不同烈度林火对油松林潜在地表火行为的影响

油松是我国华北地区代表性树种之一,含有丰富油脂,容易引发大面积高烈度森林火灾。阐明不同烈度林火对油松林地表可燃物负荷量和潜在地表火行为的影响,对于油松林林火管理具有重要意义。以辽河源自然保护区2014年不同烈度林火干扰后油松林分为研究对象,根据不同烈度(重度、中度、轻度)和对照(未过火)分别设置3块20 m×20 m样地,共12块样地,调查地表可燃物和林分结构指标,结合室内实验,利用BehavePlus 5.0软件进行潜在火行为模拟,探讨不同烈度林火5年后油松林地表可燃物负荷量和潜在地表火行为特点,并分析影响潜在地表火行为的主要因素。研究结果表明：(1)不同烈度林火之间,细小可燃物负荷量和地表可燃物总负荷量均不存在显著性差异(P>0.05)。(2)不同烈度林火后,在不同风速和可燃物含水率条件下,油松林潜在地表火蔓延速度、火线强度不存在显著性差异(P>0.05),单位面积发热量、火焰高度、反应强度存在显著性差异(P<0.05)。(3)不同烈度林火后油松林潜在地表火行为主要受油松更新幼苗基径、灌木负荷量、油松平均冠幅、上层枯叶负荷量、油松更新幼苗密度的影响。研究结果表明不...     

油松(Pinus tabulaeformis)人工林林下植被发育对油松生长节律的响应

林下植被作为森林生态系统的一个重要组成部分,对维持林分结构和土壤质量起着重要作用.不同年龄树种对林下植被发育的影响已有所涉及,但这些为数不多的研究往往割裂了林木种群的生长规律与其林下植被间的相互作用,以林龄为尺度探讨林下植被发育的差异必然掩盖了林分种群对林下植被作用的异质性.采用时序研究法,按照油松(Pinus tabulaeformis)高速生期、径速生期、材积慢生期和材积速生期等不同发育时期,探讨林下植被组成、多样性、生物量和元素积累量的差异性.结果表明,高速生期阶段油松与林下植被竞争最为激烈,林下植被物种丰富度、多样性、生物量、元素积累量均最低.因此,高速生期阶段应及时对油松采取较大强度的抚育间伐以缓和油松种群与林下植被剧烈竞争的关系.径速生阶段林下植被与油松竞争最为缓和,草本层Gleason、Shannon-Wiener、Pielow指数由高生长阶段的7.817、2.222和0.769剧增到19.978、3.470和0.907,灌木层、草本层地上部分生物量、元素积累量也均达到最大.径速生阶段对油松林分的管理可相对粗放一些.进入材积阶段,油松与林下植被的关系日趋紧张.材积慢生阶段灌木层、草本层生物量由径速生期的2 262.61、461.92 kg/hm2分别下降至1 549.85、 220.84 kg/hm2,而灌木层Gleason、Shannon-Wiener指数均达到峰值.相对于材积慢生期,材积速生期灌木层、草本层物种多样性指数、元素积累量进一步下降,而生物量略有上升,材积速生期阶段应对油松林分适度间伐或主伐.可见,林下植被可作为人工纯林乔木生长规律的指示剂,根据林下植被发育状况选择林分经营方式具有一定的参考价值.     

珠江流域中上游防护林冠层结构对林下植被的影响

防护林林下植被对水源涵养、土壤保育和提升生态服务功能具有重要意义。以珠江流域中上游广西都安县5种典型珠江防护林(桉树、任豆、马尾松人工纯林,马尾松+荷木人工混交林和青冈栎天然林)为研究对象,应用半球影像技术获取林分冠层结构(林冠开阔度CO和叶面积指数LAI)和林下光环境指标(林下直射光、林下散射光和林下总光照),并分析两组指标之间的关系及其对林下植被特征的影响。结果表明:1)马尾松+荷木混交林较人工纯林更有利于林下灌木层植被多样性的维持。2)各林分冠层结构与林下光照指标极显著相关(P0.001),冠层结构对林下散射光的影响比对林下直射光大。3)CO和林下光环境指标与灌木层物种丰富度(S)和多样性指数(H)呈极显著负相关(P0.001),较高的林下光照不利于林下灌木层植被多样性的维持。冠层结构是影响林下灌木层植物多样性和更新的关键因素,而灌木层和草本层种间竞争可能是影响物种多样性的另外一个重要因素。人工纯林改造和结构调整中,对乔木层可通过适当补植伴生树种,增加林下郁闭度,促进灌木层物种发育;对草本层可适度降低单优草本优势度,为灌木和幼苗更新提供空间。     

