Litter fall and decomposition in a Pinus halepensis forest on Mallorca

Abstract. Litter fall and decomposition in a Pinus halepensis forest was studied in order to help understand nutrient cycles in this ecosystem, threatened as it is by fire and tourism. The study was done over two years in an experimental forest stand at Cap des Pinar on Mallorca, Spain. The woodland area has not been disturbed for about 40 yr. Total litter fall amounted to 3.44 ton ha^-1 yr^-1 and 2.52 ton ha^-1 yr^-1 in the first and second year, and leaf fall to 2.00 ton ha^-1 yr^-1 and 1.93 ton ha^-1 yr^-1 respectively with a maximum in July. As to litter fall, there was a summer maximum for brown needles and kernels, a spring maximum for inflorescences and bud scales, and an autumn maximum for bark. Erratic maxima occurred for fall of green needles, cones and branches, linked to strong winds in winter. The total amount of litter mass on the forest soil reached 12.68 ton/ha: 5.75 ton/ha in the L organic horizon, 3.46 ton/ha needles, and 6.93 ton/ha in the F organic horizon. Weight loss from annual decomposition, measured using litter bags, was 18.1 % in year 1 and 26.8% in year 2. Over 365 days, an Olson (1963) decomposition rate of 0.045 %/day was found in year 1 and of 0.084 %/day for year 2. Decomposition half-time was 1529 for year 1 and 827 days for year 2.     

Terrestrial transects for global change research

The International Geosphere-Biosphere Program has proposed a set of large-scale terrestrial transects to study the effects of changes in climate, land use, and atmospheric composition (global change) on biogeochemistry, surface-atmosphere exchange, and vegetation dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems. The transects ( 1000 km) will be located along existing environmental and land use intensity gradients that span transitions between biomes in regions likely to be widely affected by forcing from components of global change or where the impacts of global change are likely to feed back to affect atmospheric, climatic, or hydrologic systems. Experimental studies on the transects will examine short-term changes in ecosystem function and biosphere-atmosphere interaction in response to variation in primary controlling variables. A hierarchy of modeling approaches will develop predictions of long-term changes in biome boundaries and vegetation distribution. The proposed initial set of IGBP terrestrial transects are located in four key regions: (1) humid tropical forests undergoing land use change, (2) high latitudes including the transition from boreal forest to tundra, (3) semi-arid tropical regions including transitions from dry forest to shrublands and savannas, and (4) mid latitude semi-arid regions encompassing transitions from shrubland or grassland to forests. We discuss here the rationale and general research design of transect studies proposed for each of these priority regions.GCTE Focus 1 Office     

Grazing dynamics at different spatial and temporal scales: examples from the Swedish historical record a.d. 1620–1850

The aim of this paper is to discuss implications of different resolution scales of both time and space in studies of past land use and past vegetation, both historical and palaeoecological. The paper gives examples of short term-variation, long-term changes, small spatial scale differences and regional differences in land use, studied through historical sources in four regions in south central Sweden. It also discusses the difficulty of interpretation of forest vegetation in old cadastral maps. Historical sources can show dynamics on the fine temporal and spatial scales that are difficult to capture with pollen analysis. On the other hand, pollen analysis has unique possibilities for the study of time periods where historical records are lacking. Therefore the combination of several disciplines is likely to be productive in aiding understanding past land use and vegetation. However, there are important limitations in using the information in cadastral maps and other historical sources to interpret and quantify past vegetation.     

Growth and ecophysiological acclimation of the foliose lichen Lobaria pulmonaria in forests with contrasting light climates

This study aims to assess biomass and area growth of 600 thalli of the old forest lichen, Lobaria pulmonaria, transplanted to three successional boreal forest stands with (1) natural rainfall regime, (2) additional moistening during dry days, and (3) additional moistening with added nutrients. Mean biomass growth during 100 days varied from 8.3% in the dark young spruce forest to 23.1% in the clear-cut area, with the old forest in between (16.0%). Additional moistening did not enhance lichen growth, probably because the transplantation period was wet. Nutrient additions slightly increased area growth compared to artificial water additions only. Growth was determined by a combination of external (forest stand, site factors) and internal factors (chlorophyll content, biomass per area). Transplants acclimated to high light by increasing thickness and chlorophyll a/b-ratio. Some visible bleaching and a strong positive correlation between chlorophyll content per area and lichen growth in clear-cuts suggest some high light-induced chlorophyll degradation. We believe that biomass growth and natural occurrence of L. pulmonaria is controlled by a delicate balance between light availability and desiccation risk, and that the species is confined to old forests due to a physiological trade-off between growth potential and fatal desiccation damage, both of which increase with increasing light. The discrepancy between potential and realized ecological niches is probably caused by a long-term risk to be killed in open habitats by high light during long periods with no rain.     

