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1.
Shrub is an important factor on structuring ground arthropod communities in desert ecosystems. In this study, in order to determine how shrubs and their species influence ground arthropod distribution patterns in a sandy desert scrubland dominated by two different shrub species, Calligonum mongolicum and Nitraria sphaerocarpa, the ground arthropods were sampled with pitfall traps during spring, summer and autumn. At the community level, total arthropod abundance was shown to be significantly higher under shrubs than in intershrub bare areas in spring; similar patterns occurred in terms of the richness of arthropod groups in the spring and over three seasons, suggesting season-specific shrub presence effects on arthropod activity. In addition, more arthropods were found under N. sphaerocarpa shrubs than under C. rnongolicum shrubs in autumn, suggesting season-specific effects of shrub species of arthropod activity, whereas more arthropods taxa were captured under C. mongoIicum than N. sphaerocarpa. At the trophic group level, the abundances of predator and herbivore arthropods were significantly greater under shrubs than in intershrub bare habitats, whereas herbivore arthropods were more abundant under N. sphaerocarpa than C. rnongolicum, and an opposite rule was detected for predator arthropods At the family level, the mean abundances of Carabidae, Curculionidae, Gnaphosidae and Lycosidae were significantly higher in the shrub microhabitats than in the intershrub bare habitat, there was no significant difference between habitats on the mean abundances of Formicidae and Tenebrionidae. The study results suggested that shrub presence and shrub species variation are important determinants of ground arthropod assemblages in this desert ecosystem, but the responses of ar- thropods differed among trophic and taxonomic groups. 相似文献
2.
Niche theory predicts that coexisting species with similar trophic requirements should demonstrate resource partitioning, particularly where resources are scarce. Conversely, this is not expected between species that do not share primary resources. This study analyses the patterns of spatial coexistence and habitat selection, on two spatial scales, of three species of semidesert regions in Morocco: the Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis), the Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) and the Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorius cursor). Co-occurrence analysis results point to between-species segregation on a macrohabitat scale. Hotelling's T test of the species-presence data showed a pattern of macrohabitat selection that diverged from habitat availability for the three species with differences among them. Both the classification tree and the pattern of microhabitat selection obtained by model averaging showed scant overlap between the Sandgrouse and the Courser, suggesting habitat partitioning between them on a fine scale. Our results confirm spatial segregation of the three species, especially between species with different trophic strategies: the Sandgrouse versus the Stone Curlew and the Courser. The latter two species were best segregated on a microhabitat scale, supporting the conclusions that macro- and microhabitat selection are major factors in bird community configuration in arid ecosystems and contributing to reduce potential competition. 相似文献
3.
The diel activity, microhabitat selection and thermobiology were investigated in Tarentola substituta, a gecko endemic to an arid Cape Verde island, S. Vicente. Standardized transects were performed recording the microhabitat availability and the body, soil, refuge, air temperatures, relative humidity, gecko category (juvenile, adult male or female) and activity status for each observation. Thermal conditions were monitored with data-loggers. The activity pattern of the species was strictly nocturnal, as desert geckos. All individuals selected rocks as diurnal refuges, but adults used more medium-sized rocks (scarce) and juveniles small rocks (abundant). Such selection was mostly attributable to the refuges thermal properties: small rocks attained higher temperatures due to their lower thermal inertia. Geckos behaved as tigmotherms when active by night and as thermoconformers with the substrate by day. Nocturnal body temperatures did not differ among gecko categories or microhabitats. However, since juveniles selected small rocks, their diurnal body temperatures became higher, sometimes possibly risking overheating. Territoriality, scarcity of optimal refuges, high conspecific densities and lack of ground-predators may explain why juveniles use thermally suboptimal microhabitats. Results suggest that ecological shifts (nocturnality, microhabitat selection) and lack of competitors allowed T. substituta to adapt to the archipelago’s demanding arid and hot conditions. 相似文献
4.
The diet of a species can help us to understand its natural history, ecological requirements, and strategies involved in searching for food. Liolaemus pseudoanomalus is a rare desert lizard where previous studies showed no seasonal, ontogenetic or sexual differences observed in microhabitat use; however the sexual dimorphism is evident in the number of precloacal pores and in the snout-vent length. In this work, we investigate if there are differences in the diet composition between sexes and age groups. Herein we describe the diet of L. pseudoanomalus, of the Central West Monte desert of Argentina, based on the analysis of 63 stomach contents. We found that ants are the most important food item and some characteristics of foraging behavior suggest similarities with other ant-eating lizards. 相似文献
5.
