Enhanced regional terrestrial carbon uptake over Korea revealed by atmospheric CO2 measurements from 1999 to 2017

Understanding changes in terrestrial carbon balance is important to improve our knowledge of the regional carbon cycle and climate change. However, evaluating regional changes in the terrestrial carbon balance is challenging due to the lack of surface flux measurements. This study reveals that the terrestrial carbon uptake over the Republic of Korea has been enhanced from 1999 to 2017 by analyzing long‐term atmospheric CO₂ concentration measurements at the Anmyeondo Station (36.53°N, 126.32°E) located in the western coast. The influence of terrestrial carbon flux on atmospheric CO₂ concentrations (ΔCO₂) is estimated from the difference of CO₂ concentrations that were influenced by the land sector (through easterly winds) and the Yellow Sea sector (through westerly winds). We find a significant trend in ΔCO₂ of ?4.75 ppm per decade (p < .05) during the vegetation growing season (May through October), suggesting that the regional terrestrial carbon uptake has increased relative to the surrounding ocean areas. Combined analysis with satellite measured normalized difference vegetation index and gross primary production shows that the enhanced carbon uptake is associated with significant nationwide increases in vegetation and its production. Process‐based terrestrial model and inverse model simulations estimate that regional terrestrial carbon uptake increases by up to 18.9 and 8.0 Tg C for the study period, accounting for 13.4% and 5.7% of the average annual domestic carbon emissions, respectively. Atmospheric chemical transport model simulations indicate that the enhanced terrestrial carbon sink is the primary reason for the observed ΔCO₂ trend rather than anthropogenic emissions and atmospheric circulation changes. Our results highlight the fact that atmospheric CO₂ measurements could open up the possibility of detecting regional changes in the terrestrial carbon cycle even where anthropogenic emissions are not negligible.     

Environmental Influences on Dall's Sheep Survival

Understanding how species respond to environmental conditions can assist with conservation strategies and harvest management, especially in arctic and boreal regions that are experiencing rapid climate change. Although climatic influences on species distributions have been studied, broad-scale effects of climate on survival are less well known. We examined the interactive effects of meteorological and remotely sensed environmental variables on survival of Dall's sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) lambs and adults by synthesizing radio-telemetry data across their range. We used data from 9 studies of adult sheep and 2 studies of lambs that were conducted between 1997 and 2012 at sites spanning the species' range in Alaska, USA, and northwestern Canada. We obtained environmental variables throughout the range of Dall's sheep, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from optical remote sensing, freeze-thaw frequency (FTF) from passive microwave remote sensing, and gridded climate variables such as snow water equivalent, temperature, and precipitation. We used Cox proportional hazard regression to investigate the effects of environmental variables recorded during summer, winter, and the previous winter on annual survival rates of Dall's sheep lambs and adults. Summer NDVI was the most influential environmental factor affecting lamb survival, with improved lamb survival occurring in years with a high maximum NDVI. Also, lamb predation by coyotes (Canis latrans) and golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) decreased substantially with increasing NDVI. The previous winter FTF had the strongest effect on adult survival, with decreased survival occurring after winters with high FTF. In addition, these remotely sensed environmental factors interacted with meteorological factors to affect survival, such that effects of winter temperature depended on summer NDVI and winter FTF. Warm winters increased lamb survival only when preceded by summers with high NDVI, and warm winters increased adult survival only when winter FTF was low. Thus, potential benefits of climate warming may be counteracted if wintertime freeze-thaw events markedly increase. Correlations among environmental variables across sites were low, and regional climate cycles such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) had weak effects, indicating substantial local variability in climatic conditions experienced by Dall's sheep across their range. These findings can help managers anticipate how Dall's sheep populations will respond to changes in local environmental conditions. Our results also highlight the utility of multiple remotely sensed environmental conditions for ungulate management, especially passive microwave products that provide valuable information on winter icing events. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.     

