漂浮海藻与海藻区系的关系

区系是海藻生物地理研究的基本单位,是以一定时间、空间范围内的全部海藻为对象划分的生物地理单元,具有相对稳定的温度性质、物种组成和边界范围,且区系之间具有较明显的差异。然而,长期以来海藻的区系研究仅以定生的底栖海藻为研究对象,对于漂浮海藻则没有明确的定位。近年来世界各地漂浮海藻造成的藻华频发,在一些海域漂浮海藻已成为周期性存在,同时分子技术的发展为海藻生物地理学研究提供了有力的支撑,为追溯、比较漂浮海藻及其与定生海藻的关系提供了可靠的参考。漂浮海藻对于认识全球变化和人类活动对海藻分布、适应与进化的影响具有重要研究意义。本文结合漂浮海藻的特点和海藻生物地理学的基本研究方法探讨漂浮海藻与海藻区系的关系。     

CONTRASTING TREE‐RING GROWTH RESPONSE OF PICEA ABIES TO CLIMATE VARIABILITY IN WESTERN AND EASTERN ESTONIA

Climatic variations and changes regulate arboreal growth. In Estonia, the tree‐ring growth variability of coniferous and deciduous trees has been linked with various climatic variables in different parts of the country. However, the dendroclimatic signals of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H.Karst.) have not been explored across the region. Here we compare the growth variability of this species, growing under various site conditions in Estonia, with records of temperature, precipitation, and indices of the North Atlantic Oscillation over a period of 50 years (1956–2005). Western chronologies correlated positively and significantly (p<0.01) with early‐summer (June) precipitation, while eastern chronologies showed positive and significant (p<0.05) correlation with mid‐winter (January) precipitation. Moreover, the eastern chronologies correlated positively and significantly (p<0.05) with the North Atlantic Oscillation index in January. First, our results indicated that the previously established geobotanical division, rather than forest site types, most probably explains the spatial patterns in spruce growth variability. Second, our findings agreed with the late Quaternary pollen studies showing that the vigour of spruce is limited in the western forests by a combination of climatic (i.e. summer moisture) and edaphic factors. Third, our results complement those of previous investigations, suggesting that the impacts and threats the changing climate will pose on spruce may be different in western and eastern Estonia, with more severe effects envisaged in the western part of the region through drought‐induced physiological stress.     

A Field-Based Technique for Teaching about Habitat Fragmentation and Edge Effects

Abstract

This article presents a field technique that exposes students to the indirect effects of habitat fragmentation on plant distributions through studying edge effects. This assignment, suited for students in an introductory biogeography or resource geography class, increases students' knowledge of basic biogeographic concepts such as environmental gradients and disturbance in addition to formulating research questions and design. In this exercise, fieldwork can be implemented with simple tools that are easily obtainable and found in most physical geography labs. In this example, student response to the exercise was positive; they indicated that the exercise was a fun and interactive way to learn fundamental biogeographic concepts.     

BIOGEOGRAPHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF SOME PLANT SPECIES FROM A TROPICAL MONTANE RAIN FOREST IN SOUTHERN YUNNAN

A pristine montane rain forest was recently discovered from Mengsong of Xishuangbanna in the southern Yunnan. It attracts botanists that many primitive plant taxa across various life forms were co-existed in the montane rain forest. In order to know the biogeography of the montane rain forest, distribution patterns of some species of biogeographical importance from the montane forest were enumerated and their biogeographical implications were discussed with geological explanation. It was concluded that the montane rain forest in the southern Yunnan has strong affinity to montane rain forests in Sumatra or Southeast Asia in broad sense. It was tentatively suggested that Sumatra could be once connected to Myanmar and drifted away due to northward movement of continental Asia by bumping of India plate.     

Spatial variation of intertidal assemblages at Tavolara-Capo Coda Cavallo MPA (NE Sardinia): geographical vs. protection effect

Marine protected areas (MPAs) represent a potentially useful management tool to preserve biodiversity. Protection effectiveness was investigated at Tavolara-Capo Coda Cavallo MPA by comparing assemblages of rocky shores at a location 'A' level of protection (island), with those at two locations at 'B' level of protection (one on an island and one on the mainland coast) and two at 'C' level of protection (one on an island and one on the mainland coast). Results did not indicate significant differences in structure of intertidal assemblages among locations under different levels of protection ('A', 'B' and 'C'). Protection was not found to be a significant source of variation to low-shore assemblages investigated. In contrast, assemblages seemed to be more dependent on the geographical location within the MPA. Results have important implications for conservation of marine coastal assemblages and would indicate that inclusion of representative assemblages within systems of marine protected areas should target rocky shores both on the mainland and on islands.     

