Relationship between Habitat Properties and Composition of Communities in Conifer–Broadleaf Forest

Ecological and phytocenotic features of forest communities were studied in the southwest of Moscow oblast. Based on the ecomorphological groups of species prevalent in the herb–dwarf shrub and moss layers, five groups of communities typical of the conifer–broadleaf forest zone were distinguished (small-herb, small herb-large herb, large-herb, moist-herb, and mixed-herb communities), and their composition was analyzed. Discriminant analysis of the species composition of lower vegetation layers revealed significant differences between the syntaxa, with the percentage of correct classification being 89.8%. To evaluate ecological determination of the above groups of communities, a hypothesis was tested concerning the correlation of their composition with ecotope properties. This hypothesis was verified by means of (1) ordination by ecological indicator values and interpretation of the axes, (2) revealing differences in ecological regimes between habitats of the syntaxa, and (3) combined analysis of on-ground and remote sensing data, particularly spectral brightness of satellite images and morphometric characteristics of the terrain surface. The results confirmed the informativeness of the syntaxa distinguished based on the species composition of the ground vegetation layer and mapping of the ecological regimes of habitats.     

汉江中下游春季浮游甲壳动物群落结构的空间差异

2002年4月,在汉江中下游从丹江口坝上至其河口沿途设17个采样点,共采集到浮游甲壳动物10科26属33种,其中桡足类4科10属11种,枝角类6科16属22种。根据各采样点的种类组成和数量分布,采用Shannon Wiener指数、Simpson指数和Pielou均匀度指数分析了不同江段浮游甲壳动物的群落多样性特征,并运用SOM人工神经网络方法对其群落结构的空间差异进行了比较。结果表明,汉江中下游江段浮游甲壳动物的密度分布呈现出中游高于下游的特征,而物种丰度和群落多样性指数则是下游高于中游;中游上段的属于密度高但多样性低的群落、中游下段和汉江口属于密度较低但多样性高的群落,下游除汉江口外属于密度和多样性均较低的群落。     

Spiders in mountain habitats of the Giant Mountains

Ground-living spiders were studied using modified pitfall traps during several years in four characteristic habitats in Giant Mountains (Krkono?e Mts.), the High Sudetes, Czech Republic: alpine tundra, subalpine mire, tall-herb stand at the bottom of a glacial corrie, and decaying mountain spruce forest. Ecological and zoogeographical aspects of spider communities were analysed. The spider communities of alpine tundra, subalpine mire, and glacial corrie exhibited long-term stability, whereas the community of decaying mountain forest changed during observations. Small linyphiid spiders, dominating in mature forest, were gradually replaced by larger Iycosid and gnaphosid species. Zoogeographic characterization of mountain habitats was made based on species exhibiting disjunctive area. In contrast to plants, for spiders of boreal origin alpine tundra is the most important habitat for survival, followed by screes, mires, spruce forests, and corries.     

Mechanisms Providing for Species Coexistence in the Herb-Dwarf Shrub Layer of a Southern Taiga Birch Forest

Individual species coexisting in the herb-dwarf shrub layer of a mature southern taiga birch forest were studied with respect to their limitation by different environmental resources and differences in the time or localization of the intensive utilization of deficient resources. The results made it possible to estimate the significance of different mechanisms of species coexistence in multispecific communities for herbaceous and dwarf shrub species of the forest phytocenosis studied.     

Indicatory aspect of the geographic analysis of plant communities with respect to floristic composition on mountain slopes differing in exposure (the Polar Urals)

Latitudinal geographic groups of vascular plant, moss, and lichen species included in tundra communities and lower vegetation layers of larch forest and open forest have been analyzed with respect to their distribution according to different altitudinal levels and slopes differing in exposure. Prevailing plant groups have been identified. The results were compared with corresponding data on the composition of plant communities in the neighboring flatland area (Kharp Research Station).     

