Search

Squirrels of temperate zones commonly store nuts or seeds under leaf litter, in hollow logs, or even in holes in the ground; however, in the humid rainforests of Jianfengling in Hainan, South China, we show that some flying squirrels cache elliptical or oblate nuts by hanging them securely in vegetation. These small flying squirrels were identified as Hylopetes phayrei electilis (G. M. Allen, 1925) and Hylopetes alboniger (Hodgson, 1870), in video clips captured of their behavior around focal nuts. Squirrels chewed grooves encircling ellipsoid nuts or distributed on the bottoms of oblate nuts, and then used these grooves to fix nuts tightly between small twigs 0.1-0.6 cm in diameter that were connected at angles of 25-40°. The grooves carved on the nuts (concave structure) connected with Y-shaped twigs (convex structure) and thus firmly affixed the nuts to the plant in a way similar to a mortise-tenon joint used in architecture and carpentry. Cache sites were on small plants located 10-25 m away from the closest potentially nut-producing tree, a behavior that likely reduces the discovery and consumption of the nuts by other animals. The adaptive squirrel behavior that shapes and fits nuts between twigs seems to be directed at providing more secure storage that increases food supply during dry periods in a humid tropical rainforest. In addition to providing such benefits for the squirrels, we suggest that this behavior also impacts the distribution of tree species in the forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isotrema sanyaense R.T.Li, X.X.Zhu & Z.W.Wang, sp. nov., a new species from Hainan island, China, is described and illustrated here. It is morphologically most similar to I. ledongense (Han Xu, Y.D.Li & H.J.Yang) X.X.Zhu, S.Liao & J.S.Ma and I. jianfenglingense (Han Xu, Y.D.Li & H.Q.Chen) X.X.Zhu, S.Liao & J.S.Ma in the shape of leaf, flower, and the yellow to brown villous indumentum of the pedicel, ovary and calyx. However, I. sanyaense can be easily distinguished from the latter two species by its 1-5-flowered cymes, in hanging clusters of 1 to numerous branches, upper calyx tube obviously longer than basal calyx tube, calyx limb discoid, yellow inside, with purple-red stripes and spots, about 13-18 mm in diameter, glabrous, and a throat dark red without spots, 4-6 mm wide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution, homologue patterns, and ecological risks of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) were investigated in sediments from sixteen mangrove wetlands along the South China Coast (SCS). The total concentrations of CPs in mangrove sediments from Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi, and Hainan were in the range of 933–4760, 619–2300, 375–1550, and 271–658 ng/g dry weight, respectively. The contamination levels and spatial distribution of short-chain and medium-chain CPs (SCCPs and MCCPs, respectively) in mangrove sediments were mainly affected by local population scale and CP industries. The dominant CP patterns in sediments were C 10 – 11 Cl 6-8 and C 14 Cl 7-9 for SCCPs and MCCPs, respectively. Redundancy analysis, based on CP levels and several potential influencing factors showed that MCCPs/SCCPs ratio was the main factor affecting the accumulation of CPs in mangrove sediments. Additionally, MCCP concentrations were significantly correlated with total organic carbon (TOC), indicating that TOC might affect MCCP accumulation in mangrove sediments. Risk assessments indicated that CPs would pose medium ecological risks to sediment dwelling organisms in nearly one-third of the sampling sites. This is the first comprehensive report of the sedimentary SCCPs and MCCPs in mangrove wetlands along the SCS and highlights the need for more sediment toxicity data for CPs. [Display omitted] • Sedimentary CPs in mangrove wetlands along coastal area of China was first reported. • C 10-11 SCCPs and C 14 MCCPs were the dominant homologues in mangrove sediments. • MCCPs/SCCPs ratio was the main factor affecting the accumulation of CPs. • TOC might affect MCCP accumulation in mangrove sediment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Orchidaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species endemic to Hainan Island, China. It differs from the morphologically similar Z. membranacea mainly by having pubescent petals (vs. glabrous) and a Y-shaped and 10-12 mm (vs. cymbiform, 4-5 mm) long lip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Both SCCPs and MCCPs were detected in all reef coral samples from South China Sea. • CP levels and congener group patterns changed slightly between the dry and wet seasons. • The accumulation patterns of CPs in different corals was partly influenced by Symbiodinium densities and coral species. • Concentrations of SCCPs and MCCPs detected in coral tissues were significantly negatively correlated to Symbiodinium density. Our previous study revealed bioaccumulation and trophic magnification of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) in marine organisms. However, little is known about the occurrence and distribution of CPs in coral reef ecosystems. In this study, the levels of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) were determined in ten common coral species from the coastal regions of Hainan Island, South China Sea. SCCPs and MCCPs were detected in all coral species in concentrations ranging from 184 to 7,410 and 305 to 14,800 ng g−1 lw, respectively. In most of the coral species, congener group patterns of the SCCPs and MCCPs were dominated by C 10 Cl 6−8 and C 14 Cl 7−8 , respectively. The CP levels and congener group patterns changed slightly between the dry and wet seasons. Redundancy analyses indicated that the accumulation patterns of CPs in different corals were partly influenced by Symbiodinium densities and coral species. Significant negative correlations were found between Symbiodinium densities and CP levels. This is the first report of CP exposure in reef corals and highlights the need for CP toxicity data to evaluate the health of coral reef ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]