Collembola in ecotoxicology—Any news or just boring routine?

Despite the uncontested significance of soils for human nutrition and drinking water quality, the majority of ecotoxicological testing is confined to aquatic test systems. Among the standardised tests for soils, the reproduction test with the springtail Folsomia candida is among the most widely used ones. First steps towards its standardisation were undertaken in the late 1980s. Here we review major advances that have been made since then, with respect to mechanistic, pragmatic and ecological aspects. Specifically we address the ecological relevance of any modifications of the standardised tests. We introduce a miniaturised version of the reproduction test which allows reducing the amount of soil per test unit to one third and the number of synchronised individuals to 40% as compared to the standard test. In addition, we developed an assay using Collembola eggs instead of synchronised adults. First results of a three-species test indicate that the presence of other species may affect choice behaviour. We point out a potential biased view of existing ecotoxicological data with Collembola due to the fact that most results refer to metal contamination. Finally, recommendations for future research are given, with special reference to avoidance and microcosm tests involving Collembola.     

Soil fauna across Central European sandstone ravines with temperature inversion: From cool and shady to dry and hot places

Sandstone massifs with their deep ravines or gorges offer the instructive opportunity to study the response of organisms to steep environmental gradients. In 2008–2010, many groups of soil fauna were studied along transects across three ravines in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park (north-western Czech Republic), a part of the Elbe Sandstone Massif. Each transect included five sampling positions: two opposite edges, two opposite mid-slope positions, and the ravine bottom. The ravines had a specific microclimate characterized by temperature inversion. In general, the cooler and more humid ravine bottoms had also less acid soil with lower carbon content but enriched by litter of deciduous trees and herbs. The other transect positions were characterized by spruce (mid-slopes) and pine (edges) stands with mor humus, exposed to drought in the upper parts. The soil animal communities (identified to species level) differed substantially in dependence on their position along the transects. Ravine bottoms hosted a diverse soil fauna, including a rich macrofauna. The thick duff layer of acid soils on the slopes and edges hosted a poorer fauna but supported high densities of important decomposers such as enchytraeids, oribatid mites and microbivorous nematodes. In general, these were higher on the slopes, presumably due to the drought exposure of the edges. Vertical position in the ravine and soil pH were the most important factors explaining community composition. This confirmed that the area's high geomorphological diversity, leading to steep microclimatic gradients and heterogenous soil conditions, is a major cause of its high biodiversity. A shift in community structure in the lower parts of the ravines, observed after the first half of the study period, was possibly caused by summer flash floods. An increased frequency and severity of dry spells and flash floods due to heavy rains, predicted by relevant climate warming scenarios, will probably have an detrimental effect on the ravines'soil fauna.     

生物多样性与地形及土壤因素对坡面产流产沙的耦合影响

生物多样性关系到生态系统的功能,而坡度和土壤因素是影响坡面产流产沙的重要因子。本研究基于黄土丘陵区生物多样性,并引入坡度、降雨前土壤含水量和土壤容重,探究其与坡面产流产沙总量的耦合关系。通过野外人工降雨试验,记录草本、灌木和乔木群落下的产流时间和产流产沙总量,并开展土壤植被调查。结果表明,与草本和乔木群落相比,灌木群落在延长产流开始时间和降低产沙总量上表现更优;植被群落功能离散度指数(FDiv)对产沙总量影响最大,Simpson指数(D)对产流总量影响最大,坡度仍然是不可忽视的第二重要影响因素;产流总量与坡度、土壤容重、D和功能丰富度指数(FRic)的回归关系优于产流总量分别与其的回归关系;产沙总量与坡度和FDiv指数的回归关系优于产沙总量分别与其的回归关系。植被保护与坡度改善将是该区水土保持规划工作的重点。     

中国主要野生毛皮物种识别检索表

为了更加方便、准确地鉴定毛皮,根据东北林业大学毛皮标本室收藏的标本,编制了毛皮形态学检索表,该表可以准确鉴定食肉目和啮齿目8个科的58个物种的毛皮。本检索表尽量采用可以明显确认的形态特征进行编制,并尽量避免使用在剥皮鞣制过程中容易丢失的特征。表中绝大多数物种的特征均从5张以上的皮张总结而来,主要适用于未经过染色、剪绒、拔针等处理的生皮或鞣制过的皮张。     

澳大利亚外来入侵物种管理策略及对中国的借鉴意义

澳大利亚是一个典型的岛屿国家,地域辽阔。18世纪欧洲移民时期至今,新移民为澳大利亚带来了大量外来物种,其中一部分在很大程度上丰富了澳大利亚的农产品种类,但也有很多物种已经成为危害自然生态环境和农牧业发展的有害入侵物种。澳大利亚政府高度重视外来入侵物种和本国生物资源的管理工作,建立了完善的政策法规、管理机构、技术支撑、资金保障、公共教育体系,在国际生物多样性保护与利用方面处于世界领先水平。本文简要介绍了澳大利亚外来入侵物种管理的有关策略和指南,并阐述了对中国的借鉴意义：（1）建立完善国内生物多样性保护特别是外来入侵物种防控的法律法规体系;（2）建立健全国内生物多样性管理长效机制;（3）建立高效生物多样可持续管理资金保障体系;（4）构建全方位全民参与的生态保护宣传培训体系;（5）强化科学技术对生物多样性管理的支撑作用。     

