Preliminary Measurements of Turbulence and Environmental Parameters in a Sub-Tropical Estuary of Eastern Australia

In natural systems, mixing is driven by turbulence, but current knowledge is limited in estuarine zones where predictions of contaminant dispersion are often inaccurate. A series of detailed field studies was conducted in a small sub-tropical creek in eastern Australia. Hydrodynamic, physio-chemical and ecological measurements were conducted simultaneously to assess the complexity of the estuarine zone, notably the interactions between turbulence and environment. The measurements were typically performed at high frequency over a tidal cycle. The results provide an original data set to complement long-term monitoring and a basis for a more detailed study of mixing in sub-tropical systems. Unlike many long-term observations, velocity and water quality scalars were measured herein with sufficient spatial and temporal resolutions to determine quantities of interest in the study of turbulence, while ecological indicators were sampled systematically and simultaneously. In particular the results yielded contrasted outcomes, and the finding impacts on the selection process for key water quality indicators.     

Effects of Forest Fragmentation on a Dung Beetle Community in French Guiana

Abstract:  Fragmentation is the most common disturbance induced by humans in tropical forests. Some insect groups are particularly suitable for studying the effects of fragmentation on animal communities because they are taxonomically and ecologically homogenous. We investigated the effects of forest fragmentation on a dung beetle species community in the forest archipelago created in 1994–1995 by the dam of Petit Saut, French Guiana. We set and baited an equal number of pitfall traps for dung beetles on three mainland sites and seven island sites. The sites ranged from 1.1 to 38 ha. In 250 trap days, we captured 50 species in 19 genera. Diversity indices were high (2.18–4.06). The lowest diversity was on the small islands and one mainland site. Species richness and abundance were positively related to fragment area but not to distance from mainland or distance to the larger island. The islands had lower species richness and population than mainland forest, but rarefied species richness was relatively invariant across sites. There was a marked change in species composition with decreasing fragment that was not caused by the presence of a common fauna of disturbed-area species on islands. Small islands differed from larger islands, which did not differ significantly from mainland sites. Partial correlation analyses suggested that species richness and abundance of dung beetle species were positively related to the number of species of nonflying mammals and the density index of howler monkeys ( Alouatta seniculus ), two parameters positively related to fragment area.     

A Comparison of Logging Systems and Bat Diversity in the Neotropics

Abstract:  Evaluating logging systems to determine which are most compatible with the maintenance of biodiversity is of prime importance if tropical forests are to be managed in a sustainable way. Bats are model taxa for this purpose. Two different logging systems are used in the natural forest of the Victoria-Mayaro Forest Reserve in Trinidad: open range and periodic block. Open range is a continuous harvesting system and, in common with most methods used to log tropical forests worldwide, has few harvest controls other than girth limits for selected species. Periodic block is a polycyclic system, with felling based on ecological criteria assumed to be compatible with the maintenance of biodiversity. To compare the effects of periodic block and open-range systems on biodiversity, we determined bat species richness and abundance in each system and in primary forest. We caught bats in mist nets set at ground level and in the canopy and in harp traps. In total 1959 individuals representing 38 species were captured. Species richness was similar among primary forest and logged forest habitats, although bat diversity was lower in logged forest. The distributions of bat species abundance did not differ significantly between logged forest and primary forest. We found, however, that both logging systems lead to a decrease in gleaning animalivores and an increase in frugivores. The increase in frugivores was likely the result of an increase in the abundance of bat-dispersed pioneer fruiting plants in logged forest. Bats of periodic-block-managed forest were more similar to those of primary forest than those of forest logged using the open-range system, indicating that the periodic-block system is more compatible with the maintenance of bat diversity. Our results support the suggestion that the measured use of tropical forests can largely be compatible with biodiversity conservation.     

热带人工林生物物理参数及生物量对RADARSAT SAR信号响应研究

合成孔径侧视雷达穿透冠层而获得树干信息的特点使得其具有在南方NDVI易饱和地区的生物量估测方面优于光学遥感。文章利用地面实测调查数据,首次系统地研究了热带人工林生物物理参数及生物量对RADARSAT-SAR信号响应。结果表明:RADARSAT-SAR后向散射系数与森林生物量、树高、胸径可以用对数模型模拟。对于本实验区人工速生林来说,在森林生物量小于40 t.hm-2时RADARSAT-SAR后向散射系数与森林生物量具有较强相关性。桉树树高与后向散射系数的相关系数大于桉树胸径与后向散射系数关系。松树胸径与后向散射系数相关系数高于树高与后向散射系数的相关系数。研究结果为SAR在热带森林研究中的应用提供了一定的理论基础。     

Impacts of Roads and Hunting on Central African Rainforest Mammals

Abstract:  Road expansion and associated increases in hunting pressure are a rapidly growing threat to African tropical wildlife. In the rainforests of southern Gabon, we compared abundances of larger (>1 kg) mammal species at varying distances from forest roads and between hunted and unhunted treatments (comparing a 130-km² oil concession that was almost entirely protected from hunting with nearby areas outside the concession that had moderate hunting pressure). At each of 12 study sites that were evenly divided between hunted and unhunted areas, we established standardized 1-km transects at five distances (50, 300, 600, 900, and 1200 m) from an unpaved road, and then repeatedly surveyed mammals during the 2004 dry and wet seasons. Hunting had the greatest impact on duikers ( Cephalophus spp. ), forest buffalo ( Syncerus caffer nanus ), and red river hogs ( Potamochoerus porcus ), which declined in abundance outside the oil concession, and lesser effects on lowland gorillas ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla ) and carnivores. Roads depressed abundances of duikers, sitatungas ( Tragelaphus spekei gratus ), and forest elephants ( Loxondonta africana cyclotis ), with avoidance of roads being stronger outside than inside the concession. Five monkey species showed little response to roads or hunting, whereas some rodents and pangolins increased in abundance outside the concession, possibly in response to greater forest disturbance. Our findings suggest that even moderate hunting pressure can markedly alter the structure of mammal communities in central Africa. Roads had the greatest impacts on large and small ungulates, with the magnitude of road avoidance increasing with local hunting pressure.     

