The fact that Morocco is an agricultural country and the large volume of biodegradable waste produced by the population make composting so important.The degradation of organic matter is facilitated by faunal and flora...The fact that Morocco is an agricultural country and the large volume of biodegradable waste produced by the population make composting so important.The degradation of organic matter is facilitated by faunal and floral macro and micro-organisms that act in different stages of maturation;studies on this fauna are quite rare both nationally and internationally.On a sample of two tons of household waste,we documented invertebrates that colonized compost heaps and then assessed the changes in the structure of the invertebrate population during the different phases.Our study revealed the presence of several zoological groups colonizing the compost heaps during the different composting phases;we noted the presence of:(1)Macroscopic invertebrates,in order of number of individuals:insect larvae,ants,earthworms,sowbugs,spiders,springtails,and millipedes,and(2)Microscopic invertebrates,the most abundant in terms of individuals:mites and nematodes.As for the order of appearance,we observed that insect larvae were the first to colonize the compost heap from the very first days of installation,followed by woodlice observed during the thermophilic phase and disappearing towards the end of the process.Earthworms were observed during the end of the thermophilic phase,while springtails were observed more during the cooling and maturation phases.Our study revealed the presence of a good quality of fauna during the composting process,which are indicators of good compost quality and play a major role in the circulation of nutrients,thus ensuring the provision of essential elements for plant nutrition.展开更多
The strategic geographical location of Palestine, along with its topography, diversity of ecosystems and climatic changes, create a suitable environment for the presence of reptiles. Zoos in the Gaza Strip have a vari...The strategic geographical location of Palestine, along with its topography, diversity of ecosystems and climatic changes, create a suitable environment for the presence of reptiles. Zoos in the Gaza Strip have a variety of zoo animals including terrestrial, freshwater and marine reptiles. The present study aims to document the Palestinian reptiles held in captivity and/or kept stuffed at zoos in the Gaza Strip. Repeated visits to Gaza zoos were conducted over a ten-year period from 2010 to 2019 to achieve the purpose of the study. Digital cameras and guidebooks were used to document and identify Palestinian reptiles. In addition, interviews were carried out with zoo owners and workers and some reptile hunters who provide live and even dead specimens to Gaza zoos and had their specimens identified and photographed. A total of 29 Palestinian reptile species (one crocodile, four turtles, six lizards and 18 snake species), belonging to 3 orders and 15 families, were recorded as live or preserved specimens at Gaza zoos. The Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus), which went extinct in Palestine since the beginning of the 20th century, is the biggest reptilian encountered in the current study. Nearly all these reptiles were trapped using different means in the marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments of the Gaza Strip. Two of the highly threatened global sea turtle species were encountered: the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) and the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas). The Spur-thighed Tortoise (Testudo graeca), which is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, is kept in relatively large numbers in cages at Gaza zoos. The Desert Monitor (Varanus griseus), Palestine Viper (Daboia palaestinae), and Syrian Black Snake (Coluber jugularis asianus) were the most occurring lizard and snake species at Gaza zoos. In conclusion, zoos are good tools that contribute to Palestinians’ knowledge of their wildlife resources. The ecological role of reptiles in their ecosystems requires Palestinians to protect and conserve them as well as all forms of wildlife in a sustainable manner.展开更多
The twelve Gondwanan stratigraphic horizons of India have yielded varied vertebrate fossils.The oldest fossil record is the Endothiodon-dominated multitaxic Kundaram fauna,which correlates the Kundaram Formation with ...The twelve Gondwanan stratigraphic horizons of India have yielded varied vertebrate fossils.The oldest fossil record is the Endothiodon-dominated multitaxic Kundaram fauna,which correlates the Kundaram Formation with several other coeval Late Permian horizons of South Africa,Zambia,Tanzania,Mozambique,Malawi,Madagascar and Brazil.The Permian-Triassic transition in India is marked by distinct taxonomic shift and faunal characteristics and represented by small-sized holdover fauna of the Early Triassic Panchet and Kamthi fauna.展开更多
Late Olenekian assemblages in the western Panthalassa have been recovered from bedded radiolarian chert sequences of an accretionary complex, the Ashio belt. These faunas are documented and considered in terms of radi...Late Olenekian assemblages in the western Panthalassa have been recovered from bedded radiolarian chert sequences of an accretionary complex, the Ashio belt. These faunas are documented and considered in terms of radiolarian diversity and faunal turnover during the latest Permian to Middle Triassic time. The fauna includes 30 radiolarians belonging to Spumellaria or Entactinaria, with two relicts from the Late Permian. This late Olenekian fauna is markedly different from Permian and Anisian faunas, respectively, and is herein named the Minowa fauna. Study of the literature indicates that radiolarian provinces were significantly disconnected between the western Panthalassa and eastern Tethys during late Olenekian time. Furthermore, 121 of 143 species disappeared during late Olenekian time, and in turn 118 new species appeared in the western Panthalassa around the Olenekian Anisian boundary. It is concluded that faunal turnover occurred at least three times between the latest Permian and Middle Triassic. The first turnover is the Paleozoic type radiolarian extinction at the Permian Triassic boundary, the second is the diversification of spheroidal Spumellaria and Entactinaria between early and late Olenekian time, and the third is a faunal turnover from the Minowa fauna to the true Mesozoic type radiolarian faunas that are characterized by multi segmented Nassellaria.展开更多
The fossil hamster(an isolated m1) from the early Early Pleistocene Houhecun fauna found in Dali, Weinan, Shaanxi, China, originally identified as Kowalskia dalinica, is reexamined. Its unique characters, including a ...The fossil hamster(an isolated m1) from the early Early Pleistocene Houhecun fauna found in Dali, Weinan, Shaanxi, China, originally identified as Kowalskia dalinica, is reexamined. Its unique characters, including a high crown, very small degree of division of the anteroconid and relatively large size, is taken as evidence of its attribution to the genus Sinocricetus, instead of Kowalskia(junior synonym of Neocricetodon) suggested by the original author. Therefore, the specific name of the species established based on this m1 should be changed to S. dalinicus(Wang, 1988). S. dalinicus probably has a relatively close affinity with S. major Li, 2010, but there are still some obvious differences of characters between them. The discovery of S. dalinicus in the Houhecun fauna confirms that the genus indeed survived into the Pleistocene. A broken hamster mandible, which was found in Weinan, Shaanxi, China and belongs to the late Pliocene Youhe fauna, is also described here and identified as Tscherskia sp.. This specimen represents the earliest Tscherskia in Asia so far, but fails to refute the hypothesis that the genus originated in Europe during the early Pliocene.展开更多
