Impacts of interannual climate variability on past and future forest composition

Numerous analyses of the possible impacts of future climatic changes on tree species composition have been published for both lowland and high-elevation forests. Most of these studies were based on the application of forest "gap" models, and the vast majority of them considered only changes in the average of climatic parameters over time. In this study, we use a unique data set on reconstructed past climatic variations to analyse forest dynamics simulated by the forest gap model ForClim. This analysis forms the basis for a systematic exploration of the ecological effects of changing means vs. changing variability of climate on central European forests. A reconstruction of historical climate covering the last 470 years in the Swiss lowlands (ClimIndex) is extrapolated to a transect across the alpine (cold) treeline and used to simulate the influence of climate variations on the time scale of decades on forest biomass and tree species composition at both sites. While the simulation at the low-elevation site shows little sensitivity to climate variations, the results from upper subalpine forests suggest that two major dieback events would have occurred at elevations above the current but below the climatic tree line, induced by clusters of exceptionally cold summers. The results are in agreement with available dendrochronological data and with documentary evidence on massive negative impacts on flora and fauna at high elevations during these periods. We conclude that ForClim is capable of capturing the effects on tree population dynamics of climate variability at these sites as reconstructed from the ClimIndex record. A factorial design is used to address the sensitivity of ForClim to changes of the long-term averages vs. changes of the variability of monthly temperature and precipitation data. To this end, the simulated tree species composition of near-natural forests is examined along a climate gradient in Europe. The results indicate that there are three types of forest response: (1) little sensitivity to both kinds of change, (2) strong sensitivity to changes in the means, but little sensitivity to changing variability, and (3) strong sensitivity to changing variability at least in parts of the examined climate space. Half of the cases investigated fall under the third category, suggesting that emphasis should be placed on also assessing the sensitivity of ecosystems to future changes in climate variability rather than on changes of average values alone. Electronic Publication     

川中丘陵县域土壤pH空间变异及影响因素分析——以四川仁寿县为例

利用2012年在仁寿县采集的555个表层土样(0~20cm),应用地统计学方法分析了该县域尺度表层土壤pH值的空间变异特征;并采用方差分析和回归分析量化主要影响因素对土壤pH值空间变异的影响程度。结果表明:研究区土壤pH值在4.02~8.14之间,平均为6.80,总体上以中性和碱性土壤为主;变异系数为14.48%,属中等程度的空间变异性。地统计分析表明,研究区土壤pH值变异函数的最佳理论模型为球状模型,具有中等程度的空间自相关性,且空间自相关范围较大。方差分析和回归分析表明,土壤类型、成土母质和土地利用方式是显著影响土壤pH值的主要因素。其中,成土母质和土地利用方式分别能独立解释76.2%和4.8%的土壤pH值空间变异。土壤类型的解释能力与分类级别有关,土类、亚类和土属可分别独立解释41.3%、57.3%和83.7%的土壤pH值空间变异,因而能反映成土过程和母质特性的土属是研究区土壤pH值空间变异的主控因素。研究结果可为川中丘陵县域尺度土壤pH空间变异分析及区域生态环境管理与建设提供有益参考。     

