Monitoring vegetation change caused by trampling: a study in the Cairngorms,Scotland

Summary

A study was made in the Cairngorms, Scotland to make recommendations for a monitoring scheme capable of detecting changes in the vegetation caused by recreational pressure following the development of a funicular railway. Four methods were used in field trials to assess percentage cover of plant species and gravel, rock and bare ground, where appropriate, in two vegetation types (open and closed). The methods used were visual estimates in 50 × 40 cm quadrats (Q), the mean of visual estimates in twenty 10 × 10 cm sub-quadrats of the 50 × 40 cm quadrats (Q₂₀), a modified point intercept method (RL) and photography. Variances between observers and between-quadrats were estimated for the different methods. The sampling design for detecting change was based on a model of variance, constructed from field trial data.

Between-observer and between-quadrat variances were related to mean percentage cover and approximated to a binomial distribution. The between-quadrat variance was larger than observer variance. The Q₂₀ method achieved appreciably better precision than the other methods. Analysis of half of the 10 × 10 cmsub-quadrats (1/2Q₂₀) selected in a checker board design achieved a relative efficiency of 78% compared with the Q₂₀. This result suggests that comparable precision to the Q₂₀ method could be achieved by choosing about 14 sub-quadrats in a larger quadrat, thus saving some time. Variation between quadrats also suggested that the Q₂₀ method was the one of choice for maximising precision. The precision of the photographic method was based on fewer data points, so is less accurate than other estimates.

Minimum sample sizes were estimated for detecting a 10% relative change of a species in open vegetation with 30% cover (i.e. a change from 30% to <27 or to >33% cover). With a 10 % Type II error rate and 5 % Type I error rate the minimum sample sizes were 47 quadrats for Q, 18 for Q ₂₀, 43 for RL, and 23 for the means of ten 10 × 10 cm sub-quadrats in open vegetation.

The most time-efficient field recording appeared to be the use of Q despite the required sample size being 2.6 times higher than that of Q₂₀. The far lower time requirement per quadrat, however, compensated for the higher numbers. The number of quadrats would depend on the specified change in percentage cover and on the statistical significance level used. For example, to detect a 10% absolute change in cover (i.e. from 30% to either <20 % or >40 % cover) at 95 % probability the net effective recording time is estimated at 5 h per vegetation type while to detect a 5 % change at 99 % probability would require c. 25 h. Larger samples may be required for other species or for species with a low initial cover.     

Evidence for increases in vegetation species richness across UK Environmental Change Network sites linked to changes in air pollution and weather patterns

We analysed trends in vegetation monitored at regular intervals over the past two decades (1993–2012) at the twelve terrestrial Environmental Change Network (ECN) sites. We sought to determine the extent to which flora had changed and link any such changes to potential environmental drivers. We observed significant increases in species richness, both at a whole network level, and when data were analysed within Broad Habitat groupings representing the open uplands, open lowlands and woodlands. We also found comparable increases in an indicator of vegetation response to soil pH, Ellenberg R. Species characteristic of less acid soils tended to show more consistent increases in frequency across sites relative to species with a known tolerance for strongly acidic soils. These changes are, therefore, broadly consistent with a response to increases in soil solution pH observed for the majority of ECN sites that, in turn, are likely to be driven by large reductions in acid deposition in recent decades. Increases in species richness in certain habitat groupings could also be linked to increased soil moisture availability in drier lowland sites that are likely to have been influenced by a trend towards wetter summers in recent years, and possibly also to a reduction in soil nitrogen availability in some upland locations. Changes in site management are also likely to have influenced trends at certain sites, particularly with respect to agricultural practices. Our results are therefore indicative of widescale responses to major regional-scale changes in air pollution and recent weather patterns, modified by local management effects. The relative consistency of management of ECN sites over time is atypical of much of the wider countryside and it is therefore not appropriate to scale up these observations to infer national scale trends. Nevertheless the results provide an important insight into processes that may be operating nationally. It will now be necessary to test for the ubiquity of these changes using appropriate broader spatial scale survey data.     

