Scale-dependent relations in land cover biophysical dynamics

The exploration of the relationships between plant biotic dynamics and scale can reveal important information on ecosystem spatial organization by addressing preservation of information integrity in upscaling/downscaling procedures of land-surface parameterization for environmental modeling applications. Scale-dependent relations of vegetation dynamics are investigated in this study by using emergent biophysical characteristics obtained through a predictive multidimensional model of vegetation anomalies derived from remote-sensing observations. In particular, the analysis is focused on the spatial organization of some phenological parameters including deterministic variations (seasonal range, interannual variability, jump discontinuities) and stochastic components (plant memory, spatial correlations). The analysis is performed using MODIS-based Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) 16-day composites for the period from March 2000 to December 2006 over Italy at different levels of spatial aggregation (1-8 km). Scale-dependences of the statistical moments of the phenological parameters are quantified through simple power laws for five distinct vegetated land covers. Results suggest that some biophysical characteristics, especially deterministic components, show no preferential spatial scale for important coverage. In particular, broad-leaved forests and natural grasslands are characterized by deterministic and low-distance spatial components well explained by scale relationships, which are modulated by possible spatiotemporal dynamics of climatic drivers. Agricultural lands show high scale-dependent relations on short-term biophysical memory sources and low-distance spatial components of phenology likely related to hierarchical interactions of anthropogenic and ecological processes; whereas mixed patterns of croplands and natural areas generally present no consistent scaling relations.     

豫南山区不同群落类型近地表层持水特性

为了分析不同植物群落在不同生长阶段近地表层的持水能力及其差异特征,该文通过选择豫南山区不同群落不同生长阶段的50个典型样地,对近地表层的地上草和枯落物的有关持水能力指标进行测定分析。结果表明：地上草生物量呈随林龄的增大而减少的趋势,与其持水量之间呈极显著正相关关系（P〈0.01）,其拦蓄能力变化趋势为：草丛〉灌丛〉针叶林（20 a）〉针叶林（45 a）〉针阔混交林（20 a）〉针阔混交林（30 a）〉阔叶林（10 a）〉针阔混交林（50 a）〉阔叶林（20 a）〉阔叶林（30 a）;枯落物最大持水量、有效拦蓄量与现存量间呈正相关关系,其中最大持水量变化趋势为：灌丛〉阔叶林（20 a）〉阔叶林（30 a）〉针阔混交林（30 a）〉针阔混交林（20 a）〉针阔混交林（50 a）〉针叶林（20 a）〉阔叶林（10 a）〉针叶林（45 a）〉草丛。该地区不同群落类型近地表层总持水能力变化趋势为：灌丛〉针叶林〉阔叶林〉针阔混交林〉草丛,这说明应当加大对乔木林分林下植被的保护,以利更好的水土保持效果。     

Use of pine needles as an indicator of atmospheric contamination by pentachlorophenol

The use of pine needles as an inexpensive and natural device for collecting atmospheric organic contaminants was investigated. The widespread existence of pentachlorophenol in the atmosphere was investigated by analyzing pine needle extracts by GC-MS. PCP was found at low ppb levels in all pine needle samples which were analyzed.     

The development of a digital terrain model for the geomorphological engineering of the ‘rolling’ foredune of Terschelling,the Netherlands

The foredunes form an important element of the line of defence which protects the low-lying parts of the Netherlands from the sea. The foredune of the eastern part of the Wadden island of Terschelling has been managed as a ‘rolling’ foredune to maximize the amount of sand available in times of emergency. Following a decision of the Dutch Government to maintain the coastline of 1990, this foredune will now be stabilized. A plan is made to reshape the morphology of the foredune according to a geomorphological design. A simulation model was developed to produce a Digital Terrain Model with the required geometrical information. The transformation which is on the macro-level scale can be achieved within the envisaged medium-scale planning period of five years only by applying earth-moving machinery, placing fences or planting sand-trapping vegetation.     

Growth of the nesting colony of slaty-backed gulls (Larus schistisagus) and plant cover degradation on Shelikan Island (Taui inlet, the Sea of Okhotsk)

The size of Larus schistisagus nesting colony on Shelikan Island (8 ha in area) has increased from 2000 to 6000 pairs over 18 years. Today, this is the largest colony in the Sea of Okhotsk. The growth of the bird population has entailed catastrophic deterioration of the plant cover accompanied by a decrease in the species diversity of vascular plants: more than one-third of plant species recorded on the island in 1986 have already disappeared, and the establishment of several new plant species cannot compensate for this loss. If the size of the colony increases further, woody vegetation will fully deteriorate and only a thinned herbaceous layer consisting of 15–20 most resistant species will remain on the island.     

