生态交错带宽度判定及其影响因子研究进展

生态交错带是相邻生态系统之间的过渡带,是生态系统结构和功能在时、空尺度上变化较快的区域,也是生物多样性丰富区、全球变化敏感区.生态交错带位置和宽度的判定是定量研究交错带生态过程的基础,对生物多样性保护、片断化森林生态系统的管理与恢复以及自然保护区的功能分区都具有重要意义.由于生态交错带本身的复杂性,在相当程度上依赖于尺度水平,并受到各种自然和人为因素的影响,以致于目前还缺乏公认的原理和方法定量研究生态交错带,对其位置、宽度判定和动态变化研究一直处于不断的探索中.在分析大量相关研究资料的基础上,文章对生态交错带宽度判定方法以及影响因子进行论述,并对生态交错带宽度判定的研究前景进行展望.     

生态交错带及其研究进展

生态交错带研究对探索自然生态规律和保护环境有重要意义。近30a来,有关生态交错带的论文数平均年增57%,显示其得到了愈来愈广泛的关注。回顾了生态交错带概念的产生与发展,区分了它与边缘、生态边界层与生态过渡带等概念的异同;简述了其7个基本属性,即高生物多样性、丰富的特有种、大量外来种、频繁的物质流动、敏感的时空动态性、结构的异质性和脆弱性;总结提炼了生态交错带的基本原理和假说;综述了生态交错带的生物多样性产生机制、对全球变化的响应与反馈、生态设计与管理以及生态交错带模型发展和整合的研究进展。提出今后需要大力发展理论研究、多尺度模型转化和多因子综合分析,以完善生态交错带理论并支持生态学机理的探索。     

内陆水—陆地交错带的生态功能及其保护与开发前

内陆水／陆地交错带是陆地和水生态系统的界面区。由于它在系统间的特殊地位,近年来受到国际上生态和环境学界的格外重视。水陆交错带的生态功能有保持生物物种的多样性、拦截和过滤经过此交错带的物质流、有利于鱼类的繁育、稳定毗邻的生态系统、净化水体、减少洪水危害、保持水土等。水陆交错带的保护和科学开发都有待提高,使之在人类和自然的协调发展中发挥更大的作用。     

生态空间理论与景观异质性

概述生态空间理论的若干主要方面：尺度、空间格局、景观异质性、镶嵌与生态交错带以及干扰与景观动态等。生态空间理论是景观评价,管理和生态规划的重要基础,对于区域可持续发展和生物多样性保护等方面的研究都具有重要的指导意义。     

河北北部、内蒙古东部森林-草原交错带生物多样性研究

河北北部、内蒙古东部森林－草原交错带富于高的生物多样性。在森林－草原交错带森林草甸区森林斑块的数量最多,其次为森林带,再次为森林－草原交错带草甸草原区,草原带没有森林斑块。植物群落的α多样性在森林群落和草原群落表现不同,森林群落从森林带到草原带依次减低;草原群落则表现出在森林－草原交错带植物多样性高,特别是在森林草甸区最明显,在森林－草原交错带β多样性指数较高,表现在β多样性指数在森林－草原交错带     

基于土壤养分的农林生态系统生态交错带宽度测定

生态交错带变化最显著的是物种组成和植被结构, 然而植物群落与土壤养分是相互制约相互促进的两个系统。前期利用植物物种多样性变化趋势测定出退耕还林政策驱动下, 退耕撂荒地-云南松林(Pinus yunnanensis Franch)交错带宽度约9 m。假设利用土壤养分变化与前期利用植物物种多样性变化测定出的生态交错带宽度和类型一致。为验证此假设, 选取滇西北维西县永春乡退耕还林政策下形成的退耕撂荒地-云南松林交错带为研究对象, 测定其土壤养分变化趋势, 并利用移动窗口法进行交错带位置和宽度的测定。结果表明: (1)相对于云南松林, 退耕撂荒地土壤养分含量(有机质, 碱解氮, 速效钾, 速效磷)均显著偏低; (2)pH, 有机质, 碱解氮的变化趋势能更好的用于测定交错带的位置和宽度, 且SED指数优于PD指数; (3)最终测定农林生态交错带的宽度为11 m, 属于急变型交错带, 与前期利用植物多样性变化测定的结果一致。     

