Dynamics of soil organic matter in primary and secondary forest succession on sandy soils in The Netherlands: An application of the ROMUL model

We applied the simulation model ROMUL of soil organic matter dynamics in order to analyse and predict forest soil organic matter (SOM) changes following stand growth and also to identify gaps of data and modelling problems. SOM build-up was analysed (a) from bare sand to forest soil during a primary succession in Scots pine forest and (b) on mature forest soil under Douglas fir plantations as an example of secondary succession in The Netherlands. As some of the experimental data were unreliable we compiled a set of various scenarios with different soil moisture regime, initial SOM pools and amount and quality of above and below ground litter input. This allowed us to find the scenarios that reflect the SOM dynamics more realistically. In the Scots pine forest, total litter input was estimated as 0.50 kg m⁻² year⁻¹. Two scenarios were defined for the test runs: (a) forest floor moisture regimes—‘dry, mesic and hydric’ and (b) augmenting a root litter pool with three ratios of needles and branches to roots: 1:1, 1:1.5 and 1:2.0. The scenario finally compiled had the following characteristics: (a) climate for dry site with summer drought and high winter moisture of forest floor; (b) a litter input of 0.25 kg m⁻² year⁻¹ above ground and 0.50 kg m⁻² year⁻¹ below ground; (c) a low nitrogen and ash content in all litter fall fractions. The test runs for the estimation of the initial SOM pools and the amount and proportion of above and below ground litter fall were also performed in the Douglas fir plantation. The inputs of above ground litter tested in various combinations were 0.30 and 0.60 kg m⁻² year⁻¹, and below ground litter 0.30, 0.60 and 0.90 kg m⁻² year⁻¹. The scenario that fitted the experimental data had an SOM pool of 20–25 kg m⁻², an aboveground litter input of 0.6 kg m⁻² year⁻¹and a below ground litter input of 0.9 kg m⁻² year⁻¹. The long-term simulation corresponded well with the observed patterns of soil organic matter accumulation associated with the forest soil development in primary and secondary succession. During primary succession in Scots pine forest on dry sand there is a consistent accumulation of a raw humus forest floor. The soil dynamics in the Douglas fir plantation also coincide with the observed patterns of SOM changes during the secondary succession, with SOM decreasing significantly under young forest, and SOM being restored in the older stands.     

Adaptive behaviour of chironomid larvae (Chironomus riparius) in response to chemical stimuli from predators and resource density

Chemical-mediated effects of predatory fish on chironomid larvae behaviour have been ignored so far. Sediment-dwelling chironomid larvae inhabit protective burrows from which they extend their bodies only to feed on deposited detritus and microalgae from the surrounding sediment. Here, we performed factorial laboratory experiments to study whether fish-borne chemical cues (kairomones) are responsible for behavioural trait changes of chironomid larvae, and whether chironomid larvae are able to assess the densities of fish predators and food resources and the trade-off between them. We exposed naïve Chironomus riparius larvae to the chemical presence of zero, one, and ten predator fish (Rutilus rutilus) and offered two resource levels (low food, high food) for each treatment. Kairomones induced significant inherent behavioural trait changes in chironomid larvae. During the first 120 min after exposing chironomids to fish-conditioned water, we found a significant increase in digging activity with increasing predator density. After 3 days of exposure, the deepest chironomid burrows were found in treatments with the highest predator density. Chironomid larvae were significantly able to adjust their foraging behaviour to different predator densities and food concentrations and trade off between them; that is, when fish predators were more abundant or when more food resources were available, the foraging activities of larvae were significantly reduced. Our data suggest that chemically mediated trait changes (burrowing and foraging behaviour) may cascade through the littoral food web.     