The stratigraphy,sedimentary history and paleontology of the northern Eromanga Basin are reviewed in the light of extensive field effort,searching for Cretaceous vertebrate fossils,in particular dinosaurs.Prolonged no...The stratigraphy,sedimentary history and paleontology of the northern Eromanga Basin are reviewed in the light of extensive field effort,searching for Cretaceous vertebrate fossils,in particular dinosaurs.Prolonged non-marine deposition throughout the Jurassic was followed by Lower Cretaceous marine incursions which extended to the late Albian.Whilst biostratigraphy is underpinned by microfloral assemblages there are three distinct marine faunas preserved from the late Aptian,early middle Albian and late Albian.Effective regression caused by sediment oversupply in the latest Albian heralded the final phase of non-marine deposition in the Eromanga Basin which continued into the Cenomanian.A distinct floral assemblage is accompanied by a modest fossil vertebrate assemblage.展开更多
Understanding the responses of Plio-Pleistocene terrestrial vertebrates to long-term trends in climate change in central eastern Australia has advanced considerably in recent years following the recovery and documenta...Understanding the responses of Plio-Pleistocene terrestrial vertebrates to long-term trends in climate change in central eastern Australia has advanced considerably in recent years following the recovery and documentation of a series of remarkable fossil assemblages.The middle Pliocene Chinchilla Local Fauna of SE Queensland preserves a diverse suite of vertebrate taxa suggestive of a paleoenvironment consisting of wetlands,closed wet forest,open woodlands,and grasslands.Local extinctions of numerous arboreal and terrestrial woodland species suggest that significant faunal and habitat reorganization occurred between the Pliocene and Pleistocene,in part,reflecting the expansion of open woodlands and grasslands.Middle Pleistocene deposits in the Mt Etna region of central eastern Queensland contain extensive fossil assemblages of rainforest-adapted vertebrates dated>500–280 ka.Such faunal assemblages show remarkable long-term stability despite being subjected to numerous glacial-interglacial climatic shifts.However,sometime between 280–205 ka,a major faunal turnover/extinction event occurred,where the previously dominant rainforest-adapted faunas gave way to xeric-adapted forms.Independent paleoclimatic records suggest that this shift was a result of increased climatic variability and weakened northern monsoons.Late Pleistocene deposits of the Darling Downs,SE Queensland,provide an important temporal extension to the Mt Etna region.Recent studies have demonstrated minimally,a three stage extinction of local megafauna(giant land mammals,birds and lizards).Associated radiometric and optical dating indicates that the progressive loss of megafauna from the region was initiated at least 75 kyr before the continental colonisation of humans.The progressive changes in megafaunal community dynamics were most likely driven by intense climatic changes(i.e.,increased aridity)associated with the last glacial cycle.展开更多
This review summarizes main research findings in soil fauna eco-geography in China in the past 30 years. The subject areas and main results were overviewed including biodiversity and eco-geological distribution of soi...This review summarizes main research findings in soil fauna eco-geography in China in the past 30 years. The subject areas and main results were overviewed including biodiversity and eco-geological distribution of soil fauna communities. Studies of ecological distributions of soil fauna and dynamic ranges in space from tropical, subtropical to temperate regions, and in categories from forest, grassland, desert, wetland, farmland to urban ecosystems, the responses and indications of soil fauna to soil environments. Effects of intensive disturbance such as fire, grazing, farming, fertilization on soil fauna include sensitive （e.g. nematode） and rare groups and community indexes. The functions of soil fauna were discussed including environmental construction, environmental purification, litter decomposition and elements cycling. Interactions between soil fauna and other biota in soil ecosystems and linking between aboveground and belowground diversity and the effects of global change on soil fauna community in China were also included. Finally, the authors pointed out common interests in soil fauna eco-geographical studies, which include application of molecule biology into soil fauna taxa; function and mechanism of soil fauna community diversity; interaction between aboveground and belowground ecosystems; effects of disturbance, pollution, biological invasion, and global change on soil fauna community and function. The review is to provide a scientific basis for promoting soil fauna eco-geographical studies in China.展开更多
Detailed conodont analysis on the Yangjuan-Chupiwa section, Xinmin, Panxian County, Guizhou Province, revealed a conodont sequence including four Anisian conodont zones, viz. Nicoraella germanica Zone, Nc. kockeli Zon...Detailed conodont analysis on the Yangjuan-Chupiwa section, Xinmin, Panxian County, Guizhou Province, revealed a conodont sequence including four Anisian conodont zones, viz. Nicoraella germanica Zone, Nc. kockeli Zone, Paragondolella bifurcata Zone and Neogondolella constricta Zone. These zones indicate that the upper Guanling Formation consists of strata from the Bithynian to the lllyrian of the Anisian. Appearance of Neogondolella constricta suggests that the Anisian/Ladinian boundary might be in the overlying Yangliujing Formation. The Panxian Fauna with well-preserved marine reptile and fish fossils is proved to belong to the lower part of the conodont Nc. kockeli Zone in the studied area. Thus, the age of the Panxian Fauna could be the early Pelsonian of the Anisian.展开更多
The Middle Triassic Panxian fauna is a physical marker and representative record of the rapid recovery of the Triassic marine ecosystem following the Early Triassic stagnant stage after the end-Permian mass extinction...The Middle Triassic Panxian fauna is a physical marker and representative record of the rapid recovery of the Triassic marine ecosystem following the Early Triassic stagnant stage after the end-Permian mass extinction. Ten marine reptile taxa have been found from the 1.82-2.10 m-thick fossiliferous level in the Upper Member of the Guanling Formation, which can be subdivided into three marine reptile beds through the analysis on the stratigraphic distributions of fossil reptiles. The Lower Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygians Placodus inexpectatus Jiang et al., 2008 and Lariosaurus hongguoensis Jiang et al., 2006, the ichthyopterygians Xinminosaurus catactes Jiang et al., 2008 and Phalarodon cf. Phalarodon fraasi Merriam, 1910, associated with Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006, representing a stage of predominance of durophagous taxa. In this bed, the large complete skeletons may reach up to 2.3 m in length, and lithofacies and chemostratigraphic analyses indicate a relatively deep carbonate platform with an oxic water environment near the bottom, as well as a rising sea level The Middle Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygian Nothosaurus yangjuanensis Jiang et al., 2006 and the archosaur Qianosuchus mixtus Li et al., 2006, associated with Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006. The fossils in this bed are characterized by its pincering dentition and large overall body size, with the largest possibly exceeding 3 m in length. This bed might represent a time of deepest basin with relatively anoxic condition near the bottom. The Upper Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygians Wumengosaurus delicatomandibularis Jiang et al., 2008, Keichousaurus sp., the protorosaur Dinocephalosaurus orientalis Li, 2003, and the ichthyopterygian Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006. In this bed, reptilian taxa characterized by suction feeding appeared, and most are less than 1 m long. This bed corresponds to a period of decreasing water depth.展开更多
