Use of Acoustic Tools to Reveal Otherwise Cryptic Responses of Forest Elephants to Oil Exploration

Abstract: Most evaluations of the effects of human activities on wild animals have focused on estimating changes in abundance and distribution of threatened species; however, ecosystem disturbances also affect aspects of animal behavior such as short‐term movement, activity budgets, and reproduction. It may take a long time for changes in behavior to manifest as changes in abundance or distribution. Therefore, it is important to have methods with which to detect short‐term behavioral responses to human activity. We used continuous acoustic and seismic monitoring to evaluate the short‐term effects of seismic prospecting for oil on forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) in Gabon, Central Africa. We monitored changes in elephant abundance and activity as a function of the frequency and intensity of acoustic and seismic signals from dynamite detonation and human activity. Elephants did not flee the area being explored; the relative number of elephants increased in a seasonal pattern typical of elsewhere in the ecosystem. In the exploration area, however, they became more nocturnal. Neither the intensity nor the frequency of dynamite blasts affected the frequency of calling or the daily pattern of elephant activity. Nevertheless, the shift of activity to nocturnal hours became more pronounced as human activity neared each monitored area of forest. This change in activity pattern and its likely causes would not have been detected through standard monitoring methods, which are not sensitive to behavioral changes over short time scales (e.g., dung transects, point counts) or cover a limited area (e.g., camera traps). Simultaneous acoustic monitoring of animal communication, human, and environmental sounds allows the documentation of short‐term behavioral changes in response to human disturbance.     

Epiphyte Biodiversity in the Coffee Agricultural Matrix: Canopy Stratification and Distance from Forest Fragments

Abstract: Quality of the agricultural matrix profoundly affects biodiversity and dispersal in agricultural areas. Vegetatively complex coffee agroecosystems maintain species richness at larger distances from the forest. Epiphytes colonize canopy trees and provide resources for birds and insects and thus effects of agricultural production on epiphytes may affect other species. We compared diversity, composition, and vertical stratification of epiphytes in a forest fragment and in two coffee farms differing in management intensity in southern Mexico. We also examined spatial distribution of epiphytes with respect to the forest fragment to examine quality of the two agricultural matrix types for epiphyte conservation. We sampled vascular epiphytes in a forest fragment, a shade polyculture farm, and a shade monoculture farm at 100 m, 200 m, and 400 m from the forest. Epiphyte and orchid richness was greater in the forest than in the monoculture but richness was similar in the forest and polyculture farm. Epiphyte species composition differed with habitat type, but not with distance from the forest. In the forest, epiphytes were distributed throughout tree canopies, but in the farms, epiphytes were primarily found on trunks and larger branches. Epiphyte richness and species similarity to forest species declined with distance from the forest fragment in the monoculture, but richness and similarity to forest species did not decline with distance from forest in the polyculture. This suggests polyculture coffee has greater conservation value. In contrast, monoculture coffee is likely a sink habitat for epiphytes dispersing from forests into coffee. Coffee farms differ from forests in terms of the habitat they provide and species composition, thus protecting forest fragments is essential for epiphyte conservation. Nonetheless, in agricultural landscapes, vegetatively complex coffee farms may contribute to conservation of epiphytes more than other agricultural land uses.     

Demographic Effects of Harvesting Epiphytic Bromeliads and an Alternative Approach to Collection

Abstract: Hundreds of epiphytic bromeliads species are harvested from the wild for trade and for cultural uses, but little is known about the effects of this harvest. We assessed the potential demographic effects of harvesting from the wild on 2 epiphytic bromeliads: Tillandsia macdougallii, an atmospheric bromeliad (adsorbs water and nutrients directly from the atmosphere), and T. violaceae, a tank bromeliad (accumulates water and organic material between its leaves). We also examined an alternative to harvesting bromeliads from trees—the collection of fallen bromeliads from the forest floor. We censused populations of T. macdougallii each year from 2005 to 2010 and of T. violaceae from 2005 to 2008, in Oaxaca, Mexico. We also measured monthly fall rates of bromeliads over 1 year and monitored the survival of fallen bromeliads on the forest floor. The tank bromeliad had significantly higher rates of survival, reproduction, and stochastic population growth rates (λ_s) than the atmospheric bromeliad, but λ_s for both species were <1, which suggests that the populations will decline even without harvest. Elasticity patterns differed between species, but in both, survival of large individuals had high elasticity values. No fallen bromeliads survived more than 1.5 years on the forest floor and the rate of bromeliad fall was comparable to current harvest rates. Low rates of population growth recorded for the species we studied and other epiphytic bromeliads and high elasticity values for the vital rates that were most affected by harvest suggest that commercial harvesting in the wild of these species is not sustainable. We propose the collection of fallen bromeliads as an ecologically and, potentially, economically viable alternative.     

