Functional Isomorphism of Ecosystems and Its Significance for Ecological Prognosis

A concept concerning the functional isomorphism of natural ecosystems as a factor modulating climatogenic changes in the soil–plant cover is proposed. On an empirical basis, production and destruction types of isomorphism are distinguished, which differ in their prevailing influence on the dynamics of zonal and regional ecosystems in the boreal and subboreal belts.     

Climate changes in the past century and radial increment of pine in the Southern Ural steppe

Changes in the main climatic factors (air temperature and total precipitation) and their effect on the radial increment of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) over the period from 1933 to 2002 were studied in an insular pine forest growing in the steppe zone of the Southern Urals. Evidence for a significant increase in the amount of precipitation and air temperature in the second half of this period was obtained. Functions of response of radial increment indices to climatic parameters were analyzed. Relative contributions of air temperature and precipitation to variation in the radial increment of pine in different time intervals proved to differ in relation to climate changes during the past century.     

Ecotoxicological aspects of the tolerance of hydrobionts to acidification of the aquatic environment in the Taiga natural climatic zone

Experimental ecotoxicological studies on the norm of reaction to anthropogenic acidification were performed with representative hydrobionts from aquatic ecosystems of the northern taiga zone. Interspecific, interpopulation, and age-related differences in tolerance to acidity and the significant dependence of this parameter on water pH in natural habitats of corresponding populations were revealed.     

Biological productivity of bogs in the middle taiga subzone of Western Siberia

New experimental data on biological productivity of plant communities in oligotrophic and mesotrophic bogs of the middle taiga subzone over the past five years are presented. The relationship between net primary production and the stock of live phytomass is estimated. The stock of necromass in oligotrophic bog ecosystems increases from west to east, while the stock of live phytomass and net primary production decrease.     

Sensitivity of the Structural Characteristics of Tree Rings to Climatic Changes in Different Climatypes of Scotch Pine

Radial increment and tree-ring structure were studied in the progenies of 16 climatypes growing in the southern taiga subzone. The coefficients of correlation between tree-ring parameters of the local and other climatypes were as high as 0.7–0.9, and the synchronism coefficients were higher than 0.7. Climatypes of northern origin were an exception. The sensitivity of the parameters of the tree-ring late wood decreased with an increase in the latitude at which the seeds for establishing the cultures were collected. Estimation of Euclidean distances in the space of tree-ring parameters showed that the northern climatypes differed from the southern taiga types by no more than 15%. The climatypes from the middle taiga and the forest–steppe exhibited smaller differences (10–11%).     

Paleosols of the Solonchanka IX site and climate of the Transural steppe zone in the fourth century AD

Studies on paleosols under an archaeological landmark of a rare type (a complex of kurgans with “whiskers”) dating from the Early Iron Age (the fourth century AD) have been performed in the steppe zone of the Transural Plateau. The size and shape of third-order soil polygons under stony ridges (“whiskers”) between the kurgans have been described in detail. The results have shown that the paleosol under the kurgans erected at the turn of the Late Sarmatian and Hun times (1600 years ago) is characterized by a higher humus content and deeper location of the carbonate horizon, compared to the recent soil. This indicates that an increase in atmospheric humidity took place in the fourth century AD.     

Tree vegetation of the forest-tundra ecotone in the Western Sayan mountains and climatic trends

Parameters of reproduction of the Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica), including radial and apical tree increments, the age structure of stands, the amount of young growth, and its distribution along an altitudinal gradient, have been studied in the forest-tundra ecotone of the Western Sayan. The results show that, over the past 30 years, P. sibirica undergrowth has expanded to the mountain tundra belt, the apical and radial tree increments and stand density have increased, and the life form of many P. sibirica plants has changed from prostrate to erect (single-or multistemmed). These changes correlate with the dynamics of summer temperatures and monthly (in May and June) and annual precipitation. The rise of summer temperatures by 1°C promotes the expansion of P. sibirica undergrowth for approximately 150 m up the altitudinal gradient.     

The Carbon Cycle in the Ecosystems of Thermal Springs in the Chukchi Peninsula as a Natural Model of Warming

Comparative studies on the ecosystems in the vicinity of thermal springs and in the typical tundra were performed in the southeastern Chukchi Peninsula in July and August 1997. Biogenic carbon fluxes during the greater part of the growing season were determined, the aboveground phytomass structure was studied, and the carbon reserve in the soil was estimated. It was demonstrated that the gross primary production and soil carbon in thermal ecosystems are greater than in similar permafrost ecosystems. The structural and ecophysiological changes leading to an increase in the gross production of plant communities were analyzed.     