The Guanshan Fauna, a soft-bodied fauna intermediate between the Chengjiang Fauna and the Kaili Fauna and also the Burgess Shale Fauna stratigraphically, consists of trilobites, trilobitoides, Tuzoia, Vetulicola, Pale...The Guanshan Fauna, a soft-bodied fauna intermediate between the Chengjiang Fauna and the Kaili Fauna and also the Burgess Shale Fauna stratigraphically, consists of trilobites, trilobitoides, Tuzoia, Vetulicola, Paleoscolex, brachiopods and sponges. The discovery and research of this fauna is of great significance in understading the 'Cambrian Explosion' and the evolution of early life. The occurrence of vetulicoliids from the Guanshan Fauna not only adds new members to the taxonomic list, but also provides new information to the evolution of this animal group. This paper describe Vetulicola gantoucunensis Luo, Fu et Hu sp. nov. from the Lower Cambrian Wulongqing Formation in the Kunming area. Also presented are the amended description of Vetulicola and the comparisons with related genera within Vetulicoliids. The affinity, distribution, as well as evolution of vetulicoliids are discussed.展开更多
The genus and species Yuyuanozoon magnificissimi gen. et sp. nov., a new fossil vetulicolian, is reported from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Fauna in Yunnan of China. It has a bipartite body plan and five pairs of cha...The genus and species Yuyuanozoon magnificissimi gen. et sp. nov., a new fossil vetulicolian, is reported from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Fauna in Yunnan of China. It has a bipartite body plan and five pairs of chain-formed gill sacs, showing the general characteristics of Ventulicolia. However, the exclusive 'atrial cavity' and external gill observed indicate that the new form is different from those previously described as vetulicolians, probably representing a lineage developed within deuterostomes and more primitive than urochordates.展开更多
We studied the responses of soil fauna to a simulated nitrogen deposition in nursery experimental plots in Subtropical China. Dissolved NH4NO3 was applied to the soil by spraying twice per month for 16 months, startin...We studied the responses of soil fauna to a simulated nitrogen deposition in nursery experimental plots in Subtropical China. Dissolved NH4NO3 was applied to the soil by spraying twice per month for 16 months, starting January 2003 with treatments of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 30 gN/（m^2·a）. Soil fauna was sampled after 6, 9, 13 and 16 months of treatment in three soil depths （0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, 10-15 cm）. Soil available N increased in correspondence with the increasing N treatment, whereas soil pH decreased. Bacterial and fungal densities were elevated by the N treatment. Soil fauna increased in the lower nitrogen treatments but decreased in the higher N treatments, which might indicate that there was a threshold around 10 gN/（m^2·a） for the stimulating effects of N addition. The N effects were dependent on the soil depth and sampling time. The data also suggested that the effects of the different N treatments were related to the level of N saturation, especially the concentration of NO3^- in the soil.展开更多
A field-scale experiment arranged in a complete randomized block design with three N addition treatments including a control (no addition of N), a low N (5 g m-2 year-1), and a medium N (10 g m-2 year-1) was performed...A field-scale experiment arranged in a complete randomized block design with three N addition treatments including a control (no addition of N), a low N (5 g m-2 year-1), and a medium N (10 g m-2 year-1) was performed in each of the three typical forests, a pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) forest (PF), a pine-broadleaf mixed forest (MF) and a mature monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest (MEBF), of the Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve in subtropical China to study the response of soil fauna community to additions of N. Higher NH4+ and NO3- concentrations and a lower soil pH occurred in the medium N treatment of MEBF, whereas the NO3- concentration was the lowest in PF after the additions of N. The response of the density, group abundance and diversity index of soil fauna to addition of N varied with the forest type, and all these variables decreased with increasing N under MEBF but the trend was opposite under PF. The N treatments had no significant effects on these variables under MF. Compared with the control plots, the medium N treatment had significant negative effect on soil fauna under MEBF. The group abundance of soil fauna increased significantly with additions of higher N rates under PF. These results suggested that the response of soil fauna to N deposition varied with the forest type and N deposition rate, and soil N status is one of the important factors affecting the response of soil fauna to N deposition.展开更多
The Liangshui Natural Reserve in Heilongjiang Province of China was selected as the study area. The authors collected the samples of forest litter （Tilia amurensis, Fraxinus mandshurica, Pinus koraiensis, Acer mono, ...The Liangshui Natural Reserve in Heilongjiang Province of China was selected as the study area. The authors collected the samples of forest litter （Tilia amurensis, Fraxinus mandshurica, Pinus koraiensis, Acer mono, Betula costata, and mixed litter）, soil in humus horizon （0--5cm） and soil horizon （5-20cm）, and soil macrofauna （Oligochaeta, Geophiloporpha and Juliformia） from 2001 to 2002. The role of soil macrofauna in the material cycle was analyzed through comparing the macro-element contents among various parts of the subsystems and using enrichment index （El）. The results indicate that dynamic changes of various litters are very complicated. The contents of Fe in each kind of litter increase firstly, and then decrease in the study period. The changes of macro-element contents are greater in the broad-leaf litter than in the coniferous litter, and the mixed litter is in the middle level, but the differences among them are not significant. The contents of Mg and Fe in humus are higher than those in soil, but the contents of Ca in soil are higher than that in humus. The dynamic changes of macro-element contents in soil and soil fauna are not consistent with those in litter. The diplopod presented obvious enrichment of Ca and Mg （E1〉1）, but it does not significantly enrich Fe. Earthworm has a stronger enrichment ability of Fe than diplopod and scolopendra, but E1〈1. Soil fauna can make great influences on the material cycle of the subsystems.展开更多