The co-existence of two species of spiny mouse of the genus Acomys is possible due to temporal segregation. While the common spiny mouse A. cahirinus is nocturnal, the golden spiny mouse A. russatus is diurnal when occurring with the former. An attempt was made to investigate the role of nest site as an environmental resource for competition between these two species. Nine heterospecific pairs of mice of both the same or opposite sexes were tested using an observation pen with two nesting places attached to each side. Each pair tested was observed in the pen over a period of 48h. In eight out of the nine different pairs, A. cahirinus occupied the original nest site of A. russatus. The replacement was found to be not random. The results of this study show that A. cahirinus selects a preferred nest site and its vacated nest sites can be utilized by A. russatus. 相似文献
6.
Assemblages of small bird species (<90 g body mass) from the Monte desert in Argentina were studied to analyze spatial and temporal variation in abundance and species richness. Mean species richness was higher during breeding season than in non-breeding season. The same pattern was observed in aerial insectivores, while granivores and substrate insectivores did not differ between breeding and non-breeding seasons. Overall bird abundance was similar across seasons. Species richness was positively correlated with bird abundance and negatively correlated with dominance; bird abundance and dominance were not correlated. These patterns could be explained by distinct responses of functional groups of birds; dominant species were granivores in the non-breeding season and aerial insectivores during the breeding season, and bird abundance in functional groups changed according to food supply. Most species are residents or regular migrants, while there are few nomadic and transient species. Predictable annual fluctuations in rainfall and resource availability should favor a migratory strategy more than nomadic movements. Similarly, breeding is strongly seasonal and most species start breeding when the first summer rains have generally not yet fallen. Finally, concordances in assemblage structure at local and regional scale suggest that similar mechanisms are acting on the local bird assemblages across the Monte. 相似文献
7.
Lucina Hernndez Robert R. Parmenter John W. Dewitt David C. Lightfoot John W. Laundr 《Journal of Arid Environments》2002,51(4):613
With 7 years data on coyote prey use and availability, we tested three predictions based on optimal foraging: (1) the proportion eaten of the most profitable item is constant regardless of availability, (2) under a constant density of higher ranked prey, there is no relationship between the proportion eaten of low profitability items and their density, (3) the ratio of number consumed to availability for the highest ranking prey item should be negatively related to availability. We tested these predictions with regression analyses. We found no significant linear relationship between lagomorph availability and use. There was no significant linear relationship between percent frequency of occurrence of rodents nor arthropods and their respective availabilities for two levels of availability of lagomorphs. We found a significant negative relationship between number consumed/number available to availability for lagomorphs but not for rodents nor arthropods. The results supported the three predictions and we concluded that coyotes are foraging optimally. 相似文献
8.
Changes in plant community structure and composition of the Mojave Desert in response to greater fire intensity and extent are likely to have strong bottom-up effects on the biological community. The objective of this study was to determine how expansive fire in Mojave Desert impacts small mammal communities across seasons. We sampled small mammals in paired burned (4–5 years post-fire) and unburned areas of Beaver Dam Wash in southwestern Utah. Fire reduced total abundance of small mammals, and species richness and species diversity of the small mammal community. Merriam’s kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami) responded positively to fire (15% greater in burned areas). Long-tailed pocket mouse (Chaetodipus formosus) and canyon mouse (Peromyscus crinitus) were 91% and 98% less abundant in burned versus unburned areas. The positive response of Merriam’s kangaroo rat to fire is most likely correlated with their preference for open foraging microhabitat while other species captured prefer greater and more diverse cover. Because the small mammal community has been dramatically affected by fire, it is likely that top-down control of vegetation structure will be dominated by Merriam’s kangaroo rat in burned areas, which may promote more open habitat by limiting the growth of annual and perennial grasses. 相似文献
9.
