Volcanic detrital sediments are a unique indicator for reconstructing the petrogenetic evolution of submarine volcanic terrains. Volcanic ash in surficial sediments around the Zhongsha Islands includes three kinds of ...Volcanic detrital sediments are a unique indicator for reconstructing the petrogenetic evolution of submarine volcanic terrains. Volcanic ash in surficial sediments around the Zhongsha Islands includes three kinds of volcanogenic detritus, i.e., brown volcanic glass, colorless volcanic glass and volcanic scoria. The major element characteristics show that bimodal volcanic activity may have taken place in the northern margin of the South China Sea, with brown volcanic glass and colorless volcanic glass repre- senting the mafic end-member and felsic end-member, respectively. Fractional crystallization is the main process for magma evolu- tion. The nature of the volcanic activity implies that the origin of volcanic activity was related to extensional tectonic settings, which is corresponding to an extensional geodynamic setting in the Xisha Trench, and supports the notion, which is based on geophysical data and petrology, that there may exist a mantle plume around the Hainan Island.展开更多
Abstract Nestedness is a pattern frequently reported for faunal assemblages in fragmented systems. Although nestedness has been documented for a wide range of taxa, it is rarely tested in snake assemblages. To arrive ...Abstract Nestedness is a pattern frequently reported for faunal assemblages in fragmented systems. Although nestedness has been documented for a wide range of taxa, it is rarely tested in snake assemblages. To arrive at robust generalizations about processes and mechanisms structuring island biotas, it is important to examine under-represented taxa such as snakes for the insights they may offer. We tested for the existence of nestedness and underlying causal mechanisms using snake data collected on islands in the Thousand Island Lake, China. We used the line-transect method to survey snake occupancy and abundance on 20 islands during two breeding seasons in 2009 and 2010. We used the recently developed metric WNODF to estimate nestedness. We used Spearman rank correlations to examine the associations of nestedness and habitat variables （area, isolation, and habitat diversity） as well as life-history traits （body size, clutch size, geographical range size and area requirement） related to species extinction and immigration tendencies. Snake assemblages were significantly nested and were shaped by extinction processes mediated through area effects and habitat nestedness. The nestedness of snake assemblages was not due to passive sampling or selective colonization. From a conservation viewpoint, our results indicate that we should protect both the largest island with the most species-rich community and habitat-rich islands to maximize the number of species preserved .展开更多
China and the United States join hands to combat climate change As global temperatures rise,wetland areas are shrinking,droughts descend frequently on what used to be fertile farmland,and some small islands are becomi...China and the United States join hands to combat climate change As global temperatures rise,wetland areas are shrinking,droughts descend frequently on what used to be fertile farmland,and some small islands are becoming completely submerged.展开更多
文摘Volcanic detrital sediments are a unique indicator for reconstructing the petrogenetic evolution of submarine volcanic terrains. Volcanic ash in surficial sediments around the Zhongsha Islands includes three kinds of volcanogenic detritus, i.e., brown volcanic glass, colorless volcanic glass and volcanic scoria. The major element characteristics show that bimodal volcanic activity may have taken place in the northern margin of the South China Sea, with brown volcanic glass and colorless volcanic glass repre- senting the mafic end-member and felsic end-member, respectively. Fractional crystallization is the main process for magma evolu- tion. The nature of the volcanic activity implies that the origin of volcanic activity was related to extensional tectonic settings, which is corresponding to an extensional geodynamic setting in the Xisha Trench, and supports the notion, which is based on geophysical data and petrology, that there may exist a mantle plume around the Hainan Island.
基金We thank two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on earlier version of the manuscript. We are grateful to Chunan Forestry Bureau and the Thousand Island Lake National Forest Park for permits necessary to conduct the research. This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （Nos. 31100394, 31170397）, the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation （No. 20070411192）, Zhejiang Provincial Postdoctoral Science Foundation, and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
文摘Abstract Nestedness is a pattern frequently reported for faunal assemblages in fragmented systems. Although nestedness has been documented for a wide range of taxa, it is rarely tested in snake assemblages. To arrive at robust generalizations about processes and mechanisms structuring island biotas, it is important to examine under-represented taxa such as snakes for the insights they may offer. We tested for the existence of nestedness and underlying causal mechanisms using snake data collected on islands in the Thousand Island Lake, China. We used the line-transect method to survey snake occupancy and abundance on 20 islands during two breeding seasons in 2009 and 2010. We used the recently developed metric WNODF to estimate nestedness. We used Spearman rank correlations to examine the associations of nestedness and habitat variables （area, isolation, and habitat diversity） as well as life-history traits （body size, clutch size, geographical range size and area requirement） related to species extinction and immigration tendencies. Snake assemblages were significantly nested and were shaped by extinction processes mediated through area effects and habitat nestedness. The nestedness of snake assemblages was not due to passive sampling or selective colonization. From a conservation viewpoint, our results indicate that we should protect both the largest island with the most species-rich community and habitat-rich islands to maximize the number of species preserved .
文摘China and the United States join hands to combat climate change As global temperatures rise,wetland areas are shrinking,droughts descend frequently on what used to be fertile farmland,and some small islands are becoming completely submerged.
