Diversity of Orchids in Terms of Their Distribution, Uses and Conservation in Annapurna Conservation Area of Nepal

The Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA), the first conservation area and the largest protected area (PA) in Nepal, is incredibly rich in biodiversity. Notwithstanding this, orchids in the ACA have not been explored enough yet thus making the need for ambitious research to be carried out. Previous study only included 81 species of orchids within ACA. This study aims to update the record of species and genera richness in the ACA. In total 198 species of orchids, belonging to 67 genera (40% and 62% of the total recorded orchid species and genera in Nepal) has been recorded in ACA. This represents an increase of 144% in species and 56% in genera over the previous data. Out of the 198 species, 99 were epiphytes, 6 were holomycotrophic and 93 were terrestrial. Among the 67 genera, Bulbophyllum (17) species were dominant, followed by Dendrobium (16), Herminium (10), Coelogyne, Plantanthera (9 each), Eria, Habenaria, Oberonia (8 each), Calanthe (7), and Liparis (6). Fifty-six species were found to be ornamentally significant and 85 species medicinally significant.

Modelling the spatial distribution of snake species in northwestern Tunisia using maximum entropy(Maxent) and Geographic Information System(GIS)

We used GIS and maximum entropy to predict the potential distribution of six snake species belong to three families in Kroumiria（Northwestern Tunisia）： Natricidae（Natrix maura and Natrix astreptophora）, Colubridae（Hemorrhois hippocrepis, Coronella girondica and Macroprotodon mauritanicus）, and Lamprophiidae（Malpolon insignitus）. The suitable habitat for each species was modelled using the maximum entropy algorithm, combining presence field data（collected during 16 years：2000–2015） with a set of seven environmental variables（mean annual precipitation, elevation, slope gradient,aspect, distance to watercourses, land surface temperature and normalized Differential Vegetation Index. The relative importance of these environmental variables was evaluated by jackknife tests and the predictive power of our models was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic. The main explicative variables of the species distribution were distance from streams and elevation, with contributions ranging from 60 to 77 and from 10 to 25%,respectively. Our study provided the first habitat suitability models for snakes in Kroumiria and this information can be used by conservation biologists and land managers concerned with preserving snakes in Kroumiria.

Environmental Correlates of Distribution of the 25 Broad-leaved Tree Species Indigenous to Guangdong Province,China

Twenty-five tree species indigenous to Guangdong Province were chosen in this study to portray their distribution patterns in relation to environmental factors. Both data of species distribution and environmental factors were tabulated based on a digitized map of Guangdong Province gridded at 0.5° latitude × 0.5° longitude. Grid-based diversity was mapped using DMAP, a distribution mapping program, and horizontal patterns were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis tests. The diversity center of the indige- nous tree species under study is located north of 23° N. These tree species exhibit significant latitudinal variation (P = 0.007 4), but no significant longitudinal difference (P = 0.052 2). Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS) identified five different ecological species groups, while Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) showed the distribution of tree species along each of the five envi- ronmental gradients. An understanding of the environmental correlates of distribution patterns has great implication for the introduc- tion of the indigenous tree species for afforestation.

Species composition,distribution patterns and ecological functions of biological soil crusts in the Gurbantunggut Desert

As one of the most important biological factors that maintain the stability of the largest fixed and semi-fixed desert in China,the Gurbantunggut Desert,the biological soil crusts (BSCs) develop well and play critical ecological roles in the desert ecosystem. In this paper,we briefly summarize our research findings since 2002 including species composition,distribution pattern and ecological functions of BSCs in the desert. Our results indicate abundant species diversity of BSCs in the Gurbantunggut Desert in comparison to other deserts in China. At the scales of sand dune or whole desert,the distribution patterns of BSCs are location-specific. The existence of BSCs in this desert could:(1) accelerate the formation of desert soil and the weathering of minerals; (2) accumulate organic matter in surface soil through related species in soil crusts; (3) enhance the abilities of sand surface to resist wind erosion; (4) influence seed germination of vascular plants; and (5) enhance the production of dew deposition on sandy soil surface.

