Effect of Mountain Relief and Industrial Air Pollution on Biometric Characteristics of Pine Stands

The effect of mountain relief and industrial air pollution on biometric parameters of pine stands was studied. The empirical–statistical models of the dependence of biometric characteristics on the parameters of forest sites were developed using raster modeling and multivariate analysis. The possibility of predicting changes in the biometric parameters at any site on the basis of these models is shown.     

Higher Plants As Bioindicators Of Sulphur Dioxide Emissions In Urban Environments

The evaluation of certain vascular plants that grow in the city of Madrid as biomonitors of SO₂ air pollution in urban environments has been carried out. Total concentration of sulphur in leaves of the chosen higher plants as well as other parameters in close relation to this contaminant (visible injury symptoms, chlorophyll a- and b-content and peroxidase activity) have been determined in order to study the spatial distribution and temporal changes in SO₂ deposition. Results obtained show that coniferous species such as Pinus pinea, were more sensitive to SO₂ atmospheric concentration than leafy species as Quercux ilex subspecies ballota and, in the same way, bush species, such asPyracantha coccinea and Nerium oleander, were more sensitive than wooded species, such as Cedrus deodaraandPinus pinea, respectively. There is a higher accumulation of sulphur in vegetable species located near highways and dense traffic incidence roads and near areas with high density of population. The minimum values for accumulation of SO₂ were registered in winter and spring seasons (from January to April) due to the vegetative stop; while maximum values are obtained during the summer season (from June to September), due to the stoma opening. The highest increments in sulphur concentration, calculated as the difference between two consecutive months, are obtained in May and June for all considered species except forCedrus deodara and Pyracantha coccinea, both species have few seasonal changes during the whole year. Some species are more sensitive to natural washing than others, showing a decrease in sulphur concentration after rainfall periods.     

Laws of annual nutrient uptake in a Paulownia plantation

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干热河谷林地燥红土固碳特征及"新固定"碳表观稳定性

全球气候变化背景下,森林土壤固碳能力及所固定碳的稳定性受到极大关注.基于土壤密度分组和酸水解技术,对比研究了1991年营造的大叶相思(Acacia auriculiformis)林不同阶段(1991、1997、2003和2010年)土壤及其物理和生化组分中有机碳密度.结果表明,造林19 a后林地表层(0～15 cm)和亚表层(15～30 cm)土壤有机碳密度分别为1.40 kg.m-2和0.99kg.m-2.研究期内(1991～2010年)表层和亚表层土壤平均固碳速率分别为37.89 g.(m2.a)-1和16.84 g.(m2.a)-1,且土壤呈现加速固碳特征.2003年林地表层重组有机碳分配比例为71.44%,显著高于2010年(67.99%).2003年林地表层或亚表层轻组顽固性碳指数显著高于重组,但均随林龄的增加而降低,尤其是轻组顽固性碳指数.2003～2010年间燥红土"新固定"碳中57%～70%受物理保护,33%～49%为生化稳定性碳.研究揭示出干热河谷人工林燥红土具备较大的固碳能力.受物理保护碳的生化稳定性低于非保护碳,其稳定性均随林龄的增加而降低.     

