Food Preferences of Dominant Salt Marsh Herbivores and Detritivores

Abstract. Food preferences of six dominant salt marsh invertebrates were studied to identify detritivores and to assess differences in their diets. Animals fed on agar suspensions of dead and live foods in petri dishes with four compartments. Only two foods were included in each dish. Relative palatability was assessed by measuring the amount of suspension removed or by counting the number of feeding marks left on the surface of the suspensions.
Feeding marks reflected differences in mouth parts and feeding mechanisms of the six invertebrates. Melampus bidentatus, Orchestia grillus , and Philoscia vittata preferred dead litter over live tissues of marsh graminoids, blue-green algae, and sulfur bacteria. No preference for detritus from different graminoids was shown by M. bidentatus. Orchestia grillus fed preferentially on Spartina patens detritus. Philoscia vittata preferred detritus from S. alterniflora and S. patens. Blue-green algae and sulfur bacteria were preferred over detritus by Littorina saxatalis , but detritus was preferred over live graminoids. Littorina saxatalis fed preferentially on Juncus gerardi detritus. Blue-green algae, sulfur bacteria, and live graminoids were preferred over detritus by L. littorea. Talorchestia longicornis also preferred blue-green algae.
On the basis of their food preferences, Littorina saxatalis, Melampus bidentatus, Orchestia grillus , and Philoscia vittata were classified as detritivores. Feeding on detritus from different plant species could result in a partitioning of this food resource in the detritus-based food chains of the salt marsh ecosystem.     

Distribution patterns of the invasive herbivore Siganus luridus (Rüppell, 1829) and its relation to native benthic communities in the central Aegean Sea,Northeastern Mediterranean

The present study explores the distribution of the invasive herbivore fish Siganus luridus (Rüppell 1829) and its relationship to native herbivores and macroalgal assemblages in the shallow sublittoral of the Cyclades Archipelago, Aegean Sea, Greece. In situ underwater surveys of herbivore abundance (fishes and sea urchins) and algal coverage were carried out at 180 sampling sites in 18 islands. Siganus luridus accounted for 17% of the total herbivore abundance, with a decrease in relative abundance from the southeastern to the northwestern islands. In Santorini Island (in the southeast of the study area) S. luridus abundance accounted for 90% of the total herbivore fish abundance, while in Kea Island (at the northwestern limit of the study area), S. luridus was absent. The spatial variation of minimum sea surface temperature is possibly the reason for its distributional pattern. Siganus luridus abundance was found to be positively correlated to the native herbivore Sparisoma cretense (Linnaeus 1758). A significant negative relationship was found between the abundance of the invasive species and the sum of erect and canopy algae cover (Dictyotales and Cystoseira spp.), which are the main components of its diet in the region. On the other hand, its occurrence was particularly high in barren sites. The results arising from this study reinforce evidence from studies in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin that the expansion of the invasive species S. luridus may have profound impacts on native communities in the Mediterranean infralittoral zone.     

Laboratory studies on zooplankton‐cyanobacteria interactions

Laboratory studies on cyanobacteria‐zooplankton interactions have largely focused on the inadequacy of cyanobacteria as a food source. Some features of cyanobacteria can be regarded as anti‐herbivore defences. Large colonies of Aphanizomenon, Anabaena and Microcystis cannot be handled by zooplankton, but do not interfere seriously with the filtering process. Small colonies and filaments, however, may cause severe inhibition of the feeding process by mechanical interference. This reduces zooplankton growth, reproduction, and survival. Copepods, rotifers, and Bosmina are less affected by mechanical disturbance than cladocerans. If ingested, some cyanobacteria may be poorly digested or may not provide essential nutrients. Some cyanobacteria are reported to be toxic to zooplankton. Several strains of Microcystis produce an endotoxin, but the amount of toxin produced differs among strains and with the condition of Microcystis. Zooplankton encountering toxic cells cease feeding. Some evidence of an extra‐cellular herbivore deterrent was found for Anabaena. Thus, cyanobacteria may either be individually protected or may create an environment that is unfavourable for efficient grazers (e.g., Daphnia).     