Degradation stages of the oak forests in the area of Algiers

Long lasting human impact on the natural Mediterranean vegetation is the reason for its degradation. Uncontrolled felling of trees, fire and overgrazing are the most important ecological causes of this process.Geobotanical investigations made in the area of Algiers facilitated the characterization of degradation changes in the structure of vegetation and in the floristic composition in all the degradation stages.Under the influence of the degradation factors, mentioned above, the oak forests, growing on different, more or less calcareous substrates, are transformed into various shrub formations, mainly into many types of maquis and garrigue. The floristic composition of these communities is given in Table 2.Further degradation leads to widespread Cistus-formations and then to palmitto, a formation created by the dwarf palm (Chamaerops humilis).When the anthropopressure becomes stronger even this dwarf palm retreats. Loose swards, replacing the palmitto formation, often cannot stop the subsequent degradation. Bare rock is the extreme, relatively rare stage of forest degradation in this area.The most common form of natural regeneration is the invasion of Pinus halepensis, observed in all degradation stages identified. This pine is also one of trees, most commonly planted on mountain slopes to prevent their erosion.     

三工河流域荒漠绿洲植被动态及其成因分析

以三工河流域为例,讨论了植被动态及其地貌、水资源利用、河流廊道和排碱渠等景观要素的变化对植被产生的影响.结果表明,随着景观格局的变化,流域内的植丛高度、盖度及生物量均表现出较大变异性.以河流廊道为核心,通常荒漠绿洲景观格局呈带状分布,且由内向外随水热条件的改变,植被类型由乔灌木林依次向灌丛草甸、盐化草甸、荒漠化草甸和荒漠层次结构过渡.人类活动影响强烈的景观要素,其斑块多样性、破碎度、分离度和斑块密度等指数值较高,而人类活动影响较小的,其优势度和均匀度较高.各景观要素的稳定性不同,其大小顺序为:荒漠>沙砾石地>城镇用地>水体>农田>牧草地>菜地>林地>居民点>盐碱地>荒草地>水浇地>果园.梭梭群落的净生长量高峰值出现在8月,而博乐蒿、琵琶柴群落的净生长量高峰值出现时间各年度不同.博乐蒿群落与海拔相关系数最大,而琵琶柴群落则与土壤水含量、地下水位关系密切,梭梭群落与4～9月降雨量相关系数最大.     

Effects of canopy gaps on the growth of tree seedlings from subtropical broad-leaved evergreen forests of southern China

Seedling performance, morphology, and leaf characteristics of evergreen tree species from different successional stages of Chinese broadleaved evergreen forests were studied in four simulated gap environments: in 100, 55, 33, and 18% of full sunlight. The first two represent the light regimes of clearings (gaps secondarily become more open due to human activity and natural erosion). The hypothesis was tested that early-successional species achieve their greatest seedling size in clearings and contrast in this respect with late-successional species. Late-successional species were expected to show a stronger morphological response (leaf/root ratio) to clearings than early-successional ones. The results provided some evidence in support of these hypotheses with one exception, namely that late-successional Castanopsis fargesii appeared to be a highly sun-tolerant species. It is suggested that Castanopsis seedlings are competitive in large gaps and clearings.     

