ELEVATED ATMOSPHERIC CO2 INCREASES WATER AVAILABILITY IN A WATER-LIMITED GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM1

ABSTRACT: Californian annual grassland on sandstone (moderately fertile) and serpentine (very infertile) soils at the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, Stanford, California, were exposed to ambient or elevated (ambient + 36 Pa CO₂) atmospheric CO₂ in open-top chambers since December 1991. We measured ecosystem evapotranspiration with open gas-exchange systems, and soil moisture with time-domain reflectometry (TDR) over 0–15 cm (serpentine) and 0–30 cm (sandstone) depths, at times of peak above ground physiological activity. Evapotranspiration decreased by 12 to 63 percent under elevated CO₂ in three consecutive years in the sandstone ecosystem (p = 0.053, p = 0.162, p = 0.082 in 1992, 1993, and 1994, respectively). In correspondence with decreased evapotranspiration, late-season soil moisture reserves in the sandstone were extended temporally by 10 ± 3 days in 1993 and by 28 ± 11 days in 1994. The effect of elevated CO₂ on soil moisture was greater in the drier spring of 1994 (419 mm annual rainfall) than in 1993 (905 mm annual rainfall). In the serpentine ecosystem, evapotranspiration and soil moisture reserves were not clearly affected by elevated CO₂. Soil water may be conserved in drought-affected ecosystems exposed to elevated CO₂, but the amount of conservation appears to depend on the relative importance of transpiration and soil evaporation in controlling water flux.     

PARAMETRIC/NONPARAMETRIC MIXTURE DENSITY ESTIMATION WITH APPLICATION TO FLOOD-FREQUENCY ANALYSIS1

Much attention has been invested in the model choice problem for peak annual flows, in the context of flood frequency analysis. The authors would sidestep this dilemma through non-parametric density estimation methodology, but recognize that the standard nonparametric estimators preclude the use of prior information and related data, and furthermore have virtually no tail at all. Here we offer a remedy for these inadequacies by introducing an estimator which mixes parametric and nonparametric density estimates. We prove that our mixture rule is consistent. By this procedure, we do allow incorporation of prior information, experience, and regional data information, but nevertheless provide a safeguard against incorrect model choice.     

Development of a Grassland Integrity Index Based on Breeding Bird Assemblages

We utilized landscape and breeding bird assemblage data from three Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) routes sampled from 1965–1995 to develop and test a grassland integrity index (GII) in a mixed-grass prairie area of Oklahoma. The overall study region is extensively fragmented from long-term agricultural activity, and native habitat remnants have been degraded by recent encroachment of woody vegetation, namely eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L.). The 50 individual bird survey points along the BBS routes, known as stops, were used as sample sites. Our process first focused on developing a grassland disturbance index (GDI) as a measure of cumulative landscape disturbances for these sites. The GDI was based on five key landscape variables identified in an earlier species-level study of long-term avian community dynamics: total tree, shrub, and herbaceous vegetation cover indices, overall mean landscape patch size, and grassland patch core size. The GII was then developed based on breeding bird assemblage data. Assemblages were based on commonly used response guilds reflective of five avian life history parameters: foraging mode/location, nesting location, habitat specificity, migratory pattern, and dietary guild. We tested the response of 78 candidate assemblage metrics to the GDI, and eliminated those with no or poor response or with high correlations (redundant), resulting in 13 metrics for use in the final index. Individual metric scores were scaled to fall between 0 and 10, and the cumulative index to range from 0 to 100. Although broader application and refinement are possible, the avian-based GII has an advantage over labor-intensive, habitat-based monitoring in that the GII is derived from readily available long-term BBS data. Therefore, the GII shows promise as an inexpensive tool that could easily be applied over other areas to monitor changes in regional grassland conditions.     

基于GIS的新疆年降水量空间插值精度比较研究

以新疆具有完整资料的90个气象站点中的75个站点的基本地理信息和1995—2008年平均降水数据资料为基础,以ArcGIS为数据处理平台,分别采用反距离加权法、径向基函数法、普通克里格法、协克里格法对新疆降水空间分布进行插值,并通过没有参与插值的15个气象站点的实际降水量与插值结果进行相对误差分析。研究结果表明:在年降水量插值的4种算法中,普通克里格法(Kriging)的计算精度最高。利用最优的插值方法的栅格降水空间数据库建立的多年降水资源信息系统,可快速计算研究区内任一地域单元中降水的总量及其空间变化,对降水资源模拟、工程规划、发展战略及决策管理均具有重要的意义。     

Plant phenology, growth and nutritive quality of Briza maxima: responses induced by enhanced ozone atmospheric levels and nitrogen enrichment

An assessment of the effects of tropospheric ozone (O₃) levels and substrate nitrogen (N) supplementation, singly and in combination, on phenology, growth and nutritive quality of Briza maxima was carried out. Two serial experiments were developed in Open-Top Chambers (OTC) using three O₃ and three N levels. Increased O₃ exposure did not affect the biomass-related parameters, but enhanced senescence, increased fiber foliar content (especially lignin concentration) and reduced plant life span; these effects were related to senescence acceleration induced by the pollutant. Added N increased plant biomass production and improved nutritive quality by decreasing foliar fiber concentration. Interestingly, the effects of N supplementation depended on meteorological conditions and plant physiological activity. N supplementation counteracted the O₃-induced senescence but did not modifiy the effects on nutritive quality. Nutritive quality and phenology should be considered in new definitions of the O₃ limits for the protection of herbaceous vegetation.     

