Comparing the impacts of mitigation and non-mitigation on mountain pine beetle populations

Mountain pine beetles, Dendroctonus ponderosae (Hopkins) attack and can ultimately kill individuals and groups of pine trees, specifically lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex. Loud var. latifolia Engl.). In British Columbia, beetle attack has increased from 164 000 ha in 1999 to over 13 million ha in 2008. Mitigation efforts can play a key role in addressing the impact beetle infestations can have on the forested landscape. In this research, the impact of mitigation on a mountain pine beetle infestation is examined within a network of 28 research plots where sanitation harvesting was completed (10 mitigated plots) and not completed (18 unmitigated plots). Three forest stand level modelling scenarios which predict the number of attacked trees, based on current infestation within the plots, were utilized to compare the differences between mitigated and non-mitigated plots. In the first scenario in the non-mitigated plots, 125 trees were infested after 10 years, while in the mitigated plots no trees were infested in the same time period. The second scenario indicates the level of mitigation required to suppress beetle infestations where the proportion of mitigated trees was calculated for each plot by counting the residual attack and the number of mitigated trees. The average mitigation rate over all plots of 43% (range 0–100%) is not sufficient to provide control. In the non-mitigated plots, the average population expansion rate was 5 (range of 0–18) which requires a detection accuracy of 74% to reliably detect infestation. The third scenario estimated the length of time required for ongoing detection, monitoring, and mitigation to bring an infestation under control. If mitigation efforts were maintained at the current rate of 43%, the beetle population would not be adequately controlled. However, when aided by continued detection and monitoring of attacked trees, mitigation rates greater than 50% are sufficient to control infestations, especially with persistent implementation, aided by continued detection and monitoring of infested trees.     

我国西南地区氮饱和马尾松林土壤和植物15N自然丰度对长期氮施加的响应

我国快速增长的氮沉降可能造成森林生态系统的氮饱和,进而导致一系列严重的环境后果.为了深入研究氮沉降对我国森林生态系统的影响,进而评价和预测森林生态系统的氮状态,本研究选取我国西南地区典型的马尾松林生态系统,对土壤和植物的15N自然丰度(δ15N)进行了测定,探讨用15N富集因子(εp/s)作为氮状态指标的可行性.对该马尾松林连续7 a施加NH4NO3或Na NO3的控制实验结果表明,长期的高氮输入显著增加了土壤和植物的δ15N.同时,该生态系统对不同形态的氮输入有不同的响应,即在NH+4沉降下δ15N显著高于NO-3沉降下的值.15N富集因子与氮沉降量、净硝化速率和淋溶量均呈显著的正相关关系,特别是本研究与之前研究的所有马尾松林的15N富集因子与氮沉降量之间线性相关,表明15N富集因子可用来表征氮状态.由于在相同氮沉降的情况下,NH+4的效应强于NO-3,建议我国在未来控制氮氧化物排放的同时也应当重视氨的排放控制.     

Dealing with uncertainty: a case study of controlling insect populations in natural ecosystems

This paper analyses the political process for handling an outbreak of an insect causing human allergic reactions. In the southern part of the Swedish island Gotland in the Baltic Sea, an outbreak of the northern pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pinivora, has occurred. With regard to the human nuisance and long-term effects on the tourist industry, demands have been raised for intervention to reduce and control the insect population. At the same time, there have been warnings against treating the insect population because there are knowledge gaps concerning the wider ecological consequences, including effects on biodiversity. This paper analyses the political process and its problem-solving efforts. Of particular interest is how it dealt with the issue of uncertainty. It was found that the uncertainty associated with the issue hindered the development of a shared understanding of the problem and a possible solution. There seems to be a growing need in society to develop the institutional capacity to handle complex issues that cross different sectors, regulatory frameworks and policy targets.     

The hypothesis of hydrochorous dissemination of populations of conifers

A comparative analysis of field observations and experiments on the distance and rate of dispersal of self-sown Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) progeny has shown that the rate of their hydrochorous dissemination downstream is an order of magnitude higher than the rate of dispersal in upland areas. A hypothesis assigning priority to the role of hydrochory in the expansion of conifer populations to the tundra (periglacial) zone along with climate warming has been formulated and substantiated by comparative isozyme analysis of populations in transects lying along and across rivers.     

Posttreatment Tree Mortality After Forest Ecological Restoration,Arizona, United States

Pine–oak forests are of high ecological importance worldwide, but many are threatened by uncharacteristically severe wildfire. Forest restoration treatments, including the reintroduction of a surface fire regime, are intended to decrease fire hazard and emulate historic ecosystem structure and function. Restoration has recently received much management attention and short-term study, but little is known about longer-term ecosystem responses. We remeasured a replicated experimental restoration site in the southwestern United States 5 years after treatments. Basal area, tree density, and canopy cover decreased in the treated units at a faster rate than in controls. Delayed mortality, not evident right after treatment, decreased density modestly (13% in treated units and 10% in controls) but disproportionately affected large trees (“large” ponderosa pines were those with diameter at breast height [dbh] ≥37.5 cm; other species dbh ≥20 cm). In treated units, 10.9 large trees ha^–1 died, whereas 6.2 trees ha^–1 died in control units. Compared with reference conditions, the experimental blocks remained higher in pine density and, in three of the four blocks, in basal area. Pine trees grew significantly faster in treated units than in controls, enough to reach the reference level of basal area in 6 years. Although mortality of large trees is a concern, the treated units have vigorous growth and low density, indicating that they will be relatively resistant to future drought and fire events. Similar treatments may be beneficial in many areas of the United States and in related pine-oak ecosystems elsewhere.     

重庆南山雾水特性及其对马尾松(Pinus massoniana Lamb)的影响

通过对重庆南山四个样点的雾水分析表明,雾水的pH值为3.6—5.6,平均为4.5。离子成分以SO_4~(2-),Ca~(2+)和NH_4~+为主,其总浓度为同期雨水的9.3倍。雾水中还有大量的颗粒物。凝结于针叶上的雾水pH值普遍下降,可达3.0以下。酸雾对马尾松针叶中的Ca~(2+),Mg~(2+),NO_3~-等营养离子有淋失作用,对叶中叶绿素有破坏作用。雾水中的颗粒物覆盖叶表面,可堵塞气孔,影响叶片的光合作用,或造成伤斑。