Feeding ecology of the Andean hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus chinga) in areas under different land use in north-western Patagonia

We studied the feeding ecology of the Andean hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus chinga) in three areas with different land use in Patagonia. Two areas were heavily grazed by sheep or horses and wild exotic herbivores and the third area was lightly grazed by cattle. In each area, we assessed skunk diet, prey abundance and carrion availability. Skunks were generalist feeders, with invertebrates composing the bulk of their diet, but also consumed small vertebrates and carrion. Differences in diet composition were found among areas, mainly because skunks consumed more beetle larvae in the sheep area and more cricetines and spiders in the exotic-herbivore area. All prey but rodents were significantly more abundant in spring and summer than in fall and winter, but skunk diets were similar among seasons. In the sheep area, where the soil was most disturbed, we found reduced abundances of invertebrate prey and rodents. High consumption of beetles during autumn and winter when these were least abundant and in the sheep area indicates that skunks had a preference for beetles and their larvae. We conclude that Andean hog-nosed skunks in Patagonia might be negatively affected by reductions of their main prey due to soil and plant alterations by livestock.     

Precipitation impacts on mule deer habitat use in the chihuahuan desert of Mexico

In arid lands, food resources and predation risk become major decision factors in mule deer habitat use. We examined variables related to these two factors that might determine mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) habitat use in a warm desert at two spatial scales: the macro-habitat scale, which relates to home range decisions, and the micro-habitat scale, which relates to decisions made during foraging. Our prediction was that habitat use should primarily be explained by food variables and, to a lesser degree, by variables related to predation risk by pumas (Puma concolor). We mapped all deer pellet groups in 72, 1 ha quadrats in the Mapimí Biosphere Reserve and measured food and habitat variables over two years with different precipitation amounts. The area was used more intensively during the dry year. Under drier conditions, deer habitat use was explained primarily by food resource variables and secondarily by variables related with predation risk. During the wetter year, food resources became unimportant while cover and visibility explained deer habitat use. The data suggest that the tradeoffs deer are willing to make between food resources and predation risk in an arid environment are strongly affected by food resource levels, as influenced by precipitation.     

Short- and long-term effects of shrub management on vegetation in the Monte, Argentina

A comparison was made of plant cover, carrying capacity and diversity in areas of Monte vegetation at the Biosphere Reserve of Ñacuñán, Mendoza, Argentina, in 1982, 1984 and 1995. Treatments applied in 1981 were: control (untreated plots), selective hand-cutting, roller-chopping, and root-plowing. By 1995, woody cover was lower in root-plowed plots (27%) than in the others treatments (41–51%), and herbaceous cover was similar in treated (28–39%) and untreated areas (26%). Carrying capacity of treated areas (6–8 ha per Large Stock Unit (LSU)) was higher than in the control areas (12 ha LSU⁻¹). Woody species diversity, quantified by the Shannon index, for both areas was similar in the study period (0·62), except in root-plowed sites in 1982 (0·0) and 1995 (1·3). Herbaceous species diversity was similar on treated (0·81) and untreated sites (1·2) in 1995. We could recommend less drastic treatments to improve carrying capacity.     

Dynamics of mule deer forage in the Sonoran Desert

Forage availability for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Sonoran Desert depends on plant biomass, which is influenced by rainfall. We determined how rainfall, temperature and plant characteristics affected biomass of deer forage. We measured forage biomass, rainfall and temperature every 3 months from April 2000 to December 2002. Quarterly rainfall ranged from <1 to 57 mm, and forage biomass in desert washes fluctuated between 6 and 34 g m⁻². There was a positive relationship between forage biomass and rainfall the previous six months (p<0.001), and a negative relationship between biomass and average temperature the previous 3 months (p<0.001). Quarterly forage growth was positively influenced by rainfall (p<0.001) and negatively influenced by forage biomass (p<0.001). The relationships between deer forage and environmental factors established here will be useful in understanding population ecology of mule deer as part of an interactive model of plant–herbivore dynamics in arid environments.     