Fuelwood assessment at micro-watershed level in Northeast Himalaya: a case study in Manipur,India

Fuelwood is one of the major sources of energy in the domestic sector across the rural areas, especially in the developing regions across the world. The Northeastern Himalayan state of Manipur is dominated by the tribal population that largely depends on fuelwood from the nearby forest area. The entire dependence on forests for energy resources is affecting the sustainability of the forest ecosystem in the region, thus indicating the livelihood conditions. Since land-use land-cover change is the key driver to the change in resource availability of a region, the present study has tried to analyze the land-cover changes over a period 28 years. The second major component affecting resource availability is the increasing population pressure that leads to changes in the land dynamics, which directly affect the resource production. Based on the existing consumption pattern, the total consumption of fuelwood in the watershed ranges from a minimum of 289.992 tons/year to a maximum of 3545.719 tons/year with an average of 1561.956 tons/year in the year 2009 and simulated fuelwood consumption for the year 2021 is around 1469.260 tons/year. Nine different probable scenarios of resource are proposed to calculate the stress value that can be used by the policy-makers and planners for suitable policy implementation at the micro level with a complex social system.     

New Development in Study of the Faustmann Optimal Forest Harvesting

Abstract

Chinese forest resources have become very scarce in the face of rapid economic growth demand, while the reform of collective forest right system is in full swing across the country. It will directly affect the regeneration level of forest resources and the diverse ecological value functions. In this article, the mainstream model paradigm of forest economics, that is, the basic framework of the Faustmann model and its evolution process are made in a more detailed explanation, especially the extended model including considered silvicultural effort, tax subsidies, risk dynamic management, and forest regeneration factors are made in more detailed explanations. This article concludes with the future further research directions of forest economics, including the design of dynamic models that includes considered uneven-aged forest management, non-timber goods and services, dynamic forest models. The research reflects the general trend of interdisciplinary and cross-border.     

Effect of Soils on Water Quantity and Quality in Piedmont Forested Headwater Watersheds of North Carolina1

Boggs, Johnny, Ge Sun, David Jones, and Steven G. McNulty, 2012. Effect of Soils on Water Quantity and Quality in Piedmont Forested Headwater Watersheds of North Carolina. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐19. DOI: 10.1111/jawr.12001 Abstract: Water quantity and quality data were compared from six headwater watersheds on two distinct soil formations, Carolina Slate Belt (CSB) and Triassic Basins (TB). CSB soils are generally thicker, less erodible, and contain less clay content than soils found in TB. TB generated significantly more discharge/precipitation ratio than CSB (0.33 vs. 0.24) in the 2009 dormant season. In the 2009 growing season, TB generated significantly less discharge/precipitation ratio than CSB (0.02 vs. 0.07). Over the entire monitoring period, differences in discharge/precipitation ratios between CSB and TB were not significantly different (0.17 vs. 0.20, respectively). Storm‐flow rates were significantly higher in TB than CSB in both dormant and growing season. Benthic macroinvertebrate biotic index scores were excellent for all streams. Nutrient concentrations and exports in CSB and TB were within background levels for forests. Low‐stream nitrate and ammonium concentrations and exports suggested that both CSB and TB were nitrogen limited. Soils appear to have had a significant influence on seasonal and storm‐flow generation, but not on long‐term total water yield and water quality under forested conditions. This study indicated that watersheds on TB soils might be more prone to storm‐flow generation than on CSB soils when converted from forest to urban. Future urban growth in the area should consider differences in baseline hydrology and effects of landuse change on water quantity and quality.     