On Characteristics of Production and Destruction Processes in Lowland and Mountain Tundras of the Extreme North

Parameters of the production and destruction processes in different types of tundras are compared. It is shown that there is a fairly high degree of correspondence between the structure of tundra communities and the ecotopes occupied by them. On the other hand, typologically similar lowland and mountain tundras markedly differ in the functional respect. The rate of decomposition processes is higher under environmental conditions of the mountain tundra belt.     

Effect of Rotational Shepherding on Demographic and Genetic Connectivity of Calcareous Grassland Plants

Response to habitat fragmentation may not be generalized among species, in particular for plant communities with a variety of dispersal traits. Calcareous grasslands are one of the most species‐rich habitats in Central Europe, but abandonment of traditional management has caused a dramatic decline of calcareous grassland species. In the Southern Franconian Alb in Germany, reintroduction of rotational shepherding in previously abandoned grasslands has restored species diversity, and it has been suggested that sheep support seed dispersal among grasslands. We tested the effect of rotational shepherding on demographic and genetic connectivity of calcareous grassland specialist plants and whether the response of plant populations to shepherding was limited to species dispersed by animals (zoochory). Specifically, we tested competing dispersal models and source and focal patch properties to explain landscape connectivity with patch‐occupancy data of 31 species. We fitted the same connectivity models to patch occupancy and nuclear microsatellite data for the herb Dianthus carthusianorum (Carthusian pink). For 27 species, patch connectivity was explained by dispersal by rotational shepherding regardless of adaptations to zoochory, whereas population size (16% species) and patch area (0% species) of source patches were not important predictors of patch occupancy in most species. [Correction made after online publication, February 25, 2014: Population size and patch area percentages were mistakenly inverted, and have now been fixed.] Microsite diversity of focal patches significantly increased the model variance explained by patch occupancy in 90% of the species. For D. carthusianorum, patch connectivity through rotational shepherding explained both patch occupancy and population genetic diversity. Our results suggest shepherding provides dispersal for multiple plant species regardless of their dispersal adaptations and thus offers a useful approach to restore plant diversity in fragmented calcareous grasslands. Efectos del Pastoreo Rotacional sobre la Conectividad Genética y Demográfica de Plantas de Pastizales Calcáreos     

通信铁塔影响建筑物防雷安全计算公式之合理性探讨

以一个发生过严重雷灾事故的屋顶通信铁塔为例,分别利用国际电信联盟ITU-K56《无线通讯基站的雷电防护》和国际电报电话咨询委员会CCITT《防雷手册》中的公式计算出建筑物安装了通信铁塔后的年预计雷击次数,并将之与未安装通信铁塔时的年预计雷击次数进行对比,两者的计算结果存在显著差异。基于雷击条件相似原则,参照移动公司通信铁塔每年遭受雷击次数的实际统计数据,对这两个计算公式的合理性问题进行了探讨。研究结果表明,CCITT《防雷手册》中的计算公式更具合理性,计算结果更加接近实际值,计算方法更能准确地评估铁塔对所在区域的建筑物及电子电气设备的防雷安全所造成的影响。     

西安市近20年来气温变化与人口变动的关联度分析

当前,气候变化备受全球关注.从人口角度研究气候变化可正确判断和把握影响气候的人口因素,对制定减缓气候变化的政策和措施具有重要意义.通过分析西安市近60年来的年平均气温资料可知,西安市气温与全球气候变化一样,有变暖的趋势,且增温幅度高于全国平均值.通过二次项拟合分析西安市气温变化与人口变化关系,得出总人口数量与气温之间不存在明显的线性关系.利用西安市1991-2010年的年平均气温、就业人数、第二产业人数、家庭户数以及反映人口消费结构的恩格尔系数的时间序列数据,运用灰色关联分析法进行分析.结果发现,第二产业人数与气温的关联度最高,为0.8163;总家庭户数与气温的关联度次之,为0.7289.灰色关联是根据序列曲线几何形状的相似程度来判断其联系是否紧密,人口结构与气候变化之间是否存在机理关系还需要进一步研究.     

柳州市2009-2014年空气污染变化

近年来,城市空气污染日益严重,已成为公众广泛关注的环境问题之一。柳州是中国西部的工业重镇、广西有名的工业城市,位列国家划定的113个大气污染防治重点城市之中,是广西第一个开展PM2.5监测的城市。本研究于2009—2014年连续6年对柳州市大气主要污染物SO2、NO2、PM10和PM2.5的浓度进行在线观测,获得了污染物的长期时间和空间分布特征。结果显示,SO2浓度呈逐年下降趋势,并于2011年达标之后显著下降,2014年相比2009年下降了50.0%;NO2浓度一直在低于标准以下波动(24.6~35.1μg/m3);PM10浓度呈逐年增长趋势,并从2011年开始超标,2014年相对于2009年增长了69.3%。各污染物浓度都具有显著的季节变化:冬季秋季春季夏季。SO2、NO2、PM10和PM2.5的浓度冬季相比夏季分别提高82.9%、56.3%、66.9%和133.6%。冬季SO2和秋冬季PM10超标,PM2.5除7月外全线超标。PM2.5/PM10的比值冬季也高于夏季,表明冬季更易富集细颗粒。各污染物浓度也表现出不同的空间分布。九中各污染物的浓度都最高,可能与其离柳州钢铁公司距离较近有关。SO2除九中外,其他站点均达标。NO2全部达标。PM10市监测站和九中超标。PM2.5所有站点超标严重。本研究结果表明,柳州市煤烟型污染得到有效控制,但颗粒物污染,尤其是细颗粒物污染日益严重。