On the Biology of Five-toed Pigmy Jerboa (Cardiocranius paradoxus Satunin, 1902) in the Ubsu-Nuur Depression

Russian Journal of Ecology -     

Spatial and temporal variation of below-ground N transfer from a leguminous tree to an associated grass in an agroforestry system

Nitrogen (N) transfer from leguminous trees can be a major N source for the associated crop in low-input agroforestry systems. The aim of this study was to identify the main climatic and soil factors controlling N transfer from the leguminous tree Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp to the associated grass Dichanthium aristatum (Poir.) C.E. Hubb, in a 16-year-old tropical agroforestry system. Nitrogen transfer was estimated using the natural ¹⁵N abundance method. Before tree pruning, total N transfer represented 57% of the N uptake of the grass, including 31% coming from N₂ fixation. The spatial variation induced by the tree was well described by soil organic N content (ON). In this system, ON is an index of soil available N as well as of tree root density. Rainfall (R) and evapotranspiration (ETP) were the main climatic factors controlling N transfer. Multiple regression analysis indicated that R, ETP and ON explained 79% of the temporal and spatial variation of N transfer. Transferred N cannot be estimated after pruning because of the change in the isotopic signature of the soil N source. This was related to N release from root turnover. The results suggest that grass showed a preferential uptake of N coming from the tree, which could be due to a lower energy cost compared to obtaining absorbed N from the clayey soil used in this work.     

Spatial population structure in forest voles of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clethrionomys</Emphasis> in the southern taiga of the Middle Irtysh region

A comparative analysis of spatial population structure in the northern red-backed vole (Clethrionomys rutilus Pall.) and large-toothed red-backed vole (Cl. rufocanus Sund.) has been performed in the middle taiga zone of the Middle Irtysh region (Omsk oblast). Populations of these species are represented by sets of territorial groups whose numbers and spatial distribution change from year to year depending on the ratio of these species in a biotope and their population density. There is no significant interspecific competition between cohabitant Cl. rutilus and Cl. rufocanus. In particular, this follows from the fact that the population density and distribution pattern of one species are independent of those of the other species. It has been found that the size of home ranges in Cl. rutilus inversely depends on its population density, with that in Cl. rufocanus remaining approximately the same at different population densities, and that the structure of the resident part of the population in both species changes during the season, as voles from neighboring habitats or dispersing voles settle in the study area.     

太湖表层底泥中产毒蓝藻群落结构和种群丰度的时空变化

为了研究太湖底泥中产毒蓝藻群落结构和种群丰度的时空变化,分别于2010年冬季(2月)、春季(4月)和夏季(6月)采集太湖不同湖区底泥样品,应用基于mcyA基因的聚合酶链式反应-变性梯度凝胶电泳(PCR-DGGE)和实时定量PCR(QPCR)技术分析底泥样品.结果表明,产毒蓝藻在太湖底泥中分布广泛,其群落结构和种群丰度存在空间和季节差异性:不同湖区间群落组成相似性系数变化范围为67%～97%;冬季、春季和夏季底泥中产毒蓝藻群落结构的香农多样性指数变化范围分别为2.774～3.392、1.649～2.619和0.681～1.996,呈逐渐下降趋势;且香农多样性指数与样品中优势基因型所占比例呈极显著负相关(p<0.01,r=-0.95);从冬季到夏季,底泥中蓝藻复苏进入水体中,产毒蓝藻种群丰度逐渐降低.底泥中产毒蓝藻群落结构和种群丰度的动态变化与温度、光照、溶解氧、电导率和pH值密切相关.     

大小长山岛周围海域浮游动物群落分布特征

根据2009年8月和2010年5月大、小长山岛周围海域浮游动物春、夏季航次调查资料,对该海域浮游动物种类组成、优势种、生物量及其分布、密度及其分布、生物多样性等进行了分析。结果表明:春、夏季共检出浮游动物34种,主要种类为近岸低盐种,其中春季23种,夏季30种;优势种9种,以桡足类占优势,主要为中华哲水蚤、小拟哲水蚤、大同拟长腹剑水蚤和双刺纺锤水蚤等,优势种季节变化较明显。浮游动物密度、生物量、多样性指数和均匀度指数等季节水平分布特征变化明显,并与温度和盐度呈显著相关。聚类分析显示大、小长山岛周围海域浮游动物群落春、夏季相似度较高。与20世纪80年代相比,本次调查浮游动物群落已发生了一定程度的变化。     

