Measuring forest structure along productivity gradients in the Canadian boreal with small-footprint Lidar

The structure and productivity of boreal forests are key components of the global carbon cycle and impact the resources and habitats available for species. With this research, we characterized the relationship between measurements of forest structure and satellite-derived estimates of gross primary production (GPP) over the Canadian boreal. We acquired stand level indicators of canopy cover, canopy height, and structural complexity from nearly 25,000 km of small-footprint discrete return Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) data and compared these attributes to GPP estimates derived from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). While limited in our capacity to control for stand age, we removed recently disturbed and managed forests using information on fire history, roads, and anthropogenic change. We found that MODIS GPP was strongly linked to Lidar-derived canopy cover (r?=?0.74, p?<?0.01), however was only weakly related to Lidar-derived canopy height and structural complexity as these attributes are largely a function of stand age. A relationship was apparent between MODIS GPP and the maximum sampled heights derived from Lidar as growth rates and resource availability likely limit tree height in the prolonged absence of disturbance. The most structurally complex stands, as measured by the coefficient of variation of Lidar return heights, occurred where MODIS GPP was highest as productive boreal stands are expected to contain a wider range of tree heights and transition to uneven-aged structures faster than less productive stands. While MODIS GPP related near-linearly to Lidar-derived canopy cover, the weaker relationships to Lidar-derived canopy height and structural complexity highlight the importance of stand age in determining the structure of boreal forests. We conclude that an improved quantification of how both productivity and disturbance shape stand structure is needed to better understand the current state of boreal forests in Canada and how these forests are changing in response to changing climate and disturbance regimes.     

成都市河流生态健康评价

研究以成都市域内河流为研究对象,通过采样分析得到水质、生境状况、浮游藻类、底栖动物等相关指标,利用综合指标体系法,评价成都市域内河流生态系统健康状况,并结合成都市人口、土地利用、地区生产总值等因素分析人类活动与河流生态健康的关系。结果表明:成都市河流浮游藻类以硅藻和绿藻为主,部分中下游采样点出现以蓝藻为主的情况;底栖动物以指示有机污染的颤蚓科出现的频率最高,约48%的采样点以颤蚓科为优势种;约74%的河流生态健康状况为"差"或"很差",河流生态健康状况整体呈现中上游优于下游、城市周边优于市区的特征;人口密度、人类活动用地比例与河流中氨氮呈显著正相关,人类活动会显著影响河流生态系统健康。     

A Review of the Northern Ecosystem Initiative in Arctic Canada: Facilitating Arctic Ecosystem Research Through Traditional and Novel Approaches

The Canadian Arctic is undergoing considerable social and environmental change. Anthropogenic stressors on this sensitive environment include climate change, contaminants, resource extraction, tourism and increasing human populations. The Northern Ecosystem Initiative (NEI) is a program aimed at supporting the sustainability of northern communities, and at improving our understanding of how northern ecosystems respond to these environmental stressors. A key element of the NEI is to establish partnerships between all levels of government, non-governmental environmental agencies, and northern residents. The NEI is an important source of financial support critical for social and environmental scientists as well as northern residents and their community and regional organizations. Initiated in 1998, the NEI has supported numerous northern scientific and capacity-building projects, and has evaluated the information gained from this work to refine and focus its future support to address key information gaps and northern needs.     

黄河、海河和辽河水体中3种常用除草剂的分布特征

系统研究了黄河、海河和辽河中3种常用除草剂 MCPA、2,4-D 和 Bentazone 的分布特征及其来源。结果表明,3种除草剂除 Bentazone在黄河水体中未检出外,其余均有检出。季节和空间分析表明,大部分目标物丰水期质量浓度高于枯水期,可能与夏季农作物除草剂使用量较大有关;从上游到下游化合物质量浓度逐渐升高,可能是河岸面源污染引起。水生态风险初步分析显示,3种除草剂对研究水体中的水生生物均为低风险。     

安徽省淮河以北、江淮之间和长江以南地区农村环境质量综合评价

对2018和2019年安徽省淮河以北、江淮之间和长江以南地区的农村环境质量进行综合评价与差异性分析。结果表明,淮河以北、江淮之间和长江以南地区的农村环境、生态及环境质量综合状况均以优良为主,无较差和差的等级,江淮之间和长江以南地区均优于淮河以北地区。提出,在今后经济和社会发展过程中,安徽省淮河以北地区应重视农村环境和生态保护工作,重点提高环境空气质量、饮用水水源地和地表水水质状况。     

