秦岭山地松栎混交林土壤养分空间变异及其与地形因子的关系

在陕西省境内秦岭山脉中段油松-锐齿槲栎混交林集中分布的区域设置20 块调查样地,采取土壤样品测定了该区森林土壤0~20、20~40 和40~60 cm 3 个土层的全氮、全磷、全钾、速效氮、速效磷、速效钾、有机质7 项养分指标。通过计算不同土壤养分指标的变异系数并应用典范对应分析(CCA)技术,对秦岭山地松栎混交林土壤养分空间变异与海拔、坡位、坡向和坡度4 项地形因子的关系进行分析。结果表明:①单因素方差分析显示,随着土层深度增加,全氮、有机质、速效氮、速效磷和速效钾含量均呈极显著下降趋势,而全磷、全钾在不同土层中的含量无显著性差异;②变异系数计算结果表明,各土层的7 项养分指标均表现为中等程度变异性,变异系数最大者是0~20 cm土层速效氮,最小者为0~20 cm土层全钾;③从CCA排序结果看,地形因子对不同土层养分变异的影响程度及因子种类明显不同。0~20 cm表层土壤养分变异受地形因子制约作用较小,20~40 cm土层养分的主要影响因子为坡向和海拔,40~60 cm土层养分的主要影响因子为海拔和坡位,而坡度和海拔则是控制0~60 cm整体土壤层养分变异的主要因素。综上所述,地形高异质性的微生境造成了秦岭山地松栎混交林土壤养分空间分布格局的差异。     

中国喀喇昆仑山珍稀濒危植物及特有种的生态地理分布

论文通过野外调查,对喀喇昆仑山区珍稀濒危植物及特有种的生态地理分布进行研究,结果表明：区内珍稀濒危植物共计34种,隶属15科18属,其中,国家重点保护野生植物16种,新疆重点保护野生植物18种;区内特有植物12科24属32种,其中,新疆特有种30种,西藏特有种2种;部分新疆特有种分布区呈趋异变化,昆仑独行菜（Lepidium kunlunshanicum G. L. Zhou et Z. X. An）、黄花点地梅（Androsace flavescens Maxim.）、密穗早熟禾（Poa spiciformis D.F.Cui）分布区扩展至西藏,绿叶柳（Salix metaglauca C. Y. Yang）、昆仑方枝柏（Sabina centrasiatica Kom）、阿克赛钦雪灵芝（Arenaria aksayqingensis L. H. Zhou）分布区缩减呈现濒危;研究区珍稀濒危及特有种水平分布以塔什库尔干县为中心,自西北向东南渐少。垂直分布集中于海拔 3 000~4 500 m的范围,且以多年生草本为主,兼具灌木和乔木类型。     

Visitor impact on backcountry campsites in the Great Smoky Mountains

Over the last decade the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) has experienced a tremendous increase in visitation, especially in backcountry camping. In 1976 there were an estimated 117,500 backcountry visitor nights, with a peak of 16,865 visitor nights in April. The high use season extends from March to October. Visitation tends to be concentrated in certain sections of the park and at specific sites. The Appalachian Trail, which includes about 8 percent of the maintained trail mileage, carried 32 percent of the visitor nights in 1976.Campsite disturbance is also concentrated in specific sites and sections of the park. Maximum camping disturbance per km of maintained trail was 3,400 m² for the sites on the Appalachian Trail. Shelter sites have more visitation per site and more total disturbance per site than open campsites, but shelters tend to have less intensive disturbance, such as bare soil, because they concentrate trampling impacts. Visitation levels were strongly correlated with disturbances such as bare soil at open campsites. Visitation was significantly correlated to the number of firepits at shelter sites but not to other types of disturbance. Regressions indicate that for each additional visitor night at a site (annual average), one can expect an additional 9 m² of total disturbance and 1 m²of bare soil. The distance of a site from the nearest road was not significantly correlated with damage or visitation. Elevation was correlated to visitation levels, especially in the case of the shelters. More legal sites and large illegal sites are in mesic forest types. Illegal camping accounted for 10 percent of the total camping disturbance.The data imply that the suggested removal of shelters will require redistribution of visitor use or replacement developments, such as tent platforms, in order to mitigate damage. Zone camping is a possible alternative but presents difficulties because campers may concentrate in certain plant communities and topographic positions.     