Ecological assessment of plant communities by reference to species traits and habitat preferences

Where vegetation is managed for nature conservation, results should be assessed against criteria linked to the objectives of management. An assessment method is presented in which the goal vegetation was defined as a specific biotope limited by a set of biophysical conditions. Vegetation was sampled from field boundary strips intended for the conservation of arable plant communities. Species suited to the specified conditions (suited species) were defined by applying rule sets to a matrix of species with their traits and habitat preferences, compiled from a range of data sources. The proportional contribution of suited species to the total vegetation was calculated for each set of conditions. Scores for each condition (suited species scores) were combined to provide overall comparative site values representing the extent to which the goal vegetation was established. There was close correlation with results of a previous assessment by expert opinion poll. Variation between sites in soil type and cultivation frequency was reflected by differences in individual suited species scores. Ideally, suited species selection would be by traits alone but currently there are insufficient data available. The method is readily applicable to other vegetation types.     

An indicator highlights seasonal variation in the response of Lepidoptera communities to warming

The impacts of climate change on species and ecosystems are increasingly evident. While these tend to be clearest with respect to changes in phenology and distribution ranges, there are also important consequences for population sizes and community structure. There is an urgent need to develop ecological indicators that can be used to detect climate-driven changes in ecological communities, and identify how those impacts may vary spatially. Here we describe the development of a new community-based seasonal climate change indicator that uses national population and weather indices. We test this indicator using Lepidopteran and co-located weather data collected across a range of UK Environmental Change Network (ECN) sites. We compare our butterfly indicator with estimates derived from an alternative, previously published metric, the Community Temperature Index (CTI).First, we quantified the effect of temperature on population growth rates of moths and butterflies (Species Temperature Response, STR) by modelling annual variation in national population indices as a function of nationally averaged seasonal variation in temperature, using species and weather data independent of the ECN data. Then, we calculated average STRs for annually summarised species data from each ECN site, weighted by species’ abundance, to produce the Community Temperature Response (CTR). Finally, we tested the extent to which CTR correlated with spatial variation in temperature between sites and the extent to which temporal variation in CTR tracked both annual and seasonal warming trends.Mean site CTR was positively correlated with mean site temperature for moths but not butterflies. However, spatial variation in moth communities was well explained by mean site summer temperature and butterfly communities by winter temperature, respectively accounting for 74% and 63% of variation. Temporal variation in moth and butterfly CTR within sites did not vary with the mean annual temperature but responded to variation in the mean temperature of specific seasons. There were positive correlations between moth seasonal CTRs and seasonal temperatures in winter, spring and summer; and butterfly seasonal CTRs and seasonal temperatures in winter and summer. Butterfly CTR and CTI both correlated spatially and temporally with winter temperature.Our results highlight the need for seasonality to be considered when examining the impact of climate change on communities. Seasonal CTRs may be used to track the impact of changing temperatures on biodiversity and help identify potential mechanisms by which climate change is affecting communities. In the case of Lepidoptera, our results suggest that future warming may reassemble Lepidoptera communities.     

Confusion among three common plant cover definitions may result in data unsuited for comparison

Question: Does measurement of plant cover have consistent and comparable definitions in its applications for vegetation response in monitoring and research? Methods: A survey of the sources of definitions of cover was completed to determine common definitions and evaluate the comparability of the resulting cover methods between 1950 and 2007. Results: Methods for estimating and defining cover have varied, and relatively few citations often form the core of widely used sampling methods. Three common definitions were derived: Aerial cover – the proportion of each species at the uppermost surface of the vegetation (e.g., the aerial view), Species cover – the cover of the upper layer of each plant species independent of overhanging cover of other species, and Leaf cover – all the layers of each species from the uppermost surface to the surface of the soil (related to leaf area index). Aerial cover is the least time consuming and most easily linked to imagery, but emphasizes the dominant plants. Species cover better expresses the response of individual species but can be substantially more time consuming than aerial cover. Leaf cover correlates well to plant volume, biomass, and physiology, but can be prohibitively time consuming to collect. Conclusions: For common monitoring goals, such as species immigration (invasion) and emigration (loss of desired species), species cover can be a better choice. Publications often do not distinguish the type of cover being reported and this can lead to difficulty because the three cover methods do not result in directly comparable data, except in some unusual situations.     

Can digital image classification be used as a standardised method for surveying peatland vegetation cover?

