Vegetation structure and photosynthesis respond rapidly to restoration in young coastal fens

Young coastal fens are rare ecosystems in the first stages of peatland succession. Their drainage compromises their successional development toward future carbon (C) reservoirs. We present the first study on the success of hydrological restoration of young fens. We carried out vegetation surveys at six young fens that represent undrained, drained, and restored management categories in the Finnish land uplift coast before and after restoration. We measured plant level carbon dioxide (CO₂) assimilation and chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) from 17 most common plant species present at the sites. Within 5 years of restoration, the vegetation composition of restored sites had started to move toward the undrained baseline. The cover of sedges increased the most in response to restoration, while the cover of deciduous shrubs decreased the most. The rapid response indicates high resilience and low resistance of young fen ecosystems toward changes in hydrology. Forbs had higher photosynthetic and respiration rates than sedges, deciduous shrubs, and grasses, whereas rates were lowest for evergreen shrubs and mosses. The impact of management category on CO₂ assimilation was an indirect consequence that occurred through changes in plant species composition: Increase in sedge cover following restoration also increased the potential photosynthetic capacity of the ecosystem. Synthesis and applications. Restoration of forestry drained young fens is a promising method for safeguarding them and bringing back their function as C reservoirs. However, their low resistance to water table draw down introduces a risk that regeneration may be partially hindered by the heavy drainage in the surrounding landscape. Therefore, restoration success is best safeguarded by managing the whole catchments instead of carrying out small‐scale projects.     

农林废弃物混配基质的理化性质及其对油茶幼苗生长效应的综合评价

以腐熟的甘蔗渣( SB)、木薯皮( CP)、花生壳( PS)和火炭灰( BA)及园土( GS)为原料,按照不同体积比配制成9种混配基质,并以等体积比泥炭和园土混配基质为对照,对各基质的理化性质及基质中油茶( Camellia oleifera Abel)幼苗的生长状况进行比较;在对基质理化指标和油茶幼苗的壮苗指数进行线性回归分析和通径分析的基础上,采用主成分分析和综合评价法对各基质的育苗效果进行综合评价。结果表明：9种农林废弃物混配基质的容重、总孔隙度和毛管孔隙度分别为0.23~0.47 g·cm-3、60.90%~67.23%和46.53%~58.27%, pH 6.72~pH 7.14,各基质的速效氮含量、速效磷含量、速效钾含量、pH值、电导率和通气孔隙度均高于或显著高于对照,容重则显著低于对照。在不同基质中油茶幼苗的茎粗、单株叶片数、叶长、叶宽、叶绿素相对含量( SPAD)、单株茎叶干质量、单株根干质量和壮苗指数均存在一定差异,而株高和根冠比却无显著差异;其中S9混配基质也V( SB)：V( CP)：V( BA)=2：1：1页中幼苗的大部分生长指标较高,表现出明显的生长优势。线性回归和通径分析结果显示：除通气孔隙度外,基质的其他8个理化指标基本涵盖了影响幼苗壮苗指数的关键因素;其中,速效钾含量是对壮苗指数直接影响最大的负相关因子,而速效磷含量、电导率和总孔隙度对壮苗指数则有较大的正向直接作用,并且三者通过速效钾含量对壮苗指数产生较大的负向间接作用;此外,基质容重对壮苗指数也有一定的负向直接作用。综合评价结果显示：S9和S7混配基质也V( SB)：V( BA)：V( GS)=4：3：3页对油茶育苗效果的综合得分较高,分别为14.363和14.337,建议将S9混配基质作为油茶育苗的首选替代基质,S7混配基质作为备选基质。     

基于结构方程模型分析森林生态安全的影响因素

森林生态安全是维持国家生态安全的重要基础,也是人类生存的必要环境。森林不仅为人类提供木材和其他林副产品等实物价值,还具有美化环境、固碳释氧、涵养水源、防风固沙等生态服务价值,对维持生态平衡有重要作用。生态安全的相关研究多集中在构建评价指标评价森林生态安全,研究内容相对单一,而针对林业生态-产业共生关系的研究,并没有对林业产业类型进行区分,其次,林业产业发展对森林生态安全的影响研究较少。针对上述问题,在考虑产业分类的基础上,基于PSR理论和狭义的森林生态安全定义,利用31个省(市、自治区)3年的林业统计数据,运用PLS结构方程模型分析林业产业发展、森林生态保护对森林生态安全的影响及影响的大小,并分析了各地区森林生态保护的响应活动,为林业产业发展和森林生态保护的政策制定提供依据,从而促进林业的可持续发展。基于上述分析得出如下结果:(1)林业产业发展对森林生态安全无显著影响,但有部分子产业有森林生态安全有影响;(2)林业一产发展对森林生态安全有显著地直接影响,路径系数为0.175,间接影响不显著;(3)林业二产和三产发展对森林生态安全的直接影响和间接都不显著;(4)三类产业对林业产业发展的影响均显著,影响的大小分别为林业二产(0.636)、林业一产(0.204)、林业三产(0.151);(5)森林生态保护对森林生态安全有显著地直接影响,路径系数为0.619;(6)相对于其他地区,西部的森林生态保护活动积极性不高。由此得出如下结论:林业产业发展及林业二产、林业三产对森林生态安全未形成压力,只有林业一产发展对森林生态安全产生了正压力,需进一步加强林业产业结构的调整;加大保护响应力度对森林生态安全的影响大于合理利用的正压力;加强西部区域的森林生态保护力度,提高森林生态安全。     