Specific features of the oribatid fauna in high-mountain pine forests of the Eastern Caucasus in relation to altitudinal zonality

The abundance, structure, and distribution of oribatid communities in high-mountain pine forest biotopes of the Eastern Caucasus are described in dependence on elevation above sea level. The oribatid fauna of high-mountain pine forests proved to be characterized by high abundance, an assortment of dominants, and species richness. It was shown that, as the elevation increases, specific dominants typical of particular altitudinal zones appear in communities, and changes in the mass species occur. These species are stable in terms of their long-term dynamics, and zonal groups (communities) demonstrate a high species diversity.     

Effect of ecotopic factors and nature resource use on the diversity of forest communities in northern Kostroma oblast

The results of studies on southern taiga forests in northern Kostroma oblast are presented. They include the typing of old-growth forests, their phytocenotic and ecological characterization, and assessment of their structural and species diversity, successional status, and degree of anthropogenic disturbance. Geomorphological features of the study area and parameters of soils under plant communities of different forest type groups are described. On the basis of generalization of available data, conclusions were drawn concerning specific features of the structure and species diversity of forest communities in different ecotopes and at different stages of succession.     

Small mammal communities in forest ecosystems affected by urbanization

A set of characters has been used to evaluate transformations in forest phytocenoses and their small mammal communities affected by urbanization, compared to conditionally undisturbed phytocenoses (communities). In park forests of the city of Yekaterinburg, the understory and subordinate shrub and herb-dwarf shrub layers of phytocenosis are transformed to a greater extent. The undergrowth of conifer forestforming species is as a rule sparse or absent, and that of deciduous trees often consists mainly of invasive species. Small mammal communities in pine forests transformed under the effect of urbanization also undergo changes leading to the formation of relatively stable (for an urbanized environment) zoocenoses differing both in species composition and in parameters characterizing community diversity.     

岷江上游土地岭生态恢复过程中植被特征研究

对岷江上游土地岭生态恢复过程中的群落外貌、物种组成和结构进行了研究。结果表明,恢复后群落外貌以小型叶、单叶、非全缘、草质的高位芽植物为主,表现出与演替前期相符的类似温带针阔混交林特征。恢复形成的四类不同群落组成有一定差异,造林并封育效果最好,干扰下的恢复效果最差。在恢复的进程中,四类群落垂直结构层次更复杂,川莓在各灌木层都占优势地位。放牧干扰是灌木层与草本层物种丰富度与均匀度较低及灌丛难以实现进展演替的主要原因。恢复后群落的上层盖度影响下层盖度,放牧引起了少数口食性差的草本迅速占优。从径级结构上看,处于演替前期的华山松林有被云杉类取代的趋势,加入演替后期种的封育造林是更理想的恢复模式。     

Biodiversity of forest vegetation under industrial pollution

Parameters of species and typological diversity of forest vegetation have been evaluated on macroslopes descending to Lake Imandra in the vicinity of the Severonickel Mining and Smelting Complex (SMSC) (Murmansk oblast). It has been shown that these parameters change upon an increase in the pollution level, with the pattern of changes in northern taiga forests differing from that in krummholz stands. The species richness and typological diversity of forest communities increase in the middle zone of the pollution gradient, compared to those in the krummholz belt occupying the upper parts of the slopes. Species saturation in all types of communities on landscape transects consistently decreases along the pollution gradient. In general, changes in parameters of diversity provide evidence for strong digression of plant communities in the vicinity of the SMSC.     

Differences in plant species diversity between conifer (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus tabulaeformis</Emphasis>) plantations and natural forests in middle of the Loess plateau