Species distribution of polymeric aluminium ferrum——timed complexation colorimetric analysis method of Al-Fe-Ferron

The effects of the calorimetric buffer solutions were investigated while the two colorimetric reactions of AI-ferron complex and Fe-ferron complex occurred individually, and the effects of the testing wavelength and the pH of the solutions were also investigated. A timed complexatian colorimetric analysis method of Al-Fe-ferron in view of the total concentration of {AI + Fe} was then established to determine the species distribution of polymeric Al-Fe. The testing wavelength was recommended at 362 net and the testing pH value was 5. With a comparison of the ratios of n(Al)/n(Fe), the standard adsorption curves of the polymeric Al-Fe solutions were derived from the experimental results. Furthermore, the solutions' composition were carious in both the molar n(Al)/n(Fe) ratios, i.e. 0/0, 5/5, 9/1 and 0/10, and the concentrations associated with the total ( Al + Fe which ranged from 10(-5) to 10(-4) mol/L..

Species and Distribution of Rice Root Nematode in Yunnan Province, China

Rice root nematodes, Hirschmanniella spp. parasitize in the roots of rice and water plantspread widely. Ten species of the genus Hirschmanniella Luc et Goody, 1964 (Nemata:Pratylenchidae) collected from the root of rice in Yunnan Province are reported. They areH. belli, H. caudacrena, H. diversa, H. gracilis, H. imamuri, H. mexicana, H. microtyla,H. mucronata, H. oryzae and H. spinicaudata, including seven species of importantpathogenic nematodes of rice and two dominant species H. oryzae and H. imamari. Generally,the trend of species composition pattern is H. oryzae and H. imamari, which is a commoncomposition pattern in the world, but the species composition mode varies with thedifference of altitude and latitude. Their distribution relates to altitude and latitudeclosely, and also to the type of rice, such as indica or japonica rice.

Biodiversity and Invasibility: Distribution Patterns of Invasive Plant Species in the Himalayas, Nepal

Invasive plant species are exerting a serious threat to biological diversity in many regions of the world. To understand plant invasions this study aims to test which of the two plant invasiveness hypotheses; ‘low native diversity' vs. ‘high native diversity', is supported by the regional distribution patterns of invasive plant species in the Himalayas,Nepal. This study is based on data retrieved from published literatures and herbarium specimens. The relationship between invasive plant species distribution patterns and that of native plant species is elucidated by scatter plots, as well as by generalized linear models. The native plant species and invasive plant species have similar distribution patterns and the maximum number of invasive plant species is found in the same altitudinal range where the highest richness for native tree species is found. There is a clear trend of higher invasive plant richness in regions where native tree species richness is relatively high.Consequently, the native plant richness is highest in the central phytogeographic region, followed by the eastern and the western regions, respectively. The invasive plant species also follows a similar trend.Additionally, the invasive plant species richness was positively correlated with anthropogenic factors such as human population density and the number of visiting tourists. This study supports the hypothesis that ‘high native diversity' supports or facilitates invasive plant species. Further, it indicates that nativeand invasive plant species may require similar natural conditions, but that the invasive plant species seem more dependent and influenced by anthropogenic disturbance factors.

Potential distributional shifts in North America of allelopathic invasive plant species under climate change models

Predictive studies play a crucial role in the study of biological invasions of terrestrial plants under possible climate change scenarios.Invasive species are recognized for their ability to modify soil microbial communities and influence ecosystem dynamics.Here,we focused on six species of allelopathic flowering plants-Ailanthus altissima,Casuarina equisetifolia,Centaurea stoebe ssp.micranthos,Dioscorea bulbifera,Lantana camara,and Schinus terebinthifolia-Xhat are invasive in North America and examined their potential to spread further during projected climate change.We used Species Distribution Models(SDMs)to predict future suitable areas for these species in North America under several proposed future climate models.ENMEval and Maxent were used to develop SDMs,estimate current distributions,and predict future areas of suitable climate for each species.Areas with the greatest predicted suitable climate in the future include the northeastern and the coastal northwestern regions of North America.Range size estimations demonstrate the possibility of extreme range loss for these invasives in the southeastern United States,while new areas may become suitable in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada.These findings show an overall northward shift of suitable climate during the next few decades,given projected changes in temperature and precipitation.Our results can be utilized to analyze potential shifts in the distribution of these invasive species and may aid in the development of conservation and management plans to target and control dissemination in areas at higher risk for potential future invasion by these allelopathic species.

