A comparison of the catchment sizes of rivers,streams, ponds,ditches and lakes: implications for protecting aquatic biodiversity in an agricultural landscape

In this study we compared the biodiversity of five waterbody types (ditches, lakes, ponds, rivers and streams) within an agricultural study area in lowland England to assess their relative contribution to the plant and macroinvertebrate species richness and rarity of the region. We used a Geographical Information System (GIS) to compare the catchment areas and landuse composition for each of these waterbody types to assess the feasibility of deintensifying land to levels identified in the literature as acceptable for aquatic biota. Ponds supported the highest number of species and had the highest index of species rarity across the study area. Catchment areas associated with the different waterbody types differed significantly, with rivers having the largest average catchment sizes and ponds the smallest. The important contribution made to regional aquatic biodiversity by small waterbodies and in particular ponds, combined with their characteristically small catchment areas, means that they are amongst the most valuable, and potentially amongst the easiest, of waterbody types to protect. Given the limited area of land that may be available for the protection of aquatic biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, the deintensification of such small catchments (which can be termed microcatchments) could be an important addition to the measures used to protect aquatic biodiversity, enabling ‘pockets’ of high aquatic biodiversity to occur within working agricultural landscapes. Guest editors: R. Céréghino, J. Biggs, B. Oertli & S. Declerck The ecology of European ponds: defining the characteristics of a neglected freshwater habitat     

青藏高原生态气候因子的空间格局

基于1966—2005年间青藏高原及其周边113个气象站的观测资料,对研究区最热月均温、最冷月均温、≥10 ℃日数、潜在蒸散、年降水量和干燥度指数的空间格局进行了分析.结果表明：青藏高原最热月均温在7 ℃～20 ℃,由东部周边地区向中部呈逐渐减小趋势;最冷月均温在-18.4 ℃～8 ℃,由南向北逐渐减小;青藏高原≥10 ℃日数由东部周边向中部地区逐渐减小,研究区东南部的≥10 ℃日数最大（150 d以上）,中部地区最少（<50 d）;研究区年均降水量由东南部向西北地区呈减少趋势;青藏高原的潜在蒸散（由Thornthwaite模型计算）由东南向西北逐渐减小,大部分地区在330～750 mm;青藏高原干旱地区所占比例较大,主要位于研究区西北部,湿润地区面积小,主要位于东部和东南部.青藏高原的植被分布与其生态气候限制因子有较好的一致性,生态气候因子可较好地刻画植被分布状况.     

基于综合指数法的白龙江流域生物多样性空间分异特征研究

大中区域尺度上生物多样性空间分布格局识别是制定和实施区域生物多样性保护计划的前提条件,也是生物多样性保护确定优先区域研究工作迫切需要解决的关键问题之一。拟以甘肃白龙江流域为例,结合InVEST模型和遥感、GIS技术,以区域生境质量、植物净初级生产力和景观状态指数为评价指标,应用归一化处理方法,构建区域生物多样性空间格局综合评估方法,在栅格像元尺度上开展白龙江流域生物多样性评价及其空间分异特征分析。结果表明:白龙江流域生物多样性较为丰富,空间分异特征明显。生物多样性较高的区域(Ⅰ和Ⅱ级以上)面积约占39.80%,且主要集中在自然保护区和林业管护区。生物多样性较低的地区主要分布在舟曲-武都-文县的白龙江两岸及其以北区域、宕昌县岷江沿岸、高寒稀疏植被区和高山积雪-裸岩区。     

Landscape diversity and forest edge density regulate stream water quality in agricultural catchments

