Effect of desert soil algae on the stabilization of fine sands

Four filamentous cyanobacteria, Microcoleus vaginatus, Phormidium tenue, Scytonema javanicum (Kutz.) and Nostoc sp., and a single-celled green alga, Desmococcus olivaceus, all isolated from Shapotou (Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China), were batch cultured and inoculated onto unconsolidated sand in greenhouse and field experiments. Their ability to reduce wind erosion in sands was quantified by using a wind tunnel laboratory. The major factors related to cohesion of algal crusts, such as biomass, species, species combinations, bioactivity, niche, growth phase of algae, moisture, thickness of the crusts, dust accretion (including dust content and manner of dust added) and other cryptogams (lichens, fungi and mosses) were studied. The best of the five species were M. vaginatus and P. tenue, while the best mix was a blend of 80% M. vaginatus and 5% each of P. tenue, S. javanicum, Nostoc sp. and D. olivaceus. The threshold friction velocity was significantly increased by the presence of all of the cyanobacterial species, while the threshold impact velocity was notably increased only by the filamentous species. Thick crusts were less easily eroded than thin crusts, while biomass was more effective than thickness. Dust was incorporated best into Microcoleus crust when added in small amounts over time, and appeared to increase growth of the cyanobacterium as well as strengthen the cohesion of the crust. Microbial crust cohesion was mainly attributed to algal aggregation, while lichens, fungi and mosses affected more the soil structure and physico-chemical properties.

Co-occurrence and microhabitat of Ancyrocephalus mogurndae (Monogenea) and Henneguya weishanensis (Myxosporea) on gills of the mandarin fish, Siniperca chuatsi

Seasonal variations in a population of the monogenean Ancyrocephalus mogurndae Gussev, 1955 were investigated on gills of cage-cultured mandarin fish, Siniperca chuatsi (Basilewsky), during the period from April 1994 to April 1995. The abundance of A. mogurndae peaked in late spring and summer. Prevalence was high (75-100 %) throughout the study period, and did not vary significantly between months. More than 50 % of all monogeneans were found on the first and second gill arches, except one occasion when the fourth gill arch had the majority in April 1995. The niche breadths were significantly correlated with the population abundance. A coexistent parasitic myxosporean, Henneguya weishanensis Hu, 1965, on the gills of the fish was found to have little influence on the gill-arch preference of the monogenean, although the monogenean abundance was higher in those fish infected with the myxosporean.

