Simulating the potential for ecological restoration of dryland forests in Mexico under different disturbance regimes

Examining the potential for ecological restoration is important in areas where anthropogenic disturbance has degraded forest landscapes. However, the conditions under which restoration of degraded tropical dry forests (TDF) might be achieved in practice have not been determined in detail. In this study, we used LANDIS-II, a spatially explicit model of forest dynamics, to assess the potential for passive restoration of TDF through natural regeneration. The model was applied to two Mexican landscapes under six different disturbance regimes, focusing on the impact of fire and cattle grazing on forest cover, structure and composition. Model results identified two main findings. First, tropical dry forests are more resilient to anthropogenic disturbance than expected. Results suggested that under both a scenario of small, infrequent fires and a scenario of large, frequent fires, forest area can increase relatively rapidly. However, forest structure and composition differed markedly between these scenarios. After 400 years, the landscape becomes increasingly occupied by relatively shade-tolerant species under small, infrequent fires, but only species with both relatively high shade tolerance and high fire tolerance can thrive under conditions with large, frequent fires. Second, we demonstrated that different forms of disturbance can interact in unexpected ways. Our projections revealed that when grazing acts in combination with fire, forest cover, structure and composition vary dramatically depending on the frequency and extent of the fires. Results indicated that grazing and fire have a synergistic effect causing a reduction in forest cover greater than the sum of their individual effects. This suggests that passive landscape-scale restoration of TDF is achievable in both Mexican study areas only if grazing is reduced, and fires are carefully managed to reduce their frequency and intensity.     

鼎湖山南亚热带森林生态系统服务价值动态

以鼎湖山3个南亚热带森林演替典型阶段生态系统为对象,采用我国《森林生态系统服务功能评估规范》(LY/T 1721—2008)标准化计算公式与服务价格,量化揭示南亚热带森林生态系统演替过程中生态系统服务功能价值动态。结果表明:随着演替的进行,南亚热带森林生态系统服务功能总价值不断增大;但各分项服务功能价值则表现出不同的动态规律与变化幅度,从而使得森林生态系统服务结构呈现非线性演化特征。在南亚热带森林生态系统演替的早期阶段,生态系统服务价值的最大组分是涵养水源的功能价值,而中、后期则是保育土壤。人工林营造可以有效增强区域生态系统的水源涵养能力,而保育演替中、后期森林则对于大气CO2收和土壤保育而言尤为重要。     

高寒灌丛退化演替过程对生态系统呼吸温度敏感性的影响

放牧是高寒草甸退化演替过程中最主要人为驱动力之一.为定量研究高寒草甸不同退化阶段生态系统呼吸速率的温度敏感性,本研究于2003年7月~2004年7月在中国科学院海北高寒草甸生态系统研究站,利用密闭箱-气相色谱法观测了高寒灌丛不同退化阶段生态系统呼吸速率季节变化.结果表明:1高寒灌丛不同退化阶段生态系统呼吸速率季节变化均表现为单峰曲线,最大值出现在草盛期8月,最小值出现在冬季10~次年4月.退化演替过程显著降低了高寒灌丛生态系统呼吸速率.观测期灌丛(GG)、丛间草甸(GC)和裸地(GL)的生态系统呼吸速率变化范围分别为34.21~1 168.23、2.30~1 112.38和20.40~509.72 mg·(m2·h)-1,灌丛(GG)呼吸速率平均值分别是丛间草甸(GC)和裸地(GL)的1.29倍和2.56倍.2温度是生态系统呼吸速率的主要影响因子,可以解释系统呼吸速率25%~79%以上的变异.退化演替过程显著地改变了生态系统呼吸速率与温度的相关性,当地表植被消失,灌丛退化为次生裸地后,生态系统呼吸速率与各温度指标Ts、Td、Ta之间的相关性(R2)分别降低47.23%、46.95%和55.28%.3Q10值在冷暖季节差异显著(P0.05),表现为冷季暖季.退化演替过程改变了生态系统呼吸的温度敏感性.观测期灌丛(GG)、丛间草地(GC)和裸地(GL)Q10值分别为2.38、2.91和1.62,与灌丛(GG)相比,丛间草甸(GC)Q10值增加了22.26%,而裸地(GL)Q10值降低了31.93%.     

