A quantitative succession model for nine montana forest communities

A quantitative succession model was developed both to meet resource management needs in Montana's Lewis and Clark National Forest and to develop a modeling methodology. It builds upon previous concepts and incudes three new features: quantitative prediction of all tree species and seedlings; quantitative predictions of important understory species; and successional pathways determined by fire intensity and scorch height. The method is described and demonstrated for selected Montana habitat (community) types. It is also available in managerial guidelines and has been programmed as a new module in theforplan simulator. Weaknesses of this and other models are discussed. Conclusions relate succession modeling to resource management needs.     

Trail erosion patterns in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

All the maintained trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park were surveyed for width, depth, and a variety of types of erosion. Trail erosion is related to a number of environmental variables, including vegetation type, elevation, trail slope, and section of the park. Open grass balds and spruce-fir forest are the most erosion-sensitive plant communities, and the xeric oak and pine types are the least sensitive. Trails in virgin or mature forest tend to be in poorer condition than those in successional areas. The most important physical factor is the slope of the trail.Trails in the Tennessee district are in slightly poorer condition, on the average, than those in the North Carolina district, but the Appalachian Trail is more eroded than either. A poor section of the park may have ten times the erosion of a good section. On an allpark basis, water erosion is the most important problem, with 15% of the trail surface affected.A comparison of visitation patterns with trail condition indicates that redistribution of use would help to mitigate some erosion problems. Because trail condition is correlated to physical environmental factors, however, some sites will require intensive maintenance, even if visitation is low.The data from this survey have already been used in environmental analysis of proposed developments within the park and can be applied to long-range planning for the park trail system as a whole.     

Grassy balds of the Great Smoky Mountains: Their history and flora in relation to potential management

The origin of the grassy balds of the Great Smoky Mountains is examined. Some of the areas were cleared by settlers. Grazing by sheep and cattle and the cutting of trees were probably the most important factors in maintaining the grass sward; fire apparently was not used.Vegetation survey plots indicated that little of the original balds' area was still grassy and that most of the invading trees and shrubs could be expected to sprout if cut or burned. Areas presently trampled or mowed had a flora similar to a bald that was still grazed. High-elevation burn scars had many species in common with the grassy balds but had dissimilar community structures; therefore, a policy favoring natural fires would be unlikely to encourage maintanence or formation of grassy balds.The management of open grassy areas on National Forest lands was investigated. Burning was the favored technique, although hand cutting, mowing, and grazing were used. The results of testing various management practices on Gregory Bald are reviewed in terms of cost, impact, and historical authenticity. Implications for park management are discussed.     

Watershed factors affecting stream acidification in the White Mountains of New Hampshire,USA

The streams tributary to acidic Cone Pond, pH 4.5–4.8, and circumneutral Black Pond, pH 5.3–6.4, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, USA, were monitored for a year. The watersheds of these two ponds were characterized in terms of geology and stream hydrology. Chemical gradients and patterns in rock weathering and groundwater discharge explain many of the differences in mineral content and acidity of the streams. The rocks of Black watershed produced an average of ten times the equivalent of basic cations as rocks from Cone watershed. This is on the same order as the difference in acidity of the two streams. Down-stream changes in stream chemistry follow differing patterns, but reflect the same principle of residence time and water path length controlling chemical evolution of streamwater. Watershed and aquatic managers may use these parameters in an inexpensive and simple assessment of the susceptibility of individual streams and ponds to acidification. A method is recommended to determine quickly the potential influence of bedrock type to aquatic chemistry.     

太行山脉不同量级降雨侵蚀力时空变化特征

基于太行山脉及其周边地区76个气象监测站点1954-2016年逐日降雨数据,建立了基于不同量级侵蚀性年降雨量模拟年降雨侵蚀力的简易模型,并采用气候倾向率、小波周期分析、重心模型、Co-Kriging插值、Mann-kendall非参数趋势检验以及突变分析等方法,分析了不同量级降雨侵蚀力时空变化特征及其影响因素。结果表明：（1）太行山脉地区年降雨侵蚀力简易模型为y=0.182x₁^1.095+5.463x₂^0.982+9.401x₃^1.017+15.258x₄-26.753,且多年降雨侵蚀力呈小幅上升趋势,10年间上升了2.4 MJ·mm·hm^-2·h^-1·a^-1,同时存在约20年的主周期和6年的小周期变化,并在1996年发生显著突变;中雨和大雨侵蚀力63年间均呈上升趋势,而暴雨和特大降雨侵蚀力呈下降趋势;春秋两季主要受中雨和大雨侵蚀力的影响,而夏季则主要受特大降雨侵蚀力的影响。（2）太行山脉地区各量级降雨侵蚀力最大值主要分布于太行山脉东南部以及五台山地区,最小值主要分布于地区的东北部;运用重心模型发现各量级降雨侵蚀力重心在春夏季节整体向东部以及东北部地区进行迁移,而秋冬季节则向南部以及西南地区迁移,形成一个循环,且与冬夏季风的控制时间相符。（3）太行山脉地区不同量级降雨侵蚀力与侵蚀性降雨量均呈显著正相关（P<0.01）,大雨和特大降雨侵蚀力分别与纬度、海拔呈显著负相关（P<0.05）,这主要与副热带高压移动、地形、海拔以及自然地理环境等因素有关。     

