Pub Date : 2022-05-30DOI: 10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.3.004
G. Kopij
ABSTRACT Lizards, especially skinks (Scincidae) occurring in arid environments constitute good study objects to test niche differentiation and other related issues of interspecific competition. Diet of five Trachylepis skink (T. punctulata, T. binotata, T. capensis, T. wahlbergii, T. damarana) was studied through stomach content analysis. Skinks were collected in savanna habitats in Namibia. In all these species, active foraging strategy predominates. All skink species preyed almost exclusively on insects. Four insect taxa comprised the bulk of diet in all five species investigated: Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Isoptera, Hymenoptera (Formicidae) and larvae. Their overall contribution ranged from 72.2% to 100.0% of all prey items in the diet of particular skink species. Most prey items were below 10 mm long, some were 11-20 mm in length. Both males and females fed on the same prey groups, but there were marked differences in the proportions of these groups. In general, males preyed more on beetles and grasshoppers, while females – more on ants. All main prey groups were recorded both in dry and in wet season in all five skink species. Food niche overlap was the highest between T. damarana and T. wahlbergii (0.84), and between T. binotata and T. punctulata (0.77). No overlap in food niche was recorded between T. capensis and T. punctulata, and low overlap (0.26) between T. capensis and T. binotata.
摘要:生活在干旱环境中的蜥蜴，尤其是石龙子(Scincidae)，是检验生态位分化及其他相关种间竞争问题的良好研究对象。通过胃内容物分析，研究了5种棘龙(T. punctulata, T. binotata, T. capensis, T. wahlbergii, T. damarana)的饮食。石龙子是在纳米比亚的稀树草原栖息地收集的。在所有这些物种中，主动觅食策略占主导地位。所有的石龙子种类几乎都只捕食昆虫。5种昆虫的主要食性为鞘翅目、直翅目、等翅目、膜翅目(蚁科)和幼虫。它们对特定石龙子种类食物中所有猎物的总体贡献从72.2%到100.0%不等。大多数猎物长度在10毫米以下，有些猎物长度在11-20毫米之间。雄性和雌性都捕食相同的猎物群体，但这些群体的比例有显著差异。一般来说，雄性捕食甲虫和蚱蜢更多，而雌性捕食蚂蚁更多。所有五种石龙子在旱季和雨季都记录了所有主要猎物群。食物生态位重叠度最高的是达玛拉纳T.与华氏T.(0.84)，其次是布氏T.与点状T.(0.77)。capensis与T. punctulata在食物生态位上无重叠，capensis与T. binotata在食物生态位上有较低的重叠(0.26)。
{"title":"Diet of Five Trachylepis Skink Species (Scincidae: Mabuyinae) in Savanna Biome of Namibia","authors":"G. Kopij","doi":"10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.3.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.3.004","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Lizards, especially skinks (Scincidae) occurring in arid environments constitute good study objects to test niche differentiation and other related issues of interspecific competition. Diet of five Trachylepis skink (T. punctulata, T. binotata, T. capensis, T. wahlbergii, T. damarana) was studied through stomach content analysis. Skinks were collected in savanna habitats in Namibia. In all these species, active foraging strategy predominates. All skink species preyed almost exclusively on insects. Four insect taxa comprised the bulk of diet in all five species investigated: Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Isoptera, Hymenoptera (Formicidae) and larvae. Their overall contribution ranged from 72.2% to 100.0% of all prey items in the diet of particular skink species. Most prey items were below 10 mm long, some were 11-20 mm in length. Both males and females fed on the same prey groups, but there were marked differences in the proportions of these groups. In general, males preyed more on beetles and grasshoppers, while females – more on ants. All main prey groups were recorded both in dry and in wet season in all five skink species. Food niche overlap was the highest between T. damarana and T. wahlbergii (0.84), and between T. binotata and T. punctulata (0.77). No overlap in food niche was recorded between T. capensis and T. punctulata, and low overlap (0.26) between T. capensis and T. binotata.","PeriodicalId":49683,"journal":{"name":"Polish Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2022-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47340037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-27DOI: 10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.2.003
K. A. Babiy, Stanislav Yu. Kniazev, E. V. Golovanova, D. Solomatin, L. Bel’skaya
ABSTRACT Most soils possess a large supply of nutrients, but these reserves cannot be mobilized by plants, as they exist in a bound form. Therefore, it is need to understand mechanisms that naturally increase the acquisition of nutrients by plants. Earthworms are crucial soil engineers that play a key role in soil functioning. In this study we have estimated the impact of three factors, earthworm species, ecological group, and soil type, on the ion content of casts of Eisenia nordenskioldi, E. ventripapillata, E. nana, Lumbricus rubellus, and Aporrectodea caliginosa. Laboratory experiments were performed in microcosms on three soil types. We analyzed five water-soluble cations and six anions in the earthworm casts by capillary zone electrophoresis to determine