北京松山油松林地表可燃物负荷量的影响因素

森林地表可燃物是引起森林火灾的重要因素,研究森林地表可燃物负荷量的影响因子可以为森林可燃物管理提供科学依据。本文对北京松山自然保护区油松林地表可燃物负荷量与地形、林分和地被物因子进行相关性分析和逐步回归分析,通过方差分解计算3类影响因子对可燃物负荷量变化的贡献率。结果表明:(1)地表总可燃物负荷量与草本盖度呈显著负相关。地表活可燃物负荷量与海拔和灌木盖度呈显著正相关,与草本盖度呈显著负相关。地表死可燃物负荷量分别与郁闭度、林分密度和平均树高呈显著正相关,与海拔呈极显著负相关;(2)多元线性回归分析表明,用海拔、郁闭度和灌木盖度3个因子可较好地估算地表活可燃物负荷量;地表死可燃物负荷量可用海拔和郁闭度2个因子进行较好估算。(3)对地表活可燃物负荷量的解释力中,地被物因子林分因子地形因子,地被物因子与地形因子的交互作用贡献率最显著,与林分因子的交互作用贡献率次之。对地表死可燃物负荷量的解释力中,林分因子地形因子地被物因子,林分因子和地形因子的交互贡献率显著,与地被物因子的交互贡献率次之。不同类别地表可燃物的影响因子不同,在进行可燃物管理、森林防火和林分调控的过程中需有针对性。     

中亚热带不同林龄杉木人工林径级结构与林下物种多样性分析

采用典型抽样法,以位于中亚热带的福建省将乐县的杉木〔Cunninghamia lanceolata ( Lamb.) Hook.〕人工林为研究对象,对10、15、20、25、30和40 a林分的径级结构、林下植被组成以及物种多样性变化进行调查和分析。结果表明：不同林龄杉木人工林的径级结构均呈正态分布,均在接近平均胸径的径级上植株数量最多;径级和密度间的关系可以用3参数的Gaussian函数表征;不同林龄间胸径差异显著。杉木人工林林下分布有45科80属97种植物,其中灌木层69种、草本层28种,物种丰富,但不同林龄的林分内各种类的重要值差异较大,且不同林龄的林分间优势种、共有种和独有种均明显不同。随林龄的增加,林下灌木层和草本层的物种组成、丰富度指数( R0)、Simpson多样性指数( D)和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数( H′)、Pielou均匀度指数( Jsw )和Alatalo均匀度指数( Ea )均有明显变化。10 a林分的林下物种数量最少(18种),而20 a林分的林下物种数量最多(40种)。林下灌木层的D和H′值分别为0.827~0.923和1.956~2.917,且随林龄的增加均呈“上升—下降—平稳”的变化趋势;灌木层的Jsw和Ea值分别为0.876~0.959和0.686~0.890,随林龄增加均呈“降低—升高—降低—升高”的变化趋势,且均在20 a林分中最小、在25 a林分中最大。林下草本层的D和H′值分别为0.639~0.898和1.274~2.435,并随林龄增加均呈波动的变化趋势;草本层的Jsw和Ea值分别为0.775~0.949和0.663~0.896,随林龄增加均呈“降低—升高—降低—升高—降低”的变化趋势,且均在15 a林分中最小、在10 a林分中最大。总体上看,林龄对杉木人工林林下灌木层和草本层的物种丰富度指数和多样性指数以及草本层的均匀度指数均有显著影响。根据研究结果,建议在杉木人工林的经营过程中对林下物种进行合理配置,并进行合理间伐,以促进林下植被的生长发育。     

