Spatio-temporal ranging behaviour and its relevance to foraging strategies in wide-ranging wolverines

Conservation of carnivores in an increasingly changing environment is greatly helped by understanding the decision-making processes underlying habitat patch choice. Foraging theory may give us insight into spatio-temporal search patterns and consequent foraging decisions that carnivores make in heterogeneous and fluctuating environments. Constraints placed on central-place foragers in particular are likely to influence both foraging decisions and related spatio-temporal movement patterns. We used discrete choice models to investigate the spatio-temporal ranging behaviour of GPS collared female wolverines (Gulo gulo) with dependent cubs in south-central Norway. Activity patterns, home range use and selection for elevation were analyzed in relation to spatial and temporal covariates (daily and seasonal) and related to different foraging behaviours. In spring, wolverines showed restricted movement patterns around rendezvous sites at high elevations by day, whereas during the night animals were active at lower elevations. Over the summer, this daily pattern in intensity of use diminished and their overall selectiveness for elevation decreased as cubs grow more mobile and independent. At the onset of autumn, wolverines showed intensive use of the profitable forest-alpine tundra ecotone. We argue that reproducing wolverines deployed a foraging strategy attuned to altering their movement patterns throughout the summer to address a continuous, but diminishing, trade-off between providing both food and shelter for their offspring. Incorporating spatially and temporally explicit activity patterns and home range use in discrete choice resource selection models thus enhances the understanding of the motives behind wolverine resource utilization in space and time. Such knowledge may provide guidance to managers designing regional-scale zoning, in order to facilitate carnivore recovery and to minimize conflicts with human activities.     

不同干扰类型对呼伦贝尔草甸草原群落结构及物种多样性影响的比较

采用样方法,对比研究了2009—2011年刈割和围封干扰对呼伦贝尔草甸草原植物群落结构和物种多样性的影响. 结果表明:2009—2011年,围封干扰下建群种种群相对重要值分别为15.67%、17.73%、17.60%;而刈割干扰下建群种种群相对重要值分别为16.86%、14.84%、12.36%,呈明显下降趋势;表明围封干扰可促进建群种种群生长,而刈割则有一定的抑制作用. 2种干扰类型导致的植物群落生态类型变化趋势差异尚不显著. 2009—2011年,刈割干扰下,Margalef物种丰富度指数分别为6.05、4.58、4.27,Shannon-Wiener多样性指数分别为3.13、2.89、2.79,Pielou均匀度指数分别为0.90、0.91、0.90;围封干扰下,Margalef物种丰富度指数分别为6.46、6.03、5.32,Shannon-Wiener多样性指数分别为3.26、3.18、2.98,Pielou均匀度指数分别为0.87、0.87、0.85. 可见,在相同年份,刈割干扰下Margalef物种丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数均低于围封干扰,Pielou均匀度指数均高于围封干扰. 说明围封干扰有利于植物物种多样性的维持,而适度的刈割干扰则有利于植物群落的均一化.      

白洋淀水陆交错带N20还原酶基因（nosE）与反硝化活性的垂直分布研究

为深入剖析水陆交错带N2O释放热区的机理,选择白洋淀一处典型水陆交错带为研究对象。通过对其纵剖面（0～80cm）分层土壤样品的理化指标、反硝化速率（DNR）、N2O产生速率及N2O还原酶基因（NosZ）丰度和多样性的分析发现,在水陆交错带陆域纵剖面中,表层土壤（0～10cm）的反硝化速率（DNR）和N2O产生速率均最高,分别为65．8和9．41nmol·g^-1·h^-1（以N及dw计）;表层（0～10cm）和亚表层（10～20cm）土壤的nosZ基因丰度最高（分别为1．00×10^10genecopies·g^-1dw和9．23×10^9genecopies·g^-1dw）且没有显著性差异（p〈0．05）。生物多样性指数表明,表层土壤的nosZ基因生物多样性高于底层;在系统发育树中,表层和底层土壤的nosZ基因序列并没有明显的界限。Pearson相关性分析表明,在典型水陆交错带陆域纵剖面中,nosZ基因丰度与N2O／N2O＋N2）呈负相关关系（r=0．766,p〈0．05）,表明在水陆交错带区域nosZ基因丰度是N2O转化的指示指标。     