their content in casts compared to soil. For three of the five species studied this is the first information obtained on the matter. The obtained data demonstrated that soil type has the biggest impact on the observed changes in the cast ion content, probably due to the differences in the initial concentrations and soil properties. Within each soil type, the observed effects were mostly species-specific, and the species belonging to the same ecological group (endogeic and epi-endogeic) did not have similar effects. The exposure to different earthworm species resulted in pronounced differences in the concentrations of magnesium, calcium, ammonium, and chloride, while the soil type had the highest impact on sulfate, fluoride, acetate, and sodium ions. Therefore, the terms ‘ecological group’ and ‘functional group’ are not equivalent for earthworm casts, and replacing an earthworm species with another belonging to the same ecological group may result in changes of the soil ion composition.
{"title":"What Determines Ion Content of Lumbricid Casts: Soil Type, Species, or Ecological Group?","authors":"K. A. Babiy, Stanislav Yu. Kniazev, E. V. Golovanova, D. Solomatin, L. Bel’skaya","doi":"10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.2.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.2.003","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Most soils possess a large supply of nutrients, but these reserves cannot be mobilized by plants, as they exist in a bound form. Therefore, it is need to understand mechanisms that naturally increase the acquisition of nutrients by plants. Earthworms are crucial soil engineers that play a key role in soil functioning. In this study we have estimated the impact of three factors, earthworm species, ecological group, and soil type, on the ion content of casts of Eisenia nordenskioldi, E. ventripapillata, E. nana, Lumbricus rubellus, and Aporrectodea caliginosa. Laboratory experiments were performed in microcosms on three soil types. We analyzed five water-soluble cations and six anions in the earthworm casts by capillary zone electrophoresis to determine their content in casts compared to soil. For three of the five species studied this is the first information obtained on the matter. The obtained data demonstrated that soil type has the biggest impact on the observed changes in the cast ion content, probably due to the differences in the initial concentrations and soil properties. Within each soil type, the observed effects were mostly species-specific, and the species belonging to the same ecological group (endogeic and epi-endogeic) did not have similar effects. The exposure to different earthworm species resulted in pronounced differences in the concentrations of magnesium, calcium, ammonium, and chloride, while the soil type had the highest impact on sulfate, fluoride, acetate, and sodium ions. Therefore, the terms ‘ecological group’ and ‘functional group’ are not equivalent for earthworm casts, and replacing an earthworm species with another belonging to the same ecological group may result in changes of the soil ion composition.","PeriodicalId":49683,"journal":{"name":"Polish Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2021-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41505578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-27DOI: 10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.2.001
Ireyli Z. Iracheta-Lara, Nathalie S Hernández-Quiroz, A. Pinedo-Alvarez, E. Santellano‐Estrada, J. A. Prieto-Amparán, F. Villarreal-Guerrero, C. Morales-Nieto
ABSTRACT Grasslands are recognized as the most threatened communities on the planet due to environmental and anthropogenic disturbances. In the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, native grasslands have a great ecological importance due to their wide distribution; however, studies on the current and future potential distributions of grasslands, as well as their temporal dynamics based on climatic variability, are lacking. Thus, we analysed the potential distribution of five native grasses (Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua gracilis, Leptochloa dubia, Digitaria californica and Setaria macrostachya) based on climatic factors. The present data of these species were consulted at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and recorded with location information: latitude and longitude. This database was complemented with presence data of the five species from previous studies. To characterize the climate niche, the values of the climatic factors at the locations of the species presence, were obtained from the WorldClim. Then, current and future potential distributions of these native species, were generated based on three climate change scenarios, based on Representative Concentration Pathways - RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP6.0). Under the RCP2.6 scenario, the estimated area of S. macrostachya was 12,525.5 ha, representing 7.4% of the state. For B. gracilis, the potential areas under the RCP4.5 and RCP6.0 scenarios were 20,391.49 and 23,079.08 ha, respectively. B. curtipendula represented the smallest area, with 4.6% under the scenario RCP2.6. The distribution of grassland species in northern Mexico is mainly determined by climatic factors; as it may apply for the rest of the grassland species within this area, so those results could increase our knowledge about their potential distribution.
