27年生杉木观光木混交林土壤肥力的初步探讨

对27年生杉木观光木混交林及杉木纯林的土壤肥力研究表明,混交林的孔隙状况、水分状况、团聚体结构和养分含量均比纯林有所改善.混交林0～20 cm土壤的非毛管孔隙比纯林的大3.68%,最大持水量、田间持水量和有效含水量分别比纯林高出8.56%、4.92%和8.892%;0～     

川西北高山/亚高山区6种典型土壤类型水文效应

通过测定川西北高山/亚高山区6种典型土壤类型(亚高山草甸土、高原草甸土、暗棕壤、棕壤、黄棕壤、褐土)不同土层深度有机碳含量、容重、孔隙度、持水蓄水及渗透性能,揭示6种土壤类型孔隙度及水文效应差异及在垂直空间的变化规律,建立6种土壤类型渗透速率与时间关系的渗透模型.结果显示:(1)0-100 cm土层6种土壤类型有机碳含量均值表现为高原草甸土亚高山草甸土褐土棕壤黄棕壤暗棕壤;不同土壤类型有机碳含量在相同土层差异显著(P 0.05),同一土壤类型随土层加深而减小;容重在0.87-1.79 g/cm~3之间,随土层加深容重增加;总孔隙度为37.6%-55.81%.(2)0-100 cm土层自然贮水量、最大持水量、非毛管持水量平均值亚高山草甸土最高;田间持水量、涵蓄降水量黄棕壤最高;随土层加深,最大持水量、毛管持水量、非毛管水量、田间持水量、涵蓄降水量增加.(3)6种土壤类型均表现为初渗速率大于稳渗速率,土壤类型间差异显著,渗透速率与时间呈幂函数关系,接近于考斯加柯夫公式.上述研究表明土壤类型的差异对孔隙特征和水文效应的作用显著,主要集中在土壤最大持水量、非毛管持水量及渗透速率方面;结果可为川西北地区不同土壤类型背景下生态环境恢复重建、生态系统水源涵养功能评价提供理论依据.(图2表5参26)     

洪涝灾害干扰下受损自然恢复林地土壤基本性状及分形维数特征

选取重大洪涝灾害干扰下受损自然恢复3种不同林地(毛竹林、杉木林、次生阔叶林)为研究对象,以未受损林地为对照,测定不同林型土壤基本性状指标(包括土壤颗粒组成在内的物理性质、主要养分含量),并运用分形理论计算了分形维数D值,探讨分形维数与土壤基本性状的相关关系.结果表明:(1)3种不同林型土壤均以粉粒含量占比最大,分形维数在2.58-2.70之间,0-10 cm土层分形维数表现为毛竹林杉木林次生阔叶林,受损自然恢复林地未受损林地,其中次生阔叶林的受损自然恢复林地与未受损林地差异显著.(2)毛竹林与次生阔叶林土壤容重表现为受损自然恢复林地显著大于未受损林地,土壤含水量、毛管持水量、非毛管孔隙度与总孔隙度则相反,受损自然恢复与未受损杉木林间土壤物理性质的差异较小;各林型土壤养分含量随土层深度的增加而降低,且受损自然恢复林地显著低于未受损林地,总体恢复状况表现为杉木林次生阔叶林毛竹林.(3)土壤分形维数与土壤黏粒含量、土壤容重存在显著正相关关系,与有机质、全氮、土壤含水量、毛管持水量、非毛管孔隙度及总毛管孔隙度存在显著负相关关系.因此,分形维数能够客观地表征土壤的结构特征以及土壤养分肥力特征;受损恢复林地土壤条件还未达到未受损林地的水平,对恢复状况较差的毛竹林,可以适当地进行人工植树造林,优化群落结构,进而改善土壤条件,促进灾害干扰下受损植被的恢复进程.     