模拟氮沉降对太岳山油松林土壤呼吸的影响及其持续效应

以太岳山油松林为研究对象,对林地分别作3种凋落物处理:对照(C)、去凋(B)、去凋+切根(A),并设计了4个氮水平:对照(CK,0 kg·hm-2·a-1,以N计,下同)、低氮(LN,50 kg·hm-2·a-1)、中氮(MN,100 kg·hm-2·a-1)和高氮(HN,150 kg·hm-2·a-1),研究了土壤呼吸速率在施氮后的连续变化,以及与温度、湿度、微生物生物量C、N、土壤酶活性的关系.结果表明:去凋+切根、去凋、对照样方不同施氮水平下土壤呼吸速率基本都在施N后的第1 d处在最高峰,随即下降,切根+去凋、去凋处理样方的土壤呼吸速率在施氮后第3 d趋于稳定,而对照处理样方的土壤呼吸速率一直处于下降状态.施氮在一定程度上抑制了切根+去凋处理的土壤呼吸速率,而促进了去凋处理、对照处理的土壤呼吸速率,并且土壤微生物生物量C、N的变化与土壤呼吸速率变化一致,土壤呼吸速率与土壤酶活性、土壤湿度的拟合关系不显著(p0.05),而与土壤温度的拟合关系显著(p0.05).以土壤温度、土壤湿度构建的复合模型R s=aebTWc预测土壤呼吸的准确性高于单因子模型,施氮降低了每种凋落物处理指数关系模型(R s=aebT)的决定系数R2,并且施氮降低了切根+去凋、去凋处理的温度敏感性指数Q10,而对对照处理的Q10无明显影响.     

Comparison of forest edge effects on throughfall deposition in different forest types

This study examined the influence of distance to the forest edge, forest type, and time on Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, and NH₄⁺ throughfall deposition in forest edges. The forests were dominated by pedunculate oak, silver birch, or Corsican/Austrian pine, and were situated in two regions of Flanders (Belgium). Along transects, throughfall deposition was monitored at distances of 0-128 m from the forest edge. A repeated-measures analysis demonstrated that time, forest type, and distance to the forest edge significantly influenced throughfall deposition of the ions studied. The effect of distance to the forest edge depended significantly on forest type in the deposition of Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, and NO₃⁻: the edge effect was significantly greater in pine stands than in deciduous birch and oak stands. This finding supports the possibility of converting pine plantations into oak or birch forests in order to mitigate the input of nitrogen and potentially acidifying deposition.     

Heavy metals in bark of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus massoniana</Emphasis> (Lamb.) as an indicator of atmospheric deposition near a smeltery at Qujiang,China

Goal, Scope and Background Rapid urbanization and the expansion of industrial activities in the past several decades have led to large increases in emissions of pollutants in the Pearl River Delta of south China. Recent reports have suggested that industrial emission is a major factor contributing to the damages in current natural ecosystem in the Delta area. Tree barks have been used successfully to monitor the levels of atmospheric metal deposition in many areas, but rarely in China. This study aimed at determining whether atmospheric heavy metal deposition from a Pb-Zn smeltery at Qujiang, Guangdong province, could be accurately reflected both in the inner bark and the outer bark of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.). The impact of the emission from smeltery on the soils beneath the trees and the relationships of the concentrations between the soils and the barks were also analyzed. Methods Barks around the bole of Pinus massoniana from a pine forest near a Pb-Zn smeltery at Qujiang and a reference forest at Dinghushan natural reserve were sampled with a stainless knife at an average height of 1.5 m above the ground. Mosses and lichens on the surface barks were cleaned prior to sampling. The samples were carefully divided into the inner bark (living part) and the outer bark (dead part) in the laboratory, and dried and ground, respectively. After being dry-ashed, the powder of the barks was dissolved in HNO₃. The solutions were analyzed for iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co) by inductively coupled plasmas emission spectrometry (ICP, PS-1000AT, USA) and Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS, ZEENIT 60, Germany). Surface soils (0–10 cm) beneath the sample trees were also collected and analyzed for the selected metals. Results and Discussion Concentrations of the selected metals in soils at Qujiang were far above their environmental background values in the area, except for Fe and Mn, whilst at Dinghushan, they were far below their background values, except for Cd and Co. Levels of the metals, in particular Pb and Zn, in the soils beneath the sample trees at Qujiang were higher than those at Dinghushan with statistical significance. The result suggested that the pine forest soils at Qujiang had a great input of heavy metals from wet and dry atmospheric deposition, with the Pb-Zn smeltery most probably being the source. Levels of Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni and Pb at Qujiang, both in the inner and the outer bark, were statistically higher than those at Dinghushan. Higher concentrations of Pb, Fe, Zn and Cu may come from the stem-flow of elements leached from the canopy, soil splash on the 1.5 m height and sorption of metals in the mosses and lichens growing on the bark, which were direct or indirect results from the atmospheric deposition. Levels of heavy metals in the outer barks were associated well with the metal concentrations in the soil, reflecting the close relationships between the metal atmospheric deposition and their accumulation in the outer bark of Masson pine. The significant (p<0.01) correlations of Fe-Cu, Fe-Cr, Fe-Pb, Fe-Ni, Pb-Ni, and Pb-Zn in the outer barks at Qujiang again suggested a common source for the metals. The correlation only occurred between Pb and Ni, Cd and Co in the outer barks at Dinghushan, which suggested that those metals must possibly have other uncommon sources. Conclusions Atmospheric deposition of the selected metals was great at Qujiang, based on the levels in the bark of Pinus massoniana and on the concentrations in the soils beneath the trees compared with that at Dinghushan. Bark of Pinus massoniana, especially the outer bark, was an indicator of metal loading at least at the time of sampling. Recommendations and Perspectives The results from this study and the techniques employed constituted a new contribution to the development of biogeochemical methods for environmental monitoring particularly in areas with high frequency of pollution in China. The method would be of value for follow up studies aimed at the assessment of industrial pollution in other areas similar with the Pearl River Delta.     

