Studying ecological communities from a neutral standpoint: A review of models’ structure and parameter estimation

Neutral models provide an alternative to niche-based assembly rules of ecological communities by assuming that communities’ properties are shaped by the stochastic interplay between ecological drift, migration and speciation. The recent and ongoing interest about neutral assumptions has produced many developments on the theoretical side, with nevertheless limited echoes in terms of analyses of real-world data. The present review paper aims to help bridge the widening gap between modellers and field ecologists through two objectives. First, to provide a multi-criteria typology of the main neutral models, including those from population genetics that have not yet been transposed to ecology, by considering how the fundamental processes of ecological drift, speciation and migration are modelled and, specifically, how space is taken into account. Second, to review methods recently proposed to estimate models parameters from field data, a point that should be mastered to allow for broader applications.     

Challenges of simulating complex environmental systems at the landscape scale: A controversial dialogue between two cups of espresso

With the advancement of computational systems and the development of model integration concepts, complexity of environmental model systems increased. In contrast to that, theory and knowledge about > environmental systems as well as the capability for environmental systems analyses remained, to a large extent, unchanged. As a consequence, model conceptualization, data gathering, and validation, have faced new challenges that hardly can be tackled by modellers alone. In this discourse-like review, we argue that modelling with reliable simulations of human-environmental interactions necessitate linking modelling and simulation research much stronger to science fields such as landscape ecology, community ecology, eco-hydrology, etc. It thus becomes more and more important to identify the adequate degree of complexity in environmental models (which is not only a technical or methodological question), to ensure data availability, and to test model performance. Even equally important, providing problem specific answers to environmental problems using simulation tools requires addressing end-user and stakeholder requirements during early stages of problem development. In doing so, we avoid modelling and simulation as an end of its own.     

矿区砷污染对土壤线虫群落结构特征的影响

对湖南省石门县雄黄矿区不同As污染程度土壤线虫群落结构特征进行了研究.共获得线虫27属,食真菌线虫滑刃属(Aphelenchoides)在3种土壤中均为优势属.食细菌和食真菌线虫分别为低As和中As土壤的优势营养类群,而植物寄生线虫为高As土壤的优势营养类群.低As和中As土壤的自由生活线虫成熟度指数(IM)和瓦斯乐斯卡指数(IW)显著高于高As土壤,但植物寄生线虫成熟度指数(IPP)和IPP/IM比值则表现出相反的趋势.可见,高As土壤的食物网受到As污染的干扰较大,群落环境质量较差.因此,土壤线虫群落结构对土壤质量或生态系统的变化具有很好的生物指示作用.     

大渡河上游地区景观格局与动态

利用卫星遥感资料,对大渡河上游地区金川、壤塘、马尔康三县18665km²土地的景观格局与动态进行分析。结果显示,1995～2000年,研究地区的景观破碎化程度有所下降,多样性增加,斑块形状不规则性增强。整个景观表现出以草地为基质,以林地变动为主要特征。5年间,有林地面积减少53687hm²,大部分转变为灌木林地和疏林地。有林地的空间动态,如斑块密度下降,形状趋于规则等,显示该地区森林减少主要是有计划采伐的结果。耕地面积的下降则表明当地退耕还林、还草的政策措施已初见成效。     

INTEGRATING DEMOGRAPHIC AND LANDSAT (TM) DATA AT A WATERSHED SCALE1

ABSTRACT: Recurrent calls for integrated resource management urge that an understanding of human activities and populations be incorporated into natural resource research, management, and protection efforts. In this paper, we hypothesize that watersheds can be a valuable geography for organizing an inquiry into the relationship between humans and the environment, and we present a framework for conducting such efforts. The framework is grounded in the emerging field of landscape ecology and incorporates demographic theory and data. Demography has been advanced by technological capabilities associated with the 1990 Census. Employing Geographic Information System (GIS) tools, we couple Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) land cover data with census‐derived housing density data to demonstrate the operation of our framework and its utility for better understanding human‐landscape interactions. In our investigation of the Kickapoo Watershed and two sub‐ watersheds, located in southwestern Wisconsin, we identify relationships between landscape composition and the distribution and social structure of human populations. Our findings offer insight into the interplay between people and biophysical systems.     

Forest growth in the light of the thermodynamic theory of ecological systems

The observed growth of a particular forest stand can be described by many models and explained by some of them. The forest growth models are also successfully applied for extrapolating the growth curve. However, the known models of forest growth are not “one-point” models. They are not designed to predict the future growth of a forest stand from its current state: the model parameters either are not directly measurable or cannot be measured with relevant accuracy. This article is an attempt to use Jørgensen–Svirezhev theory as a new clue to the choice of variables that determines forest growth. The postulates of this theory combined with the pipe theory of tree growth lead to conclusion that biomass of a stand should be proportional to the four-fifths power of its age. Empirical validation, however, disclosed that calendar age is rather approximate measure of ecosystem ontogeny. Delayed development or intensive thinning of a forest stand at the early stages leads to rejuvenation bias. Thus derived 4/5-law model approximates well-known Chapman–Richards model in the neighborhood of the inflection point, and is applicable to middle-aged forest stands.     

城市滨水区的生态恢复研究

城市滨水区的生态恢复具有着重要的生态、经济和社会意义。通过探讨和分析城市滨水区生态恢复的基础理论和主要内容,综述了国内外城市滨水区生态恢复的研究现状,指出我国为做好城市滨水区生态恢复工作尚需加强滨水区生态恢复的基础理论、关键技术、景观生态学的应用和示范推广等方面的研究,以滨水区的生态恢复带动开发,保证城市的可持续发展。     

资源学的学科属性及定位问题讨论

资源学属于应用理学,以地球科学、生物学、天文学为其学科理论基础。资源学、环境学、生态学是同一层次的学科。资源经济学建立在资源学和理论经济学基础之上。     

系统动力学复杂性及其在海洋生态学中的研究进展

海洋生态系统具有开放性、耗散性和非线性等特点,可以借助于系统动力学方法对其研究.系统动力学研究一个不可回避的问题就是系统动力学复杂性.本文在简单介绍几种常见的系统动力学模型及其复杂性问题的基础上,系统阐述了当前系统动力学复杂性在海洋生物多样性的维持、海洋生态系统的物质循环、海洋生物群落结构稳定性、有害藻类的暴发、海洋污染物的扩散、海洋生态毒理动力学、海洋生物资源的开发与管理等方面的应用、研究进展及相关问题.在总结以上研究进展的基础上,本文对系统动力学复杂性在海洋生态学研究中的应用进行了展望.     

永定河(北京段)水资源、水环境的变迁及流域社会经济发展对其影响

考察了官厅水库和永定河（北京段）1954—2008年水资源及1980—2005年水环境的变迁,并通过Pearson相关分析探讨了流域社会经济发展对永定河（北京段）水资源和水环境的影响.研究结果表明,①官厅水库建成后近50年来水量和出库水量均大幅衰减,例如,官厅水库来水量从1959年的25.56亿m3锐减至2008年的0...