氮肥对黄瓜根际土壤线虫群落组成、结构及其多样性的影响

土壤线虫是土壤动物的主要功能类群之一，在土壤养分分解和循环中起到重要的作用。本研究通过施用两种形态氮肥，硝态氮(NO-3–N)和铵态氮(NH+4–N)，对黄瓜整个生长期内根际土壤线虫的群落组成、结构及其多样性等的影响进行了比较研究。为增进土壤健康，提高土壤质量以及合理施用氮肥提供科学的理论依据。研究结果如下： 1. 氮肥处理后，不同浓度NO-3–N处理提高了根际土壤线虫数量，而NH+4–N处理（202.5 kg N/ hm2）抑制了线虫数量的增加。线虫群落结构相对较稳定，营养类群变化不大。且少量优势科/属会对土壤线虫群落特征起着至关重要的作用。 2. 在整个生长季节内，非寄生线虫的群体动态变化与寄生线虫的群体的动态变化具有相反的变化趋势。其中，NO-3–N处理和NH+4–N处理后植物寄生线虫出现频率的变化趋势相近，都是由高到低；非植物寄生线虫出现频率的变化趋势则都是由低到高。这说明非植物寄生线虫数量增长和空间占位对植物寄生线虫群体有一定的抑制作用。另外，也反映了适量氮肥在一定程度上能够减轻植物寄生线虫对黄瓜的危害。 3. 由多样性指数变化可知，NO-3–N和NH+4–N在低肥（67.5 kg N/hm2）和高肥（202.5 kg N/hm2）处理较中肥（135.0 kg N/hm2）处理，更不利于提高土壤线虫多样性地提高和线虫群落的稳定性。中肥不同形态氮肥处理与对照相比，H´指数在初花期和结果期显著增加了土壤线虫的H´指数，说明施入两种形态的氮肥能够提高线虫生物多样性程度。NH+4–N处理在初花期和结果期显著降低了土壤线虫种类的丰富性。土壤线虫生物多样性变化中，H´和SR指数在一定程度上能够反映施用无机氮肥对土壤线虫的多样性的影响，而J指数和λ指数效果不明显。NO-3–N和NH+4–N处理相比较，NO-3–N处理对黄瓜土壤线虫的多样性指数影响更大，促进了土壤线虫群体的多样化和种类的丰富度，更有利于提高土壤线虫的多样性，增加其稳定性。这些结果表明适量无机氮肥特别是NO-3–N的施用对黄瓜土壤线虫的生物多样性有一定的维护和提高作用。 4. 线虫数量与土壤质量指标的相关分析表明：线虫数量与有关土壤理化生指标，如土壤NO-3–N、NH+4–N、有机质含量等的正相关程度高，与总酚含量等显著负相关；与根际土壤微生物，细菌、真菌、放线菌数量等呈显著正相关。另外，线虫数量与土壤含水量未表现出显著相关关系。 Nematodes play a major role in decomposition and nutrient cycling in soil. Nematode community analyses are useful in assessing soil ecosystem status and function. The effects of two forms of mineral nitrogenous fertilizers (NO-3–N and NH+4–N) on nematode community composition, structure and diversity in rhizosphere of cucumber were investigated during different growing seasons of cucumber. Systematically research of effects of nitrogenous fertilizers could help to obtain better undstanding of a healthy soil and using nitrogenous fertilizers in reason. The main results are as follows: 1. The total numbers of nematode were more abundant in NH+4–N treatments than other teatments. However, NH+4–N teatment（202.5 kg N/hm2）dramatically inhibited it. All the tropic groups in the soil nematode communities were stable, and the dominant family or genus had an important function in the nematode community structure. 2. There was similar trend of the frequency of plant parasitic nematodes between NO-3–N and NH+4–N treatment, the similar trend of the frequency of non-plant parasitic nematodes was also found. But the frequency of plant parasitic nematodes exhibited a contrary trend to that of plant parasitic nematodes after different nitrogenous fertilizer treatments. The results showed that the increasing trend of the frequency and the niche of non-plant parasitic nematodes inhibited the plant parasitic nematodes, and indicated that right chemical fertilizers dosage could abate plant parasitic nematodes harm to cucumber. 3. The changes of the biodiversity index showed that the nitrogen treatment（135.0 kg N/hm2）promoted the stabilization of soil nematode diversity than other nitrogen treatments(67.5 kg N/hm2 and 202.5 kg N/hm2). In the treatment（135.0 kg N/hm2）,The changes in nematode diversity between the control plots and treated plots were compared by the biodiversity index (H´, J, SR, λ). Among these tested index, H´ and SR were effective in reflecting the effects of different nitrogenous fertilizers on the diversity of soil nematodes. In comparison with the NH+4–N treatment, the NO-3–N treatment promoted the stabilization of soil nematode diversity. 4. Correlation coefficients between nematode abundance and soil quality indices indicated that the total numbers of nematode were affected positively by NO-3–N, NH+4–N and the organic matter, and negatively by total phenolic acids; the total num- bers of nematode had positive correlation with bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes nu- mbers. Soil water contents had only a weak negative influence on it.