Distribution pattern of plant species diversity in the mountainous Region of Ili River Valley, Xinjiang

In this paper, detrended canonical correspondence analysis was performed to analyze the relationships between diversity indices and environmental gradients, generalized additive model was employed to modal the response curves of diversity indices to the elevation, based on data from field investigation in the mountainous region of the Ili River Valley and a survey of 94 sample plots. Two hundred fifty-nine plant species were recorded in the 94 sample plots investigated, up to 235 species all appeared in the herb layer, and the species of woody plants were very limited. The communities with a complicated vertical structure presented higher values of indices. The distribution pattern of plant species diversity on the northern slope was affected by such factors as elevation, slope aspect, slope gradient, total nitrogen, total potassium, soil water content, organic matter, and that on the southern slope was mainly affected by such factors as slope gradient, elevation, available phosphorus, and soil water content. On the northern slope, Patrick index and Shannon?CWiener index of the plant communities presented a bimodality pattern along altitude; Simpson index and Pielou index showed a partially unimodal pattern. On the southern slope all the distribution pattern of species diversity indices showed two peaks, though Patrick index??s bimodality pattern was not an obvious one. These altitudinal patterns were formed by the synthetic action of a variety of environmental factors with elevation playing an important role.     

Development of Ecological Land Classification and mapping in support of forest management in northern Newfoundland,Canada

For the sustainable development of forest land, as recently prescribed by the Canadian Forest Strategy, a land classification project in northern Newfoundland was initiated to support the local forest management activities. The method adopted here is a modification of the Canadian Committee for Ecological Land Classification's (CCELC) system, and it applies various levels of mapping to uniform areas based on geomorphology, soils, vegetation, climate, water, and fauna.In this study, all CCELC levels were mapped; resulting maps were digitized and imported into a Geographic Informations System (GIS). The GIS data base contained the following maps: 1) digital terrain model, 2) bedrock geology, 3) surficial geology, 4) forest inventory, and 5) various levels of the ecological land classification, including Vegetation Types at the lowest level. In addition to the mapping, mensurational data were analyzed to provide stand and stock tables for each of the forest types, including growth curves that could be entered into specific forest growth modelling systems to predict wood supply scenarios based upon different management interventions.     

Acid soil indicators in forest soils of the Cherry River Watershed, West Virginia

Declining forest health has been observed during the past several decades in several areas of the eastern USA, and some of this decline is attributed to acid deposition. Decreases in soil pH and increases in soil acidity are indicators of potential impacts on tree growth due to acid inputs and Al toxicity. The Cherry River watershed, which lies within the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, has some of the highest rates of acid deposition in Appalachia. East and West areas within the watershed, which showed differences in precipitation, stream chemistry, and vegetation composition, were compared to evaluate soil acidity conditions and to assess their degree of risk on tree growth. Thirty-one soil pits in the West area and 36 pits in the East area were dug and described, and soil samples from each horizon were analyzed for chemical parameters. In A horizons, East area soils averaged 3.7 pH with 9.4 cmol_c kg^???1 of acidity compared to pH 4.0 and 6.2 cmol_c kg^???1 of acidity in West area soils. Extractable cations (Ca, Mg, and Al) were significantly higher in the A, transition, and upper B horizons of East versus West soils. However, even with differences in cation concentrations, Ca/Al molar ratios were similar for East and West soils. For both sites using the Ca/Al ratio, a 50% risk of impaired tree growth was found for A horizons, while a 75% risk was found for deeper horizons. Low concentrations of base cations and high extractable Al in these soils translate into a high degree of risk for forest regeneration and tree growth after conventional tree harvesting.     

Ecosystem Responses to Extreme Natural Events: Impacts of Three Sequential Hurricanes in Fall 1999 on Sediment Quality and Condition of Benthic Fauna in the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina

