Spatial variations in xylem sap flux density in evergreen oak trees with radial-porous wood: comparisons with anatomical observations

To estimate whole-tree water use when employing sap flow measurements, integration of the sap flux density (F _d) over the sapwood area is needed. Accordingly, it is necessary to obtain information on the characteristics of stem water transportation such as spatial variations in F _d and the active xylem area in the stem cross-section. Although evergreen oak trees with radial-porous wood represent a major component of secondary forests in western Japan, detailed information on their stem water transportation characteristics remains unclear. In the present study, we used the heat dissipation method (Granier method) to conduct measurements of azimuthal and radial variations in the F _d of Quercus glauca Thunb. ex Murray, a representative evergreen broad-leaved tree in western Japan. Further, by analyzing the anatomy of the xylem structure, we examined why F _d varies spatially in the stem cross-section. By using a dye solution injected into a radial hole bored into the tree trunk, we confirmed that the entire stem is hydroactive. We also compared the spatial variations in F _d and water conductivity per xylem area (K _s) which were estimated by using the observed vessel diameters and their density over the stem cross-section and Hagen–Poiseuille’s law. Azimuthal and radial variations in F _d reached about 60 and 50% of the maximum values, respectively, and could be explained by spatial variation in K _s. As a result, we obtained statistical parameters describing the spatial variation in F _d in Q. glauca and determined that whole-tree water use estimated from measurements in one direction had at most ±20% potential errors for studied trees.     

Antitranspirant functions of stem periderms and their influence on corticular photosynthesis under drought stress

Transpiration and photosynthesis of current-year stems and adult leaves of different deciduous tree species were investigated to estimate their probable influence on carbon balance. Peridermal transpiration of young stems was found to be rather small as compared to the transpiration of leaves (stem/leaf like 1/5–1/20). A characteristic that was mainly attributable to the lower peridermal conductance to water and CO₂, which made up only 8–28% of stomatal conductance. Water vapour conductance was significantly lower in stems, but also non-responsive to PAR, which led to a comparatively higher water use efficiency (WUE, ratio assimilation/transpiration). Thus, although corticular photosynthesis reached only 11–37% of leaf photosynthesis, it may be a means of improving the carbon balance of stems under limited water availability. The influence of drought stress on primary photosynthetic reactions was also studied. Under simulated drought conditions the drying time needed to provoke a 50% reduction (t ₅₀) in dark- and light-adapted PSII efficiency (Fv/Fm, ΔF/Fm′) was up to ten times higher in stems than in leaves. Nevertheless, up to a relative water deficit (RWD) of around 40–50% dark-adapted PSII efficiency of leaves and stems was rather insensitive to dehydration, showing that the efficiency of open PS II reaction centres is not impaired. Thus, it may be concluded that in stems as well as in leaves the primary site of drought damage is at the level of dark enzyme reactions and not within PSII. However, enduring severe drought caused photoinhibitory damage to the photosynthetic apparatus of leaves and stems; thereby RWD₅₀ values (= RWD needed to provoke a 50% reduction in Fv/Fm ad ΔF/Fm′) were comparably lower in stems as compared to leaves, indicating a possibly higher drought sensitivity of the cortex chlorenchyma.     

Relationships between lake macrophyte cover and lake and landscape features

We examined the ability of lake and landscape features to predict a variety of macrophyte cover metrics using 54 north temperate lakes. We quantified submersed cover, emergent cover, floating leaf cover, Eurasian watermilfoil cover and total macrophyte cover. Measured lake features included lake physio-chemical and morphometric variables and landscape features included hydrologic, catchment and land use/cover variables. Univariate regression analyses demonstrated that these macrophyte cover metrics are predicted by a wide range of predictor variables, most commonly by: Secchi disk depth, maximum or mean depth, catchment morphometry, road density and the proportion of urban or agricultural land use/cover in the riparian zone or catchment (r² = 0.06–0.46). Using a combination of lake and landscape features in multiple regressions, we were able to explain 29–55% of the variation in macrophyte cover metrics. Total macrophyte cover and submersed cover were related to Secchi disk depth and mean depth, whereas the remaining metrics were best predicted by including at least one land use/cover variable (road density, proportion local catchment agriculture land use/cover, proportion cumulative catchment urban land use/cover, or proportion riparian agriculture land use/cover). The two main conclusions from our research are: (1) that different macrophyte growth forms and species are predicted by a different suite of variables and thus should be examined separately, and (2) that anthropogenic landscape features may override patterns in natural landscape or local features and are important in predicting present-day macrophytes in lakes.     