南极中山站附近麦氏贼鸥食性研究

对东南极中山站附近麦氏贼鸥巢区和无巢贼鸥群栖地的贼鸥回吐渣团及其他食物残物进行收集、分析和鉴定 ,结果表明 ,本区麦氏贼鸥主要捕食雪　 ,其残物在食物项中的平均出现率为 6 7～ 80 %;同时贼鸥从本区几个考察站觅取人类遗弃的垃圾食物作为其重要的食物补充 ,垃圾食物的平均出现率为 6 .8～ 1 1 .6 %。不同巢区贼鸥对雪　的捕杀量和垃圾的需求差异较大 ,其主要与营巢地域的雪　分布密度以及摄食区的占有与否有关。     

基于学籍地址和地理编码的乡村小学教育资源空间可达性分析

基于“学籍信息中的家庭地址承载了学生空间位置”这一假设,通过学籍信息收集了湖南省株洲县小学生的家庭地址,借助高德开放平台提供的地理编码和POI搜索服务,获得到了株洲县小学生的空间位置和分布,并基于最短路径分析和高斯型两步移动搜索法分析了株洲县小学教育资源的空间可达性及其特征,尝试为区域教育资源的空间均衡性分析与规划配置提供新的数据源和方法借鉴。结果表明：① 基于学籍地址和地理编码技术能够较准确地获取株洲县小学生的空间分布。② 株洲县小学生就近入学距离的最大值、平均值和中位数分别为11.83 km、2.10 km和1.81 km,就近入学距离小于2.0 km的学生仅占55.46%,为株洲县兼顾公平和效率的教育资源配置工作带来了挑战。③ 株洲县北部城镇地区因学校数量较多,平均就近入学距离较小,教育资源的空间可达性普遍较高,且空间差异小,均衡性好;而东南部的乡村地区,平均就近入学距离较大,教育资源的空间可达性普遍较低,且空间差异大。④ 基于情景分析,在不造成局地生源稳定性问题的前提下,新增3所学校后,东南部地区的平均就近入学距离和教育资源的空间可达性有很大的改善,龙潭镇和龙门镇的平均入学距离由3784 m和3520 m降低到3116 m和2636 m,教育资源的空间可达性分别由0.0492和0.0982提高到0.0762和0.1496。     

Interpretation of Glaciogenic Complexes From Satellite Images of the Mongun-Taiga Mountain Range

This investigation is concerned with the problem of recognition of glacial landforms in arid mountainous areas of Asia using satellite imagery. We examine the territory of the Mongun-Taiga mountain range located at the interface of the Russian Altai, Sayan and Mongolian Altai mountains which has been studied for many years by geographers of St. Petersburg State University. The mountain range is home to modern glaciers totaling about 20 km in area, and its climate aridity is favorable for the preservation of a large body of evidence of ancient glaciation. The theoretical basis for this effort was provided by the idea of GC, i. e. natural complexes, the morphology and structure of which is formed by modern and ancient glaciations. Using the morphological differences we identified three groups of glaciogenic complexes and assigned their formation time to MIS 4, MIS 2, and to the Late Holocene. Results from comparing data of glacio-geomorphological and paleogeographical studies on the territory of the Mongun-Taiga mountain range with corresponding satellite images were used to develop interpretation standards for different groups of GC, forming the basis for compiling the map of GC of the second and third order for the entire mountain range. Cartometric measurements were used in obtaining the main characteristics of the glaciers of the Mogun-Taiga for ten different time spans. It is found that during the MIS 4 maximum the glaciers advanced to the piedmonts, and their area exceeded the present-day area by more than a factor of 25, with the firn line depression of about 800 m. The largest areas were occupied by glaciers of southward aspects, which is accounted for by a predominance of north-westward moisture-bearing glacial streams at that time. The aspect asymmetry of glaciation persisted during the MIS 2 maximum but it had a valley character. It is established that in the Little Ice Age the area of the glaciers exceeded the present-day area by a factor of 2.4, with the firn line depression of 20 m.     

Directed dispersal of Opuntia species in the Karoo, South Africa: are crows the responsible agents?