化肥减量与有机物料添加对华北潮土微生物氮循环功能基因丰度和氮转化遗传潜力的影响

有机物料作为生态友好型的化肥替代品为农业生态系统带来了巨大的经济和环境效益.然而,在化肥减量的基础上添加有机物料会对土壤氮（N）循环产生何种影响依旧知之甚少.在此,设置了常规施肥（NPK）、化肥减量（NPKR）、化肥减量配施秸秆（NPKRS）、化肥减量配施有机肥（NPKRO）、化肥减量配施秸秆和有机肥（NPKROS）共5种施肥处理,采用实时定量PCR方法测定微生物N循环功能基因丰度,并估算微生物N转化遗传潜力.结果表明,与NPK处理相比,有机物料添加显著增加了参与有机N分解、N固定和N还原的异养微生物数量,而降低了执行氨氧化的自养微生物丰度.因此,异养微生物的比例增加,自养微生物的比例降低.施肥措施变化显著提高了微生物N存储和气态N排放潜力,降低了NO₃^-淋溶潜力,N₂ O还原潜力也有所提升.基于距离的冗余分析（db-RDA）表明,5种施肥处理间N循环功能基因丰度差异显著（PERMANOVA,P=0.002）,NH₄⁺是驱动这种变化的关键因子,施用有机肥有利于异养N循环功能微生物,并且同时加入秸秆增强了这种影响.Pearson相关分析表明N存储潜力和气态N排放潜力均与NH₄⁺含量显著负相关;NO₃^-淋溶潜力与SOC和TN含量显著负相关,而与NH₄⁺含量显著正相关.综上所述,在化肥减量基础上添加有机物料有利于增加农田土壤N库,降低土壤N淋溶损失,甚至在特定环境下可以降低N₂ O排放的环境风险.     

Changes in Avian and Plant Communities of Aspen Woodlands over 12 Years after Livestock Removal in the Northwestern Great Basin

Abstract: Riparian and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) woodlands are centers of avian abundance and diversity in the western United States, but they have been affected adversely by land use practices, particularly livestock grazing. In 1990, cattle were removed from a 112,500‐ha national wildlife refuge in southeastern Oregon. Thereafter, we monitored changes in vegetation and bird abundance in years 1–3 (phase 1) and 10–12 (phase 2) in 17 riparian and 9 snow‐pocket aspen plots. On each 1.5‐ha plot, we sampled vegetation in 6 transects. Three times during each breeding season, observers recorded all birds 50 m to each side of the plot's 150‐m centerline for 25 minutes. We analyzed data with multivariate analysis of variance and paired t tests with p values adjusted for multiple comparisons. In both periods, riparian and snow‐pocket aspen produced extensive regeneration of new shoots ( stems/ha and 7079 stems/ha, respectively). By phase 2, a 64% increase in medium‐diameter trees in riparian stands indicated successful recruitment into the overstory, but this pattern was not seen in snow‐pocket stands, where the density of trees was over 2 times greater. By phase 2 in riparian and snow‐pocket stands, native forb cover had increased by 68% and 57%, respectively, mesic shrub cover had increased by 29% and 58%, and sagebrush cover had decreased by 24% and 31%. Total avian abundance increased by 33% and 39% in riparian and snow‐pocket aspen, respectively, ground or understory nesters increased by 133% and 67% and overstory nesters increased by 34% and 33%. Similarly, ground or understory foragers increased by 25% and 32%, aerial foragers by 55% and 57%, and overstory foragers by 66% and 43%. We interpreted the substantial regeneration of aspen shoots, increased densities of riparian forbs and shrubs, and increased avian abundances as a multitrophic‐level response to the total removal of livestock and as substantial movement toward recovery of biological integrity.     

