Long-Term Ecosystem Dynamics in the Serengeti: Lessons for Conservation

Abstract:  Data from long-term ecological studies further understanding of ecosystem dynamics and can guide evidence-based management. In a quasi-natural experiment we examined long-term monitoring data on different components of the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem to trace the effects of disturbances and thus to elucidate cause-and-effect connections between them. The long-term data illustrated the role of food limitation in population regulation in mammals, particularly in migratory wildebeest and nonmigratory buffalo. Predation limited populations of smaller resident ungulates and small carnivores. Abiotic events, such as droughts and floods, created disturbances that affected survivorship of ungulates and birds. Such disturbances showed feedbacks between biotic and abiotic realms. Interactions between elephants and their food allowed savanna and grassland communities to co-occur. With increased woodland vegetation, predators' capture of prey increased. Anthropogenic disturbances had direct (hunting) and indirect (transfer of disease to wildlife) effects. Slow and rapid changes and multiple ecosystem states became apparent only over several decades and involved events at different spatial scales. Conservation efforts should accommodate both infrequent and unpredictable events and long-term trends. Management should plan on the time scale of those events and should not aim to maintain the status quo. Systems can be self-regulating through food availability and predator-prey interactions; thus, culling may not be required. Ecosystems can occur in multiple states; thus, there may be no a priori need to maintain one natural state. Finally, conservation efforts outside protected areas must distinguish between natural change and direct human-induced change. Protected areas can act as ecological baselines in which human-induced change is kept to a minimum     

三江平原小叶章湿地生态系统对氮磷的净化效率

选取面积为1600m^2的小叶章（Deyeuxia angustifolia）湿地进行小区域模拟试验。试验设割草区、1倍浓度区、静态对照区和2倍浓度区4个处理，研究N、P输入浓度，割草和输出径流对三江平原小叶章湿地生态系统净化N、P污染物的影响。结果表明，在小叶章生长期和成熟期，湿地生态系统对N、P保持较稳定的净化，N、P平均去除率分别为85．62％和85．94％。湿地水体中TN和NH4^＋-N的累积浓度显著相关。输入浓度、割草和输出径流都影响着湿地生态系统对N、P的净化和N、P在系统内的分配。输入浓度增大时，N、P去除率明显降低；割草会降低N去除率，但对P去除率影响不大；少量输出径流对N、P去除影响不大。三江平原小叶章湿地生态系统对输入的N、P具有显著净化作用，总净化率可达97．97％和99．05％。     

土地生态系统健康研究的主要内容及面临的问题

生态系统健康研究是资源环境可持续利用研究中的一个热点。在归纳土地生态系统具有尺度的宏观性、对象的地域性、空间的开放性和动态性、问题的复杂性等特征的基础上，提出了开展土地生态系统健康研究的内容应包括土地生态系统健康的机理、评价和管理等三个主要方面。结合我国的土地资源状况，指出我国开展土地生态系统健康研究面临着包括人口密度过大，土地资源压力大；我国地域辽阔，气候类型多样，社会经济区域发展不均衡，全国各地土地生态系统的区域分异性很强等主要问题。     

Ecosystem Management across Ownerships: the Potential for Collision with Antitrust Laws

Abstract:  Cross-boundary ecosystem management is increasingly being advocated to address large-scale ecological issues on forested landscapes. Such management requires information about the age, composition, and distribution of trees and other vegetation in addition to the ability to coordinate management over large areas. In the United States, the forest industry owns and manages a large quantity of biologically productive forest land, and these forests are crucial to the success of regional ecosystem planning. Antitrust laws, such as the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, limit the industry's ability to participate in regional ecosystem planning because they restrict the ability of competing firms to coordinate activities and share information. Because antitrust courts do not consider the intentions of violators, achieving conservation or other public policy goals, even when working with government agencies, is not a sufficient defense. Therefore, the real and perceived threat of antitrust litigation is a disincentive to the forest industry's participation in large-scale ecosystem management. Potential solutions to this problem include state immunity statutes and third-party data aggregation.     