Dynamic assessment of the value of vegetation carbon fixation and oxygen release services in Qinghai Lake basin

Studies on ecosystem service function have an important significance for analyzing and understanding global warming. With the introduction of geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) technologies for the evaluation of ecosystem service function, the scope for analysis has been widening. Increasing number of researchers use these technologies to quantify the value of ecosystem service functions and reveal their spatial-temporal variability. By using the data for the interpretation of five RS images and net primary productivity (NPP) in Qinghai Lake basin, we assessed the value of vegetation carbon fixation and oxygen release services and revealed their dynamic variation in this basin. The result suggested that the average values of vegetation carbon fixation and oxygen release services in Qinghai Lake basin between 1987 and 2010 were spatially distributed in a ring shape around the Qinghai Lake and decreased from southeastern to the north and northwestern regions; the northwestern areas had the lowest value. The vegetation carbon fixation value between 1987 and 2010 was on an average 28.87 × 10⁸ yuan/a in Qinghai Lake basin, whereas the oxygen release value was 64.41 × 10⁸ yuan/a. Alpine meadow ecosystem showed the highest value of vegetation carbon fixation and oxygen release services function in Qinghai Lake basin, with average values of 18.28 × 10⁸ yuan/a and 40.79 × 10⁸ yuan/a, respectively, followed by those of temperate steppe and sparse vegetation. The vegetation carbon fixation and oxygen release values in Qinghai Lake basin gradually increased from 1987 to 2010, with the maximum value in 2010. By the end of 2010, the values increased by 7.19 × 10⁸ yuan and 16.04 × 10⁸ yuan, respectively. The values slightly decreased in barren land, lakeside marsh, river valley swamp, and sandy areas, but increased to different degrees in other ecosystems. Among them, the largest increase was noted in alpine meadow (4.38 × 10⁸ yuan and 9.78 × 10⁸ yuan, respectively), followed by those in temperate steppe with increased values of 1.12 × 10⁸ yuan and 2.49 × 10⁸ yuan, respectively.     

History of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sylvestris</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus nigra ssp. salzmanni</Emphasis> forest in the Sub-Mediterranean mountains (Grands Causses,Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert,southern Massif Central,France) based on charcoal from limestone and dolomitic deposits

Charcoal, the remains of Holocene fires recorded in natural sediments, allows a new approach to the study of forest evolution in the mountains of the Mediterranean region. The area of the Grands Causses and St Guilhem, southern Massif Central (France) played an important role in the preservation of steppic and pre-steppic ecosystems up to the middle Holocene. The present biodiversity developed recently (between 5000–3000 b.p.), which explains the persistence of typical alpine and steppic flora characteristic of these areas. From the middle Holocene on, both fire events in the Eastern areas of the Causse Méjean and grazing have contributed to creating the bald landscape characteristic of this region. Further south the present day forest of Pinus nigra ssp. salzmanni is a recent phenomenon. It was during the Middle Ages that the initial forest of Pinus sylvestris and Pinus nigra ssp. salzmanni, a heritage from the last glaciation, started to change. δ¹³C measurements were carried out and the results compared with reference material. These show that fire events are closely related to dry periods, implying climatic changes of increasing dryness after the middle Holocene climatic optimum.     

植被系统中植物与环境因子相互作用的动态模拟

本文在综合考虑现有植被发展动态模型的基础上提出包含植被,环境因子,人类或其它外力干扰三者间相互作用情况下的植被系统一般动态模型,并从控制论的角度阐述了植被与环境因子间的耦合,反馈作用。最后以线性逼近和微分拟合的方法求取模型的局部解,进而作出外延预测。实例分析表明,模型预测对实际观测有较好的跟踪性能。     

Five centuries of changing forest vegetation in the Northeastern United States

Maps of physiognomic classes of vegetation in the northeastern UnitedStates before European human impact and for the late 20th century, based onpollen data, closely resemble each other, indicating a robust pattern in theface of the novel and extensive disturbances of the last 500 years. On the otherhand, species abundances have changed considerably, with today's vegetationhaving less Fagus L. and TsugaCarrière and more Betula L.,Picea A. Dietr., and Abies Miller.Picea and Castanea Miller increasedfrom 1700 to 1900, but have decreased in this century. The difference betweenthe main physiognomic classes has remained strong, however, with continuouslymore Picea, Abies andBetula in the north and more QuercusL. and Carya Nutt. in the south, indicating the dominanceof climate in regulating the relative abundances of these genera. Thevegetational patterning within these broad classes has changed in some placesand remained stable in others, suggesting differences in local factors thatdetermine relative species abundances. The influence of slight altitudinalgradients, for example, may influence forest composition only after severalgenerations of trees, while substrate differences may be apparent in the firstforest that regenerates after agricultural abandonment or logging. Forests oftoday, therefore, reflect complex interactions of disturbance and environment,and may be in equilibrium with some but not all features of their currentenvironments.     

