Causes of change in nitrophytic and oligotrophic lichen species in a Mediterranean climate: impact of land cover and atmospheric pollutants

With the aim of determining the main drivers of changes in nitrophytic and oligotrophic macro-lichen communities in an industrial region with a Mediterranean climate, we considered both land-cover types and atmospheric pollutants. We determined the relation between the abundance of nitrophytic and oligotrophic species with environmental factors considering the distance of influence of land-cover types. The results showed that oligotrophic species decreased in the proximity of artificial areas, barren land and agricultural areas, associated with higher concentrations of NO₂ and Zn, and Ti, probably dust of industrial and agricultural origin. Nitrophytic species were positively related to all the mentioned land-cover types, and with higher concentrations of Fe and N. Magnesium, probably from ocean aerosols, was negatively related to oligotrophic species and positively to nitrophytic.     

Anthropogenic lead distribution in soils under arable land and permanent grassland estimated by Pb isotopic compositions

The role of land use on fate of metals in soils is poorly understood. In this work, we studied the incorporation of lead in two neighboring soils with comparable pedogenesis but under long-term different agricultural management. Distributions of anthropogenic Pb were assessed from concentrations and isotopic compositions determined on bulk horizon samples, systematical 5-10 cm increment samples, and on 24-h EDTA extracts. Minor amounts of anthropogenic lead were detected until 1-m depth under permanent grassland, linked to high earthworm activity. In arable land, exogenous Pb predominantly accumulated at depths <60 cm. Although the proximity between the two sites ensured comparable exposition regarding atmospheric Pb deposition, the isotopic compositions clearly showed the influence of an unidentified component for the cultivated soil. This work highlights the need for exhaustive information on historical human activities in such anthropized agrosystems when fate of metal pollution is considered.     

Types of Ectomycorrhiza of Mature Beech and Spruce at Ozone-Fumigated and Control Forest Plots

In the Kranzberg forest near Freising (Germany) a novel “Free-Air Canopy O₃ Exposure” system has been employed for analysing O₃-induced responses from sub-cellular to ecosystem levels that are relevant for carbon balance and CO₂ demand of 60-year-old beech trees. The below-ground ectomycorrhizal community was studied in two-fold ambient O₃ concentrations (five cores per sampling) and in a control plot with an ambient O₃ concentration (four cores per sampling). Five samplings were taken throughout two vegetation seasons (2003 and 2004). Types of ectomycorrhiza were determined by their morphological, anatomical and molecular characteristics and quantified by counting. The total number of mycorrhizal fine roots was higher at the fumigated plot as compared with the control site. The numbers of ectomycorrhizal types at the fumigated and control plots were 28 and 26, respectively. Cenococcum geophilum was present in all soil cores at all sampling times with a significant increase in abundance under ozone-fumigated trees. Other mycorrhizal types present at higher abundance at the fumigated than at the control plot were identified as Russula densiflora, R. fellea, R. illota, Tuber puberulum, Lactarius sp. 2 and Russula sp. 2. Some mycorrhizal types were present exclusively at the fumigated plot (Fagirhiza fusca, F. setifera, Lactarius acris, Piceirhiza nigra and Russula sp. 1). A possible ecological role for the abundant types of ectomycorrhiza and their putative application in bio-indication is discussed.     

Application of artificial neural network approach and remotely sensed imagery for regional eco-environmental quality evaluation

Eco-environment quality evaluation is an important research theme in environment management. In the present study, Fuzhou city in China was selected as a study area and a limited number of 222 sampling field sites were first investigated in situ with the help of a GPS device. Every sampling site was assessed by ecological experts and given an Eco-environment Background Value (EBV) based on a scoring and ranking system. The higher the EBV, the better the ecological environmental quality. Then, three types of eco-environmental attributes that are physically-based and easily-quantifiable at a grid level were extracted: (1) remote sensing derived attributes (vegetation index, wetness index, soil brightness index, surface land temperature index), (2) meteorological attributes (annual temperature and annual precipitation), and (3) terrain attribute (elevation). A Back Propagation (BP) Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was proposed for the EBV validation and prediction. A three-layer BP ANN model was designed to automatically learn the internal relationship using a training set of known EBV and eco-environmental attributes, followed by the application of the model for predicting EBV values across the whole study area. It was found that the performance of the BP ANN model was satisfactory and capable of an overall prediction accuracy of 82.4%, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.801 in the validation. The evaluation results showed that the eco-environmental quality of Fuzhou city is considered as satisfactory. Through analyzing the spatial correlation between the eco-environmental quality and land uses, it was found that the best eco-environmental areas were related to forest lands, whereas the urban area had the relatively worst eco-environmental quality. Human activities are still considered as a major impact on the eco-environmental quality in this area.     

The effects of landscape-level disturbance on the composition of Minnesota caddisfly (Insecta: Trichoptera) trophic functional groups: evidence for ecosystem homogenization

Over 300,000 caddisfly specimens representing 249 species were collected from nearly 250 sites throughout Minnesota during 2000 and 2001 to determine the effects of human disturbance on the composition of caddisfly trophic functional groups at the landscape level. Canonical correspondence analysis determined that stream width was the most important variable influencing functional group composition in regions of the state with relatively low disturbance, and that differences in the caddisfly fauna between sizes of streams generally followed trends predicted by the river continuum concept. In regions of the state with moderate disturbance, both stream width and the percentage of disturbed habitat upstream of a site were important variables influencing functional group composition. In highly disturbed regions, no variables corresponded to changes in the composition of caddisfly functional groups. Instead, ecosystems were homogeneous: fine-particle filtering collectors dominated in all sizes of streams. The observed aquatic ecosystem homogenization is attributed mostly to input of fine-particle organic and inorganic sediment from extensive agriculture.     