{"title":"Potential Distribution of Five Native Grass Species in Northern Mexico and their Dynamics due to Climate Variability","authors":"Ireyli Z. Iracheta-Lara, Nathalie S Hernández-Quiroz, A. Pinedo-Alvarez, E. Santellano‐Estrada, J. A. Prieto-Amparán, F. Villarreal-Guerrero, C. Morales-Nieto","doi":"10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.2.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.2.001","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Grasslands are recognized as the most threatened communities on the planet due to environmental and anthropogenic disturbances. In the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, native grasslands have a great ecological importance due to their wide distribution; however, studies on the current and future potential distributions of grasslands, as well as their temporal dynamics based on climatic variability, are lacking. Thus, we analysed the potential distribution of five native grasses (Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua gracilis, Leptochloa dubia, Digitaria californica and Setaria macrostachya) based on climatic factors. The present data of these species were consulted at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and recorded with location information: latitude and longitude. This database was complemented with presence data of the five species from previous studies. To characterize the climate niche, the values of the climatic factors at the locations of the species presence, were obtained from the WorldClim. Then, current and future potential distributions of these native species, were generated based on three climate change scenarios, based on Representative Concentration Pathways - RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP6.0). Under the RCP2.6 scenario, the estimated area of S. macrostachya was 12,525.5 ha, representing 7.4% of the state. For B. gracilis, the potential areas under the RCP4.5 and RCP6.0 scenarios were 20,391.49 and 23,079.08 ha, respectively. B. curtipendula represented the smallest area, with 4.6% under the scenario RCP2.6. The distribution of grassland species in northern Mexico is mainly determined by climatic factors; as it may apply for the rest of the grassland species within this area, so those results could increase our knowledge about their potential distribution.","PeriodicalId":49683,"journal":{"name":"Polish Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2021-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45567621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Diversity and Composition of Rhizosphere Fungal Community in Pure and Mixed Forests of South China","authors":"Xinmiao Wen, Renjie Wang, Yinghong Jiang, X. Deng, Shuo-Xing Wei, Xiongsheng Liu, Yong Wang","doi":"10.3161/15052249pje2020.69.2.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/15052249pje2020.69.2.004","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49683,"journal":{"name":"Polish Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2021-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42958559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-27DOI: 10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.2.005
A. Wuczyński, L. Hałupka, Aleksandra Maroń
ABSTRACT We provide the first records of possible conspecific brood parasitism in the lesser whitethroat Sylvia curruca and the common linnet Linaria cannabina, two species of small passerines. In 2018 we found two unusually large clutches, one for each species (8 and 9 eggs, respectively), both containing two distinct egg morphs differing in coloration. Further detailed analysis of egg morphology and brood phenology (in the whitethroat) suggested that the eggs in each nest had been laid by different females. Surprisingly, two seemingly full sized clutches were laid in both nests, a pattern that is unusual in conspecific brood parasitism in passerines, whose nests are typically parasitized with single eggs. Alternatives to conspecific brood parasitism are therefore discussed. We argue that traditional field-based methods, when carefully used, may be sufficient to document brood parasitism recorded during occasional observations. We finally conclude that enlarged broods, resulting from conspecific brood parasitism, are probably more frequent than expected, but they may be often overlooked.