林分密度对新津文峰山马尾松人工林林下物种多样性和生物量的影响

以四川省新津文峰山马尾松(Pinus massoniana)人工林为研究对象,用典型抽样法探究5种林分密度(A:1000株/hm~2;B:1125株/hm~2;C:1250株/hm~2;D:1375株/hm~2;E:1500株/hm~2)对林下植被物种多样性和生物量的影响及林下植被物种多样性和生物量的相关性。结果显示:(1)共调查到植物124种,隶属于74科115属,灌木层物种少于草本层。(2)灌木或草本层在不同林分密度下的优势种都较一致。(3)灌木层物种丰富度指数D值、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数H值及草本层4个多样性指数均在密度B、E分别有最大和最小值;灌木层D值随密度增大而先增后减,其他3个指数变化规律不明显。灌、草层J_(sw)值较稳定。(4)灌木层生物量比草本层多。总体上灌、草层地上生物量大于地下生物量,都在密度B达最大;灌木地下生物量保持较稳定,而草本层变化幅度较大。(5)除灌木层J_(sw)值与该层各生物量呈负相关外,其余各指标均显示正相关。不同林分密度对马尾松林下植物多样性和生物量产生不同的影响,经综合研究分析认为,林分密度1125株/hm~2相对更利于该地马尾松人工林的可持续健康发展。     

湖南栎类天然次生林林分空间结构对灌木物种多样性的影响

林分空间结构会显著影响其林下植被多样性,为明确其影响灌木物种多样性的关键因子,以栎类天然次生林为研究对象,利用Pearson简单相关分析、多元线性逐步回归法与典型相关分析探索乔木层空间结构与林下灌木物种多样性的相关关系,为保护林下植被多样性提供生态经营建议。以混交度、聚集指数和开敞度表达林分空间结构,以Margalef指数、Pielou指数和AuclairGoff指数作为灌木物种多样性评价指标,利用3种统计分析方法分析两者之间的相关关系,研究结果表明:(1)Pearson相关分析结果显示混交度对灌木层Pielou指数和AuclairGoff指数影响显著(P0.05),其余指数均不显著;(2)多元线性逐步回归分析结果显示林下灌木物种多样性受到多个林分空间指标的综合影响,其中Pielou指数受到混交度、聚集指数和开敞度的显著影响,AuclairGoff指数受到混交度与开敞度的显著影响;(3)典型相关分析结果显示,第一对典型相关变量通过显著性检验,典型相关系数为0.5427,林分空间结构与灌木层多样性指标两组变量在整体上相关性较强,其中混交度是影响力最大的变量。因此,欲提高栎类天然次生林下灌木物种多样性,应选择以调整树种结构为主,综合考虑林木空间分布格局的调整方案。     

北京东灵山暖温带落叶阔叶林地形和林分结构对林下草本植物物种多样性的影响

森林群落林下草本植物物种多样性丰富,然而大多数森林物种多样性研究集中在乔木层,对林下草本植物物种多样性及其影响因子的研究较少。本研究基于北京东灵山20 ha森林动态监测样地450个1 m×1 m的草本样方调查数据,选择物种丰富度指数(R)、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(H′)、Simpson优势度指数(D)和Pielou均匀度指数(E)作为草本植物物种多样性数据指标,分析了林下草本植物物种多样性与地形和林分结构的相关关系;并采用Pearson相关性分析、回归分析、冗余分析(RDA)及层次分割的方法,探讨了地形因子和林分因子对草本植物物种多样性的影响。结果表明:(1)林下草本植物的Shannon-Wiener多样性指数与坡向呈显著负相关(P <0.05),随坡向增大(由阳坡转向阴坡)而呈下降趋势; 4个多样性指数与海拔、坡度和凹凸度均无显著相关性。(2)物种丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数随林分密度和林地物种丰富度的增大呈下降的趋势,但随平均胸径的增大呈上升的趋势;各物种多样性指数均与胸径变异系数无显著相关性。(3)层次分割结果表明,环境因子对林下草本植...     