若尔盖湿地3种两栖类的种间竞争及畜牧业对其食性的影响

从空间、时间、食物3个方面研究了若尔盖湿地3种两栖类的种间竞争，运用生态位理论探讨了3种两栖类利用环境资源的能力以及它们之间的共存模式，研究了3种两栖类年周期食性，并考察了畜牧业对3种两栖类食性及食物竞争格局的影响；此外，还通过实验室研究对2种两栖类幼体的种间竞争策略进行了考察。主要结果如下： 1、两栖类的空间资源利用状况：在3种两栖类成体生态位宽度的比较中，岷山蟾蜍（Bufo minshanicus）成体在牧场性质(0.41)、牛粪数量(0.42)、植被盖度(0.20)、地表温度(0.50)、地表湿度(0.51) 5个维度上的生态位宽度最窄；而倭蛙（Nanorana pleskei）成体在牛粪数量(0.81)、植被高度(0.63)、植被盖度(0.47)、小水体距离(0.68) 4个维度上的生态位宽度最宽。在3种两栖类亚成体生态位宽度的比较中，岷山蟾蜍亚成体在牧场性质(0.66)、牛粪数量(0.58)、植被高度(0.64)、小水体距离(0.51)、地表湿度(0.79) 5个维度的上生态位宽度最宽；倭蛙亚成体在牧场性质(0.39)、牛粪数量(0.30)、地表温度(0.18)、地表湿度(0.33) 4个维度上的生态位宽度最窄。高原林蛙（Rana kukunoris）在地表温度（成体：0.62；亚成体：0.56）、地表湿度（成体：0.84；亚成体：0.60）两个维度上具有较大的生态位宽度值，而在小水体距离维度上（成体：0.27；亚成体：0.14）的生态位宽度值则很小。比较3种无尾两栖类在不同生长阶段（成体、亚成体）的生态位宽度，发现高原林蛙和倭蛙的亚成体对栖息环境的要求更高。3种两栖类空间资源利用的相似程度很高，高原林蛙与倭蛙之间的生态重叠度(0.87)较之它与岷山蟾蜍(0.81)的生态位重叠度更大。 2、两栖类的日活动节律：高原林蛙成体、亚成体、岷山蟾蜍亚成体活动的最低气温为0℃、2℃、8℃；岷山蟾蜍和高原林蛙亚成体出现的数量与气温成极显著的正相关（r=0.797, p<0.001；r=0.794, p<0.001），高原林蛙成体出现的数量与气温有一定相关性（r=0.456, p<0.05）；晴天时两栖类的活动性明显高于阴天（p<0.001）；多云转晴天气，高原林蛙和岷山蟾蜍亚成体出现两次日活动高峰，分别为中午12:30左右和下午15:30～16:30之间；多云天气，高原林蛙和岷山蟾蜍亚成体出现两次日活动高峰，分别为9:30～10:30之间和15:30～16:30之间。 3、两栖类的食物资源利用状况：春、秋两季，高原林蛙最主要的食物是蜉金龟科(Aphodiidae)昆虫，相对重要性指数(IRI)最高（春季：35.28%，秋季：28.57%），其次为昆虫的幼虫，以及双翅目的毛蚊科(Bibionidae)、蝇科(Muscidae)、丽蝇科(Calliphoridae)昆虫，秋季，蝗虫是高原林蛙食物组成中的重要部分；岷山蟾蜍最主要的食物是蚂蚁(IRI，春季：85.54%，秋季：49.70%)，其次为蜉金龟科、象甲科(Curculionidae)、步甲科(Carabidae)、粪金龟科(Geotrupidae) 等鞘翅目昆虫；倭蛙春季的最主要食物也是蜉金龟科昆虫(IRI，春季：13.41%)，其次为蚂蚁、毛蚊科昆虫、昆虫的幼虫以及狼蛛科(Lycosidae)。3种两栖类中，倭蛙的食性生态位宽度相对较宽（0.43），而岷山蟾蜍（0.09）和高原林蛙（0.22）的生态位宽度较窄，与春季相比，两栖类在秋季的食谱更宽。以利用食物种类为标准，春季高原林蛙与倭蛙的生态位重叠度(0.40)比它与岷山蟾蜍的生态位重叠度（0.33）更大。 4、畜牧业对两栖类食性及食物竞争格局的影响：以藏牦牛粪为食物或寄居场所的昆虫，如蜉金龟科、粪金龟科、毛蚊科、蝇科、丽蝇科昆虫和某些昆虫幼虫，是3种两栖类食物谱中最主要的组成部分，蜉金龟科昆虫在高原林蛙食谱中的比例更高，高原林蛙可能从畜牧业发展中获得更多的好处，使之在食物竞争方面处于优势地位。与无放牧样地相比，在有放牧样地的中，两栖类食谱中的蜉金龟科昆虫数量更多(有放牧：31.94%；无放牧：21.32%)、出现频率更高(有放牧：76.38%；无放牧：44%)。然而在不同样地上（有放牧/无放牧），两栖类的食物组成无显著性差异(P=0.188)，两栖类的数量(P=0.075)、肥满度(P=0.537)均没有显著差别。 5、两栖类幼体的竞争策略：实验室条件下，通过活动性水平，变态时的体重、增长率和完成变态所需时间考察自然条件下常同水塘分布的中华蟾蜍（Bufo gargarizans）和高原林蛙蝌蚪的竞争策略。结果表明：中华蟾蜍蝌蚪在不同食物资源条件下，所选择的生存策略可能不同，即食物资源充足时，增加活动性获取更多食物，食物资源有限时，降低活动性且提前完成变态；与中华蟾蜍蝌蚪相比，在食物资源有限时高原林蛙蝌蚪获取食物能力可能更强。 This paper presented the study of competition of three amphibians (Rana kukunoris, Nanorana pleskei, Bufo minshanicus) based on spatial, temporal and dietary scales in Zoige wetland. We measured coexistence patterns of three amphibians and analyzed their ability of exploiting resource. Effects of grazing on the diet composition and diet competition of amphibians were analyzed by their diet composition during spring and autumn. Furthermore, we examined the competitive ability of larval common frogs (Rana kukunoris)and common toads(Bufo gargarizans) in a