M.I. Rosi S. Puig M.I. Cona F. Videla E. Méndez V.G. Roig 《Journal of Arid Environments》2009,73(3):273-279
Overgrazing by livestock has caused desertification in the Monte, where ctenomyids and livestock share grasses as main food items. The diet of Ctenomys eremophilus, above-ground food availability and changes related to cattle grazing are analyzed in the arid plain of Mendoza, Argentina. The most available categories were grasses, followed by low shrubs and tall shrubs. Tuco-tucos showed dietary generalism, ate mainly above-ground plant parts, preferred grasses and avoided shrubs at both grazed and ungrazed sites. Plant cover, grass diversity and availability decreased under livestock grazing, which was reflected in the diet by a lower percentage of grasses, a shift toward low shrubs and higher number of frequently used resources. Tuco-tucos in the grazed paddock compensated for lower consumption of vegetative plant parts by increasing the use of Prosopis flexuosa pods stored inside burrows. Moreover, greater dietary variation among individuals suggests foraging restricted to the items closest to burrow holes. These feeding tactics would allow them to reduce above-ground foraging as a response to high raptor predation risk due to increased bare soil. The plant recovery detected during the rest period, favoured by moderate stocking rate and rotational grazing system, would allow coexistence of tuco-tucos and cattle. 相似文献
10.
In desert ecosystems, selective foraging by seed consumers affects distribution and composition of soil seed banks, influencing plant population dynamics. However, the roles of consumers in burned habitats where direct seeding is used during ecological restoration to replenish depleted seed banks have not been well established. We evaluated seed removal for nine seed species over 12 months in burned and unburned shrublands in the Mojave Desert, USA. Percentage of total seed removed was highest during spring (16% of offered seed) and summer (21%). Rodents removed much of the large-seeded Coleogyne ramosissima in both burned and unburned habitats, while seed removal of this species by ants was low in burned and moderate in unburned habitats. Ants removed the greatest amount of small-seeded species (Penstemon bicolor, Encelia farinosa, and Sphaeralcea ambigua) in unburned habitat, indicating that ants can exploit different seed masses. Seed removal imposes limitations on seed availability, particularly for large-seeded species, as both rodents and ants selected seeds of C. ramosissima. Successful restoration seeding projects in arid lands may require protecting seed from granivore pressure, and seed species selection and season of seeding warrant consideration to reduce seed loss. 相似文献
11.
戈壁中蕴含了丰富的动植物资源,蛛形纲节肢动物是戈壁中重要的节肢动物类群,在戈壁生态系统食物网中扮演重要角色。以河西走廊中部典型砾质戈壁为研究区,2018年和2019年逐月监测了蛛形纲节肢动物种类及数量。结果表明：砾质戈壁有22个蛛形纲节肢动物种或属,Steatoda albomaculata、Xysticus spp.、Philodromus spp.、Gnaphosa spp.、Mesobuthus martensii、Mitopus morio和Karschia sp.是该区主要的蛛形纲节肢动物种或属。蛛形纲节肢动物活动密度及物种丰富度变化趋势一致,2018年蛛形纲节肢动物活动密度及类群丰富度均在4月出现峰值,2019年蛛形纲节肢动物的活动密度及类群丰富度均在6月达到峰值。平腹蛛科、逍遥蛛科、硬体盲蛛科、蟹蛛科、球蛛科和卡尔避日蛛科是主要的蛛形纲节肢动物类群,2018年卡尔避日蛛科、硬体盲蛛科和蟹蛛科活动密度均显著低于2019年,而平腹蛛科、逍遥蛛科和球蛛科活动密度变化趋势相反。逍遥蛛科主要在春季活动,2018年和2019年逍遥蛛科活动密度均在3月出现峰值;蟹蛛科和硬体盲蛛科主要在秋季活动,2018年和2019年蟹蛛科活动密度均在9月出现峰值,硬体盲蛛科活动密度在8月和10月出现峰值。卡尔避日蛛科、平腹蛛科和球腹蛛科等3个类群2018年活动密度在4月出现峰值,2019年在6月或10月出现峰值。降水的月动态变化对蛛形纲节肢动物月动态变化影响较小,蛛形纲节肢动物的活动密度及类群数与月平均温度均呈显著二次曲线关系。此外,研究还发现钳蝎科活动密度与月平均温度和降水量均呈显著正相关,蟹蛛科活动密度与月降水量、狼蛛科和平腹蛛科活动密度与月平均温度呈显著正相关。总之,温度及降水变化是蛛形纲节肢动物月和年活动节律变化的重要影响因子,它们调节了蛛形纲节肢动物群落结构的动态变化。 相似文献
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13.