It is well known that the composition of land cover within a watershed plays a large role in regulating stream water quality. However, there remains significant uncertainty regarding the effect of spatial configuration of different types of land cover on water quality. Using periphytic algae (diatoms) as indicators of stream trophic state, we investigated the relationship between landscape configuration and water quality in a large number of watersheds (590) at varying catchment scales in Eastern Canada. Variation partitioning analysis showed that landscape configuration explained 48% of the variation in water quality. However, since the physiographic setting constrains most agricultural activities, most of the variation was attributed to the shared influence of surficial deposits, land cover and landscape configuration (34%). The results from regression models showed that the geomorphological setting of watersheds (surficial deposits and slopes) and the proportion of different land cover types (mainly forests, wetlands, crops and urban areas) have a major impact on stream water quality. Nevertheless, a few configuration metrics emerged as important factors. Landscape diversity appeared to have a negative impact on water quality, whereas forest and wetland edge densities had a positive impact. Moreover, the influence of these lanscape metrics seems to occur at certain thresholds. In areas of intensive farming, streams with a forest area that covers at least 47% of the watershed have a better water quality. Below this threshold, eutrophic and meso-eutrophic conditions are more frequent in streams and rivers. The shape and location of forested patches were also found to be relevant. Woodlands and wetlands with an edge density higher than 36 m/ha and located along streams and gullies have a positive impact on water quality. For the same proportion of forest, complex patches will be more efficient filters than large regular patches. Forest edge density seems to control the extent of the interface with the agricultural sources and thus promotes the “sink” effect of forests on nutrients.     

Linkages between tidal creek ecosystems and the landscape and demographic attributes of their watersheds

Twenty-three headwater tidal creeks draining watersheds representative of forested, suburban, urban, and industrial land cover were sampled along the South Carolina coast from 1994 to 2002 to: (1) evaluate the degree to which impervious land cover is an integrative watershed-scale indicator of stress; (2) synthesize and integrate the available data on linkages between land cover and tidal creek environmental quality into a conceptual model of the responses of tidal creeks to human development; and (3) use the model to develop recommendations for conserving and restoring tidal creek ecosystems. The following parameters were evaluated: human population density, land use, impervious cover, creek physical characteristics, water quality, sediment chemical contamination and grain size characteristics, benthic chlorophyll a levels, porewater ammonia concentration, fecal coliform concentration, and macrobenthic and nekton population and community characteristics.The conceptual model was developed and used to identify the linkages among watershed-scale stressors, physical and chemical exposures, and biological responses of tidal creeks to human development at the watershed scale. This model provides a visual representation of the manner in which human population growth is linked to changes in the physiochemical environment and ultimately the nursery habitat function of tidal creeks and the safety of seafood harvested from headwater tidal creeks. The ultimate stressor on the tidal creek ecosystem is the human population density in the watershed and associated increases in the amount of impervious land cover. Measurable adverse changes in the physical and chemical environment were observed when the impervious cover exceeded 10-20% including altered hydrography, changes in salinity variance, altered sediment characteristics, increased chemical contaminants, and increased fecal coliform loadings. Living resources responded when impervious cover exceeded 20-30%. The impacts on the living resources included reduced abundance of stress-sensitive macrobenthic taxa, reduced abundance of commercially and recreationally important shrimp, and altered food webs. Headwater tidal creeks appear to provide early warning of ensuing harm to larger tidal creeks, tidal rivers and estuaries, and the amount of impervious cover in a watershed appears to be an integrative measure of the adverse human alterations of the landscape. Through education and community involvement, a conservation ethic may be fostered that encourages the permanent protection of lands for the services they provide.     

噬菌斑电子图像的计算机处理及其自动计数

噬菌斑平板计数是微生物学理论研究与实际应用中常用的方法之一。但由于平板上噬菌斑与背景反差小,而且往往出现几个噬菌斑相连,计算机识别时出现较大的误差,因此噬菌斑计数目前仍为人工方法。本文以λ噬菌体为材料,感染E.coli宿主细胞,获得噬菌斑。然后将噬菌斑制成电子图像。抽取图像中有代表性的区域,利用分水岭算法对图像进行分割处理,将相连的噬菌斑分割成单独的噬菌斑,然后利用基于区域生长法进行计数,结果与人工计数完全相同,表明我们建立的新方法可以用于噬菌斑计算机自动计数。     

不同程度的水分胁迫对沙棘幼苗生理生态特征的影响

为探讨未来降水减少对内蒙古皇甫川流域沙棘幼苗生理生态特征的影响,特设计平均降雨水平、偏旱、干旱和极端干旱4种不同的水分梯度处理,开展人工水分梯度实验。方差分析表明,不同的水分梯度显著影响土壤的含水量、土壤温度等微生境因子,并显著影响净光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率等气体交换特征、资源利用效率和叶片水势特征。适度的水分胁迫(干旱环境)能够提高沙棘的水分利用效率,同时却降低净光合速率和蒸腾速率。各种生理生态指标表明,4种水分处理的沙棘幼苗都受到不同程度的水分胁迫的影响,极端干旱环境中沙棘幼苗的内在生理调节机制出现紊乱,皇甫川流域沙棘不适宜在极端干旱环境中生长。     