The densities of self-established non-indigenous prickly pears (Opuntia ficus-indica) in rangelands of the Karoo recorded on 3434 km of road transects, were on average 800 times greater below telegraph and transmission poles than away from poles, and 200 times greater next to wire fences along roads than in open rangelands. We suggest that this uneven establishment pattern is mainly due to the dispersal of Opuntia ficus-indica seeds by crows and other vertebrates (chiefly primates). Cape (Corvus capensis) and pied crows (C. albus) feed on fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica in the Karoo, and regurgitate pellets containing viable seeds of these plants below nest sites, roosts and occasional perch sites. Crows use man-made structures such as wire fences, telegraph and transmission poles and windmills for perching, roosting and nesting. Crow pellets, containing regurgitated bones and viable seeds of Opuntia spp., and other alien and indigenous plants, are most common around such perch sites. Crows are frequently associated with roads in the Karoo because they scavenge on road kills in the Karoo as well as feeding on fruits, insects and reptiles in road verges. We suggest that dispersal of seeds by crows is important for range extension and establishment of new Opuntia populations.     

Using maps of continuous variation in species compositional turnover to supplement uniform polygon species range maps

Species ranges are often represented using polygons, with the attendant issues that they show uniform ranges with abrupt boundaries and can overestimate species ranges. We demonstrate that such uniform species ranges can be supplemented by mapping the gradational variation in species turnover across a landscape. Directional variation in species turnover for 15 skink species (Reptilia: Scincidae) and topographic and climatic turnover in south-eastern Australia were measured using directional moving window analyses, rotated through 360°. The resultant species turnover maps were compared with published polygon range maps for two species within the group (Liopholis whitii and L. inornata). We also assessed how the relationships between species and environmental turnover varied in areas of low or high species turnover. Continuous transitions between distinct areas of low and high species turnover were mapped. Low turnover comprised only 19% of the L. whitii polygon species range within the study area extent. These low turnover areas were more densely populated by L. whitii (67% of observations), whereas areas of medium to high turnover contained substantially fewer observations (25%). Regions with the highest species turnover contained only 6% of observations. L. inornata observations were also clustered in low species turnover areas. Averaged climatic and elevation values were higher in low-turnover areas despite their close adjacency to high-turnover zones. The environmental turnover in low species turnover regions was also lower than in high-turnover areas. Correlations between environmental turnover and low species turnover areas were positive, whereas the opposite relationship applied in high species turnover areas. We identified both abrupt and gradual distributional breaks between separate reptile assemblages; an example of the latter is located in the Hunter Valley in the south-eastern coastal region. This break has been mapped using solid, uniform lines in species ranges and thus implicitly as an abrupt break. Environmental conditions may be more favourable to skinks in low-turnover areas. Since L. whitii and other skink species have very large populations in low-turnover areas, other squamate species may also be more likely to occur in these areas. This has potential implications for conservation prioritisation. The turnover maps used here can supplement the information provided about reptile distributions by the equivalent polygon ranges. This approach can be applied to point occurrence data for any taxonomic group or any similar georeferenced diversity data set.     

Relation between semen quality and rangeland diets of mixed-breed male goats

The impact of range plant toxins on the reproductive performance of female cattle is economically important to the livestock industry. Nevertheless, there is little information on the significance of toxicosis from range plants on semen quality in domestic ruminants. A total of 18 adult mixed-breed bucks under range conditions were used to evaluate the effect of diet composition (microhistological analysis of fecal samples) on some semen characteristics, and blood and fecal components in April and August. Forages in the buck diets were grouped into 2 classes: low or high levels of each plant in the buck diets. Bucks with higher proportion of Acacia greggii, Flourensia cernua and Lindleya mespiloides in their diets yielded 23–50% less (p<0.05) semen than bucks with low proportion of these shrubs in their diet. Sperm motility was reduced by 3–8 percent units (p<0.05) by high levels of five rangeland shrubs in the buck diets. Bucks consuming high levels of Acacia greggii showed significantly lower percentages of normal sperm (92±10 vs. 96±3; p<0.05) than bucks with low intake of this forage. High proportions of Rhus virens and Solanum elaeagnifolium in the buck diet increased the percentage of normal sperm (5 units, p<0.05) when compared to bucks with low utilization of these forages. Increased intake of Acacia greggii, Dalea bicolor, Opuntia rastrera, Larrea tridentata and Cowania plicata reduced percentage of live sperm by 5 units (p<0.05). Blood metabolites analysis showed that increased levels of Acacia greggii and Parthenium incanum were related to better nutritional status of bucks. Zn (−), Cu (−) and glucose (+) were significant predictors of semen volume (r²=0.30). Cu (−) and cholesterol (−) accounted for 37% of the variation in percentage of normal sperms. Forty-four percent of the variation in secondary abnormalities was accounted by Zn (+) and cholesterol (+), whereas fecal N, serum total proteins and creatinine positively affected percentage of live sperms (r²=0.37). These results indicate that semen quality and metabolic profiles of grazing bucks were sensitive to the ingestion of some Chihuahuan desert forages.     