Wild pig populations in the National Parks

Populations of introduced European wild boar, feral pigs, and combinations of both types (all Susscrola L.) inhabit thirteen areas in the National Park Service system. All parks have relatively stable populations, with the exception of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which reported a rapidly expanding wild boar population. Suspected and documented impacts were apparently related to pig densities and sensitivity of the ecosystem; the three largest units with dense wild pig populations reported the most damage. Overall, wild pigs are a relatively minor problem for the Park Service; however, problems are severe in at least three parks, and there is potential for invasion of wild boars into several additional parks in the Appalachian Mountains. More specific information is needed on numbers of wild pigs and their impacts in the various parks.     

Predicting the multiple pathways of plant succession

Classical concepts view succession as a deterministic, mechanistic regeneration of the disturbed community, and thus have limited applicability to fire-prone ecosystems, A recently developed multiple pathway succession model appears to have more realism and applicability in frequently disturbed ecosystems. It includes a set of species-specific attributes that are vital to reproduction and survival, and permits variable succession pathways depending on the stand's age (and thus species composition) when disturbed. Examples from Australia and the northern Rocky Mountains (USA) are presented, as are approaches to refining and improving the model.     

MULTISCALE INFLUENCES ON PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL STREAM CONDITIONS ACROSS BLUE RIDGE LANDSCAPES1

ABSTRACT: Streams integrate biogeochemical processes operating at broad to local spatial scales and long term to short term time scales. Humans have extensively altered those processes in North America, with serious consequences for aquatic ecosystems. We collected data on Upper Tennessee River tributaries in North Carolina to: (1) compare landuse and landscape geomorphology with respect to their ability to explain variation in water quality, sedimentation measures, and large woody debris; (2) determine if landscape change over time contributed significantly to explaining present stream conditions; and (3) assess the importance of spatial scale in examining landuse influences on streams. Stream variables were related to both landuse and landscape geomorphology. Forest cover accounted for the most variation in nearly all models, supporting predictions of nutrient enrichment, thermal pollution, and sedimentation caused by landscape disturbance. Legacy effects from past catchment disturbance were apparent in sedimentation measures. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, as well as stream temperature, were lower where riparian buffers had reforested. Models of stream physicochemistry fit better when predictors were catchment wide rather than more localized (i.e., within 2 km of a site). Cumulative impacts to streams due to changes in landuse must be managed from a watershed perspective with quantitative models that integrate across scales.     

天山山地河流水体中微量重金属的分布特征及形态分析

为了解绿洲经济迅速发展背景下天山山地河流水体中重金属分布特征及形态特征,对乌鲁木齐-阿克苏、巴里坤-伊吾、昭苏-特克斯等3个区段河流干支流重金属Zn、Cu、Pb、Cr、As、Hg、Cd的分布、来源、污染状况及存在形态进行了分析.结果表明:1天山山地各取样河流的p H值大部分在8.0左右,为偏碱性的环境;各取样点水体的氧化还原反应电位值在150~200 m V之间,为弱氧化的环境.水质评价表明,3个采样区段河流中7种重金属的含量均低于国家Ⅰ类水质标准及WHO饮用水健康的建议标准.2多元统计分析表明,7种重金属可以归为3个主成分,其中PC1(Hg、Zn和Pb)主要受人为污染因素的影响;PC 2(Cr和As)主要受自然地质背景的影响;PC 3(Cd和Cu)同时受人为和自然因素的共同影响.3污染评价表明,天山山地河流中7种重金属的单因子污染指数值和综合污染指数值均小于1,属于安全等级,清洁水平.4形态分析表明,重金属Pb、Cd和Hg在天山中部的乌鲁木齐-阿克苏区段干支流,重金属As和Cu在天山东部的巴里坤-伊吾区段和天山西部的昭苏-特克斯区段干支流中溶解态的含量均大于50%,生物毒性较大.总体上,3个采样区段河流干支流重金属的总量及溶解态含量均较低,未造成污染.但在天山山地中部的乌鲁木齐-阿克苏区段,河流干支流中重金属Pb、Cd和Hg的总量及溶解态含量较高.应加强对该区域人类活动的合理规划以及河流水质监测,防止因人为污染而导致河流水体中重金属的含量过高,危害生态环境.     