Biogeochemistry of unpolluted forested watersheds in the Oregon Cascades: temporal patterns of precipitation and stream nitrogen fluxes

We analyzed long-term organic and inorganic nitrogen inputs and outputs in precipitation and streamwater in six watersheds at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in the central Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Total bulk N deposition, averaging 1.6 to 2.0 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1, is low compared to other sites in the United States and little influenced by anthropogenic N sources. Streamwater N export is also low, averaging <1 kg ha^–1 yr^–1. DON is the predominant form of N exported from all watersheds, followed by PON, NH₄-N, and NO₃-N. Total annual stream discharge was a positive predictor of annual DON output in all six watersheds, suggesting that DON export is related to regional precipitation. In contrast, annual discharge was a positive predictor of annual NO₃-N output in one watershed, annual NH₄-N output in three watersheds, and annual PON output in three watersheds. Of the four forms of N, only DON had consistent seasonal concentration patterns in all watersheds. Peak streamwater DON concentrations occurred in November-December after the onset of fall rains but before the peak in the hydrograph, probably due to flushing of products of decomposition that had built up during the dry summer. Multiple biotic controls on the more labile nitrate and ammonium concentrations in streams may obscure temporal DIN flux patterns from the terrestrial environment. Results from this study underscore the value of using several watersheds from a single climatic zone to make inferences about controls on stream N chemistry; analysis of a single watershed may preclude identification of geographically extensive mechanisms controlling N dynamics.     

农业生态经济系统耦合过程模型的建立及应用

基于"一般系统论中系统演化"的思想、"Thornes关于植被和土壤侵蚀耦合模型"等思路,构建了农业生态经济系统耦合过程的基础模型和扩展模型。通过该模型能够揭示农业"生态—经济"的互动过程、确定农业经济系统影响生态系统的临界点,这对于开发利用农业资源、制定农业生态经济系统可持续发展方案具有重要的现实意义。以纸坊沟流域20余年农业生态经济系统演变资料为基础,借鉴已有研究结果,通过对"模型"参数的计算,建立了反映纸坊沟流域不同情境下农业生态经济系统耦合过程模型,结果表明:按照农业生态经济系统现状演变轨迹,农业生态系统自我调节的临界点为en(t)=1.22×el(t);如果继续完善系统循环,强化"林草资源-畜牧业"链网,在生态系统阈值范围内可增强经济系统功能;如果停止"退耕"而出现复垦,生态系统自我调节的临界点变为en(t)=0.69×el(t),单位生态系统功能减弱。为此,必须稳定退耕还林工程,促进农业资源合理、高效利用,加速产业优化升级,这样方能实现农业生态经济系统健康、持续发展。     

Species richness of Colorado riparian vegetation

Abstract. The probable causes of spatial variation in the diversity of plant communities on a global and local scale have been widely investigated, but the regional scale has received little attention. It remains unclear how disturbance affects diversity in wetlands andriparian vegetation. This study examines the hypothesis that regional variation in the richness of riparian wetlands is related to variation in macro-environment and flood potential. Vascular plant species richness was sampled in 0.1 ha plots at 115 riparian sites scattered over a 300 km length of the western slope of the Rocky Mountains in western Colorado, USA. The relationship between macro-environmental variables (e.g. drainage basin area), disturbance indicators, and species richness was analyzed using correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. Total richness varied between 20 and 87 species (average 50.6) per 0.1 ha, and was highest in subalpine riparian forests from 2600–3650 m a.s.l. (57.8 species / 0.1 ha). Tree and shrub richness were highest in lower elevation, larger drainage basins, forb and graminoid richness were highest in higher elevation, smaller drainage basins. These opposing trends resulted in no net trend in total richness with elevation. Regression models for total richness were poor, suggesting that other variables must be important. The intermediate disturbance hypothesis and other single-factor hypotheses are not supported as explanations of the regional pattern of variation in richness.