Carbon fluxes from coarse woody debris in southern taiga forests of the Valdai Upland

Studies in three typical forest biotopes of the Valdai Upland were performed to evaluate the stocks and surface area of coarse woody debris from spruce and birch (in linear transects), its colonization by xylotrophic fungi (during reconnaissance surveys), and CO₂ emission (by a chamber method). The stock and surface area were minimum in a paludal birch forest (46.4 m³/ha and 960 m²/ha) and maximum in a decay area of spruce forest (256.1 m³/ha and 3761 m²/ha, respectively). The assemblages of wood-decay fungi had a composition typically found in southern taiga forests. The total CO₂ flux varied from 145 kg C-CO₂/ha per year in the paludal birch forest to 462 kg C-CO₂/ha per year in small herb–green moss spruce forest. It is concluded that air temperature is an informative predictor of seasonal C-CO₂ flux rate from coarse woody debris.     

Local and global factors in organization of Central-European orthopteran assemblages

Our case study revealed that organization of the studied local assemblages is dominated by mechanisms uniform globally, from which in Central-Europe (1) vegetation height, (2) overall vegetation cover, (3) cover of the dicotyledonous and mesophilous monocotyledonous species, (4) microclimate, (5) annual rainfall and (6) insolation in April have main importance. Life-form- and ecotype-structure of the assemblages in habitats characterized by similar vegetation-structure and microclimate seem to be conservative at Eurasian scale, but species-composition of the local variants is determined by individual effects of zoogeography, landscape structure, landuse and habitat-history.     

Structural Changes in the Carabid Fauna of Forest Ecosystems under a Toxic Impact

Changes in the abundance, species composition, and biomorphological structure of the carabid fauna were studied in birch and fir–spruce forests growing in a zone exposed to emissions from a copper-smelting plant in the Middle Urals. The dynamic density of carabids decreased and their species composition and the ratio of life forms changed along the pollution gradient, but the principle of organization of carabidocenoses and the structure of dominance in them remained undisturbed.     

Holocene dynamics of forest ecosystems on the upper plateau of the Volga Upland

Main stages in the development of forest ecosystems on the upper plateau of the Volga Upland in the Holocene have been reconstructed by analyzing palynological assemblages from peat deposits. Dominance of the forest landscape in the region began in the Boreal time. Pine and, to a lesser extent, birch were the main forest-forming species, whereas the role of spruce was never significant. Broad-leaved species appeared in forests in the early Atlantic time. The formation of floodplain and upland bogs began at the end of the Boreal time and in the first half of the Atlantic time, respectively. Significant anthropogenic changes in the vegetation began in the Subboreal time.     

Expansion of Evergreen Conifers to the Larch-Dominated Zone and Climatic Trends

The expansion of so-called evergreen conifers (EGCs), including Siberian stone pine, spruce, and fir, along the transect oriented from the boundary of the larch-dominated zone (LDZ; mixed forests of the Yenisei Ridge) to its center has been studied. The normalized dispersal coefficient calculated as K _i = (n _i – N _i )/(n _i + N _i ), where n _i and N _i are the relative numbers of the ith species in the undergrowth and the upper layer, respectively, serves as an indicator of the expansion. It has been found that the K _i values for EGCs (and birch) are higher than the K _i of larch even in the zone absolutely dominated by larch, where the relative numbers of EGCs in the upper layer is less than 1%. The EGC undergrowth has mainly been formed during the past 20–30 years, which is correlated with the trend of summer temperatures The spread of EGCs in the LDZ depends on the frequency of forest fires. The decrease in the time intervals between fires in the 20th century to 65 years (versus 100 years in the 19th century) may have prevented the expansion of competing species in the LDZ. The results obtained indicate that EGCs and birch penetrate into the zone traditionally dominated by larch, which is related to climatic changes during the past three decades. At the same time, tree stand density is increasing in the forest-tundra ecotone, and larch is spreading further into the tundra zone.__________Translated from Ekologiya, No. 3, 2005, pp. 186–193.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Kharuk, Dvinskaya, Ranson, Im.     

The Holocene Evolution of Vegetation in the Southeast of the Volga Upland

The Holocene evolution of vegetation in the high-plain territory of the northwestern Volga Upland has been shown to have certain specific features. Based on analysis of spore–pollen assemblages from peat deposits, the onset of bog formation has been dated to the late Boreal period (about 8500 yr BP); the pine–birch phase in the development of forests, to the early Atlantic period (8000?6000 yr BP); the appearance and peak development of the zonal broadleaf species complex, to the late Atlantic period (6000?4500 yr BP); and early anthropogenic changes in the vegetation, to about 3000 yr BP.     