Species abundance distribution models of Toona ciliata communities in Hubei Province,China

The study of plant species abundance distribution(SAD)in natural communities is of considerable importance to understand the processes and ecological rules of community assembly.With the distribution of tree,shrub and herb layers of eight natural communities of Toona ciliata as research targets,three diff erent ecological niche models were used:broken stick model,overlapping niche model and niche preemption model,as well as three statistical models:log-series distribution model,log-normal distribution model and Weibull distribution model,to fi t SAD of the diff erent vegetation layers based on data collected.Goodness-of-fi t was compared with Chi square test,Kolmogorov–Smirnov(K–S)test and Akaike Information Criterion(AIC).The results show:(1)based on the criteria of the lowest AIC value,Chi square value and K–S value with no signifi cant diff erence(p>0.05)between theoretic and observed SADs.The suitability and goodness-of-fi t of the broken stick model was the best of three ecological niche models.The log-series distribution model did not accept the fi tted results of most vegetation layers and had the lowest goodness-of-fi t.The Weibull distribution model had the best goodness-of-fi t for SADs.Overall,the statistical SADs performed better than the ecological ones.(2)T.ciliata was the dominant species in all the communities;species richness and diversity of herbs were the highest of the vegetation layers,while the diversities of the tree layers were slightly higher than the shrub layers;there were fewer common species and more rare species in the eight communities.The herb layers had the highest community evenness,followed by the shrub and the tree layers.Due to the complexity and habitat diversity of the diff erent T.ciliata communities,comprehensive analyses of a variety of SADs and tests for optimal models together with management,are practical steps to enhance understanding of ecological processes and mechanisms of T.ciliata communities,to detect disturbances,and to facilitate biodiversity and species conservation.

SPECIES COMPOSITION, HORIZONTAL DISTRIBUTION AND SEASONAL SUCCESSION OF PHYTOPLANKTON IN THE CHANNEL FROM DONGTING LAKE TO THE CHANGJIANG RIVER, CHINA

The species composition, horizontal distribution and seasonal succession of the phytoplankton at five sampling stations in the channel between Dongting Lake and the Changjiang River, China were studied from May 1995 to December 1997. A total of 416 taxa were observed; diatoms comprised the most diverse taxonomic group representing 58.2 % of the total species. The β-mesotrophic indicators were 92 taxa or 22 % of the total, the α-mesotrophic or α,β-eutrophic indicators decreased distinctly to 20 taxa or 4.8 % of the total. The species number and composition of various phyla were approximately similar at Stations 1, 2, 3 and 4, but at Station 5 the number of species was the minimum and the ratio of diatoms to total phytoplankton in the number of species was the highest. In seasonal succession of the phytoplankton species, the number was the highest in May and June, lower in December, January, March and July in the channel. The dominant species were different in different months. The ratio of diatoms species number to blue green algae and green algae species number diminished gradually from winter to summer and autumn, and then increased gradually from autumn to winter and early spring in the annual cycle. Margalef, Simpson and Shannon-Weaver diversity indices changed in different months, their values were higher in winter, lower in summer. Nygaard’s diatoms quotients were lower in winter, then in spring and autumn, higher in summer. These results indicated that the water quality was the best in winter, better in spring and autumn than in summer. The relationship between the structure of the phytoplankton community and the water environmental quality was discussed.

Species spatial distributions in a warm-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest in China

Spatial distribution is fundamental for understanding species coexistence mechanisms in forest communities.Here we comprehensively explored fine-scale spatial patterns of tree species in a secondary warm-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest community in north China.Aggregated distribution patterns were predominant.Species functional traits had no significant effects on their spatial patterns.The aggregation intensity decreased with increasing DBH and abundance.The multivariate linear stepwise regression showed that abundance and maximum DBH were correlated with the aggregation intensity.Our results partially confirm that species attributes(abundance,DBH)and habitat heterogeneity may primarily contribute to spatial patterns and species coexistence in this secondary forest.

