Participation of plants of different mycotrophic status in the succession leading to “agrosteppe” formation

An analysis is performed of the participation of plant species differing in mycotrophic status in succession leading to ??agrosteppe?? formation, i.e., purposefully initiated progressive succession of the steppe phytocenosis. The proportion of plant species obligatorily associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increases in the course of this succession, while the proportion of facultative mycotrophic species decreases. The ratio between the species of different mycotrophic status is stabilized after two years of succession, although both total number and composition of plant species continue to change during subsequent period.     

Specific features of early stages of progressive succession in an anthropogenic landscape: An example from southeastern Belarus

Specific features of progressive succession in the vegetation of anthropogenically transformed landscapes in southeastern Belarus have been studied in permanent test plots. Using phytoindication scales proposed by Ellenberg (1974) and Tsyganov (1983), trends of changes in ecological conditions in the first years of succession have been revealed.     

Experience in syntaxonomic and ordination analysis of progressive succession in cutover areas of boreal light conifer forests in the Southern Urals

Progressive succession of plant communities has been studied in cutover areas of bilberry-green moss forests of the alliance Dicrano-Pinion in the central upland part of the Southern Urals. The results are presented concerning the alpha-diversity and phytosociological spectrum of communities at different stages of succession.     

Inhibition of restorative succession by invasive plant species: Examples from southeastern Belarus

Consideration is given to the examples of suppression of restorative succession by invasive plant species (Solidago canadensis L., Helianthus subcanescens (A. Gray) E. Watson, Impatiens glandulifera Royle) in anthropogenic landscapes of southeastern Belarus. Characteristics of communities blocking the succession process have been revealed: low species richness, dominance of alien species in coverage, high level of synanthropization, and the absence of natural regeneration of trees and shrubs. It is suggested that a delay in succession is caused by the suppressing influence of transformer species on seed germination in apophytic trees.     

The role of spring and rain floods in the development of zooplankton in beaver ponds

The role of spring floods as a factor determining the seasonal succession of zooplankton in beaver ponds is demonstrated. The absence of spring floods has an adverse effect on the zooplankton communities of beaver ponds. The taxonomic and trophic organization of communities becomes similar to that in areas exposed to anthropogenic imact. The rain floods in summer and autumn can return the system to early stages of seasonal succession.     

Dynamics of plant communities in insular pine forests of Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe

The dynamics of vegetation have been studied in forest-steppe pine (Pinus symvestris L.) forests affected by anthropogenic factors such as felling and fires. Gradient analysis has been used to reveal specific ecological features of plant communities and trace the main directions of succession. The results show that these forests are at different stages of progressive succession, with the development of theircommunities following similar trends over the past few decades.     

Postfire succession in a forest of the cryolithozone: The example of central Yakutia

The results of studies on postfire succession in larch forests of the permafrost zone are discussed. The main directions of successional processes in burned-out areas of different ages are described. It has been shown that secondary pyrogenic successions in larch forests follow the scheme of rapid regeneration without tree species replacement and the model of succession tolerance. Groups of plant species with different life strategies and indicator species characterizing different stages of the overgrowing of burned-out areas have been identified.     

Succession in the Abra ovata Community on Soft Grounds of a Newly Flooded Area of the Caspian Sea

Studies on succession in the Abra ovata community inhabiting the flooded area in Sulak Bay, Caspian Sea, that have been carried out since the mid-1980s were continued. It has been found that the pioneer species A. ovata and Cerastoderma glaucum are still dominant in the structure of this community, determining the course of its succession. Its second stage does not fit the framework of the models characteristic of benthic communities. On the one hand, it conforms to the tolerance model: the pioneer species A. ovata, despite its dominance at all stages of succession, has not prevented the spread of other numerous colonizers of the same trophic level. On the other hand, it conforms to the facilitation model: due to their abundance, the pioneer species as grazing species have attracted organisms of a higher trophic level, namely, sturgeons.     

Vegetation restoration dynamics in the forest-steppe system of the middle Volga region

The current dynamics of ecosystems of the forest-steppe system is most adequately described via determining the probable trajectories of changes in its elements in a simple Markov chain. The obtained data have made it possible to determine the direction of succession and draw its scheme. Theoretically possible series of community development are presented. The succession of community restoration from the spread of shrubs over steppificated fallow lands to the formation of low forests of European bird cherry has been analyzed. The restoration cycle of ecosystem dynamics is described by eight age stages.     