桤-柏带状改造对川中丘陵区柏木林土壤碳氮磷化学计量特征的影响

川中丘陵区高密度柏木防护林存在林分结构单一、土壤地力退化、生物多样性低等问题.为揭示桤木-柏木带状改造对土壤碳、氮、磷分配格局和土壤物理性质的影响,采用典型样地法分析桤-柏带状混交林和柏木纯林0-20 cm(M1)和20-40 cm(M2)土壤物理性质、有机碳(OC)、全氮(TN)和全磷(TP)含量及化学计量比.结果表明:经桤-柏带状改造后,M1和M2土层OC分别增加46.80%和77.01%,TP分别降低67.98%和60.20%,TN无显著变化,土壤C:N、C:P和N:P比值以及土壤总孔隙度、毛管孔隙度、土壤自然含水量和最大持水量均显著增加;随着土层加深,桤-柏混交林的土壤OC、TN、C:P、N:P和最大持水量显著降低,C:N和容重显著升高,TP无显著性变化,柏木纯林的土壤OC、TN和TP显著降低,C:N:P化学计量比、容重、总孔隙度、毛管孔隙度、非毛管孔隙度、自然含水量和最大持水量无显著变化;同时,桤-柏带状改造还减弱了土壤容重、孔隙度和最大持水量对碳氮磷含量和化学计量比的影响,加剧了表层土壤磷的限制.因此,桤-柏带状改造能够有效改善柏木纯林土壤的理化性质,增强柏木林土壤涵养水源的功能;在后期的经营过程中,建议在桤木—柏木混交林中补施磷肥以缓解土壤磷元素缺乏现象.(图4表3参50)     

塔里木荒漠河岸林植物群落演替下的土壤理化性质研究

选择塔里木荒漠河岸林内典型、有代表性的不同演替阶段的群落,对其土壤理化性质进行研究。结果表明：土壤理化性质在演替方向和土壤剖面上表现出较强的规律性。演替后、中期表层土壤（0～20 cm）粘粒质量分数比初期分别减少了1.28%、64.29%、土壤砂粒质量分数分别增加了3.08%、17.23%,土壤明显变粗沙化。群落演替能明显增大土壤容重与非毛管孔隙度,降低土壤总孔隙度、毛管孔隙度、孔隙比、土壤水分质量分数、最大持水量、毛管持水量和最小持水量。演替后、中期表层土壤非毛管孔隙度比初期分别增大了33.78%、36.087%,土壤水分质量分数分别降低了85.57%、97.77%,演替后期最大持水量、毛管持水量分别比初期降低了40.28%、9.27%,导致土壤固相率减小,气相率增大,土壤持水供水能力与抗风蚀性能减弱。土壤有机质、全氮与碱解氮、全磷与速效磷、全钾与速效钾、盐分质量分数随群落演替呈降低趋势。演替后期表层土壤有机质、碱解氮、全磷与速效钾质量分数分别比初期降低了38.68%、60.71%、23.58%、66.93%,其土壤理化性质退化最显著。地下水位下降是引起荒漠河岸林植物群落逆向演替的驱动力。当前随人类干扰强度增强（水土资源开发）,塔里木荒漠河岸林土壤结构与土壤生态功能随之受到破坏与衰退,而保持合理的生态水位则是维持荒漠河岸林生态系统稳定的有效途径。     

