Use of Descriptors of Ecosystem Functioning for Monitoring a National Park Network: A Remote Sensing Approach

Baseline assessments and monitoring of protected areas are essential for making management decisions, evaluating the effectiveness of management practices, and tracking the effects of global changes. For these purposes, the analysis of functional attributes of ecosystems (i.e., different aspects of the exchange of matter and energy) has advantages over the traditional use of structural attributes, like a quicker response to disturbances and the fact that they are easily monitored through remote sensing. In this study, we described the spatiotemporal patterns of different aspects of the ecosystem functioning of the Spanish national parks and their response to environmental changes between 1982 and 2006. To do so, we used the NOAA/AVHRR-GIMMS dataset of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a linear estimator of the fraction of photosynthetic active radiation intercepted by vegetation, which is the main control of carbon gains. Nearly all parks have significantly changed during the last 25 years: The radiation interception has increased, the contrast between the growing and nongrowing seasons has diminished, and the dates of maximum and minimum interception have advanced. Some parks concentrated more changes than others and the degree of change varied depending on their different environmental conditions, management, and conservation histories. Our approach identified reference conditions and temporal changes for different aspects of ecosystem functioning, which can be used for management purposes of protected areas in response to global changes.     

Ecological plasticity of nest-building behavior of the redwing (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Turdus iliacus</Emphasis> L.) in Karelia according to individual marking data

The placement of 1918 redwing nests has been analyzed, including 214 nests of 90 marked females (2–8 known nests per female). A high level of intraspecific and individual variation in utilization of different types of nest supports is described. It is shown that redwings choose nest sites without regard to previous experience (either positive or negative) or to the placement of their parent nest. Under conditions of the northern taiga, such behavior provides for significant reduction of chick mortality by the end of the season. This is con- firmed by comparison with the song thrush (T. philomelos), which nests mainly on spruce trees.     

On causes of gigantism in herbaceous plants

Landscape-geochemical features providing for manifestation of gigantism in herbaceous plants have been revealed in natural habitats in the south of Sakhalin and Kunashir islands. Tall herb assemblages have proved to be associated with geochemical landscapes characterized by reducing (gley or hydrogen sulfide) conditions and increased contents of petroleum hydrocarbons and some trace elements (total and movable forms). A hypothesis is put forward that gigantism in herbaceous plants is manifested in zones of active faults, which serve as a kind of conduits supplying endogenous heat, matter, and water to the root systems.     

Choice of parameters for passive shielding of power-frequency magnetic fields

Epidemiological studies suggesting the possibility of harmful effects on human (specifically children’s leukaemia) due to long-term exposure to magnetic fields of extremely low frequency (e.g. 50/60 Hz) and relatively low values (i.e. over the microtesla range) have stirred high activity in the topic of magnetic field mitigation. To reduce these fields, it is common to use passive metal screens (e.g. plates made of aluminium or steel). To design them, effective and fast numerical computations are highly desirable. In this article, a method is presented, which computes various parameters of screens in a given shielding problem and yields magnetic field distribution and shielding factors. The method takes into consideration the 3D field distribution and is able to solve systems with large aspect ratios (thin thickness in comparison with its other dimensions); this is a common problem where other methods such as finite elements often experience difficulties. The presented method computes separately the field inside and outside the screens. Afterwards, the solutions are “stitched” together along the border of the subregions. Two practical examples are given of the developed numerical method.     

