Patterns of shrub species richness and abundance in relation to environmental factors on the Alxa Plateau: Prerequisites for conserving shrub diversity in extreme arid desert regions

Shrub species are considered the dominant plants in arid desert ecosystems, unlike in semiarid steppe zones or in grassland ecosystems. On the Alxa Plateau, northern China, sparse vegetation with cover ranging from 15% to 30% is characterized mainly by multifarious shrubs because herbaceous species are strongly restricted by the extreme drought climate, wind erosion, overgrazing and sand burial. Patterns in shrub species richness and species abundance in relation to environmental conditions were examined by DCA (detrended correspondence analysis) and interpreted by a biplot. The relationships between species diversity and environmental factors were examined using regression analyses. Our results show that the distributions of the shrub species in response to environmental conditions can be grouped into four ecological types, corresponding with the biological traits of the shrubs and their responses to the gradients of soil texture and soil water content. Patterns in species richness and species abundance were mainly determined by the deeper soil water content, instead of the soil texture as hypothesized by numerous studies in semiarid grasslands. With exception of the deeper soil water content, soil organic matter and total N content were positively correlated with species abundance, while pH was negatively correlated with it. These findings imply that it is vital for current shrub diversity conservation to reduce agricultural water use in the middle reaches of the Heihe River, which supplies water for the lower reaches in the western parts of the plateau, and to reduce the amount of groundwater exploitation and urban and oasis water use, to increase the water supply from Helan Mountain to the eastern desert of the Alxa Plateau. Supported by National Key Technology R & D Program (Grant Nos. 2007BAD46B03, 2006BAD26B0201) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Gant No. 40825001)     

The lively process of interdisciplinarity

Food chain research offers particular opportunities for the development of interdisciplinary problematics and approaches. For example, the issue of 'quality' cannot be interpreted solely from natural or from social science perspectives but rather requires a consilient and interdisciplinary vision. Suggesting a 'ground upwards' approach, building upon transitional objects and networks of practice and drawing upon a recently completed research project involving natural and social science research teams, this paper considers the practice and performance of interdisciplinarity as a lively process of knowledge creation that operates within what Luhmann calls 'forums of articulation' through which epistemologically mobile socio-natural entities are defined and explored.     

哈萨克斯坦生物多样性及其与中国新疆的比较

哈萨克斯坦是全球生物多样性最丰富的国家之一,同时也是生物多样性遭受威胁最严重的国家之一。新疆特殊的地理地形、景观带和气候条件也决定了其拥有多种类型的生态系统。通过对哈萨克斯坦和新疆生物多样性的概况、特点、面临的威胁,及其目前开展的生物多样性保护工作的一些情况的概述,对二者进行了对比分析。     

Potential benefits to fisheries and biodiversity of the Chagos Archipelago/British Indian Ocean Territory as a no-take marine reserve

On 1st April 2010, the British Government announced designation of the British Indian Ocean Territory - or Chagos Archipelago - as the world’s largest marine protected area (MPA). This near pristine ocean ecosystem now represents 16% of the worlds fully protected coral reef, 60% of the world’s no-take protected areas and an uncontaminated reference site for ecological studies. In addition these gains for biodiversity conservation, the Chagos/BIOT MPA also offers subsidiary opportunities to act as a fisheries management tool for the western Indian Ocean, considering its size and location. While the benefits of MPAs for coral-reef dwelling species are established, there is uncertainty about their effects on pelagic migratory species. This paper reviews the increasing body of evidence to demonstrate that positive, measurable reserve effects exist for pelagic populations and that migratory species can benefit from no-take marine reserves.     

喀斯特高原不同植被演替阶段土壤动物群落特征

选择贵州喀斯特高原三个典型地貌单元作为研究区,于2009-05对不同植被演替阶段的土壤动物群落进行研究.共获土壤动物3 992只,隶属于5门10纲26目,共31个类群,优势类群为弹尾目(Collembola)、甲螨亚目(Oribatida)、中气门亚目(Mesostigmata);常见类群为前气门亚目(Prostigmata)、膜翅目(Hymenoptera)、鞘翅目(Coleoptera)、半翅目(Hemiptera )、近孔寡毛目(Plesiopora)、双翅目(Diptera)、双尾目(Diplura).研究结果表明,随着喀斯特植被的不断退化,土壤动物数量不断减少,表现为林地＞灌丛＞草地＞石漠化地;类群数亦呈减少趋势.各演替阶段土壤动物表聚性明显,但人为干扰(如翻耕等)可导致土壤动物出现逆分布现象.土壤动物多样性分析表明,中小型土壤动物的多样性指数从林地到石漠化地逐渐减小.     