末次冰期东北地区食草动物群的演替及其环境意义

距今40ka年来东北地区大型食草动物记录显示,该区末次冰期极盛期前后,在冻土苔原大背景下可能经历了40ka B.P.森林草原、34.3ka B.P.疏林草原、30ka B.P.森林草原、22ka B.P.疏林草原、18ka B.P.森林草原、17ka B.P.疏林草原、14ka B.P.无树干草原及11ka B.P.疏林草原的演变过程,环境最恶劣最干冷的时段似乎在14ka B.P.前后.同时,该哺乳动物组合曲线与气候变化、冰川波动及海面升降等研究结果具有很好的可比性.整个环境演变过程还可与陕西关中渭河流域的3个哺乳动物群(咸阳动物群、蒲城动物群和大荔动物群)所反映的环境演变过程相对比,只是关中地区进入最干冷的无树干草原环境较早.研究认为,之所以产生这种差异是由于地区地理位置的差别,导致受东亚季风影响的强度不同,因而进入盛冰期的时间也有或早或晚的差别.     

Wetland soil moisture complicates the use of Sporormiella to trace past herbivore populations

Spores of the dung‐fungi Sporormiella provide a proxy for assessing past changes in herbivore abundance, and for temporally linking these with shifts in vegetation communities (pollen) and fire frequency (charcoal). Although the proxy is now widely used, potential influences of local environmental conditions are poorly understood. Here we assess the reliability of Sporormiella as a proxy of herbivores by presenting five new spore records from the South Island of New Zealand; a land where the herbivore extinction/introduction chronology is well established, and where extinctions occurred independently of major climate change. We show that Sporormiella spores from relatively dry soils provide a good proxy for herbivore extinctions and introductions. However, spore abundances from saturated soil sites appear to fluctuate in close correlation with changes in local hydrology (represented by wetland herb pollen, testate amoebae and moisture sensitive mosses). Our results suggest Sporormiella records derived from wetlands require cautious interpretation, and that proxies for hydrological conditions should also be considered when interpreting such records. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Intensity of competition for forage between livestock and wild herbivores based on grassland carrying capacity北大核心CSCD

放牧家畜与食草野生动物争草(畜兽冲突)是人兽冲突在草原放牧业中的具体体现,其涉及面广,对牧民生计影响明显。畜兽冲突强度研究对完善野生动物损害补偿制度、促进人与自然和谐共生具有重要意义。论文通过地面调查与模型模拟,考虑草地牧草产量、家畜存栏量和食草野生动物种群数量,提出了放牧家畜与食草野生动物争草冲突强度量化方法,评价了三江源国家公园玛多县牧草地畜兽争草强度。结果表明：(1)据2022年样线调查和随机森林模型估计,玛多县藏野驴(Equus kiang)、藏原羚(Procapra picticaudata)种群密度分别为0.2157头/km2、0.1655只/km2,种群数量分别为5307头、4073只,折合23264羊单位(SU),2018年末各类家畜存栏量34.2万SU,畜兽争草相对强度为1/14.7。(2)玛多县高寒草甸、高寒草原的可食牧草产量分别为118.7 g/m2、88.3 g/m2,可承载密度分别为0.2710 SU/hm2、0.1532 SU/hm2,理论承载力52.85万SU。家畜承载率、食草野生动物承载率、家畜+食草野生动物承载率分别为64.7%、4.4%和69.1%。(3)国家公园内的乡镇,草地承载力盈余,家畜承载率低、野生动物承载率高,但畜兽争草相对强度较大,建议完善移民搬迁、野生动物损害补偿制度,强化国家公园体制建设;国家公园外的乡镇,草地超载严重,家畜承载率高,畜兽争草强度不高,建议减畜增效、绿色发展。     

Influence of algal farming on fish assemblages

We examined the influence of algal farming on fish assemblages in two shallow coastal lagoons in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Fish assemblages were visually investigated using a belt transect method and the line-intercept technique was used to examine the substrate composition. 101 species of fish belonging to 31 families were recorded. Algal farming affected the associated fish fauna in terms of abundance, species richness, trophic identity and fish community composition. However, the impact differed between the lagoons. Algal farms in one lagoon hosted a more abundant and diversified fish fauna than controls, whereas farms in the other lagoon exhibited lower fish densities and similar species diversity compared to controls. The discrepancies between lagoons may be an effect of differences in farming intensity and character of the substratum.     