A study was conducted in November 1999 to assess sediment quality and condition of benthic fauna in the Neuse River Estuary (NRE), North Carolina, USA, following the passage of three Atlantic hurricanes during the two months prior. Samples for analysis of macroinfauna (>0.5 mm sieve size), chemical contamination of sediments, and other abiotic environmental variables (salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, depth, sediment granulometry) were collected at 20 sites from the mouth of the Neuse River at Pamlico Sound to approximately 90 km upstream. Results were compared to those obtained from the same area in July 1998 using similar protocols. Depressed salinity, caused by extreme rainfall and associated high freshwater flow, persisted throughout much of the estuary, which had experienced periods of water-column stratification and hypoxia of underlying waters. Fifteen of the 20 sites, representing 299 km² (76% of the survey area), also showed signs of benthic stress based on a multi-metric benthic index of biotic integrity (B-IBI). Benthic impacts included reductions in the abundance, diversity, and numbers of species and shifts in taxonomic composition, with a notable increase in dominance of the opportunistic polychaete Mediomastus ambiseta as other former dominant species declined. There was no significant increase in the extent of chemical contamination compared to pre-hurricane conditions. Storm-related reductions in dissoved oxygen and salinity were the more likely causes of the observed benthic impacts, though it was not possible, based on these results, to separate storm effects from seasonal changes in the benthos and annual episodes of summer anoxia and hypoxia.     

Strontium-90 in Canada goose eggshells and reed canary grass from the Columbia River,Washington

Strontium-90 (⁹⁰SR) released to the ground near the N Reactor at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site enters the Columbia River through shoreline seeps. The ⁹⁰Sr is then potentially available for uptake by plants and animals. The life history and foraging behavior of nesting Canada geese is such that female geese could ingest ⁹⁰Sr while foraging on shoreline plants. Radichemical analyses showed that goose eggshells taken from an island, downstream from the N Reactor, contained more ⁹⁰Sr than did eggshells collected from other downstream islands. Reed canary grass samples taken from shoreline areas immediately downstream from the N Reactor contained higher concentrations of ⁹⁰Sr than samples from other downstream areas. All goose eggshells did not contain enhanced levels of ⁹⁰Sr, and all reed canary grass samples did not contain enhanced levels of ⁹⁰Sr, but a relationship exists between the releases of ⁹⁰Sr to the Columbia River and the enhanced levels of ⁹⁰Sr in some of the environmental samples analyzed.Pacific Northwest Laboratory is operated by Battelle Memorial Institute for the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-ACO6-76RLO 1830.     

Impact on blood Pb levels of maternal and early infant feeding practices of First Nation Cree in the Mushkegowuk Territory of northern Ontario,Canada

Exposure to Pb in-utero and in infancy has been associated with cognitive risk, even at low blood Pb levels of 0.48-0.96 micromol L(-1). Based on the hypothesis that wild game consumed by First Nation women of Mushkegowuk Territory contains Pb that might be transferred through blood or breast-milk to the fetus or infant, the study's objectives were to describe: (1) Pb in maternal and cord blood at birth and infant blood at 4 months, and (2) dietary influence on Pb status. Cord and maternal Pb were 0.10 +/- 0.08 and 0.11 +/- 0.06 micromol L(-1) (x +/- SD), respectively, and were significantly correlated (r = 0.77, p < 0.0001, n = 70), as was infant blood Pb (0.08 +/- 0.05 micromol L(-1)) with matched cord blood (r = 0.65, p < 0.0001, n = 30). Two cord blood samples (3%) were above 0.48 micromol L(-1). Pb in breast-milk at 0.010 +/- 0.008 micromol L(-1) (n = 25), was significantly lower than Pb in commercial formula or evaporated milk-based feedings (range 0.02-0.05 micromol L(-1), p < 0.05), and correlated with matched maternal blood Pb (r = 0.55, p < 0.005). However, in a sub-sample of infants (n = 31), blood Pb was similar for breastfed and formula-fed groups, though above the evaporated milk-fed group (p < 0.05). Maternal consumption of wild fowl, mammals and fish, estimated from the previous year, provided, respectively, 128 +/- 124, 46 +/- 68 and 8 +/- 13 MJ annum(-1). Traditional animal food intake, especially wild fowl, correlated significantly with cord blood Pb (Spearman rank correlation, p = 0.017). Although blood and milk Pb levels were largely within acceptable ranges, the presence of some elevated levels and association between blood Pb and traditional game consumption may reflect the legacy of using lead-containing ammunition.     