The Guanshan Fauna is a soft-bodied fauna dominated by arthropods （including trilobites, trilobitoides, Tuzoia, Isoxys, and bradorids） in association with priapulids, brachiopods, anomalocaridids, vetulicoliids, spo...The Guanshan Fauna is a soft-bodied fauna dominated by arthropods （including trilobites, trilobitoides, Tuzoia, Isoxys, and bradorids） in association with priapulids, brachiopods, anomalocaridids, vetulicoliids, sponges, chancellorids, and echinoderms. This paper reports and describes a new arthropod from the yellowish green mudstone at the lower part of the Wulongqing Formation, Canglangpuan Stage, Lower Cambrian in Kunming, Yunnan, China. The stratigraphic and geographic distribution, classification, fossil preservation, life style of this new arthropod and comparisons with other fossil arthropods are also discussed in details. The discovery and research of the non-mineralized arthropod, Guangweicaris Luo, Fu et Hu gen. nov. from the Guanshan Fauna adds new members to the taxonomic list and provides new information to the evolution of early arthropods. Furthermore, this study would shed new light into the ＂Cambrian Explosion＂ and the evolution of early life.展开更多
Tuvaella brachiopod fauna are distributed in an arc in three areas, including the Zeya-Hailar （海拉尔）-Shinejinst area, the Najramdal Uul-Kyzyl area, and the Barkol-Fuyun （富蕴） area. The Tuvaella fauna in the Ze...Tuvaella brachiopod fauna are distributed in an arc in three areas, including the Zeya-Hailar （海拉尔）-Shinejinst area, the Najramdal Uul-Kyzyl area, and the Barkol-Fuyun （富蕴） area. The Tuvaella fauna in the Zeya-Hailar-Shinejinst area are distributed in the northern margin of Jiamusi （佳木斯）-Mongolia block along the Mongolia-Okhotsk suture between the Siberia plate and the Jiamusi-Mongolia block but not appear in the corresponding Siberia plate. The Tuvaella fauna in the Najramdal Uul-Kyzyl area are distributed in the southwestern part of the Siberia plate as the accelerated fold belts during the Salairian-Caledonian periods, and those in the Barkol-Fuyun area are distributed in the northeastern margin of Kazakhstan plate. They are distributed along the Irtysb suture between the Siberia plate and the Kazakhstan plate. The Tuvaeila fauna became domestic fauna during the Wenlock and Pridoli （Middle-Late Silurian） and form a unique biogeographic province, i.e., the Mongolia-Okhotsk Province. This biogeographic province is sustained to the Mississippian （Carboniferous）, perhaps due to the semiclosed state of the Mongolia-Okhotsk Ocean. The northeastern margin （right now the southwestern margin） of Siberia plate, the northern margin of Jiamusi-Mongolia block, and the northeastern margin of Kazakhstan plate might be conjuncted in an arc region from Wenlock to Mississippian, along the southern margin of the Irtysh-Mid Mongolia-Okhotsk Ocean. This is coincident with the fact that the Siberia plate rotated 180° clockwise since the Mesozoic and located in the middle-high latitude during Devonian, and the coral reef limestone is widely developed in the Jiamusi- Mongolia block during the Early and Middle Devonian, which suggests that the block was positioning in middle-lower latitude at that time and that the Kazakhstan plate was also located in low latitude then.展开更多
In a field experiment, the populations of major soil fauna groups including earthworms, enchytraeids,arthropods and nematodes were examined in conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) red soil ecosystems to evalu...In a field experiment, the populations of major soil fauna groups including earthworms, enchytraeids,arthropods and nematodes were examined in conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) red soil ecosystems to evaluate their responses to tillage disturbance. Earthworms, macrry and micro-arthropods were stimulated under NT with earthworms showing the highest population increase by four times, while enchytraeids and nematodes favored CT system, predicting certain adaptability of these animals to plow-disturbed soil environment. On the basis of relative response index it was found that soil fauna was more sensitive to tillage than soil resource base (C and N pools) and microflora. The population structure of soil fauna was also affected by tillage treatments. Analysis on nematode trophic groups showed that bacteria-feeding and plant parasitic nematodes were more abundant in CT soil whereas the proportions of fungivores and omnivorepredators increased in NT soil. Possible reasons for the differentiation in both size and structure of the fauna population were discussed and the ecological significance involved in these changes was emphasized.展开更多
Litter decomposition is the key process in nutrient recycling and energy flow. The present study examined the impacts of soil fauna on decomposition rates and nutrient fluxes at three succession stages of wetland in t...Litter decomposition is the key process in nutrient recycling and energy flow. The present study examined the impacts of soil fauna on decomposition rates and nutrient fluxes at three succession stages of wetland in the Sanjiang Plain, China using different mesh litterbags. The results show that in each succession stage of wetland, soil fauna can obviously increase litter decomposition rates. The average contribution of whole soil fauna to litter mass loss was 35.35%. The more complex the soil fauna group, the more significant the role of soil fauna. The average loss of three types of litter in the 4mm mesh litterbags was 0.3-4. l times that in 0.058ram ones. The decomposition function of soil fauna to litter mass changed with the wetland succession. The average contribution of soil fauna to litter loss firstly decreased from 34.96% （Carex lasiocapa） to 32.94% （Carex rneyeriana）, then increased to 38.16% （Calamagrostics angustifolia）. The contributions of soil fauna to litter decomposition rates vary according to the litter substrata, soil fauna communities and seasons. Significant effects were respectively found in August and July on C. angustifolia and C. lasiocapa, while in June and August on C. meyeriana. Total carbon （TC）, total nitrogen （TN） and total phosphorus （TP） contents and the C/N and C/P ratios of decaying litter can be influenced by soil fauna. At different wetland succession stages, the effects of soil fauna on nutrient elements also differ greatly, which shows the significant difference of in- fluencing element types and degrees. Soil fauna communities strongly influenced the TC and TP concentrations of C. meyeriana litter, and TP content of C. lasiocapa. Our results indicate that soil fauna have important effects on litter decomposition and this influence will vary with the wetland succession and seasonal variation.展开更多
From 1985 to 1987, four new localities with abundant fossil mammals were dis-covered by Cao, Tian and others in the Zhoukoudian (Choukoutien) area, Beijing. They are theEast, West, Shangdian and Donglingzi caves. The ...From 1985 to 1987, four new localities with abundant fossil mammals were dis-covered by Cao, Tian and others in the Zhoukoudian (Choukoutien) area, Beijing. They are theEast, West, Shangdian and Donglingzi caves. The East Cave fauna consists of 28 speices ofmammals and its age is middle Early Pleistocene. The East Cave assemblage shows that a tem-perature-falling event took place at around 1.20 Ma B.P. at Zhoukoudian. Sixteen species ofmammals were collected from the West Cave, which are mainly forms of late Early Pleistoceneage. The West Cave fauna represents a transitional fauna from the East Cave fauna (dry-cold)to the fauna (warm) at locality 9. The Shangdian Cave fauna is composed of four forms, beingMiddle Pleistocene in age. The Donglingzi Cave fauna contains 21 Late Pleistocene forms. Inthe cave two fossil horizons may be distinguished. The age of the lower horizon is early LatePleistocene, which is equivalent to that of the New Cave fauna; while the fauna of the upper ho-rizon may be correlated with the Upper Cave fauna.展开更多