“城郊乡”梯度下土壤Cu、Zn、Pb含量的空间变异特征

为揭示城市化、工业化等人为活动对土壤环境质量的影响,选择能反映上海城郊乡梯度差异的中心城区、城郊结合部和远郊,采用地统计学方法对表层土壤样品Cu、Zn、Pb的空间变异结构和分布特征进行了对比分析。结果表明:城市土壤Pb、Cu、Zn的变异系数范围为0.24~0.62,均属中等变异强度。徐汇区土壤Cu、Pb、Zn符合正态分布,闵行区土壤Cu、Pb和Zn符合对数正态分布,奉贤区土壤Zn呈正态分布,土壤Cu、Pb符合对数正态分布。由中心城区到远郊,城市土壤Cu、Pb、Zn的各项统计特征值和变异系数均有较大差异,存在明显的空间分布差异。半方差函数分析结果表明,徐汇区作为中心城区,土壤Cu、Pb、Zn符合球状模型,土壤Cu、Zn具有强烈的空间相关性,土壤Pb具有明显的空间自相关。奉贤区以农业用地为主,土壤Pb符合线性模型,土壤Cu符合高斯模型,土壤Zn符合指数模型,具有强烈的空间相关性。闵行区地处城郊结合部,土壤Cu、Pb、Zn的半方差拟合模型均为线性模型,表现为纯块金形式,以随机变异为主,空间相关性弱。采用Kriging最优内插法进行无偏估值,绘制了表层土壤重金属含量的空间分布图,中心城区、城郊结合部、郊区土壤重金属的空间分布受城市化、工业化、城市交通等因素的影响,均表现出不同的空间分布规律。     

变温过程试验箱温度特性分析

目的研究环境试验箱变温过程中的温度分布特性。方法对具有代表特性的温度试验箱进行温场特性测定及分析,深入了解变温过程中试验箱的温场分布和影响温度特性的各个因素。结果变温过程中不同位置的温度重合性差,温变率越高,变温过程的非线性越明显。结论在变温过程中,试验箱内部测点和控制温度相比有一定的差异性,使得处于试验箱中的受试产品的不同部位,承受温度梯度应力。对于产品外表面、安装在外表面的零部件或靠近外表面的内部零部件,可能产生物理损坏或性能下降。故在使用中应充分注意这种温场特性对受试产品的影响。     

岩溶山地生态退化的海拔空间变异

为揭示岩溶山地生态退化的海拔空间变异,应用地统计学对地处滇黔桂连片岩溶腹地,海拔变化范围广的贵州省毕节地区生态退化指标的垂直梯度空间变异进行分析.石化率的半变异函数最佳理论模型为线性有基台模型,植被覆盖率、土壤砾石率为球状模型.植被覆盖率的空间异质比为22.32%,具有强烈的垂直梯度空间相关性,主要受到随海拔梯度变化的自然性控制因素的作用;石化率、土壤砾石率的空间异质比分别为34.38%、25.97%,均具有中等程度的垂直梯度空间相关性,受随机因素的作用较大.土壤砾石率、植被覆盖率的变程分别为968.10、859.48 m,受因素影响的海拔范围都较宽;石化率的变程为52.28 m,受因素影响的海拔范围很窄.石化率、植被覆盖率的Moran′s Ⅰ系数随海拔梯度变化的趋势相类似,但土壤砾石率的Moran′s Ⅰ系数随海拔梯度变化的趋势与石化率、植被覆盖率的差别较大.     

Modeling the Hydrology of Climate Change in California’s Sierra Nevada for Subwatershed Scale Adaptation1

Young, Charles A., Marisa I. Escobar‐Arias, Martha Fernandes, Brian Joyce, Michael Kiparsky, Jeffrey F. Mount, Vishal K. Mehta, David Purkey, Joshua H. Viers, and David Yates, 2009. Modeling the Hydrology of Climate Change in California’s Sierra Nevada for Subwatershed Scale Adaptation. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 45(6):1409‐1423. Abstract: The rainfall‐runoff model presented in this study represents the hydrology of 15 major watersheds of the Sierra Nevada in California as the backbone of a planning tool for water resources analysis including climate change studies. Our model implementation documents potential changes in hydrologic metrics such as snowpack and the initiation of snowmelt at a finer resolution than previous studies, in accordance with the needs of watershed‐level planning decisions. Calibration was performed with a sequence of steps focusing sequentially on parameters of land cover, snow accumulation and melt, and water capacity and hydraulic conductivity of soil horizons. An assessment of the calibrated streamflows using goodness of fit statistics indicate that the model robustly represents major features of weekly average flows of the historical 1980‐2001 time series. Runs of the model for climate warming scenarios with fixed increases of 2°C, 4°C, and 6°C for the spatial domain were used to analyze changes in snow accumulation and runoff timing. The results indicated a reduction in snowmelt volume that was largest in the 1,750‐2,750 m elevation range. In addition, the runoff center of mass shifted to earlier dates and this shift was non‐uniformly distributed throughout the Sierra Nevada. Because the hydrologic model presented here is nested within a water resources planning system, future research can focus on the management and adaptation of the water resources system in the context of climate change.     

