Ecological Trap for Desert Lizards Caused by Anthropogenic Changes in Habitat Structure that Favor Predator Activity

Abstract: Anthropogenic habitat perturbation is a major cause of population decline. A standard practice managers use to protect populations is to leave portions of natural habitat intact. We describe a case study in which, despite the use of this practice, the critically endangered lizard Acanthodactylus beershebensis was locally extirpated from both manipulated and natural patches within a mosaic landscape of an afforestation project. We hypothesized that increased structural complexity in planted patches favors avian predator activity and makes these patches less suitable for lizards due to a heightened risk of predation. Spatial rarity of natural perches (e.g., trees) in arid scrublands may hinder the ability of desert lizards to associate perches with low‐quality habitat, turning planted patches into ecological traps for such species. We erected artificial trees in a structurally simple arid habitat (similar to the way trees were planted in the afforestation project) and compared lizard population dynamics in plots with these structures and without. Survival of lizards in the plots with artificial trees was lower than survival in plots without artificial trees. Hatchlings dispersed into plots with artificial trees in a manner that indicated they perceived the quality of these plots as similar to the surrounding, unmanipulated landscape. Our results showed that local anthropogenic changes in habitat structure that seem relatively harmless may have a considerable negative effect beyond the immediate area of the perturbation because the disturbed habitat may become an ecological trap.     

长江上游陡坡耕地退耕的难点与对策

长江上游属于 2 5°以上的陡坡退耕还林地面积达 170万hm2 ,是长江上游水土流失的重要策源地 ,严重制约了该区域社会经济的可持续发展。因此 ,实行陡坡耕地退耕还林是建设长江上游生态屏障的重要组成部分 ,也是生态建设的主要内容之一。本文较为系统地论述了陡坡耕地的形成原因与危害 ,以及退耕的难点与有利时机 ,并探讨了详细分析了主要对策     

A model of multi-purpose ecosystem management for degraded Mediterranean uplands

In order to reconcile the need for conserving and improving neglected Mediterranean upland ecosystems with socio-economic advancement, new concepts of integrated landscape management are required. For this purpose a mode of a closely interwoven network of multiple land-use patterns is suggested, based on vegetation management and manipulation of the soil-plant-animal complex and on multi-purpose environmental landscaping and afforestation. The latter is essential for revegetation of denuded slopes and for fire protection and buffer zones, and is aimed at the creation of semi-natural, multi-layered forests, parks and woodlands. From these, highest overall multiple use benefits can be expected for environmental and watershed protection, resistance to fire hazard, biotic diversity and wildlife, recreation amenity., and plant and animal production.For optimization and dynamic land-use planning such relative values of multiple use benefits should be expressed in quantitative data and applied in dynamic planning of multiple use strategies, which could be tested first in combined research and demonstration schemes.     

Modeling Afforestation and the Underlying Uncertainties

A dynamic model of the carbon budget of an oak forest ecosystem that takes into account forest stand age was developed. A numerical experiment was designed to simulate the afforestation process, and a Monte Carlo simulation was performed to determine how parameter uncertainties and environmental variability influence the result. It was found that while the total amount of carbon stored in the ecosystem increases from 1.9 kg C/m² to 4.4 kg C/m² over the following 20 years, the relative standard deviation increases from 9 to 21%. The contribution of varying climate and carbon dioxide parameters to total uncertainty is substantial; for example, the standard deviation at the 10th modeling year for phytomass doubles and the uncertainties of the soil pool and total accumulated carbon increase by a factor of nearly 1.4, while the uncertainty of the litter pool stays almost at the same level.     

Long-term impact of municipal sewage irrigation on treated soil and black locust trees in a semi-arid suburban area of Iran

The effects of municipal sewage irrigation on the soil and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) tree were studied. For this purpose, two artificial black locust stands under irrigation of municipal sewage and well water were selected in south of Tehran, Iran. Data were collected using technique of systematic random sampling with 4 replicates in each stand. It was found that the growth of black locust tree, as indicated by diameter at breast height, total height, crown length, average crown diameter, basal area and volume, in sewage irrigation stand was much higher than that of well water irrigation stand (P < 0.01). Plant analysis indicated that concentrations of leaf nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn) were greater in sewage-irrigated trees, without toxicity to the minerals of tree leaf, than those of well waterirrigated trees, and positively correlated with their respective value in soil. Ni, Cr and Pb were not detected in leaf samples. Application of sewage resulted in a 1.5-fold increase in the concentrations of soil nutrients, Ni, Cr and Pb. Among these minerals only Pb and Ni in some soil samples exceeded the toxicity limit. The increase in pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and organic carbon of soil was also observed in sewage irrigation. Results confirm that besides the use as irrigation water, municipal sewages are also a potential source of plant nutrients. However, significant accumulation of heavy metals such as Pb and Ni in soil needs to be monitored.     