亚热带喀斯特水库桡足类和枝角类动物群落的季节变化——以贵州红枫湖、百花湖、阿哈水库为例

2008年至2009年对贵州红枫湖(HF)、百花湖(BH)、阿哈水库(AH)的桡足类和枝角类动物进行4次采样调查,共发现桡足类5科11属19种,其中包含一未定种。枝角类5科9属14种。三个水库中都存在的桡足类优势种为绿色近剑水蚤、叶片剑水蚤、短尾温剑水蚤;枝角类的优势种为长刺溞、长额象鼻溞;角突网汶溞。桡足类和枝角类的总密度在红枫湖为春季最高,秋季次之,夏季最低;在百花湖为夏季最高,秋季次之,冬季最低;在阿哈水库为春季最高,秋季次之,夏季最低。三个水库季节生物多样性比较:春季的多样性是AH＞BH＞HF;夏季和冬季是BH＞AH＞HF;秋季是AH＞HF＞BH。季节性气候变化和污染是影响桡足类和枝角类动物群落变化的重要因素。      

里约三公约交叉议题谈判进展及应对策略研究

气候变化、生物多样性、土地荒漠化的国际协作在全球范围内越来越受到重视。本文系统梳理了里约三公约交叉议题及其进展情况,并对其进行了综合评价。里约三公约交叉议题可归纳为减缓领域、适应领域、损失和损害以及战略计划和目标四大类,未来会日益强调基于生态系统方式实现协同增效。本文还提出了中国谈判及履约建议：(1)主动引领交叉议题谈判进程;(2)构建和完善国家协同履约机制;(3)结合南南合作、一带一路等开展区域合作。     

Early-Mid Ordovician brachiopod diversification in South China

Since the recognition of the Cambrian Evolutionary Fauna, Paleozoic Evolutionary Fauna and Modern Evolutionary Fauna[1—3], more and more paleontolo-gists have paid attention to the great Ordovician bio-diversification event which was critical to the forma-tion of the Paleozoic Evolutionary Fauna, and during which the marine organisms experienced one of the most profound evolutionary radiations of the Phan-erozoic[4]. Three biodiversity maxima have been rec-ognized on a global scale[5] wi…     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987112001041

Large igneous provinces (LIPs) are considered a relevant cause for mass extinctions of marine life throughout Earth’s history. Their flood basalts and associated intrusions can cause significant release of SO₄ and CO₂ and consequently, cause major environmental disruptions. Here, we reconstruct the long-term periodic pattern of LIP emplacement and its impact on ocean chemistry and biodiversity from δ³⁴S_sulfate of the last 520 Ma under particular consideration of the preservation limits of LIP records. A combination of cross-wavelet and other time-series analysis methods has been applied to quantify a potential chain of linkage between LIP emplacement periodicity, geochemical changes and the Phanerozoic marine genera record. We suggest a mantle plume cyclicity represented by LIP volumes (V) of V = ?(350–770) × 10³ km³ sin(2πt/170 Ma) + (300–650) × 10³ km³ sin(2πt/64.5 Ma + 2.3) for t = time in Ma. A shift from the 64.5 Ma to a weaker ～28–35 Ma LIP cyclicity during the Jurassic contributes together with probably independent changes in the marine sulfur cycle to less ocean anoxia, and a general stabilization of ocean chemistry and increasing marine biodiversity throughout the last ～135 Ma. The LIP cycle pattern is coherent with marine biodiversity fluctuations corresponding to a reduction of marine biodiversity of ～120 genera/Ma at ～600 × 10³ km³ LIP eruption volume. The 62–65 Ma LIP cycle pattern as well as excursion in δ³⁴S_sulfate and marine genera reduction suggest a not-yet identified found LIP event at ～440–450 Ma.     

国土整治生态修复中的农业景观生物多样性保护策略

随着生态文明建设成为国家发展战略,国土整治修复需要更多生态科学和技术的支撑。农业景观生物多样性是重要的自然资源,为人类可持续发展提供了重要的生态系统服务,并提供了应对气候变化等风险的途径。本文分析了我国农业景观生物多样性保护及其对国土整治生态修复的重要性,国土整治生态修复中农业景观生物多样性保护面临的挑战,并总结了欧盟在农业景观生物多样性保护方面的经验和方法。最后,文章提出了将农业景观生物多样性保护整合到国土整治生态修复的四项策略,包括生态空间的“生态修复和管护-生态补偿-民生改善”策略、农业空间的“生态基础设施-生态系统服务提升-绿色发展”策略、城乡生活空间的“多功能景观-绿色宜居空间营造”策略、国土全域“生物多样性保护网络”策略,为生态文明背景下的国土整治生态修复提供参考。