Mapping eastern equine encephalitis virus risk for white-tailed deer in Michigan

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a mosquito-borne viral disease that is often fatal to humans and horses. Some species including white-tailed deer and passerine birds can survive infection with the EEE virus (EEEV) and develop antibodies that can be detected using laboratory techniques. In this way, collected serum samples from free ranging white-tailed deer can be used to monitor the presence of the virus in ecosystems. This study developed and tested a risk index model designed to predict EEEV activity in white-tailed deer in a three-county area of Michigan. The model evaluates EEEV risk on a continuous scale from 0.0 (no measurable risk) to 1.0 (highest possible risk). High risk habitats are identified as those preferred by white-tailed deer that are also located in close proximity to an abundance of wetlands and lowland forests, which support disease vectors and hosts. The model was developed based on relevant literature and was tested with known locations of infected deer that showed neurological symptoms. The risk index model accurately predicted the known locations, with the mean value for those sites equal to the 94th percentile of values in the study area. The risk map produced by the model could be used refine future EEEV monitoring efforts that use serum samples from free-ranging white-tailed deer to monitor viral activity. Alternatively, it could be used focus educational efforts targeted toward deer hunters that may have elevated risks of infection.     

SPATIAL PATTERNS AND CAUSES OF MARBLE TOMBSTONE WEATHERING IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

A 9600 km² area of southwestern Pennsylvania with widely varying amounts of historic industrial air pollution contains enough old cemeteries (135) to permit high-resolution mapping of Vermont marble tombstone weathering rates. Mean vertical-slab surface recession rates are as much as eight times greater for urban/industrial areas (maximum 3.0 mm [100 yr]^-1) than for rural areas (minimum 0.4 mm [100 yr]^-1). A damage function relates mean weathering rates to long-term numbers of employees in nearby polluting industries, and shows that even small industrial operations significantly augmented local rates of weathering within several kilometers. Marble stones near short-smokestack industries are significantly more weathered than are those near tall-smokestack, coal-fired electrical power plants. The comparatively high mean rate of marble weathering in small town cemeteries (1.1 mm [100 yr]^-1) suggests that recent acidic precipitation may be dissolving the stones throughout the study region or that pollution from home coal and oil furnaces was high. [Key words: marble tombstone, weathering, industrial air pollution, Pennsylvania.]     

Application of GIS to investigate the use of space in coral reef fish: a comparison of territorial behaviour in two Red Sea butterflyfishes

The space use of two coral‐feeding Red Sea butterflyfish species (Chaetodon austriacus and C. trifascialis) was studied at three sites in the Gulf of Aqaba to determine the extent of intraspecific territoriality. Individuals or pairs were observed in shallow water (<5 m). Their locations were recorded on maps of each study reef. The Animal Movement Analysis Extension (AMAE) in ArcView was used to plot territory borders and compute territory size for each species. Chaetodon austriacus, a generalist corallivore that exploited evenly distributed food resources, maintained small exclusive pair territories with clearly defined territory boundaries. In contrast, C. trifascialis, a specialist corallivore that exploited patchily distributed food resources, demonstrated considerable variation in territorial behaviour that ranged from the defence of small exclusive solitary territories to the shared use of a large home range. Comparisons of territory area estimates showed that 95% kernel probability density function territory boundaries matched intuitive territory boundaries and, unlike the minimum convex polygon area, did not contain obvious areas that were not used by individuals or pairs. We show that comparing different territory size measures can be very useful in describing subtle differences in territorial behaviour between species and studies. For this purpose, GIS is an ideal technology with which to carry out such analyses quickly and easily.     