Limiting resources are generally available in brief temporal pulses in arid systems. We compared the abilities of dominant shrubs in a saltbush scrub community to capture N from pulses and evaluated whether N capture and partitioning within this community is influenced by the seasonal timing of pulses. Based on previous research in agronomic systems we predicted that the ability of a species to capture N following a pulse would depend on when the pulse occurred in relation to plant growth rate and N demand. Supporting this hypothesis, Atriplex confertifolia and Sarcobatus vermiculatus, which had greater growth rates early in the growing season compared to Atriplex parryi, captured more N from early spring pulses than A. parryi. Atriplex parryi, which had higher growth rates later in the growing season, captured more N from mid- and late spring pulses than the other species. These temporal differences in N capture among species, however, also depended on the magnitude of the N pulse. These results suggest that temporal variation in N availability may differentially impact competitive abilities of coexisting species and potentially facilitate species coexistence in arid systems. 相似文献
14.
S.B.C. Bisceglia J.A. Pereira P. TetaR.D. Quintana 《Journal of Arid Environments》2011,75(11):1024-1028
Small mammals usually constitute the main prey for Leopardus geoffroyi throughout its distribution. We studied the patterns of small rodent selection by this felid in a semi-arid scrubland of central Argentina, addressing whether prey choice may be related to the availability, morphology, and distribution of the different rodent species. Cat’s diet was studied during 2005-2006 through the analysis of 182 scats, along with field estimates of rodent abundances from trapping. The cricetine rodents Akodon molinae and Calomys musculinus were predated according to the availability expected by trapping, indicating that their use was opportunistic. Akodon azarae and Graomys griseoflavus, on one hand, and Eligmodontia typus, on the other hand, were consumed in lower and higher proportion than their availabilities, respectively. Our results suggest that some cricetine rodent characteristics such as abundance, escape ability, microhabitat use, and activity period, appear to be potential factors contributing to differential vulnerability to predation by Geoffroy’s cat in central Argentina. 相似文献
15.
A large body of studies have linked sexual segregation in dimorphic ungulates with differential resource selection and nutritional requirements of the sexes. However, detailed patterns of sexual dietary preferences have rarely been assessed as keystone mechanisms of sexual segregation. We compared diet and nutritional selection by 3 sex-age classes in the Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus Hilzheimer) across reproductive states and according to seasonal fluctuations in resource availability in a Mediterranean environment. Foraging segregation between sexes was found during rut when female/juvenile selection of shrubs was higher than that of males. Observed foraging patterns relate to a stronger selection of nitrogen, tannins and lignin by females and juveniles, and fibres by males. Our findings are associated to the Mediterranean climate, where rut and lactation concur with a shortage period, the particularly dry summer. Foraging segregation between sexes during the rut could be shaped by a conjunction of factors such as the low quality of resources and different fitness enhancement strategies. We highlight both the importance of including the dietary component and providing a temporal framework when documenting ungulate sexual segregation, and the interest of considering regional conditions when addressing management of ungulates with a wide distribution. 相似文献
16.
P.A. Aarrestad G.S. Masunga H. Hytteborn M.L. Pitlagano W. Marokane C. Skarpe 《Journal of Arid Environments》2011,75(3):290-297
The response of the field layer vegetation to co-varying resource availability (soil nutrients, light) and resource loss (herbivory pressure) was investigated along a landscape gradient highly influenced by elephants and smaller ungulates at the Chobe River front in Botswana. TWINSPAN classification was used to identify plant communities. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) were used to explore the vegetation-environment relationships. Four plant communities were described: Panicum maximum woodland, Tribulus terrestris woodland/shrubland, Chloris virgata shrubland and Cynodon dactylon floodplain. Plant height, species richness and diversity decreased with increasing resource availability and resource loss. The species composition was mainly explained by differences in soil resources, followed by variables related to light availability (woody cover) and herbivory, and by interactions between these variables. The vegetation structure and species richness, on the other hand, followed the general theories of vegetation responses to herbivory more closely than resource related theories. The results suggest a strong interaction between resource availability and herbivory in their influence on the composition, species richness and structure of the plant communities. 相似文献
17.
M.I. El-Bana 《Journal of Arid Environments》2009,73(9):821-827
Fat sand rats (Psammomys obesus) are strictly herbivorous and live in densely complex burrows in the desert of North Africa and the Middle East. Little is known however about the effect of their foraging and burrowing activities on surface morphology and plant community attributes. This study evaluated such effects by comparing burrow and mound surface morphology, canopy of the main host chenopod shrub Anabasis articulata, vegetation cover, and plant abundance and species richness on and off both active and abandoned colonies in the semi-stabilized sand dunes of the Northern Sinai. In general, active burrow systems were characterized by reduced A. articulata canopy area, and more soil disturbance, with higher and larger burrow mounds dominated by bare ground, dung, and dead and fresh litter. The abandonment of mounds for five years has resulted in significant increases of plant cover, canopy height, abundance and species richness. Vegetation structure and plant species assemblages differed between mound and non-mound patches of both active and abandoned sites. The results suggest that fat sand rats can have significant direct and indirect, short-term and long-term effects on vegetation dynamics and structure through their mound building and foraging. 相似文献
18.