Line thinning enhances diversity of Coleoptera in overstocked Cryptomeria japonica plantations in central Japan

We evaluated the effectiveness of line thinning, a new silvicultural technique, toward restoring diversity of Coleoptera in overstocked Cryptomeria japonica D. Don plantations in central Japan. We compared the abundance of some common Coleoptera families between line-thinned stands and adjacent unthinned stands in two plantations: low-elevation Sugi site (4 years since thinning) and high-elevation Kuchiotani site (6 years since thinning). Many bettle families comprising various functional groups such as plant feeders, wood borers, rotten wood feeders, root feeders, fungus feeders, dung feeders, and scavengers were more abundant in the line-thinned stands than in the unthinned stands. Furthermore, some important families were missing from the unthinned stands. There were strong positive relationships between Coleopteran abundance and understory vegetation. Our results suggest that line thinning may potentially increase biodiversity in overstocked C. japonica plantations by restoring important ecological processes such as food-web interactions (pollination, predation, herbivory, decomposition, parasitism, etc.), and habitat conditions.     

Species status and population structure of the Australian Eucalyptus pest Paropsis atomaria Olivier (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

1 Paropsis atomaria Olivier represents an emergent pest of Eucalyptus plantations in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. Most prior studies on the biology and control of P. atomaria have centred on populations from Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory, but the biological relationship between beetles from Canberra and those from up to 1500 km further north are unknown. 2 DNA markers were used to determine whether P. atomaria from Canberra are the same biological species as those from Eucalyptus forestry plantations in northern New South Wales and Queensland, where the beetle has become an important pest. Using the mitochondrial gene, cytochrome c oxidase I (COI), individuals collected from across the distribution of P. atomaria were investigated for haplotype diversity and levels of mitochondrial divergence. 3 Within P. atomaria, genetic distance averaged 0.5% across 23 unique haplotypes for 93 individuals, with an average of 14% difference between P. atomaria and the outgroup species, Paropsis obsoleta. Significant genetic structure was observed relative to geographical distribution, but not with respect to host plant species of origin. Greatest divergence was between the southern‐most sample site (Canberra) and northern sites in New South Wales and Queensland, indicating reduced gene flow between these regions. 4 Individuals from across eastern Australia belong to the same genetic species with population substructuring evident. Consequently, there is no evidence to suggest cryptic species complexes exist within the currently defined taxon. Continued implementation of control strategies for P. atomaria across its distribution is appropriate.     

Effects of climate change on the delivery of soil‐mediated ecosystem services within the primary sector in temperate ecosystems: a review and New Zealand case study

Future human well‐being under climate change depends on the ongoing delivery of food, fibre and wood from the land‐based primary sector. The ability to deliver these provisioning services depends on soil‐based ecosystem services (e.g. carbon, nutrient and water cycling and storage), yet we lack an in‐depth understanding of the likely response of soil‐based ecosystem services to climate change. We review the current knowledge on this topic for temperate ecosystems, focusing on mechanisms that are likely to underpin differences in climate change responses between four primary sector systems: cropping, intensive grazing, extensive grazing and plantation forestry. We then illustrate how our findings can be applied to assess service delivery under climate change in a specific region, using New Zealand as an example system. Differences in the climate change responses of carbon and nutrient‐related services between systems will largely be driven by whether they are reliant on externally added or internally cycled nutrients, the extent to which plant communities could influence responses, and variation in vulnerability to erosion. The ability of soils to regulate water under climate change will mostly be driven by changes in rainfall, but can be influenced by different primary sector systems' vulnerability to soil water repellency and differences in evapotranspiration rates. These changes in regulating services resulted in different potentials for increased biomass production across systems, with intensively managed systems being the most likely to benefit from climate change. Quantitative prediction of net effects of climate change on soil ecosystem services remains a challenge, in part due to knowledge gaps, but also due to the complex interactions between different aspects of climate change. Despite this challenge, it is critical to gain the information required to make such predictions as robust as possible given the fundamental role of soils in supporting human well‐being.     