Effect of cattle breeding on habitat use of Pampas deer Ozotoceros bezoarticus celer in semiarid grasslands of San Luis, Argentina

The largest population of the Argentinean Pampas deer Ozotoceros bezoarticus celer is found in the semiarid grasslands of the San Luis province. Despite relatively high deer numbers in the region, there has been concern that expansion of farming practices could displace the species. Since the 1990’s, cattle breeding has intensified especially as a result of the replacement of natural grassland with South African digit grass (Digitaria eriantha) and African lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula). In this study, we studied how deer in “El Centenario” ranch used available habitat types, especially to assess whether it preferentially used natural over exotic pastures. We employed 8 fixed line transects to record deer numbers and habitat use during the dry season, early rainy and late rainy seasons. We estimated a mean population size of 731 ± 121 individuals, a density of 1.95 ± 0.25 deer/km². Our results also showed that deer did not appear to select natural pastures over exotic ones, though D. eriantha grasslands with cattle were used less during the late rainy season. Grazed pastures with D. eriantha without cattle were used significantly more during all time periods. Our results therefore suggest that Pampas deer are not shifted by exotic pastures but we caution that it is important to manage these habitats sustainably (e.g. cattle load adjusted to grassland nutritional supply, rotational crops with parcel rest period), to ensure the conservation of the species within agricultural areas.     

基于居住区比较的西宁城市居民日常活动空间研究

采用2013年西宁市城市居民周日和周一连续两天的活动日志调查数据,利用趋势面和路径缓冲区方法表征和测度西宁市城区单位、郊区单位、城区商品房、郊区商品房、城区混合5类居住区居民的活动空间,并进行比较研究,在行为层面上对西宁城市居民日常活动空间特征及成因进行解读,利用多元线性回归模型分析活动空间的影响因素。结果表明:(1)单位居住区居民形成了职住接近主导的近家工作活动空间,商品房和混合居住区居民形成了较为扩展的工作活动空间;(2)各类型居住区居民工作日非工作活动近家集聚;(3)休息日单位居住区居民活动空间较工作日扩展,郊区商品房居住区居民活动空间较工作日收缩,城区商品房与混合居住区与工作日几无差异;(4)郊区居民活动空间范围显著大于城区居民,居住区距离市中心的距离对西宁城市居民日常活动空间范围具有正向影响;(5)住房属性是影响居民日常活动空间的重要变量,工作日商品房居住区居民活动空间显著大于单位居住区居民,而休息日各类型居住区居民活动空间范围的差异缩小。     

长沙都市区生境质量对城市扩张的时空响应

生境质量是评价生态环境的重要指标,掌握其对城市扩张的时空响应规律,有助于提升都市区城乡规划质量和生态管控的合理性。本文在运用InVEST模型对长沙都市区1995-2015年生境质量时空演化的基本特征进行分析的基础上,利用缓冲区由内向外逐层剖析,探讨长沙都市区近20年来城市扩张格局及其对生境质量的影响。结果表明：①长沙都市区建设用地面积从170.26 km²增至487.19 km²;三环线以内建设用地快速扩张,从三环线起向外扩张逐渐放缓;②生境质量中等及以上的区域占比从1995年的43.49%下降到2015年的27.22%,生境质量平均值则相应地从0.46下降到0.31,且退化最明显的区域从核心外围区(5-10号缓冲区)外移到三环线附近(10-15号缓冲区);③各圈层建设用地扩张强度与生境质量变化之间存在显著的空间负相关性,生境质量变化对城市扩张响应最强烈的区域始终位于核心外围区;④建设用地空间布局零散和几何形态不规则程度的增加加剧了生境质量的退化,并在三环线附近区域(10-15号缓冲区)表现最为明显,应成为未来长沙都市区城乡规划和生态管控的重点区域。     