充分利用校园绿化进行园林教学的尝试

园林专业是实践性很强的学科,教学内容跨度大、涉及面广。针对我院园林专业实践性强的特点,利用校园植物进行园林专业在树种识别、标本制作等方面的实践教学改革,有效地提高了教学质量。     

秦皇岛市城区园林绿化系统生态效益研究

针对秦皇岛市城区园林绿化系统的现状及存在的问题,提出了提高城市园林绿化生态效益要以人为本,要节约资源,坚持生态优先的原则,并针对当前绿化存在的问题提出了多项建议和对策。     

Potential Impact of Afforestation on Water Yield in the Subalpine Region of Southwestern China1

Abstract: To combat its growing ecological problems, China has implemented a large‐scale Natural Forest Protection Program (NFPP). Under the umbrella of this program, the Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP) was established in 1999 to return cultivated land with slopes of 25° or more to perennial vegetation. However, the regional impacts on water resource management that are incurred by afforestation have not been carefully evaluated, especially in the subalpine region of southwestern China. The purpose of the present study was to provide reference values for the SLCP by evaluating the potential impact of afforestation on water yield under different climatic regimes. Accordingly, evapotranspiration (ET) in cropland (CL), shrubland, and general forest was calculated using a modification of Thornthwaite’s method, and in coniferous forest, broad‐leaved forest (BF), and mixed coniferous and broad‐leaved forest (MF) using the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) model. The results of both approaches showed that afforestation reduces water yield by 9.6‐24.3% depending on the types of conversion and climatic conditions. Water‐yield reduction is greatest (>143.4 mm, or 24.3%) when CL is converted to BF in dry climate conditions. Compared with the other forest types studied, coniferous plantations prevented water‐yield reduction by as much as 9.6% because of their relatively low levels of ET. It is expected that implementation of the SLCP, together with continuing climate change, will further pressure regional water resources. Thus, the effectiveness of afforestation must be evaluated in a broader context while taking into account its positive ecological aspects, such as soil‐erosion control, the preservation of biodiversity, and the significant carbon sequestration provided by forests.     

沙地柏嫩枝扦插繁殖实验研究

这个创新一是通过搭建的塑料棚(起高立式沙障作用)机械固定沙面,解决春季大风造成沙丘向周围移动的难题;二是就地取材,用天然沙地柏嫩枝进行人工扦插快繁,而穗条又不因路远失水和环境变化影响苗木生根率;三是留床苗直接造林,可解决沙区重新植苗造林成活率低的问题,同时又可节省大量人力及运输造成的二次浪费.     

Eco-environment contribution of agroforestry to agriculture development in the plain area of China--Huai''an Prefecture, Jiangsu Province as the case study area

For improving the environmental quality and ensuring supply of wood and non-timber forest products, many forests have been planted in plain areas of China. Scientists have studied their benefits, almost all of the approaches were based on tixed-point data, and few was considered on the non-efficient factors and temporal scale effects. This paper studies the positive and negative benefits at a large temporal scale, and the effects of plain afforestation on stockbreeding and rural economy. The benefits of plain afforestation, correlation coefficiency of agroforestry and production factors are analyzed via stochastic frontier modeling in Huanghuaihai Plain Area of China; elastic coefficient of agroforestry, husbandry, farming, and total output of agricultural sector are calculated through adopting partial differential equation. Some conclusions can be drawn that, plain forests have an important effect on the development of plain agriculture. But shelterbelts and small-soale forests have different effect on the development of agricultural economy. Shelterbelts have negative effect on the industries, but small-soale forest has positive effect. On the whole, contribution of forest resource to value of animal husbandry and gross production value of agriculture is positive, and to the value of farming is negative.