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e applied <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> description of <strong>the</strong>se changes. This
paper will elaborate in detail around <strong>the</strong>se new
criterions, <strong>and</strong> some examples will be provided.
Climate <strong>and</strong> irrigation affect <strong>the</strong> population
dynamics of Chinese striped hamster in
North China Plain
Chuan YAN
State Key Labora<strong>to</strong>ry of Integrated Management on Pest Insects
<strong>and</strong> Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, CAS, Beijing
100101, China. Email: yanch1985@gmail.com
Climatic (extrinsic) fac<strong>to</strong>rs may interact with
density‐dependent (intrinsic) fac<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> alter long‐term
population dynamics, yet investigation of how
anthropogenic disturbance modifies such dynamics is
lacking. We investigated <strong>the</strong> effects of density dependence,
climate, recurrent disturbance from flood irrigation <strong>and</strong>
<strong>the</strong>ir interactions on <strong>the</strong> population dynamics of a
common rodent pest, <strong>the</strong> Chinese striped hamster
(Cricetulus barabensis), over 27 years in <strong>the</strong> cropl<strong>and</strong>s of
<strong>the</strong> North China Plain. While warmer wea<strong>the</strong>r increased
population sizes in non‐breeding seasons, this effect was
counteracted by <strong>the</strong> negative effect of flood irrigation in
breeding seasons. Precipitation showed significant
positive effects in non‐breeding seasons, but negative
effects in breeding seasons. There were important
interactions between intrinsic dynamics, climate <strong>and</strong>
anthropogenic disturbance: low temperature significantly
increased <strong>the</strong> strength of density dependence in
non‐breeding seasons, whereas intensification of flood
irrigation area significantly increased <strong>the</strong> strength of
density dependence but reduced <strong>the</strong> effect of summer
precipitation in breeding seasons. Overall climate
change is expected <strong>to</strong> increase population levels, but
anthropogenic disturbance from flood irrigation will help
<strong>to</strong> prevent long‐term population increases. The
interactions between anthropogenic disturbance <strong>and</strong>
both intrinsic <strong>and</strong> extrinsic fac<strong>to</strong>rs caution that we need
<strong>to</strong> consider anthropogenic disturbance as an integral
component of population responses <strong>to</strong> climate change.
Climate change influences on trophic
interactions that affect breeding bird <strong>and</strong>
plant communities
Thomas E MARTIN
University of Montana, Montana, USA. Email:
<strong>to</strong>m.martin@umontana.edu
The contribution of climate change <strong>to</strong> declining
populations of organisms remains a question of
outst<strong>and</strong>ing concern. Much attention <strong>to</strong> declining
populations has focused on how changing climate
drives phenological mismatches between animals
<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir food. Effects of climate on plant
communities may provide an alternative, but
particularly powerful, influence on animal
populations because plants provide habitats. Here,
we show that <strong>the</strong> abundance of deciduous trees <strong>and</strong>
associated songbirds have declined with decreasing
snowfall over 22 years of study in montane Arizona,
USA. We experimentally tested <strong>the</strong> hypo<strong>the</strong>sis that
declining snowfall indirectly influences plants <strong>and</strong>
associated birds by allowing greater over‐winter
herbivory by elk (Cervus canadensis). We excluded
elk from one of 2 paired snowmelt drainages (10
ha/drainage), <strong>and</strong> replicated this paired experiment
across 3 distant canyons. Over 6 years, we
reversed multi‐decade declines in plant <strong>and</strong> bird
populations by experimentally inhibiting heavy
winter herbivory associated with declining
snowfall. Moreover, predation rates on songbird
nests decreased in exclosures, despite higher
abundances of nest preda<strong>to</strong>rs, demonstrating <strong>the</strong>
over‐riding importance of habitat quality <strong>to</strong> avian
recruitment. Thus, our results suggest that climate
impacts on a plant–animal interaction can have
forceful ramifying effects on plants, birds <strong>and</strong>
ecological interactions.
Clostridium <strong>the</strong>rmocellum 27405
harbouring increased copy numbers of
β­glucosidase a significantly increases
cellulase expression
WenshengQIN
Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay,
Ontario P7B 5E1, Canada. Email:
wenshengqin@yahoo.com
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