Heat stress effects on Holstein dairy cows’ rumination

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between temperature–humidity index (THI) and rumination time (RT) in order to possibly exploit it as a useful tool for animal welfare improvement. During summer 2015 (1 June to 31 August), data from an Italian Holstein dairy farm located in the North of Italy were collected along with environmental data (i.e. ambient temperature and relative humidity) recorded with a weather station installed inside the barn. Rumination data were collected through the Heatime® HR system (SCR Engineers Ltd., Hadarim, Netanya, Israel), an automatic system composed of a neck collar with a Tag that records the RT and activity of each cow. A significant negative correlation was observed between RT and THI. Mixed linear models were fitted, including animal and test day as random effects, and parity, milk production level and date of last calving as fixed effects. A statistically significant effect of THI on RT was identified, with RT decreasing as THI increased.     

Analysis of spatial and temporal patterns of aboveground net primary productivity in the Eurasian steppe region from 1982 to 2013

To explore the importance of the Eurasian steppe region (EASR) in global carbon cycling, we analyzed the spatiotemporal dynamics of the aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of the entire EASR from 1982 to 2013. The ANPP in the EASR was estimated from the Integrated ANPP_NDVI model, which is an empirical model developed based on field‐observed ANPP and long‐term normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data. The optimal composite period of NDVI data was identified by considering spatial heterogeneities across the study area in the Integrated ANPP_NDVI model. EASR's ANPP had apparent zonal patterns along hydrothermal gradients, and the mean annual value was 43.78 g C m^?2 yr^?1, which was lower than the global grasslands average. Compared to other important natural grasslands, EASR's ANPP was lower than the North American, South American, and African grasslands. The total aboveground net primary productivity (TANPP) was found to be 378.97 Tg C yr^?1, which accounted for 8.18%–36.03% of the TANPP for all grasslands. In addition, EASR's TANPP was higher than that of the grasslands in North America, South America, and Africa. The EASR's TANPP increased in a fluctuating manner throughout the entire period of 1982–2013. The increasing trend was greater than that for North American and South American and was lower than that for African grasslands over the same period. The years 1995 and 2007 were two turning points at which trends in EASR's TANPP significantly changed. Our analysis demonstrated that the EASR has been playing a substantial and progressively more important role in global carbon sequestration. In addition, in the development of empirical NDVI‐based ANPP models, the early–middle growing season averaged NDVI, the middle–late growing season averaged NDVI and the annual maximum NDVI are recommended for use for semi‐humid regions, semi‐arid regions, and desert vegetation in semi‐arid regions, respectively.     

中亚热带杉木人工林和米槠次生林凋落物添加与去除对土壤呼吸的影响

在未来大气CO₂浓度升高的背景下, 植被净初级生产力的增加将促使森林土壤碳输入增多。凋落物是土壤碳库的重要来源, 对土壤呼吸会产生重要影响。为了模拟植物净初级生产力提高、凋落物产量增加情景下凋落物对土壤呼吸和土壤碳库的影响, 2013年1月到2014年12月, 在福建省三明市陈大镇国有林场, 在杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)人工林和米槠(Castanopsis carlesii)次生林, 通过设置去除凋落物、添加凋落物和对照(保留凋落物, 不做任何处理)处理, 研究了土壤呼吸和土壤碳库的动态变化。研究发现: 土壤含水量在10%-25%范围内, 土壤呼吸温度敏感性指数(Q₁₀)随着土壤含水量的增加呈递增趋势, 当含水量<10%时, 由于干旱胁迫打破了土壤呼吸与温度之间的耦合, 改变了Q₁₀值, 使得Q₁₀值小于1。土壤呼吸与凋落物输入量呈显著的线性正相关关系, 杉木人工林对照和添加凋落物处理及米槠次生林对照处理, 土壤呼吸与2个月前的凋落物输入量相关性最好。而米槠次生林添加凋落物处理, 土壤呼吸与当月的凋落物输入量相关性最好, 不同林分凋落物呼吸对土壤呼吸的贡献率不同, 米槠次生林凋落物层呼吸年通量明显大于杉木人工林, 分别占各林分土壤总呼吸的34.4%和15.1%, 添加凋落物后, 杉木人工林和米槠次生林的土壤呼吸速率增加, 但添加凋落物处理的土壤呼吸年通量与对照的差值小于年凋落物输入量。因此, 在未来全球CO₂升高背景下, 植被碳储量的增加、凋落物增加并没有引起土壤呼吸成倍增加, 更有利于中亚热带地区土壤碳吸存。     

