Managing Forests for Increased Regional Water Yield in the Southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain

With growing populations fueling increased groundwater abstraction and forecasts of greater water scarcity in the southeastern United States, identifying land management strategies that enhance water availability will be vital to maintaining hydrologic resources and protecting natural systems. Management of forested uplands for lower basal area, currently a priority for habitat improvement on public lands, may also increase water yield through decreased evapotranspiration (ET). To explore this hypothesis, we synthesized studies of precipitation and ET in coastal plain pine stands to develop a statistical model of water yield as a function of management strategy, stand structure, and ecosystem water use. This model allowed us to estimate changes in water yield in response to varying management strategies across spatial scales from the individual stand to a regional watershed. Results suggest that slash pine stands managed at lower basal areas can have up to 64% more cumulative water yield over a 25‐year rotation compared to systems managed for high‐density timber production, with the greatest increases in stands also managed for recurrent understory fire. Although there are important uncertainties in the magnitude of additional water yield and its final destination (i.e., surface water bodies vs. groundwater), this analysis highlights the potential for management activities on public and private timber lands to partially offset increasing demand on surface and groundwater resources.     

Forest soil CO2 fluxes as a function of understory removal and N-fixing species addition

We report on the effects of forest management practices of understory removal and N-fixing species (Cassia alata) addition on soil CO2 fluxes in an Eucalyptus urophylla plantation (EUp), Acacia crassicarpa plantation (ACp), 10-species-mixed plantation (Tp), and 30-species-mixed plantation (THp) using the static chamber method in southern China. Four forest management treatments, including (1) understory removal (UR); (2) C. alata addition (CA); (3) understory removal and replacement with C. alata (UR+CA); and (4) control without any disturbances (CK), were applied in the above four forest plantations with three replications for each treatment. The results showed that soil CO2 fluxes rates remained at a high level during the rainy season (from April to September), followed by a rapid decrease after October reaching a minimum in February. Soil CO2 fluxes were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in EUp (132.6 mg/(m2·hr)) and ACp (139.8 mg/(m2·hr)) than in Tp (94.0 mg/(m2·hr)) and THp (102.9 mg/(m2·hr)). Soil CO2 fluxes in UR and CA were significantly higher (P < 0.01) among the four treatments, with values of 105.7, 120.4, 133.6 and 112.2 mg/(m2·hr) for UR+CA, UR, CA and CK, respectively. Soil CO2 fluxes were positively correlated with soil temperature (P < 0.01), soil moisture (P < 0.01), NO3?-N (P < 0.05), and litterfall (P < 0.01), indicating that all these factors might be important controlling variables for soil CO2 fluxes. This study sheds some light on our understanding of soil CO2 flux dynamics in forest plantations under various management practices.     

Role of Bio-Energy Plantations for Carbon-Dioxide Mitigation with Special Reference to India

Fuelwood plays an important role in the rural economy of the developing countries of Asia and Africa. Optimizing energy fixation in forest trees through high density energy plantations (HDEP), gasification of wood, and conversion of forest tree biomass, are some of the potential areas whereby additional research and development input for efficient management of atmospheric carbon in our energy system can be incorporated. For example, the photosynthetic efficiency of forest trees is rarely above 0.5%, which on the basis of theoretical considerations can be increased by up to 6.6%. Thus there is an ample scope to improve the efficiency up to 1%, which amounts to doubling of the productivity of the forests. Recent policy changes and experiences with wood-based bio-energy programmes in several countries indicate that woodfuels may become increasingly attractive as industrial energy sources. Use of biodiesel and the formulation of a project for undertaking 13.4 million ha of Jatropha plantations in India highlight the seriousness with which the Government of India is promoting carbon neutral energy plantations. The cost of establishment of plantations primarily for fuel production and its conversion to energy are major deterrents in this pursuit. Some of the issues in developing countries, like low productivity on marginal lands, degraded forest lands, and unorganized units for biomass energy conversion, result in cost escalation as compared to other energy sources. This paper revisits the scope for raising energy plantations, a comparison of the direct and indirect mitigation potential uses of plantations as an adaptation strategy through reforestation and afforestation projects for climate change mitigation and socio-economic issues to make this venture feasible in developing countries.     