Monitoring of Vegetation Development in Technogenically Disturbed Areas of the Usinskoe Oil Field

Vegetation development and changes in the characteristics of the substrate in technogenically disturbed sites in the Usinskoe oil field were monitored for ten years (1992–2002). It has been demonstrated that 86 species of vascular plants and 12 species of bryophytes constitute the vegetation formed on fill-up soils during the first stages of recovery succession. A succession of dominant species was observed in the tenth year of monitoring. Differences in plant composition on the ground surface of different technological zones of plots located in different landscapes are described.__________Translated from Ekologiya, No. 4, 2005, pp. 269–274.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Zheleznova, Kuznetsova, Evdokimova, Turubanova.     

Analysis of Catenae in the Kivach Reserve: Structure,Succession State,and Potential Composition of Forest Vegetation

Types of catenae of the moraine landscape of the Kivach Reserve have been described, and five ecotopes have been distinguished in their composition. The analysis of ecological ranges of the main forest-forming species has made it possible to predict the potential composition of a tree synusia that included five to seven species in the greater part of the catenae and three species in depressions with stagnant moistening. The population demographic approach has been used to determine the succession status of communities in the study area. Six variants of phytochores have been distinguished in the herb-dwarf shrub layer; the main ecological and succession factors of distribution have been determined for them.__________Translated from Ekologiya, No. 4, 2005, pp. 252–258.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Platonova.     

“Double carousel” of the succession process in a regional ecosystem

Southern taiga forests of Western Siberia are used as an example to demonstrate the mechanism of “flickering“ in the mosaic pattern of plant cover, which reflects natural, regular cycles of progressive succession starting at different times in each contour of the geobotanical map. The primary plant formation with time depletes the resources of its ecotope, transferring biophilic elements from the soil to the phytomass, fruits, and seeds. Its immunity is gradually impaired, making the formation vulnerable to the attacks of pests, diseases, and fires. Its death is followed by a cycle of progressive succession, which renews the ecotope resources and allows the primary formation to move within its range, despite that the trees are fixed and immobile, which provides for its indefinitely long existence.     

洞庭湖洲滩地年淹水天数和面积变化

研究了洞庭湖洲滩地年淹水天数和面积变化。利用洞庭湖代表性水文站1952~2000年的逐日水位资料,分析了洞庭湖洲滩地的多年平均淹水时间（天数）。结合20世纪70年代和90年代不同水位时相卫星图像的解译数据,通过插入法和相关分析,得出了20世纪70和90年代不同淹水天数的洲滩地面积。结果表明,区内不同区域变化各异,东洞庭湖不同淹水天数的洲滩地均减少,南洞庭湖中位的洲滩地增加,但高位和低位洲滩地减少,西洞庭湖不同淹水天数的洲滩地均增加。表明东洞庭湖在70~90年代发生了逆向演替,南洞庭湖以正向演替为主,西洞庭湖发生了正向演替。为此,提出中低位洲滩地不宜发展杨树,获、芦生产的重点应该逐步地由东洞庭湖向西、南洞庭湖转移。     

城市化系统与生态系统交互耦合时空特征及协调发展预警研究——以湖南省为例

基于“系统演进特征分析-动态耦合规律验证-协调状态诊断及预警”框架,对湖南省2001年以来的城市化系统与生态系统交互耦合时空特征进行实证分析。研究发现：（1）湖南省城市化进程加速推进,综合发展指数由2001年的0.537逐年提升至2015年的0.785,达到中高水平,市州发展悬殊仅长沙市达到高水平。（2）生态系统健康指数呈U型走势,2015年达到0.764,处亚健康状态,系统压力较大是关键性限制因素。（3）城市化系统与生态系统耦合协调度先降后升,2015年提高到0.622,处基本协调的较低水平,各市州大多处于轻度失调-基本协调临界水平,分属生态建设滞后型、城市化滞后型和结构性污染型等3种类型。（4）从系统演进看,城市化系统与生态系统由轻度失调-逆向演替逐步转为轻度失调-正向演替、进一步转为基本协调-正向演替,预计2020年耦合协调度将提高到0.633,未来较长时期仍将处绿灯区,应采取适当的区域发展政策,推动城市化系统与生态系统内部要素调整磨合,向良性发展。     

Sequential impacts of Polynesian and European settlement on vegetation and environmental processes recorded in sediments at Whangapoua Estuary, Great Barrier Island, New Zealand

Whangapoua Estuary, Great Barrier Island, New Zealand, is central to a proposed Marine Reserve, and is currently managed for conservation by the Department of Conservation. This paper describes the sequential impacts of Maori and European people on the process of estuarine vegetation succession in time and space, and the rate of estuarine sedimentation. Multiple cores from one estuary gave confidence in assessing the temporal sequence of vegetation change, but bioturbation and other disturbance factors made it difficult to interpret ¹⁴C dates from the estuarine environment. The modern vegetation zonation pattern on the estuary is an active succession, which has been generated by rapid estuary in-filling, probably initiated as a consequence of erosion following Maori burning of the adjacent forest. European forest clearance for agriculture resulted in a further increase in estuarine sedimentation, and may have re-activated earlier sediments trapped in adjacent swamps. The combined effects of two phases of human exploitation have resulted in large-scale loss of nutrients and top-soil from catchments throughout Great Barrier Island. Conservation management of the estuary should take account of the anthropogenic impacts that have driven the plant succession and created the current vegetation zonation pattern. This pattern is neither static nor ‘natural’, but rather an on-going response to the changing human activities in the surrounding catchment.     

