Montane Meadows as Indicators of Environmental Change

We used a time series of satellite multispectral imagery for mapping and monitoring six classes of montane meadows arrayed along a moisture gradient (from hydric to mesic to xeric). We hypothesized that mesic meadows would support the highest species diversity of plants, birds, and butterflies because they are more moderate environments. We also hypothesized that mesic meadows would exhibit the greatest seasonal and interannual variability in spectral response across years. Field sampling in each of the meadow types was conducted for plants, birds, and butterflies in 1997 and 1998. Mesic meadows supported the highest plant species diversity, but there was no significant difference in bird or butterfly species diversity among meadow types. These data show that it may be easier to detect significant differences in more species rich taxa (e.g., plants) than taxa that are represented by fewer species (e.g., butterflies and birds). Mesic meadows also showed the greatest seasonal and interannual variability in spectral response. Given the rich biodiversity of mesic montane meadows and their sensitivity to variations in temperature and moisture, they may be important to monitor in the context of environmental change     

The Vegetation of Wet Meadows in Relation to Their Land-use

Wetland biomonitoring approaches are needed to determine when changes in response to stressors are occurring and to predict the consequences of proposed land-use changes. These approaches require an understanding of shifts in biota that occur in response to land-use, data that are lacking for most kinds of wetlands. Changes in floristic composition corresponding to land-use differences at multiple scales (site to 2500 m radius) were characterized for 40 wet meadows associated with prairie glacial marshes in Minnesota (U.S.A.). In general, guild was more useful than species composition for indicating land-use impacts. Site impacts (stormwater, cultivation) and landscape disturbance (agriculture and urbanization, combined), coincide with a reduction in native graminoid and herbaceous perennial abundance (e.g., Carex lasiocarpa, Calamagrostis canadensis, Spartina pectinata). This vegetation is replaced with annuals (e.g, Bidens cernua, Polygonum pensylvanicum) in recently cultivated sites or introduced perennials (e.g., Phalaris arundinacea, Typha angustifolia) and floating aquatics (lemnids) in stormwater impacted wetlands. Ditches also reduce native perennial importance and increase perennials, but only when they are in highly impacted landscapes.     

An environmental perspective of the post-tsunami scenario along the coast of Tamil Nadu, India: role of sand dunes and forests

An endeavor to feel the pulse of a coast devastated by a powerful oceanographic event is made. Results of field investigations along Tamil Nadu seaside revealed that the tsunami of December 2004 demolished dwellings within strips ranging from 6 to 132m (average width, 41m) from the dune, and flooded up to 862m (average, 247m) from the shore. The event damaged sand dunes, ripped dune vegetation, created new water bodies and shattered high value assets. Comparatively, casuarina forests performed remarkably. Uprooting of trees was exclusively restricted to a frontal strip ranging from 5 to 25m (average width, 14m) nearest to the shore where the maximum wave run-up was 6.5m above sea level. Sand dunes in general, and casuarina forests in particular, posses an innate capacity to dissipate powerful waves. This inference is supported by (a) negligible over wash along belts characterized by high dune complexes, (b) intact villages shielded by dense forests as well as sand dunes, and (c) maximum destruction of open beach front influenced by intense human activity. In this context, the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) Notification of 1991 offers sufficient scientific validity to be endorsed. However, post-tsunami ecosystem management initiatives lack a scientific basis. Therefore, a coastal hazards policy, that considers adaptation, dune restoration and forested buffer zones, is a sustainable long-term option for Indian coasts.     