长白山森林/沼泽生态交错带群落和环境梯度分析

揭示了森林沼泽过渡带群落的结构、生产力、植物多样性等群落梯度和交错带环境梯度的相关规律,并结合交错区环境梯度分析这些群落特征形成机制,为维持、保护与经营管理这一交错带生物资源提供了理论依据.将长白山地区森林和高、中、低位沼泽所形成的三大类型过渡带作为研究对象,采用样带网格的调查方法,并应用系统软件分析方法建立了经验回归模型,研究了森林/沼泽生态交错带群落的种类组成、群落建群种径级结构与年龄结构、植物多样性、群落生产力及其随生态交错带环境梯度变化趋势.结果表明,森林/沼泽生态交错带群落结构特征、植物多样性、群落生产力均随着交错带环境梯度的变化而呈现有规律的分布格局.沿着沼泽至森林方向的交错区环境梯度,群落建群种发生更替现象;群落种类数目呈现指数递增趋势;群落的径级结构呈现双曲线分布规律性;年龄结构一般呈三次式分布规律;植物多样性呈二次式递增分布趋势;群落生物量均呈现三次式函数曲线递增趋势,表现出群落梯度和环境梯度的高度相关性.     

关帝山次生林区典型森林交错带物种多样性研究

森林交错带富于高的生物多样性。应用Shannon-Weiner指数、Simpson指数、Margalef指数、Pielou指数,研究了关帝山次生林区森林交错带中处于不同演替阶段的群落物种多样性动态特征,同时对交错带内群落与相邻群落的物种多样性特怔进行了对比分析。结果表明：处于森林演替不同阶段的交错带,在由阔叶林、针阔叶混交林到针叶林的演替过程中,Shannon－Weiner多样性指数、Margalef丰富度指数均表现出单峰变化趋势,在演替中后期的针阔叶混交林阶段,指数值最高。Simpson优势度指数则表现出凹形变化．不同于多样性、丰富度指数,在演替中后期,达到最低值。Pielou均匀度指数表现出下降趋势。交错带内群落与相邻群落相比,Shannon－Weiner多样性指数较高,具有高的物种多样性,边际效应表现为正效应。Margalef丰富度指数变化与Shannon－Weiner多样性指数变化不一致,只在一定程度上证明了边际正效应的影响。两指数共同反映出研究地区的森林交错带内群落具有较高的物种多样性。     

湖滨带退化生态系统的恢复与重建

湖滨带是水陆生态交错带的一种类型,在湖泊流域生态系统中发挥着重要作用,具有较高的生态、社会和经济价值.湖滨带的功能包括:缓冲带功能、保持生物多样性及生境保护功能、护岸功能和经济美学价值.湖滨带退化的原因主要是人为因素引起的生物群落结构的逆向演替及生态功能下降,退化湖滨带生态恢复与重建的理论基础是恢复生态学,其生态恢复技术可划分为三大类:湖滨带生境恢复与重建技术、湖滨带生物恢复与重建技术、湖滨带生态系统结构与功能恢复技术.云南洱海湖滨带近3年的生态恢复与重建试验的生态调查结果表明,试验区水生植被得到恢复,水质净化作用明显,藻类得到抑制,浮游动物的构成和数量发生变化,湖滨带湿地生态系统的生物多样性和稳定性增加.     

岛礁型海洋生物保护区（IMPA）的设计和管理：理论和实例研究

本文提出和论述了岛礁型海洋生物保护区（ＩＭＰＡ）设计和管理的７条原则;生物多样性和稀缺性,生境典型性和完整性,物种－面积关系,海－陆生态交错带,人工自然化,生态脆弱性和自养型经济。并且结合我国第一个国家级海洋生物保护区－南麂列岛自然保护区（ＮＩＮＲ）设计和规划的实践,说明如何实施这些原则。     

Ecotone formation through ecological niche construction: the role of biodiversity and species interactions

Rapid changes in species composition, also known as ecotones, can result from various causes including rapid changes in environmental conditions, or physiological thresholds. The possibility that ecotones arise from ecological niche construction by ecosystem engineers has received little attention. In this study, we investigate how the diversity of ecosystem engineers, and their interactions, can give rise to ecotones. We build a spatially explicit dynamical model that couples a multispecies community and its abiotic environment. We use numerical simulations and analytical techniques to determine the biotic and abiotic conditions under which ecotone emergence is expected to occur, and the role of biodiversity therein. We show that the diversity of ecosystem engineers can lead to indirect interactions through the modification of their shared environment. These interactions, which can be either competitive or mutualistic, can lead to the emergence of discrete communities in space, separated by sharp ecotones where a high species turnover is observed. Considering biodiversity is thus critical when studying the influence of species–environment interactions on the emergence of ecotones. This is especially true for the wide range of species that have small to moderate effects on their environment. Our work highlights new mechanisms by which biodiversity loss could cause significant changes in spatial community patterns in changing environments.     

