Risk Assessment of Carbon Sequestration for Terrestrial Ecosystems in China

Climate change will alter the capacity of carbon sequestration,and the risk assessment of carbon sequestration for terrestrial ecosystems will be helpful to the decision-making for climate change countermeasures and international climate negotiations.Based on the net ecosystem productivity of terrestrial ecosystems simulated by Atmosphere Vegetation Integrated Model,each grid of the risk criterion was set by time series trend analysis.Then the risks of carbon sequestration of terrestrial ecosystems were investigated.The results show that,in the IPCCSRES-B2 climate scenario,climate change will bring risks of carbon sequestration,and the high-risk level will dominate terrestrial ecosystems.The risk would expand with the increase of warming degree.By the end of the long-term of this century,about 60% of the whole country will face the risk;Northwest China,mountainous areas in Northeast China,middle and lower reaches plain of Yangtze River areas,Southwest China and Southeast China tend to be extremely vulnerable.Risk levels in most regions are likely to grow with the increase of warming degree,and this increase will mainly occur during the near-term to mid-term.Northwest China will become an area of high risks,and deciduous coniferous forests,temperate mixed forests and desert grassland tend to be extremely vulnerable.     

Risk Assessment of Carbon Sequestration for Terrestrial Ecosystems in China

Abstract

Climate change will alter the capacity of carbon sequestration, and the risk assessment of carbon sequestration for terrestrial ecosystems will be helpful to the decision-making for climate change countermeasures and international climate negotiations. Based on the net ecosystem productivity of terrestrial ecosystems simulated by Atmosphere Vegetation Integrated Model, each grid of the risk criterion was set by time series trend analysis. Then the risks of carbon sequestration of terrestrial ecosystems were investigated. The results show that, in the IPCCSRES-B2 climate scenario, climate change will bring risks of carbon sequestration, and the high-risk level will dominate terrestrial ecosystems. The risk would expand with the increase of warming degree. By the end of the long-term of this century, about 60% of the whole country will face the risk; Northwest China, mountainous areas in Northeast China, middle and lower reaches plain of Yangtze River areas, Southwest China and Southeast China tend to be extremely vulnerable. Risk levels in most regions are likely to grow with the increase of warming degree, and this increase will mainly occur during the near-term to mid-term. Northwest China will become an area of high risks, and deciduous coniferous forests, temperate mixed forests and desert grassland tend to be extremely vulnerable.     

基于C5.0决策树和时序HJ-1A/B CCD数据的神农架林区植被分类

我国神农架林区海拔高、气候复杂,森林类型多样,结构破碎,森林遥感分类难度较大。将2013年时间序列HJ-1A/B CCD遥感影像作为数据源,计算出植被指数(NDVI、DVI、RVI)和主成分第一分量(PC1),使用DEM数据生成地形因子(高程、坡度、坡向),构建植被分类时序因子集。运用C5.0决策树分类法将神农架林区植被细分为七类:针叶林;针阔混交林;落叶阔叶林;常绿和落叶阔叶混交林;常绿阔叶林;灌丛和草甸。结果表明:该方法的总体精度为72.7%,Kappa系数为0.67;在6~8月,针叶林、草甸和灌丛的植被指数明显低于常绿阔叶林、常绿和落叶阔叶混交林、落叶阔叶林和针阔混交林,对分类的贡献较大,称为植被分类的"窗口期"。PC1、NDVI和高程因子对神农架林地的区分度较高,而坡度、坡向和RVI因子对分类帮助不大。作为一种智能分类方法,C5.0决策树分类方法应用于30m分辨率的时间序列HJ-1A/B CCD数据,能够将地貌复杂的神农架林区植被分为七类,提高了类别精度,具有更高的应用价值。     

Drastic reduction in the potential habitats for alpine and subalpine vegetation in the Pyrenees due to twenty-first-century climate change

Recent climate change is already affecting both ecosystems and the organisms that inhabit them, with mountains and their associated biota being particularly vulnerable. Due to the high conservation value of mountain ecosystems, reliable science-based information is needed to implement additional conservation efforts in order to ensure their future. This paper examines how climate change might impact on the distribution of the main alpine and subalpine vegetation in terms of losses of suitable area in the Oriental Pyrenees. The algorithm of maximum entropy (Maxent) was used to relate current environmental conditions (climate, topography, geological properties) to present data for the studied vegetation units, and time and space projections were subsequently carried out considering climate change predictions for the years 2020, 2050 and 2080. All models predicted rising altitude trends for all studied vegetation units. Moreover, the analysis of future trends under different climate scenarios for 2080 suggests an average loss in potential ranges of 92.3–99.9 % for alpine grasslands, 76.8–98.4 % for subalpine (and alpine) scrublands and 68.8–96.1 % for subalpine forest. The drastic reduction in the potential distribution areas for alpine grasslands, subalpine scrublands and Pinus uncinata forests highlights the potential severity of the effects of climate change on vegetation in the highest regions of the Pyrenees. Thus, alpine grasslands can be expected to become relegated to refuge areas (summit areas), with their current range being taken over by subalpine scrublands. Furthermore, subalpine forest units will probably become displaced and will occupy areas that currently present subalpine scrub vegetation.     