金沙江干热河谷优势草本植物生物量与土壤物理性质的关系

测定金沙江干热河谷3种优势草本植物(扭黄茅、拟金茅和芸香草)的地上、地下生物量及土壤分层(0-5、5-10、10-20 cm)容重、含水率、持水量和孔隙度等物理性质,探讨3种植物地上、地下生物量、根冠比与各土层物理性质的相关性.结果显示:(1)扭黄茅地上生物量显著高于拟金茅和芸香草,但地下生物量和根冠比显著低于后两者.(2)除扭黄茅外,拟金茅和芸香草的地上、地下生物量之间均呈现异速生长关系.(3)芸香草0-5 cm的土壤物理性质优于5-20cm,拟金茅则相反;除含水率、非毛管孔隙度外,扭黄茅各土层物理性质无显著差异.(4)拟金茅地上生物量与0-5cm的含水率、5-10cm的毛管持水量、最小持水量、总孔隙度、毛管孔隙度呈显著正相关,其地下生物量与3个土层的含水率呈显著正相关;芸香草地下生物量与0-5 cm的含水率、5-10 cm的毛管持水量、最小持水量以及10-20 cm的最小持水量呈显著正相关,其地上生物量及扭黄茅地上、地下生物量与3个土层的物理性质均无显著相关性.拟金茅根冠比与容重呈显著正相关,与持水量、总孔隙度呈显著负正相关,芸香草根冠比与毛管持水量、最小持水量呈显著正相关.综上,含水率是影响拟金茅生长发育的重要因子,持水量、孔隙度对拟金茅地上生物量的影响更大;含水率、持水量对芸香草地下生物量的影响更为显著;扭黄茅生物量分配可能受到除土壤物理性质以外的因子影响更大.与拟金茅和芸香草地上、地下生物量的异速生长关系不同,扭黄茅通过分配较低地下生物量来适应干热河谷的特殊生境.(图4表5参46)     

不同等级石漠化环境下人工乔木林的植被与土壤物理特征

目前石漠化地区的植被恢复是生态系统研究的一大难题。以武陵山石漠化综合治理国家长期科研基地人工林为研究区,通过野外踏查选定樟树-马尾松人工林为研究对象,采用单因素方差分析、相关性分析和主成分分析相结合的方法,研究该地区樟树Cinnamomum camphora-马尾松Pinus massoniana林在无石漠化、轻度石漠化、中度石漠化和强度石漠化4种等级石漠化环境下的植被特征、土壤物理特征以及两者之间的关系,以期探寻不同等级石漠化环境下人工林植被和土壤物理性质的变化规律,为该地区生态恢复和石漠化治理提供理论依据。结果显示,（1）4种等级石漠化环境的物种多样性指数存在显著差异,均匀度与丰富度指数随石漠化等级的增加而逐渐减小。（2）草本层植物共有24科35属36种,以禾本科、菊科为主;灌木层植物共有28科43属47种,以蔷薇科为主;乔木层植物共有13科13属13种,以樟科为主,物种相对丰富。同一物种对不同等级石漠化环境的适应性差异显著,蔷薇科植物可作为石漠化等级的区分指标。（3）同一石漠化环境下,除土壤容重外,土壤自然含水量、田间持水量、最大持水量、毛管持水量、毛管孔隙度、非毛管孔隙度、总孔...     

川中丘陵区不同植被类型土壤理化性质及水文效应

为揭示紫色土区不同植被类型土壤理化性质和水文效应空间分布特征,测定官司河流域紫色土区柏木麻栎混交林(Cupressus funebris,Quercus acutissima)、柏木纯林、方竹林(Chimonobambusa quadrangularis)和农地4种植被类型土壤理化性质、土壤孔隙状况及水文特征.结果表明:(1)土壤有机碳含量表现为柏木麻栎混交林方竹林柏木纯林农地.柏木麻栎混交林土壤有机碳(18.04 g/kg)、全氮(1.51 g/kg)、全磷(1.49 g/kg)、全钾(53.1 g/kg)、速效氮(81.69 mg/kg)、速效磷(2.14 mg/kg)积累作用最好.(2)不同植被类型土壤容重均值表现为农地柏木纯林柏木麻栎混交林方竹林,随土层加深,4种植被类型容重变化规律不同,其中农地增加幅度最大,为9.34%.(3)0-100 cm土层自然含水量、毛管持水量、最大持水量、含蓄降水量均表现为柏木麻栎混交林最高,田间持水量表现为农地最高.随着土层加深,不同植被类型水文效应规律变化差异较大.综上所述,不同植被类型不同土层深度土壤理化性质和水文效应特征差异显著,柏木麻栎混交林较柏木纯林更适宜在研究区推广种植,方竹林对该区土壤状况适应性较好,结果可为川中丘陵区紫色土人工林经营管理、生态环境恢复及水源涵养功能评价提供理论依据.(图2表4参30)     