文摘The fact that Morocco is an agricultural country and the large volume of biodegradable waste produced by the population make composting so important.The degradation of organic matter is facilitated by faunal and floral macro and micro-organisms that act in different stages of maturation;studies on this fauna are quite rare both nationally and internationally.On a sample of two tons of household waste,we documented invertebrates that colonized compost heaps and then assessed the changes in the structure of the invertebrate population during the different phases.Our study revealed the presence of several zoological groups colonizing the compost heaps during the different composting phases;we noted the presence of:(1)Macroscopic invertebrates,in order of number of individuals:insect larvae,ants,earthworms,sowbugs,spiders,springtails,and millipedes,and(2)Microscopic invertebrates,the most abundant in terms of individuals:mites and nematodes.As for the order of appearance,we observed that insect larvae were the first to colonize the compost heap from the very first days of installation,followed by woodlice observed during the thermophilic phase and disappearing towards the end of the process.Earthworms were observed during the end of the thermophilic phase,while springtails were observed more during the cooling and maturation phases.Our study revealed the presence of a good quality of fauna during the composting process,which are indicators of good compost quality and play a major role in the circulation of nutrients,thus ensuring the provision of essential elements for plant nutrition.
文摘The strategic geographical location of Palestine, along with its topography, diversity of ecosystems and climatic changes, create a suitable environment for the presence of reptiles. Zoos in the Gaza Strip have a variety of zoo animals including terrestrial, freshwater and marine reptiles. The present study aims to document the Palestinian reptiles held in captivity and/or kept stuffed at zoos in the Gaza Strip. Repeated visits to Gaza zoos were conducted over a ten-year period from 2010 to 2019 to achieve the purpose of the study. Digital cameras and guidebooks were used to document and identify Palestinian reptiles. In addition, interviews were carried out with zoo owners and workers and some reptile hunters who provide live and even dead specimens to Gaza zoos and had their specimens identified and photographed. A total of 29 Palestinian reptile species (one crocodile, four turtles, six lizards and 18 snake species), belonging to 3 orders and 15 families, were recorded as live or preserved specimens at Gaza zoos. The Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus), which went extinct in Palestine since the beginning of the 20th century, is the biggest reptilian encountered in the current study. Nearly all these reptiles were trapped using different means in the marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments of the Gaza Strip. Two of the highly threatened global sea turtle species were encountered: the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) and the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas). The Spur-thighed Tortoise (Testudo graeca), which is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, is kept in relatively large numbers in cages at Gaza zoos. The Desert Monitor (Varanus griseus), Palestine Viper (Daboia palaestinae), and Syrian Black Snake (Coluber jugularis asianus) were the most occurring lizard and snake species at Gaza zoos. In conclusion, zoos are good tools that contribute to Palestinians’ knowledge of their wildlife resources. The ecological role of reptiles in their ecosystems requires Palestinians to protect and conserve them as well as all forms of wildlife in a sustainable manner.
文摘The twelve Gondwanan stratigraphic horizons of India have yielded varied vertebrate fossils.The oldest fossil record is the Endothiodon-dominated multitaxic Kundaram fauna,which correlates the Kundaram Formation with several other coeval Late Permian horizons of South Africa,Zambia,Tanzania,Mozambique,Malawi,Madagascar and Brazil.The Permian-Triassic transition in India is marked by distinct taxonomic shift and faunal characteristics and represented by small-sized holdover fauna of the Early Triassic Panchet and Kamthi fauna.
文摘Late Olenekian assemblages in the western Panthalassa have been recovered from bedded radiolarian chert sequences of an accretionary complex, the Ashio belt. These faunas are documented and considered in terms of radiolarian diversity and faunal turnover during the latest Permian to Middle Triassic time. The fauna includes 30 radiolarians belonging to Spumellaria or Entactinaria, with two relicts from the Late Permian. This late Olenekian fauna is markedly different from Permian and Anisian faunas, respectively, and is herein named the Minowa fauna. Study of the literature indicates that radiolarian provinces were significantly disconnected between the western Panthalassa and eastern Tethys during late Olenekian time. Furthermore, 121 of 143 species disappeared during late Olenekian time, and in turn 118 new species appeared in the western Panthalassa around the Olenekian Anisian boundary. It is concluded that faunal turnover occurred at least three times between the latest Permian and Middle Triassic. The first turnover is the Paleozoic type radiolarian extinction at the Permian Triassic boundary, the second is the diversification of spheroidal Spumellaria and Entactinaria between early and late Olenekian time, and the third is a faunal turnover from the Minowa fauna to the true Mesozoic type radiolarian faunas that are characterized by multi segmented Nassellaria.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41372020, 41472013)the Northwest University Graduate Innovation and Creativity Funds (Grant No. YZZ17197)。
文摘The fossil hamster(an isolated m1) from the early Early Pleistocene Houhecun fauna found in Dali, Weinan, Shaanxi, China, originally identified as Kowalskia dalinica, is reexamined. Its unique characters, including a high crown, very small degree of division of the anteroconid and relatively large size, is taken as evidence of its attribution to the genus Sinocricetus, instead of Kowalskia(junior synonym of Neocricetodon) suggested by the original author. Therefore, the specific name of the species established based on this m1 should be changed to S. dalinicus(Wang, 1988). S. dalinicus probably has a relatively close affinity with S. major Li, 2010, but there are still some obvious differences of characters between them. The discovery of S. dalinicus in the Houhecun fauna confirms that the genus indeed survived into the Pleistocene. A broken hamster mandible, which was found in Weinan, Shaanxi, China and belongs to the late Pliocene Youhe fauna, is also described here and identified as Tscherskia sp.. This specimen represents the earliest Tscherskia in Asia so far, but fails to refute the hypothesis that the genus originated in Europe during the early Pliocene.