Application of Rosgen’s BANCS Model for NE Kansas and the Development of Predictive Streambank Erosion Curves1

Sass, Christopher K. and Tim D. Keane, 2012. Application of Rosgen’s BANCS Model for NE Kansas and the Development of Predictive Streambank Erosion Curves. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(4): 774‐787. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2012.00644.x Abstract: Sedimentation of waterways and reservoirs directly related to streambank erosion threatens freshwater supply. This study sought to provide a tool that accurately predicts annual streambank erosion rates in NE Kansas. Rosgen (2001, 2006) methods were employed and 18 study banks were measured and monitored from 2007 through 2010 (May‐June). Bank profiles were overlaid to calculate toe pin area change due to erosional processes. Streambanks experienced varied erosion rates from similar Bank Erosion Hazard Index (BEHI)‐Near Bank Stress (NBS) combinations producing R² values of 0.77 High‐Very High BEHI rating and 0.75 Moderate BEHI rating regarding predictive erosion curves for NE Kansas. Moderate ratings demonstrated higher erosion rates than High‐Very High ratings and BEHI trend lines intersected at lower NBS ratings, suggesting a discrepancy in the fit of the model to conditions in the NE Kansas region. BEHI model factors were evaluated and assessed for additional influences exerted in the region. Woody vegetation adjacent to the stream seemed to provide the most variation in erosion rates. This study’s findings allowed us to calibrate and modify the existing BEHI model according to woody vegetation occurrence levels along streambanks with high clay content. Modifications regarding vegetation occurrence of the BEHI model was completed and the results of these modifications generated new curves resulting in R² values of 0.84 High‐Very High BEHI and 0.88 Moderate BEHI ratings.     

Cesium-137 contamination of oak (Quercus petrae Liebl.) from sub-mediterranean zone in South Bulgaria

This study focuses on the cesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs) contamination in grass and in different compartments of oak trees growing in ecosystems, located in the zone with sub-mediterranean climate in South Bulgaria, characterized with high summer temperatures, low precipitation and often periods of drought. In 2008, three experimental sites - PP1, PP2, PP3 - were sampled in oak ecosystems from Maleshevska Mountain at 900 m above sea level. Samples from grass species and oak tree leaves, branches with different diameter, wood disks and bark were analyzed for ¹³⁷Cs activity with γ-spectrometry. The soil-to-plant transfer factor (TF) values for ¹³⁷Cs were estimated differentiating different tree compartments. Our findings showed relatively high activity concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs in oak trees even 22 years after the Chernobyl accident. The grass under oak was less contaminated compared with the oak trees. The different organs of oak trees could be distinguished according to the ¹³⁷Cs contamination as follows: bark > branches (d < 1 cm) > leaves > branches (d > 3 cm) > wood. The relatively higher contamination of bark compared with the new-formed biomass suggested that a significant part of ¹³⁷Cs was accumulated as a result of direct adsorption at the time of the main contamination event. The TF values obtained and the presence of ¹³⁷Cs in the branches, leaves and in the wood formed after 1986 confirmed that 22 years after the contamination, the main mechanism of ¹³⁷Cs entrance in tree biomass was the root uptake.     

漓江上游植被覆盖度时空变化对地表热场影响

自20世纪80年代以来,桂林漓江由于上游森林遭受破坏出现水生态环境快速恶化的趋势。地表热场的时空变化直接影响森林蒸散及水文效应。因此,对漓江上游1989~2006年5景TM/ETM+卫星图像,利用归一化植被指数反演植被覆盖度,利用单窗算法反演地表温度,提出归一化温度使不同时相地表热场具有可比性,分析植被覆盖度时空变化对地表热场的影响。结果表明,在空间上,地表温度随植被覆盖度的增加而降低,在植被覆盖度很高或很低时,这种影响相对变弱;在时间上,漓江上游1989~2000年植被中、高度覆盖面积从96.1%逐年下降到65.9%,导致归一化地表温度数值较高的像元比例相应增加;2000~2006年植被中、高度覆盖面积逐渐恢复上升到90.8%,但仍略低于1989年,使得归一化地表温度数值较高的像元比例相应减少。植被覆盖可以有效地降低漓江上游地表温度     