Determinants of population persistence and abundance of terrestrial and arboreal vertebrates stranded in tropical forest land-bridge islands

Megadams are among the key modern drivers of habitat and biodiversity loss in emerging economies. The Balbina Hydroelectric Dam of Central Brazilian Amazonia inundated 312,900 ha of primary forests and created approximately 3500 variable-sized islands that still harbor vertebrate populations after nearly 3 decades after isolation. We estimated the species richness, abundance, biomass, composition, and group size of medium- to large-bodied forest vertebrates in response to patch, landscape, and habitat-quality metrics across 37 islands and 3 continuous forest sites throughout the Balbina archipelago. We conducted 1168 km of diurnal censuses and had 12,420 camera-trapping days along 81 transects with 207 camera stations. We determined the number of individuals (or groups) detected per 10 km walked and the number of independent photographs per 10 camera-trapping days, respectively, for each species. We recorded 34 species, and patch area was the most significant predictor of vertebrate population relative abundance and aggregate biomass. The maximum group size of several group-living species was consistently larger on large islands and in continuous patches than on small islands. Most vertebrate populations were extirpated after inundation. Remaining populations are unlikely to survive further ecological disruptions. If all vertebrate species were once widely distributed before inundation, we estimated that approximately 75% of all individual vertebrates were lost from all 3546 islands and 7.4% of the animals in all persisting insular populations are highly likely to be extirpated. Our results demonstrate that population abundance estimates should be factored into predictions of community disassembly on small islands to robustly predict biodiversity outcomes. Given the rapidly escalating hydropower infrastructure projects in developing counties, we suggest that faunal abundance and biomass estimates be considered in environmental impact assessments and large strictly protected reserves be established to minimize detrimental effects of dams on biodiversity. Conserving large tracts of continuous forests represents the most critical conservation measure to ensure that animal populations can persist at natural densities in Amazonian forests.     

象山港海洋病毒时空分布特征及其环境影响因素

分别于2007年的7月(夏季)、11月(秋季)与2008年的1月(冬季)、4月(春季)采集样品,研究了象山港海域的水样(表层海水和上覆水)中的浮游病毒及沉积物中的底层病毒丰度的时空分布特征,并采用主成分分析及多元逐步回归分析方法研究了影响浮游病毒丰度时空分布的主要因素,结果表明,调查期间象山港海域表层海水、上覆水及沉积物样品中浮游(底层)病毒丰度实测值的变化范围为6.48×104~1.01×108cells/mL,均值分别为1.55×107,1.03×108,1.13×108cells/mL.季节分布特征为秋季 > 夏季 > 春季 > 冬季.病毒丰度垂直分布表现为上覆水均大于表层海水;平面分布均为从港底到港口递减、养殖区高于非养殖区、电厂附近海域出现较高值的趋势.近岸人类活动的陆源污染及水产养殖污染是造成此空间分布特征的主要原因.溶解氧、水温及叶绿素a是制约表层海水浮游病毒丰度的主要影响因素;营养盐含量及浮游细菌丰度是制约上覆水中浮游病毒丰度的主要影响因素,沉积物中的病毒丰度与细菌丰度具有显著正相关性(P < 0.01).     

北运河沉积物中氨氧化微生物的群落特征

采用T-RFLP、RT-qPCR和克隆测序等分子生物学技术,以氨单加氧酶基因(amoA)为分子标记,研究了北运河表层沉积物中氨氧化古菌(AOA)和氨氧化细菌(AOB)的群落多样性、丰度、系统发育及其与环境因子的响应关系.结果表明,沉积物中AOB的群落多样性和丰度均高于AOA,是北运河沉积物中氨氧化过程的主要功能微生物.沉积物中氨氧化微生物群落结构沿干流和支流存在明显的空间分异,而AOA的种类组成空间差异较小;沉积物的氨氮(NH4+)和硝态氮(NO3﹣+NO2﹣)是影响氨氧化微生物群落特征的主要因子,AOB对环境变化的敏感性更高;AOA和AOB的amoA基因拷贝数分别为1.32×105~1.91×106copies/g、5.39×105~8.3×106copies/g.闸坝下游沉积物的氨氧化微生物丰度最高.系统发育分析表明,amoA基因序列多属于土壤/沉积物分支,较多AOB的克隆序列与土壤亚硝化螺菌属(Nitrosospira)的类群相似性可达98%.受污水处理厂退水的影响,部分amoA基因序列与污水处理厂废水和活性污泥中发现的类群同源性高.污染物质来源、支流汇入和闸坝拦截对河流沉积物氨氧化微生物的群落特征影响显著.