黄土高原马栏林区主要森林群落物种多样性研究

应用丰富度指数(S)、多样性指数(H1)、优势度指数(D)和均匀度指数(Js)对子午岭马栏林区的主要森林群落物种多样性进行了研究。结果表明:41个样地共记录草本151种,灌木111种,乔木33种。马栏林区森林植物群落其总体多样性是混交林>纯林>人工林;不同森林群落各层的物种多样性基本都表现为灌木层>草本层>乔木层;物种多样性乔木层以油松(Pinus tabulaeformis) 辽东栎(Quercus liaotungensis)混交林和落叶阔叶混交林较高,灌木层以油松 白桦(Betula platyphylla)混交林、白桦林和天然油松林多样性较高;草本层则是人工刺槐 (Robinia pseudoacacia)林、白桦林和山杨(Populus davidiana)林多样性较高。人工刺槐林和人工油松林在乔木层和灌木层多样性指数都较低。物种均匀度乔木层是落叶阔叶混交林最高,人工油松林和人工刺槐林最低;灌木层各群落的均匀度较为接近;草本层则表现为人工刺槐林均匀度最高,混交林最低。β多样性分析显示人工刺槐林与其它森林群落相异性较大,而辽东栎林、天然油松林和油松 白桦混交林均与油松 辽东栎混交林的相异性较小。研究表明多树种营造混交林可以增加群落的多样性,建造具有较高物种多样性的群落应种植混交林取代单一物种的人工纯林,在选择树种时应优先考虑乡土树种。     

辽河源自然保护区不同年龄天然油松林林下草本层植物物种多样性及其环境解释

林下草本层植物在森林群落结构稳定性的调节和生态功能的发挥上具有非常重要的作用,是森林生态系统不可或缺的组成部分。本文从揭示天然林林下物种组成的主导因子出发,以不同年龄天然油松林林下草本层植物为研究对象,探讨了辽河源自然保护区林下草本层物种组成与环境因子间的相关关系。结果表明,林龄是影响林分土壤化学性质的空间变化的重要因子,但林龄与林下草本植物的物种丰富度和多样性指数间不存在线性关系。CCA排序及Monte Carlo检验结果表明,林龄、林分密度、平均胸径、郁闭度、坡度为显著影响天然油松林林下物种分布的因子,说明该地区林分的冠层结构特征主导了林下草本层植物群落的分布格局。     

Understory vegetation response to thinning disturbance of varying complexity in coniferous stands

Question: Can augmented forest stand complexity increase understory vegetation richness and cover and accelerate the development of late‐successional features? Does within‐stand understory vegetation variability increase after imposing treatments that increase stand structural complexity of the overstory? What is the relative contribution of individual stand structural components (i.e. forest matrix, gaps, and leave island reserves) to changes in understory vegetation richness? Location: Seven study sites in the Coastal Range and Cascades regions of Oregon, USA. Methods: We examined the effects of thinning six years after harvest on understory plant vascular richness and cover in 40‐ to 60‐year‐old forest stands dominated by Douglas‐fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). At each site, one unthinned control was preserved and three thinning treatments were implemented: low complexity (LC, 300 trees ha^?1), moderate complexity (MC, 200 trees ha^?1), and high complexity (HC, variable densities from 100 to 300 trees ha^?1). Gaps openings and leave island reserves were established in MC and HC. Results: Richness of all herbs, forest herbs, early seral herbs and shrubs, and introduced species increased in all thinning treatments, although early seral herbs and introduced species remained a small component. Only cover of early seral herbs and shrubs increased in all thinning treatments whereas forest shrub cover increased in MC and HC. In the understory, we found 284 vascular plant species. After accounting for site‐level differences, the richness of understory communities in thinned stands differed from those in control stands. Within‐treatment variability of herb and shrub richness was reduced by thinning. Matrix areas and gap openings in thinned treatments appeared to contribute to the recruitment of early seral herbs and shrubs. Conclusions: Understory vegetation richness increased 6 years after imposing treatments, with increasing stand complexity mainly because of the recruitment of early seral and forest herbs, and both low and tall shrubs. Changes in stand density did not likely lead to competitive species exclusion. The abundance of potentially invasive introduced species was much lower compared to other plant groups. Post‐thinning reductions in within‐treatment variability was caused by greater abundance of early seral herbs and shrubs in thinned stands compared with the control. Gaps and low‐density forest matrix areas created as part of spatially variably thinning had greater overall species richness. Increased overstory variability encouraged development of multiple layers of understory vegetation.     