河流生态环境健康评价技术体系构建及应用

科学合理的河流生态环境健康评价体系不仅能够客观真实地反映河流的生态环境状况,还能为河流管理者提供决策依据,指明管理方向。基于国内外河流健康评价经验,构建了以水环境、水生态和水资源“三水”为系统层,包含水质、富营养化、水生生物、生境状况和水资源5个指标层的河流生态环境健康评价体系。将层次分析法和综合评估方法相结合,计算河流健康得分。以大运河(天津段)为例,评价结果显示,大运河(天津段)总体评价结果为中等水平。该评价体系考虑了多项影响河流生态功能的指标,能够客观真实地反映河流生态健康状况,同时能够为河流管理提供基础数据和决策依据。     

松花江流域水生态环境中生物与生境和化学要素间的关联 性研究

利用2012年松花江流域生物、生境和水质的调查数据,采用生物完整性指数(IBI)评价松花江流域的水生态环境质量,并着重对IBI评价结果与生境质量、水质间的关系及生物与生境和化学参数间的相关关系进行了分析。结果表明,松花江流域IBI评价结果与其生境质量存在显著正相关,与水质评价结果基本一致。生境质量及大多数生境参数均与多项生物参数间存在显著/极显著的相关关系;其次,COD、CODMn、BOD5、TN、TP等超标化学因子也与多项生物参数存在显著/极显著的相关关系,说明生境受损和有机污染压力是引起松花江流域水生态环境质量变化的主要压力。为恢复和改善松花江流域的水生态质量,研究建议针对流域生境质量和超标化学污染开展相应的保护和控制措施。     

长江源区水生态系统健康研究进展

对截止至2021年6月报道的长江源区气候、水资源、水质、藻类、大型无脊椎动物和鱼类资源等水生态系统健康相关研究进行了综述,以期为进一步开展长江源区水生态系统健康研究与生态保护提供参考和依据。研究结果表明:①长江源区水生态相关研究主要关注于气候变化,其次为水资源变化和草地退化。②1948—2019年,长江源区全年平均气温呈上升趋势,增长速度为0.2~0.5℃/10 a;春季和冬季降水量呈增加趋势,增长速度分别为1.1~26.6 mm/10 a和0.2~9.1 mm/10 a;全年平均径流量呈增加趋势,增长速度为11.8~79.6 m³/(s·10 a);蒸发量呈增加趋势,增长速度为7.6~71.6 mm/10 a。③1969—2002年,冰川面积减少了68.1 km²,年均减少2.0 km²。1969—2015年,格拉丹东冰川面积减少了14.9~79.0 km²,减少速度为0.5~10.0 km²/a。1975—2015年,湖泊面积增加了2.7~831.6 km²,增速为0.3~96.2 km²/a。④1986—2015年,大部分河段水质为Ⅱ类及以上,且无明显年际变化。⑤针对水生生物的调查和研究非常匮乏。总体而言,长江源区水生态系统健康状况良好。近年来其气象因子以及水资源状况有所改变,未来气候变化可能会进一步影响长江源区水生态系统健康状况。今后亟须加强对长江源区的本底调查,完善基础数据,关注气候变化对水资源和水质的影响,并探索气候变化对水生生物的影响。     

Status of the Riparian Ecosystem in the Upper San Pedro River, Arizona: Application of an Assessment Model

A portion of Arizona’s San Pedro River is managed as a National Riparian Conservation Area but is potentially affected by ground-water withdrawals beyond the conservation area borders. We applied an assessment model to the Conservation Area as a basis for monitoring long-term changes in riparian ecosystem condition resulting from changes in river water availability, and collected multi-year data on a subset of the most sensitive bioindicators. The assessment model is based on nine vegetation bioindicators that are sensitive to changes in surface water or ground water. Site index scores allow for placement into one of three condition classes, each reflecting particular ranges for site hydrology and vegetation structure. We collected the bioindicator data at 26 sites distributed among 14 reaches that had similar stream flow hydrology (spatial flow intermittency) and geomorphology (channel sinuosity, flood-plain width). Overall, 39% of the riparian corridor fell within condition class 3 (the wettest condition), 55% in condition class 2, and 6% in the driest condition class. Condition class 3 reaches have high cover of herbaceous wetland plants (e.g., Juncus and Schoenoplectus spp.) along the perennial stream channel and dense, multi-aged Populus-Salix woodlands in the flood plain, sustained by shallow ground water in the stream alluvium. In condition class 2, intermittent stream flows result in low cover of streamside wetland herbs, but Populus-Salix remain abundant in the flood plain. Perennial wetland plants are absent from condition class 1, reflecting highly intermittent stream flows; the flood plain is vegetated by Tamarixa small tree that tolerates the deep and fluctuating ground water levels that typify this reach type. Abundance of herbaceous wetland plants and growth rate of Salix gooddingii varied between years with different stream flow rates, indicating utility of these measures for tracking short-term responses to hydrologic change. Repeat measurement of all bioindicators will indicate long-term trends in hydro-vegetational condition.     