Main regularities in synanthropization of different vegetation types in the Republic of Bashkortostan

The contribution of synanthropization to the anthropogenic evolution of vegetation has been analyzed by assessing its level in approximately 260 associations and communities of 31 vegetation classes in the Republic of Bashkortostan. The results show that this level is high in communities of synanthropic classes Secalietea, Chenopodietea, Artemisietea vulgaris, and Robinietea. Synanthropization of communities under the effect of human activities is also characteristic of many classes of natural vegetation, especially those of meadows, floodplain forests, and ravine-gully systems. Some communities are protected from synanthropization due to the existence of abiotic or biotic barriers to the expansion of synanthropic species (communities of high-mountain areas and zonal forests, many aquatic communities, and mountain meadows and steppes).     

唐家河保护区主要植被类型景观格局的梯度分析

在遥感图像基础上,利用GIS技术从景观指数方面定量分析了唐家河自然保护区主要植被类型在东西、南北和西北至东南3个方向上的梯度变化。结果表明：次生落叶阔叶林、常绿落叶阔叶混交林、针阔叶混交林与针叶林的梯度变化明显,并且在各方向上具有不同的变化特征。其中,常绿落叶阔叶混交林从西北至东南方向的梯度变化最为复杂, 斑块数量与面积分别呈“升-降-升-降”与“升-降-升”的波动变化趋势,而边界密度与平均最近距离呈先升后降的变化趋势,两端破碎度高但连接性好,中部相反。针叶林从北至南的梯度变化最为简单,斑块面积减少,破碎度与复杂度降低,南北两端分布较多,中部较少。唐家河自然保护区植被景观格局在不同方向上的梯度变化研究为地震后该地区的植被保护与管理提供重要指导意义。     

基于MODIS数据的安徽省植被水分利用效率时空变化及影响因素

水分利用效率是衡量生态系统碳水循环耦合程度的重要指标。基于MODIS数据、土地覆盖类型数据和气象数据,估算安徽省植被水分利用效率(WUE）,采用趋势分析法和相关分析法对安徽省2000~2014年植被WUE的时空格局、变化趋势及影响因素进行研究。研究表明:（1）不同植被类型的WUE年均值差异明显,常绿阔叶林和常绿针叶林的WUE均值较高,分别达到1.66和1.69 gC?mm-1?m-2,而耕地的年均WUE最低,各植被类型的年均WUE按照“常绿针叶林>常绿阔叶林>灌木>草地>落叶阔叶林>针阔混交林>耕地”的顺序递减。植被年均WUE具有较强的空间分异性规律,整体上呈现南北高中间低的趋势,植被WUE的高值区主要分布在大别山区和皖南山区,分布范围与常绿针叶林、常绿阔叶林的分布范围基本一致。（2）安徽省2000~2014年植被WUE年内变化呈现出“增加-减小-增加-减小”的M状“双峰型”趋势,具有明显的季节差异,呈现出春季＞秋季＞夏季＞冬季的特征,各季节植被WUE的均值分别占植被WUE的32.58%、24.91%、29.27%、13.24%。（3）安徽省植被WUE动态变化受到降水影响显著的区域占比3.88%;气温显著影响的区域占比2.19%;降水显著影响的地区主要分布在林地范围内,温度显著影响的地区则位于耕地范围内,降水和气温综合显著影响所占面积最小,为0.11%;而植被WUE受气温和降水影响均不显著占比为93.82%;整体上,安徽省大部分地区的植被WUE变化主要受非气候因素影响。     

Prognostic simulation of alpine ecosystems in view of global climate change

Experience in predicting the state of alpine ecosystems on the basis of empirical-statistical simulation is described using the example of the Central Caucasus. Two types of analytical and cartographic prognostic models, chorometric and chronometric, are presented. They are used to obtain probabilistic estimates of alpine meadows and forests in the vicinity of Mount Elbrus in view of the forthcoming global climate warming for the period until the year 2100 (by means of GISS Model E for climate prediction).     