矿山地质环境保护与治理恢复方案编制中几个技术问题的探讨

以国土资源部颁布的《矿山地质环境保护规定》、《矿山环境保护与综合治理编制规范》和《地质灾害危险性评估技术要求》为原则,结合工作实践,尝试对矿山地质环境评估要求进行了强调与细化,对评估范围的确定方法,对现状评估、预测评估及综合评估的关系、方案适用年限、成果图件的编制等几个矿山地质环境保护与治理恢复方案中的主要技术问题做了初步探讨。     

Plant and Soil System Responses to Ozone After 3 Years in a Lysimeter Study with Juvenile Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)

A lysimeter study was performed to monitor effects of elevated ozone on juvenile trees of Fagus sylvatica L. as well as on the plant–soil system. During a fumigation period over almost three growing seasons, parameters related to plant growth, phenological development and physiology as well as soil functions were studied. The data analyses identified elevated ozone to delay leaf phenology at early and to accelerate it at late developmental stages, to reduce growth, some leaf nutrients (Ca, K) as well as some soluble phenolics (hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, total flavonol glycosides). No or very weak ozone effects were found in mobile carbon pools of leaves (starch, sucrose), and other phenolic compounds (flavans). Altered gene expression related to stress and carbon cycling corresponded well with findings from leaf phenology and chemical composition analyses indicating earlier senescence and oxidative stress in leaves under elevated ozone. Conversely in the soil system, no effects of ozone were detected on soil enzyme activities, rates of litter degradation and lysimeter water balances. Despite the fact that the three reported years 2003–2005 were climatically very contrasting including a hot and dry as well as an extremely wet summer, and also mild as well as cold winters, the influence of ozone on a number of plant parameters is remarkably consistent, further underlining the phytotoxic potential of elevated tropospheric ozone levels.     

植被混凝土无侧限抗压强度的室内试验初探

通过对植被混凝土室内试验结果的归纳和分析,研究了水泥掺入比、龄期和浸水条件对植被混凝土无侧限抗压强度的影响。     

秸秆焚烧对哈尔滨市灰霾天气的影响

2015年11月1—4日,哈尔滨市及周边地区发生了连续的灰霾天气,颗粒物浓度急剧升高。污染发生时,监测仪器均布设在哈尔滨市区上风向30 km处(哈尔滨市双城区)并开展了连续96 h的监测分析。综合利用气象观测资料,3D可视激光雷达监测资料及地面空气污染监测资料分析了灰霾天气发生的气象条件和污染边界层特征,根据哈尔滨市双城区大气污染物排放源谱库对主要成分进行来源解析,结合颗粒物质量浓度和气象条件研究了秸秆焚烧对灰霾天气的影响。结果表明,灰霾天气持续期间,夜间生物质燃烧源成为该地区颗粒物的第二大源;秸秆焚烧产生的大气污染物,由于地面长时间静风,污染边界层降低等原因,致使本地污染物累积、不易扩散,加剧了本次污染。     

佛山市臭氧浓度时间变化特征及主要影响因子

对佛山市2011—2014年O_3监测数据进行分析,结果表明,ρ(O_3)日变化呈现明显的单峰特征,2011—2014年O_3日最大8小时滑动均值(O3-8 h)的年评价值没有出现显著的下降趋势,超标值多出现在8—10月。夏季O3-8 h与日平均气温的相关系数较高,O_3污染多发生在气温30℃,相对湿度为50%~70%的气象条件下。相对湿度60%,气温为20~25℃,也可能出现O3污染。10℃时,不同的温度条件下,O_3与PM_(2.5)存在正相关关系。在不同的季节时段,O_3-8 h基本随着ρ(NO_2)/ρ(NO)增大而增大。     

苏州市区灰霾现象形成的气象条件分析

随着社会和经济的快速发展,灰霾现象的发生有逐渐上升趋势,严重影响城市形象和群众的身心健康。苏州市的灰霾现象发生频率1—2月最高,7—8月最低。通过寻找形成灰霾现象的主要气象控制因子,有助于判别不同气象条件在灰霾天气形成中的作用。采用基于因子分析的主成分提取方法,将6个气象因子观测资料整合为3个主成分,并逐一揭示4个典型季节各主成分的支配因子在灰霾天气形成中的作用。结果表明,热量条件是影响1—2月、4—5月和7—8月霾日形成的主要气象条件。动力条件是10—11月霾日形成的主要气象条件,水分条件影响相对较弱,仅起辅助作用。