Mapping the potential distribution suitability of 16 tree species under climate change in northeastern China using Maxent modelling

Knowledge on the potential suitability of tree species to the site is very important for forest management planning.Natural forest distribution provides a good reference for afforestation and forest restoration.In this study,we developed species distribution model(SDM)for 16 major tree species with 2,825 permanent sample plots with natural origin from Chinese National Forest Inventory data collected in Jilin Province using the Maxent model.Three types of environmental factors including bioclimate,soil and topography with a total of 33 variables were tested as the input.The values of area under the curve(AUC,one of the receiver operating characteristics of the Maxent model)in the training and test datasets were between 0.784 and 0.968,indicating that the prediction results were quite reliable.The environmental factors affecting the distribution of species were ranked in terms of their importance to the species distribution.Generally,the climatic factors had the greatest contribution,which included mean diurnal range,annual mean temperature,temperature annual range,and iosthermality.But the main environmental factors varied with tree species.Distribution suitability maps under current(1950-2000)and future climate scenarios(CCSM4-RCP 2.6 and RCP 6.0 during 2050)were produced for 16 major tree species in Jilin Province using the model developed.The predicted current and future ranges of habitat suitability of the 16 tree species are likely to be positively and negatively affected by future climate.Seven tree species were found to benefit from future climate including B etula costata,Fraxinus mandshurica,Juglans mandshurica,Phellodendron amurense,Populus ussuriensis,Quercus mongolica and Ulmus pumila;five tree species will experience decline in their suitable habitat including B.platyphylla,Tilia mongolica,Picea asperata,Pinus sylvestris,Pinus koraiensis;and four(Salix koreensis,Abies fabri,Pinus densiflora and Larix olgensis)showed the inconsistency under RCP 2.6 and RCP 6.0 scenarios.The maps of the habitat suitability can be used as a basis for afforestation and forest restoration in northeastern China.The SDMs could be a potential tool for forest management planning.

Measurement and analysis of species distribution in laser-induced ablation plasma of an aluminum–magnesium alloy

We proposed a theoretical spatio-temporal imaging method,which was based on the thermal model of laser ablation and the two-dimensional axisymmetric multi-species hydrodynamics model.By using the intensity formula,the integral intensity of spectral lines could be calculated and the corresponding images of intensity distribution could be drawn.Through further image processing such as normalization,determination of minimum intensity,combination and color filtering,a relatively clear species distribution image in the plasma could be obtained.Using the above method,we simulated the plasma ablated from Al-Mg alloy by different laser energies under 1 atm argon,and obtained the theoretical spatio-temporal distributions of Mg I,Mg II,Al I,Al II and Ar I species,which are almost consistent with the experimental results by differential imaging.Compared with the experimental decay time constants,the consistency is higher at low laser energy,indicating that our theoretical model is more suitable for the plasma dominated by laser-supported combustion wave.

Marine ecological risk assessment for the herbicide sulfometuron-methyl based on species sensitivity distribution approach

In recent years,herbicide sulfometuron-methyl(SM)has been used to kill the invasive plant Spartina alterniflora in some coastal areas of China,which may lead to the toxic effects on non-target marine organisms.The 96-h median effective concentrations(96-h EC50)of SM on six species of marine microalgae were measured in growth inhibition tests,and were then compared with other published toxicity data,based on which a method of species sensitivity distribution(SSD)was built to estimate the hazardous concentration of SM for 5%of species(HC5)and potentially affected fraction(PAF)for a certain concentration.Results indicate that SM exhibited a high toxicity to two species of green algae(Chlorella pacifica and Dunaliella salina)with a 96-h EC50 of 0.11 and 0.13 mg/L respectively,had a medium toxicity to two species of golden algae(Diacronema viridis and Isochrysis galbana)with a 96-h EC50 of 14.24 and 21.48 mg/L respectively,and showed a low toxicity to two species of diatoms(Skeletonema costatum and Phaeodactylum tricornutum)with a 96-h EC50 of 148.99 and>100 mg/L,respectively.The estimated values of HC5 and the predicted no-effect concentrations(PNEC)for SM were 0.077 and 0.015 mg/L,respectively.According to the current dosage for killing S.alterniflora in tidal flats in Fujian Province,China,SM entering the sea by spraying might cause the acute injury or death of 14%of marine species.This hazard could last for about a month for those sensitive species.Therefore,on the premise of inhibiting the growth of this invasive plant,the dosage of SM should be reduced as much as possible to avoid severe damage to the marine ecosystem.The results provide a valuable information for marine ecological risk assessment on SM and for marine environmental management.