Phytodiversity of relict steppe enclaves in the Urals: Experience in comparative assessment

Unique mountain-steppe ecosystems in the Southern Urals have retained a high level of species and cenotic diversity, despite fragmentation and isolation. Specific features of these ecosystems are described.     

The Holocene Dynamics of Vegetation and Ecological Conditions in the Polar Urals

Palynological, paleocarpological, and paleoentomological analyses of frozen peat deposits near Lake Pereval'noe, the Polar Urals, were performed to reveal the main stages of change in the pattern of vegetation over the period from the beginning of warming after the last Pleistocene glaciation to the late Holocene. Nine to four thousand years ago, the study region (at the present-day upper boundary of open larch forests) was covered with taiga forests, as the climate there was significantly warmer. These were larch–birch forests with an admixture of spruce and, later, spruce forests with larch and birch.     

Predicting Future Threats to the Native Vegetation of Robinson Crusoe Island, Juan Fernandez Archipelago, Chile

Abstract:   The Juan Fernandez Archipelago, a Chilean national park and biosphere reserve, is 700 km west of continental Chile. Invasive plant species pose major threats to the native, highly endemic vegetation, especially on Robinson Crusoe Island (Mas a Tierra), where there is a permanent settlement. We used historical and recent vegetation map data as well as recent vegetational point data to reconstruct vegetational changes on the island since the early twentieth century. In addition, we used logistic regression models with environmental variables or their surrogates (elevation, solar radiation, topographic similarity index, slope position) to estimate the potential distributions of the worst invaders. Native vegetation has been affected most severely by Acaena argentea , Aristotelia chilensis , Rubus ulmifolius , and Ugni molinae , leading to a significant decrease of endemic plants in the montane forests and native shrublands. The native forest has decreased by approximately one-third. The area affected by Aristotelia chilensis increased from 6.5% to 14% of the total island area. Ugni molinae , once rare, is now abundant (4.6%), as is Acaena (11.9%). Rubus ulmifolius , not present 80 years ago, now covers about 7% of the island's surface. The distributions of all studied species except Rubus ulmifolius are significantly ( p < 0.05) controlled by the environmental factors we examined. Inferring from potential distributions of Aristotelia chilensis and Ugni molinae , 50% of the native montane forest could be invaded or replaced (with a probability of >60%) by these plants. Based on the invasion speed of the past 80 years, this would take another 80 years if conservation measures do not succeed.     

High-Resolution Vegetation Data for Mangrove Research as Obtained From Aerial Photography

In this methodological study, the applicability of aerial photographs for monitoring mangrove vegetation dynamics at high resolution was investigated. Vegetation maps of three mangrove forests in Sri Lanka (Galle, Rekawa and Pambala) were produced based on visual analysis of aerial photographs. The visual analysis was aided by applying an interpretation key constructed during a first fieldwork mission. Image attributes used for the identification of individual trees included: gray values, texture, form and size of the crowns and the presence or absence of a shaded side. For the identification of species assemblages, the vegetation structure (i.e. the distribution of individual trees) appeared to be an important attribute. The accuracy and reliability of the vegetation maps were investigated during a second fieldwork mission. The aerial photographs proved to be very useful for the production of genus-based vegetation maps. The error analysis showed that density estimations (quantitative identification) based on aerial photography was not sufficiently accurate for the objectives of the study, but that the overall identification of vegetation assemblages (qualitative identification) coincided most satisfactory with the ground-truth data. In addition to the applicability of aerial photography in monitoring mangroves, the importance of aerial photography in the management of the mangrove ecosystem is clearly highlighted.     

基于MODIS数据反演江浙皖地区气溶胶光学厚度

气溶胶是气候变化和大气污染的重要影响因素。人们发现卫星遥感为大面积获取气溶胶光学厚度提供了手段,同时卫星遥感的气溶胶光学厚度弥补了地面观测空间覆盖不足的缺陷。文章首先介绍了使用暗像元法反演气溶胶光学厚度的算法和计算流程,利用传统的暗像元法和改进的暗像元法(即V5.2算法)反演江浙皖地区(29～33°N;116～120°E)气溶胶光学厚度的空间分布,并对两种算法所得结果进行比较与分析。结果表明:暗像元法基本可以反映出该区域气溶胶光学厚度的空间分布特点,尤其是在浓密植被区卫星反演得到的结果与(AERONET)太阳光度计的观测值基本相近。但是在城市地区,该算法得到的结果与观测值存在一定的偏差,有待于进一步改善。