桉树人工林生态系统养分循环和平衡研究Ⅱ. 桉树人工林生态系统的养分循环

根据大量的观测分析资料,论述了刚果W5桉树人工林生态系统养分的地球化学循环和生物小循环。研究结果表明,每公顷每年通过地表径流和地下渗漏从生态系统输出的养分质量以K最多,达21.25 kg/(hm2a);其次为N,达17.21 kg/(hm2a)。桉树人工林生态系统养分流通质量的净变化值f(K)、f(Ca)为负值,f(N)、f(P)、f(Mg)为正值;桉树人工林生态系统养分的生物小循环研究表明,在一个轮伐期内,每公顷桉树吸收养分的质量,依次为Ca 429.03 kg/hm2,其次为N 277.01 kg/hm2和K 208.12 kg/hm2。而在一个轮伐期中归还的养分质量,Ca只有99.78 kg/hm2,K为113.04 kg/hm2。在养分循环率方面,与热带半落叶季雨林比较,桉树人工林生态系统的养分循环率要小得多,说明桉树人工林土壤养分趋向于减少。     

我国桉树人工林立地土壤问题研究概况

我国引种桉树。虽已100多年，但研究桉树人工林土壤问题，却只有50多年的历史。这方面的研究，包括桉树人工林土壤本底调查、土壤性质与林木生长的关系、桉树人工林土壤肥力衰退防治、桉树人工林土壤管理、桉树速生丰产的土壤肥力指标、桉树人工林生态系统土壤养分和水分循环等。文章对这方面研究的概况作了简要的综述。     

不同人工林分枯落物和土壤持水能力研究

对大岭山林场尾叶桉、马占相思、黑木相思、厚荚相思、卷荚相思、杉木和马尾松林分的枯落物和土壤持水功能进行研究。结果表明,林地枯落物持水量的大小顺序为:马占相思林>杉木林>厚荚相思林>黑木相思林>尾叶桉林>马尾松林>卷荚相思林;土壤持水量大小则为:杉木林>厚荚相思林>卷荚相思林>马尾松林>尾叶桉林>马占相思林>黑木相思林。对于尾叶桉林来说,随着林分年龄的增加,其枯落物持水能力增加,但持水量降低。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Juniperus oxycedrus</Emphasis> ssp.<Emphasis Type="Italic">macrocarpa</Emphasis> in SW Spain: Ecology and conservation problems

Woodlands of the Mediterranean speciesJuniperus oxycedrus ssp.macrocarpa (maritime juniper) are both vulnerable and ecologically important. Their ecology and biological status along the SW coast of Spain are not well known; this, the first major study of these juniper populations is a basis for future research and restoration policies. These communities are subject to harsh conditions, the plant composition being controlled by several factors at different scales. On a large scale, climate and soil texture play an important role in controlling the soil water availability to plants, and in separating xerophytic from mesic communities. On a small scale, coastal physiography, and substrate composition are related to differences in the floristic composition. Coastal plantations modify environmental conditions, such as sand mobility and salt spray deposition, inducing important changes in plant communities. The population of maritime juniper on this coast was estimated in ca. 25 000 individuals, of which 93.6% are concentrated in three locations. Large proportions of young individuals were found in extensive and protected populations. Howerver, adult individuals dominated the smaller populations located under pine plantations. This limitation of recruitment may be imposed by several factors. A male biased ratio was detected on the southern coast of Cádiz, which I hypothesize is due to the lower cost of pollen production in a stressful habitat. Preservation of suitable habitats, the recovery of abandoned pine plantations, and the connection between juniper populations, seem to be important requisites for the conservation of maritime juniper in the southwestern coast of Spain.     

不同栽杉代数根际土壤肥力及生物学特性变化

通过对位于南平溪后安曹下和邓窠２９ａ龄１代、２代、３代实生杉木的根际养分、微生物、酶及生化活性的为期２ａ的研究,结果表明：随杉木连栽代数增加,根际微域土壤酸化趋势增强,有机质和全氮沉积量下降,速效性养分亏缺程度减弱,根际土壤中三大类微生物所占的比例发生一定的变化,真菌和放线菌所占比例增加,细菌所占比例减少,生理类群数量下降,除接触酶活性变化不大外,其它土壤酶和生化活性均有明显下降,体现了杉木多代连栽根际土壤的基本特征;亦是杉木连栽导致地力衰退重要原因之一     