A Study of Lake Wyara, an episodically filled saline lake in southwest Queensland, Australia

Lake Wyara lies on a tertiary fault, but is much modified geomorphologically by wind and subsequent wave action from the west, so that the eastern shore is smoothed and lined by beaches at various levels, but there is no lunette. When full and overflowing, which has occurred 4–5 times in the last 108 years, it is 3400 ha in area and ca 6m in depth. Most overflows are due to floodwaters from the adjacent Paroo catchment entering the lake via its outflow and then returning again back to the river. During 1987–96, it completely filled and dried once, salinity varying from 2.8 to 350 g L-1. Water was clear, alkaline and strongly dominated by Na and Cl-ions. Macrophytes grew abundantly offshore at lower to moderate salinities, fish were few in variety and limited to low salinities, and waterbirds were usually both diverse and numerous. During the 10 years of study, only 13 zooplankter species and 23 species of littoral inverbebrates (with 3 ostracods common to both lists) were encountered; most lived at lower salinities (<30 g L-1) and none was found >60 g L-1. Dominants were mainly crustaceans and included Boeckella triarticulata and Daphnia angulata when hyposaline, and Daphniopsis queenslandensis, Moina baylyi, Diacypris spp., and Mytilocypris splendida at higher salinities. Insects were generally limited to hyposaline conditions, but Micronecta sp., and Tanytarsus barbitarsis were euryhaline. Overall, the invertebrate fauna is depauperate by comparison with saline lakes elsewhere in Australia, but similar to that in other large saline lakes in the semi-arid and arid zones of central and eastern Australia. This is related to the lake's episode nature which provides an unreliable and unpredictable habitat and therefore not encouraging speciation and also to a relatively homogenous habitat throughout the lake due to strong wind action smoothing shorelines vertically and horizontally.     

滇西南早泥盆世地层研究新进展

滇西南西盟里拉、孟连回库腊垒组发现早泥盆世Ｍｏｎｏｇｒａｐｔｕｓｈｅｒｃｙｎｉｃｕｓ、Ｍ．ｆａｌｃａｒｉｕｓ等７个笔石种,从下到上识别出Ｍ．ｕｎｉｆｏｒｍｉｓ带、Ｍ．ｈｅｒｃｙｎｉｃｕｓ带和Ｍ．ｆａｌｃａｒｉｕｓ带３个笔石带,分别属于洛赫科夫期早期、晚期和布拉格期早期,并与国内外其他地区的笔石带进行了对比。对该时期笔石的生物地理分析表明,洛赫科夫期的笔石具有全球性,而布拉格期的笔石则显示出一定程度的地区性。     

Phytoplankton geographic spatialization in two ponds in Limousin (France)

Phytoplankton distribution was not homogeneous among Limousin ponds and within each pond, as shown by chlorophyll a and diatoms in two representative eutrophic ponds. On a small cartographic scale, differences depended on geographic location and water temperature. Spring bloom occurred with a time-lag of several weeks in the highland pond. On a large-scale geographic distribution depended on hydroclimatic factors, especially wind direction and inflow of the rivers. The high concentrations of chlorophyll a near the dam of the water bodies roughly coincided with the maximum fetch and the direction of the dominant winds during the investigations. In both ponds the heaviest algae seemed not to be influenced by wind currents and the greater number of diatoms upstream in the highland pond was probably due to inflow of silica from the river. Phytoplankton mapping is more explanatory and rigorous than Secchi disk transparency mapping, it is useful to the regional authorities for zoning activities: bathing should be avoided in bays and along longitudinal shores, fishing location may be less restrictive. In plateau regions in general phytoplankton is not randomly distributed and spatial heterogeneity of ponds is not only vertical but also horizontal. Deep and embanked ponds are complex organisms analogous to great lakes for some features and to shallow water bodies for other ones.     

