A two thousand year history of a northern Swedish boreal forest stand

Abstract. Successional processes within northern Swedish boreal forest are investigated for the last 2000 years by analysis of pollen, charcoal fragments and insect remains preserved in a deep mor humus layer on a small island in a large lake. Frequent disturbances by fire, blow-down, insect attack and flood have been the chief influence on vegetation dynamics. The gradual climatically induced replacement of Betula pubescens by Picea abies is superimposed on the disturbance dynamics. Picea first became established during the Little Ice Age, which was the longest period without fire in the record. A thin layer of volcanic ash from Iceland confirms the chronology at the onset of the Little Ice Age. The present importance of Pinus sylvestris and Ericaceae on the island is a product of a recent increase in disturbance frequency. The disturbance regime ensures that the communities stay in equilibrium with prevailing climate.     

Impact of Atta colombica Colonies on Understory Vegetation and Light Availability in a Neotropical Forest1

We quantified patterns of vegetation removal and light availability above Atta colombica nests on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Ants cleared vegetation less than 1 cm in diameter from an area of 77 m², and up to 3 m above ground level. Overall light availability 1.5 m above ground level was 49 percent greater at ant nest sites than at sites in undisturbed understory. These higher light levels fell within the range known to enhance growth of both shade tolerant and pioneer species.     

Dissolved organic carbon in a humic lake: effects on bacterial production and respiration

Allochthonous matter was the main source of carbon for pelagic bacteria in a humic lake, accounting for almost 90% of the carbon required to support observed bacterial growth. The estimated contribution from zooplankton excretion was of the same magnitude as direct phytoplankton release, both accounting for 5–7% of bacterial demands for dissolved carbon. Bacteria were an important source of carbon both for heterotrophic phytoplankton and for filter feeding zooplankton species, further stressing the role of humus DOC in overall lake productivity. The high contribution of allochthonous DOC implies a stoichiometry of dissolved nutrients with a surplus of C relative to P. The high P cell quota of bacteria suggest that under such conditions they are P-limited and act like net consumers of P. Excess C will be disposed of, and bacterial respiration rate will increase following a transition from carbon-limited bacterial growth towards mineral-nutrient-limited growth. Thus the high community respiration and frequent CO₂-supersaturation in humic lakes may be caused not only by the absolute supply of organic C, but also by the stoichiometry of the dissolved nutrient pool.     

Chemical composition of fresh and composted urban waste

Chemical, spectroscopic (IR and NMR), and molecular characteristics of humus extracted from urban waste before and after compositing are reported. The main differences are in the contents of acidic groups and straight aliphatic chains which diminish in the composted material. In comparing humus characteristics of composted urban waste and soils, the only real difference was found in the elution curves on Sephadex G-100, where the ratio of 100,000 and 1,300 peaks was higher in the compost than in the soil curve. The finding suggests that this ratio is a parameter that could enable us, even if in a semiquantitative manner, to follow the humification process of the compost when its addition to the soil is not less than the autochthonous organic matter content.Research work supported by CNR, Italy, Special grant I.P.R.A.-Sub-project 1. Paper N. 1531.     

林下植被和凋落物对寒温带森林生长季土壤CH4通量的影响

为进一步探究林下植被和凋落物管理对我国寒温带森林生长季土壤CH₄通量的影响,采用静态箱-气相色谱法对大兴安岭北部4种林型（白桦林、山杨林、樟子松林和兴安落叶松林）4种处理（自然状态、去除凋落物、去除林下植被以及去除林下植被和凋落物）的土壤CH₄通量排放特征进行观测研究。结果表明：该地区森林生长季土壤均表现为CH₄的汇,4种林型不同处理后土壤CH₄通量表现为单峰变化趋势,吸收峰值出现在7月或8月。自然状态4种林型土壤CH₄平均吸收通量表现为白桦林（-79.23±14.92）μg m^-2 h^-1>山杨林（-64.27±9.60）μg m^-2 h^-1>樟子松林（-62.54±15.48）μg m^-2 h^-1>兴安落叶松林（-48.73±12.26）μg m^-2 h^-1,兴安落叶松土壤CH₄平均吸收通量显著小于其他三种林型（P<0.05）。相比于自然状态,4种林型在去除凋落物后土壤CH₄吸收通量提高了2.12%-12.15%,但变化幅度均没有达到显著水平（P>0.05）。去除林下植被后4种林型CH₄吸收通量提高了0.84%-20.55%,且只有山杨林吸收增加达到显著水平（P<0.05）。同时去除林下植被和凋落物后,对白桦林和樟子松土壤CH₄通量影响不显著（P>0.05）,但对山杨林和兴安落叶松林影响显著（P<0.05）。总之,去除凋落物或林下植被均会提高土壤对CH₄吸收,去除林下植被对土壤CH₄通量的影响要大于去除凋落物的影响,但不同林型不同处理之间还存在差异。     