Impacts of climate change on Chinese ecosystems: key vulnerable regions and potential thresholds

China is a key vulnerable region of climate change in the world. Climate warming and general increase in precipitation with strong temporal and spatial variations have happened in China during the past century. Such changes in climate associated with the human disturbances have influenced natural ecosystems of China, leading to the advanced plant phenology in spring, lengthened growing season of vegetation, modified composition and geographical pattern of vegetation, especially in ecotone and tree-lines, and the increases in vegetation cover, vegetation activity and net primary productivity. Increases in temperature, changes in precipitation regime and CO₂ concentration enrichment will happen in the future in China according to climate model simulations. The projected climate scenarios (associated with land use changes again) will significantly influence Chinese ecosystems, resulting in a northward shift of all forests, disappearance of boreal forest from northeastern China, new tropical forests and woodlands move into the tropics, an eastward shift of grasslands (expansion) and deserts (shrinkage), a reduction in alpine vegetation and an increase in net primary productivity of most vegetation types. Ecosystems in northern and western parts of China are more vulnerable to climate changes than those in eastern China, while ecosystems in the east are more vulnerable to land use changes other than climate changes. Such assessment could be helpful to address the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC Article 2).     

The impact of climate change and its uncertainty on carbon storage in Switzerland

Projected future climate change will alter carbon storage in forests, which is of pivotal importance for the national carbon balance of most countries. Yet, national-scale assessments are largely lacking. We evaluated climate impacts on vegetation and soil carbon storage for Swiss forests using a dynamic vegetation model. We considered three novel climate scenarios, each featuring a quantification of the inherent uncertainty of the underlying climate models. We evaluated which regions of Switzerland would benefit or lose in terms of carbon storage under different climates, and which abiotic factors determine these patterns. The simulation results showed that the prospective carbon storage ability of forests depends on the current climate, the severity of the change, and the time required for new species to establish. Regions already prone to drought and heat waves under current climate will likely experience a decrease in carbon stocks under prospective ‘extreme’ climate change, while carbon storage in forests close to the upper treeline will increase markedly. Interestingly, when climate change is severe, species shifts can result in increases in carbon stocks, but when there is only slight climate change, climate conditions may reduce growth of extant species while not allowing for species shifts, thus leading to decreases in carbon stocks.     

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.     

Sensitivity of potential natural vegetation in China to projected changes in temperature,precipitation and atmospheric CO2

A sensitivity study was performed to investigate the responses of potential natural vegetation distribution in China to the separate and combined effects of temperature, precipitation and [CO₂], using the process-based equilibrium terrestrial biosphere model BIOME4. The model shows a generally good agreement with a map of the potential natural vegetation distribution based on a numerical comparison using the ΔV statistic (ΔV = 0.25). Mean temperature of each month was increased uniformly by 0–5 K, in 0.5- or 1-K intervals. Mean precipitation of each month was increased and decreased uniformly by 0–30%, in 10% intervals. The analyses were run at fixed CO₂ concentrations of 360 and 720 ppm. Temperature increases shifted most forest boundaries northward and westward, expanded the distribution of xeric biomes, and confined the tundra to progressively higher elevations. Precipitation increases led to a greater area occupied by mesic biomes at the expense of xeric biomes. Most vegetation types in the temperate regions, and on the Tibetan Plateau, expanded westward into the dry continental interior with increasing precipitation. Precipitation decreases had opposite effects. The modelled effect of CO₂ doubling was to partially compensate for the negative effect of drought on the mesic biomes and to increase potential ecosystem carbon storage by about 40%. Warming tended to counteract this effect, by reducing soil carbon storage. Forest biomes showed substantial resilience to climate change, especially when the effects of increasing [CO₂] were taken into account. Savannas, dry woodland and tundra biomes proved sensitive to temperature increases. The transition region of grassland and forest, and the Tibetan plateau, was the most vulnerable region.     