不同林龄兴安落叶松枯落物及土壤水文效应研究

林地植被和枯枝落叶层共同发挥着森林生态系统所特有的水文生态功能。对大兴安岭兴安落叶松(Larix gmelinii(Rupr.)Kuzen.)中龄林、近熟林、成熟林、过熟林四种林下枯落物及土壤进行野外实地取样和室内样品处理进行分析,结果表明:兴安落叶松林下枯落物层表现为随林龄增加总存储量增加,变化在18.02~21.65 t·hm-2,半分解层的存储量为未分解层的4.8~5.9倍,其中近熟林枯落物半分解层蓄积量所占比例最大为85.3%。不同林龄枯落物最大持水量和最大持水率均表现为半分解层大于未分解层,且以过熟林最大。最大持水量为过熟林近熟林成熟林中龄林,变动在40.13~75.60 t·hm-2之间,最大持水率为过熟林近熟林中龄林成熟林,变动在5.94%~7.93%之间。不同林龄枯落物有效拦蓄率差异很大,变化在30.18%~422.98%,林龄越大,分解程度越大,有效拦蓄越强,总体未分解层均小于半分解层。有效拦蓄能力也有差异,过熟林表现为最强,总有效拦蓄量达70.57 t·hm-2,相当于拦蓄7.26 mm的降雨,不论从最大持水量、最大持水率还是有效拦蓄量过熟林一致表现为最强。不同林龄枯落物持水过程,在浸泡0.5 h内吸水速率最大,4 h之后减小,8 h时持水量基本达稳定,在整个持水过程中半分解层持水能力均高于未分解层。不同林龄土壤透水性、通气性均比较好。10~20 cm土层表现为随林龄增加而减小,变化在0.48~0.88 g·cm-3;20~40 cm土层则表现为随林龄增加而增加,变化在1.03~1.41 g·cm-3之间;各层土壤毛管孔隙度均表现为中龄林近熟林成熟林过熟林。各土层持水性能无论是毛管持水量、最小持水量还是最大持水量都表现为中龄林最大,随林龄增加而减小的趋势,并且持水能力浅层均较深层的大。中龄林在10~20 cm土层分别达是162.16、122.07和213.00 t·hm-2,20~40 cm土层分别达是77.22、58.13和86.43 t·hm-2;过熟林在10~20 cm土层为100.36、68.43和156.98 t·hm-2,20~40 cm土层只有31.09、24.26和37.83 t·hm-2,不同林龄各层土壤质量含水量、体积含水量也表现出相同的变化规律。该研究可为制定科学合理有效的经营管理方式和砍伐措施提供理论依据。     

珍贵树种土沉香生长环境的土壤特性与营养特性分析

对我国野生土沉香4个主要分布区的土壤特性及自身营养特性进行了分析研究。结果表明,不同分布区的同一土层的土壤物理性质有明显的差异（P〈0.05）。海南临高分布区各层土壤容重最小,总空隙度、自然含水量毛管持水量比较高;海南屯昌分布区各层的土壤容重最大,总空隙度较低;广东东莞分布区与广东陆河分布区各层土壤松紧度比较适宜,透水性,通气性,持水能力比较协调。各分布区土壤均呈酸性,其有机质含量和营养元素含量偏低。土壤有效Mn、有效B均处于较低水平,有效Fe的含量均高于临界值;海南屯昌分布区土壤中有效Cu的含量极低,其余3分布区则均高于临界值;除海南临高分布区有效Zn的含量高于临界值,其他3个分布区均低于临界值;海南屯昌分布区土壤有效S含量稍低于临界值,为中等水平,广东陆河分布区高于临界值处于较高水平,广东东莞分布区为临界值的2.76倍,而海南临高分布区则高达临界值的7.31倍,均处于极高水平。野生土沉香叶片各营养元素之间的相关性总体不明显。     

