Forward‐Looking Forest Restoration Under Climate Change—Are U.S. Nurseries Ready?

The pace of climate change suggests that restoration efforts once focused on past conditions should become more forward‐looking. Suggestions for such restoration emphasize the use of a suite of species adapted to a range of possible future climates. In forest restoration, opportunities for forward‐looking restoration may be limited by the availability of suitable stock from state and commercial nurseries. Presently, most state nurseries have stock potentially suited to warmer climates than currently exist in their states. However, these nurseries are generally not actively incorporating information about climate change into their stocking choices and some see clear obstacles to providing such stock, particularly uncertainty about the future climate, and the existence of seed zones and other policies designed to protect locally adapted species genetics. As restoration ecologists adapt their methods to incorporate climate change, state nurseries should be involved in those discussions and may be important partners in outreach.     

Human intervened post-fire forest restoration in the Northern Great Hing’an Mountains: a review

The devastating fire in May 1987 in the northern Great Hing’an Mountains created a mosaic of burned severity. Subsequent log harvesting and tree planting complicated the restoration process. Based on intensive field work and GIS analysis for the burned area, we studied the landscape pattern change in relation with its influencing factors, the restoration of some ecosystem functions and the long-term effect of human planting on vegetation restoration. A post-fire vegetation restoration process was also established using spatial series instead of temporal series. The results indicated that coniferous forest, broad-leaved forest and mixed forest increased obviously in the burned area. Factors influencing the restoration process are ranked as the burned severity, way of restoration (planting, promoted restoration or natural restoration) and topographical factors. The latter was further ranked as the slope, elevation, slope position and aspect. Primary productivity, hydrological functions, habitats for wild animals and permanent frozen soil of the area have all largely been restored to the pre-fire level after more than 15 years. Parameters demonstrated a transitional character of the forest from the early succession stage to middle stage. LANDIS simulation for the long-term forest succession under pure natural restoration and human-intervened restoration indicated that post-fire tree planting largely influenced the age structure, spatial pattern and timber stock of dominant species such as Larix gmelini, Betula platyphylla and Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica. In general, the influence of post-fire human planting can remain for more than 200 years.     

天然阔叶林景观质量评价及其垂直结构优化技术

以江西省婺源县天然阔叶林近景景观为对象,收集了30个有代表性的近景景观图片和相关资料,采用大众评判法获得美景度值,运用多元数量化模型Ⅰ建立美景度与景观要素的关系模型．结果表明：树干形态、林木密度、林下层总盖度、林下层高度、自然整枝和色彩丰富度是影响天然阔叶林近景景观质量的主要要素,其偏相关系数在0．4482～0．7724之间,t检验结果为极显著或显著;复相关系数达0．9508,F检验结果为极显著（F=36．11^＊＊）．分析表明,树干通直、自然整枝良好、色彩富于变化有利于提高景观的美景度,而林木密度、林下层总盖度和林下层高度过高或过低（矮）均会给景观美学质量带来负面影响．针对这些景观要素特征提出了天然阔叶林景观垂直结构优化的相应经营措施．     

森林景观恢复过程中景观要素斑块规模的动态分析

以１９５９年以来的４期航片为基础资料,通过对研究地区各类景观要素的斑块平均规模和粒级结构及其动态变化过程进行分析,揭示了研究地区森林景观恢复演替过程中景观要素斑块动态特点,阐明了植被演替和干扰格局控制下森林景观要素斑块恢复演替的过程和规律。研究地区森林景观自５０年代以来在整体上始终属于细景观,但景观要素斑志规模和粒级结构发生了显著变化,在三个不同时期表现出不同的变化特点,而且不同景观要素的斑块规模     