黄渤海甲壳类的分类多样性

为了解黄渤海甲壳类的分类多样性特征, 我们统计了2010-2015年中国水产科学研究院黄海水产研究所调查捕获的黄渤海甲壳类(软甲纲: 十足目与口足目)物种名录。结合历史文献, 进一步系统整理得到黄渤海甲壳类物种总名录。基于这2个名录, 应用分类阶元包含指数(the inclusion index at taxonomic level, TINCL_i)、平均分类差异指数(average taxonomic distinctness index, Δ⁺)和分类差异变异指数(variation in taxonomic distinctness index, Λ⁺)研究了其分类多样性特征。结果显示: 2010-2015年调查名录中, 甲壳类共93种, 隶属于2目39科66属, 其中10种为新分布种; 对虾科、藻虾科、长臂虾科、梭子蟹科和弓蟹科的物种数最多, 合计占总物种数的38.71%; TINCL_i分别为1.41种/属和2.38种/科; Δ⁺和Λ⁺分别为50.25和35.20。总名录中, 甲壳类共228种, 隶属于2目53科123属, 其中藻虾科、豆蟹科、对虾科、弓蟹科和鼓虾科的物种数最多, 合计占总物种数的30.70%; TINCL_i分别为1.85种/属和4.30种/科, Δ⁺和Λ⁺分别为50.18和30.87。对虾科的相对丰富度指数(the relative richness index, R_r)最高(100), 其次是梭子蟹科(71.43)和长臂虾科(62.50), 豆蟹科最低(6.25)。黄渤海甲壳类的平均分类差异指数(Δ⁺)明显小于鱼类(P < 0.05)。2010-2015年调查的Δ⁺计算值高于理论值, 且在理论值的95%置信区间内, 说明黄渤海甲壳类群落正处在中等程度的干扰中。     

江西信丰细迳坑自然保护区观光木群落研究

以江西省信丰县细迳坑自然保护区观光木Tsoongiodendron odorum群落为对象,开展样方调查和群落生态学分析。结果表明：(1)群落的种类组成包括维管植物146种,隶属于66科106属。其中,蕨类植物9科10属14种,种子植物57科96属132种。种子植物属的地理成分以热带分布占较大优势(77.66%)。(2)该区域的地带性植被以常绿阔叶林为主,有少部分落叶树种,使得群落秋冬季有一定的季相变化。群落垂直结构包括乔木3亚层及灌木层和草本层;乔木层以观光木、华润楠Machilus chinensis、南酸枣Choerospondias axillaris、锈叶新木姜子Neolitsea cambodiana为主要优势种,灌木层以硬壳桂Cryptocarya chingii、细枝柃Eurya loquaiana、鸭公树Neolitsea chuii为主要优势种。(3)群落各频度级分布规律为A级＞B级＞C级＞D级＞E级,从优势种群年龄结构分析看,该群落在演替上处于亚顶级状态。(4)群落的物种多样性Simpson指数和Shannon-wiener指数表现为：草本层＞乔木层＞灌木层;Pielou指数则表现为：乔木层＞灌木层＞草本层。观光木群落是该地区最重要的植被特征种和生境指示种。     