{"title":"First Records of Conspecific Brood Parasitism in Two Species of Small Passerines: Lesser Whitethroat and Common Linnet","authors":"A. Wuczyński, L. Hałupka, Aleksandra Maroń","doi":"10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.2.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.2.005","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT We provide the first records of possible conspecific brood parasitism in the lesser whitethroat Sylvia curruca and the common linnet Linaria cannabina, two species of small passerines. In 2018 we found two unusually large clutches, one for each species (8 and 9 eggs, respectively), both containing two distinct egg morphs differing in coloration. Further detailed analysis of egg morphology and brood phenology (in the whitethroat) suggested that the eggs in each nest had been laid by different females. Surprisingly, two seemingly full sized clutches were laid in both nests, a pattern that is unusual in conspecific brood parasitism in passerines, whose nests are typically parasitized with single eggs. Alternatives to conspecific brood parasitism are therefore discussed. We argue that traditional field-based methods, when carefully used, may be sufficient to document brood parasitism recorded during occasional observations. We finally conclude that enlarged broods, resulting from conspecific brood parasitism, are probably more frequent than expected, but they may be often overlooked.","PeriodicalId":49683,"journal":{"name":"Polish Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2021-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42457789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-27DOI: 10.3161/15052249pje2021.69.2.006
I. Jasser
The outstanding scientific achievements of Professor Anna Hillbricht-Ilkowska fall in three main areas: biology and ecology of rotifer plankton, productivity of freshwaters and biotic structures of freshwater ecosystems, and, probably her greatest area of achievement, introducing a new dimension to limnological research, role of the catchment landscape in functioning freshwater ecosystems thus, she stimulated the holistic perspective in hydrobiological studies.
Anna Hillbricht-Ilkowska教授的杰出科学成就主要体现在三个领域：轮虫浮游生物的生物学和生态学、淡水的生产力和淡水生态系统的生物结构，可能是她最伟大的成就领域，为湖沼学研究引入了一个新的维度，集水区景观在淡水生态系统中的作用，她激发了水生生物研究的整体视角。
{"title":"Anna Hillbricht-Ilkowska (1932-2021)","authors":"I. Jasser","doi":"10.3161/15052249pje2021.69.2.006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/15052249pje2021.69.2.006","url":null,"abstract":"The outstanding scientific achievements of Professor Anna Hillbricht-Ilkowska fall in three main areas: biology and ecology of rotifer plankton, productivity of freshwaters and biotic structures of freshwater ecosystems, and, probably her greatest area of achievement, introducing a new dimension to limnological research, role of the catchment landscape in functioning freshwater ecosystems thus, she stimulated the holistic perspective in hydrobiological studies.","PeriodicalId":49683,"journal":{"name":"Polish Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2021-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47849829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-27DOI: 10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.2.002
Ruijun Su, Qinggui Wu, Yu-lian Yang, Tingxing Hu
ABSTRACT The growth rate of the diameter of trees is significantly correlated with their age; therefore, a growth model can be established to predict the dynamics of the population. To reveal the relationship between individual age and diameters at breast height (DBH) of D. involucrata，five populations were chosen in the largest distribution area of D. involucrata in Sichuan province. Dendrochronology and regression model was used to evaluate the distribution of the DBH and its relationship with the age, respectively. All 130 D. involucrata trees recorded in the studied plots, with the minimum DBH of 3.8 cm, and the maximum of 45.5 cm, corresponding to the minimum age of 4 years and the maximum age of 98 years. The results showed that in the first 11 DBH classes (DBH < 22 cm), the tree DBH increases relatively slowly with the growth of the age. After the 11th DBH class, the DBH class increases slowly with increasing tree age. The tree age exceeds 20 years, the increase in the DBH growth rates with tree age is similar among the five populations. The linear models were fitted to determine the regression equation for the DBH growth curve of D. involucrata, which can be well described by a parabolic model. Under normal forest stand development and growth conditions, the model can be widely applied to study the ages of individual D. involucrata.