鄱阳湖典型苔草湿地生物量季节变化及固碳功能评价

为进一步评估鄱阳湖湿地碳平衡,量化湿地固碳功能,于2009年9月～2011年5月,在鄱阳湖南矶湿地国家级自然保护区,选择以灰化苔草为建群种的洲滩湿地,采取收获法测定了灰化苔草4个生长季的地上、地下生物量及净初级生产力(NPP)。结果表明：1）苔草地上、地下生物量均具有明显的季节变化模式,变化范围分别为14608～1 77067 、1 80627～4 03256 g/m2;地下生物量与地上生物量的比例变化范围为208～1744,平均值为519。2）苔草地上地下生物量、NPP均表现为春季高于秋季。3）受洲滩淹水时间影响,苔草生物量、NPP具有显著的年际差异, 2010～2011年度苔草NPP仅相当于2009～2010年度的625%;NPP的下降地上部分较地下部分更明显。4）鄱阳湖湿地苔草固碳潜力巨大,2个年度固碳量分别为1 92383,1 23121 gC/m2     

红壤坡地水土保持植物措施下柑橘林地水文生态效应

根据江西水土保持生态科技园2001～2008年不同处理措施柑橘林地径流小区的降雨产流产沙的定位观测资料及2010年土壤含水量测试数据,分析了坡面尺度水土保持植物措施下柑橘林地的产流产沙及土壤水分的特征,研究了狗牙根带状覆盖、狗牙根全园覆盖、果园清耕3种措施下的蓄水保土效应。结果表明：有草被覆盖的柑橘林小区的产流产沙量明显小于柑橘清耕小区,狗牙根带状覆盖小区减流减沙效果最好,减流率为98.21%,减沙率为99.84%。在大部分土层深度,草被带状覆盖下的土壤水分含量最高,均大于清耕措施,而全园覆盖由于植物蒸腾耗水量大水分含量反而低于带状覆盖。条带植草是防治柑橘林地水土流失的有效措施,具有明显的减流减沙效应和蓄积水分作用     

贵州喀斯特土石山区水土保持生态经济型植被恢复模式

以贵州省喀斯特土石山区为例,通过总结前人的研究成果和中国科学院亚热带农业生态研究所喀斯特生态实验站的部分试验数据,从全局性、紧迫性、高效性、层次性、可持续性、创新性与多样性的角度提出了在贵州喀斯特土石山区的急坡地、陡坡地、缓陡坡地其水土保持生态经济型植被恢复模式分别采用3种典型模式,即:灌草模式,乔灌草模式与林果模式,以期促进该区域的生态、经济与社会的全面协调与可持续发展。     

Defining Historical Baselines for Conservation: Ecological Changes Since European Settlement on Vancouver Island,Canada

Abstract: Conservation and restoration goals are often defined by historical baseline conditions that occurred prior to a particular period of human disturbance, such as European settlement in North America. Nevertheless, if ecosystems were heavily influenced by native peoples prior to European settlement, conservation efforts may require active management rather than simple removal of or reductions in recent forms of disturbance. We used pre‐European settlement land survey records (1859–1874) and contemporary vegetation surveys to assess changes over the past 150 years in tree species and habitat composition, forest density, and tree size structure on southern Vancouver Island and Saltspring Island, British Columbia, Canada. Several lines of evidence support the hypothesis that frequent historical burning by native peoples, and subsequent fire suppression, have played dominant roles in shaping this landscape. First, the relative frequency of fire‐sensitive species (e.g., cedar [Thuja plicata]) has increased, whereas fire‐tolerant species (e.g., Douglas‐fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii]) have decreased. Tree density has increased 2‐fold, and the proportion of the landscape in forest has greatly increased at the expense of open habitats (plains, savannas), which today contain most of the region's threatened species. Finally, the frequency distribution of tree size has shifted from unimodal to monotonically decreasing, which suggests removal of an important barrier to tree recruitment. In addition, although most of the open habitats are associated with Garry oak (Quercus garryana) at present, most of the open habitats prior to European settlement were associated with Douglas‐fir, which suggests that the current focus on Garry oak as a flagship for the many rare species in savannas may be misguided. Overall, our results indicate that the maintenance and restoration of open habitats will require active management and that historical records can provide critical guidance to such efforts.