北方农牧交错带干旱脆弱性时空格局演变

干旱脆弱性研究为北方农牧交错带人地系统的“整合”研究提供了新思路与分析框架。论文运用VSD脆弱性评估框架,将系统脆弱性分解为暴露度、敏感性、适应能力3个维度,以北方农牧交错带112个县域为研究单元,以2000、2008、2015年社会经济统计数据、气象数据、遥感影像数据为研究基础,运用模糊层次分析、空间热点探测分析和变异系数分析等方法,对各县域干旱脆弱性时空演变特征进行分析与总结。研究结论：1）研究区干旱脆弱性指数逐步降低,整体呈现东北地区低脆弱、西南地区高脆弱的空间格局。2）研究区暴露度指数先上升、后下降,且由东北向西南逐渐增高;敏感性指数先下降、后上升,呈现空间碎片化特征;适应能力指数逐步提高,呈现中部高度适应、东部中度适应、西部低度适应的格局。3）研究区干旱脆弱性差异度先增大、后减小,且呈现西、南部差异度大,东、北部差异度小的格局。4）研究区干旱脆弱性冷、热点个数增加明显,2000—2008年冷热点个数增加最明显;空间上,热点先由中部向西部蔓延,冷点由东部边界区向西部、南部扩展,形成了东部边界冷点集聚带和中、西部热点集聚区。     

Valuation of Ecological Resources and Functions

/ Ecological resources are natural resources that provide certain necessary but overlooked system maintenance functions within ecosystems. Environmental economics is in search of an appropriate analysis framework to determine economic values of such resources. This paper presents a framework that estimates and compiles the components of value for a natural ecosystem. The framework begins with the ecological processes involved, which provide functions within the ecosystem and services valued by humans. We discuss the additive or competive nature of these values, and estimate these values through conventional and unconventional techniques. We apply the framework to ecological resources in a shrub-steppe dryland habitat being displaced by development. We first determine which functions and services are mutually exclusive (e.g., farming vs soil stabilization) and which are complementary or products of joint production (e.g., soil stabilization and maintenance of species). We then apply benefit transfer principles with contingent valuation methodology (CVM), travel cost methodology (TCM), and hedonic damage pricing (HDP). Finally, we derive upper-limit values for more difficult-to-value functions through the use of human analogs, which we argue are the most appropriate method of valuation under some circumstances. The highest values of natural shrub-steppe habitat appear to be derived from soil stabilization.KEY WORDS: Natural resource economics; Ecological economics; Ecological resources; Shrub-steppe; Environmental valuation; Cost; Benefit; Value     

宁夏荒漠草原恢复演替过程中物种多样性与生产力的变化

荒漠草原一直是生态学者关注的焦点。文章以宁夏灵武的荒漠草原区为研究对象,对围栏条件下退化群落的物种多样性、生产力和群落演替及其生态机制进行探讨,为荒漠草原的植被恢复和重建提供理论基础。结果表明:群落生产力除受物种多样性的影响外,也受物种本身特征和环境资源的影响。在荒漠草原中功能群盖度与群落初级生产力无显著的相关关系。荒漠植物群落物种多样性指数在时间尺度上的变化表现为随着围栏时间的延续逐渐增加,而生态优势度变化趋势则相反。在不同年份年降水量直接影响植物群落物种数的多少、丰富度和生产力。     

祁连山中部四种典型生态系统土壤氮矿化的研究

水热因素对土壤氮矿化的影响直接关系到陆地生态系统功能对气候变化的响应趋势。祁连山是青藏高原北沿的典型山地,对气候变化影响十分敏感和脆弱,为了定量确定祁连山土壤氮分解对水热因素变化的响应趋势,在人工气候箱内以正交试验设计方法培养土壤,分析了祁连山高寒草甸、山地森林、荒漠草原和干草原土壤氮矿化及其与温度、湿度和土层的关系。结果显示:以土壤氮矿化量极差计,海拔高度影响最大,其次是温度和湿度;以土壤氮矿化比例极差计,温度和海拔高度影响较大。海拔高度对土壤氮矿化量的影响显著(p<0.05)。除湿度外,其它因素对土壤氮矿化比例影响也达到显著程度(p<0.10)。35℃下土壤氮矿化比例显著比5℃下高,而不同湿度下土壤氮矿化及其矿化比例差异不显著(p<0.05)。海拔高度3000m和3300m处土壤氮矿化量比2800m和2200m处高,2800m处比2200m处高,3000m处土壤氮矿化比例显著比2200m和3300m处高(p<0.05)。森林和干旱草原土壤中氮矿化比例较高,荒漠草原和高寒草甸中较低。以土壤氮矿化速率计,5℃升高到15℃下和15℃升到25℃,Q10较低;以土壤氮矿化比例计,5℃升高到15℃下,Q10较高,15℃到25℃较低。研究结果说明高寒草甸和山地森林土壤氮矿化量较高,干旱草原和荒漠草原土壤氮矿化量较低;森林和干旱草原中土壤氮矿化比例较高,荒漠草原和高寒草甸中较低。     