laboratory experiment, and analyzed their competitive strategies respectively. The results were as follows: 1 .The status of using spatial resource Niche breadths of B. minshanicus adults on 5 dimensional axes including character of pasture(0.41), number of yaks dung(0.42), vegetation coverage(0.20), temperature (0.50)and humidity(0.51) of ground surface were narrower than adults of R. kukunoris and N. pleskei. Niche breadths of B. minshanicus subadults were broader than R.kukunoris subadults and N.pleskei subadults on 5 dimensional axes including character of pasture (0.66), number of yaks dung (0.58), vegetation height (0.64), distance to small waterbodies (0.51), humidity of ground surface (0.79). Niche breadths of N. pleskei subadults were the narrowest in three anurans subadults on 4 dimensional axes including character of pasture (0.39), number of yaks dung (0.30), temperature (0.18) and humidity (0.33) of ground surface, niche breadths of N. pleskei adults were the broadest in three anurans adults on 4 dimensional axes including number of yaks dung (0.81), vegetation height (0.63) and coverage(0.47), distance to small waterbodies(0.68).Comparatively, niche breadths of R. kukunoris were broader on the two microclimate factors including temperature(adults：0.62；subadults：0.56) and humidity (adults：0.84；subadults：0.60)of ground surface, but was narrow on distance to small waterbodies(adults：0.27；subadults：0.14). Strategies for using habitat resource of adults and subadults of the three species anuran were different. Generally, subadults of R. kukunoris and N. pleskei needs better habitat condition. It was quite similar that three anurans exploited spatial resource, Niche overlap between R. kukunoris and N. pleskei (0.87) was greater than that between R. kukunoris and B.minshanicus(0.81). 2.Daily activity rhythm R. kukunoris audlts were active when air temperatures were as low as 0℃, R. kukunoris subadults were active at 2℃, B.minshanicus subaudlts were active at 8℃. Positive correlation was found between activities of amphibians and air temperature, Subadults of R.kukunoris, (r=0.797, p<0.001), Subadults,of,B.minshanicus, (r=0.794, p<0.001), andbadults,of,R.kukunoris(r=0.456, p<0.05).Amphibians were more active during sunny days than cloudy days. In cloudy turning into sunny, R. kukunoris and B.minshanicus subadults had two active peak: at noon about 12:30 and 15:30～16:30 pm; in cloudy, R. kukunoris and B.minshanicus subadult had two active peak too : 9:30～10:30am,15:30～16:30pm. 3.Diet analysis Aphodiidae was the most commonly consumed food item by R. kukunoris based on index of relative