Diel Activity Patterns and Foraging Dynamics of the Sea Urchin Tripneustes ventricosus in a Tropical Seagrass Community and a Reef Environment (Virgin Islands)

Abstract. Feeding and movement activity patterns and the foraging behavior of the sea urchin Tripneustes ventricosus were investigated in a Thalassia testudinum seagrass bed and on a patch reef at St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Most of T. ventricosus in the seagrass bed fed during both the day and night. Consumption of seagrass blades amounted to 1.4 g dw · individual^-1· d^-1 (mean sea urchin size 12.1 cm ambitus diameter). The population consumed approximately 3.6% of the daily seagrass production.
The movement of T. ventricosus was diel with high nocturnal activity levels and rates of locomotion, and little activity during daylight hours. Foraging activity was reduced under turbulent conditions. Movement rates were not governed by food availability. T. ventricosus travelled 3.7 m · d^-1 on the patch reef. Individuals in the seagrass bed moved 8.8 m · d^-1, most of which was accomplished during the night. The area traversed contained more than one hundred times the amount of food consumed daily. It is assumed that this behavior requires high energy expenditures for locomotion, thus yielding a low net energy profit from feeding.
The high rate of movement in seagrass beds may represent an innate behavioral adaptation to predation by night-active helmet conchs ( Cassis spp.). Fitness optimization by T. ventricosus may have been achieved by minimizing the predation risk during night hours. In an evolutionary context, survival by means of an increased energy expenditure for locomotion may compensate for the lower net energy gain from foraging.     

无人机遥感的大型野生食草动物种群数量及分布规律研究

以黄河源玛多县为研究区,利用无人机分别于2017年冬春季开展了航拍调查,航拍有效面积达326.6 km2,获取影像23784张,建立了藏野驴、藏原羚、岩羊等野生动物,以及牦牛、藏羊和马等家畜的无人机图像解译标志库。通过人机交互方式解译,获取调查样带内的种群数量:藏野驴的样带密度为1.15只/km2,藏原羚为0.61只/km2,岩羊为0.62只/km2,家养牦牛为4.12只/km2,家养藏羊为7.34只/km2,马为0.06只/km2。利用冷暖季草场的估算方法,通过地面同步调查验证、统计数据验证,估算出玛多县藏野驴、藏原羚和岩羊,以及家牦牛、藏羊和马的种群数量为:藏野驴17109头,藏原羚15961只,岩羊9324只,牦牛70846头,藏羊102194只,马1156匹。大型野生食草动物藏野驴、藏原羚和岩羊总计8.57万羊单位;家畜藏羊、牦牛和马总计38.90万羊单位;大型野生食草动物和家畜总计47.5万羊单位。大型野生食草动物羊单位数量与家畜羊单位数量之比为1∶4.5。并分析了野生动物分布密度与栖息地生境因子的关系:藏野驴偏好选择高程4200—4400 m,坡度为2°—5°,离农村居民点距离1—2 km和4—5 km,离水源距离小于1 km,离公路距离2—3 km和4—5 km的范围内,草地盖度60—80%。藏原羚偏好选择高程4100—4200 m和4400—4500 m,坡度为大于5°,草地盖度80%以上,离农村居民点距离2—3 km,离水源距离小于1—2 km,离公路距离小于1—2 km和4—5 km的范围内。岩羊偏好选择高程4100—4200 m,坡度为大于5°,草地盖度较低,离农村居民点距离小于1 km,离水源距离小于1—2 km,离公路距离大于5 km的范围内。与传统的地面调查方法相比,基于无人机遥感的大型野生食草动物种群数量调查,具有快速、经济、可靠等优点,为今后野生动物调查提供了一种有效、可靠的技术途径。