Vegetation Response to Early Holocene Warming as an Analog for Current and Future Changes

Abstract: Temperatures in southwestern North America are projected to increase 3.5–4 °C over the next 60–90 years. This will precipitate ecological shifts as the ranges of species change in response to new climates. During this shift, rapid‐colonizing species should increase, whereas slow‐colonizing species will at first decrease, but eventually become reestablished in their new range. This successional process has been estimated to require from 100 to over 300 years in small areas, under a stable climate, with a nearby seed source. How much longer will it require on a continental scale, under a changing climate, without a nearby seed source? I considered this question through an examination of the response of fossil plant assemblages from the Grand Canyon, Arizona, to the most recent rapid warming of similar magnitude that occurred at the start of the Holocene, 11,700 years ago. At that time, temperatures in southwestern North America increased about 4 °C over less than a century. Grand Canyon plant species responded at different rates to this warming climate. Early‐successional species rapidly increased, whereas late‐successional species decreased. This shift persisted throughout the next 2700 years. I found two earlier, less‐extreme species shifts following rapid warming events around 14,700 and 16,800 years ago. Late‐successional species predominated only after 4000 years or more of relatively stable temperature. These results suggest the potential magnitude, duration, and nature of future ecological changes and have implications for conservation plans, especially those incorporating equilibrium assumptions or reconstituting past conditions. When these concepts are extended to include the most rapid early‐successional colonizers, they imply that the recent increases in invasive exotics may be only the most noticeable part of a new resurgence of early‐successional vegetation. Additionally, my results challenge the reliability of models of future vegetation and carbon balance that project conditions on the basis of assumptions of equilibrium within only a century.     

西北干旱区植被恢复的土壤养分效应

通过对西北干旱区植被恢复过程中不同退耕模式下土壤养分的变化、土壤各养分的时空分布及各养分间的相关性分析,系统研究了干旱区植被恢复过程中土壤环境变化特征和规律。结果表明,在西北干旱区,进行植被恢复能明显改善土壤肥力状况,但不同植被恢复方式对土壤的腐殖化作用差异显著,依次为侧柏＋灌木＋苜蓿〉侧柏＋苜蓿〉侧柏＋灌木〉侧柏,而且随着植被恢复年限的持续,土壤中各养分质量分数明显增加。不同养分对植被恢复的响应程度从高到低表现为：速效磷〉速效氮〉速效钾〉全氮〉有机质〉全磷〉全钾。同时,相关性分析表明,土壤有机质的变化与全氮、速效氮呈现出显著的相关性,R2为0.867和0794,并且各养分具有明显的表聚性,尤以有机质、速效磷和速效氮表现明显。     

Participatory scenario planning to facilitate human–wildlife coexistence

Fostering human–wildlife coexistence requires transdisciplinary approaches that integrate multiple sectors, account for complexity and uncertainty, and ensure stakeholder participation. One such approach is participatory scenario planning, but to date, this approach has not been used in human–wildlife contexts. We devised a template for how participatory scenario planning can be applied to identify potential avenues for improving human–wildlife coexistence. We drew on 3 conceptual building blocks, namely the SEEDS framework, the notion of critical uncertainties, and the three-horizons technique. To illustrate the application of the proposed template, we conducted a case study in the Zambezi region of Namibia. We held 5 multistakeholder workshops that involved local people as well as numerous nongovernment and government stakeholders. We identified 14 important wildlife species that generated multiple services and disservices. The subsequent benefits and burdens, in turn, were inequitably distributed among stakeholders. Government actors played particularly influential roles in shaping social-ecological outcomes. We identified 2 critical uncertainties for the future: the nature of governance (fragmented vs. collaborative) and the type of wildlife economy (hunting vs. photography based). Considering these uncertainties resulted in 4 plausible scenarios describing future human–wildlife coexistence. Stakeholders did not agree on a single preferred scenario, but nevertheless agreed on several high-priority strategies. Bridging the remaining gaps among actors will require ongoing deliberation among stakeholders. Navigating the complex challenges posed by living with wildlife requires moving beyond disciplinary approaches. To that end, our template could prove useful in many landscapes around the world.     

Using algal biomass-phosphorus (P) relationships and nutrient limitation theory to evaluate the adequacy of P water quality criteria for regulated monsoon rivers and reservoirs

Different P criteria have been set for lotic and lentic waters where the latter had stricter criteria than the former. The binary P criteria have been developed due to differences in limnological features and this helps avoid unneeded costs with stricter criteria for flowing waters that normally have lower potential of algal blooms. However, if different criteria are warranted, the responses of Chl a to TP and TN:TP ratio should vary distinctively between rivers and reservoirs. Contrary to these predictions, inconsistent and statistically indistinguishable variations have been observed between the two types of waterbody in Chl a yield per unit TP. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the strength of relationship between Chl a and TN:TP ratio between waterbody types, although the mass ratio of TN to TP was significantly higher in reservoirs than in rivers. Hence, the data suggest that there is no scientifically defensible reason that lotic and lentic waters require different TP standards and specifically that lentic waters do not necessarily require stricter P criteria. A more holistic and nuanced approach would aid in developing revised or new TP criteria in which water quality issues can be addressed scientifically as well as pragmatically.     