白云山国家森林公园不同人为干扰强度的群落冠层结构和光照特征

为探究森林冠层结构与林下光照的变化规律及其相关性,在河南省白云山国家森林公园选取人工林、择伐林、皆伐林和老龄林建立四块面积为1 hm²（100 m×100 m）的固定监测样地,利用半球面影像技术获取冠层结构及林下光照数据。研究发现：1）随着人为干扰强度降低,冠层覆盖度与叶面积指数呈增加趋势,林下散射辐射与直接辐射呈减少趋势;2）择伐林冠层覆盖度与叶面积指数最大,平均叶倾角与透光比最小,林下光照（直接辐射、散射辐射）与冠层覆盖度和叶面积指数都呈显著负相关,林下散射辐射与冠层覆盖度和叶面积指数的负相关关系最强;3）处于不同干扰强度的群落由于冠层结构的差异,形成了不同群落内特定的光照环境。研究结果丰富了暖温带-亚热带生态过渡区森林冠层结构与林下光照动态变化研究资料,同时也为该区域森林的恢复与重建等提供科学的依据。     

间伐强度对坝上樟子松林下持水能力的影响

河北坝上地区地势复杂、气候条件较差,导致了水土流失和地质灾害的发生,使华北地区生态安全受到严重威胁。为了改善当地生态环境,樟子松、落叶松等耐贫瘠速生树种被大面积种植,然而不合理的植被密度会导致降雨的低效率利用。本研究以5种间伐强度(0、20%、40%、60%、80%)的樟子松林为对象,分析间伐强度对林下草本、枯落物、土壤各层以及整体持水能力的影响。结果表明: 草本层持水率变化幅度为47.7%～90.7%,且随着间伐强度增加持水能力整体呈减小趋势,间伐强度小于40%时减速较缓,之后迅速减小。随间伐强度的增大,枯落物未分解层、半分解层自然含水率和最大持水率均逐渐减小,而有效持水能力大小依次为60%>40%>20%>80%>0,且半分解层持水能力均优于未分解层。土壤持水能力随间伐强度的增强逐渐降低,间伐强度小于40%时对持水能力起促进作用。不同间伐强度下,林下总持水率是8.3%～14.3%,依次为20%>0>40%>60%>80%。 鉴于林下各层及整体变化,研究区内选择强度为20%的间伐措施能有效提高林下持水能力,实现更好的生态效益。     

长白山阔叶红松林不同演替阶段林下红松幼苗能量与养分季节动态

为了解林下红松幼苗生长和养分存储季节动态,以长白山原始阔叶红松林(原始林)和次生杨桦林(次生林)林下2年生红松幼苗为对象,研究林下光合有效辐射(PAR)、幼苗生物量、非结构性碳水化合物(NSC)、全氮(N)和全磷(P)等指标的季节变化,分析两林分林下光照的季节动态及其差异对红松幼苗生长和养分积累的影响。结果表明: 原始林和次生林林下月PAR累积量季节变化都呈“双峰”型,夏季为郁闭期,两林分林下光线弱。春季和秋季为阔叶树无叶期,林下光照条件变好,且次生林林下光照明显好于原始林;原始林和次生林红松幼苗的生物量、NSC、全N和全P浓度的季节动态与林下光照的季节变化基本一致,在春季和秋季表现为显著增加,在夏季呈下降趋势。春季幼苗的淀粉浓度增加,夏季淀粉和可溶性糖浓度均逐渐降低,到8月达到最低值,秋季可溶性糖浓度显著升高。春季和秋季次生林林下幼苗的生物量和NSC浓度整体上均显著高于原始林,而夏季两林分差异不显著。因此,春季和秋季的林下光照条件差异是影响原始林和次生林中红松幼苗养分积累和生长更新差异的主要原因。