2016~2018年采暖季太行山沿线城市PM2.5污染特征分析

对2016年、2017年采暖季太行山沿线传输通道城市大气中PM_2.5的OC、EC和水溶性离子进行分析,并利用特征组分比值和元素富集因子变化研究该传输通道的污染特征.结果表明,2017年采暖季通道整体较2016年同期空气质量改善良好,PM_2.5浓度由2016年的171.86μg/m³下降为123.90μg/m³.太行山中部城市2017年采暖季较2016年同期PM_2.5浓度下降显著,2a采暖季SNA离子（SO^2-,NO₃^-,NH₄⁺ 3种离子总称）浓度与占比呈现"北低南高",加之SNA/EC比值"北低南高",表明南部城市二次无机生成较为严重.而OC、EC浓度与占比呈现"北高南低",Cl^-/K⁺比值和元素Zn、Ba的富集因子北部均高于南部,表明北部城市可能受燃煤和机动车源等一次排放影响较大;各城市2017年采暖季SO₂、NO₂、CO浓度有所下降,且均呈现"北高南低"趋势,进一步表明北部城市一次排放较为严重.     

秦岭中段北坡不同海拔土壤中细菌群落的分布特征及区域差异比较

为深入理解土壤细菌群落沿海拔梯度的分布特征,以秦岭山脉中段的朱雀国家森林公园朱雀山北坡（简称“朱雀北坡”）与太白山自然保护区太白山北坡（简称“太白山北坡”）为研究区域,海拔梯度上每隔400 m设置采样点,通过高通量测序研究土壤细菌群落的海拔变化规律及其关键影响因素.结果表明:研究区域内,随海拔升高,土壤pH趋于降低（太白山北坡不明显）,w（TC）、w（TN）、w（TOC）均显著升高,w（TP）也趋于升高（朱雀北坡不明显）.两个区域土壤细菌中相对丰度最高的均为变形菌门和酸杆菌门,朱雀北坡随海拔梯度变化显著的细菌主要包括变形菌门、硝化螺旋菌门、浮霉状菌门、酸杆菌门、放线菌门,其中,硝化螺旋菌门相对丰度与海拔呈正相关,放线菌门相对丰度与海拔呈负相关;太白山北坡随海拔梯度变化显著的细菌主要包括放线菌门、疣微菌门、浮霉状菌门、绿弯菌门,其中,放线菌门相对丰度与海拔呈负相关,其余三者相对丰度与海拔呈正相关.两个区域土壤细菌多样性指数（如Shannon-Wiener指数、Chao1指数、observed-species指数、PD_whole_tree指数等）沿海拔梯度均无明显变化规律,但太白山北坡数值整体上高于朱雀北坡.典范对应分析（canonical correlation analysis,CCA）结果显示,影响朱雀北坡和太白山北坡土壤细菌群落结构的主要因素均为pH和w（TOC）.研究显示,不同海拔梯度也是导致秦岭中段北坡土壤细菌群落差异的重要因素.      

国外大尺度生态廊道保护进展与秦岭国家公园建设

大型山脉在其走向上往往是生物扩散和分布的天然廊道。然而,由于人类干扰引起的生境碎片化,山地廊道的连通性已大为降低。20世纪以来,人们普遍意识到当前或过去的自然保护措施往往规模太小,无法维持许多物种的长期生存及其所依赖的生态过程。因而,山地廊道的连通性保护日益受到关注,大尺度生态廊道被认为是长远意义上保护气候变化下生物多样性的最优策略。综述连通性保护和生态廊道的概念、发展历程及国外大尺度生态廊道建设实践的经验,并从连通性保护的角度对秦岭国家公园建设提出一些建议,强调大尺度的连通性保护和生态廊道建设对于国家公园自然生态系统的长远保护具有重要意义。     

秦岭生态屏障产水服务时空演变特征及驱动要素

秦岭是我国重要的“中央水塔”,是南水北调的重要水源地。基于InVEST模型评估2000—2018年秦岭地区产水服务,分析其时空演变特征,利用相关性分析和地理加权回归方法（GWR）探究不同因素对秦岭地区产水服务变化的影响。结果表明：秦岭地区多年平均产水量为235.16 mm,19年间产水量呈现微弱下降趋势,产水量在空间上表现为由南部向北减少的特点。秦岭地区产水量波动程度和变化趋势都较弱,产水服务整体比较稳定。各因素对产水量的影响具有明显的空间异质性,降水主导的范围最大（33.18%）,且集中分布于产水量较多的秦岭南侧。其次为NPP（17.90%）和实际蒸散量（16.71%）,两者在中北部地区是主要影响因素。研究结果对促进区域生态安全和可持续发展具有一定的指导意义。     

中晚全新世六盘山流域土壤侵蚀的湖泊沉积记录

流域土壤侵蚀是流域水文—气候—生态的集中表现之一,对生态、环境等有着重大影响,重建过去流域土壤侵蚀强度对理解区域人类活动具有重要意义.本文选取黄土高原西南部高山湖泊——六盘山天池沉积岩芯为研究对象,基于XRF岩芯元素数据分析,结合可靠的AMS 14C年代序列,重建了中晚全新世以来六盘山流域土壤侵蚀强度变化记录.结果显示:5570?—?1600 cal BP,流域土壤侵蚀整体较强,侵蚀强度逐渐减弱,其主要受控于降水变化,也受植被覆盖等因素的影响;随着晚全新世气候逐渐变干,1600 cal BP之后的侵蚀强度整体弱于前一时期,此时段由于人类活动的显著影响,加剧了流域的土壤侵蚀.太阳辐射可能是研究区土壤侵蚀强度变化的初始驱动力,ENSO通过驱动亚洲季风变化影响区域降水,进而直接影响流域土壤侵蚀的强度变化.