Rapid,recurring, structured survey versus bioblitz for generating biodiversity data and analysis with a multispecies abundance model

A bioblitz inexpensively and quickly generates biodiversity data, but bioblitzes are often conducted with haphazard, unreplicated sampling. Results tend to be taxonomically, geographically, or temporally biased, lack metadata, and consist of lists of observed taxa that do not enable further analyses or correction for imperfect detection. A rapid, recurring, structured survey (RRSS) uses a structured sampling design and temporal and spatial replication to survey randomly selected sites on a conservation property. We participated in a loosely structured bioblitz and a subsequent RRSS at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville (St. Clair County), Alabama (USA) to compare observed richness derived from the 2 survey approaches. The RRSS data structure enabled us to fit models that accounted for imperfect detection to estimate abundances, occupancy probabilities, and habitat associations. The loosely structured bioblitz data could not be used in such models. We present a new integrated multispecies abundance model that we applied to avian RRSS data. Our model extension enables estimation for the community, employs data augmentation to estimate the number of undetected species, and incorporates covariates. The RRSS generated a more comprehensive and less biased list of observed taxonomic richness than the loosely structured bioblitz (e.g., 73 vs. 45 bird species and 104 vs. 63 insect families from the RRSS vs. loosely structured bioblitz, respectively). Models fit to the RRSS data identified seasonal patterns in avian community composition and allowed for estimation of habitat–occupancy relationships for insect taxa. The RRSS protocol has potential for broad transferability as a standardized, quick, and inexpensive way to inventory biodiversity and estimate ecological parameters while providing an outreach opportunity.     

Compliance with and ecosystem function of biodiversity offsets in North American and European freshwaters

Land-use change via human development is a major driver of biodiversity loss. To reduce these impacts, billions of dollars are spent on biodiversity offsets. However, studies evaluating offset project effectiveness that examine components such as the overall compliance and function of projects remain rare. We reviewed 577 offsetting projects in freshwater ecosystems that included the metrics project size, type of aquatic system (e.g., wetland and creek), offsetting measure (e.g., enhancement, restoration, and creation), and an assessment of the projects’ compliance and functional success. Project information was obtained from scientific and government databases and gray literature. Despite considerable investment in offsetting projects, crucial problems persisted. Although compliance and function were related to each other, a high level of compliance did not guarantee a high degree of function. However, large projects relative to area had better function than small projects. Function improved when projects targeted productivity or specific ecosystem features and when multiple complementary management targets were in place. Restorative measures were more likely to achieve targets than creating entirely new ecosystems. Altogether the relationships we found highlight specific ecological processes that may help improve offsetting outcomes.     

A palaeo-hydrogeological model for arsenic contamination in southern and south-east Asia

An argument is presented in which areas of natural arsenic contamination of modern groundwaters throughout Asia have a common origin. Arsenic originally accumulated in oceanic ferro-manganoan sediments of the eastern Palaeo-Tethys. This was further concentrated through oceanic crustal extinction in what later became the south-east Chinese accreted mineralised terrain. Proto-Himalayan uplift of this area created the palaeo-drainage systems of the Ganges – Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Mekong, and Red Rivers, with consequent headwater erosion of arsenic-rich sediments. Their downstream deposition as immature and easily redistributed Neogene sandstones, silts, and iron-rich clays has created secondary and tertiary reservoirs of adsorbed and authigenic arsenic, from which the current arsenic-rich groundwaters have evolved. Considering river basins within the above palaeo-hydrogeological framework provides a basis for assessing the risk of arsenic in groundwater basins of south and south-eastern Asia.     