Analysis of Catenae in the Kivach Reserve: Structure,Succession State,and Potential Composition of Forest Vegetation

Types of catenae of the moraine landscape of the Kivach Reserve have been described, and five ecotopes have been distinguished in their composition. The analysis of ecological ranges of the main forest-forming species has made it possible to predict the potential composition of a tree synusia that included five to seven species in the greater part of the catenae and three species in depressions with stagnant moistening. The population demographic approach has been used to determine the succession status of communities in the study area. Six variants of phytochores have been distinguished in the herb-dwarf shrub layer; the main ecological and succession factors of distribution have been determined for them.__________Translated from Ekologiya, No. 4, 2005, pp. 252–258.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Platonova.     

天津市水资源供求平衡战略

天津市国土规划提出了2030年经济社会发展目标,水资源的极度匮乏已成为制约天津经济增长的主要瓶颈。在传统开源节流措施的基础上,针对天津市水资源供需矛盾和分配不合理两大问题,提出了水资源供求平衡的市场化战略和需求整合战略,并对可行的政府行为进行了探讨。     

Characteristics of bird communities on surface mine lands in Pennsylvania

A variety of species was observed as either visitors, permanent, or summer residents on surface mines with different ecological adaptations. Passerine species were the most prevalent of the 25 families represented. Bird communities as well as individual species were correlated with the structure and species of vegetation on the mines. The composition of the bird communities changed in response to successional vegetation stages from grassland to forest communities.     

Analysis of the Factors of Species Association in Serial Communities of Sown Perennial Grasses by the Method of Direct and Indirect Ordination

Russian Journal of Ecology -     

LONGITUDINAL SUCCESSION IN IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF RIVER SYSTEM FISH COMMUNITIES1

ABSTRACT: Longitudinal succession indicates that diversity and species richiess of fish communities increases with increasing river size (increasing habitat complexity and environmental stability). Cultural impacts tend to decrease diversity, species richness, and evenness. To assess the impacts of cultural events on the fish community of a river system, the bias caused by longitudinal succession was removed by normalizing diversity indices and species richness values for river size. The relationships between an impact index and the community parameters of evenness, normalized diversity, and normalized species richness were determined by regression analysis. Similar relationships were determined using nonnormalized data, and the results compared. The two sets of regressions were similar in terms of variance explained. Evenness, which is unaffected by longitudinal sucession, appears to be the most impact sensitive parameter. A major source of error and confusion rsults from introduced species which are simultaneously sources of biological impact and a component of the community. Numbers of introduced species tend to increase with both impact and river size.     

A PRELIMINARY QUANTIFICATION OF THE IMPACTS OF ASPEN TO CONIFER SUCCESSION ON WATER YIELD - I. HEAT PULSE METHODOLOGY FOR MODEL CALIBRATION1

ABSTRACT: Twenty-six aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), 20 subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarps (Hook.) Nutt.), and 20 Engelmann spruce (Pices engelmanil (Parry) Engelm.) of various sizes were cut under water and suspended in permanent reserviors at a northern Utah site. The reservoirs were asealed so that all water loss was due to consumption by the trees. Sap velocities, as computed from heat pulse velocities, were related to conducting areas of the tree trunks. Computed transpiration volumes were then correlated with actual water losses from the reservoirs. Coefficients of determination (R²) of 0.87, 0.86, and 0.82 were obtained for the fir, aspen, and sprucs, respectively. Reservoir water loss for each species for each season was then used to adjust a plant activity index for computing transpiration within ASPCON, a model describing the hydrology of aspen to conifer succession. The plant activity index reflects the variation in the capability of a plant community to transpire water over the year. Assumptions and limitations of the heat pulse velocity technique are also outlined.     

岷江上游祁连山圆柏群落优势种群间的联结性

应用方差分析X^2-测验、点相关系数和Jaccard指数等技术对岷江上游祁连山圆柏群落中12个优势种群的种间联结性进行了研究．结果表明：①12个优势种群在总体上呈显著的负联结，这跟该群落目前所处的演替状态及十扰造成的环境不稳定有密切的关系．②在66个种对中，经X^2-检验联结性达到显著的有4对，即西南樱桃与多叶飞蓬，腋花马先蒿和甘川紫菀，黄总花与银莲花，多叶飞蓬和甘川紫菀．这4个种对显著的联结性跟物种本身的生物学习性有关．③金花小檗、川西锦鸡儿是该群落逆行演替的代表种，由二者之一参与形成的各种对联结性最弱，这两种植物与群落中的其它物种形成较强的联系，还需要一个过程．图1表5参36