Individual Movement - Sequence Analysis Method (IM-SAM): characterizing spatio-temporal patterns of animal habitat use across landscapes

ABSTRACT

We present methodological advances to a recently developed framework to study sequential habitat use by animals using a visually-explicit and tree-based Sequence Analysis Method (SAM), derived from molecular biology and more recently used in time geography. Habitat use sequences are expressed as annotations obtained by intersecting GPS movement trajectories with environmental layers. Here, we develop IM-SAM, where we use the individual reference area of use as the reference spatial context. To assess IM-SAM’s applicability, we investigated the sequential use of open and closed habitats across multiple European roe deer populations ranging in landscapes with contrasting structure. Starting from simulated sequences based on a mechanistic movement model, we found that different sequential patterns of habitat use were distinguished as separate, robust clusters, with less variable cluster size when habitats were present in equal proportions within the individual reference area of use. Application on real roe deer sequences showed that our approach effectively captured variation in spatio-temporal patterns of sequential habitat use, and provided evidence for important behavioral processes, such as day-night habitat alternation. By characterizing sequential habitat use patterns of animals, we may better evaluate the temporal trade-offs in animal habitat use and how they are affected by changes in landscapes.     

艾比湖地区植被和土壤在南-北区段上的差异性分析

从艾比湖两岸大致沿同一经度分别向南北山前地带,对39个样地进行野外调查和样品采集。通过研究植被结构和土壤性质的变化特征,探讨了植被-土壤在南北两断面上的差异。结果表明：两地植被存在群落中优势种群类型、数量、长势及其空间分布的差异,而多样性指数及植被盖度的统计学差异并不显著;土壤的粒度平均水平明显不同,而粒度的离散性及对正态的偏离度仅在表层差异显著;多种养分含量差异均显著;土壤表层、次表层含水量、含盐量（包括盐分主要离子含量）和pH的平均水平及变化程度,南北差异的显著性不一致,但整体上看,仍属于比较明显的范畴。这些差异是艾比湖南北地形、水文、气象、物源明显不同的结果,也是植被和土壤耦合作用的结果。     

Nature,Affordability, and Privacy as Motivations for Exurban Living

Current demographic trends indicate that the 21st century will be one of exurban growth as more Americans seek out countryside home sites and their accompanying lifestyles. Two of the literature's conventional wisdoms regarding exurban migration motivations are critically examined in this study: (1) exurbanites are seeking home sites in close proximity to natural places, and (2) exurbanites are drawn to countryside areas because of the affordability of such locations. This study uses 34 snowball-sampled, semistructured interviews from Indiana and Illinois exurbanites to examine these two commonly held beliefs. Subjects reported that the natural environment did not primarily motivate their moves. Current home sites were, however, attractive due to their perceived affordability. The main, and remarkable, finding of this study is the strong desire for privacy that drew people to exurbia. The desire for privacy was cited as a main motivator by a large majority of the subjects interviewed.     

生态旅游区旅游流的时空演变与特征——以盐城麋鹿生态旅游区为例

对旅游流时空演变规律的研究,有助于揭示旅游系统内部各要素间相互作用的过程和机理。本文采用K-Means聚类法对盐城麋鹿生态旅游区游客数进行时空聚类,分别从省内和国内(省际)两个尺度上讨论了麋鹿生态旅游区游客变化的阶段性和市场划分,结果表明,1998~2005年间省内旅游流和国内(省际)旅游流从时间上可分为三个阶段,并较好地划分出了四种不同的客源地类型。根据时空聚类中不同类别中心点的变化,详细论述了麋鹿生态旅游区省内和国内(省际)旅游流随时间和空间变化的规律,揭示了不同类别之间旅游流整体变化特征,可为旅游规划、产品开发、市场营销以及旅游区的运营、管理和决策提供依据。K-Means聚类法能够从不同尺度上揭示旅游流时空变化的详细信息,可作为旅游流时空分布与演化特征分析的有效工具和手段。