Evaluating different harvest intensities over understory plant diversity and pine seedlings,in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus pinaster</Emphasis> Ait. natural stand of Spain

Although modern forestry takes into consideration the analysis of the effects of forest management on plant structure, diversity and seedlings, little is known about how those parameters respond to harvest techniques in the Mediterranean region. We investigated the effect of three different harvest intensities, respect to uncut controls, on understory plant species functional groups, richness, diversity and pine seedlings in a natural Maritime pine stand in Spain, three years after harvesting. The harvest treatments produced a reduction of the number of Pinus pinaster seedlings and woody species cover, and an increase of species richness (total and of annual species) and plant cover of annual species respect to control plots (CO). The Shannon diversity values showed no differences between treatments. These results emphasize that the tree harvest treatments analyzed are not suitable for the management of this P. pinaster stand. Otherwise, the reduction of pine seedling density by harvest treatments and the changes in richness and cover of functional groups would not induce the natural regeneration of this stand maintaining the understory plant layer.     

模拟N沉降对太岳山油松人工林和天然林草本群落的影响

由于人类活动氮沉降呈逐年增加的趋势,进而增加了陆地生态系统氮的输入,从而影响陆地生态系统多样性、物种组成和功能。为揭示氮沉降增加对油松林草本群落的影响,于2009年7月在太岳山油松人工林和天然林,设计4个施氮水平:对照(CK,0 kg N hm-2a-1),低氮(LN,50 kg N hm-2a-1),中氮(MN,100 kg N hm-2a-1)和高氮(HN,150 kg N hm-2a-1),研究草本群落的生物多样性、生物量以及草本元素含量对模拟N沉降的响应。研究结果表明:模拟N沉降未能显著影响人工林草本群落的生物多样性(P0.05),而中氮、高氮显著降低了天然林草本群落的生物多样性(P0.05);从Jaccard指数和Sorensen指数分析得出人工林不同氮水平之间草本群落差异性较小,而天然林不同氮水平之间草本群落差异性较大。模拟N沉降没有显著改变人工林草本群落生物量(P0.05),而高氮明显促进天然林草本群落生物量的增加(P0.05)。与对照相比,模拟N沉降提高了人工林和天然林羊胡子苔草叶根中的全N含量(P0.05),而降低了全Mg的含量(P0.05),并且根部元素含量变化与土壤养分含量变化较为一致。施氮提高了N/K、N/Ca、N/Mg(P0.05)的比值。说明油松林下草本群落对氮沉降的响应因林分土壤N饱和程度以及林地利用历史的不同而产生差异,其中天然林响应最为敏感。     

影响天然林下层植物物种多样性的林分因子的研究

以我国东北过伐林区3种典型森林类型为对象,用多元逐步回归方法来研究影响天然林下层植物多样性的林分因子,尤其是与森林经营有关的林分因子,从而通过经营来维持和增加物种多样性。研究表明,与经营有关的因子中对下层植物多样性有显著影响的有林分郁闭度、公顷株数和树种多样性。因此,在林分发展的一定阶段,应采取合理经营措施如采伐来控制林分密度,保持多树种的混交,来维持和增加树种多样性。     

Riverscape-level patterns of riparian plant diversity along a successional gradient, Willamette river, Oregon