{"title":"Relationship between Diameter at Breast Height and Tree Age in Populations of a Rare and Endangered Plant, Davidia involucrata","authors":"Ruijun Su, Qinggui Wu, Yu-lian Yang, Tingxing Hu","doi":"10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.2.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.2.002","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The growth rate of the diameter of trees is significantly correlated with their age; therefore, a growth model can be established to predict the dynamics of the population. To reveal the relationship between individual age and diameters at breast height (DBH) of D. involucrata，five populations were chosen in the largest distribution area of D. involucrata in Sichuan province. Dendrochronology and regression model was used to evaluate the distribution of the DBH and its relationship with the age, respectively. All 130 D. involucrata trees recorded in the studied plots, with the minimum DBH of 3.8 cm, and the maximum of 45.5 cm, corresponding to the minimum age of 4 years and the maximum age of 98 years. The results showed that in the first 11 DBH classes (DBH < 22 cm), the tree DBH increases relatively slowly with the growth of the age. After the 11th DBH class, the DBH class increases slowly with increasing tree age. The tree age exceeds 20 years, the increase in the DBH growth rates with tree age is similar among the five populations. The linear models were fitted to determine the regression equation for the DBH growth curve of D. involucrata, which can be well described by a parabolic model. Under normal forest stand development and growth conditions, the model can be widely applied to study the ages of individual D. involucrata.","PeriodicalId":49683,"journal":{"name":"Polish Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2021-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42986789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-05-17DOI: 10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.1.002
D. Dobrowolska, Bogdan Pawlak, G. Olszowska
ABSTRACT Silver fir Abies alba was once an abundant tree species in the Karkonosze Mts. in Poland but its population has decreased. The aim of our study was to assess 1) the impact of canopy trees on the growth dynamics of silver fir saplings and 2) the relationship between the growth rate of silver fir saplings and the soil properties, with special regard to the soil enzyme activity. The study was conducted in the Karkonoski National Park on five experimental plots. Silver fir seedlings were planted in Scots pine, European larch, Norway spruce, silver birch and European beech stands in 1999. In 2016, we measured the diameter at breast height (DBH) and height of the canopy trees and the height, DBH, height increments, needle width and length of 100 silver fir saplings. The dehydrogenase, urease, phosphatase and asparaginase activity was analysed in organic and humus soil horizons. The height, diameter and needle dimensions of young silver fir trees were significantly different under different canopies. The urease and asparaginase activity was the highest under the larch and spruce canopy in both soil horizons. Phosphatase activity was also the highest under larch canopy but only in organic soil horizon. Young silver fir (thicket) has grown under the canopy of all tested tree species but found best growth conditions under larch and pine canopies. The relative growth of silver fir is therefore a function of both stand canopy and soil properties.