We compared differences in plant species diversity between conifer (Pinus tabulaeformis) plantations and natural secondary forests in the middle of the Loess plateau. The goal of the study was to examine the differences in the effect of stand development on species diversity and in species responses to changes between forest types and between forest layers. To clarify the effects of differences in forest management, we emphasized the functional types of plant species occurring in each forest type. The result as follow: (1) The H′ and S of tree layer were significantly lower in natural conifer forest than old conifer and secondary forest, but were not different compared with mid aged conifer forest. The H′ and S of shrub layer were significantly lower in mid aged conifer forest compared with other forest types. The H′ of herb layer showed no significant differences in the four forest types. The evenness index (J′) of tree layer of mid aged conifer forest was lower than other forest communities and its J′ of shrub layer was highest although its richness of shrub layer was lower than in the other forest types. (2) The analysis of β diversity index also indicated large differences between conifer plantations and natural forests. Although the tree layer species were similar in old plantation and natural conifer forests, they differed greatly between the natural conifer and secondary forests. The natural conifer and secondary forest species composition in shrub layer differed significantly from those in plantation and secondary plots. Tree species were significantly less common in plantations than in abandoned coppice forests. Species composition in the herb layer of different forest types was similar. (3) The management of P. tabulaeformis plantations alters plant species composition considerably; the number of sub tall-tree species is increased in old aged conifer forest, especially species dispersed by animals. Plantation management appears to affect ecological processes through seed dispersal. From the perspective of management, the change in the structure and composition of the canopy in plantations could affect the behavior of dispersers and regeneration.     

丘陵区耕地土壤剖面有机质含量分布特征及其影响因素分析

为了进一步了解耕地有机质剖面信息,基于325个剖面（0~60 cm）采样数据,运用经典统计学探讨了重庆市耕地有机质剖面分布特征,并通过多因素方差分析对比了成土母质、土地类型、海拔对土壤有机质剖面分布的影响。结果表明：（1）基于成土母质、土地类型、海拔的CART树模型对0~20、20~40、40~60 cm土层有机质变异解释率分别为57%、44%、35%。（2）土壤有机质随土壤深度增加而减少,表现出较强的表聚性,0~20 cm土壤有机质均值是20~40 cm的1.5倍,是40~60 cm的2倍。（3）成土母质、土地类型、海拔均对0~20 cm土壤有机质含量变化产生显著影响,海拔对20~40 cm土壤有机质含量变化产生显著影响,成土母质对40~60 cm土壤有机质含量变化产生显著影响。（4）海拔和成土母质的交互作用对不同深度土壤有机质变化均产生显著影响,冲积母质、石灰岩母质发育的土壤在500~1 000 m的海拔区间上有机质含量最高,紫色母质发育的土壤有机质含量与海拔呈正相关关系。     

Relationship between the Biodiversity of phyto- and zoobenthos in the continuum of the model mountain river Komarovka (Primorye,Russia)

The structure of benthic communities was studied in the continuum of the model mountain river Komarovka, which flows in the conifer-broadleaf forest subzone in the southwest of the Silkhote-Alin Mountain Range (Primorye, Russia). The lowest species diversity of phyto- and zoobenthos was recorded in the upper reaches of the river, in a heterotrophic area; the highest species diversity, in the central part of autotrophic area. At the same time, the Shannon index for algal communities had the highest values in the heterotrophic area, while that for bottom invertebrate communities, within the autotrophic area. Thus, the increase in invertebrate species diversity in the river continuum was accompanied by complication of the structure of zoobenthos, while the increase in the taxonomic diversity of phytobenthos took place against the background of increasing dominance of a few algal species.     

Ecological assessment of murine rodent communities in the mountain forest belt of southern Central Siberia

The results of long-term studies on the fauna and ecology of murine rodents inhabiting the mountain forest belt of southern Central Siberia are considered. A comparative analysis of the composition and organization of rodent communities has been performed in 15 key plots located within three geographic-climatic facies: perhumid, humid, and semihumid. The species composition, dominance structure, and total abundance of these communities in each facies have significant distinctive features, despite the generally high similarity of the communities within the forest belt. Information indices have been used to determine parameters of the diversity and evenness of communities, which reflect their state and degree of resistance to various factors.     