The ability to carry out systematic, accurate and repeatable vegetation surveys is an essential part of long-term scientific studies into ecosystem biodiversity and functioning. However, current widely used traditional survey techniques such as destructive harvests, pin frame quadrats and visual cover estimates can be very time consuming and are prone to subjective variations. We investigated the use of digital image techniques as an alternative way of recording vegetation cover to plant functional type level on a peatland ecosystem. Using an established plant manipulation experimental site at Moor House NNR (an Environmental Change Network site), we compared visual cover estimates of peatland vegetation with cover estimates using digital image classification methods, from 0.5 m × 0.5 m field plots. Our results show that digital image classification of photographs taken with a standard digital camera can be used successfully to estimate dwarf-shrub and graminoid vegetation cover at a comparable level to field visual cover estimates, although the methods were less effective for lower plants such as mosses and lichens. Our study illustrates the novel application of digital image techniques to provide a new way of measuring and monitoring peatland vegetation to the plant functional group level, which is less vulnerable to surveyor bias than are visual field surveys. Furthermore, as such digital techniques are highly repeatable, we suggest that they have potential for use in long-term monitoring studies, at both plot and landscape scales.     

Observer Bias in Anuran Call Surveys

ABSTRACT Amphibian monitoring programs rarely question the quality of data obtained by observers and often ignore observer bias. In order to test for bias in amphibian call surveys, we sampled 29 clusters of wetlands from the Rainwater Basin, Nebraska, USA, totaling 228 functionally connected wetlands. Sampling consisted of 3-minute stops where volunteers recorded species heard and made digital recordings. Based on 627 samples, we examined 3 types of observer bias: omission, false inclusion (commission), and incorrect identification. Misidentification rates ranged from 4.2% to 18.3%. Relatively high and unquantified error rates can negatively affect the ability of monitoring programs to accurately detect the population or abundance trends for which most were designed.     

Comparison of audio recording system performance for detecting and monitoring songbirds

ABSTRACT Acoustic recording systems are being used more frequently to estimate habitat occupancy or relative abundance, and to monitor population trends over time. A potential concern with digital recording systems is that changes in technology could affect detectability of birds and cause bias in trend estimates based on counts of birds detected. We evaluated several currently available commercial recording systems ranging from low‐cost multipurpose digital recorders to custom‐designed wildlife recorders (US$250–$7000 price range) to examine possible differences among systems in species detection. We made recordings during Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS) counts using several units concurrently, and asked several expert birders to listen to the recordings in a factorial design. We found that birders detected, on average, 10% fewer species on some units compared to others, though there was high variance. Analysis of a subset of recordings, using spectrograms and repeated listening, suggested that ～90% of species on each BBS stop could be clearly detected on all units. The remaining species could be identified on at least one unit, but were hard or impossible to detect on others. We found that the recording unit with the lowest empirical signal‐to‐noise‐ratio (SNR) had the lowest number of birds detected on the BBS recordings, and that frequency‐specific SNR differed among units. Missed detections were likely related to variation in internal noise and frequency‐dependent sensitivity of the units, and were an issue for all systems regardless of price. We caution that researchers using recorders need to consider variation among recording systems in their study design, particularly for long‐term monitoring programs.     

Using ants to manage sustainable grazing: Dynamics of ant faunas along sheep grazing gradients conform to four global patterns

Ants are considered an important faunal group for the functioning of arid rangelands, they have a long history of use for environmental monitoring, and exhibit four global patterns in grazing lands: (i) soil and vegetation type are primary determinants of ant community composition, and have a far greater effect on ant community composition than grazing; (ii) grazing induces species compositional change, but does not necessarily affect species richness or abundance; (iii) a species response to grazing is not necessarily consistent across habitats; and (iv) approximately one‐quarter to one‐half of species that are common enough for statistical analysis have significant responses to grazing. Here we report the patterns of arid zone ant faunas as they exist after several decades of sheep grazing in southern Australia, and examine the extent to which they conform to the four global patterns. We measured ant faunas along grazing gradients (varying distance to water) in seven paddocks containing two soil and two vegetation types on five pastoral properties. Total site abundance and richness of ants did not differ significantly with distance from water, but the abundance of 10 (34%) of the 29 most common species did differ; three were increasers, three were decreasers, and four had mixed responses dependent on soil/vegetation type. Rare species showed no trend with grazing intensity. The ant fauna of the more structurally complex vegetation types appeared to be the most vulnerable to grazing effects. Multivariate analysis showed soil type was the primary factor influencing ant faunal composition, followed by vegetation structure; however, grazing treatment effects were present. This study fully supports the recently identified global patterns of ant responses to grazing. It also shows that sampling regional ant faunas using widely dispersed traps can detect ant faunal patterns comparable to studies that use smaller‐scale grids of traps.     

