首页 | 本学科首页   官方微博 | 高级检索  
相似文献
 共查询到20条相似文献，搜索用时 31 毫秒
1.
We use population viability analysis of an endangered Florida scrub mint, Dicerandra frutescens, to specify the optimal fire return intervals for its long-term persistence and for its specific habitat. We derived 83 population projection matrices from 13 years of demographic data from eight populations, 59 matrices from scrub populations and 24 from firelane or yard edges. Seed dormancy and germination transitions were inferred based on experimental data and verified by comparing modeled vs. observed population trajectories. Finite rates of increase in scrub sites were highest shortly after fire and declined steeply through 10 years postfire. The break-even value of λ = 1 was passed quickly, in about six years, suggesting that populations >6 years postfire were already facing decline. The decline is probably related to the rapid growth of competing shrubs in the habitat of D. frutescens. In long-unburned sites, finite rates of increase were nearly always <1 and declined the most in the long-unburned site with no foot trails or treefall gaps. Finite rates of increase in firelane populations also declined with years since fire or last disking. The yard edge population showed λ values both >1 and <1, with no temporal trend. Stochastic simulations in scrub sites suggested an optimal regular fire return interval of about 6-12 years. Regular fires at this interval were more favorable than stochastic fire regimes, but stochasticity reduced extinction percentages at longer fire return intervals. Stochastic fire return intervals implied a wider optimal fire return interval of 6-21 years. We suggest that prescribed fire in Florida scrub on yellow sand has occurred (and needs to occur) more frequently than previously recommended.  相似文献   

2.
Brachycome muelleri Sonder (Corunna daisy) is an endangered annual herb, endemic to the upper Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. It is restricted to a single population occupying an area of approximately 3 ha on steep, south-facing cliff-foot slopes of the Baxter Hills. Its unique habitat, within an otherwise generally arid region, optimises soil moisture retention through the provision of concentrated water catchment, shade, and low evaporation rates during the growing season. Weeds had the potential to significantly disrupt recruitment, growth and reproductive output, but grazing did not constitute a direct threat to the population. Fresh seeds were innately dormant, requiring a period of after-ripening before they would germinate. Dormancy was artificially broken by gibberellic acid (GA3) treatment. Germination was optimal at 20 °C, and it was proposed that temperature plays an important role in regulating germination in situ. B. muelleri seeds did not respond to smoked water treatment, and GA3 (1000 mg l−1) was recommended as a routine seed treatment to stimulate germination. Trial translocations using seed as founder propagules resulted in low establishment, growth and flowering rates. Established seedlings provided several advantages over seed as founder propagules, including higher success rates, more vigorous growth, and improved seed yields in the first season. Successful regeneration, proliferation and expansion of a new translocated population was observed and recorded over four consecutive years. We suggest that conservation management of this species should include the establishment of several new populations by translocation to suitable, isolated, weed-free sites.  相似文献   

3.
Collection of plants and seeds from wild populations threatens a large number of cycad species. We investigated to what extent individual life history stages contribute to population growth (λ) and compared two species with major differences in life histories in the African genus Encephalartos: Encephalartos cycadifolius, a highly persistent grassland species that resprouts after fire, and Encephalartos villosus, a relatively fast growing, non-sprouting forest species. Several harvesting scenarios impacting different sized individuals were simulated to determine the sensitivity of the two functional types to harvesting. In both species λ was most sensitive to changes in abundance of adult plants. The harvesting of seeds had minimal impact on population growth rates, whereas harvesting of adult plants led to rapid population decline. This response from two very different functional types suggests that the conservation of adult plants is critical for all cycad species. Despite similar responses to adult mortality, the two species had substantially different population growth rates. This determined recovery time after harvesting of adult individuals. Encephalartos cycadifolius is typical of highly persistent plant species associated with low levels of recruitment and unable to recover from even small losses of adults within a reasonable conservation time frame (<100 years). Our results suggest that the ability to recover from loss of individuals is an important factor that should be considered when assessing the vulnerability of wild populations to threats.  相似文献   