三工河流域荒漠绿洲植被动态及其成因分析

以三工河流域为例,讨论了植被动态及其地貌、水资源利用、河流廊道和排碱渠等景观要素的变化对植被产生的影响．结果表明,随着景观格局的变化,流域内的植丛高度、盖度及生物量均表现出较大变异性．以河流廊道为核心,通常荒漠绿洲景观格局呈带状分布,且由内向外随水热条件的改变,植被类型由乔灌木林依次向灌丛草甸、盐化草甸、荒漠化草甸和荒漠层次结构过渡．人类活动影响强烈的景观要素。其斑块多样性、破碎度、分离度和斑块密度等指数值较高,而人类活动影响较小的,其优势度和均匀度较高．各景观要素的稳定性不同,其大小顺序为：荒漠>沙砾石地>城镇用地>水体>农田>牧草地>莱地>林地>居民点>盐碱地>荒草地>水浇地>果园．梭梭群落的净生长量高峰值出现在8月,而博乐蒿、琵琶柴群落的净生长量高峰值出现时间各年度不同．博乐蒿群落与海拔相关系数最大,而琵琶柴群落则与土壤水含量、地下水位关系密切,梭梭群落与4～9月降雨量相关系数最大。     

EKC and the income elasticity hypothesis Land for housing or land for future?

This paper investigates the relationships between land consumption and per capita gross domestic product (GDP) for a panel of 20 Italian regions over the period 1980–2010. As proxy of land consumption, it uses the supply of new housing, being residential construction the main cause of soil sealing. To test this hypothesis it runs a panel data regression model. In the considered period, results show the existence of an inverted EKC whereas, on a longer period, a N-shaped curve may be inferred. Contrary to the EKC hypothesis, both fixed effect and random effect model estimates show that higher income does not induce greater environmental awareness or, in different words, that the income elasticity hypothesis holds for housing demand rather (or more) than for environment. According to these results, considering the specificity of the resource under consideration, the paper claims for a shift from market to public policy. A tighter urban planning and a higher “environmental” property taxation could be efficient strategies to combat land consumption.     

不同土地利用方式和植被特征对高原鼠兔行为的影响

2009年3~7月,在西藏自治区墨竹工卡县日多乡念村(29o46′N,92o19′~92o20′E,海拔4 423~5 015 m),采用目标动物抽样法对高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)的警戒行为和取食行为进行了观察,利用广义线性模型(GLM)的泊松回归模型分析了不同土地利用、植被覆盖度、植物类别和植被优势种对高原鼠兔行为影响的差异。研究结果表明,雌性高原鼠兔取食行为频率高于雄性(β=﹣0.203,SE=0.096,P0.05),警戒行为频率低于雄性(β=0.199,SE=0.088,P0.05)。高原鼠兔的取食行为(β=﹣0.009,SE=0.004,P0.05)随着栖息地内双子叶植物覆盖比例增高而呈递减趋势,相应地,随着栖息地内单子叶植物覆盖比例的增高呈现递增趋势(β=0.009,SE=0.004,P0.05)。高原鼠兔的警戒行为在放牧地(β=0.273,SE=0.131,P0.05)以及植被覆盖度高的栖息地内(β=0.007,SE=0.003,P0.05)均呈递增趋势。随着薹草属植物覆盖度比例增高,高原鼠兔的取食行为(β=0.023,SE=0.006,P0.001)呈现递增趋势,而警戒行为呈递减趋势(β=﹣0.018,SE=0.007,P0.05)。     

Local habitat and landscape influence predation of bird nests on afforested Mediterranean cropland

