NATURAL FOODS AND THEIR ECOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR MACACA-THIBETANA AT MOUNT EMEI, CHINA

Natural food plants of partly provisioned groups of Macaca thibetana included about 196 species belonging to 135 genera and 72 families. The macaques consumed mainly bamboo shoots and fruits for about 2 months in autumn, whereas they relied on active or passive provisions from visitors, a variety of structural parts of plants and a small amount of invertebrates in late spring and summer and ate mainly mature leaves and bark for the rest of the year. About half of the species eaten came from the dense herb and shrub layers. This forest-dwelling species shows a distinctive feeding and foraging pattern in comparison with other macaques, explaining why M. thibetana has the largest body weight of all macaques.

The youngest split in sympatric schizothoracine fish (Cyprinidae) is shaped by ecological adaptations in a Tibetan Plateau glacier lake

Although new empirical evidence shows that sympatric speciation has occurred in some species, there are few indisputable model organisms for this process of speciation. The two subspecies (Gymnocypris eckloni eckloni and G. e. scoliostomus) of the schizothoracine Gymnocypris fish species complex from a small glacier lake in the Tibetan Plateau, Lake Sunmcuo, fit several of the key characteristics of the sympatric speciation model. We used combined mitochondrial control region sequences and the cytochrome b gene (1894 bp) to address the phylogenetics and population genetics of 232 specimens of G. e. eckloni and G. e. scoliostomus, as well as all of its closely related sister species. We found that: (i) a total of four old lineages were uncovered in the widespread G. e. eckloni, of which only one was shown to be shared with all G. e. scoliostomus individuals and (ii) the new subspecies (G. e. scoliostomus) evolved in Lake Sunmcuo from the ancestral G. e. eckloni population within approximately 0.057 Ma. These two taxa of the species complex are morphologically distinct, and reproductive isolation is further suggested. Ecological disruptive selection based on morphological traits (e.g. mouth cleft characters) and food utilization may be a mechanism of incipient speciation of two sympatric populations within Lake Sunmcuo. This study provides the first genetic evidence for sympatric speciation in the schizothoracine fish.

Diel isotopic fluctuation in surface seston and its physiological and ecological implications

We reported diet fluctuation in isotopic composition of surface seston from two connected lakes in China, oligotrophic Lake Fuxian and eutrophic Lake Xingyun. The decrease in nighttime and the increase in daytime of isotope signatures of seston might be attributed to the light-dependent balance between the photosynthesis and the respiration of phytoplankton and to the changes in the species composition and the relative abundance of phytoplankton functional groups at the water's surface in diel growth. The relatively high isotopic signatures and the large-extent diel fluctuation of phytoplankton in the eutrophic lake could be due to utilization of heavy-isotope-enriched inorganic sources and the high primary productivity. Extent of diel fluctuation in delta C-13 and delta N-15 of phytoplankton were relatively small compared with the isotopic enrichment per trophic transfer and thus might have negligible effect on the source identification and the trophic evaluation of consumers.

Response of macrozoobenthos communities to ecological engineering remediation in a hypertrophic urban lake

The relationship of macrozoobenthos communities with some environmental variables, and their response to the ongoing restoration measures were studied in a small hypertrophic urban lake near the Yangzte River, China. Twenty taxa including 9 oligochaetes, 7 insects, 2 mollusks and two other animals were found during March 2005 to May 2006. The reappearance of some indigenous macrozoobenthos species showed that the ecological engineering remediation carried out was helpful for the recovery of the macrozoobenthos communities. Through canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), it was detected that temperature (T), conductivity (COND), Secchi depth/deep (SD/Deep), TN, total suspended solids (SS) and chemical oxygen demand (CODcr) were significant environmental factors that influenced the pattern of macrozoobenthos. Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri, Tanypus sp. and Alocinma longicornis could be used as potential bio-indicators in monitoring the development of ecological restoration.

Progress in the evaluation of transgenic fish for possible ecological risk and its containment strategies

Genetically improved transgenic fish possess many beneficial economic traits; however, the commercial aquaculture of transgenic fish has not been performed till date. One of the major reasons for this is the possible ecological risk associated with the escape or release of the transgenic fish. Using a growth hormone transgenic fish with rapid growth characteristics as a subject, this paper analyzes the following: the essence of the potential ecological risks posed by transgenic fish; ecological risk in the current situation due to transgenic fish via one-factor phenotypic and fitness analysis, and mathematical model deduction. Then, it expounds new ideas and the latest findings using an artificially simulated ecosystem for the evaluation of the ecological risks posed by transgenic fish. Further, the study comments on the strategies and principles of controlling these ecological risks by using a triplold approach. Based on these results, we propose that ecological risk evaluation and prevention strategies are indispensable important components and should be accompanied with breeding research in order to provide enlightments for transgenic fish breeding, evaluation of the ecological risks posed by transgenic fish, and development of containment strategies against the risks.