4.
We investigated how soil disturbance from roadworks affects the population structures of roadside shrubs in an agricultural landscape of southern New South Wales, Australia. Size structures of Acacia pycnantha, A. montana and A. decora were assessed, and a separate dendroecological study undertaken. On a regional scale, populations were expanding, but classification of structures showed distinct groups of colonising, stable and senescent populations. Soil disturbance from previous roadworks was recorded in 88% of populations, and there was a significant relationship between major recruitment and roadworks events in Acacia populations situated along bitumen roads. For Acacia species, soil disturbance from roadworks are analogous to periodic disturbance from a natural fire regime, which in conjunction with historical changes in grazing pressure, are suggested as the main causes of increased Acacia recruitment. Ongoing management of disturbance regimes in roadside environments may be critical to Acacia persistence and associated fauna habitat.  相似文献   

5.
Although conservation and restoration practitioners have focused on maximizing aboveground population size and seed set of rare plants, a clear understanding of seed bank dynamics is crucial to managing these species. Santa Cruz tarplant (Holocarpha macradenia) is a threatened annual forb restricted to coastal prairie habitats in central California. Holocarpha produces disk achenes germinating within a year of production and ray achenes forming a persistent seed bank. We constructed both deterministic and stochastic demographic models for a restored Holocarpha population, using demographic rates measured separately for unmanipulated plants and plants growing in plots where vegetation was clipped. The deterministic models indicated that regardless of germination from the seed bank, the population would decline without clipping or similar treatments that enhance survival and reproductive output. Deterministic models showed only a slight positive effect of increased ray seed germination rates on population growth, which would need to be balanced against a potential loss of buffering against environmental variation as the dormant seed bank was reduced. Our stochastic simulations suggested that extinction risk for Holocarpha populations would be minimized by intermediate levels of ray seed germination. Thus, managers should focus on improving the performance of aboveground plants before considering actions to stimulate germination, since the former will yield a greater increase in deterministic population growth and not sacrifice any buffering effect of the seed bank. This case study emphasizes the importance of considering dormant seeds and seed banks in designing successful restoration and management strategies for plant species at risk of extinction.  相似文献   

6.
Accurate assessment of whether long-lived species are stable or declining is challenging. Life history characteristics such as delayed maturity result in relatively slow population responses to perturbations, so data should be collected across a relatively long time span. Because differential effects on age classes can be important, studies should also examine potential changes in the population's age structure. Moreover, multiple populations should be studied to indicate whether changes are regional or are restricted to local populations. We incorporated all three factors (long duration, multiple populations, age structure data) into our study of the conservation status of a long-lived aquatic salamander, the hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis. Over the 20+ years of this study, populations of hellbenders declined by an average of about 77%. This decline was characterized by a shift in size (age) structure, with a disproportionate decrease in numbers of young individuals. The change in density and age structure was consistent for populations in five rivers and for two subspecies (C. a. alleganiensis and C. a. bishopi), indicating that the decline is not restricted to one or two local populations. For the population with the most extensive data, the decline had clearly begun by the 1980s and there was a significant decrease in body condition over the period of the study. It is not known whether population declines for hellbenders have a single cause or whether each population has experienced independent declines.  相似文献   

7.
Anthropogenic habitats can offer opportunities for expansion of rare species. The federally listed herb Hypericum cumulicola is virtually restricted to natural gaps within fire-maintained Florida scrub, but also occurs within and along sandy roads traversing scrub. To test the hypothesis that sandy roads provide suitable habitat for H. cumulicola, we compared the demographic performance of scrub and road populations at the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest and Archbold Biological Station in south-central Florida. Twice a year in February and August 1997-2006, we assessed recruitment and survival; annually in August we also measured maximum height and estimated reproductive output of tagged individuals. Scrub population dynamics were more stable than road populations. Recruitment increased with rainfall in scrub populations, but not always in road populations. Compared with scrub populations, road populations were weedier, with more variable life spans, earlier flowering, and higher fecundity. Germination rates did not differ between individuals from different habitats, but varied depending on simulated weather conditions. The weedier life history may reflect a divergent selective environment (and perhaps an evolutionary and ecological trap). Alternatively, adaptive plasticity in H. cumulicola may allow the species to maintain populations in anthropogenic habitats that can serve as refugia for fire-suppressed scrub populations.  相似文献   