天山北坡城市群PM2.5浓度时空分布特征及影响因素分析

针对天山北坡城市群开展PM_2.5浓度时空分布特征和影响因素分析,对区域经济建设和环境保护具有积极的意义.通过地理加权回归（GWR）模型,利用MCD19A2气溶胶产品结合气象因子,反演得到天山北坡城市群2015~2021年3~11月的PM_2.5浓度时空分布,继而实现变化趋势和影响因素分析.结果如下：①研究区PM_2.5浓度高值主要分布在天山北麓和古尔班通古特沙漠之间的绿洲城市群地带,呈现“四周低,中间高”和“西低东高”的空间分布特征,2015~2021年研究区的ρ（PM_2.5）年均值为16.98 μg·m^-3,高值主要聚集在乌鲁木齐市市区部分,并向昌吉市和阜康市延伸递减;ρ（PM_2.5）月均值分布规律与年均一致,但存在季节差异,表现为：秋季（20.32 μg·m^-3）>春季（18.25 μg·m^-3）>夏季（12.47 μg·m^-3）,春季和冬季聚集现象会更明显;②研究区PM_2.5浓度年均值在2015~2021年呈现下降趋势,3~10月均值同样表现为下降趋势,仅11月表现为略有升高;从PM_2.5浓度变化趋势空间分布分析,下降集中在主要城市市区部分,尤其是乌鲁木齐市市区部分及其周边地区减少幅度最大,变化最为剧烈;③研究区气温、气压与PM_2.5浓度呈现正相关效应,而相对湿度,风速,大气边界层高度,降水量与PM_2.5浓度呈现负相关效应;各因子影响程度从高向低排列为：大气边界层高度>相对湿度>气压>气温>风速>降水量.     

Predicting tree distributions in an East African biodiversity hotspot: model selection, data bias and envelope uncertainty

The Eastern Arc Mountains (EAMs) of Tanzania and Kenya support some of the most ancient tropical rainforest on Earth. The forests are a global priority for biodiversity conservation and provide vital resources to the Tanzanian population. Here, we make a first attempt to predict the spatial distribution of 40 EAM tree species, using generalised additive models, plot data and environmental predictor maps at sub 1 km resolution. The results of three modelling experiments are presented, investigating predictions obtained by (1) two different procedures for the stepwise selection of predictors, (2) down-weighting absence data, and (3) incorporating an autocovariate term to describe fine-scale spatial aggregation. In response to recent concerns regarding the extrapolation of model predictions beyond the restricted environmental range of training data, we also demonstrate a novel graphical tool for quantifying envelope uncertainty in restricted range niche-based models (envelope uncertainty maps). We find that even for species with very few documented occurrences useful estimates of distribution can be achieved. Initiating selection with a null model is found to be useful for explanatory purposes, while beginning with a full predictor set can over-fit the data. We show that a simple multimodel average of these two best-model predictions yields a superior compromise between generality and precision (parsimony). Down-weighting absences shifts the balance of errors in favour of higher sensitivity, reducing the number of serious mistakes (i.e., falsely predicted absences); however, response functions are more complex, exacerbating uncertainty in larger models. Spatial autocovariates help describe fine-scale patterns of occurrence and significantly improve explained deviance, though if important environmental constraints are omitted then model stability and explanatory power can be compromised. We conclude that the best modelling practice is contingent both on the intentions of the analyst (explanation or prediction) and on the quality of distribution data; generalised additive models have potential to provide valuable information for conservation in the EAMs, but methods must be carefully considered, particularly if occurrence data are scarce. Full results and details of all species models are supplied in an online Appendix.     

Response of a Group of Sichuan Snub-Nosed Monkeys to Commercial Logging in the Qinling Mountains, China

Abstract:  Habitat destruction is one of the greatest threats to primates worldwide. To understand the impact of forest logging on the habitat use of primates in temperate mixed forest, we compared the range, habitat used, population size, and diet of a troop (ERT) of Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys ( Rhinopithecus roxellana ) in the Qinling Mountains before (1989), during (1997), and after (2002–2003) commercial logging. Logging significantly changed the composition of the forest and the food supply for the troop. Some areas were heavily logged and formed patches in the forest that lacked canopy cover. The troop moved 7 km away from their original range when logging took place and returned to their original range after logging stopped, but they avoided heavily logged areas that lacked canopy cover. Their movement indicated some degree of site fidelity in this species. Diet and home range changed after logging, but the population size remained stable, which suggests that this species has some ability to adapt to habitat changes. Our results may reflect a natural flexibility in primates to adapt to the changing food resources in temperate areas with marked seasonal variations in food availability and distribution. This flexibility may have contributed to their higher degree of resilience to habitat alterations caused by human activities compared with tropical forest primates that have a more specialized diet. Our findings provide important baseline information that will help decision makers in their efforts to conserve primates, especially in temperate regions, and to sustainably manage primate habitat.