福建省流域-近海溶解氧时空格局与低氧调控机制

溶解氧是衡量水环境质量和生态系统健康的关键参数,当前我国海岸带地区的低氧问题突出,但缺乏对流域-近海溶解氧时空格局与低氧调控机制的研究.基于2011~2020年福建省135个地表水（含河口）和66个近岸海域监测点位数据,系统分析了年际和季节两个时间尺度溶解氧的时空演变规律,选取低氧（溶解氧饱和度位于10%分位之内）站位数据,采用数理统计和随机森林模型分析方法,重点研究了河流、水库、河口和近海这4种类型水体的低氧特征及其调控机制.结果表明,溶解氧饱和度近海最高［（98.2±10.2）%］,河口最低［（79.2±17.9）%］.与"十二五"（2011~2015年）相比, "十三五" （2016~2020年）河流和水库的低氧检出频率有明显降低,但河口变化不大.统计有低氧检出的点位,河流和水库的多年平均低氧检出频率在秋季最高,河口在夏季最高.水库和河口低氧问题最为突出但机制不同,水库河段的低氧与夏季径流携带大量有机质输入、层化导致底层水持续耗氧、秋季混合上涌或通过大坝泄流有关,河口的低氧与污染输入、潮水顶托和还原性物质耗氧有关.需要建立系统治理与分区管控制度,进一步加强流域-近海污染控制有助于减缓水体富营养化和低氧问题.     

基于随机森林的高速公路运营隧道风险判别法则研究*

为快速、准确识别山区高速公路隧道不同区段风险因素组合,基于交通事故调研数据,分析其时空变化规律;从人-车-路-环境角度系统筛选风险影响因素,采用随机森林理论构建风险等级预测模型;以决策树与规则相互关系为基础,结合自变量重要评分法,提出基于随机森林的高速公路运营隧道风险判别法则。研究结果表明:判别法则集预测精度较好且运行时间短,能够明确高速公路不同隧道区段事故成因,为预防隧道严重交通事故发生提供参考。     

基于Logistic回归模型的大兴安岭地区林火发生概率预测研究*

为实现对大兴安岭地区林火发生概率的基本预测,根据该地区历史火灾资料、地形因子、气象因子和人为因子,基于Logistic回归模型建立该地区林火发生概率预测模型。研究结果表明:坡度、海拔、平均气压、平均气温、平均相对湿度、最小相对湿度是该地区林火发生的主要驱动因子;坡度、海拔、平均气压、平均气温与林火发生概率呈正相关,平均相对湿度和最小相对湿度与林火发生概率呈负相关;ROC曲线下面积值（AUC）为0.91,最佳临界值为0.425;建立的大兴安岭地区林火发生概率预测模型,建模样本总体准确率为82.4%,验证样本总体准确率为80.5%;该地区夏季林火发生概率明显高于春、秋季;林火发生概率较高的Ⅳ级和Ⅴ级火险区主要集中在夏季该地区东南部、西部以及春、秋季该地区东南部。研究结果可为该地区林火预测提供1种参考方法。     

Simplification of Pine Forests Due to Utilization by Tibetan Villages in Southwest China

In China, many rural communities depend upon forests to provide wood, fuel, fertilizer, animal bedding, and valuable non-timber forest products (NTFP). However, the degree to which forest resource extraction is compatible with new conservation aims is unclear because there is little information on the specific ecological effects of traditional forest collecting practices. Therefore, we compared the structure and floristics of Pinus densata forests exposed to three levels of resource extraction by Tibetan villages in northwest Yunnan: (1) a forest site protected from wood and timber removal, (2) moderately utilized forest sites exposed to traditional collecting practices, and (3) patches of highly utilized forest from which timber extraction is high in response to recent development pressures. The results show that understorey and cryptogamic species are reduced in all the utilized forest sites by comparison with the protected forest. However, the moderately utilized pine forests still provide good NTFP habitats by maintaining relatively high canopy covers, litter covers, and understorey structural complexity; this suggests that traditional forest resource use, while simplifying the forest, does not pose an increasing threat to pine forest integrity. By comparison, the highly utilized forests are transformed into open, herb-rich environments in which canopy covers and understorey complexity are depleted, and NTFP habitats are degraded. In the future it may be practical to enhance biodiversity by proscribing forest resource collection, but the immediate priority is to monitor the sustainability of forest utilization using indicators such as understorey development, litter cover, and cryptogamic richness.