2000～2015年川西高原植被EVI海拔梯度变化及其对气候变化的响应

川西高原植被系统受地形因子影响在垂直方向上空间特征差异明显。以MODIS EVI遥感数据作为植被动态监测指数,结合高程数据分析2000～2015年川西高原植被EVI沿海拔梯度的变化规律,然后根据川西高原内部及附近39个气象站点的气温和降水资料开展川西高原植被EVI变化对气候变化的响应研究。结果表明:(1)川西高原近16年生长季植被EVI以0.8%/10 a的速率波动增加,沿海拔梯度具有先升高后降低的特点,垂直分布特征差异显著;(2)川西高原植被EVI变化趋势整体处于稳定状态,改善面积多于退化面积。在1 000 m的低海拔区域,由于人类活动的干扰,植被退化严重;中等海拔范围内水热条件充足,利于植被生长,植被逐渐得到改善,局部地区有轻微退化现象;在4 000 m的高海拔地带,植被EVI波动幅度较低并趋于稳定;(3)不同高程区间内植被EVI变化受气候影响不同,川西高原高海拔地区植被生长主要受气温控制,而中等海拔地区受降水影响较大。(4)在0.05显著性水平下,川西高原植被EVI变化受非气候因子驱动的面积分布较广,约84.22%;受气候因子驱动的面积占比为15.78%,气温对植被生长和分布的驱动作用强于降水驱动作用。     

气候变化对长江源地区高寒草甸生态系统的影响

近十几年来,长江源区气候暖干化趋势明显,冰川退缩、湖泊萎缩、草场退化、土地沙漠化、水土流失等环境问题日益严重。高寒草甸是长江源地区主要的植被类型之一,在全球变化影响下,以耐低温寒冷的嵩草属（Kobresia）植物为建群种的高寒草甸将面临更严重的生态胁迫。以长江源地区高寒草甸生态系统为研究对象,采用国际通用的生物地球化学模型模拟高寒草甸生物量、生产力和土壤有机质等的动态变化,并综合考虑人类活动对生态系统生产力和营养元素生物地球化学循环的影响,探讨了全球气候变化对高寒草甸生态系统可能造成的影响。     

Vegetation dynamics and climate change on the Loess Plateau,China: 1982–2011

Monitoring the dynamics of vegetation growth and its response to climate change is important to understand the mechanisms underlying ecosystem behaviors. This study investigated the relationship between vegetation growth and climate change during the growing seasons on the Loess Plateau in China by analyzing the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) derived from the Land Long Term Data Record dataset from 1982 to 2011. Results showed that growing-season NDVI had increased at an annual rate of 0.0028, particularly in the semi-arid and semi-humid regions. By contrast, the NDVI first increased from 1982 to 1994 (0.0013 year^?1, P < 0.05) and then decreased from 1994 to 2011 (0.0016 year^?1, P < 0.05) in the arid region. Temperature had a positive effect on NDVI in most periods within and across seasons in the semi-humid region but had no significant effect in the arid region. Precipitation had a positive effect on NDVI in the arid region in summer and in the semi-arid region in autumn. Summer precipitation was important for autumn vegetation growth in the arid region, whereas summer temperature increased autumn vegetation growth in the semi-arid and semi-humid regions. Further analyses supported the lag-time effects of climate change on vegetation growth on the Loess Plateau. Precipitation shifts had 15- to 18-month time lag effects on vegetation growth in the three climate regions. Vegetation NDVI had a 17-month lag response to temperature in the semi-arid region. Human activities should not be neglected in analyzing the relationship between vegetation growth and climate change on the Loess Plateau.     

Impacts of interannual climate variability on past and future forest composition

Numerous analyses of the possible impacts of future climatic changes on tree species composition have been published for both lowland and high-elevation forests. Most of these studies were based on the application of forest "gap" models, and the vast majority of them considered only changes in the average of climatic parameters over time. In this study, we use a unique data set on reconstructed past climatic variations to analyse forest dynamics simulated by the forest gap model ForClim. This analysis forms the basis for a systematic exploration of the ecological effects of changing means vs. changing variability of climate on central European forests. A reconstruction of historical climate covering the last 470 years in the Swiss lowlands (ClimIndex) is extrapolated to a transect across the alpine (cold) treeline and used to simulate the influence of climate variations on the time scale of decades on forest biomass and tree species composition at both sites. While the simulation at the low-elevation site shows little sensitivity to climate variations, the results from upper subalpine forests suggest that two major dieback events would have occurred at elevations above the current but below the climatic tree line, induced by clusters of exceptionally cold summers. The results are in agreement with available dendrochronological data and with documentary evidence on massive negative impacts on flora and fauna at high elevations during these periods. We conclude that ForClim is capable of capturing the effects on tree population dynamics of climate variability at these sites as reconstructed from the ClimIndex record. A factorial design is used to address the sensitivity of ForClim to changes of the long-term averages vs. changes of the variability of monthly temperature and precipitation data. To this end, the simulated tree species composition of near-natural forests is examined along a climate gradient in Europe. The results indicate that there are three types of forest response: (1) little sensitivity to both kinds of change, (2) strong sensitivity to changes in the means, but little sensitivity to changing variability, and (3) strong sensitivity to changing variability at least in parts of the examined climate space. Half of the cases investigated fall under the third category, suggesting that emphasis should be placed on also assessing the sensitivity of ecosystems to future changes in climate variability rather than on changes of average values alone. Electronic Publication     