In arid lands, food resources and predation risk become major decision factors in mule deer habitat use. We examined variables related to these two factors that might determine mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) habitat use in a warm desert at two spatial scales: the macro-habitat scale, which relates to home range decisions, and the micro-habitat scale, which relates to decisions made during foraging. Our prediction was that habitat use should primarily be explained by food variables and, to a lesser degree, by variables related to predation risk by pumas (Puma concolor). We mapped all deer pellet groups in 72, 1 ha quadrats in the Mapimí Biosphere Reserve and measured food and habitat variables over two years with different precipitation amounts. The area was used more intensively during the dry year. Under drier conditions, deer habitat use was explained primarily by food resource variables and secondarily by variables related with predation risk. During the wetter year, food resources became unimportant while cover and visibility explained deer habitat use. The data suggest that the tradeoffs deer are willing to make between food resources and predation risk in an arid environment are strongly affected by food resource levels, as influenced by precipitation. 相似文献
19.
河西走廊地势狭长,位于两山之间,主要由荒漠构成,生境一旦遭到破坏,当地物种将很难找到替代的栖息地。本文以河西走廊中部典型砾质戈壁为研究区,经由2019—2020年红外相机和人工观测等方式监测到的兽类和鸟类数据为基准,探讨其群落动态及活动节律。结果表明：砾质戈壁兽类中的国家Ⅱ级重点保护及“三有”（有重要生态、科学、社会价值）动物有6种,而砾质戈壁鸟类中的国家Ⅱ级重点保护及“三有”动物有8种。兽类群落的季节变化小,春季鹅喉羚（Gazella subgutturosa）等的相对多度指数略高于其他季节,三趾跳鼠（Dipus sagitta）在4月大量出现;鸟类群落季节变化明显,春、夏季和秋季鸟类的相对多度指数高于冬季,物种数在夏季和秋季达到峰值。兽类和鸟类的相对多度变化趋势相似,均在夏末和春季达到顶峰。兽类的月相对多度指数与土壤含水量呈极显著的负相关,鹅喉羚和沙狐（Vulpes corsac）等日活动节律受人类活动影响出现在夜间、黄昏或黎明。鸟类的月相对多度指数与人类活动、空气温度、土壤温度和节肢动物均呈显著正相关,但人类活动在生长季会降低一些鸟类的活动频率。总之,河西走廊中部戈壁是鹅喉羚、沙狐、红隼（Falco tinnunculus）、锲尾伯劳（Lanius sphenocercus）、黑尾地鸦（Podoces hendersoni）、沙鵖（Oenanthe isabellina）、漠鵖（Oenanthe deserti）和短趾百灵（Calandrella cheleensis）等兽类和鸟类的主要栖息地,建立沙化土地封禁保护区对保护荒漠动物多样性具有重要的生态意义。 相似文献
20.
Arid birds are known to be highly responsive to spatio-temporal changes in food and water availability, and it is thought that this ‘resource tracking’ will obscure predictable patterns of community structure. Here we examine this resource hypothesis by assessing assemblage structure of birds in relation to landscape-scale environmental variation in the Finke bioregion of arid inland Australia, during an exceptionally high and extended rainfall period. We surveyed 197 sites stratified according to land system, run-off/run-on elements and distance to water, and recorded 106 resident and nomadic species. Cluster analysis produced five assemblages, four of which could be readily linked to a specific habitat type. Constrained ordination (CCA) was carried out using 38 variables that measured environmental gradients, vegetation attributes, food and water availability, and disturbance level. Species patterns correlated most strongly with vegetation variables (woodland, chenopod, grassland, and % mulga cover), and % weed cover. By contrast resource variables (flowering, fruiting, and water proximity), introduced herbivores, and most structural variables were poor predictors of species presence. Thus, we showed that resource availability and grazing disturbance are not major drivers of Australian arid bird assemblage patterns. Instead, patterning relates more to the interaction between bird foraging behaviour and breeding requirements and vegetation assemblages. 相似文献