Factors influencing the spatial distribution of forest plant species in hedgerows of North-western Germany

In North-western Germany woodland fragmentation has caused a decline in many forest plant species. Hedgerows partly offer a similar environment as forests and have been identified as potential habitats for forest plants in various studies from North America and Western Europe. The objective of this study was to examine whether this applies also to Central Europe and which variables affect the spatial distribution and abundance of forest plant species in hedgerows on a local scale. Three hedgerow networks north of the city of Bremen, Germany, were selected as study areas and divided into totally 515 hedgerow segments. In each segment we recorded all vascular plants and a large number of explanatory variables relating to structure, spatial configuration, environment and management. Averaged across species there was a predominant effect of environmental factors on the occurrence of forest species in the hedgerows, followed by spatial configuration and management. Hedgerow structure was found to be less important. In general, forest species were favored by low nutrient and light availability as well as high connectivity with other hedgerows or forest; they avoided hedgerows with a west-easterly orientation and an adjacent land use in the form of fields or grasslands. Forest species found and not found in hedgerows did not differ in their environmental preferences or life history traits. The number of threatened forest species in the hedgerows, however, was lower than expected with respect to their overall proportion to the total number of forest species in the region.     

土壤质量与可持续土地利用管理

可持续发展的基础是农业的可持续发展,可持续农业应当包含对于资源的成功管理来满足人类需求的变化,同时维持或提高环境质量,保护自然资源。土壤质量是可持续土地利用管理的重要指标,本文在深入剖析土壤质量与可持续土地利用管理内涵基础上,总结、分析了土壤质量和可持续土地利用管理的相互关系,提出了二者研究的发展趋势。并就土壤质量研究如何在可持续土地利用管理中发挥重要作用,以及目前存在的问题等做了探讨。     

城市胁迫生境下二球悬铃木叶片的发育稳定度及其环境指示功能

对采自上海市区14个样点的二球悬铃木叶片发育稳定度、叶片气孔密度和气孔长径进行研究。结果表明,在3个采样时期,根据叶片宽度确定的非稳态不对称指数(FA1)和根据叶片侧脉长度确定的偏向性不对称指数(RDA1)在不同环境胁迫程度(UESL)下均表现出显著的差异,但进一步分析表明,各样点FA1与环境胁迫程度UESL之间呈显著的非线性回归关系,而RDA1与环境胁迫程度之间却未显示类似关系。此外,FA1与叶片气孔密度和气孔长径之间的显著相关关系表明,它们可共同作为指示小尺度上环境胁迫的有效指标,而RDA1是叶片的一种正常发育状态参数,并不适于反映环境胁迫状态。     

城市生态系统景观格局特征及形成机制

以城市生态系统的格局一过程一功能等相关概念的辨析为基础,重点分析了城市景观格局的基本特征,以及城市格局对生态系统过程和功能的影响。结果表明,高度人工化、高度的时空异质特性、破碎性、不稳定性是城市景观格局最为显著的特征。城市所在区域的自然环境条件,历史文化传统,城市格局的基本骨架——交通系统和城市职能是影响城市格局形成和演变的重要驱动因素。城市景观结构决定了其生态过程。综合研究城市景观格局-过程-功能的关系,认识城市的发展演变过程,可为城市规划、建设和管理提供重要的科学基础。     