8.
Grevillea caleyi is an endangered plant species with a restricted range lying partly within Ku-ring-gai Chase and Garigal National Parks in NSW, Australia. The principle threatening processes affecting G. caleyi are habitat destruction and adverse fire regimes combined with high levels of seed predation. A stochastic, spatially explicit, individual-based model was constructed to investigate the population dynamics of small populations of the species and to determine the impact of a variety of management strategies. Results of model simulations indicate there is a high risk of population decline and local extinction in remnant sites with small populations under current management regimes. The most effective fire management strategy is to schedule fires that burn 20-100% of sub-populations every 5-15 years, in combination with reduced predation rates. When predation management strategies are employed in conjunction with a structured fire regime, then a 20-30% reduction in predation rates can improve the chance of long-term persistence substantially.  相似文献   

9.
Although several plants endemic to Corsica and Sardinia are included in various redlists, no attempts have been made to analyse their genetic diversity with molecular techniques. Genus Anchusa occurs with seven taxa in either mountain or coastal habitats of the two islands, but the very restricted range and low population size pose these endemisms in a very precarious conservation status. Highly variable markers (AFLP) were therefore used to analyse the patterns and levels of genetic diversity in a sample of 11 populations from the entire range of the group.Results indicate the separation between a mountain genic pool including Anchusa formosa, Anchusa capellii and Anchusa montelinasana, and four groups of coastal accessions. In spite of small size, mountain taxa show low interpopulation differentiation (Fst = 0.02) and relatively high intrapopulation genetic variation (0.365), while coastal accessions showed on average a stronger differentiation (mean Fst = 0.20) and a lower diversity (0.281), possibly due to higher rates of inbreeding. The particularly low levels of variation found in A. sardoa, A. littorea and A. crispa ssp. maritima from the Coghinas bay are likely due to a historical decrease of populations and to bottleneck events caused by loss of habitat and natural stochastic factors on sand dune ecosystems. While habitat maintenance and regulation of grazing by domestic herbivores should be sufficient to ensure the persistence of the mountain endemics, additional actions of in situ and ex situ conservation are needed for the critically endangered coastal species A. sardoa and A. littorea. A. crispa showed a relatively high variation, especially on Corsica. No correlation between population size and genetic variation was found in the latter species, highlighting the importance of the small patches for its conservation. Also, the genetic separation between subspecies crispa and maritima stresses the need of keeping them distinct in redlists and conservation actions on Sardinia.  相似文献   

10.
We examined germination and seedling survival of Petrocoptis grandiflora and Petrocoptis viscosa (Caryophyllaceae), two narrow endemic species from the northwest Iberian Peninsula. The experiments were carried out with seeds of three of eight populations of P. grandiflora and one of the three sole populations of P. viscosa. Under natural conditions, both P. grandiflora and P. viscosa produce very large numbers of seeds. However, the specific microhabitat of these species (cracks and crevices of limestone rockfaces) has very marked effects on seed germination, and subsequent seedling survival. In the present study, we examined the effects of light, cold treatment and seed weight on germination capacity. In the case of P. grandiflora, we also compared the germination of seeds of the different populations. In addition, we assessed seedling survival over a 1-year period. Seeds maintained in darkness showed higher germination percentages than seeds maintained with a 12:12 h photoperiod. The application of a short period of cold prior to germination had no significant effect in either species. In the case of P. grandiflora, population of origin had a significant effect on germination percentage. Of all the factors considered, seed weight was the most important source of variability, both in seed germination and subsequent seedling survival. In both species in the natural habitat, less than 10% of germinated seeds survived by the end of the year. Seedling survival was affected by microhabitat. Seedlings in non-rockface soil microhabitats were more likely to suffer herbivory or interspecific competition than seedlings in crevices in the rockface.  相似文献   