北京市植物物候对热岛效应的响应

都市的快速发展致使城市热岛效应日渐加剧。城市绿化对缓解热岛效应有一定的作用,但同时其物候也受到了影响。本文基于遥感影像数据,通过对照北京市热岛区与非热岛区、不同热岛强度等级的植物物候差别,研究热岛效应对植物物候的影响。采用Landsat 8影像对北京市地表温度进行反演,结合空间分析进行热岛效应分区分级识别;通过MOD13A1的归一化植被指数(NDVI)数据,采用Dallimer平均值法和动态阈值法提取植被生长季始期(SOG)、生长季末期(EOG)、生长季长度(LOG)等重要植被物候参数,研究植被物候在热岛区与非热岛区、不同热岛强度等级之间的差异。结果表明:北京市夏季与冬季相比,热岛效应更为显著;利用Dallimer平均值法提取的北京市热岛区SOG比非热岛区提前4 d,EOG延迟9 d,LOG延长13 d;利用动态阈值法提取的SOG提早10 d,EOG推迟4d,LOG延长14 d,动态阈值法提取的物候信息与观测的物候信息更为接近;随着热岛强度等级提高,SOG提前,EOG推迟,LOG延长。本研究丰富了我国华北地区植被物候对热岛效应的响应机制,同时对研究全球变暖对生态系统的影响具有一定价值。     

基于雪岭云杉树轮宽度重建过去339年天山中部巴音布鲁克地区夏季NDVI

归一化差异植被指数(NDVI)被广泛应用于植被研究的各个领域,但由于观测时长较短,难以满足长时间尺度的研究需要。基于巴音布鲁克地区雪岭云杉建立了树轮宽度年表(STD),计算年表和NDVI同气象观测数据的相关系数。结果表明:树轮宽度指数和NDVI均与同时段的气象数据具有显著相关。结合宽度年表与6—8月NDVI间的显著正相关(r=0.7,P＜0.01,n=38),使用回归模型重建了研究区过去339年的夏季(6—8月)NDVI变化序列,在1680—2018年,重建序列有4个高植被覆盖时段(1738—1765、1786—1798、1964—1973和2000—2018年)和5个低植被覆盖时段(1690—1714、1825—1834、1850—1880、1895—1920和1945—1955年)。重建结果也反映了天山中部水文气候。与周边重建的对比显示,当开都河径流量增加,且研究区处于较为潮湿的环境时,植被覆盖相对较高,反之植被覆盖偏低。重建序列的极值也捕捉了历史文献中一系列自然灾害。混合单粒子拉格朗日综合轨迹模型(HYSPLT)后向轨迹模型和风场分析表明,NDVI异常受到西风带来的降水影响。     

中国生态功能保护区归一化植被指数动态及气候因子驱动

为揭示生态功能保护区归一化植被指数(NDVI)与气候因子相关性, 为今后该区域植被动态监测提供有用的信息, 该研究基于2000-2015年MODIS NDVI数据和逐月格点降水与气温数据, 采用生态功能保护区和像元两种空间尺度, 应用线性倾向分析、偏相关分析、复相关分析等方法研究了46个生态功能保护区NDVI变化及其与气候因子的关系, 在此基础上基于相关系数显著性水平对生态功能保护区NDVI动态进行了气候因子驱动分区。主要结果: (1)生态功能保护区NDVI总体呈增加趋势, 其增率加权平均值为0.045·a^-1。像元分析表明, NDVI显著增加的区域主要分布在中部和东北部。(2)生态功能保护区NDVI与降水的偏相关系数在-0.30-0.72之间, 在32个分区呈正相关关系。NDVI与气温的偏相关性在-0.36-0.92之间, 在39个分区呈正相关关系。像元分析表明, 50.6%的像元NDVI与降水呈显著正偏相关关系, 主要分布在东北及西北地区。64.6%的像元NDVI与气温呈显著正偏相关关系, 主要分布在东北及青藏高原北缘地区。(3)气温-降水强驱动型是主要驱动类型, 占总面积的38.7%; 气温驱动型为次要驱动类型, 占27.3%; 非气候因子驱动型占17.6%。以上结果表明, 生态功能保护区NDVI与气温、降水气候因子改变具有显著相关性, 气候因子驱动的地区共占82.4%。研究气候变暖背景下生态功能保护区NDVI变化及其对气候因子的响应, 对于认识该区植被动态变化规律具有重要作用。     