{"title":"The Impact of Overstory Species and Soil Properties on the Growth of Planted Silver Fir Abies alba in the Karkonosze Mountains, Poland","authors":"D. Dobrowolska, Bogdan Pawlak, G. Olszowska","doi":"10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.1.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.1.002","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Silver fir Abies alba was once an abundant tree species in the Karkonosze Mts. in Poland but its population has decreased. The aim of our study was to assess 1) the impact of canopy trees on the growth dynamics of silver fir saplings and 2) the relationship between the growth rate of silver fir saplings and the soil properties, with special regard to the soil enzyme activity. The study was conducted in the Karkonoski National Park on five experimental plots. Silver fir seedlings were planted in Scots pine, European larch, Norway spruce, silver birch and European beech stands in 1999. In 2016, we measured the diameter at breast height (DBH) and height of the canopy trees and the height, DBH, height increments, needle width and length of 100 silver fir saplings. The dehydrogenase, urease, phosphatase and asparaginase activity was analysed in organic and humus soil horizons. The height, diameter and needle dimensions of young silver fir trees were significantly different under different canopies. The urease and asparaginase activity was the highest under the larch and spruce canopy in both soil horizons. Phosphatase activity was also the highest under larch canopy but only in organic soil horizon. Young silver fir (thicket) has grown under the canopy of all tested tree species but found best growth conditions under larch and pine canopies. The relative growth of silver fir is therefore a function of both stand canopy and soil properties.","PeriodicalId":49683,"journal":{"name":"Polish Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2021-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45858012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-05-17DOI: 10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.1.001
Shunxiang Fan, Zhidong Zhang
ABSTRACT We investigated the response mechanisms of plant functional traits to environmental factors at the community level in order to elucidate the adaptive and survival strategies of plants in different environmental gradients. 184 vegetation sampling plots were laid by stratified random sampling in the Saihanba region of Hebei, China. Three functional traits (leaf nitrogen content, LNC; specific leaf area, SLA; leaf dry matter content, LDMC) were measured and the community-level weighted means of the trait values were calculated by the species coverage values. Climate and terrain data were generated from the climate model ClimateAP and using ArcGIS. Finally, eight environmental factors, including climate, topographical, and soil factor, were recorded and the association with functional traits was analysed using a generalized additive model. Model testing indicated a good predictability for the SLA and LDMC while a relatively poor predictability was seen with LNC. Environmental factors that significantly impacted SLA included elevation, degree-days above 0°C, mean annual precipitation and total soil nitrogen content. In contrast, LDMC was significantly influenced by elevation, total soil nitrogen and phosphorous content while LNC was affected by elevation and degree-days above 0°C. High values of SLA and LNC were found in areas at lower elevations. The distribution of high LDMC values indicated that plant leaves have a relatively high tolerance and resistance to stress, which was better for plant to grow in the adverse environment. At the community level, clarifying plant functional traits distribution and their changes with environmental gradients is useful for the potential vegetation restoration.
{"title":"Predicting Spatial Distribution of Plant Functional Traits in a Forest-Steppe Zone","authors":"Shunxiang Fan, Zhidong Zhang","doi":"10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.1.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.1.001","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT We investigated the response mechanisms of plant functional traits to environmental factors at the community level in order to elucidate the adaptive and survival strategies of plants in different environmental gradients. 