11.
Germination of wild and managed populations of columnar cacti was compared to analyze differences associated to management intensity. The species studied: Polaskia chende, Escontria chiotilla, Myrtillocactus schenckii, Polaskia chichipe, and Stenocereus pruinosus are in a gradient from lower to higher management intensity, respectively. Within each species wild, silvicultural, and cultivated populations also represent a gradient from lower to higher management intensity. We hypothesized that seeds of plants under higher management intensity would require more water to germinate than others since managed environments are relatively wetter than unmanaged environments. Such pattern could be visualized within and among species according to management intensity. We tested germination of seeds from different populations of the different species to the water potentials: 0.0, ?0.2, ?0.4, ?0.6, ?0.8, and ?1.0 MPa. In all species studied seeds of managed populations had significantly more mass than seeds from wild populations. Each species had different susceptibility to water availability decrease, which could be related to particular adaptations to drought resistance. Stenocereus pruinosus and Polaskia chende were the most and least susceptible species, respectively. In control treatments of all species, seeds of managed populations had higher germination rate than seeds from wild populations, but when water availability decreased the pattern was the contrary. Our results suggest that artificial selection for larger fruits and heavier seeds in plants established in wetter environments have affected germination patterns. Although species have particular critical points of water availability for germination, differences in germination patterns are more pronounced according to management and artificial selection intensity.  相似文献   

12.
A population viability analysis (PVA) was conducted to assess the minimum viable population (MVP) of the Atlantic Forest spiny rat Trinomys eliasi, a species threatened by habitat loss and restricted geographical distribution. Objectives were to suggest quasi-extinction thresholds, estimate minimum areas of suitable habitat (MASH) and MVPs, and compare results with the species’ current status. The computer package VORTEX was used. The model predicted sizes of 200 animals to achieve demographic stability, but buffering declines in genetic variability required populations of 2000 animals. Estimated MASHs were approximately 250 and 2500 ha for demographic and genetic stability, respectively. Mortality rate and mean litter size were the most sensitive parameters to changes in model assumptions. The protection of known populations and the search for extant populations are the first steps in conservation. T. eliasi's issue could help protecting the coastal shrubland ecosystem of Rio de Janeiro state. Observing IUCN's criteria for listing threatened species, it is suggested that T. eliasi should be ranked as vulnerable in red lists.  相似文献   

13.
We investigated how habitat fragmentation affects the movement of marked bumblebees between plant patches in a temperate conservation area in metropolitan Boston, Massachusetts. Our study was conducted on populations of sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia L. f.) separated by a road and natural woodland, and buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis L.) separated by a railroad. Bumblebees showed high site fidelity and only rarely crossed roads or railroads. When bees captured at one sweet pepperbush population were moved across a road to a new sweet pepperbush population and released, they returned to their original site, some within 20 min of their capture. When all inflorescences were removed from one sweet pepperbush patch, most bees moved to another sweet pepperbush population on the same side of the road. The results show that while bumblebees have the ability to cross a road and railroad, these human structures may restrict bumblebee movement and act to fragment plant populations because of the innate site fidelity displayed by foraging bees. Moreover, marked bees were almost never observed to move between populations unless they were displaced, or forced to seek additional forage sites.  相似文献   

14.
In forest restoration areas in northern Ethiopia, natural regeneration of Olea europaea ssp. cuspidata only occurs under pioneer shrubs. To assess the impact of erosion on the spatial distribution of Olea recruits, secondary dispersal of olive seeds by surface runoff was determined in and near the micro-environment of two important pioneers (Acacia etbaica and Euclea racemosa). We hypothesized that (1) Olea seeds deposited under the protective crowns of shrubs are less likely to be lost by surface wash than seeds in the bare inter-plant areas and (2) that seeds in the latter are more prone to be translocated by runoff to microsites under shrubs than to open areas.  相似文献   