Afforestation programs such as the one promoted by the EU Common Agrarian Policy have contributed to spread tree plantations on former cropland. Nevertheless these afforestations may cause severe damage to open habitat species, especially birds of high conservation value. We investigated predation of artificial bird nests at young tree plantations and at the open farmland habitat adjacent to the tree plantations in central Spain. Predation rates were very high at both tree plantations (95.6%) and open farmland habitat (94.2%) after two and three week exposure. Plantation edge/area ratio and development of the tree canopy decreased predation rates and plantation area and magpie (Pica pica) abundance increased predation rates within tree plantations, which were also affected by land use types around plantations. The area of nearby tree plantations (positive effect), distance to the tree plantation edge (negative effect), and habitat type (mainly attributable to the location of nests in vineyards) explained predation rates at open farmland habitat. We conclude that predation rates on artificial nests were particularly high and rapid at or nearby large plantations, with high numbers of magpies and low tree development, and located in homogenous landscapes dominated by herbaceous crops and pastures with no remnants of semi-natural woody vegetation. Landscape planning should not favour tree plantations as the ones studied here in Mediterranean agricultural areas that are highly valuable for ground-nesting bird species.     

浙江天童国家森林公园常绿阔叶林演替前期的群落生态学特征

本文在天童国家森林公园内采用固定样地法,研究了常绿阔叶林演替前期（包括次生灌丛和马尾松Ｐｉｎｕｓ ｍａｓｓｏｎｉａｎａ林）的群落生态学特征。结果表明,随着群落的演替,群落的和种组成明显增加,群落的外貌结构逐步形成并明显地分化,为常绿叶林演替的深入研究提供基本资料。     

蒙古栎红松林演替模型FOROAK的研究

以森林动态斑块理论为基础建立了蒙古栎（ＱｕｅｒｃｕｓｍｏｎｇｏｌｉｃａＦｉｓｃｈ．）红松（ＰｉｎｕｓｋｏｒａｉｅｎｓｉｓＳｉｅｂ．ｅｔＺｕｃｃ．）林动态变化的林窗模型ＦＯＲＯＡＫ,该模型包括对树木生长的生物学过程和影响树木生长的环境因子模拟两部分。用两种不同面积大小的样地分析森林动态,确定蒙古栎红松林林窗面积为０．０５ｈｍ２。以实际调查数据检验模型,证明所得模型能合理预测森林变化过程,在预测树种组成上精度很高,实际调查和预测的树种断面积组成比在６０、１００和２７０年非常接近,在森林发育后期观测样地的树种组成与预测结果吻合程度良好。对裸地上森林模拟,表明森林的动态过程规律是,蒙古栎和白桦（ＢｅｔｕｌａｐｌａｔｙｐｈｙｌａＳｕｋａｃｚ．）在林分发育开始占优势,中期形成阔叶树和针叶树混交,但以阔叶树为主的森林,后期渐被红松取代。对现实原始林预测显示,森林未来３００年变化稳定,红松株数和生物量变化很小。     

蒙古栎红松林演替模型FOROAK的研究

Based on forest dynamics theory, gap model FOROAK was developed for simulating long-termdynamics of Mongolian oak (Quercus rnongolica Fisch. )-Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc. )forest. The model included two parts: biological growth and environmental impacts on growth. Different areapatches were used in simulating forest changes. The results showed that this forest gap was 0.05 hm2. Themodel testing demonstrated that it could reasonably simulate forest dynamic process, and had a very highaccuracy to predict species compositions. The observed species basal areas was similar to the predicted at 60,100 and 270 year forests, the observed species compositions were similar to the predicted at old forest period.Complex changes were found through modeling forest dynamics of bare ground. Mongolian oak and white birch( Betula platyphylla Sukacz. ) dominated at early stage, forest dominated by broad leaved species was formedat middle stage, and then Korean pine dominated at latter stage. The prediction of current primary forestshowed that it was steady during the next 300 year period, the number of trees and the biomass of Korean pine changed very little.     

江西新建县土地利用时空动态特征分析

在RS与GIS支持下,以江西省新建县为研究区,采用与土地利用动态度相关的一系列时空特征指数,研究了1991、1996和2000年3个时间段上土地利用的时空动态特征.结果表明,单一土地利用动态中建设用地变化动态度最大;1991～2000年间研究区域综合土地利用动态度年均变化速度为0.165%,其中前5年变化速度比后4年快,为后者1.5倍多.1991、1996和2000年土地利用程度综合指数分别为243.68、244.08和244.87,稍高于全国平均水平23192.新建县1996～2000年各种土地利用类型总的空间转移量(转出或转入)比前一时段有所下降,土地利用变化逐渐由双向转移向单向不平衡转移转化.