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.     

The response of gypsy moth (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lymantria dispar</Emphasis> L.) larvae infected with nuclear polyhedrosis virus to induced resistance in birch (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Betula pendula</Emphasis> Roth.)

The effects of birch resistance induced by its artificial defoliation on the development of gypsy moth larvae and their sensitivity to viral infection and on the state of the antioxidant and detoxification systems of the insect midgut were studied. The dynamics of larval body weight; larval mortality and its etiology; glutathione-S-transferase (GT), nonspecific esterase (NE), and catalase (CAT) activities; and the ratio between the concentrations of oxidized and reduced thiol-containing compounds (RSSR/RSH) were estimated. In larvae feeding on the leaves of a previously defoliated plant, body weight was decreased, NE was inhibited, and the RSSR/RSH ratio was increased.     

三峡水库蓄水后长江中游宜昌江段鱼类早期资源群聚动态

基于2007～2018年葛洲坝下宜昌江段鱼类早期资源调查资料的整理分析,采用群落生态学方法对12年来长江中游鱼类早期资源群聚特性和年际变化趋势进行了研究,探讨了三峡水库蓄水后鱼类早期资源的优势种更替过程和群落结构变异.结果显示:12年间共采集到鱼卵5目9科49种,其中产漂流性卵鱼类28种.鱼卵物种数的年际变化趋势不显著,但年间变幅较大(18～30种/a).鱼卵丰度的年际变化表现出明显的趋势性上升,其中"四大家鱼"采集数量和密度呈先下降后上升的"U"型变化趋势.群落结构分析显示,12年间宜昌江段鱼卵物种多样性指数均呈缓慢下降趋势,并在2007～2008、2009～2013和2014～2018年形成三组不同的时间聚类,组间差异显著.SIMPER分析表明,各时期鱼卵群落差异主要受优势种和重要种所决定.2013年前,贝氏(鳖)(Hemiculter.bleekeri)、银鮑(Squalidus argentatus)、银鲴(Xerocypris macrolepis)、草鱼(Ctenopha-ryngodonidellus)等交替出现成为主要优势物种;2013年后,贝氏(鳖)成为主要优势物种,优势种和重要种的鱼卵数量占比进一步上升(大于90％).研究结果指出,2003年三峡水库蓄水后,葛洲坝下宜昌江段鱼类早期资源优势种更替现象逐渐消失,群落结构趋于稳定,繁殖鱼类群落结构正向"单一化"发展.     

137Cs distribution among annual rings of different tree species contaminated after the Chernobyl accident

The distributions of 137Cs among annual rings of Pinus sylvestris and Betula pendula at four experimental sites located in the most contaminated areas in the Russian territory after the Chernobyl accident in 1986 were studied. Trees of different ages were sampled from four forest sites with different tree compositions and soil properties. The data analysis shows that 137Cs is very mobile in wood and the 1986 rings do not show the highest contamination. The difference between pine and birch in the pattern of radial 137Cs distribution can be satisfactorily explained by the difference in radial ray composition. 137Cs radial distribution in the wood can be described as the sum of two exponential functions for both species. The function parameters are height, age and species dependent. The distribution of 137Cs in birch wood reveals much more pronounced dependence on site characteristics and/or the age of trees than pines. The data obtained can be used to assess 137Cs content in wood.     

长江上游高山森林林窗对凋落物分解过程中可溶性碳的影响

采用凋落物分解袋法, 以川西高山森林典型乔木(四川红杉Larix mastersiana、岷江冷杉Abies faxoniana、红桦Betula albo-sinensis和方枝柏Sabina saltuaria)和灌木(高山杜鹃Rhododendron lapponicum和康定柳Salix paraplesia)凋落物为研究对象, 研究了林窗中心到郁闭林下不同生境(林窗中心、林冠林窗、扩展林窗和郁闭林下)中凋落物第一年分解不同关键时期(雪被形成期、雪被覆盖期、雪被融化期和生长季节)可溶性碳的动态特征。结果表明:6种凋落物可溶性碳和可溶性有机碳在冬季含量增加而在生长季节含量降低, 而可溶性无机碳含量在全年呈降低趋势;雪被形成期, 6种凋落物可溶性碳和可溶性有机碳在郁闭林下达到最大值, 而雪被覆盖期在林窗中心和林冠林窗达到最大值, 生长季节6种凋落物可溶性碳含量均低于初始含量。这表明全球气候变暖情景下, 冬季林内雪被覆盖时间和厚度降低且生长季节延长将减少凋落物可溶性碳含量, 且变化程度受到凋落物质量控制。     