Riparian forest communities dominated by Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa L. (Torr. and Gray ex Hook.) Brayshaw are important contributors to biodiversity in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of the Western United States. Species composition along a successional gradient from stand initiation to late-succession of P. balsamifera-dominated riparian forests was investigated along 145 km of the Willamette River, Oregon. There were 151 total species encountered across 28 stands and a mean species richness of 33.3 species per stand. Young stands were dominated by P. balsamifera and Salix tree spp. and opportunistic herbaceous species. Understory trees, shrubs, and herbaceous species as well as late-successional tree species established 12–15 years after stand initiation. Fraxinus latifolia Benth. was the dominant late-successional tree species. Vertical structural diversity, P. balsamifera mean diameter at breast height, large tree biomass, and stand age were strongly correlated with understory species presence and abundance based on non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination. There were no young stands on mid and high terraces and this was reflected in geomorphic position being strongly correlated with the stand age gradient. Abundance of Phalaris arundinacea L. an invasive grass species, was also significantly correlated with plant species composition and abundance. This study indicates that Willamette River riparian forests are diverse and therefore important to the biodiversity of the Willamette River valley and that their presence as a mosaic of communities of different successional stages may be threatened by human interventions, including influences exerted by introduced plant species.     

马尾松林向香樟林改造林下植物功能多样性研究

在生物多样性研究中,功能多样性比物种多样性可以更直接地反映生态系统的结构和功能,从而在群落生态学研究中受到越来越多的推崇。马尾松次生纯林是一种亟待改造的森林类型,而在亚热带地区香樟是马尾松林改造的理想树种之一。为了完善马尾松林向香樟林改造的研究,以更好地指导马尾松林改造的实践,本文用空间代替时间的方法,选取马尾松林向香樟林改造过程中4种不同阶段群落为研究对象,对林下灌木层和草本层植物的功能性状及其多样性展开了研究。结果表明:(1)随着森林改造的进行,林下植物的物种数目、功能性状多样性均表现为先上升后下降的变化趋势,其中功能丰富度和功能均匀度在改造前期达到峰值,而物种数目和功能离散度则在改造中期表现最高。(2)比较森林改造的4个时期,林下植物功能多样性的综合表现大致为:改造前期改造中期改造后期未改造时期。(3)森林改造过程中,林下植物"光响应性状"和"繁殖性状"的功能多样性变化趋势相似,但前者比后者对改造的响应更敏感。(4)在森林改造过程中,林下植物的生长、发育和扩散受到林下光照资源的影响,并在长时间的生物竞争中逐渐表现为物种种类、多度和空间分布格局的变化,最终影响生态系统功能。(5)马尾松林向香樟林的改造加速了群落的演替进程,提升了群落的功能,但仍存在林下植物功能多样性下降等问题。在对马尾松次生纯林改造过程中,应选择合适的造林密度和混交林的改造模式。     

高寒区青海云杉人工林密度与林下植物多样性的关系

为了研究青海云杉人工林密度对林下植物多样性的影响及二者的关系,探明维持植物多样性、人工林生态系统稳定性及其健康状况的合理林分密度,以青海大通宝库林区6种不同密度（3 400株/hm²、2 900株/hm²、2 600株/hm²、2 300株/hm²、2 150株/hm²、1 750株/hm²）25年生青海云杉人工林林下植物的重要值、丰富度指数、多样性指数、均匀度指数为指标,对林下植被多样性随林分密度的变化规律进行分析。结果表明:(1) 青海云杉人工林下共有维管束植物60种,非维管束植物1种,隶属于29科45属。（2）灌木层植被优势种受密度影响较大,草本层植被优势种受密度影响较小。（3）青海云杉密度分别与灌木层和草本层的S指数、H′指数、Ea指数均呈显著相关关系,且相关系数分别为0.688、0.937、0.762和 0.679、0.870、0.505。（4）随着青海云杉密度的增加,林下植被多样性呈先减少后增大再减少的变化规律,且密度为2 600株/hm²时,林下植物多样性综合得分最高。研究认为,青海云杉林下植被多样性对其密度响应具有非同步性;密度为2 600株/hm²时比较适合林下植被生长,并保持林下植物多样性水平。     

Removal of invasive shrubs alters light but not leaf litter inputs in a deciduous forest understory