林分结构对烟台黑松海岸防护林天然更新的影响

为阐明黑松(Pinusthunbergii)海岸防护林天然更新的影响机制,在对烟台2个典型样地6条样带共60个样方(10m×10m)调查的基础上,采用拟合模型和多重回归分析技术,探讨林分结构指标中,垂直结构(树冠指数、小树比例和大树比例)和密度因素(基面积、郁闭度和灌木盖度)对黑松种群天然更新的影响。结果表明在垂直结构变量中,树冠指数(CI)与幼龄植株个数之间存在典型的抛物线关系,在CI5-6范围内,幼龄植株个数达到最高;幼龄植株个数与小树比例关系较弱,但与大树比例表现出显著的正线性关系。在密度变量中,幼龄植株随着郁闭度的增加,个体数呈上升趋势,而随着灌木盖度的增加,则表现出显著的下降倾向;幼龄植株个数与基面积关系不明显。幼龄植株个体数变化取决于垂直结构变量CI和密度变量郁闭度和灌木盖度共同作用的影响。理解这些更新规律,是黑松海岸防护林可持续管理的前提。     

海南岛次生低地雨林棕榈藤伴生群落优势种生态位研究

以海南岛甘什岭自然保护区次生低地雨林群落优势种及棕榈藤为试验材料,通过重要值筛选群落优势种,利用生态位宽度、相似性比例和生态位重叠探究棕榈藤与各林层优势种对资源的作用机制,为棕榈藤资源保护和利用提供理论参考。结果显示:(1)青梅(Vatica mangachapoi)和铁凌(Hopea reticulata)为群落建群种,5种棕榈藤在整个群落中具有相对较高的重要值,但差异较大,其中杖藤(Calamus rhabdocladus)最大(0.286),小钩叶藤(Plectocomia microstachys)最小(0.053),其排序为:杖藤大白藤(C.faberii)黄藤(Daemonorops jenkinsiana)白藤(C.tetradactylus)小钩叶藤。(2)5种棕榈藤在群落中具有较大的生态位宽度,其中杖藤最大(Bi和Ba分别为2.900和0.612),且明显大于草本层,但与其他林层优势种差异小。(3)棕榈藤种间与优势种均表现出较低的生态位相似性比例,除黄藤与亮叶鸡血藤(Callerya nitida)外,各林层优势种与所有棕榈藤种相似性比例最高的物种相同,为益智(Alpinia oxyphylla)、百足藤(Pothos repens)、铁凌和青梅;藤种间,杖藤与各其它棕榈藤具有较高的生态位相似性比例,小钩叶藤最小。(4)林层优势种和棕榈藤的Lik和Lki值总体较低,均低于0.1,且生态位宽度大的不一定重叠程度越高;其中0~0.023的重叠数量占总数的63.5%,0.023~0.046为36.0%,0.046的仅占0.5%。研究认为,棕榈藤在群落中具有相对较高的资源利用能力,但种间差异较大,棕榈藤种间及其与优势种间均表现为生态位分化,物种间倾向于资源共享。     

大明山常绿阔叶林冠层垂直结构与林下植物更新

2009—2011年,在广西大明山常绿阔叶林一个典型坡面的上坡、中坡和下坡分别建立24个20 m×20 m的固定样地,测定不同林冠层次(上层、中层和下层冠高分别为:>8、4～8和0～4 m)的覆盖度并监测林下植物的更新,研究林冠垂直结构的动态变化及其对林下植物更新的影响.结果表明: 随着2008年特大冰冻灾害后森林的恢复,林冠总覆盖度显著增加,从2009年的54.0%提高到2011年的67.4%,不同冠层覆盖度和恢复增长存在显著差异,上层林冠覆盖度显著高于中、下层,而中、下层林冠的恢复增长显著优于上层林冠.林下更新的木本植物共55种,优势科和优势种与现有群落的基本一致.同一年份不同坡位林下更新植物的物种多样性指数差异不显著,但同一坡位不同年份间存在显著差异.不同冠层的覆盖度与更新植物的物种丰富度和多度相关性不显著;中层、下层和林冠总覆盖度与林下更新植物的Shannon指数、Simpson指数和Pielou均匀度指数呈显著负相关,表明冠层覆盖度显著影响着林下更新,中、下层林冠对林下更新植物多样性的作用更明显.     