林木分布格局多样性测度方法: 以阔叶红松林为例

林木分布格局是森林结构的重要组成部分, 直接影响森林生态系统的健康与稳定, 维持森林结构多样性被认为是保护生物多样性的最佳途径。本研究探讨了林木分布格局多样性的测度方法, 以期为揭示森林结构多样性提供理论依据。格局多样性研究的关键在于选择合适的生物多样性测度方法和具有分布属性的格局指数。本研究通过统计角尺度分布频率和Voronoi多边形边数分布频率, 运用Simpson指数分别计算角尺度多样性和Voronoi多边形边数分布多样性, 作为表达林木分布格局多样性指数的方法, 并以我国东北吉林蛟河的3个100 m × 100 m的阔叶红松(Pinus koreansis)林长期定位监测标准地为例, 分析了林木分布格局的多样性。结果表明: 无论是角尺度分布还是Voronoi多边形的边数分布都接近正态分布, 角尺度分布中随机分布林木的频数最多, 占55%以上; Voronoi多边形的类型多达10个以上, 50%以上的林木有5-6株最近相邻木。利用Simpson指数衡量林木格局多样性, 角尺度分布与Voronoi多边形的边数分布都显示出聚集分布的林分比随机分布林分的格局多样性高。研究还发现, 两种格局判定方法得出的Simpson指数值有所不同, 角尺度分布的多样性数值明显低于Voronoi多边形的边数分布的多样性数值, 主要原因是二者的等级数量不同。可见, 林木分布格局多样性研究应选择具有分布属性的格局指数, 但由于各指数反映的角度不同, 所以在分析比较不同林分格局多样性时应采用相同的分析方法。     

滇西南四个自然保护区鱼类多样性及评价指标探究

为了解滇西南怒江水系的南滚河自然保护区、南捧河自然保护区、永德大雪山自然保护区及澜沧江水系的澜沧江自然保护区鱼类多样性和变化趋势, 探讨其差异和变化的原因, 本文采用β多样性指数分析了4个保护区的鱼类多样性, 并比较了鱼类分类阶元的特有性、单型性和古老成分的有无等多项指标。结果显示, 4个自然保护区共有土著鱼类85种, 隶属于6目13科45属。在中国仅见于怒江水系的4个特有属有异鲴属(Aspidoparia)和新条鳅属(Neonoemacheilus)分布于这3个保护区中; 18种特有种中, 仅分布在这3个保护区的狭域特有种5种。在中国仅分布于澜沧江水系的属有31个, 但仅安巴沙鳅属(Ambastaia)分布于澜沧江保护区; 在澜沧江保护区分布着中国仅见于澜沧江水系的特有种20种, 其中狭域特有种3种。怒江水系的3个保护区分布有1个单型属, 即鳗鲡属(Anguilla), 但没有单型种; 澜沧江自然保护区无单型属与单型种分布。4个保护区中的鱼类均系晚第三纪和第四纪形成的种类或类群, 没有古老或孑遗种类。β多样性结果显示, 在4个保护区中澜沧江自然保护区的鱼类多样性最丰富, 而南滚河自然保护区的丰富程度最低, 但是怒江水系3个自然保护区鱼类多样性的代表性及保护地位比澜沧江自然保护区的要高。而特有阶元和单型性阶元的存在体现出怒江水系3个自然保护区的保护价值及保护意义比澜沧江保护区高。地理范围跨度大小、生境空间异质性高低、保护区面积大小及支流多少等是影响鱼类多样性的主要因素。因此, 规划和设计保护区时, 如果能在水系的上、中、下游分别规划1条一级支流作为保护区, 可使该水系的绝大多数鱼类得到保护。     

南沙群岛西南部和北部湾口海域鱼类物种多样性

根据2012-2013年在南沙群岛西南部和北部湾口海域春秋两个航次的调查资料, 分析了该海域鱼类种类组成、相对重要性指数和物种多样性等特征。结果表明, 两个航次调查共鉴定鱼类504种, 隶属于2纲31目129科294属; 其中北部湾口海域出现鱼类301种, 南沙群岛西南部海域出现鱼类357种。优势种数量较少, 多以中小型鱼类为主, 且季节间变化较大。春季多样性指数高于秋季, 这主要是因为春季出现的大量鱼类为补充群体, 而许多种类在秋季有向较深海区移动的趋势; 南沙群岛西南部海域多样性指数高于北部湾口海域, 这主要是由于南沙群岛西南部海域受水温和洋流的影响较大造成的。更替指数和迁移指数显示, 秋季鱼类群落结构稳定性要低于春季, 而且两个季节的鱼类群落结构都偏离平衡状态, 主要是由鱼类的洄游和不同适温性鱼类的迁入迁出造成的。综合来看, 南沙群岛西南部海域鱼类物种多样性和群落结构稳定性均高于北部湾口海域, 在努力控制资源可捕量范围的同时, 可合理开发南海中南部海域的渔业资源。     

The spatial pattern of grassland aboveground biomass on Xizang Plateau and its climatic controls