Long-term effects on the nitrogen budget of a short-rotation grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench) forest on abandoned agricultural land

Short-rotation energy forestry is one of the potential ways for management of abandoned agricultural areas. It helps sequestrate carbon and mitigate human-induced climate changes. Owing to symbiotic dinitrogen (N₂) fixation by actinomycetes and the soil fertilizing capacity and fast biomass growth of grey alders, the latter can be suitable species for short-rotation forestry. In our study of a young grey alder stand (Alnus incana (L.) Moench) on abandoned arable land in Estonia we tested the following hypotheses: (1) afforestation of abandoned agricultural land by grey alder significantly affects the soil nitrogen (N) status already during the first rotation period; (2) input of symbiotic fixation covers an essential part of the plant annual N demand of the stand; (3) despite a considerable N input into the ecosystem of a young alder stand, there will occur no significant environmental hazards (N leaching or N₂O emissions). The first two hypotheses can be accepted: there was a significant increase in N and C content in the topsoil (from 0.11 to 0.14%, and from 1.4 to 1.7%, respectively), and N fixation (151.5 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) covered about 74% of the annual N demand of the stand. The third hypothesis met support as well: N₂O emissions (0.5 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) were low, while most of the annual gaseous N losses were in the form of N₂ (73.8 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Annual average NO₃-N leaching was 15 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ but the N that leached from topsoil accumulated in deeper soil layers. The soil acidifying effect of alders was clearly evident; during the 14-year period soil acidity increased 1.3 units in the upper 0-10 cm topsoil layer.     

秦岭宁陕县森林植被碳储量与碳密度特征

以秦岭南坡中段宁陕县林区2003年二类森林调查资料为基础,采用政府间气候变化委员会(IPCC)推荐使用的森林碳储量估算方法,从森林类型、林种、年龄和林分起源的角度,对该林区森林植被碳储量和碳密度进行估算。结果显示:(1)宁陕县森林植被碳储量为12.31Tg(1Tg=1×1012 g),平均碳密度为66.36Mg/hm2(1Mg=1×106 g),其各乡镇森林植被碳储量和碳密度在空间上的分布不平衡。(2)各森林类型中针叶林总碳储量为0.71Tg,平均碳密度为64.11 Mg/hm2,阔叶林总碳储量为11.61Tg,占宁陕县总碳储量的94.3%,碳密度为67.65Mg/hm2。(3)各林种中防护林碳储量最大(8.13Tg),占宁陕县总碳储量的66%,特种用途林碳密度最大(81.43Mg/hm2)。(4)不同林分起源中,天然林碳储量为12.231Tg,占宁陕县总碳储量的99.3%,人工林碳储量较小。(5)不同年龄森林中未成熟森林(包括幼龄林、中龄林和近熟林)碳储量为12.13Tg,占总碳储量的98.5%,近熟林碳密度最大(80.14Mg/hm2),幼龄林碳密度最小(39.85Mg/hm2)。研究表明,宁陕县森林具有较大的固碳能力和固碳潜力,其森林面积和蓄积是决定森林碳储量大小的重要因子,而森林碳密度的大小与森林类型、年龄组成和林分起源方式密切相关。     

森林经营决策支持系统的设计与实现及在采伐中的应用

我国传统的森林经营方式比较落后,数字化水平不高,决策过程比较盲目.在地理信息系统平台中集成森林动态模型,建立森林经营决策支持系统,可以充分发挥地理信息系统的可视化、空间分析以及模型模拟预测功能,加强处理森林在较大时空尺度上的动态变化的能力.本文设计并实现了森林生长率模型、景观采伐模型和矩阵模型,开发了森林经营决策支持系统,回答森林采伐经营中“采多少,采哪里,怎么采”的三个主要问题,在长白山区的露水河林业局和三岔子林业局进行应用,为提高我国森林可持续经营管理的数字化水平提供了技术支持.     

A meta‐analysis of bird and mammal response to short‐rotation woody crops

Short‐rotation woody cropping (SRWC) refers to silvicultural systems designed to produce woody biomass using short harvest cycles (1–15 years), intensive silvicultural techniques, high‐yielding varieties, and often coppice regeneration. Recent emphasis on alternatives to fossil fuels has spurred interest in producing SRWC on privately owned and intensively managed forests of North America. We examined potential bird and small mammal response at the stand level to conversion of existing, intensively managed forests to SRWCs using meta‐analysis of existing studies. We found 257 effect sizes for birds (243 effect sizes) and mammals (14 effect sizes) from 8 studies involving Populus spp. plantations. Diversity and abundance of bird guilds were lower on short‐rotation plantations compared with reference woodlands, while abundance of individual bird species was more variable and not consistently higher or lower on SRWC plantations. Shrub‐associated birds were more abundant on SRWC plantations, but forest‐associated and cavity‐nesting birds were less abundant. Effects on birds appeared to decrease with age of the SRWC plantation, but plantation age was also confounded with variation in the type of reference forest used for comparison. Both guilds and species of mammals were less abundant on SRWC plantations. These conclusions are tentative because none of these studies directly compared SRWC plantations to intensively managed forests. Plantations of SRWCs could contribute to overall landscape diversity in forest‐dominated landscapes by providing shrubby habitat structure for nonforest species. However, extensive conversion of mature or intensively managed forests to SRWC would likely decrease overall diversity, especially if they replace habitat types of high conservation value.