Biotic fluxes of matter and energy between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems

This paper is an introduction to a special issue of the journal. A brief historical delineation of the question of studying interfaces between adjacent ecosystems (ecotones) is presented. High biodiversity of ecotones and their vulnerability to natural and anthropogenic impacts, including invasions of alien species, are noted. It is supposed that there is no contradiction between the ecotone and river continuum concepts. The important ecological role of amphibiotic animals and plants in interactions and functioning of the adjacent ecosystems is emphasized. The issue of studying the quantitative parameters of fluxes of matter and energy between ecosystems in conjunction with their qualitative parameters (chemical elemental and biochemical compositions) is considered in the present paper.     

Evolutionary adaptations by fish to ecotonal complexity in spatially variable landscapes — a perspective

In most types of freshwater ecosystems fish diversity depends greatly on land/inland water ecotones. So, to maintain biodiversity of fish communities in inland waters, management and restoration of aquatic terrestrial ecotones will be an important tool. However, to provide a scientific background for such conservation activities, it will be desirable to test the importance of different types of ecotones in structuring and maintaining the genetic diversity of fish populations. The relevance of population genetics data to ecotone studies can only be understood in an ecological context as evolution is a function of environment. We suggest that as ecotone complexity increases opportunities for survival of individuals, improving trophic conditions and spatial habitat heterogeneity, so the population size and variation increase with increased genetic diversity and vulnerability to environment changes decreases.     

Edge Effects Are Important in Supporting Beetle Biodiversity in a Gravel-Bed River Floodplain

Understanding complex, dynamic, and diverse ecosystems is essential for developing sound management and conservation strategies. Gravel-bed river floodplains are composed of an interlinked mosaic of aquatic and terrestrial habitats hosting a diverse, specialized, and endangered fauna. Therefore, they serve as excellent models to investigate the biodiversity of multiple ecotones and related edge effects. In this study, we investigated the abundance, composition, richness, and conservation status of beetle assemblages at varying sediment depth (0, 0.1, 0.6 and 1.1 m), distance from the channel (1, 5, 20, and 60–100 m, and 5 m within the riparian forest), and time of the year (February–November) across a 200 m-wide gravel bar at the near-natural Tagliamento River (Italy), to detect edge effects in four floodplain ecotones: aquatic-terrestrial, forest-active floodplain, sediment-air, and sediment-groundwater. We used conventional pitfall traps and novel tube traps to sample beetles comparably on the sediment surface and within the unsaturated sediments. We found a total of 308 beetle species (including 87 of conservation concern) that showed multiple, significant positive edge effects across the floodplain ecotones, mainly driven by spatial heterogeneity: Total and red list beetle abundance and richness peaked on the sediment surface, at channel margins, and at the edge of the riparian forest. All ecotones possessed edge/habitat specialists. Most red list species occurred on the sediment surface, including five species previously considered extinct – yet two of these species occurred in higher densities in the unsaturated sediments. Conservation and management efforts along gravel-bed rivers must therefore promote a dynamic flow and sediment regime to create and maintain habitat heterogeneity and ecotone diversity, which support a unique and high biodiversity.     

Birds at the urban fringe: avian community shifts in different peri-urban ecotones of a megacity

Cities can be regionalized in intra-urban and peri-urban areas. The space between urban areas and adjacent systems represents an ecological transition that often acts as a semi-permeable biological filter. In this study, we assessed changes in avian community species richness, density, and composition at different peri-urban ecotones (i.e., urban-croplands, urban-grasslands, urban-shrublands) of northeastern Mexico City. Species richness was lower in the urban component of urban-grassland and urban-shrubland ecotones, while bird densities were higher in the urban components of the urban-grassland and urban-shrubland peri-urban ecotones, mainly due to the high number of urban exploiter species. However, the urban-cropland peri-urban ecotone exhibited a different pattern, with similar low bird species richness and density values between both components (urban and non-urban). A species composition analysis revealed that urban bird communities were not influenced by adjacent non-urban habitats, since the urban components of peri-urban ecotones were more similar among them than in relation to the rest of non-urban components. In summary, results of this study show that urbanization can represent an important biological filter for birds, often reducing species richness and homogenizing avian communities at local scales. As the environmental variables determining ecological processes related to the semi-permeable filter effect that urban areas pose to biodiversity might depend on urban habitats, regions, and spatial scales, further studies are needed to fully understand this phenomenon.     