镇江内江湿地植物群落演替动态研究

采用“空间代替时间”方法,于镇江内江湿地选择4类典型样地,分别代表群落演替的4个不同时间段,从物种组成、多样性及生活型等方面研究湿地植被的演替规律,从而探索受损群落的修复途径。结果表明：不同演替阶段植物群落的物种组成、多样性指数和生活型变化明显。物种丰富度指数和多样性指数随演替呈上升趋势,且演替中后期最高,均匀度随演替递增,而优势度递减;在生活型上,多年生草本的重要值随演替先降后升,其物种数逐渐上升并在后期维持相对稳定,并在各演替阶段处于主导地位。而一、二年生草本植物的重要值和物种数均为先升后降;在科属总数上,科属数随演替逐渐增加,其中,禾本科植物始终处于优势种地位。     

Biocenotic self-regulation of productivity and quality of mixed agrocenoses with broadleaf herbs

Specific features of biocenotic self-regulation of productivity and phytomass quality in mixed agrocenoses with perennial broadleaf herbs in the mountain zone were analyzed experimentally. The dynamics of phytomass accumulation and decomposition and the course of succession were determined in an agrocenosis constructed on the model of plant communities typical for the mountain and piedmont zones of the Central Northern Caucasus.     

Seasonal variation in photosynthesis in relation to differing environmental factors of dominant plant species in three successional communities in Hangzhou Bay Wetlands,East China

We investigated the ecophysiology (physiological ecology) of plant succession within a coastal wetland community. The photosynthetic characteristics of six plants were studied; Scirpus mariqueter and Carex scabrifolia in early successional communities, Phragmites communis and Tamarix chinensis in mid successional communities, and Salix matsudana and Imperata cylindrica in later successional communities. Environmental factors were concurrently determined for each community. Relationships between photosynthetic and environmental factors were analyzed by path analysis, and the dependence of photosynthesis on particular environmental factors was shown to vary between plants in the differing successional communities. Ability to cope with irradiation appears to be one of the most important factors influencing plant succession. The increasing stratification of plant communities following colonization of new coastal land necessitates differing physiological strategies and photosynthetic dynamics in the later colonizing plants.     

Role of the Forest Entomofauna in Successional Processes

Participation of the entomofauna in the succession of forest biogeocenoses is analyzed. In stable ecosystems, insects serve as a mechanism providing for long-term ecological stability. In unstable ecosystems, their activities are essentially negative and cause ecosystem degradation.__________Translated from Ekologiya, No. 3, 2005, pp. 227–230.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Yanovskii.     

1980年来湖北省钉螺分布区域及其数量的消长分析

目前对钉螺分布及消长的研究主要是短期的、文字描述性的、数字和曲线图表示的,通过这些方式可以呈现出某个地域范围的钉螺消长的总体趋势。但是,若要呈现出以行政村为单位的各个地区钉螺分布及消长的长期变化,仅仅用文字和曲线图是不够的,而是需要用更复杂的方式,才能呈现各个行政村的钉螺消长时空分布情况。地理信息系统(GIS)可以通过地图清晰显示出这些复杂的动态变化。利用湖北省钉螺的螺情村级统计年报数据,以湖北省村级行政区划图为基本空间制图单元,利用ArcGIS软件的逻辑运算和统计功能,分析了各个村级行政区从1980~2009年每间隔5 a的钉螺分布的区域及面积大小,以及钉螺数量的消长情况,并用GIS软件详细制图,获得各个村级行政区的钉螺数量的消长变化情况。根据钉螺消长情况,将所有行政村分为八类,可以识别出钉螺反复出现和难以消灭的地区,并且在地图中清晰地呈现出来。针对各个钉螺消长类型,结合自然地理、人为治理途径等情况进行相关分析,总结出湖北省各地区钉螺消长类型分异的原因,这将有利于制定县市甚至细化到村级单位的钉螺防控计划,也有利于辨识过去30 a来钉螺分布及其数量消长的区域以及灭螺的效果,对今后血吸虫的防治工作有重要指导意义。