The establishment and spread of non‐native, invasive shrubs in forests poses an important obstacle to natural resource conservation and management. This study assesses the impacts of the physical removal of a complex of woody invasive shrub species on deciduous forest understory resources. We compared leaf litter quantity and quality and understory light transmittance in five pairs of invaded and removal plots in an oak‐dominated suburban mature forest. Removal plots were cleared of all non‐native invasive shrubs. The invasive shrubs were abundant (143,456 stems/ha) and diverse, dominated by species in the genera Ligustrum, Viburnum, Lonicera, and Euonymus. Annual leaf litter biomass and carbon inputs of invaded plots were not different from removal plots due to low leaf litter biomass of invasive shrubs. Invasive shrub litter had higher nitrogen (N) concentrations than native species; however, low biomass of invasive litter led to low N inputs by litter of invasive species compared to native. Light transmittance at the forest floor and at 2 m was lower in invaded plots than in removal plots. We conclude that the removal of the abundant invasive shrubs from a native deciduous forest understory did not alter litter quantity or N inputs, one measure of litter quality, and increased forest understory light availability. More light in the forest understory could facilitate the restoration of forest understory dynamics.     

Short-Term Effects of Fire and Other Fuel Reduction Treatments on Breeding Birds in a Southern Appalachian Upland Hardwood Forest

Abstract: We compared the effects of 3 fuel reduction techniques and a control on breeding birds during 2001-2005 using 50-m point counts. Four experimental units, each >14 ha, were contained within each of 3 replicate blocks at the Green River Game Land, Polk County, North Carolina, USA. Treatments were 1) prescribed burn, 2) mechanical understory reduction (chainsaw-felling of shrubs and small trees), 3) mechanical + burn, and 4) controls. We conducted mechanical treatments in winter 2001-2002 and prescribed burns in spring 2003. Tall shrub cover was substantially reduced in all treatments compared to controls. Tree mortality and canopy openness was highest in the mechanical + burn treatment after burning, likely due to higher fuel loading and hotter burns; tree mortality increased with time. Many bird species did not detectably decrease or increase in response to treatments. Species richness, total bird density, and some species, including indigo buntings (Passerina cyanea) and eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis), increased in the mechanical + burn treatment after a 1-year to 2-year delay; eastern woodpewees (Contopus virens) increased immediately after treatment. Hooded warblers (Wilsonia citrina), black-and-white warblers (Mniotilta varia), and worm-eating warblers (Helmitheros vermivorus) declined temporarily in some or all treatments, likely in response to understory and (or) leaf litter depth reductions. Densities of most species affected by treatments varied with shrub cover, tree or snag density, or leaf litter depth. High snag availability, open conditions, and a higher density of flying insects in the mechanical + burn treatment likely contributed to increased bird density and species richness. In our study, fuel reduction treatments that left the canopy intact, such as low-intensity prescribed fire or mechanical understory removal, had few detectable effects on breeding birds compared to the mechanical + burn treatment. High-intensity burning with heavy tree-kill, as occurred in our mechanical + burn treatment, can be used as a management tool to increase densities of birds associated with open habitat while retaining many forest and generalist species, but may have short-term adverse effects on some species that are associated with the ground- or shrub-strata for nesting and foraging.     

水肥耦合对油松生态林林木生长的影响

为减少油松定植后的死亡率,在控制成本的基础上促进油松良好生长,该研究采用裂区实验设计方法,选取三个灌溉水平与三个园林废弃物有机肥施用量进行比较试验,通过测定油松树高、胸径、叶绿素及叶片养分含量指标探究灌溉和施用有机肥对油松林木生长的影响。结果表明:灌溉可以显著提高油松在胸径、树高、生理等方面的生长指标,树高和胸径在中水灌溉(A2)下的促进效果甚至高于高水灌溉(A3);试验处理1 a后,施肥对油松的生长影响显著,但三个施肥水平间的差异不显著;灌溉与施用有机肥之间不存在显著交互作用。综上可知,施肥和灌溉对油松的生长会产生显著的促进作用,从施肥和灌溉的效果并综合资源利用效率的角度考虑,少量施用有机肥,并以80 L·(10天·株·次)-1的灌水量在生长季(4月—9月)进行滴灌是较为经济、有效的油松生态林管护措施。