Interannual changes in the fauna of dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta,Odonata) in the Southern Urals

Data on the abundance and occurrence of 64 odonate species in the Southern Urals are considered. A comparative analysis of the odonate fauna in the early 20th century, in the 1960s and 1970s, and in the early 21st century is performed. On this basis, it is concluded that its structure has been markedly changing with time, with the magnitude of these changes being comparable to that of regional faunistic differences. The causes of these changes are discussed. The apparent enrichment of the odonate fauna is attributed primarily to the appearance of new anthropogenic habitats.     

Long-term increase in climatic dryness in the East-Mediterranean as evidenced for the island of Samos

The Eastern Mediterranean region is among the regions which were predicted to become drier under IPCC climate scenarios. Here, we document a gradual reduction of rainfall and tree growth and the loss of rural springs during the last decades of the twentieth century. Years with severe drought are associated with very low tree growth (dendrochronology) and dry falling of springs as evidenced by interviews with local stakeholders. The paper discusses the consequences of accelerating drought on natural vegetation and agriculture and points at the interaction with fire dynamics and economy, both likely to enhance the drought effect.     

Environmental implications of changes in the levels of lakes in the Ethiopian Rift since 1970

The Ethiopian rift is characterized by a chain of lakes of various sizes and hydrological and hydrogeological settings. The rift lakes and feeder rivers are used for irrigation, soda extraction, commercial fish farming, and recreation, and they support a wide variety of endemic birds and wild animals. The levels of some of these lakes have changed dramatically over the last three decades. Lakes that are relatively uninfluenced by human activities (Langano and Abaya) remain stable except for the usual inter-annual variations, strongly influenced by rainfall. Some lakes have shrunk due to excessive abstraction of water; others have expanded due to increases in surface runoff and groundwater flux from percolated irrigation water. Lakes Abiyata and Beseka, both heavily impacted by human activities, show contrasting lake level trends: the level of Abiayata has dropped by about 5 m over three decades because of the extraction of water for soda and an upstream diversion for irrigation. Beseka has expanded from an area of 2.5 to 40 km² over the last three decades because of increased groundwater inputs from percolated irrigation water. Lake Awassa has risen slightly due to land use changes resulting in increased runoff in its catchment. This paper addresses these lake level changes and their environmental repercussions, based on evidence from hydrometeorological records, hydrogeological field mapping supported by aerial photography and satellite imagery interpretations, water balance estimation, and hydrological modeling. A converging evidence approach is used to reconstruct the temporal and spatial variations of lake levels. The results reveal that the major changes in the rift valley are mainly related to anthropogenic factors. These changes appear to have grave environmental consequences for the fragile rift ecosystem. These consequences demand the very urgent implementation of integrated basin wide water management practice.     

Effect of Climatic Changes on the Formation of Siberian Spruce Generations in Subglotsy Tree Stands of the Southern Urals

The correlation between climatic changes and the numbers of trees in the generations of Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) in subgoltsy tree stands of the Southern Urals was analyzed over the past 200 years. The results showed that the most abundant generations appeared in 1809–1816, 1821–1827, 1839–1845, 1850–1867, 1875–1887, 1891–1896, 1900–1904, 1911–1918, 1923–1932, 1944–1952, 1958–1966, and 1975–1995. Their formation proved to be related to the improvement of thermal conditions of the warm season during the five to seven years before and after the emergence of trees and conditions of the cold season in the year of their emergence, as well as to the periods of increased snow depth in late April in the years 27–32 of tree growth.     