importance (IRI) during spring (35.28%) and autumn (28.57%) in Zogie wetland. Besides Aphodiidae, larval insect, dipterans such as Bibionidae, Muscidae, Calliphoridae also were important food item for R. kukunoris, in autumn, locust was one of important food item for R. kukunoris. The most important food item for B.minshanicus during spring (IRI:85.54%) and autumn (IRI:49.70%) was ants, following, was coleopterans, such as Aphodiidae, dung beetle. Aphodiidae (IRI:13.41%) were the most important consumed food item by N. pleskei during spring too, following, was ants and Bibionidae. Dietary breadth of N. pleskei (0.43) were greater than R. kukunoris (0.22) and B. minshanicus (0.09). As a whole, Dietary breadth of amphibians during aurumn were greater than spring. Based on prey item, dietary overlap between R. kukunoris and N. pleskei (0.40) was greater than that between R. kukunoris and B.minshanicus (0.33) during spring. 4.Effects of grazing on the diet composition and diet competition of amphibians Amphibians are an important part of the pasture ecosystems as prey and predator. In Zogie wetland, major diet of amphibians was closely associated with dung of yaks, for example, Aphodiidae, Bibionidae, Muscidae, dung beetle. Dung of yaks was major diet and habitat of these insects. Proportion of Aphodiidae was higher in diet composition of R. kukunoris than N. pleskei and B.minshanicus, with development of pasturage, R. kukunoris may have a diet competitive advantage over N. pleskei and B.minshanicus. Number of Aphodiidae in diet composition of amphibians was higher in samples with grazing (31.94%) than in those without grazing (21.32%). Occurrence Frequency of Aphodiidae in diet composition of amphibians was higher in samples with grazing (76.38%) than in those without grazing (44%). However, There was not significantly different on diet composition (P=0.188), and number (P=0.075) and the relative fatness (P=0.537) of amphibians between grazing samples and without grazing. 5.Competitive strategies of amphibian larvae I examined the competitive ability of larval toads (Bufo gargarizans) and frogs (Rana kukunoris) which co-occur in the nature pond by activity level, the growth rate and mass at metamorphosis and larval period in a laboratory experiment. The results suggest: In laborary, B.gargarizans adapted himself to different food level by changing activity. At high food level, B. gargarizans increased activity to gain more diet. At low food level, B. gargarizans decreased activity and achieved early metamorphosis. When food resource was limit, R. kukunoris could gain more food than B. gargarizans.

