现代社会中的重大环境热点问题研究推动了保护生物学的发展。学科融合使得保护生物学正在发展成为保护科学(Conservation Science)。保护生物学需要广泛参与,然而,根据Google Search Volume,中国互联网用户对保护生物学与生物多样性概念的兴趣不高。全球生物多样性的主要部分在发展中国家,研究发现主要保护生物学项目或最活跃的研究工作在发展中国家进行。然而科技投入不足限制了发展中国家保护生物学论文的产出。到目前为止,中国作者(含在华工作的外国作者)在ISI Web of Knowledge数据库中保护生物学主流刊物上发表的论文数量少,与中国的生物多样性占全球的比例不相称。保护生物学研究面临一系列的挑战:(1)保护生物学研究因过分强调价值与实用而受到了批评;(2)保护生物学缺少机理探讨、缺少实验、缺少对比研究,还没有形成完整的理论体系;(3)保护生物学是一门涉及空间尺度的学科,不同局部、不同空间尺度的保护生物学问题往往缺乏可比性;(4)许多保护生物学数据没有正式发表,这些"灰色文献"限制了保护生物学的发展;(5)与生物多样性有关的国际法和国内法的制定和实施为保护生物学带来了新的发展机遇。我们提出如下对策:(1)明确保护生物学的价值取向;(2)建立保护生物学研究方法和理论体系;(3)重视和探讨保护生物学的空间尺度问题;(4)充分收集利用"灰色"数据和文献,建立与发表在同行评议科学刊物上的文献库相对应的初级生物多样性网络数据库,促进保护生物学的荟萃分析和大研究;(5)积极围绕生物多样性有关的国际法开展相关研究。保护生物学这一门大科学的完善离不开各国保护生物学的深入研究,部分中国学术期刊用英文发稿,是中国保护生物学工作者研究汇入世界主流的途径之一。
Przewalski’s gazelle Procapra przewalskii is an endangered species endemic to China. A question remains about subspecific variation in this species. Skulls of Przewalski’s gazelle collected from its current remnant ranges around the Qinghai Lake in combination with those collected prior to the 20th century were measured and analyzed using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis in order to clarify the question. Unexpectedly, P. p. diversicornis, extirpated from its historic range, has spread to the Qinghai Lake region where it has replaced nominotypical P. p. przewalskii and is now restricted to a few small isolated populations around the lake. We discuss the causes of this unexpected replacement. In this study, we discuss the possibility of a new form, possibly a new subspecies, in the Guide Basin, adjacent to Qinghai Lake; it is unclear whether the new form has long existed and was only discovered in recent years, or whether it evolved in recent times due to the geographical isolation and anthropogenic landscape features. The study sheds light on the processes of microevolution and subspeciation in Procapra przewalskii, and based on the findings, we propose measures for conservation strategies for Przewalski’s gazelle.
MARDAN TurghanJIANG ZhiGangGROVES Colin PYANG JiFANG HongXia
Badgers were hypothesized as an earthworm specialist predator.We reviewed spatial patterns and food habits of the Eurasian badger(Meles spp.) in relation to geographical variables like latitude,elevation,aspects,and environmental variables,such as temperature,snow cover depth,precipitation,primary productivity,and human influence.The relative frequencies of occurrence of food items in the diets of badgers in 19 studies across 22 localities worldwide were included in the analysis plus the data from our study on the badger diet on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.Principal component analysis(PCA) was used to extract the main components of dietary composition.Multiple regression analysis was applied to reveal the relationship between trophic diversity and the main PCA factors and biogeographical variables.We found a clear latitudinal gradient in the dietary composition of badgers,which was characterized by a greater consumption of insects and reptile in southern area and a higher intake of earthworm in northern regions.Nevertheless,badgers are not an earthworm specialist predator.Furthermore,trophic diversity of badger diets was significantly positively correlated with latitude and human activity.Abundance and availability of foods appear to determine badger foraging tactics.Badgers are adept in exploiting local resources and our results confirm that badgers are generalist predators with opportunistic foraging behavior across their entire distribution range.
LI FengLUO ZhenHuaLI ChunLinLI ChunWangJIANG ZhiGang