Understanding the distribution of cattle production systems in the South American Chaco

ABSTRACT

Impacts of cattle production vary among different production systems, but data on their distribution is scarce for most world regions. In this work, we combine datasets on cattle vaccination locations and land cover in a regression framework to define and map major cattle production systems in the Argentinean Dry Chaco. We also explore how cattle occurrence relates to spatial determinants. Results indicate that the region harbors about 5.5 million heads. Cattle density was mainly described by the share of pasture (69.9%), cropland (28.1%) and aridity (23.8%). We identified 12-major cattle production systems: six cow-calf, three whole-cycle, and three fattening systems. Of these, four systems had high woodland cover (>85%). Data generated is available in a website. Understanding the distribution of cattle production systems is important to assess the environmental impacts of beef production at broad scales. Integrating vaccination data with land-cover information provides a promising avenue to identify livestock systems.     

热带山地雨林土壤球囊霉素的分布特征

球囊霉素(GRSP)作为土壤有机碳的重要组分,对土壤质量和土壤碳库有着重要的指示作用。选择我国保存最完好的热带雨林海南尖峰岭为研究对象,通过不同海拔(300、600、900、1200 m)的样品采集,研究了热带山地雨林丛枝菌根(AM)的重要分泌物球囊霉素的空间分布特征,并结合土壤因子,进一步探讨了其分布机制,旨在阐明球囊霉素对热带山地雨林土壤碳库和土壤质量的贡献,丰富丛枝菌根的功能多样性理论基础。结果表明,4个海拔的植物都具有较高的菌根侵染水平,平均为82.92%。不同海拔间,土壤总提取球囊霉素(T-GRSP)和易提取球囊霉素(EE-GRSP)含量具有相同的变化规律,都在海拔1200 m时最高,显著高于其它3个海拔。尖峰岭T-GRSP的质量分数在1.79-3.11 mg·g^-1之间,平均2.205 mg·g^-1;EE-GRSP则为0.75-1.13 mg·g^-1,平均0.904 mg·g^-1。T-GRSP和EE-GRSP占土壤全碳比值的规律在4个海拔也一致,都是在海拔1200 m时最低。在4个海拔中,T-GRSP和EE-GRSP分别占到土壤全碳质量分数的4.33%-8.87%和1.58%-4.12%。对T-GRSP和EE-GRSP的影响因素分析则表明,土壤全碳、全氮和C/N都影响着GRSP的含量;无论是T-GRSP还是EE-GRSP都随着土壤全碳、全氮和C/N的增大而增加;三者对T-GRSP变异的解释率(63.16%、58.94%和36.05%)要远远高于对EE-GRSP变异的解释率(39.59%、32.19%和19.08%)。但土壤pH则仅影响着EE-GRSP的含量变化,全磷则对T-GRSP和EE-GRSP都没有影响。可见,热带雨林土壤中,GRSP含量较高,对土壤碳库具有重要的贡献,且受到土壤全碳和全氮及二者比例的显著影响。     

Nutrients in soil solution following selective logging of a humid tropical ‘terra firme’ forest north of Manaus,Brazil

Sustainable use of the Amazon forest for timber production is conditioned by the effect of logging on the system's nutrient cycling. This paper reports the results of a soil moisture and soil water chemistry monitoring campaign before and immediately after a selective logging which removed 35 m³ wood/ha. Soil moisture was measured using tensiometers, and soil water chemistry using suction samplers in five disturbance classes: tractor tracks, clearing centres, clearing edges, forest edges and untouched forest. The results show that the soil under the tractor tracks and clearings contained more moisture than under the untouched forest. The suction samplers extracted substantially more nitrate, ammonium, calcium, magnesium and potassium from the clearing centres, the tractor tracks and the clearing edges than from the forest sites. The results are explained in terms of altered microbial activity, changes in crown interception and uptake by roots.     

西双版纳热带雨林榕树种群变化与环境的关系

植物物种的多样性在生态环境保护中具有重要的地位。西双版纳热带雨林生物多样性极为丰富,是我国生物多样性研究的关键地区。榕树是热带雨林中的关键植物类群之一,关于该地区榕树种群变化与环境关系的研究结果表明：①西双版纳热带雨林内已知榕属植物有69种、变种和亚种,其中榕亚属有23个种和变种;白肉榕亚属有4个种;聚果榕亚属有2个种和变种;无花果亚属有41个种、亚种和变种;西双版纳是中国榕树种群最丰富的地区。②榕树的分布与环境有着密切的关系,榕树种类和数量以保护完好的热带原始雨林最为丰富,在该类环境中的榕以高大乔木、乔木为主;被破坏林地和次生林内的榕树种群则以小乔木、灌木、灌丛、木质藤本为主;而热带雨林环境破坏严重的地区中则以一部分先锋榕树种为主。③保护好热带雨林中的关键植物类群榕属,是保护和恢复热带雨林生态环境的重要措施之一。