长白山地区曲尾藓属植物生态分化的排序研究

The relationships of eight moss species of Dicranum in 31 sites in main ecological systems in the Changbai Mountain with environmental factors were studied by canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The results showed that altitude, soil sand percentage, water percentage, acidity and canopy density were important environmental factors influencing the distribution of the species of Dicranum . The relationships between Dicranum elongatum Schleich. ex Schwaegr ., D.groenlandicum Brid. and altitude,between D.japonicum Mitt., D.scoparium Hedw. and canopy density,between D.polysetum Sw., D. undulatum Schrad. ex Brid. and soil acidity and water percentage,were positively correlative. The niche overlaps among the eight species of Dicranum were calculated. The minimal spanning tree of the eight species on the two-dimensional scatter plot were also drawn based on their niche overlaps, which clearly revealed the ecological similarities of eight species.

黄土丘陵沟壑区退耕地自然恢复植被主要物种生态位特征

为了探究加速黄土丘陵沟壑区退耕地植被恢复过程的人工物种干扰措施如物种选择与搭配的科学依据,利用TWINSPAN分类方法对33个自然恢复的退耕地样方进行分类,得出退耕地在40 a内主要经历了5个群落演替阶段,分别为猪毛蒿群落、赖草群落、达乌里胡枝子+长芒草群落、铁杆蒿群落和白羊草群落。以各个群落的综合资源环境梯度为依据,对各群落主要物种生态位特征进行了分析。通过物种的生态位宽度和生态位重叠特征分析,提出了不同演替阶段的合理物种组合。

Responses of vegetative gametophytes of Undaria pinnatifida to high irradiance in the process of gametogenesis

The population of Undaria pinnatifida in its ecologic niche sustains itself in high temperature summer in the form of vegetative gametophytes, the haploid stage in its heteromorphic life cycle. Gametogenesis initiates when seawater temperature drops below the threshold levels in autumn in the northern hemisphere. Given that the temperature may fall into the appropriate range for gametogenesis, the level of irradiance determines the final destiny of a gametophytic cell, either undergoing vegetative cell division or initiating gametogenesis. In elucidating how vegetatively propagated gametophytes cope with changes of irradiance in gametogenesis, we carried out a series of culture experiments and found that a direct exposure to irradiance as high as 270 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1) was lethal to dim-light (7-10 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1)) adapted male and female gametophytes. This lethal effect was linearly corelated with the exposure time. However, dim-light adapted vegetative gametophytes were shown to be able tolerate as high as 420 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1) if the irradiance was steadily increased from dim light levels (7-10 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1)) to 90, 180 and finally 420 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1), respectively, at a minimum of 1-3 h intervals. Percentage of female gametophytic cells that turned into oogonia and were eventually fertilized was significantly higher if cultured at higher but not lethal irradiances. Findings of this investigation help to understand the dynamic changes of population size of sporophytic plants under different light climates at different site-specific ecologic niches. It may help to establish specific technical details of manipulation of light during mass production of seedlings by use of vegetatively propagated gametophytes.

Causes and consequences of changes in nutrient structure in the Jiaozhou Bay

Concentrations and ratios of nutrients in Jiaozhou Bay, China, have changed much in the past decades, with trends indicating an increase in nitrogen and a decrease in silicate. Statistical analysis has shown that the long-term variations of nutrients are associated with agricultural activities, precipitation, and anthropogenic factors. Stoichiometric calculations indicate that the nutrient structure has become more and more unbalanced. There has been almost no possibility for nitrogen limitation since the 1980s, the probability of P limitation has increased, and the probability of Si limitation has also increased markedly from the 1980s to the 1990s. As a consequence of changes in nutrient structure, a decrease in the abundance of net phytoplankton was evident, whereas total chlorophyll a levels have remained roughly unchanged at around 3.55 mu g/L. Thus, it is likely that smaller species have taken the niche vacated by the larger species. Changes in phytoplankton size and species composition may ultimately lead to various functional and structural changes at the system level.

Food utilization of adult flatfishes co-occurring in the Bohai Sea of China

Stomach contents were examined of 4527 adult individuals of 12 flatfish species collected during the 1982 - 1983 Bohai Sea Fisheries Resources Investigation. Their food habits, diet diversity, similarity of prey taxa, trophic niche breadth and diet overlap were systematically analysed. Ninety-seven prey species belonging to the Coelenterata, Nemertinea, Polychaeta, Mollusca, Crustacea, Echinodermata, Hemichordata and fish were found and five of them were considered to be principal prey for flatfishes: Alpheus japonicus, Oratosquilla oratoria, Alpheus distinguendus, Loligo japonicus and Crangon affinis. Among the flatfishes, Paralichthys olivaceus was piscivorous, whereas Pseodopleuronectes yokohamae and Pseudopleuronectes herzensteini both had polychaetes and molluscs as their main prey groups. Pleuronichthys cornutus was classified as a polychaete-mollusc eater, with a strong preference for crustaceans. Verasper variegatus, Cynoglossus semilaevis, Eopsetta grigorjewi and Cleisthenes herzensteini ate crustaceans. Kareius bicoloratus was classified as a mollusc-crustacean eater: Cynoglossus abbreviatus, Cynoglossus joyneri and Zebrias zebra were grouped as crustacean-fish eaters. However, Z. zebra also took polychaetes and C. abbreviatus and C. joyneri preyed on some molluscs. Trophic relationships among the flatfishes were complicated, but they occupied distinctive microhabitats in different seasons and selected their specific prey items, which was favourable to the stability of the flatfish community in the Bohai Sea.

