Lignin and its effects on litter decomposition in forest ecosystems

Lignin is a major component of plant litter. In this review, we found lignin comprises a complex class of organic compounds whose concentration differs greatly both between and within plant species. There are many analytical methods for detecting the composition and structure of lignins. As lignins are enormously complex compounds, chemical assay is difficult and different methods vary with the results. Lignin plays a significant role in the carbon cycle, sequestering atmospheric carbon into the living tissues of woody perennial vegetation. It has also great effects on nitrogen dynamics of forest ecosystems as well as other ecological processes. Lignin is one of the most slowly decomposing components of dead vegetation, contributing a major fraction of the material that becomes humus as it decomposes. Lignin is highly correlated with decomposition of litter. Thus, there is evidence that the lignin concentration is a more influential factor than the other chemical concentrations, in determining the rate of leaf litter decomposition of different forest ecosystems. Although a great number of researchers have addressed lignin's role in litter decomposition, still there are many aspects of lignin biogeochemistry that are not known. This lack of information hinders complete amalgam of lignin effects on litter decomposition processes and dynamics of nutrient cycling.     

Eco-ethical issues: Self-regulating versus subsidized ecosystems

Sustainable use of the planet requires dependable delivery of ecosystem services at a level necessary to meet the needs of humankind. During the last two centuries, particularly in the twentieth century, ecosystems have been fragmented and stressed in a variety of ways, including biotic impoverishment. Self-regulating ecosystems are capable of maintaining nominative structure and function, including normal variability. Those ecosystems incapable of self regulation will require subsidies, which will divert resources from other activities that may also be important to sustainable use of the planet. If ecosystems are not subsidized, the loss of natural capital and ecosystem services will almost certainly impair the quest for sustainable use of the planet. Although most discussions of sustainability reflect an awareness of humankind's dependence on natural systems, ecosystem self regulation has not received an adequate amount of attention.     

Multi-temporal land use and cover changing analysis: the environmental impact in Mediterranean area

ABSTRACT

Human activity shapes the levels of anthropogenic pressure that depend on the land management method adopted. This has a fundamental role in the transformation of traditional landscapes. This study focuses on a representative region of the Mediterranean area with the objective to analyse the landscape’s dynamics, to detect the spatial arrangement of class patches, to identify the main agroecosystem characters and to provide a framework to assess ecosystems services. In order to assess land use/land cover changes and landscape persistence, the period between 1960 and 2012 was analysed, taking into consideration the years 1960, 2000 and 2012 using comparable land use maps. Land use and land cover analysis show an urban area growth of 24% during 2000–2012 and of 523% over between 1960 and 2012. The very high levels of land abandonment up to the year 2000 (+7216%) have reversed their trend between 2000 and 2012 (?95%). The orchards showed a relevant increase, particularly after 2000, while the vineyards were linked to the highest value of surface erosion (?74%). The outcomes showed that urban settlements can damage the ecological network with negative effects on the landscape’s environmental sustainability in proximity of significant urban centres. Instead, the ecological network is well preserved and highly associated to the agricultural areas when there is the persistence of many land uses and low urban density, despite the presence of dynamic changes.     

Variation pattern of water-soluble ions in atmospheric at Lin＇an regional background station

为研究我国长江三角洲地区气溶胶污染的区域特征,2008年4月、7月、10月和2009年1月,在临安区域本底站利用安德森（Andersen）分级采样器进行了大气气溶胶采样,样品用离子色谱（IC）进行了分析.结果表明,临安区域本底站SO2/4-、NH4＋、K＋的浓度在粒径0.43—1.1μm出现峰值;Ca2＋、Mg2＋的浓度在粒径3.3—5.8μm出现峰值;NO3-、Cl-、Na＋的浓度在粒径0.43—1.1μm和3.3—5.8μm出现峰值.气溶胶各个粒径段上的阳、阴离子电荷比均小于2.在降水过程个例分析中,降水之后临安区域本底站的总离子浓度增加了10.9μg·m-3;粒径分布除SO2/4-和K＋有明显变化以外,其它离子没有明显变化.通过霾日和非霾日的浓度变化分析发现,细粒子中SO2/4-、NH4＋的浓度的增加是造成霾天气的主要原因.     