Movement trajectories and habitat partitioning of small mammals in logged and unlogged rain forests on Borneo

1. Non-volant animals in tropical rain forests differ in their ability to exploit the habitat above the forest floor and also in their response to habitat variability. It is predicted that specific movement trajectories are determined both by intrinsic factors such as ecological specialization, morphology and body size and by structural features of the surrounding habitat such as undergrowth and availability of supportive structures. 2. We applied spool-and-line tracking in order to describe movement trajectories and habitat segregation of eight species of small mammals from an assemblage of Muridae, Tupaiidae and Sciuridae in the rain forest of Borneo where we followed a total of 13,525 m path. We also analysed specific changes in the movement patterns of the small mammals in relation to habitat stratification between logged and unlogged forests. Variables related to climbing activity of the tracked species as well as the supportive structures of the vegetation and undergrowth density were measured along their tracks. 3. Movement patterns of the small mammals differed significantly between species. Most similarities were found in congeneric species that converged strongly in body size and morphology. All species were affected in their movement patterns by the altered forest structure in logged forests with most differences found in Leopoldamys sabanus. However, the large proportions of short step lengths found in all species for both forest types and similar path tortuosity suggest that the main movement strategies of the small mammals were not influenced by logging but comprised generally a response to the heterogeneous habitat as opposed to random movement strategies predicted for homogeneous environments. 4. Overall shifts in microhabitat use showed no coherent trend among species. Multivariate (principal component) analysis revealed contrasting trends for convergent species, in particular for Maxomys rajah and M. surifer as well as for Tupaia longipes and T. tana, suggesting that each species was uniquely affected in its movement trajectories by a multiple set of environmental and intrinsic features.     

泌桐高速公路生态护坡不同草灌混播10 a后的植被群落特征

稳定的边坡群落是公路边坡生态防护的目标,为探究高速公路生态护坡工程10 a演替后群落特征,该研究以泌桐高速公路为依托,布设自然恢复、单一狗牙根播种和5个不同播种密度的草灌混播生态防护措施,分析不同恢复方式对边坡群落组成、生活型和物种多样性的影响。结果表明:(1)调查样方内共有52种植物,分属于17科49属。禾本科、菊科和豆科植物共26属29种,占种总数的55.77%,表明这三大科植物在边坡群落演替过程中起着重要作用。(2) 10 a演替后不同恢复方式下群落中多年生植物比例高于一年生草本植物。(3)在草灌混播样地中,群落物种多样性指数随着播种密度的增加呈先增加后降低的单峰变化趋势,在播种密度为每平方米500株时达到最大。(4)草灌混播的生态恢复效果优于纯草本种植和自然恢复方式。(5)播种密度对草灌混播群落类型,地上生物量和物种多样性指数没有显著影响。从植物的生长效果及成本方面考虑,初播密度每平方米为500~600株的草灌混播可构建较为稳定的边坡植物群落,实现最佳的边坡恢复效果,可应用于类似区域边坡生态恢复工程。     

Root growth and nitrogen uptake in sycamore (Acer pseudoplantanus L.) seedlings in relation to nitrogen supply

Acer pseudoplatanus L. trees were grown in sand culture for 2 years and, in 1988, supplied with either 1.0 mol N m^-3 (low N) or 6.0 mol N m^-3 (high N) to precondition their growth. In 1989, the same trees received either high or low nitrogen, producing four treatments; High N in 1988/High N in 1989; High N in 1988/Low N in 1989; Low N in 1988/Low N in 1989; and Low N in 1988/High N in 1989. Plant growth was affected by N supply in both years. In 1989 the Low N/High N treated trees had the same overall mass, leaf mass and stem girth as the High N/High N treatment. Early spring growth of foliage and roots was conditional on nitrogen supplied in the previous season. Later, the rapid increases in leaf, stem and root growth under high N was through root uptake. Internal partitioning of growth was affected, with the Low N/High N treatment producing more new leaves on axillary shoots, and more new white roots on existing structures, than the Low N/Low N treatment. Despite effects of the N preconditioning on the structure of both canopy and root system, nitrogen uptake was solely dependent on the current nitrogen supply.