Species and distribution of inorganic selenium in the Bohai Sea

For studying geochemical behavior of selenium, a marine investigation was conducted in September 1998 cruise in the Bohai Sea. Horizontal and vertical distributions of inorganic selenium and selenite were studied. The inorganic selenium varied from 0.73 to 2.41 nmol/L, with an average of 1.31 nmol/L; while selenite varied from 0.18 to 0.72 nmol/L with an average of 0.47 nmol/L. The average ratio of selenite to selenate was 0.68, and selenate was the predominant species of inorganic selenium in the most study area. Concentrations of inorganic selenium and selenite decreased with distance from the coast. No apparent variations of the concentration between surface and bottom was shown. There were two wa- ter masses in the area, one from the Huanghe (Yellow) River and other from the Yellow Sea. Of the two, Huanghe River was the major source of inorganic selenium.

Species distribution modeling in regions of high need and limited data： waterfowl of China

Background: A number of conservation and societal issues require understanding how species are distributed on the landscape, yet ecologists are often faced with a lack of data to develop models at the resolution and extent desired, resulting in inefficient use of conservation resources.Such a situation presented itself in our attempt to develop waterfowl distribution models as part of a multi-disciplinary team targeting the control of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in China.Methods: Faced with limited data, we built species distribution models using a habitat suitability approach for China's breeding and non-breeding(hereafter, wintering) waterfowl.An extensive review of the literature was used to determine model parameters for habitat modeling.Habitat relationships were implemented in GIS using land cover covariates.Wintering models were validated using waterfowl census data, while breeding models, though developed for many species, were only validated for the one species with sufficient telemetry data available.Results: We developed suitability models for 42 waterfowl species(30 breeding and 39 wintering) at 1 km resolution for the extent of China, along with cumulative and genus level species richness maps.Breeding season models showed highest waterfowl suitability in wetlands of the high-elevation west-central plateau and northeastern China.Wintering waterfowl suitability was highest in the lowland regions of southeastern China.Validation measures indicated strong performance in predicting species presence.Comparing our model outputs to China's protected areas indicated that breeding habitat was generally better covered than wintering habitat, and identified locations for which additional research and protection should be prioritized.Conclusions: These suitability models are the first available for many of China's waterfowl species, and have direct utility to conservation and habitat planning and prioritizing management of critically important areas, providing an example of how this approach may aid others faced with the challenge of addressing conservation issues with little data to inform decision making.

Variation of Cd concentration in various rice cultivars and derivation of cadmium toxicity thresholds for paddy soil by species-sensitivity distribution

It is imperative to derive an appropriate cadmium (Cd) health risk toxicity threshold for paddy soils to ensure the Cd con-centration of rice grains meet the food safety standard. In this study, 20 rice cultivars from the main rice producing areas in China were selected, and a pot-experiment was conducted to investigate transformation of Cd in paddy soil-rice system with 0 (CK), 0.3 mg kg–1 (T1) and 0.6 mg kg–1 (T2) Cd treatments in greenhouse. The results showed that Cd concentrations of rice grains existed signiifcant difference (P<0.05) in 20 rice cultivars under the same Cd level in soil. The Cd concentrations of rice grains of the CK, T1 and T2 treatments were in the range of 0.143–0.202, 0.128–0.458 and 0.332–0.806 mg kg–1, respectively. Marked differences of the ratios of Cd concentration for soil to rice grain (BCFs) and transfer factors (TFs, root to grain and straw to grain) among the tested cultivars were observed in this study. The bioconcentration factors (BCFgrain) and TFs of the 20 rice cultivars were 0.300–1.112 and 0.342–0.817, respectively. The TFs of Cd from straw to grain ranged from 0.366 to 1.71, with signiifcant differences among these 20 rice cultivars. The bioconcentration factors (BCFgrain) and TFs among the 20 rice cultivars ranged from 0.300–1.112 and 0.342–0.817, respectively. The species-sensitivity distribu-tion (SSD) of Cd sensitivity of the rice species could be iftted wel with Burr-III (R2=0.987) based on the data of BCFs. The toxicity threshold of Cd derived from SSD for the paddy soil was 0.507 mg kg–1 in the present study.