Variation in photosynthetic photon flux density within a tropical seasonal rain forest of Xishuangbanna, south-western China

Introduction Photosyntheticphotonfluxdensity(PPFD)withinforestcanopiesisintrinsicallyheterogeneousinspaceandtime.Becausesomespeciesaregenotypicallysuitedforspecificlightregimes,understandingtheheterogeneityofthelightregimewithinaforestcanopyisimportantfor…     

长三角典型地区土壤环境中Se的空间变异特征及其与人类健康的关系

农业土壤环境中硒（Se）的缺乏或过量都会通过食物链最终影响人类健康。在203个土壤采样点的基础上,利用GIS和地统计学相结合的方法,对江苏省如皋市农田土壤环境中Se的空间变异特征及其影响因素进行分析,同时,对土壤中Se的空间分布与长寿人口的空间分布进行空间叠加分析。研究结果表明,如皋市土壤环境中总Se及水溶态Se的平均含量分别为0.13 mg/kg和2.16 μg/kg,研究区处在相对低Se的土壤环境中。总Se的空间变异性不大,其空间分布比较均一;但水溶态Se的空间变异性较大,主要受成土条件及土壤母质、土壤类型及地形地貌等结构性因子的影响。水溶态Se对土壤的理化性质也比较敏感,特别是速效磷、有机质及全钾含量与水溶态硒的相关性较显著,因此在有机质及土壤养分含量较高、土壤颗粒组成较细的东部及北部地区水溶态硒的含量也较高。土壤水溶态Se的空间分异与长寿人口比率的空间分异呈极显著的正相关关系(〖WTBX〗P〖WTBZ〗<001),相关系数达〖WTBX〗r〖WTBZ〗=0325,表明人类的健康长寿现象与环境中水溶态硒的含量有很大关系,但人类长寿的本质和真正机理仍需进一步研究验证。     

Effects of intracolony variability in behavioral development on plasticity of division of labor in honey bee colonies

There is a genetic component to plasticity in age polyethism in honey bee colonies, such that workers of some genotypes become precocious foragers more readily than do workers of other genotypes, in colonies lacking older bees. Using colonies composed of workers from two identifiable genotype groups, we determined that intracolony differences in the likelihood of becoming a precocious forager are a consequence of differences in rates of behavioral development that are also evident under conditions leading to normal development. An alternative hypothesis, that differences in the likelihood of becoming a precocious forager are due to differences in general sensitivity to altered colony conditions, was not supported. In three out of three trials, workers from the genotype group that was more likely to exhibit precocious foraging in single cohort colonies also foraged at relatively younger ages in colonies in which workers exhibited normal behavioral development. In contrast, in three out of three trials, workers from the genotype group that was more likely to exhibit precocious foraging in single-cohort colonies did not show disproportionately more overaged nursing in colonies in which workers exhibited delayed development. These results indicate that genotypic differences in plasticity in age-related division of labor are based on genotypic differences in rates of behavioral development.     

Impact of Land-Based Sources On Marine Environment: Phytoplankton Blooms Within an Annual Cycle

The discharge water into the western region of Alexandria (Egypt), creates suitable conditions for the acceleration of the phytoplankton growth; daily replenishment of nutrients and development of density stratified water column. Water transparency and ammonia concentrations seem to be affecting the variations of the numerical standing crop. Eight phytoplankton bloom pulses of different causative species were observed. Asterionella glacialis represents a newly recorded red tide species in the neritic waters of Alexandria.