The European spruce bark beetle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ips typographus</Emphasis> in a national park: from pest to keystone species

The influence of natural disturbance on biodiversity is poorly known in the intensively cultivated landscape of Europe. As an example of insect disturbance we studied effects of gaps generated by outbreaks of the spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) on biodiversity in the area of the National Park “Bavarian Forest” and compared them with openings (e.g. meadows) created by humans in these forests. Insects were sampled using flight interception traps across twelve ecotones between edges of closed forest, six bark beetle gaps and six meadows. The diversity and species density of true bugs and of bees/wasps increased significantly from the closed stand to the edge, and continued to increase inside the openings at interior and exterior edges. Species density in saproxylic beetles also increased significantly from closed forest to opening, but only across ecotones including bark beetle gaps. Similarly, the number of critically endangered saproxylic beetles increased significantly in bark beetle gaps. Using indicator species analysis a total of 60 species were identified as possessing a statistically significant value indicating preference for one of the habitat types along the ecotones: 29 of them preferred gaps, 24 preferred meadows, three were characteristic for edges of meadows, three for edges of bark beetle gaps, but only one was typical of closed forest. Most of our results support the thesis that I. typographus fulfils the majority of criteria for a keystone species, particularly that of maintenance of biodiversity in forests. Our results emphasize the value for the study and conservation of insect diversity of the policy of non-interference with natural processes pursued in some protected areas. As a recommendation to forest management for increasing insect diversity even in commercial forest, we suggest that logging in recent gaps in medium aged mixed montane stands should aim at retention of a part of the dead wood. Planting should be avoided, to lengthen the important phase of sunlit conditions.     

Comparing the Response of Birds and Butterflies to Vegetation-Based Mountain Ecotones Using Boundary Detection Approaches

Mountains provide an opportunity to examine changes in biodiversity across environmental gradients and areas of transition (ecotones). Mountain ecotones separate vegetation belts. Here, we aimed to examine whether transition areas for birds and butterflies spatially correspond with ecotones between three previously described altitudinal vegetation belts on Mt. Hermon, northern Israel. These include the Mediterranean Maquis, xero-montane open forest and Tragacanthic mountain steppe vegetation belts. We sampled the abundance of bird and butterfly species in 34 sampling locations along an elevational gradient between 500 and 2200 m. We applied wombling, a boundary-detection technique, which detects rapid changes in a continuous variable, in order to locate the transition areas for bird and butterfly communities and compare the location of these areas with the location of vegetation belts as described in earlier studies of Mt. Hermon. We found some correspondence between the areas of transition of both bird and butterfly communities and the ecotones between vegetation belts. For birds and butterflies, important transitions occurred at the lower vegetation ecotone between Mediterranean maquis and the xero-montane open forest vegetation belts, and between the xero-montane open forest and the mountain steppe Tragacanthic belts. While patterns of species turnover with elevation were similar for birds and butterflies, the change in species richness and diversity with elevation differed substantially between the two taxa. Birds and butterflies responded quite similarly to the elevational gradient and to the shift between vegetation belts in terms of species turnover rates. While the mechanisms generating these patterns may differ, the resulting areas of peak turnover in species show correspondence among three different taxa (plants, birds and butterflies).     

甘肃省麦积山景区——生态过渡带自然和文化遗产杰出范例

直到现在,生物多样性管护的主要注意力放在热点地区,但T．B．Smith等生态学家提出,管护战略必须把注意力不仅放在热点地区。而且也耍放在相联系的过渡带。他们争论说后者区域可能保有许多种群之间的适应变异,并因而对于生物多样性的产生和保持很重要。虽然生态过渡带常常拥有高的物种丰富度,但它们大多数是广泛分布的物种,它们的分布范围在生态过渡带相遇。甘肃省的麦积山景区是我国生态过渡带的自然和文化遗产地的杰出代表。麦积山景区不仅具有温凉、半湿润、四季分明的气候和复杂的地质地貌与土壤条件,使它的生物多样性独特丰富,具有过渡的特点,为我国同纬度其它地区无法相比,它的古文化遗存也丰富多彩,在一定程度上展现了印度佛教文化向中国化的过渡。