中国植被生长的最适温度估算与分析

利用中国区域的GIMMS NDVI数据集和相应时期气象站点实测的温度数据集,分别在时间尺度和空间地域上对比分析植被生长过程与环境温度变化的关系,并由此提取区域植被生长关键阶段对应的温度,最后得到了中国各生态地理区植被生长的最适温度及其变化区间。结果显示:①研究首次给出了不同生态区植被生长的最适温度,其中青藏高原的参考最适温度最低,在10 ℃左右,而长江中下游和华南地区的较高,很多区域的值都超过了25 ℃,说明植被生长的最适温度具有很强的地域分异性;②根据论文结果,通过海拔高度和纬度两个地理因子,可快速拟合得到中国陆地植被生长的近似最适温度。研究结果可以为生态系统模型的参数本地化和空间化提供参考。     

全球变化背景下可持续的滨海旅游资源开发与管理

滨海旅游是最传统的、主要的旅游形式,也是现代旅游增长最快的领域,在国内外均具有举足轻重的地位。全球变化很可能是由人类活动引起,并且影响着旅游业的发展。旅游业通过使用交通运输系统尤其是航空旅行、旅游目的地住宿餐饮等活动排放大量温室气体,对全球变化做出贡献。可持续滨海旅游以可持续的资源开发和管理为基础,在全球变化背景下,要达到这一目标,需要在滨海旅游模式与产品类型转变、旅游资源利用方式转变、利益相关者协作等方面对滨海旅游资源进行优化开发和有效管理:以绿色思维指导低碳旅游模式,发展生态旅游和替代性旅游等新型产品;提倡降碳减排、发展碳补偿和碳经济、制定碳排放标准、鼓励新型节油节能科技应用;鼓励社区参与,平衡利益相关者的收益和兴趣,尤其是探察当地社区居民、旅游者和政府工作人员对全球变化的看法、态度、责任感和共识。这些措施将在规划-管理-监督-评估动态模型中得到优化。     

从海牙气候会议的失败看全球环境合作的障碍

文章在介绍海牙气候会议背景的基础上,分析了会议上产生的分歧,全球环境合作的障碍。同时,阐述了会议的尖锐矛盾和激烈斗争预示的中国今后在环境与发展问题上将面临的严峻挑战,并对此提出需要采取的有效对策。     

气候变化下中国粮食和水资源的风险分析

介绍了全球气候变化对环境经济影响的复杂性研究的基本框架及模型,给出了用这些模型对中国经济安全模拟的结果。结果表明,全球气候变化条件下,若不考虑不确定性,中国的粮食安全是可以保证的;若考虑不确定性,则在最严重的情况下,中国未来的粮食生产存在7％－8％的缺口。采用最大强度开源的方法,在全球气候变化和保持原有产业结构的条件下,要实现我国2030年的经济目标是不行的。但是,通过调整产业结构,降低单位产出水耗,在保证水资源安全的条件下则是可行的。     

陇东黄土高原农业物候对全球气候变化的响应

通过对多年来陇东黄土高原董志塬主要农作物冬小麦和主要果树苹果、梨发育物候和气候变化的同步观测,分析了陇东黄土高原农作物发育物候对气候变化的生态响应。分析发现,董志塬近35年来年平均气温呈显著增加的趋势,且以冬季和春季增温为主(冬小麦越冬期增温线性趋势达0.0672℃a/),和全球气候变暖趋势基本一致。增温线性趋势达0.0507℃a/,远高于全国20世纪60年代以来平均增温幅度,也高于陇东黄土高原近35年平均增温幅度(0.0348℃a/),是陇东黄土高原增温中心地带。气候变暖对董志塬冬小麦和果树的生态影响主要体现在春季发育期普遍提前,冬小麦越冬期显著缩短(缩短的线性趋势达0.674d a/),而冬小麦和果树春季各发育期间隔并未出现缩短的趋势。而且由于当地种植冬小麦品种为强冬性、长日照型品种,发育期提前导致日长缩短,对发育有一定抑制作用,抵消了一部分增温的影响,因此果树春季各发育期提前的线性趋势比冬小麦明显。就果树而言,梨树春季发育期提前的线性趋势又比苹果树明显。结论认为气候变化对农业的影响有利有弊,农业管理部门应根据当地气候变化特征,及时调整种植结构,优化种植模式,趋利避害,充分挖掘气候资源潜力,提高农业经济效益。     

稻麦作物净初级生产力模型研究:模型的建立

以植物生理学、农业气象学和土壤环境学的基本原理为基础 ,建立了稻麦作物净初级生产力模型 .该模型包括 2个主要功能模块 :光合作用和呼吸作用 ;土壤 作物系统氮素运移 .前者综合考虑了环境因子和作物氮含量的影响 ,后者包括了作物氮素吸收、土壤氮矿化和化肥氮释放的动态模拟 .