Aims Grassland is the most widely distributed vegetation type on the Xizang Plateau. Accurate remote sensing estimation of the grassland aboveground biomass (AGB) in this region is influenced by the types of vegetation indexes (VIs) used, the grain size (resolution) of the remote sensing data and the targeted ecosystem features. This study attempts to answer the following questions: (i) Which VI can most accurately reflect the grassland AGB distribution on the Xizang Plateau? (ii) How does the grain size of remote sensing imagery affect AGB reflection? (iii) What is the spatial distribution pattern of the grassland AGB on the plateau and its relationship with the climate?Methods We investigated 90 sample sites and measured site-specific AGBs using the harvest method for three grassland types (alpine meadow, alpine steppe and desert steppe). For each sample site, four VIs, namely, Normalized Difference VI (NDVI), Enhanced VI, Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and Modified Soil-Adjusted VI (MSAVI) were extracted from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) products with grain sizes of 250 m and 1 km. Linear regression models were employed to identify the best estimator of the AGB for the entire grassland and the three individual grassland types. Paired Wilcoxon tests were applied to assess the grain size effect on the AGB estimation. General linear models were used to quantify the relationships between the spatial distribution of the grassland AGB and climatic factors.Important findings The results showed that the best estimator for the entire grassland AGB on the Xizang Plateau was MSAVI at a 250 m grain size (MSAVI 250 m). For each individual grassland type, the best estimator was MSAVI at a grain size of 250 m for alpine meadow, NDWI at a grain size of 1 km for alpine steppe and NDVI at a grain size of 1 km for desert steppe. The explanation ability of each VI for the grassland AGB did not significantly differ for the two grain sizes. Based on the best fit model (AGB =^-10.80 + 139.13 MSAVI 250 m), the spatial pattern of the grassland AGB on the plateau was characterized. The AGB varied from 1 to 136g m ?2. Approximately 59% of total spatial variation in the AGB for the entire grassland was explained by the combination of the mean annual precipitation (MAP) and mean annual temperature. The explanatory power of MAP was weaker for each individual grassland type than that for the entire grassland. This study illustrated the high efficiency of the VIs derived from MODIS data in the grassland AGB estimation on the Xizang Plateau due to the vegetation homogeneity within a 1×1 km pixel in this region. Furthermore, MAP is a primary driver on the spatial variation of AGB at a regional scale.     

Contrasting responses of net primary productivity to inter-annual variability and changes of climate among three forest types in northern China

Aims A lack of explicit information on differential controls on net primary productivity (NPP) across regions and ecosystem types is largely responsible for uncertainties in global trajectories of terrestrial carbon balance with changing environment. The objectives of this study were to determine how NPP of different forest types would respond to inter-annual variability of climate and to examine the responses of NPP to future climate change scenarios across contrasting forest types in northern China.Methods We investigated inter-annual variations of NPP in relation to climate variability across three forest types in northern China, including a boreal forest dominated by Larix gmelinii Rupr., and two temperate forests dominated by Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. and Quercus wutaishanica Mayr., respectively, and studied the responses of NPP in these forests to predicted changes in climate for the periods 2011–40, 2041–70 and 2070–100 under carbon emission scenarios A2 and B2 of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. We simulated the responses of NPP to predicted changes in future climate as well as inter-annual variability of the present climate with the Biome-BGC version 4.2 based on site- and species-specific parameters. The modeled forest NPP data were validated against values in literature for similar types of forests and compared with inter-annual growth variations reflected by tree-ring width index (RWI) at the study sites.Important findings Inter-annual variations in modeled NPP during the period 1960–06 were mostly consistent with the temporal patterns in RWI. There were contrasting responses of modeled NPP among the three forest types to inter-annual variability of the present climate as well as to predicted changes in future climate. The modeled NPP was positively related to annual mean air temperature in the L. gmelinii forest (P < 0.001), but negatively in the P. tabulaeformis forest (P = 0.05) and the Q. wutaishanica forest (P = 0.03), while the relationships of modeled NPP with annual precipitation for the three forest types were all positive. Multiple stepwise regression analyses showed that temperature was a more important constraint of NPP than precipitation in the L. gmelinii forest, whereas precipitation appeared to be a prominent factor limiting the growth in P. tabulaeformis and Q. wutaishanica. Model simulations suggest marked, but differential increases in NPP across the three forest types with predicted changes in future climate.