基于水足迹的区域生态补偿标准及时空格局研究

水资源是一种公共物品,其效益外部性使得水资源保护与开发利用成本应由相关的若干区域共同承担,因此,建立合理的区域生态补偿标准模型及区域内外共同补偿机制是当前生态经济领域的研究前沿。通过构建水足迹与生态补偿标准模型,对江西省及11地市水足迹与水生态补偿标准进行了估算。主要结果如下:2000~2013年,江西省总生产水足迹呈现先下降后增长的趋势,粮食、水产品、猪肉生产所占比重较大,水盈余呈波动下降趋势。11地市生产水足迹与水足迹效率呈上升趋势,除南昌市出现水赤字要支付生态补偿资金外,其余各市均有水盈余,应获得生态补偿资金。2000~2013年江西省水盈余共需补偿1 805.76亿元,平均每年128.98亿元。赣南的赣州市、赣中的吉安市、赣东北的上饶市、赣东的抚州市获得补偿额较高,将优先获得区域内外生态补偿额度。该研究结果可为生态文明先行示范区与区域生态补偿机制建立提供一定的科学依据。     

Arthropods and birds in the forest–tundra of Western Siberia and the edge effect

Over 2500 species of invertebrate macrofauna and over 177 species of avifauna live in the forest–tundra of the Lower Ob region and adjacent areas of the northern taiga and shrub tundra. About half of the invertebrate species of the study area are northern—mostly hypo- and hemiarctic—tundra species; the rest are boreal and arctomontane-boreal Holarctic and trans-Palearctic species. The anthophilic and aerobiont insect assemblages include many boreal forest forms. A total of 153 species have been observed nesting at the taiga–foresttundra boundary; 81 species have been observed nesting at the tundra–forest-tundra boundary. The avifauna of the forest–tundra becomes enriched with taiga species in floodplain forests and with tundra species on the flat interfluve, in areas of tundra and tundra-like wetlands. The forest–tundra of the Lower Ob region has no avifauna and entomofauna of its own and contains a mixture of taiga and tundra faunas. It has been found that the ecotone effect is not pronounced in the taxonomic composition of birds and insects in the forest–tundra, where only some particular groups (such as amphibiont insects) have increased abundance.     

Instability of cytogenetic parameters and genome instability in Betula pendula Roth

The seed progeny of weeping birch (Betula pendula Roth.) have been used as a test object for monitoring the state of the environment in the city of Voronezh. An increase in the number of cytogenetic disturbances observed in the root meristem cells of birch seedlings provides evidence for genome instability in the test species.     

长江干流宜昌-监利段洲滩湿生植物群落特征及其驱动因子分析

为了解长江干流洲滩湿地植物的群落结构特征及其驱动因子,于2018年3～5月对干流宜昌-监利5个江段洲滩的湿生植物开展了调查。共采集湿生植物88种,隶属于26科73属,其中菊科(Compositae)、禾本科(Gramineae)、蓼科(Polygonaceae)占优势,狗牙根、薹草、牛鞭草、虉草为主要优势种。采集样方平均种类数为6种,平均密度为88.9 ind/m~2,平均生物量(地上部分干重)为55.8 g/m~2。采集洲滩湿生植物群落结构时空差异较大。枝城江段洲滩样方物种数、密度和生物量均为最大,荆州洲滩均最小。样方密度在3～5月间呈下降趋势,生物量则呈上升趋势。划分了薹草、狗牙根、牛鞭草-紫菀等10个稳定群落。典范对应分析表明湿生植物群落组成主要受到黏粒比例、相对水面高程、土壤含水率以及土壤总有机质含量的影响,其中影响最大的是黏粒比例。样方总生物量沿相对水面高程、总有机质、土壤含水率的变化趋势一致,即先增大后减小;而与黏粒含量的关系不明显。分析认为洲滩湿生植物分布格局是在水文过程影响下,由底质、水分及营养共同作用的结果。     

City Blueprints: baseline assessments of water management and climate change in 45 cities