水分胁迫对入侵植物薇甘菊幼苗生长的影响

水分是影响薇甘菊(Mikania micrantha)生长的重要环境因子,但通过调控生长环境包括土壤水分和空气湿度来探讨这一入侵植物的适应能力的报道较少.本文通过设置2个水分梯度:处理Ⅰ土壤含水量30%～60%和空气相对湿度80%～90%,处理Ⅱ土壤含水量10%～20%和空气相对湿度20%～30%进行试验.结果发现土壤含水量在10%～20%且空气相对湿度在20%～30%时,水分胁迫能显著影响薇甘菊的幼苗生长和光合特性.胁迫条件下植株生长速率明显降低,最大净光合速率和最大量子效率分别是1.94 μmol·m-2·s-1和64.91 mmol·mol-1,比对照8.63 μmol·m-2·s-1和211.34 mmol·mol-1明显偏低.本文将空气相对湿度作为水分胁迫条件之一,阐述了空气相对湿度的增加能扩大薇甘菊的适生范围,并分析得出气孔限制可能是水分胁迫下薇甘菊生长受抑制的主要原因.     

西双版纳农田弃耕后橡胶园的建立对碳的固存作用

 由于温室气体的大量排放引起的全球气候变暖等环境问题日益严重,近年来人们开始考虑通过植被和土壤的碳固存,以缓解大气中CO2浓度的升高速度,减缓温室效应的影响。有研究表明,热带原始森林的保护和人工林的建立能有效地固存大气中的碳。但是,在建立热带种植园和人工林以固存大气CO2的可行性及其碳的固存潜力大小等方面还存在较大争议。云南省西双版纳自治州是我国重要的热带地区之一,目前橡胶(Hevea brasiliensis)园的面积为1.3×105 hm2,约占该地区林地面积的14%。在本研究中,选择11块在弃耕后的农田上建立的橡胶园（定植年限为3至38年）,初步探讨了橡胶园建立后植被和土壤中碳的固存规律。两个生物量模型（唐建维等的模型和Brown模型）的模拟结果显示,橡胶园建立后植被中生物量的平均增长速率分别为10.2×103和9.4×103 kg·hm-2·a-1,40和100 cm表层土壤碳的平均固存速率分别为0.61×103和0.72×103 kg C·hm-2·a-1,植被和100 cm表层土壤中碳的平均固存速率为5.82×103和5.42×103 kg C·hm-2·a-1,而定植40年后植被和100 cm表层土壤碳的固存潜力为232.8×103和216.8×103 kg C·hm-2。对两个模型的比较结果显示,唐建维等的模型生物量计算结果明显高于Brown模型,尤其是在对中幼龄橡胶园生物量估算时更是如此。     

Interactions between land use,habitat use,and population increase in greater snow geese: what are the consequences for natural wetlands?

The North American greater snow goose population has increased dramatically during the last 40 years. We evaluated whether refuge creation, changes in land use on the wintering and staging grounds, and climate warming have contributed to this expansion by affecting the distribution, habitat use, body condition, and migration phenology of birds. We also reviewed the effects of the increasing population on marshes on the wintering grounds, along the migratory routes and on the tundra in summer. Refuges established before 1970 may have contributed to the initial demographic increase. The most important change, however, was the switch from a diet entirely based on marsh plants in spring and winter (rhizomes of Scirpus/Spartina) to one dominated by crops (corn/young grass shoots) during the 1970s and 1980s. Geese now winter further north along the US Atlantic coast, leading to reduced hunting mortality. Their migratory routes now include portions of southwestern Québec where corn production has increased exponentially. Since the mid‐1960s, average temperatures have increased by 1–2.4°C throughout the geographic range of geese, which may have contributed to the northward shift in wintering range and an earlier migration in spring. Access to spilled corn in spring improved fat reserves upon departure for the Arctic and may have contributed to a high fecundity. The population increase has led to intense grazing of natural wetlands used by geese although these habitats are still largely undamaged. The foraging in fields allowed the population to exceed limits imposed by natural marshes in winter and spring, but also prevented permanent damage because of their overgrazing.