青藏高原NPP时空演变格局及其驱动机制分析

青藏高原植被生态系统对全球变化的响应较为敏感。该研究引入重心模型等方法分析和探讨了2000～2015年青藏高原NPP时空变化格局及其驱动机理,并定量区分了NPP变化过程中气候变化和人类活动的相对作用。结果发现:(1)2000～2015年,青藏高原NPP年均值总体上呈现从东南向西北递减的趋势。在年际变化方面,近16年青藏高原不同生态子区的NPP均呈现不同程度的增加趋势。(2)近16年青藏高原NPP重心总体向西南方向移动,表明西南部NPP在增量和增速上大于东北部。(3)NPP与降水显著相关的区域主要位于青藏高原中部、青藏高原东南部及雅鲁藏布江流域中下游,而NPP与气温显著相关的区域主要位于藏南地区、横断山区北部、青藏高原中部和北部。(4)气候变化和人类活动在青藏高原NPP变化过程中的相对作用存在显著的时空差异性,在空间上呈现"四线-五区"的格局。研究成果可为揭示青藏高原区域生态系统对全球变化的响应机制提供理论和方法支撑。     

沱江源森林群落生物多样性垂直格局研究

在野外样带调查的基础上,分析了沱江源头九顶山植被生物多样性随海拔而变化的规律,并简要分析了植被生物多样性垂直格局的影响因子。从河谷到林线,乔木占据群落上层,其郁闭度对林下灌草层群落发育影响很大,生物多样性体现出乔木层与灌草层的相互关系：乔木盖度大的群落其灌木和草本层稀疏,而盖度小的次生林和林线上的高海拔区域灌木和草本种类与个体都迅速增加。多样性指数Hill指数及N1、N2指数变化规律基本相似：林线以下乔木层多样性指数最高,灌木层次之,草本层多样性指数最小,尤其在中度海拔体现明显,海拔3 500 m以上,草本多样性指数最高,灌木次之,而乔木已退出竞争。     

中国植被覆盖度时空特征及其影响因素分析

植被覆盖度是衡量植被生长状况和描述生态系统环境的重要指标,以2001～2018年MODIS NDVI数据集为基础,采用混合像元二分模型,计算中国植被覆盖度(FVC),分析中国年FVC的时空变化特征,探讨FVC对气候和人类活动干扰的响应机制,以及人类活动对FVC影响的未来变化特征。结果表明:(1)中国FVC整体呈上升趋势;西北的年均FVC明显低于东南的年均FVC;除青藏高原FVC为下降趋势外,其余均呈上升趋势,且该趋势具有一定持续性。(2)各植被类型中,混交林的年均FVC最高,草原的年均FVC最低;而农作物变化率最大,混交林变化率最小,且未来将由改善转为退化趋势,其余均表现为持续性改善。(3)中国FVC与气温呈负相关、与降水呈正相关,且降水对FVC的影响强于气温,表明降水是影响FVC变化的主要因素。(4)中国人类活动对FVC的影响程度整体表现为增强趋势,未来人类活动影响力以反向持续性为主。表明未来18a中国FVC受人类活动的影响有所下降。     

西南地区近14a植被覆盖变化及其与气候因子的关系

基于1999~2012年NDVI数据,结合气温和降水资料,运用GIS和RS技术,分析了西南地区近14a植被覆盖的时空变化特征及与气温、降水的关系。结果表明:(1)该区植被生长良好,各植被类型NDVI均呈显著增加趋势。空间整体表现为改善状态,改善面积远大于退化面积,严重退化区仅占1.18%。退化区分布于横断山地北部、四川盆地东部以及云贵高原中部。(2)植被覆盖变化将以良性发展为主,但强持续性的退化区和弱持续性的改善区应值得关注;强持续性的退化区主要分布在横断山地中北部、云贵高原中西部、若尔盖高原中部、四川盆地与若尔盖高原相交区域;草原强持续性的退化面积最大,针阔混交林强持续性的改善面积最大。(3)NDVI与温度存在明显的正相关关系,而与降水及干旱指数变化的关系不太明显,温度是影响该区植被变化的主要自然因素。