文摘The stratigraphy,sedimentary history and paleontology of the northern Eromanga Basin are reviewed in the light of extensive field effort,searching for Cretaceous vertebrate fossils,in particular dinosaurs.Prolonged non-marine deposition throughout the Jurassic was followed by Lower Cretaceous marine incursions which extended to the late Albian.Whilst biostratigraphy is underpinned by microfloral assemblages there are three distinct marine faunas preserved from the late Aptian,early middle Albian and late Albian.Effective regression caused by sediment oversupply in the latest Albian heralded the final phase of non-marine deposition in the Eromanga Basin which continued into the Cenomanian.A distinct floral assemblage is accompanied by a modest fossil vertebrate assemblage.
基金funded in part by the Ian Potter Foundation,Australian Research Council(ARC)Discovery Grants(DP0881279&DP120101752)an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award(DE120101533)ARC Linkage Grants(LP0453664&LP0989969)。
文摘Understanding the responses of Plio-Pleistocene terrestrial vertebrates to long-term trends in climate change in central eastern Australia has advanced considerably in recent years following the recovery and documentation of a series of remarkable fossil assemblages.The middle Pliocene Chinchilla Local Fauna of SE Queensland preserves a diverse suite of vertebrate taxa suggestive of a paleoenvironment consisting of wetlands,closed wet forest,open woodlands,and grasslands.Local extinctions of numerous arboreal and terrestrial woodland species suggest that significant faunal and habitat reorganization occurred between the Pliocene and Pleistocene,in part,reflecting the expansion of open woodlands and grasslands.Middle Pleistocene deposits in the Mt Etna region of central eastern Queensland contain extensive fossil assemblages of rainforest-adapted vertebrates dated>500–280 ka.Such faunal assemblages show remarkable long-term stability despite being subjected to numerous glacial-interglacial climatic shifts.However,sometime between 280–205 ka,a major faunal turnover/extinction event occurred,where the previously dominant rainforest-adapted faunas gave way to xeric-adapted forms.Independent paleoclimatic records suggest that this shift was a result of increased climatic variability and weakened northern monsoons.Late Pleistocene deposits of the Darling Downs,SE Queensland,provide an important temporal extension to the Mt Etna region.Recent studies have demonstrated minimally,a three stage extinction of local megafauna(giant land mammals,birds and lizards).Associated radiometric and optical dating indicates that the progressive loss of megafauna from the region was initiated at least 75 kyr before the continental colonisation of humans.The progressive changes in megafaunal community dynamics were most likely driven by intense climatic changes(i.e.,increased aridity)associated with the last glacial cycle.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40871120 National Key Technology Research and De- velopment Program, No.2007BAC06B03
文摘This review summarizes main research findings in soil fauna eco-geography in China in the past 30 years. The subject areas and main results were overviewed including biodiversity and eco-geological distribution of soil fauna communities. Studies of ecological distributions of soil fauna and dynamic ranges in space from tropical, subtropical to temperate regions, and in categories from forest, grassland, desert, wetland, farmland to urban ecosystems, the responses and indications of soil fauna to soil environments. Effects of intensive disturbance such as fire, grazing, farming, fertilization on soil fauna include sensitive （e.g. nematode） and rare groups and community indexes. The functions of soil fauna were discussed including environmental construction, environmental purification, litter decomposition and elements cycling. Interactions between soil fauna and other biota in soil ecosystems and linking between aboveground and belowground diversity and the effects of global change on soil fauna community in China were also included. Finally, the authors pointed out common interests in soil fauna eco-geographical studies, which include application of molecule biology into soil fauna taxa; function and mechanism of soil fauna community diversity; interaction between aboveground and belowground ecosystems; effects of disturbance, pollution, biological invasion, and global change on soil fauna community and function. The review is to provide a scientific basis for promoting soil fauna eco-geographical studies in China.
基金This study was financially supported by grants from the"985"project of Peking University,National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant 40272005)the Major Basic Research Projects of China(grant G2000077700).
文摘Detailed conodont analysis on the Yangjuan-Chupiwa section, Xinmin, Panxian County, Guizhou Province, revealed a conodont sequence including four Anisian conodont zones, viz. Nicoraella germanica Zone, Nc. kockeli Zone, Paragondolella bifurcata Zone and Neogondolella constricta Zone. These zones indicate that the upper Guanling Formation consists of strata from the Bithynian to the lllyrian of the Anisian. Appearance of Neogondolella constricta suggests that the Anisian/Ladinian boundary might be in the overlying Yangliujing Formation. The Panxian Fauna with well-preserved marine reptile and fish fossils is proved to belong to the lower part of the conodont Nc. kockeli Zone in the studied area. Thus, the age of the Panxian Fauna could be the early Pelsonian of the Anisian.
基金supported bygrants from the National Natural Science Foundation ofChina(no.:40672002 and 40302009)the Program for NewCentury Excellent Talents in University(no.:NCET-07-0015)+1 种基金the Committee for Research and Exploration ofthe National Geographic Society of USA(no.:7886-05)Peking University,and was a contribution to the IGCP-572 project
文摘The Middle Triassic Panxian fauna is a physical marker and representative record of the rapid recovery of the Triassic marine ecosystem following the Early Triassic stagnant stage after the end-Permian mass extinction. Ten marine reptile taxa have been found from the 1.82-2.10 m-thick fossiliferous level in the Upper Member of the Guanling Formation, which can be subdivided into three marine reptile beds through the analysis on the stratigraphic distributions of fossil reptiles. The Lower Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygians Placodus inexpectatus Jiang et al., 2008 and Lariosaurus hongguoensis Jiang et al., 2006, the ichthyopterygians Xinminosaurus catactes Jiang et al., 2008 and Phalarodon cf. Phalarodon fraasi Merriam, 1910, associated with Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006, representing a stage of predominance of durophagous taxa. In this bed, the large complete skeletons may reach up to 2.3 m in length, and lithofacies and chemostratigraphic analyses indicate a relatively deep carbonate platform with an oxic water environment near the bottom, as well as a rising sea level The Middle Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygian Nothosaurus yangjuanensis Jiang et al., 2006 and the archosaur Qianosuchus mixtus Li et al., 2006, associated with Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006. The fossils in this bed are characterized by its pincering dentition and large overall body size, with the largest possibly exceeding 3 m in length. This bed might represent a time of deepest basin with relatively anoxic condition near the bottom. The Upper Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygians Wumengosaurus delicatomandibularis Jiang et al., 2008, Keichousaurus sp., the protorosaur Dinocephalosaurus orientalis Li, 2003, and the ichthyopterygian Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006. In this bed, reptilian taxa characterized by suction feeding appeared, and most are less than 1 m long. This bed corresponds to a period of decreasing water depth.