The Relationship of Dominance and Evenness with Productivity and Species Richness in Plant Communities with Different Organization Models

The relationship between dominance and evenness in plant communities organized according to different models—competitive (alpine, subalpine, and low-mountain grasslands), stress-tolerant (alpine heaths and scrubs, subalpine fens, steppes, the forest herbaceous layer), and ruderal—has been analyzed in the Western Caucasus and Ciscaucasia. No correlation between evenness (dominance) and productivity has been revealed in communities of any type. The correlation between dominance and species richness is negative and, in most cases, linear, being stronger in competitive and ruderal than in stress-tolerant cenoses. The correlation between evenness and species richness in grassland communities (the competitive model) is strong, positive, and linear, while this correlation in ruderal and stress-tolerant communities is weak or absent.     

Wave Processes in Forest Ant Communities

Mechanisms of interspecific territorial interactions have been studied in multispecific communities of forest ants. These interactions occur through the superposition of high-activity waves traveling over the foraging areas of the influents on the intervals between the waves of dominant species. This allows the foraging ants of both species to search their territory in turn. The role of wave processes in communities is discussed.     

Forest structure and regeneration along the altitudinal gradient in the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary,Uttarakhand Himalaya,India

Forest structure and regeneration were studied along the altitudinal gradient in the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary of Uttarakhand Himalaya in India. Stratified random sampling of tree species was done by placing minimum 15 quadrats of 10 × 10 m at each aspect and altitude. The results reveal that along the altitudinal gradient there were three types of forest communities in the Sanctuary viz., chir pine (Pinus roxburghii), oakchir pine (Quercus leucotrichophora and Pinus roxburghii) and oak (Quercus floribunda and Quercus leucotrichophora). Rhododendron arboreum, Cornus macrophylla and Lyonia ovalifolia were main associates of these forest communities. The oak forests had larger shrub population as compared to chir pine. Myrsine africana was the most dominant shrub across the altitudinal gradient, whereas few shrub species were restricted to a certain altitudinal range. The regeneration of chir pine was best at lower altitude on south and east aspects, which indicates that it mostly regenerates on warm and dry slopes. In general, the regeneration potential in most of the tree species declines with the altitude. The density of saplings and seedlings also represented the dominant species at each altitudinal range, which indicates the cyclic regeneration of forests in the Sanctuary area.     

Geobotanical Indication of the State of Suburban Forests (an Example of Birch Grove in Akademgorodok,Krasnoyarsk)

The influence of recreation activity on grass cover was studied in a herbaceous birch forest within a territory of city development. Effects of the activity depended on size and arrangement of recreation sites. It was found that most of the forest was at the second stage of degradation, while degradation of forest edges was considered as intermediate between the second and third stages. Forest edges and glade-clump communities play a particular role in maintaining the stability of recreational forests.These ecotones are both barriers preventing introduction of alien plant species into a cenosis and centers of dissemination of ruderal and meadow species.     

The phenomenon of forest invasion to steppe areas in the Middle Urals and its probable causes

Steppes at the northern limit of their distribution are a convenient object for studying climate-induced modifications of the environment, being sensitive to regional climate changes. Over the past 46–47 years, herbaceous vegetation in the study steppe areas has been replaced by shrubs and trees. Petrophytic steppes on hilltops and stony knolls, where conditions are not favorable for tree growth, has proved to be more resistant to such changes. In these habitats, however, the influence of surrounding forest phytocenoses has also resulted in a gradual decrease in the proportions of species from the steppe and forest–steppe floras in the structure of communities and the invasion by species typical of forest vegetation.     

Models of taiga-steppe communities on the western coast of Lake Baikal

As a result of monitoring spatial changes in the cenotic structure of plant communities at the taiga-extrazonal steppe boundary on the western coast of Lake Baikal, models of taiga-steppe communities reflecting the formation, dynamics, and genesis of forests in the taiga zone have been constructed. Changes in the species composition of communities, mesophytization of steppes, the expansion of moss synusiae characteristic of polydominant dark conifer and light conifer taiga forests, active forest invasion into steppe areas, and the presence of dark conifer tree species in light conifer forests have been revealed.