Edge Effects in the Great Tit: Analyses of Long-term Data with GIS Techniques

Abstract:  In contemporary fragmented landscapes, edges are commonplace, and understanding the effects of edge environments is thus essential for the conservation of forest communities. The reproductive output of forest passerines is often reduced close to forest edges. Possible explanations include overcrowding by conspecifics, elevated rates of predation, and the occurrence of lower-quality habitat and/or individuals at forest edges. We attempted to separate these processes by examining edge effects in the absence of nest predation and by effectively controlling for differences in breeding density and the quality of habitats and individuals. We used an edge distance index (EDI), which accounts for the number and distribution of edges in close proximity to a breeding location, to help explain variation in breeding density, nesting success, and reproductive traits of 8308 pairs of Great Tits ( Parus major ) breeding between 1965 and 2005, in Wytham, near Oxford, United Kingdom. Results from linear mixed modeling confirmed higher breeding density and a higher proportion of immigrant individuals at forest edges. Nevertheless, independently of these effects, we also found that birds laying later, with smaller clutches but larger eggs, were typical of edge environments. The number of offspring recruited to the breeding offspring per breeding attempt was also reduced at edges, both directly and mediated through changes in clutch size and laying date. Edge effects on life histories were detectable within individual females and up to 500 m from the woodland edge. Woodland edges are increasingly common in contemporary fragmented landscapes. Therefore these results, which suggest a pervasive effect of edges on reproduction, are of considerable importance to the management and conservation of forest communities.     

论浅水湖泊中的水固交错带与科学清淤规划——以雄安新区白洋淀为例

本文从雄安新区白洋淀科学清淤规划的重要性入手，提出水固交错带这一新型生态交错带研究的理念.重点关注由于沉积物形成过程和结构不同导致的污染物在水相、固相和气相及在水-固界面和水-气界面等区域的地球化学循环过程与机制的差异，以及与其对应的特异性水生态和底栖生态修复理念与设计.基于这一理念，结合白洋淀内源污染治理的需求，进一步提出了"基于弹性机制的生态空间重构"的工作设想.以此抛砖引玉，深入探讨沉积物-水微界面过程机制，以及相应的特殊宏观生态效应与污染控制，推动环境水质学领域的研究与发展.     

退化羊草草原在浅耕翻处理后植物群落生物量组成动态研究

利用统计方法研究了退化羊草草原浅耕翻后17年的群落生物量组成变化规律,结果表明:浅耕翻处理后地上生物量增长与恢复年限呈单峰型曲线,且在演替的前期和中期,群落生产力与降水并没有显著的相关关系,生物量的高低主要受群落组成结构的影响。群落地上生物量组成中禾本科占主导地位,藜科、菊科和蔷薇科在恢复前期和中后期比例增加,且与禾本科有一定的负相关关系。从生活型组成来看,根茎禾草生物量占总生物量的90%以上,群落初级生产力及其年度动态与多年生根茎禾草和多年生杂类草2个功能群的地上生物量均有极显著的相关关系。就群落生物量植物水分生态类型组成来看,中旱生、旱生植物占有绝对的优势,群落地上生物量与中旱生植物、旱生植物功能群地上生物量也具有较显著的正相关关系。多样性指数在处理后的总变化趋势为开口向上的抛物线状。植物群落多样性变化主要归功于其物种的均匀性变化。同时禾本科、菊科、蔷薇科植物生物量,根茎禾草、丛生禾草、直根型杂类草的生物量与多样性指数呈显著或极显著的线性相关关系。浅耕翻对更新退化羊草草原、提高产草量、改善草质均有明显效果,从利用的角度看,浅耕翻处理后第四年即根茎禾草占优势以后可有计划地利用。