A study of climate change and anthropogenic impacts in West Africa

BACKGROUND, AIM AND SCOPE: During the last decades ecological conditions in West Africa have dramatically changed. Very evident is the climate change, which has resulted in a southward shift of the climate zones, e.g. a spread of the desert (Sahara) into the Sahelian zone. After the drought period of the early 1970s and 1980s, livestock density increased resulting in an intensification of grazing pressure. This anthropogenous phenomenon leads to similar landscape changes as those caused by the climate. Only very few investigations exist on vegetation dynamics, climate changes and land use changes for the Sudanian zone. The paper presents data on changes of precipitation, of land use, of the geographical range of species, and of the composition of the flora, which have to be regarded as proofs of the sahelisation of large areas of the Sudanian zone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Area of investigation: Burkina Faso. Precipitation data analysis: precipitation data from 67 stations; time series analysis and geo-statistical spatial interpolation. Analysis of land use change: Landsat satellite MSS and ETM+ data, acquired for two different dates between 1972 and 2001 analyzed by the software ERDAS/IMAGINE version 8.6 and ArcView 3.2 with the Spatial Analyst extension. Intensive ground truthing (160 training areas). Inventory of the flora: based on the data of the Herbarium Senckenbergianum (FR) in Frankfurt, Germany, and of the herbarium of the university of Ouagadougou (OUA), Burkina Faso, as well as on various investigations on the vegetation of Burkina Faso carried out in the years 1990 to 2005 by the team of the senior author. Life form analysis of the flora: based on the inventory of permanent plots. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Precipitation: Remarkable latitudinal shift of isohyets towards the South translates to a general reduction of average rainfall in great parts of the country. The last decade (1990-1999) shows some improvement, however, the more humid conditions of the 1950's and 1960's are not yet established again. Landcover change: In the study region the extent of arable fields and young fallows increased during the last 30 years from 580 km(2) in 1972 to 2870 km(2) in 2001. This means an average land cover conversion rate of 0.9% per year for the 6 departments considered. Change of the distribution of Sahelian and Sudanian species: Several species, mentioned in older literature as strictly Sahelian, today also occur in the Sudanian zone. Parallel to the spread of former strictly Sahelian species into the Sudanian zone, some former Sahelo-Sudanian species have withdrawn from the Sahel. Changes of the life form spectra of the flora: Considering their life form spectra, the flora of heavily grazed and of protected areas in the Sudanian zone show great differences. On areas intensively grazed the percentage of therophytes is evidently higher than on protected areas. Just the opposite is true for the phanerophytes. Their percentage is higher on the protected area than on the grazed zones. At the first glance, it is obvious to link the changes in flora and vegetation with the climate changes that have occurred during the last five decades (decrease of annual precipitation). However, not only climatic conditions have changed, but also population has increased, the percentage of land intensively used for agriculture and pasturing has increased and the time for soil regeneration today is much shorter than it was some decades ago. Thus, the landscape of the Sudanian zone has become a more Sahelian character. A comparison of the flora of an intensively used area of the Sudanian zone with that of a protected area shows a remarkable change in the life form spectra. The spectrum of the intensively used area is almost identical with that of the typical Sahelian flora. This comparison shows that the anthropogenic influence plays a greater role in the sahelisation of the Sudanian zone than the climate change. CONCLUSION: Climate change and anthropogenic influence both, lead to a sahelisation of landscape and flora. Thus in many parts of the Sudanian zone of West Africa sahelisation phenomena will remain and even increase independently from the reestablishment of the more humid climate conditions of the 1950ies. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: In order to maintain some parts of the characteristic Sudanian landscape with its characteristic flora and vegetation, the number and size of protected areas should be augmented. For all protected areas it has to be ensured, that protection is reality, i.e. respected an understood by local people, not only fiction. As long as the enlargement of intensively used areas continues the sahelisation of flora, vegetation and landscape will continue too.     

成都市城市环境与经济协调发展分析

从城市环境与经济发展的协调度方面分析了成都市１９９０－１９９７年间协调度的变化趋势,评估了成都市城市环境与经济协调发展的类型,得出了成都市属于总体协调发展类环境滞后型的结论。     

城市园林绿化用地土壤肥力诊断与综合评价——以广州市长虹苗圃为例

以广州市长虹苗圃为例,在实地调查与采样分析的基础上,首先对土壤肥力各单项指标进行诊断分析,然后采用修正的内梅罗指数对各地块进行土壤综合肥力评价。结果表明长虹苗圃土壤pH值偏低,有机质以及其它主要养分含量缺乏,各地块综合肥力系数大都属于贫瘠水平,其中南区、北区综合肥力明显低于东区。     

西庄河流域土地利用方式对土壤肥力影响的研究

采用野外调查、取样和实验分析相结合的方法对云南省保山市西庄河山地流域内4种主要土地利用方式（林地、耕地、茶园、灌丛）的土壤理化性质进行对比研究,讨论了不同土地利用方式对土壤肥力的影响,结果表明,不同的土地利用方式对土壤肥力具有比较明显的影响：土壤有机质和全氮质量分数变化从大到小依次为灌丛＞林地＞茶园＞耕地;磷、钾元素表现为耕地＞茶园＞林地＞灌丛;土壤阳离子交换量表现为耕地＞茶园＞灌丛＞林地;盐基饱和度表现为耕地＞灌丛＞林地＞茶园;农业耕作活动对表层土壤物理性质影响明显。