广东省主要红树林植物DNA条形码评价

为评估DNA条形码对鉴定红树林植物的通用性和有效性,在广东红树林分布区域共计采集红树林植物16科22属23种,共144个样品,并进行DNA条形码测序。结果表明:选择的rbcL、matK和trnH-psbA 3个DNA片段的PCR扩增成功率分别为100%、80.29%±8.49%、99.38%±1.25%。测序成果率最高为rbcL 100%,trnH-psbA次之94.57%±5.06%,matK最低75.04%±6.26%。表明rbcL和trnH-psbA片段在红树林群落中都具有较好的通用性。应用BLAST和NJ Tree两种方法计算红树植物的物种识别率。BLAST结果表明,单片段中trnH-psbA的物种识别率最高,为84.48%±12.09%,rbcL次之,matK最低。NJ Tree分析显示单片段中rbcL的物种识别率最高,为66.65%±17.35%;trnH-psbA片段次之,matK片段最低。两张分析方法都显示多个片段组合使用时,rbcL或trnH-psbA是提高物种平均识别率的主要片段。利用单片段rbcL即可获得平均节点支持率最高的红树植物系统发育树,且能准确区分不同树种。trnH-psbA片段可以识别rbcL片段不能识别的物种,可以作为补充片段。综合比较,推荐rbcL、trnH-psbA作为红树林植物DNA条形码片段。     

Evaluation of a simple means to reduce discard in the Kattegat-Skagerrak Nephrops (Nephrops norvegicus) fishery: Commercial testing of different codends and square-mesh panels

Discarding of fish species in the Kattegat-Skagerrak Nephrops directed fisheries remains at high levels. In this work we have tested four sets of codends pair-wise with the catch comparison technique under full commercial conditions to assess their potential in reducing the catch of undersized commercial species, in particular cod. We investigate the position of a 90 mm square-mesh panel (SMP), the effect of increasing the mesh size from 90 to 120 mm in the SMP, the effect of inserting a 90 mm SMP in an 80 mm codend and the effect of increasing the codend mesh size from 90 to 120 mm in a total of 89 hauls. Inserting the SMP 3–6 m from the codline compared to 6–9 m from the codline, reduced catches of cod above the minimum landing size (MLS) and Nephrops above and below the MLS. Increasing the mesh size in the SMP from 90 to 120 mm increased the catch of cod above the MLS in weight with an overall increase of 12% in the revenue. The effect of installing a 90 mm SMP 6–9 m from the codline in a nominal 80 mm codend had no effect on the catch of cod. Increasing the nominal codend mesh size from 90 to 120 mm reduced the catch of all species below the MLS, except monkfish. Catches of Nephrops above the MLS were, however, reduced by approximately one third and the total loss in revenue was 21%.     

Inherent bias in using aggregate CPUE to characterize abundance of fish species assemblages

We have analyzed the practice of assessing an assemblage of fish species in a multispecies fishery on the basis of aggregate catch per unit effort (CPUE), which is the summed catch of all species per unit of effort. We show that at the onset of fishing or of a large positive or negative change in fishing effort, aggregate CPUE will be hyper-responsive, that is, relative change of aggregate CPUE will be greater than that of aggregate abundance. We also show that as the fishery reaches equilibrium, the aggregate CPUE in most circumstances will continue to be hyper-responsive, with a greater relative change from its value at the start than the aggregate abundance. However, there are less likely circumstances in which the aggregate CPUE will be hyper-stable compared to aggregate abundance. The circumstances leading to hyper-responsiveness or hyper-stability depend on the distribution of productivity and fishery vulnerability parameters among the species in the aggregation.     

北京市小龙门国家森林公园大型真菌名录

北京市小龙门国家森林公园大型真菌资源丰富。在保护区内共采集标本212号,鉴定出47种,隶属于2个门、7个目、20个科、47个种。     

厦门筼筜湖游泳生物资源状况

2007年11月和2008年5月,对筼筜湖的游泳生物开展了2个季度的调查.结果显示:调查出现的游泳生物种类有69种.其中鱼类44种,虾类7种,蟹类14种,头足类3种,口足类1种;渔获量的优势种为远海梭子蟹和尼罗罗非鱼,渔获尾数优势种则以硬头鲻和远海梭子蟹为主.湖内刺网平均单位面积渔获量1.0069g/m2·h,单位面积渔获尾数0.0192ind/m2·h.排水口年平均资源指数为1043.317g/网·h,资源密度为148.883ind/网·h.现存资源量为729.752kg,现存资源尾数为10.4168×104尾.调查结果表明,筼筜湖的游泳生物种类比2001年出现的60种和1992年的43种,分别增加15%和60.46%.表明筼筜湖的综合治理取得了明显的生态效果.