不同水分条件下土地利用方式对我国热带地区土壤硝化过程及NO和N2O排放的影响

热带地区雨热条件丰富,硝化过程产生的硝态氮不利于氮素养分的保持,同时会带来氮氧化物排放等环境负面效应.橡胶树和茶树在热带地区广泛种植,不同土地利用方式土壤硝化速率和氮氧化物排放的差异尚不清楚.以海南白沙地区典型橡胶林和茶园土壤为研究对象,分别采集5 a （T5）和15 a （T15）茶园土壤和附近橡胶林（XJ）土壤,设置低（50% WFPS-L）和高（80% WFPS-H）两种不同水分含量,在25℃进行71d室内培养试验,探究不同土地利用方式和不同水分含量对土壤净硝化速率、NO和N₂O排放的影响.结果表明：①橡胶林改为茶园后,在高含水量条件下,显著降低了土壤净硝化速率、NO和N₂O排放,整体呈现XJH>T15H>T5H的趋势,XJH处理土壤净硝化速率、NO和N₂O排放分别高达4.2 mg ·（kg ·d）^-1、1.4 mg ·kg^-1和14.3 mg ·kg^-1（以N计）;在低含水量条件下,茶园土壤显著降低了土壤NO排放,N₂O排放在各土壤间差异不显著,净硝化速率在XJ和T15处理之间无显著差异;土壤NO排放和净硝化速率呈极显著正相关（P<0.01）.②XJH净硝化速率高于XJL,茶园土壤呈相反趋势;XJ和T15的NO排放对水分的响应和净硝化速率趋势一致,高硝化速率促进NO排放,而T5处理NO排放受含水量影响不显著;相比低含水量处理,高含水量各处理显著促进N₂O排放.结果表明,土壤有机质（SOM）、全氮（TN）、pH和含水量是影响土壤净硝化速率、NO和N₂O排放的关键因子,高含水量条件下橡胶林转为茶园的种植模式显著降低了土壤净硝化速率和对环境的负面影响.     

Effects of two forest types on the dynamics of four base cations along with rainfall partitioning in middle subtropical forests北大核心CSCD

盐基离子随穿透雨和树干茎流的迁移成为森林元素输入的重要组成部分.在迁移过程中,冠层淋溶、树干冲刷等改变了盐基离子含量,而不同林型的林冠特征、树皮性质等存在差异,因此盐基离子含量在不同林型中可能存在差异对米槠次生林和杉木人工林穿透雨、树干茎流进行为期4年的监测,对比研究4种盐基离子(K+、Ca2+、Na+、Mg2+)浓度和输入量的动态特征.结果显示:(1)米槠次生林树干茎流Ca2+、Mg2+浓度显著低于杉木人工林而K+浓度显著高于杉木人工林;穿透雨除Na+浓度外均为米槠次生林显著高于杉木人工林.穿透雨和树干茎流Na+浓度林型差异不显著.(2)两种林型盐基离子季节动态变化基本一致,在雨季旱季各有一个峰值,雨季浓度普遍低于旱季.米槠次生林盐基离子浓度稳定性普遍高于杉木人工林.(3)分析盐基离子浓度与降雨强度的关系发现:Ca2+、K+、Mg2+浓度随雨量级的增加而降低,Na+浓度随雨量级的增加而增加.(4)观测期间米槠次生林穿透雨累计输入Ca2+、K+、Mg2+和Na+总量分别为47.97、35.17、7.15和12.94 kg/hm2,树干茎流累计输入Ca2+、K+、Mg2+和Na+总量分别为11.38、6.21、1.54和3.00 kg/hm2;杉木人工林穿透雨累计输入Ca2+、K+、Mg2+和Na+总量分别为47.24、26.63、6.43和11.55 kg/hm2,树干茎流累计输入Ca2+、K+、Mg2+和Na+总量分别为4.11、1.20、0.50和0.83 kg/hm2.米槠次生林的林内雨盐基离子输入量大于杉木人工林.总体而言,米槠次生林比杉木人工林有更高的养分输入,能更好地维持生态系统养分的供应;上述结果有助于进一步认识森林物质随水文过程的流动,可为人工林经营管理提供一定科学基础数据.(图6表1参36)