基金the joint project between the Yunnan Institute of Geological Sciences the Shenzhen Palaeontological Museum the Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan Province(2002D0033Q).
文摘The Guanshan Fauna, a soft-bodied fauna intermediate between the Chengjiang Fauna and the Kaili Fauna and also the Burgess Shale Fauna stratigraphically, consists of trilobites, trilobitoides, Tuzoia, Vetulicola, Paleoscolex, brachiopods and sponges. The discovery and research of this fauna is of great significance in understading the 'Cambrian Explosion' and the evolution of early life. The occurrence of vetulicoliids from the Guanshan Fauna not only adds new members to the taxonomic list, but also provides new information to the evolution of this animal group. This paper describe Vetulicola gantoucunensis Luo, Fu et Hu sp. nov. from the Lower Cambrian Wulongqing Formation in the Kunming area. Also presented are the amended description of Vetulicola and the comparisons with related genera within Vetulicoliids. The affinity, distribution, as well as evolution of vetulicoliids are discussed.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants 40073007,40173002,40232020)the Natural Scienee Foundation of Yunnan Province(Grant 97D007Z)
文摘The genus and species Yuyuanozoon magnificissimi gen. et sp. nov., a new fossil vetulicolian, is reported from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Fauna in Yunnan of China. It has a bipartite body plan and five pairs of chain-formed gill sacs, showing the general characteristics of Ventulicolia. However, the exclusive 'atrial cavity' and external gill observed indicate that the new form is different from those previously described as vetulicolians, probably representing a lineage developed within deuterostomes and more primitive than urochordates.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30670392)the "100-Talent" Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
文摘We studied the responses of soil fauna to a simulated nitrogen deposition in nursery experimental plots in Subtropical China. Dissolved NH4NO3 was applied to the soil by spraying twice per month for 16 months, starting January 2003 with treatments of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 30 gN/（m^2·a）. Soil fauna was sampled after 6, 9, 13 and 16 months of treatment in three soil depths （0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, 10-15 cm）. Soil available N increased in correspondence with the increasing N treatment, whereas soil pH decreased. Bacterial and fungal densities were elevated by the N treatment. Soil fauna increased in the lower nitrogen treatments but decreased in the higher N treatments, which might indicate that there was a threshold around 10 gN/（m^2·a） for the stimulating effects of N addition. The N effects were dependent on the soil depth and sampling time. The data also suggested that the effects of the different N treatments were related to the level of N saturation, especially the concentration of NO3^- in the soil.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NO. 30270283)the "100-Talent" Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)the Director Foundation of South China Institute of Botany, CASthe Innovation Priority Project of CAS (No. KSCX2-SW-120).
文摘A field-scale experiment arranged in a complete randomized block design with three N addition treatments including a control (no addition of N), a low N (5 g m-2 year-1), and a medium N (10 g m-2 year-1) was performed in each of the three typical forests, a pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) forest (PF), a pine-broadleaf mixed forest (MF) and a mature monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest (MEBF), of the Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve in subtropical China to study the response of soil fauna community to additions of N. Higher NH4+ and NO3- concentrations and a lower soil pH occurred in the medium N treatment of MEBF, whereas the NO3- concentration was the lowest in PF after the additions of N. The response of the density, group abundance and diversity index of soil fauna to addition of N varied with the forest type, and all these variables decreased with increasing N under MEBF but the trend was opposite under PF. The N treatments had no significant effects on these variables under MF. Compared with the control plots, the medium N treatment had significant negative effect on soil fauna under MEBF. The group abundance of soil fauna increased significantly with additions of higher N rates under PF. These results suggested that the response of soil fauna to N deposition varied with the forest type and N deposition rate, and soil N status is one of the important factors affecting the response of soil fauna to N deposition.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No 40171053)
文摘The Liangshui Natural Reserve in Heilongjiang Province of China was selected as the study area. The authors collected the samples of forest litter （Tilia amurensis, Fraxinus mandshurica, Pinus koraiensis, Acer mono, Betula costata, and mixed litter）, soil in humus horizon （0--5cm） and soil horizon （5-20cm）, and soil macrofauna （Oligochaeta, Geophiloporpha and Juliformia） from 2001 to 2002. The role of soil macrofauna in the material cycle was analyzed through comparing the macro-element contents among various parts of the subsystems and using enrichment index （El）. The results indicate that dynamic changes of various litters are very complicated. The contents of Fe in each kind of litter increase firstly, and then decrease in the study period. The changes of macro-element contents are greater in the broad-leaf litter than in the coniferous litter, and the mixed litter is in the middle level, but the differences among them are not significant. The contents of Mg and Fe in humus are higher than those in soil, but the contents of Ca in soil are higher than that in humus. The dynamic changes of macro-element contents in soil and soil fauna are not consistent with those in litter. The diplopod presented obvious enrichment of Ca and Mg （E1〉1）, but it does not significantly enrich Fe. Earthworm has a stronger enrichment ability of Fe than diplopod and scolopendra, but E1〈1. Soil fauna can make great influences on the material cycle of the subsystems.
基金This study was supported by the Major Basic Research Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China （No. 2002CCA03300） the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 40672004）+1 种基金 the National ＂973＂ Project （No. 2006CB806401）the jointproject between the Yunnan Institute of Geological Science and the Shenzhen Palaeontological Museum （No. YIGS- 2006-01）.
文摘The Guanshan Fauna is a soft-bodied fauna dominated by arthropods （including trilobites, trilobitoides, Tuzoia, Isoxys, and bradorids） in association with priapulids, brachiopods, anomalocaridids, vetulicoliids, sponges, chancellorids, and echinoderms. This paper reports and describes a new arthropod from the yellowish green mudstone at the lower part of the Wulongqing Formation, Canglangpuan Stage, Lower Cambrian in Kunming, Yunnan, China. The stratigraphic and geographic distribution, classification, fossil preservation, life style of this new arthropod and comparisons with other fossil arthropods are also discussed in details. The discovery and research of the non-mineralized arthropod, Guangweicaris Luo, Fu et Hu gen. nov. from the Guanshan Fauna adds new members to the taxonomic list and provides new information to the evolution of early arthropods. Furthermore, this study would shed new light into the ＂Cambrian Explosion＂ and the evolution of early life.