Climatic Change, Wildfire, and Conservation

Abstract:  Climatic variability is a dominant factor affecting large wildfires in the western United States, an observation supported by palaeoecological data on charcoal in lake sediments and reconstructions from fire-scarred trees. Although current fire management focuses on fuel reductions to bring fuel loadings back to their historical ranges, at the regional scale extreme fire weather is still the dominant influence on area burned and fire severity. Current forecasting tools are limited to short-term predictions of fire weather, but increased understanding of large-scale oceanic and atmospheric patterns in the Pacific Ocean (e.g., El Niño Southern Oscillation, Pacific Decadal Oscillation) may improve our ability to predict climatic variability at seasonal to annual leads. Associations between these quasi-periodic patterns and fire occurrence, though evident in some regions, have been difficult to establish in others. Increased temperature in the future will likely extend fire seasons throughout the western United States, with more fires occurring earlier and later than is currently typical, and will increase the total area burned in some regions. If climatic change increases the amplitude and duration of extreme fire weather, we can expect significant changes in the distribution and abundance of dominant plant species in some ecosystems, which would thus affect habitat of some sensitive plant and animal species. Some species that are sensitive to fire may decline, whereas the distribution and abundance of species favored by fire may be enhanced. The effects of climatic change will partially depend on the extent to which resource management modifies vegetation structure and fuels.     

全球变化对跨境淡水资源利用和管理的影响

跨境淡水资源的合理利用和协调管理,已成为当今国际区域经济发展、跨境资源和市场共享、世界生态维护的合作主题,成为下世纪制约区域可持续发展和避免地区冲突的一个关键因素,受到国际社会广泛关注。从边界变化、国际区域合作和经济一体化、气候变化、人口增长、可持续发展等全球趋势对此主题的影响进行了探讨。     

沙漠绿洲的开发与环境变化的相互影响

干旱区的农业活动、特别是沙漠绿洲的开发,改变了地-气系统的能量交换。几年来的沙漠绿洲气候与防风林的研究、气候资料的分析和实地考察表明,中国西部干旱区最近４３年来的沙漠绿洲开发已改变着那里的局地气候环境,使其向有利于人类和农业的方向发展着。在沙漠绿洲的开发利用与局地环境变化之间,存在着两种截然相反的反馈作用：环境变好→绿洲发展→环境更好→绿洲再发展;环境恶化→绿洲退化→环境更坏→绿洲再退化,甚至消失。决定这两种反馈作用的是大环境的变迁和绿洲开发利用中是否合理利用资源和按自然规律办事。     

Effects of uncontrolled particulate matter release on precipitation under warfare conditions

This study has shown theoretical, observed and experimental evidence of pollutants released, transported and deposited during the Kosovo conflict in 1999 and their effects on precipitation in Serbia. The greatest bombardment of the chemical industry, oil refineries and fuel storage in Serbia which occurred during April, resulted in releases of many hazardous, toxic and cancerogenic substances. The number of April's days with precipitation greater or equal to 0.1 mm in 1999 are compared to those in the period from 1961 to 1990 registered at thirty meteorological stations in Serbia and especially at the Belgrade-Observatory station in the period from 1888 to 1995. The maximums of days with precipitation greater or equal to 0.1 mm were at the wider Belgrade area and at the central and southwestern parts of Serbia during April 1999. This is confirmed by using the Eta trajectory analysis.     

基于气候响应关系研究火干扰对兴安落叶松直径结构的 影响

以大兴安岭地区兴安落叶松（Larix gmelinii）为研究对象,分别选取1987年、2003年和2015年火干扰区域及其附近未受火干扰区域设置典型样地,基于树轮数据和调查数据重建历史直径结构,构建兴安落叶松树木生长与气候因子的相关关系,探讨气候变化背景下火干扰对兴安落叶松直径结构的影响。研究结果表明：（1）火干扰下兴安落叶松直径结构呈正偏,高峰态分布。中度火干扰恢复15年后则呈现负偏、峰度值下降的趋势,而重度火干扰恢复15年后仍处于正偏高峰态分布,但随后趋向负偏,低峰态分布。（2）火干扰改变了兴安落叶松直径生长与气候之间的响应关系,中度火干扰下兴安落叶松生长与上年冬季温度呈显著负相关（p＜0.05）,随着火干扰强度增加,降水的抑制作用增强,重度火干扰下兴安落叶松直径生长与当年生长季（5—8月）、上年生长季（7—9月）和上年冬季（11—12月）降水呈显著负相关关系（p＜0.05）。不同恢复期内树木生长-气候因子关系也有所差异。中度火干扰下兴安落叶松与生长季温度的关系由火干扰初期正相关转变为中期（恢复15年）负相关（p＜0.05）,与上年生长季降水的关系则转变为正相关关系（p＜0.05）;重度火干扰下兴安落叶松直径生长与上年冬季温度由恢复初期的负相关转变为后期（恢复31年）的正相关（p＜0.05）,与当年生长季降水转变为负相关（p＜0.05）。在未来气候变暖和火干扰事件增加的趋势下,兴安落叶松直径结构趋向负偏、高峰态分布。     