15.
《Biological conservation》2002,103(2):151-161
In this paper we assess the conservation status of five of the most threatened species in the Pyrenean range (listed in the European Habitats Directive), and present updates of their distribution, reliable censuses to estimate population sizes, population growth rate, population structure, longevity, reproductive success and frequency of herbivory. Recent surveys and careful censuses revealed that the four taxa exclusively restricted to rocky habitats (Borderea chouardii, Androsace pyrenaica, Petrocoptis pseudoviscosa, Petrocoptis montsicciana) have more populations and/or individuals than previously thought. The remaining species, an orchid (Cypripedium calceolus), showed an important decline in population number. So while the rupicolous taxa might be considered naturally rare, the orchid is becoming rare. We failed to find evidence of current poor performance within populations, as recruitment was detected, population growth rate was quite stable in recent years, fruit and seed set was apparently adequate, and herbivory and predation were absent or very low. Additionally, most of the species show a long life span, which might buffer them against demographic and environmental stochasticity in absence of human disturbance.  相似文献   

16.
Road verges have been proposed as refuges for vulnerable grassland species in the modern, changing landscape, but little comparative knowledge exists on how management regimes affect population dynamics of such species. We compared the effects of various management regimes on the population dynamics of Pimpinella saxifraga in road verges and pastures, using elasticities and LTRE analyses with underlying vital rates as model components in three road verges and three pastures in an agricultural landscape in W Norway. Under present management regimes, we observed slightly higher population growth rates in pastures than in road verges. The pasture populations had comparatively lower survival but higher reproduction than the road verge populations, thus demonstrating a management-induced negative correlation. Such negative correlations may reflect species’ adaptability to environment changes, thereby reducing the extinction risk. We generally observed small changes in P. saxifraga demography to management but considerable variation along environmental gradients, underlining the importance of studying multiple populations. The linear form of the road verges enabled a fine-scale mosaic application of different management regimes. Individuals growing in zones receiving survival-lowering management produced seeds that compensated the lack of seeds in zones receiving fertility-lowering management. The observation of ‘mosaic’ management that allows road verge metapopulations to complement each others life-history characteristics exemplifies the unique potential of road verge ecosystems to maintain semi-natural grassland species like P. saxifraga, as well as providing habitats for different species exhibiting various life histories.  相似文献   

17.
A semi-annual eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) population became extinct in 2004. It had flourished for many decades at Terschelling in the western Wadden Sea, one of the most eutrophied locations where seagrass growth has been recorded. Semi-annual populations survive the winter season by seed (annual), and by incidental plant survival (semi-annual). We compared seed bank dynamics and fate of plants between this impacted site and a reference site in the winter of 1990-1991. Seed bank density at Terschelling was extremely low (5-35 seeds m−2) in comparison to the reference site (>60 seeds m−2) and also in comparison to seed bank densities of (semi-)annual eelgrass populations in other parts of the world. Plant survival during winter was nil. Nevertheless, the population more than doubled its area in 1991, implying maximum germination and seedling survival rates. However, from 1992 onwards the decline set in and continued - while the nutrient levels decreased. To establish the cause of the low seed bank density, we conducted a transplantation experiment in 2004 to study the relationship between seed production and macro-algal cover. The transplantation experiment showed a negative relationship between the survival of seed producing shoots and suffocation by macro-algae, which is associated with light limitation and unfavourable biogeochemical conditions. The plants died before they had started to produce seeds. Thus, it is likely that macro-algal cover was responsible for the low seed bank density found in Terschelling in 1990-1991. Both the recorded low seed bank density and absence of incidental plant survival during winter were related to eutrophication. These parameters must have been a severe bottleneck in the life history of the extinct population at the impacted site, particularly as Z. marina seed banks are transient. Therefore we deduce that this population had survived at the edge of collapse, and became extinct after a small, haphazard environmental change. We argue that its resilience during these years must have been due to (i) maximum germination and seedling survival rates and (ii) spatial spreading of risks: parts of the population may have survived at locally macro-algae-free spots from where the area could be recolonised. As a consequence, the timing of the collapse was unpredictable and did not synchronise with the eutrophication process. The lesson learnt for conservation is to recognise that eutrophication may be a cause for seagrass population collapse and its eventual extinction, even years after nutrient levels stabilised, or even decreased.  相似文献   