Cd-tolerant Suillus luteus: A fungal insurance for pines exposed to Cd

Soil metal pollution can trigger evolutionary adaptation in soil-borne organisms. An in vitro screening test showed cadmium adaptation in populations of Suillus luteus (L.: Fr.) Roussel, an ectomycorrhizal fungus of pine trees. Cadmium stress was subsequently investigated in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings inoculated with a Cd-tolerant S. luteus, isolated from a heavy metal contaminated site, and compared to plants inoculated with a Cd-sensitive isolate from a non-polluted area. A dose-response experiment with mycorrhizal pines showed better plant protection by a Cd-adapted fungus: more fungal biomass and a higher nutrient uptake at high Cd exposure. In addition, less Cd was transferred to aboveground plant parts. Because of the key role of the ectomycorrhizal symbiosis for tree fitness, the evolution of Cd tolerance in an ectomycorrhizal partner such as S. luteus can be of major importance for the establishment of pine forests on Cd-contaminated soils.     

Woodland restoration in Scotland: ecology, history, culture, economics, politics and change

In the latter half of the 20th century, native pine woodlands in Scotland were restricted to small remnant areas within which there was little regeneration. These woodlands are important from a conservation perspective and are habitat for numerous species of conservation concern. Recent developments have seen a large increase in interest in woodland restoration and a dramatic increase in regeneration and woodland spread. The proximate factor enabling this regeneration is a reduction in grazing pressure from sheep and, particularly, deer. However, this has only been possible as a result of a complex interplay between ecological, political and socio-economic factors. We are currently seeing the decline of land management practices instituted 150-200 years ago, changes in land ownership patterns, cultural revival, and changes in societal perceptions of the Scottish landscape. These all feed into the current move to return large areas of the Scottish Highlands to tree cover. I emphasize the need to consider restoration in a multidisciplinary framework which accounts not just for the ecology involved but also the historical and cultural context.     

Accumulation of Fluoride and Aluminium Related to Different Varieties of Tea Plant

Samples of young shoot, mature leaf, twig, root, and litter were taken from four recently bred varieties Zhe-nong 113, Zhe-nong 121, Zi-sun, and Bi-feng grown at two tea plantations located at Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces. The results showed that the concentrations of F and Al in tea plants were significantly different among the four varieties. It is therefore possible that F and Al concentrations in tea products can be reduced through variety selection. The results also revealed that old leaves would be the major contribution to the high levels of F and Al in brick tea since it is produced mainly for old leaves. Therefore, in order to eliminate the hazard of over-exposure to F and Al derived from tea, younger shoot should be used for making tea products while mature leaves should be avoided.