Cost‐effective conservation of an endangered frog under uncertainty

How should managers choose among conservation options when resources are scarce and there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of actions? Well‐developed tools exist for prioritizing areas for one‐time and binary actions (e.g., protect vs. not protect), but methods for prioritizing incremental or ongoing actions (such as habitat creation and maintenance) remain uncommon. We devised an approach that combines metapopulation viability and cost‐effectiveness analyses to select among alternative conservation actions while accounting for uncertainty. In our study, cost‐effectiveness is the ratio between the benefit of an action and its economic cost, where benefit is the change in metapopulation viability. We applied the approach to the case of the endangered growling grass frog (Litoria raniformis), which is threatened by urban development. We extended a Bayesian model to predict metapopulation viability under 9 urbanization and management scenarios and incorporated the full probability distribution of possible outcomes for each scenario into the cost‐effectiveness analysis. This allowed us to discern between cost‐effective alternatives that were robust to uncertainty and those with a relatively high risk of failure. We found a relatively high risk of extinction following urbanization if the only action was reservation of core habitat; habitat creation actions performed better than enhancement actions; and cost‐effectiveness ranking changed depending on the consideration of uncertainty. Our results suggest that creation and maintenance of wetlands dedicated to L. raniformis is the only cost‐effective action likely to result in a sufficiently low risk of extinction. To our knowledge we are the first study to use Bayesian metapopulation viability analysis to explicitly incorporate parametric and demographic uncertainty into a cost‐effective evaluation of conservation actions. The approach offers guidance to decision makers aiming to achieve cost‐effective conservation under uncertainty.     

Threats to intact tropical peatlands and opportunities for their conservation

Large, intact areas of tropical peatland are highly threatened at a global scale by the expansion of commercial agriculture and other forms of economic development. Conserving peatlands on a landscape scale, with their hydrology intact, is of international conservation importance to preserve their distinctive biodiversity and ecosystem services and maintain their resilience to future environmental change. We explored threats to and opportunities for conserving remaining intact tropical peatlands; thus, we excluded peatlands of Indonesia and Malaysia, where extensive deforestation, drainage, and conversion to plantations means conservation in this region can protect only small fragments of the original ecosystem. We focused on a case study, the Pastaza‐Marañón Foreland Basin (PMFB) in Peru, which is among the largest known intact tropical peatland landscapes in the world and is representative of peatland vulnerability. Maintenance of the hydrological conditions critical for carbon storage and ecosystem function of peatlands is, in the PMFB, primarily threatened by expansion of commercial agriculture linked to new transport infrastructure that is facilitating access to remote areas. There remain opportunities in the PMFB and elsewhere to develop alternative, more sustainable land‐use practices. Although some of the peatlands in the PMFB fall within existing legally protected areas, this protection does not include the most carbon‐dense (domed pole forest) areas. New carbon‐based conservation instruments (e.g., REDD+, Green Climate Fund), developing markets for sustainable peatland products, transferring land title to local communities, and expanding protected areas offer pathways to increased protection for intact tropical peatlands in Amazonia and elsewhere, such as those in New Guinea and Central Africa which remain, for the moment, broadly beyond the frontier of commercial development.     

Parasitic wasps orient to green leaf volatiles

Summary Undamaged plants emit low levels of green leaf volatiles (GLVs), while caterpillar-damaged and artificially damaged plants emit relatively higher levels of certain GLVs. Female braconid parasitoids,Microplitis croceipes, oriented to both damaged plants and to individual GLVs in no-choice tests in a wind tunnel, but seldom oriented to undamaged plants. Female ichneumonid parasitoids,Netelia heroica, also oriented to individual GLVs in a wind tunnel. Males of both wasp species failed to orient to the GLVs. These data show that leaf-feeding caterpillars can cause the release of GLVs, and that parasitic wasps can respond to these odors by flying upwind (chemoanemotactic response), which brings the wasps to their caterpillar hosts. This supports the hypothesis that plants communicate with members of the third trophic level,i.e., plants under herbivore attack emit chemical signals that guide natural enemies of herbivores to sites of plant damage. In this interaction, the GLVs serve as tritrophic plant-to-parasitoid synomones. That parasitoids from two different wasp families oriented to GLVs suggests that the response may be widespread among the Hymenoptera.Mention of a commercial or proprietary product does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture     