Climate change and urbanization are among the most significant trends of the twenty-first century, affecting global natural resources such as water, economic development and human well-being. The growth of the world population will be absorbed by the cities. The necessity of cities adapting to these trends calls for radical changes in urban water management. In this paper, baseline assessments, i.e., City Blueprints, have been carried out for 45 municipalities and regions in 27 countries, mainly in Europe. The assessments showed that cities vary considerably with regard to their water management. This is also captured in the Blue City Index^® (BCI), the arithmetic mean of 24 indicators comprising the City Blueprint^®. Theoretically, the BCI has a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 10. The actual BCIs in the 45 cities and regions varied from 3.5 (Kilamba Kiaxi in Angola) to 8.5 (Helsingborg in Sweden). The BCI was positively and significantly correlated with the gross domestic product per person, the ambitions of the local authorities regarding water management, the voluntary participation index and governance indicators according to the World Bank (2013). The study also demonstrated a very significant correlation between the BCI and the University of Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index. The impacts of water scarcity and floods in cities are discussed. It is concluded that cities in transitional and developing countries are particularly at risk.     

Comparative analysis of small mammal communities in Chisinau and Yaroslavl, two European cities located in different biomes

Comparative analysis of the structure of small mammal communities has been performed in two European cities located in different biomes: Chisinau (2008?C2009) and Yaroslavl (1994?C2002). The parameters studied included abundance, species composition, similarity and difference of faunas, species diversity, and proportions of groups differing in predisposition to synanthropy. It has been found that the structure of small mammal communities in these cities depends on specific physiographic conditions of the surrounding areas and on the distinctive features of the cities themselves (their structure, age, etc.). The similarity between the faunas is accounted for by the common ecological patterns of fauna formation in the biota of urban cenoses.     

The Holocene Dynamics of Vegetation and Ecological Conditions in the Polar Urals

Palynological, paleocarpological, and paleoentomological analyses of frozen peat deposits near Lake Pereval'noe, the Polar Urals, were performed to reveal the main stages of change in the pattern of vegetation over the period from the beginning of warming after the last Pleistocene glaciation to the late Holocene. Nine to four thousand years ago, the study region (at the present-day upper boundary of open larch forests) was covered with taiga forests, as the climate there was significantly warmer. These were larch–birch forests with an admixture of spruce and, later, spruce forests with larch and birch.     

Comparison of 226Ra nuclide from soil by three woody species Betula pendula, Sambucus nigra and Alnus glutinosa during the vegetation period

The uptake of 226Ra from the contaminated soil was compared in three woody species: alder (Alnus glutinosa), birch (Betula pendula) and elder (Sambucus nigra). The 226Ra activities increased during the vegetation periods (in 2003, 2004 and 2005) both in the leaves and flowers+seeds. The highest accumulation was found in birch, reaching 0.41 Bq/g DW in the leaves (at the end of the vegetation period in 2003). The lowest 226Ra accumulation was determined in alder. The extent of 226Ra accumulation in the leaves of woody species demonstrates that these pioneer woody species can be used as remediation alternative to the use of herbs, provided that the removal of fallen leaves could be achieved in the end of vegetation period.     

鄱阳湖子湖“堑秋湖”渔业资源结构特征分析

"堑秋湖"是广泛存在于鄱阳湖湖区且与鄱阳湖水文节律特征相顺应的一种渔业方式。为了解"堑秋湖"渔获物组成特征及其产量与水位之间的关系,于2011~2013年"堑秋湖"期间对江西鄱阳湖国家级自然保护区的子湖大湖池和沙湖进行了连续3年的渔业调查。2011年,大湖池和沙湖与修河分别相通23d和10d,鄱阳湖属旱涝急转气候;2012年鄱阳湖水势较大,大湖池和沙湖与修河分别相通124d和108d。2013年鄱阳湖再现旱情,大湖池和沙湖均未能与修河连通。2011年渔业调查开展7次,2012年调查9次,2013年调查5次。3a调查累计获得鱼类59种隶属于6目12科43属。3年研究结果表明渔获物以鲤科鱼类为主,在种类上变化不大但优势物种有所改变且渔获物产量呈下降趋势,无度量多维排序结果(MSD)显示鱼类群落在不同年度和子湖间分离明显。经济鱼类的单位捕捞努力量(CPUE)与水位变化的线性回归分析结果表明,2011年经济鱼类产量与当日水位呈正相关性,但2012年和2013年两者的相关性却不明显。