184 vegetation sampling plots were laid by stratified random sampling in the Saihanba region of Hebei, China. Three functional traits (leaf nitrogen content, LNC; specific leaf area, SLA; leaf dry matter content, LDMC) were measured and the community-level weighted means of the trait values were calculated by the species coverage values. Climate and terrain data were generated from the climate model ClimateAP and using ArcGIS. Finally, eight environmental factors, including climate, topographical, and soil factor, were recorded and the association with functional traits was analysed using a generalized additive model. Model testing indicated a good predictability for the SLA and LDMC while a relatively poor predictability was seen with LNC. Environmental factors that significantly impacted SLA included elevation, degree-days above 0°C, mean annual precipitation and total soil nitrogen content. In contrast, LDMC was significantly influenced by elevation, total soil nitrogen and phosphorous content while LNC was affected by elevation and degree-days above 0°C. High values of SLA and LNC were found in areas at lower elevations. The distribution of high LDMC values indicated that plant leaves have a relatively high tolerance and resistance to stress, which was better for plant to grow in the adverse environment. At the community level, clarifying plant functional traits distribution and their changes with environmental gradients is useful for the potential vegetation restoration.","PeriodicalId":49683,"journal":{"name":"Polish Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2021-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42417411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-05-17DOI: 10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.1.006
Seyed Farzad Motevalli-Haghi, G. Ozbaki, N. Hosseini-Vasoukolaei, S. H. Nikookar, O. Dehghan, J. Yazdani-charati, Roohollah Siahsarvie, R. Dehbandi, M. Fazeli-Dinan, A. Enayati
ABSTRACT The aim of the current study was to survey the species diversity and Leishmania infection of rodents in the Gonbad -e- Kavoos City and County, northeastern Iran, during 2018–2019. Totally, 20 rural and four urban areas endemic for leishmaniasis were selected and visited monthly. Rodent species diversity indices were calculated in different spatial and temporal scales. Species richness was also calculated using rarefaction curves to estimate the number of species in unequal sample sizes. A total of 167 rodents belonging to 7 species, 6 genera, and 2 families were collected. Rattus rattus (34.7%) and Rattus norvegicus (18.6%) were identified as dominant species. The largest Margalef and Menhinick species richness (DMg = 1.55; DMn = 1.01) and the highest value of the Shannon index (H′ = 1.71) were observed in rural areas. Seasonal abundance of the rodents varied among species and showed that the highest richness (DMg = 1.27; DMn = 0.65) occurred in spring and the highest value of Shannon index (H′ = 1.72) was noted in summer. Rarefaction curves confirmed that the highest species richness occurred in summer and spring in the rural area. Seasonal fluctuations of R. rattus and R. norvegicus have a significant impact on the changes in rodent species diversity. Investigations of Leishmania infection showed that amastigote forms of Leishmania were observed in 15.4% of smears taken from Rhombomys opimus and Meriones libycus and examined under the light microscope. The highest rate of Leishmania infection was observed during the summer.
{"title":"Rodent Species Diversity and Occurrence of Leishmania in Northeastern Iran","authors":"Seyed Farzad Motevalli-Haghi, G. Ozbaki, N. Hosseini-Vasoukolaei, S. H. Nikookar, O. Dehghan, J. Yazdani-charati, Roohollah Siahsarvie, R. Dehbandi, M. Fazeli-Dinan, A. Enayati","doi":"10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.1.006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/15052249PJE2021.69.1.006","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The aim of the current study was to survey the species diversity and Leishmania infection of rodents in the Gonbad -e- Kavoos City and County, northeastern Iran, during 2018–2019. Totally, 20 rural and four urban areas endemic for leishmaniasis were selected and visited monthly. Rodent species diversity indices were calculated in different spatial and temporal scales. Species richness was also calculated using rarefaction curves to estimate the number of species in unequal sample sizes. A total of 167 rodents belonging to 7 species, 6 genera, and 2 families were collected. Rattus rattus (34.7%) and Rattus norvegicus (18.6%) were identified as dominant species. The largest Margalef and Menhinick species richness (DMg = 1.55; DMn = 1.01) and the highest value of the Shannon index (H′ = 1.71) were observed in rural areas. Seasonal abundance of the rodents varied among species and showed that the highest richness (DMg = 1.27; DMn = 0.65) occurred in spring and the highest value of Shannon index (H′ = 1.72) was noted in summer. Rarefaction curves confirmed that the highest species richness occurred in summer and spring in the rural area. Seasonal fluctuations of R. rattus and R. norvegicus have a significant impact on the changes in rodent species diversity. Investigations of Leishmania infection showed that amastigote forms of Leishmania were observed in 15.4% of smears taken from Rhombomys opimus and Meriones libycus and examined under the light microscope. The highest rate of Leishmania infection was observed during the summer.","PeriodicalId":49683,"journal":{"name":"Polish Journal of Ecology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2021-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43844414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：