基金supported by the Doctoral Foundation of Ministry of Education of China (No. 20060183023)
文摘Tuvaella brachiopod fauna are distributed in an arc in three areas, including the Zeya-Hailar （海拉尔）-Shinejinst area, the Najramdal Uul-Kyzyl area, and the Barkol-Fuyun （富蕴） area. The Tuvaella fauna in the Zeya-Hailar-Shinejinst area are distributed in the northern margin of Jiamusi （佳木斯）-Mongolia block along the Mongolia-Okhotsk suture between the Siberia plate and the Jiamusi-Mongolia block but not appear in the corresponding Siberia plate. The Tuvaella fauna in the Najramdal Uul-Kyzyl area are distributed in the southwestern part of the Siberia plate as the accelerated fold belts during the Salairian-Caledonian periods, and those in the Barkol-Fuyun area are distributed in the northeastern margin of Kazakhstan plate. They are distributed along the Irtysb suture between the Siberia plate and the Kazakhstan plate. The Tuvaeila fauna became domestic fauna during the Wenlock and Pridoli （Middle-Late Silurian） and form a unique biogeographic province, i.e., the Mongolia-Okhotsk Province. This biogeographic province is sustained to the Mississippian （Carboniferous）, perhaps due to the semiclosed state of the Mongolia-Okhotsk Ocean. The northeastern margin （right now the southwestern margin） of Siberia plate, the northern margin of Jiamusi-Mongolia block, and the northeastern margin of Kazakhstan plate might be conjuncted in an arc region from Wenlock to Mississippian, along the southern margin of the Irtysh-Mid Mongolia-Okhotsk Ocean. This is coincident with the fact that the Siberia plate rotated 180° clockwise since the Mesozoic and located in the middle-high latitude during Devonian, and the coral reef limestone is widely developed in the Jiamusi- Mongolia block during the Early and Middle Devonian, which suggests that the block was positioning in middle-lower latitude at that time and that the Kazakhstan plate was also located in low latitude then.
文摘In a field experiment, the populations of major soil fauna groups including earthworms, enchytraeids,arthropods and nematodes were examined in conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) red soil ecosystems to evaluate their responses to tillage disturbance. Earthworms, macrry and micro-arthropods were stimulated under NT with earthworms showing the highest population increase by four times, while enchytraeids and nematodes favored CT system, predicting certain adaptability of these animals to plow-disturbed soil environment. On the basis of relative response index it was found that soil fauna was more sensitive to tillage than soil resource base (C and N pools) and microflora. The population structure of soil fauna was also affected by tillage treatments. Analysis on nematode trophic groups showed that bacteria-feeding and plant parasitic nematodes were more abundant in CT soil whereas the proportions of fungivores and omnivorepredators increased in NT soil. Possible reasons for the differentiation in both size and structure of the fauna population were discussed and the ecological significance involved in these changes was emphasized.
基金Under the auspices of State Key Development Program for Basic Research of China (No. 2009CB421103)KeyProgram of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40830535/D0101)Knowledge Innovation Programs of ChineseAcademy of Sciences (No. KZCX2-YW-BR-16, KSCX2-YW-N-46-06)
文摘Litter decomposition is the key process in nutrient recycling and energy flow. The present study examined the impacts of soil fauna on decomposition rates and nutrient fluxes at three succession stages of wetland in the Sanjiang Plain, China using different mesh litterbags. The results show that in each succession stage of wetland, soil fauna can obviously increase litter decomposition rates. The average contribution of whole soil fauna to litter mass loss was 35.35%. The more complex the soil fauna group, the more significant the role of soil fauna. The average loss of three types of litter in the 4mm mesh litterbags was 0.3-4. l times that in 0.058ram ones. The decomposition function of soil fauna to litter mass changed with the wetland succession. The average contribution of soil fauna to litter loss firstly decreased from 34.96% （Carex lasiocapa） to 32.94% （Carex rneyeriana）, then increased to 38.16% （Calamagrostics angustifolia）. The contributions of soil fauna to litter decomposition rates vary according to the litter substrata, soil fauna communities and seasons. Significant effects were respectively found in August and July on C. angustifolia and C. lasiocapa, while in June and August on C. meyeriana. Total carbon （TC）, total nitrogen （TN） and total phosphorus （TP） contents and the C/N and C/P ratios of decaying litter can be influenced by soil fauna. At different wetland succession stages, the effects of soil fauna on nutrient elements also differ greatly, which shows the significant difference of in- fluencing element types and degrees. Soil fauna communities strongly influenced the TC and TP concentrations of C. meyeriana litter, and TP content of C. lasiocapa. Our results indicate that soil fauna have important effects on litter decomposition and this influence will vary with the wetland succession and seasonal variation.
基金This study was a contribution to the 30th IGC Project 96-30-16 supported by the State Planning Commission and the Beijing Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources.Yuan Lingsheng,Li Chang'an,Li Longyin,Chen Lianfang,Chi Zhenqing and Zhang Xujiao also took
文摘From 1985 to 1987, four new localities with abundant fossil mammals were dis-covered by Cao, Tian and others in the Zhoukoudian (Choukoutien) area, Beijing. They are theEast, West, Shangdian and Donglingzi caves. The East Cave fauna consists of 28 speices ofmammals and its age is middle Early Pleistocene. The East Cave assemblage shows that a tem-perature-falling event took place at around 1.20 Ma B.P. at Zhoukoudian. Sixteen species ofmammals were collected from the West Cave, which are mainly forms of late Early Pleistoceneage. The West Cave fauna represents a transitional fauna from the East Cave fauna (dry-cold)to the fauna (warm) at locality 9. The Shangdian Cave fauna is composed of four forms, beingMiddle Pleistocene in age. The Donglingzi Cave fauna contains 21 Late Pleistocene forms. Inthe cave two fossil horizons may be distinguished. The age of the lower horizon is early LatePleistocene, which is equivalent to that of the New Cave fauna; while the fauna of the upper ho-rizon may be correlated with the Upper Cave fauna.