济南市水域鱼类功能群结构及其季节性变化

鱼类对于维护河流生态系统的稳定具有重要作用,季节性变化在一定程度上影响鱼类的群落结构.为了解济南市水域鱼类的功能群结构及其季节性差异,于2014年春季（5月）、夏季（8月）和秋季（11月）选取济南市水域的40个采样点对鱼类群落和水环境理化因子,通过单因素方差分析、多响应置换过程以及典范对应分析等方法,分析鱼类功能群在不同季节的差异性.结果表明:①春季共鉴定出鱼类5目7科26种,夏季为5目9科32种,秋季为5目7科20种.将鱼类按栖息水层、产卵类型、对环境的耐受性以及营养结构4个方面分为4种功能类群共11亚类.春季主要以植食性、底层与敏感种功能群为主,夏季主要以肉食性、中下层、耐污种、特殊产卵与粘性卵功能群为主,秋季主要以杂食性、浮性卵、中上层、耐污种功能群为主.②典范对应结果显示,影响粘性卵功能群、肉食性功能群、底层功能群以及敏感种功能群分布的驱动因子是ρ（DO）,电导率则是影响植食性功能群的驱动因子.研究显示,鱼类功能群的季节性变化受到内源性和外源性的共同影响,即鱼类自身生活习性和水环境因子季节性变化的共同影响.      

海伦地区水热耦合特征及其对大豆产量的影响

农业是受气候变化影响的主要敏感行业之一,气候变暖带来的气温升高以及降水格局的改变对农作物生产有利有弊。论文基于黑龙江海伦地区1978—2004年生长季≥10℃有效积温、降水量和统计年鉴中的大豆产量数据,以积温和降水在季节上的匹配程度作为判断水热耦合的指标,采用气候波动指数、减产风险指数作为大豆产量受气候波动影响程度的指标,研究了在生长季降水量下降和≥10℃有效积温增加的趋势下水热耦合的年际和年内变化特征及其对大豆产量的影响,并分析了偏干旱、正常和湿润年份大豆产量受气候波动影响的特征和减产风险性。结果表明,大豆气候波动指数和产量减产风险指数从大到小均依次为偏干旱年、偏湿润年和正常年,说明海伦地区受气候暖干化影响较大。     

滇池河流氮入湖负荷时空变化及形态组成贡献

为给进一步实施滇池入湖污染控制及小流域污染治理提供依据,以滇池环湖28条河流入湖水量及水体中不同形态氮的质量浓度逐月调查数据为基础,研究了滇池河流不同形态氮的入湖浓度(ρ)和入湖负荷的时空变化,并探讨了不同形态氮的入湖负荷贡献. 结果表明:①滇池河流入湖ρ(TN)在2.91～94.01 mg/L之间,以ρ(DIN)(DIN为溶解性无机氮)最高,而ρ(DON)(DON为溶解性有机氮)和ρ(PN)(PN为颗粒态氮)均较低. ②滇池河流氮入湖负荷总量为6 908.47 t/a,绝大多数河流以DIN负荷为主,平均贡献为67.15%;DON和PN入湖负荷贡献相近,平均分别为17.86%和14.99%. ③不同形态氮入湖负荷贡献的季节性差异明显,DIN入湖负荷较高值出现在春夏季(3—9月),平均贡献达74.01%;DON入湖负荷较高值则出现在秋冬季(9月—翌年1月),平均贡献达33.42%;PN入湖负荷贡献月份变化差异较小,最高值出现在2月,贡献为40.19%. ④滇池河流氮入湖负荷不仅要考虑DIN的贡献,也应重视DON和PN负荷,控制滇池河流氮入湖负荷需要考虑不同河流不同形态氮负荷组成及其季节性差异,有针对性地采取相应措施.