenerating larch plantations, and the highest similarity was shown between the two young regenerating plantations. Although PCoA ordination grouped the carabid assemblages according to forest type and forest age, the overall similarity among all forest types was high. Moreover, quantitative character species analysis did not detect significant species associated with forest types and ages. Based on the specificity and fidelity, most carabid species were abundant in all habitats, and only a few species were restricted in one or two forest types. Multiple linear regression between the species richness, abundance and Shannon diversity of carabids and of five environmental variables showed that the cover of canopy and herbaceous layer, and the depth of leaf litter had significant effects in determining richness, abundance and diversity of carabid beetles. Thus, the young regenerating forests at the mature stage could provide an appropriate habitat for most forest species of carabids survived in adjacent old naturally regenerated forests and might replace the role in part of the old-growth forests in sustaining the diversity of carabid assemblages. But some species are still restricted in old naturally regenerated forests, so in order to protect the diversity of carabid assemblages, it is necessary to sustain the intact old naturally regenerated forests when reforesting with some native tree species following natural succession.     

磷化铝熏蒸光肩星天牛虫害木的试验研究

用磷化铝对聚氯乙烯薄膜覆盖下的大官杨、箭杆杨光肩星天牛虫害木进行熏蒸试验表明,当磷化铝用量10～12 g/m3、密封时间为72 h时,杨树天牛幼虫死亡率均达100%,杀虫效果良好.该法使用方便,成本低廉便于推广应用.     

盐池四墩子人工柠条带—草地群落交错带地表甲虫多样性研究

研究了宁夏盐池四墩子人工柠条带边缘与柠条带内部和天然草地间地表甲虫多样性的差异,探讨边缘效应对地表甲虫群落的影响。调查共设9个重复样带,每个样带分别由边缘深入到柠条带内部和草地内部100 m,共设81个样点,利用巴氏罐诱法调查地表甲虫群落组成。共记录地表甲虫56种,隶属于13科,其中步甲科(17种)和拟步甲科(12种)种类最多,拟步甲科、步甲科、金龟科和鳃金龟科的个体数量,分别占总个体数量的41.78%,10.81%,10.54%和10.45%,共同构成研究区域地表甲虫的优势类群。甲虫的个体数量、多样性和均匀度从柠条带、边缘到天然草地逐渐降低,都达到了显著水平。边缘效应强度分析呈现边缘正效应(1.039 6＞1)。     

Rove beetles (Coleoptera Staphylinidae) – Their abundance and competition with other predatory groups in Bt maize expressing Cry34Ab1, Cry35Ab1, Cry1F and CP4 EPSPS proteins

This study investigated the effects of different GM maize crops on the abundances of rove beetles. It also investigated competition between rove beetles and other epigeic arthropod predatory groups (ground beetles and spiders). Altogether a total of 5926 rove beetle individuals belonging to 25 species were collected. Whilst the average number of rove beetle individuals per replicate per sampling date varied and, moreover, decreased each year, there were no observed differences in rove beetle abundance when compared between isogenic and GM maize plots within the study period. Furthermore, no clear trends on positive correlations between weed coverage and rove beetle abundances were detected. Altogether a total number of 76,070 ground beetle individuals and 11,126 spiders (including all Araneae) were collected with pitfall traps. Analyses revealed a strong negative relationship between rove beetles and the other two groups in each treatment and year. According to the results the effect of interspecific competition on rove beetle abundance in GM maize is much higher than the effects of treatments including both Bt toxins and extra glyphosate applications.     

天牛基因组DNA的提取方法

通过试验探索出3种可以快速、简便地从天牛干标本、液浸标本和新鲜标本中提取DNA模板的方法。对所获得的基因组扩增分析表明,经过PCR之后的DNA能呈现明显的多态性,同种天牛用同一引物扩增幼虫和成虫所获得的结果相同,可以认为,RAPD技术可以应用于天牛成虫干标本及幼虫浸渍标本的鉴定及系统发育研究中,也证明了这3种方法用于提取不同保存时间、不同种天牛基因组的DNA是切实可行的。