Summer diet of two sympatric species of raptors Upland Buzzard (Buteo hemilasius) and Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) in alpine meadow: problem of coexistence

Summer diets of two sympatric raptors Upland Buzzards (Buteo hemilasius Temminck et Schlegel) and Eurasian Eagle Owls (Bubo bubo L. subsp. Hemachalana Hume) were studied in an alpine meadow (3250 m a.s.l.) on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. Root voles Microtus oeconomus Pallas, plateau pikas Ochotona curzoniae Hodgson, Gansu pikas O. cansus Lyon and plateau zokors Myospalax baileyi Thomas were the main diet components of Upland Buzzards as identified through the pellets analysis with the frequency of 57, 20, 19 and 4%, respectively. The four rodent species also were the main diet components of Eurasian Eagle Owls basing on the pellets and prey leftovers analysis with the frequency of 53, 26, 13 and 5%, respectively. The food niche breadth indexes of Upland Buzzards and Eurasian Eagle Owls were 1.60 and 1.77 respectively (higher value of the index means the food niche of the raptor is broader), and the diet overlap index of the two raptors was larger (C-ue = 0.90) (the index range from 0 - no overlap - to I - complete overlap). It means that the diets of Upland Buzzards and Eurasian Eagle Owls were similar (Two Related Samples Test, Z = -0.752, P = 0.452). The classical resource partitioning theory can not explain the coexistence of Upland Buzzards and Eurasian Eagle Owls in alpine meadows of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, differences in body size, predation mode and activity rhythm between Upland Buzzards and Eurasian Eagle Owls may explain the coexistence of these two sympatric raptors.

Defoliation, nitrogen, and competition: effects on plant growth and resource allocation of Cleistogenes squarrosa and Artemisia frigida

Two species, Artemisia frigida Willd. (C-3, semishrub, and dominant on overgrazed sites) and Cleistogenes squarrosa (Trin.) Keng (C-4, perennial bunchgrass, and dominant or codominant on moderately grazed sites) were studied to determine the effects of defoliation, nitrogen (N) availability, competition, and their interactions on growth, biomass, and N allocation in a greenhouse experiment. The main treatments were: two nitrogen levels (NO = 0 mg N pot(-1), N1 = 60 mg N pot(-1)), two defoliation intensities (removing 60% of total aboveground biomass and no defoliation), and three competitive replacement series (monocultures of each species and mixtures at 0.5:0.5). Our results were inconsistent with our hypothesis on the adaptive mechanisms of A. frigida regarding the interactive effects of herbivory, N, and competition in determining its dominant position on overgrazed sites. Cleistogenes squarrosa will be replaced by A. frigida on over-grazed sites, although C. squarrosa had higher tolerance to defoliation than did A. frigida. Total biomass and N yield and N-15 recovery of C. squarrosa in mixed culture were consistently lower than in monocultures, whereas those of A. frigida grown in mixtures were consistently higher than in monocultures, suggesting higher competitive ability of A. frigida. Our results suggest that interspecific competitive ability may be of equal or greater importance than herbivory tolerance in determining herbivore-induced species replacement in semi-arid Inner Mongolian steppe. In addition, the dominance of A. frigida on overgrazed sites has been attributed to its ability to shift plant-plant interactions through (lap colonization, root niche differentiation, and higher resistance to water stress.