18.
Plantago cordata, the heart-leaved plantain, is a species of woodland streams that was formerly widespread in the eastern United States, but is now restricted to a few widely scattered localities. Visits to previously sampled sites confirmed that the species is on the decline. Detailed studies were made of populations on one stream system in North Carolina. Demographic studies of an originally vigorous population on a gravel bar showed that the population declined in numbers, average plant size, and reproductive output. The overall population along the whole stream system showed much less change, suggesting frequent localised shifts in population number. Morphological measurements on plants grown from seed under standard conditions showed genetic differentiation between populations within the stream system, as well as extensive genetic variation within populations. Measurements of reproductive effort on field-collected and herbarium specimens showed that P. cordata had the fewest seeds per unit leaf area of any Plantago species studied. A high rate of habitat destruction, subsequent high adult mortality but low reproductive output, low dormancy and low dispersal capacity between stream systems appeared to be the major reasons for the decline of the species. The requirement of the species for large leaves to intercept light, and extensive roots for anchorage, places limits on evolutionary shifts towards greater reproductive effort. Changes in the dispersal mechanism would entail a major evolutionary reorganisation of the present specialised water dispersal mechanism based on two seeds joined by a spongy placenta. It is emphasised that there is no a priori reason why evolutionary shifts should be more rapid in declining than in stable or increasing populations. Unlike the many weedy species in the genus, P. cordata appears to have been adapted to long-standing, stable stream environments of climax hardwood forests, and in spite of considerable physiological flexibility, has a life cycle that is not preadapted to shifting, highly unstable, man-made environments.  相似文献   

19.
以采集于河西走廊中部荒漠边缘的苦豆子(Sophora alopecuroides L.)和披针叶黄华(Thermopsis lanceolate L.)种子为试验材料, 以不同渗透势PEG-6000 溶液模拟干旱条件, 研究了2 种植物种子萌发和幼苗生长对干旱胁迫的响应特征。研究结果显示, 随着干旱胁迫程度的加剧, 2 种植物种子吸胀速率、萌发率、萌发指数、活力指数、苗高、根长和组织饱和含水量等指标均表现出明显降低趋势, 而幼苗干重、根干重和根冠比均呈先升后降趋势。2 种植物种子萌发对干旱胁迫均较为敏感, 苦豆子和披针叶黄华种子能够萌发的最低渗透势阈值分别为-0.65 MPa 和-0.42 MPa。2 种植物因干旱胁迫未能萌发的种子复水后萌发率均较高。分析认为, 2 种植物种子萌发和幼苗生长对干旱胁迫的响应特征对幼苗的成功定植和种群的自然更新具有重要生态学意义, 但在人工栽培时保证土壤墒情应是保障建植成功的关键措施。  相似文献   

20.
Many ecological studies have pointed out maternal effects in plants and shown that plant maternal environment influences germination of their seed and subsequent seedling growth. However, few have tested for maternal effects induced by soil macroorganisms. We tested whether two earthworm species (Aporrectodea caliginosa and Lumbricus terrestris) trigger such maternal effects on seed germination and seedling growth of three plant species (Veronica persica, Poa annua and Cerastium glomeratum). Our results show that, through maternal effects, A. caliginosa enhanced seed germination (V. persica and P. annua) and seedling growth (C. glomeratum and P. annua) while L. terrestris reduced seed germination only in V. persica. In some cases, the increase in germination rates of seeds produced in the presence of earthworms was associated with a reduction of nitrogen content in seeds. These results show that earthworms induce maternal effects in plants and that the size and direction of these effects depend on the combination of plant and earthworm species.  相似文献   

设为首页 | 免责声明 | 关于勤云 | 加入收藏

Copyright©北京勤云科技发展有限公司  京ICP备09084417号