冻融对长白山森林土壤碳氮矿化的影响

长白山地区秋末春初常常存在冻融过程,冻融过程影响土壤水分分布而改变土壤理化性质。通过室内模拟实验,研究了冻融过程（-20~15℃）对长白山阔叶红松（Pinus koraiensis）林和白桦（Betula platyphylla）林土壤有机碳和氮矿化过程的影响。结果表明,经过3次冻融循环,冻融处理土壤矿化速率显著高于对照处理,但经过多次冻融循环过程,冻融处理抑制土壤有机碳矿化过程,对照处理土壤有机碳矿化速率高于冻融处理（P=0.019）。在培养结束后,冻融处理的阔叶红松林和白桦林土壤无机氮质量分数,分别是对照处理的1.88倍和1.96倍;冻融次数也是影响土壤有机氮矿化的一个重要因素,35次冻融循环后,阔叶红松林和白桦林土壤中无机氮分别提高了2.10倍和2.81倍。冻融循环促进了土壤有机氮的矿化,有利于土壤中有效氮的累积,为春季植物生长提供足够的氮素,但也潜在增加了土壤中无机氮流失的风险。     

江西省农业可持续发展的生态安全评价

基于农业可持续发展状况建立江西省农业生态安全评价指标体系,采用聚类分析法将江西省农业生态安全度划分为不安全、较不安全、较安全和安全4个等级。从地域分异特征来看,环鄱区域生态系统遭受一定程度的破坏;赣南区域农业生态问题突出,农业生态安全性较差;赣中区域农业生态系统结构基本完整,农业生态安全状况较好。在11个地级市中吉安等6个地级市处于较安全等级,鹰潭等5个地级市处于较不安全等级。针对江西省农业可持续发展状况,探讨了农业生态安全体系建设问题。     

长江三角洲背景地区CO2浓度变化特征研究

通过分析2009年1月~2010年12月临安区域大气本底站在线观测获得的CO2浓度,研究地面风向、地面风速、气团输送等因素对长江三角洲背景地区CO2浓度的影响.结果表明,临安站CO2浓度的日变化分布表现为单峰型形态,下午低、凌晨高,浓度日变幅在9.5′10-6~44.3′10-6 (V/V)之间;季节变化特征表现为冬春季高,夏季低,浓度年较差为10.1′10-6 (V/V).通过分析地面风向、地面风速和气团输送等因素对临安站CO2浓度的影响表明,引起CO2浓度升高的地面风向夏季主要为NW~NNE,冬季主要为NNE~ESE;地面风速越大,CO2浓度越小;气团远距离输送的影响主要取决于气团途径区域的CO2排放情况.     

预抽煤层瓦斯消突效果评价FTA及综合指标优选

针对预抽煤层瓦斯这一区域性防治煤与瓦斯突出措施的消突效果评价,应用事故树分析法(FTA),可根据导致预抽煤层瓦斯后发生煤与瓦斯突出事故的各种可能途径,以及各个诱导因素对事故发生的影响程度,找到可用于消突效果评价的关键因子,进一步分析出评价指标和评价方案.本文构造出了预抽煤层瓦斯后发生煤与瓦斯突出的事故树模型,通过FTA定性分析,得出了预抽煤层瓦斯消突效果评价因子的客观排序,为区域防突措施消突效果评价提供了一种新的理论方法.     

基于风险场的区域突发性环境风险评价方法研究

在大尺度空间,风险源、风险受体和风险传播途径的多样性和相互作用的复杂性是区域环境风险评价的难点.同时,现有评价方法很少关注风险因子的释放规律,释放后在空间中的分布格局,以及风险受体受到损害的途径和程度.本文应用风险场理论,分析描述风险场形成和对风险受体作用的机制.结合南京化工园区实例进行环境风险源识别,采用集对分析等方法构建了各风险源产生的环境风险场,再分析处于风险场中的环境风险受体,最后得到区域环境风险水平分布,同时将其划分为5个等级.评价结果显示,位于风险源周围或河道下游的人口稠密、生态环境敏感地区环境风险值R≥6,风险水平处于极高、高等级,与园区现状具有较好的一致性.建议依据环境风险水平的分级、分类结果建立起以预防为主的环境风险管理体系.