Development of tolerance against toxic Microcystis aeruginosa in three cladocerans and the ecological implications

This is the first experimental study to compare difference in the development of tolerance against toxic Microcystis among multi-species of cladocerans (Daphnia, Moina and Ceriodaphnia) pre-exposed to two M. aeruginosa PCC7820 strains (MC-containing and MC-free). Zooplankton were divided into S population (fed Scenedesmus), M-F population (fed Scenedesmus + MC-free Microcystis), and M-C population (fed Scenedesmus + MC-containing Microcystis). M-F and M-C populations were pre-exposed to Microcystis strains for 4 weeks, and their newborns were collected for experiments. A pre-exposure to MC-containing or MC-free Microcystis increased tolerance against toxic Microcystis. The marked increases in survival rate and median lethal time (LT50, 100-194% increase) in the M-C population of Ceriodaphnia suggest that small-sized cladocerans may develop stronger tolerance against Microcystis than large-sized ones when both groups are exposed to toxic Microcystis. This may explain why dominant Daphnia is usually replaced by small-sized cladocerans when cyanobacteria bloomed in summer in eutrophic lakes. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using epilithic diatom communities to assess ecological condition of Xiangxi River system

Assessment method for ecological condition of Xiangxi River system was studied by using 13 candidate metrics of epilithic diatom which can reflect conditions in pH, salinity, nitrogen uptake metabolism, oxygen requirements, saprobity, trophic state, morphological character and pollution tolerant capability etc. By one-way ANOVA, the metrics of relative abundance of acidobiontic algae (ACID), freshwater algae (FRESH), high oxygen requirement (HIGH-O), eutraphentic state (EUTRA) and mobile taxa ( MOBILE) were suitable for distinguishing sites in different conditions. Then, the river diatom index (RDI) composed of these five metrics was used to evaluate ecological condition of the river. The results showed that the healthiest sites were in the Guanmenshan Natural Reserve ( with the mean RDI of 79.73). The sites located in tributary of Jiuchong River also owned excellent state (mean RDI of 78.25). Mean RDI of another tributary - Gufu River and the main river were 70.85 and 68.45 respectively, and the unhealthiest tributary was Gaolan River (with mean RDI of 65.64). The mean RDI for all the 51 sites was 71.40. The competence of RDI was discussed with comparison of evaluation results of DAIpo and TDI, it can be concluded that multimetrics is more competent in assessment task.

黄土高原地区植被生态修复策略与对策

根据近年来黄土高原地区实施植被生态修复的经验和黄土高原生态安全考察成果,论述植被生态修复的特点和功能,提出植被生态修复的核心内涵是将人为促进群落演替的人力与天然群落演替的自然力结合起来,实现区域生态系统整体恢复与局部快速恢复相结合的有效途径。黄土高原植被生态修复的目标是:区域内植物群落物种多样性平均增加10%~15%;地带性植被的代表种盖度在群落中占到20%~25%;植被总覆盖度75%~85%;水土流失强度有显著性减少。目前植被生态修复的关键问题是有关基础理论研究和技术措施积累不足,方法简单,效益不高。未来应采取正确生态修复思路,尽快解决生态修复中关键技术理论;科学规划,在典型地区黄龙森林区和安塞森林草原区建立示范点,实施综合的植被生态修复措施,建立法律保障体系,为黄土高原植被生态修复奠定基础。

黄土丘陵区县南沟流域生态恢复的生态经济耦合评价

探索一套简单、易于操作的小尺度生态经济耦合效应指标体系及其评价方法模型。【方法】基于生态经济协调理论,在继承传统指标的基础上,引用了2个创新性指标——能值可持续性指数(ESI)和生态压力指数(EFPI),应用模糊综合评价方法对县南沟流域生态恢复的生态经济耦合进行评价。【结果】县南沟"农-经济林果型"生态恢复模式的生态经济处于基本协调状态。【结论】"农-经济林果型"模式有效地改善了流域生态条件,促进了经济发展,产生了生态经济耦合效应。

黄土高原植被恢复与建设策略

以中国水土流失与生态安全综合科学考察——西北黄土区考察组获得的资料为依据,对黄土高原地区植被恢复的基础和潜力进行了系统分析,提出了植被恢复的目标和策略。黄土高原天然群落恢复的基本措施是封育,有条件的区域应实施人工促进,使植被自然恢复力与人为促进力相结合;人工植被建设应充分利用乡土树草种,合理利用外来种,采用防护性整地和管理措施,造林种草后引导乡土物种进入群落,进行天然化培育;以流域为治理单元,优化景观斑块空间布局和面积构成,逐步改造具有退化特征的人工群落,使建群种能够自我更新,群落可永续利用;政府部门在政策上要保护现有成果,扩大自然修复比例;保护大户承包治理的积极性,鼓励多元化投资,进行植被建设;扩大黄土区植被建设和科研投资力度,培育黄土区植被恢复方面的科技创新能力。

黄土高原地区水土保持科学研究的重点领域

针对黄土高原地区生态建设的需求与水土保持科学研究现状,分析了黄土高原水土保持科学研究的成就与发展趋势,提出该区未来需加强土壤侵蚀过程、机制及侵蚀模型、植被恢复的潜力及调控、大尺度土壤侵蚀及水土保持的格局与规律、水土流失及治理的环境效应评价理论与模型、水土流失治理的生态服务功能评价和不同尺度水土保持与生态建设模式研究等重点研究领域。

霍林河露天煤矿区开发的生态影响与恢复研究

该文以内蒙古霍林河露天煤矿为例，在国家九五攻关子专题“大型煤矿生态环境综合整治及其试验示范研究”的支持下对半干旱地区大型露天煤矿开采所造成的生态环境影响与生态恢复的理论与技术问题进行了深入研究.1.从生态环境影响、生态恢复理论与生态恢复技术等方面对露天煤矿区生态环境恢复与重建这一学科领域的发展历程、现状与趋势进行了系统的论述.2.建立了适用于半干旱草原矿区生态环境质量评价的指标体系与模糊数学综合评判模型.3.筛选了沙棘、草木樨等十余种适于半干旱地区矿山生态恢复的植物种类.