Human Influence and Classical Biogeographic Predictors of Rare Species Occurrence

Biogeographic theory predicts that rare species occur more often in larger, less‐isolated habitat patches and suggests that patch size and connectivity are positive predictors of patch quality for conservation. However, in areas substantially modified by humans, rare species may be relegated to the most isolated patches. We used data from plant surveys of 81 meadow patches in the Georgia Basin of Canada and the United States to show that presence of threatened and endangered plants was positively predicted for patches that were isolated on small islands surrounded by ocean and for patches that were isolated by surrounding forest. Neither patch size nor connectivity were positive predictors of rare species occurrence. Thus, in our study area, human influence, presumably due to disturbance or introduction of competitive non‐native species, appears to have overwhelmed classical predictors of rare species distribution, such that greater patch isolation appeared to favor presence of rare species. We suggest conservation planners consider the potential advantages of protecting geographically isolated patches in human‐modified landscapes because such patches may represent the only habitats in which rare species are likely to persist. Influencia Humana y Predictores Biogeográficos Clásicos de la Ocurrencia de Especies Raras     

Seasonal dynamics of macro-algae in the South Lake of Tunis

The macro-algae communities observed in the south lake of Tunis are characterized by the predominance of nitrophilous algae which are in the order of biomass importance:Ulva, Cladophora andEnteromorpha. We have noted seasonal changes of alga distribution. The wind appears to be one of the most important factors influencing this distribution. The total biomass reaches a maximum in the spring. Rapid decomposition of the biomass leads to a severe ecological imbalance, resulting in crises of anoxia and fish death. A restoration project has already started. It aims at removal of contaminated muds and the introduction of a new circulation system. The main objectives of this work were to collect information on the distribution and biomass of the phytobenthic communities as a first step in the constitution of a database for further comparison.     

Patterns and biases of climate change threats in the IUCN Red List

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessments rely on published data and expert inputs, and biases can be introduced where underlying definitions and concepts are ambiguous. Consideration of climate change threat is no exception, and recently numerous approaches to assessing the threat of climate change to species have been developed. We explored IUCN Red List assessments of amphibians and birds to determine whether species listed as threatened by climate change display distinct patterns in terms of habitat occupied and additional nonclimatic threats faced. We compared IUCN Red List data with a published data set of species’ biological and ecological traits believed to infer high vulnerability to climate change and determined whether distributions of climate change‐threatened species on the IUCN Red List concur with those of climate change‐threatened species identified with the trait‐based approach and whether species possessing these traits are more likely to have climate change listed as a threat on the IUCN Red List. Species in some ecosystems (e.g., grassland, shrubland) and subject to particular threats (e.g., invasive species) were more likely to have climate change as a listed threat. Geographical patterns of climate change‐threatened amphibians and birds on the IUCN Red List were incongruent with patterns of global species richness and patterns identified using trait‐based approaches. Certain traits were linked to increases or decreases in the likelihood of a species being threatened by climate change. Broad temperature tolerance of a species was consistently related to an increased likelihood of climate change threat, indicating counterintuitive relationships in IUCN assessments. To improve the robustness of species assessments of the vulnerability or extinction risk associated with climate change, we suggest IUCN adopt a more cohesive approach whereby specific traits highlighted by our results are considered in Red List assessments. To achieve this and to strengthen the climate change‐vulnerability assessments approach, it is necessary to identify and implement logical avenues for further research into traits that make species vulnerable to climate change (including population‐level threats).