Elephant spatial use in wet and dry savannas of southern Africa

The influence of elephants on woody vegetation cover varies from place to place. In part this may be due to the way elephants utilize space across landscapes and within their home ranges in response to the availability and distribution of food. We used location data from 18 cows at six study sites across an east to west rainfall gradient in southern Africa to test whether wet- and dry-season home-range sizes, evenness of space use within seasonal home ranges and range overlap between seasons and between years, differed between wet and dry savannas. We then tested whether the quantity, distribution and seasonal stability in vegetation productivity, a coarse measure of food for elephants, explained differences. Elephants in wet savannas had smaller wet- and dry-season home ranges and also returned to a higher proportion of previously visited grid cells between seasons and between years than elephants living in dry savannas. Wet-season home-range sizes were explained by seasonal vegetation productivity while dry-season home-range sizes were explained by heterogeneity in the distribution of vegetation productivity. The influence of the latter on dry-season home ranges differed among structural vegetation classes. Range overlap between seasons and between years was related to inter-seasonal and inter-annual stability in vegetation productivity, respectively. Evenness of elephant spatial use within home ranges did not differ between savanna types, but it was explained by seasonal vegetation productivity and heterogeneity in the distribution of vegetation productivity during the wet season. Differences in elephant spatial use patterns between wet and dry savannas according to vegetation structure and season may need to be included in the development of site-specific objectives and management approaches for African elephants.     

过去20年中国耕地生长季起始期的时空变化

多时相遥感数据能够较好地描述区域尺度的植被物候和生长季节的变化特征.利用NDVI时序数据,采用非对称性高斯函数拟合方法重建平滑曲线,分别提取了我国20世纪80年代初、90年代初和21世纪初等3个时期为我国耕地第一生长季起始期,计算3个时期平均生长起始期,并分析了我国耕地第一生长季起始期的区域空间分异规律;然后,从区域和省份两个尺度分析了20世纪80年代初至90年代初和20世纪90年代初至21世纪初两个阶段我国耕地生长季起始期动态变化趋势和空间格局.结果表明,我国不同区域耕地第一生长季起始期存在十分明显的空间差异,清楚地呈现出一个从南向北逐渐推迟的空间特征;从不同区域看,在20世纪80年代初至90年代初和20世纪90年代初至21世纪初两个时期,我国耕地第一生长季起始期变化都是提前和推迟并存,不同区域变化程度不一;从不同省份看,在过去20年间,我国绝大多数省份耕地第一生长季起始期都表现为总体提前的趋势,但不同省份的起始期变化具有差异性.影响我国耕地生长季起始期变化的因素很多,如何区别气候变化等自然因子和人类活动因子对耕地生长季起始期变化的影响是一个值得深入研究的问题.     

Bird species richness patterns of northern Taiwan: primary productivity, human population density, and habitat heterogeneity

Energy, climate, habitat heterogeneity, and human activity are important correlates of spatial variation in species richness. We examined the correlation between species richness and these variables using the birds that breed in northern Taiwan. We conducted general linear models (GLMs) and spatial correlation models to examine the relationship between bird species richness (BSR) and environmental variables. We found that normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was the most important predictor of BSR. We suggest productivity is the primary process of BSR. Additionally, we hypothesized that scale dependency might exist in the relationship between BSR and NDVI in Taiwan. Human population density, the second most important factor, was inversely correlated with BSR. The factor and BSR did not have similar response to NDVI, which contradicted observations in most of the previous studies on human population vs. species richness. We proposed that the human population density had an effect on NDVI, which in turn had an effect on BSR. Moreover, we hypothesized that the contradiction between our study and the previous studies might arise from a higher level of human disturbance in Taiwan than in other areas. The necessity of conserving native species in intensively developed lowlands of Taiwan cannot be overemphasized. Number of land cover type was another significant predictor of BSR. Habitat heterogeneity may have an effect on BSR in Taiwan.