中国畜禽温室气体排放时空变化及影响因素研究

畜禽业是关系国计民生的重要产业,在满足居民生活物质需求的同时,其生产过程中所伴随的温室气体排放问题已成为不容忽视的环境问题。本文基于LMDI模型系统分析了1991-2013年中国畜禽温室气体排放时空变化及其因素贡献。结果表明:1从时间维度来看,1991-2013年,中国畜禽温室气体排放经历了先快速上升后稳定上升再波动下降的变化特征,总体呈上升趋势。经济效应对畜禽温室气体排放促进作用最大,而强度效应的抑制作用最大,其次是劳动力效应和结构效应。2期间,经济效应促进作用的累计贡献呈指数增长,而强度效应抑制作用的累计贡献呈倒"U",劳动力效应和结构效应抑制作用也不断加强。3从空间维度来看,中国畜禽温室气体排放的区域集中度较高,四川、河南、山东、云南和内蒙古等省(区、市)畜禽温室气体排放一直位居全国前列。4省域各效应作用方向和程度差异显著,四川、青海和云南强度效应抑制作用较大,辽宁、吉林和黑龙江抑制作用较小;山东、四川和黑龙江结构效应抑制作用显著,新疆和青海促进作用明显;四川、河南、内蒙古、山东、云南、湖南和河北经济效应促进作用较大,天津、上海、海南和北京促进作用较小;四川、湖北、江苏和山东劳动力效应抑制作用显著,新疆、黑龙江和内蒙古促进作用明显。最后,基于研究结论,为未来中国畜禽温室气体减排空间发展策略提出了几点建议。     

Spatio-temporal variation of dissolved inorganic nutrients related to hydrodynamics and land use in the mangrove-fringed Segara Anakan Lagoon, Java, Indonesia

Segara Anakan is a mangrove-fringed lagoon in Java, Indonesia, which is affected by human activities in the lagoon and its hinterland. Nutrient and sediment input from the Citanduy River which drains an agriculture-dominated hinterland is thought to be an important factor for ecosystem degradation. From dry and rainy season investigations of dissolved inorganic nutrients between May 2004 and August 2006 we infer that the nutrient inventory of Segara Anakan is controlled by a complex mixture of anthropogenic and natural sources and processes. Maximum inputs into the western lagoon were supplied by the Citanduy during the rainy season while tidal exchange with the Indian Ocean dominated in the eastern lagoon with little freshwater input. During the dry season recycling in mangroves appeared to be an additional source of nutrients to the lagoon. Despite an extremely high population density and intensive agriculture in the hinterland nutrient pollution and eutrophication in the lagoon were low to moderate on a global scale. It is probably due to the short residence time of water in the shallow lagoon which indicates that major part of the land-derived nutrient input is rapidly exported to the sea. Although Segara Anakan is a highly perturbed system for decades, it appears that still natural processes exert major control on the nutrient inventory of the lagoon.     

Seasonal changes in the spatial distribution of cellulolytic activity of soil microflora under conditions of atmospheric pollution

Spatial variation in the cellulolytic activity of the soil microflora during the growing season (from May to September) has been studied in spruce-fir forests exposed to emissions from the Middle Ural Copper-Smelting Plant. It has been shown that the average rate of decomposition of pure cellulose in polluted areas is significantly reduced, with its spatial variation being markedly increased. The spatial pattern of cellulolytic activity remains stable during the growing season, and the integrated parameters of frequency distributions in zones with different pollution levels change with time in the same direction.     

Quantification of land use/land cover changes in Pearl River Delta and its impact on regional climate in summer using numerical modeling

This study quantified land use/land cover (LULC) changes in Pearl River Delta (PRD) of South China and its impact on regional climate over the last two decades. The LULC change analyses were accomplished by applying a change detection method to a set of Landsat imagery and ancillary data acquired from 1970s to 2000. The results indicate that the urban expansion is the prevailing LULC change in the PRD. Impact of LULC change on regional climate was simulated by using a mesoscale climate model. Two different land cover datasets circa 1990 and 2000 were input to the model to investigate the impact of urbanization on regional weather and climate condition in summer 2005. The simulation results show that rapid urban expansion can substantially alter regional climate conditions in the PRD region including monthly mean temperature, precipitation, moisture, and surface heat fluxes.     

Climate changes and overstory recruitment of larch at the northern timberline in the Yamal Peninsula

Studies on overstory recruitment of the Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.) in open larch forests depending on the time of seedling establishment (1880–1980) have been performed in the northern timberline ecotone on the Yamal Peninsula. Two periods of active larch establishment have been revealed: from 1900 to 1935 and from 1950 to 1970. A comparison of these data with the results of instrumental observations on temperature and precipitation has shown that the overstory recruitment of larch in valleys of northern rivers is largely dependent on July air temperatures in the first years of tree life, when seedlings grow 10–20 cm high.