森林生态系统中土壤呼吸研究进展

土壤呼吸是土壤微生物活性和土壤肥力的一个重要指标，是土壤碳流通的一个重要过程，也是陆地生态系统碳循环的一个关键部分，对研究全球变化有非常重要影响。文章综述了森林生态系统土壤呼吸的各种测量方法，比较了静态气室法和动态气室法的优缺点，认为动态红外气体分析法是最可靠的方法之一；探讨了影响土壤呼吸速率的各种因素，指出在各生物和非生物因素中，温度对土壤呼吸的影响最大；最后提出了土壤呼吸研究过程中存在的一些问题及今后的发展方向。     

毛竹林生态系统动态经济阈值

运用经济阈值（ET）的研究方法建立了毛竹林生态系统经济阈值模型。探讨了毛竹林生态系统一元和二元复合动态经济阈值，研究结果表明：对于不同的毛竹林分，林分立竹度（N）越大，其经济阈值（ET）也随之增大，对于同一毛竹林分来说，经济阈值随着笋的平均价格（Ps)，贴现率（δ），笋的平均单重（Ws)，每年挖去笋增量的比例（k）和经营时间（t)特等因子的增大而增大，而随着竹材的平均价格（PB），成竹率（R）的增大而减少，此外，还进一步分析了毛竹林经济阈值与Ps,PB两个主要影响因子之间的复合动态变化关系。结果表明PB对毛竹林经济阈值的影响较Ps大，并编制了毛竹林生态系统二元复合动态经济阈值一览表。从而为实现毛竹林的丰产经营提供方便与指导。     

城市可持续发展的生态学分析——以广州市为例

以广州市为案例，从城市生态学观点出发，通过对广州城市生态系统功能的辨识与评价，明确了广州城市可持续发展的制约因素。     

湿地服务价值评估的复杂性及研究进展

湿地服务价值评估具有重要的理论意义和应用价值。由于湿地具有类型多样、分布广泛和过程复杂等特点,湿地服务价值评估极具复杂性。主要表现为:湿地科学是一门年轻的科学,其过程与功能研究有待深入;对生态系统服务及其价值认识上还存在分歧;湿地服务价值研究具有多学科交叉的特点等。近年来,国内外湿地服务价值评估发展很快,取得了丰硕的研究成果,但也存在着一些问题与不足,如对湿地研究成果的利用不够充分;评估理论和方法有待完善;评估标准和评估结果差异较大等。因此,今后湿地服务价值评估研究应该将重点放在理论探索和方法完善方面,对应用研究加强引导和规范。从湿地生态系统过程与功能的机理入手,认真研究和改进湿地服务价值评估的手段、方法和技术,使湿地服务价值评估结果更具说服力、可比性和实用性,为湿地的科学管理,生态补偿机制的制定以及社会经济可持续发展提供有力支持。     

生态系统生物多样性研究及其保护对策

本文综述了生态系统多样性在生物多样性保护中的意义及５个中心研究问题，即生物群落或生态系统关键种、生物多样性关键地区、生态系统多样性的持续性、受害生态系统的恢复生态学、生态系统多样性保护对策及保护途径。文章还分析和讨论当前国际上有关生态系统多样性保护的对策和实践。     

桐麦间作人工群落空间分布格局的灰色局势决策

本文采用多目标灰色局势决策的方法，以桐麦间作人工群落为例，以１０年为泡桐生长的一个轮伐期，以６种不同的空间配置方式作为对策，以林业经济收益、农业经济收益和系统总体效益为目标，进行多目标决策，定量研究其空间分布格局。研究结果表明，以农为主间作型泡桐的最佳株行距为５×４０ｍ，以桐为主间作型的为５×５ｍ，农桐并重间作型的为５×２０ｍ。