PLANT COLONIZATION IN CONDESA NIVATION HOLLOW, SIERRA DE GUADARRAMA (SPANISH CENTRAL SYSTEM)

The purpose of this study was to determine plant distribution at a nivation hollow located in a Mediterranean high mountain area and to analyse the effects of snow cover, wind exposure, proximity to moisture and the characteristics of the substrate on the vegetation. We analyse these factors and interpret concurrent effects due to recent climate change.
The nivation hollow, called Ventisquero de la Condesa, is located at 2258 m a.s.l., 40°47'10"N and 3°58'35"W, in the Sierra de Guadarrama (Madrid, Spain). We established 579 small sample plots in the study area, and grouped them into 29 transects where snow duration, wind exposure, availability of meltwater, geomorphologic instability and surface rockiness were examined directly and indirectly. The types of plants and the number of individuals per species were registered for each plot to establish ecological affinities among the 28 distinguishable species. Six showed the highest level of chionophily while nine showed the lowest adaptation to snow cover duration. A statistical study incorporating other variables applied in the research revealed that wind exposure, moisture capture and the intensity of geomorphologic dynamics have a highly significant correlation with nivation, while surface rockiness is a virtually independent factor. Due to environmental changes caused by recent global warming, several plant species, especially adapted to survival in snow conditions, coexist in the hollow with saxicolous plants that have invaded the site from adjacent grass and shrublands.     

Demographic Characteristics of Lytechinus variegatus (Echinoidea: Echinodermata) from Three Habitats in a North Florida Bay, Gulf of Mexico

Abstract. The population densities, spatial distributions, size frequencies, growth rates, longevity and reproductive activities of sub‐populations of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus were investigated over a two‐year period. Sea urchins were examined in three habitats in Saint Joseph Bay, Florida, which is within the northern limits of their distribution. Densities of sea urchins, which ranged as high as 35 individuals ·^?2, fluctuated seasonally at all sites and were higher in seagrass beds comprised of Thalassia testudinum than Syringodium filiforme or on a sand flat. A cold front caused large‐scale, catastrophic mortality among adult, and especially juvenile, sea urchins in nearshore habitats of the Bay in the spring of 1993, leading to a dramatic decline in sea urchin densities at the Thalassia seagrass site. The population recovered over 6 months at this site and was attributable to immigration of new adults. Juvenile recruitment displayed both interannual and site‐specific variability, with recruitment being highest in seagrass habitats in fall and spring. The most pronounced recruitment event occurred in fall 1993 at the Thalassia site. Spatial distributions of adult individuals ascertained monthly never varied from random in the seagrass beds (T. testudinum and S. filiforme) or during spring, summer or fall months on the sand flat. Nonetheless, aggregations of adult sea urchins were observed on the sand flat in the winter months and were associated with patchy distributions of plant food resources. Juvenile sea urchins (< 25 mm test diameter) exhibited aggregations at all sites and 67 % of all juveniles under 10 mm test diameter (91 of 165 individuals observed) were found under the spine canopies of adults. Measurements of the inducibility of spawning indicated peak gametic maturity in all three sub‐populations in spring and summer. Gonad indices varied between habitats and years, but distinct maxima were detected, particularly in spring 1993 and late summer 1994. The mean gonad index of individuals at the Syringodium seagrass site was 2‐ to 4‐fold higher than the other sites in spring 1993 and gonad indices were much higher at all sites in spring of 1993 than 1994. Estimates of growth based on changes in size frequency cohorts coupled with measurements of growth bands on lantern demipyramids indicated that L. variegatus in three habitats of Saint Joseph Bay have similar growth rates and attain a mean test diameter of approximately 35 mm in one year. In contrast to populations within the central biogeographical range of the species, which may attain test diameters up to 90 mm, the largest individuals recorded in Saint Joseph Bay were 60 mm in test diameter, and almost all individuals were no more than 45 mm in test diameter or two years of age. The demographics of L. variegatus in the northern limits of their distribution appear to be strongly influenced by latitudinally driven, low‐temperature events and secondarily by local abiotic factors, especially springtime low salinities, which may negatively impact larval development and recruitment.