中国北方农牧交错带2000—2010年生态环境状况分析

北方农牧交错带是中国生态环境的一条过渡带,也是中国重要的生态安全屏障带,生态环境脆弱,具有明显的不稳定性和敏感性。以中国北方农牧交错带为研究对象,构建了反映区域生态生产力、功能支撑力、制约因子和胁迫因子的农牧交错带生态环境状况评估体系,利用多源遥感数据、土地生态数据、环境数据、气象数据等多源信息综合评估2000—2010年间该地区生态质量状况及变化趋势。根据Linear Regression和K-means cluster分析表明,该区域生态环境质量以"一般"为主,10年间生态环境质量呈现整体"稳中变好"的特征,"良"和"一般"呈增加趋势,16个县生态功能改善,18个县生态生产力呈恢复状态,16个县土地退化程度降低。水分条件和环境负荷是影响农牧交错带的主要限制和胁迫因子,局部地区存在显著生态风险。     

Influence of Mining Activities in the North of Potosi, Bolivia on the Water Quality of the Chayanta River, and its Consequences

Mining activity in the North of Potosi (Siglo XX mine, Ingenio Catavi-Siglo XX, Pucro mine and Colquechaca mine) produces minewater containing high concentrations of heavy metals such as As (0.02-34 mg/l), Cd (45-11,600 microg/l), Cu (0.35-32 mg/l), Fe (42-1,010 mg/l), Pb(33-3,130 microg/l), Ni(20-4,320 microg/l), and Zn (1.1-485 mg/l), that exceed considerably the limit values. The rivers in the North of Potosi (Katiri and Pongoma) that do not receive minewater contain clear water with rather low heavy metal concentrations. These rivers and also other rivers contaminated with minewater, are tributaries of the Chayanta River that transports water with a high concentration of heavy metals such as As (6-24 microg/l), Cd (260-2,620 microg/l), Cu (205-812 microg/l), Pb(10-21 microg/l) and Ni(110-332 microg/l). These elements result from mining activity, as indicated by a comparison with rivers not contaminated by minewater discharges. Water of the Chayanta River, used all year long by the population of Quila Quila, (a village situated at about 75 km from the mining centers), for the irrigation of crops such as potato, maize and broad bean, contains heavy metal concentrations exceeding for several elements the guidelines for irrigation. As drinking water the population of Quila Quila consumes spring water with a generally acceptable heavy metal concentration, as well as infiltrated water of Chayanta River (which is also used in animal drinking troughs) with a high concentration of Cd (23-63 microg/l), exceeding the limit value for drinking water. The metal concentration is significantly lower in the infiltrated water than in the water of Chayanta River. Some technological solutions are suggested to improve the quality of the water used. Surveys carried out on inhabitants of the region, showed that many people present health problems, probably to be attributed to the bad quality of the water they consume and use for irrigation.     

EMAP Design and River Reach File 3 (RF3) as a Sample Frame in the Central Valley, California

The Central Valley, California, R-EMAP project assessed the effects of highly modified, agriculturally dominated landuse on the aquatic resources of the lower portion of the Central Valley watersheds. The focus of this paper is to assess the utility of the EMAP design and the River Reach File version 3 (RF3) 1:100,000 scale Digital Line Graph (DLG) as a sampling frame. The study area is 34,099 mi²(88,316 km²) and comprises the lower reaches of the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River watersheds to the 1000 ft. (305 m) elevation. Sampling sites are selected using a tessellation stratified design to represent the two main populations of interest: natural streams and man-made waterways. Sites are selected to represent 13,226 miles of streams and sloughs, and 14,648 miles of irrigation canals, ditches and drains. To achieve an approximately equal sample size across stream orders and basins, the sample design was weighted by Strahler order categories to ensure sampling occurred in the higher order streams. Based on office and field reconnaissance, the study provided information on the quality of RF3 as a sampling frame. Site selection using RF3 had a success rate of approximately 44%. The RF3 database has an error rate of approximately 7%. When human influence factors were included, the error rate increased to 16%. There was an 11% error rate when selecting sites for natural streams, and approximately a 14% error rate for man-made waterways. The reconnaissance information indicated that presence or absence of irrigation ditches and return drains depends on changing agricultural uses. Some of the error in the RF3 for natural streams and man-made waterways can be attributed to rapid urban expansion, especially in the San Joaquin basin.