A study on zooplankton distribution patterns and indicator species in Kuroshio upstream area and adjacent East China Sea

On the basis of the data of zooplankton biomass and three major taxa—— Copepoda, Chaetognatha andSiphonophora of May-June 1986, July-August and December 1987, the distributional patterns and the indicator species of zooplankton in the Kuroshio and adjacent waters of the East China Sea are preliminarily studied. The results are as follows:The horizontal distribution of zooplankton biomass and the abundance of copepods, chaetognaths and siphonophores arecurred in the continent area northwest of Taiwan and the south-centre section of the East China Sea continent, which are the mix front of different waters. Zooplankton in the water area inside of Ryukyu Islands presented low abundance and high diversity. There are clear seasonal variations in zooplankton biomass and abundance in the study area. The strength or weakness of different water masses and fronts is the basic reason for the variations of zooplankton biomass and abundance.The species composition of zooplankton in the study area is complex and varies, however, the tropic oceanic species predominates overwhelmingly. The distribution of different ecotype species evidences the distribution of different water masses and the state of mixture. The indicator species of each water mass are listed in the paper so as to provide grounds for the variation of currents in the Kuroshio area.The temperature and salinity of sea water are important factors affecting zooplankton distribution, composition and diversity , however the role of salinity is major. With the replacement of one season by another, the correlative levels of temperature and salinity to various zooplankton taxa are more or less significant.

Eff ects of climate change on the potential habitat distribution of swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus under the species distribution model

Over the last decades,the species distribution model(SDM)has become an essential tool for studying the potential eff ects of climate change on species distribution.In this study,an ensemble SDM was developed to predict the changes in species distribution of swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus across diff erent seasons in the future(2050s and 2100s)under the climate scenarios of Representative Concentration Pathway(RCP)4.5 and RCP8.5.Results of the ensemble SDM indicate that the distribution of this species will move northward and exhibit evident seasonal variations.Among the four seasons,the suitable habitat for this species will be signifi cantly reduced in summer,with loss rates ranging from 45.23%(RCP4.5)to 88.26%(RCP.8.5)by the 2100s.The loss of habitat will mostly occur in the East China Sea and the southern part of the Yellow Sea,while a slight increase in habitat will occur in the northern part of the Bohai Sea.These fi ndings provide an information forecast for this species in the future.Such forecast will be helpful in improving fi shery management under climate change.

Mapping the current and future distributions of Onosma species endemic to Iran

Climate change may cause shifts in the natural range of species especially for those that are geographically restricted and/or endemic species.In this study,the spatial distribution of five endemic and threatened species belonging to the genus Onosma(including O.asperrima,O.bisotunensis,O.kotschyi,O.platyphylla,and O.straussii)was investigated under present and future climate change scenarios:RCP2.6(RCP,representative concentration pathway;optimistic scenario)and RCP8.5(pessimistic scenario)for the years 2050 and 2080 in Iran.Analysis was conducted using the maximum entropy(MaxEnt)model to provide a basis for the protection and conservation of these species.Seven environmental variables including aspect,depth of soil,silt content,slope,annual precipitation,minimum temperature of the coldest month,and annual temperature range were used as main predictors in this study.The model output for the potential habitat suitability of the studied species showed acceptable performance for all species(i.e.,the area under the curve(AUC)>0.800).According to the models generated by MaxEnt,the potential current patterns of the species were consistent with the observed areas of distributions.The projected climate maps under optimistic and pessimistic scenarios(RCP2.6 and RCP8.5,respectively)of 2050 and 2080 resulted in reductions and expansions as well as positive range changes for all species in comparison to their current predicted distributions.Among all species,O.bisotunensis showed the most significant and highest increase under the pessimistic scenario of 2050 and 2080.Finally,the results of this study revealed that the studied plant species have shown an acute adaptability to environmental changes.The results can provide useful information to managers to apply appropriate strategies for the management and conservation of these valuable Iranian medicinal and threatened plant species in the future.