Intra- and Interannual Vegetation Change: Implications for Long-Term Research

To draw reliable conclusions from forest restoration experiments, it is important that long‐term measurements be repeatable or year‐to‐year variability may interfere with the correct interpretation of treatment effects. We used permanent plots in a long‐term restoration study in southwestern Colorado to measure herbaceous and shrub vegetation at three dates within a single year (June, July, and August), and between years (2003 and 2005), on untreated control plots in a warm, dry mixed conifer forest. Growing season precipitation patterns were similar between 2003 and 2005, so differences in vegetation should be related primarily to differences in the sampling month. Significant indicator species for each sampling month were present within a single year (2005), primarily reflecting early‐season annuals. We found no significant differences for total species abundance (2005). Species richness, abundance, and indicator species were significantly different between years for different sampling months indicating that sampling should be conducted within a similar time frame to avoid detecting differences that are not due to treatment effects or variations in year‐to‐year climate. These findings have implications for long‐term research studies where the objectives are to detect changes over time in response to treatments, climate variation, and natural processes. Long‐term sampling should occur within a similar phenological time frame each year over a short amount of time and should be based on the following criteria: (1) the sampling period is congruent with research objectives such as detecting rare species or peak understory abundance and (2) the sampling period is feasible in regard to personnel and financial constraints.     

Effectiveness and utility of acoustic recordings for surveying tropical birds

ABSTRACT Although acoustic recordings have recently gained popularity as an alternative to point counts for surveying birds, little is known about the relative performance of the two methods for detecting tropical bird species across multiple vegetation types. During June and July 2008, we collected species detection/nondetection data to compare the performance of a quadraphonic acoustic recording system and point counts for estimating species richness and composition and detection probabilities of 15 rare, moderately common, and common tropical bird species across six structurally distinct vegetation types (coastal dune scrub, mangrove, low‐stature deciduous thorn forest, early and late successional medium‐stature semievergreen forest, and grazed pastures) in the northern Yucatan Peninsula. We selected five rare species endemic to the Yucatan Peninsula and 10 moderately common and common species that also occur in other tropical regions. Species richness and composition did not differ between survey methods in any of the vegetation types. At the population level, however, we found support for an effect of method on detection probability for most species. For 13 species, regardless of their abundance, acoustic recordings yielded detection probabilities as high as or higher than those for point counts across all vegetation types. The remaining two species were better detected by point counts in pastures and coastal scrub, where greater visibility likely improved sightings of these species. However, these species were detected as well as or better by acoustic recordings in forests and mangroves where detections were primarily auditory. In tropical regions where experienced field observers may not be available and funding for field surveys may be limited, acoustic recordings offer a practical solution for determining species richness and composition and the occupancy patterns of most species. However, for some species, a combination of methods will provide the most reliable data. Regardless of the method selected, analyses that account for variation in detection probability among vegetation types will be necessary because most species in our study demonstrated vegetation‐dependent detection probabilities.     

Plant species composition shifts in the Tatra Mts as a response to environmental change: a resurvey study after 90 years

Mountain vegetation is often considered highly sensitive to climate and land-use changes due to steep environmental gradients determining local plant species composition. In this study we present plant species compositional shifts in the Tatra Mts over the past 90 years and discuss the potential drivers of the changes observed. Using historical vegetation studies of the region from 1927, we resurveyed 76 vegetation plots, recording the vascular flora of each plot using the same methodology as in the original survey. We used an indirect method to quantify plant species compositional shifts and to indicate which environmental gradients could be responsible for these shifts: by calculating shifts in estimated species optima as reflected in shifts in the ecological indicator values of co-occurring species. To find shifts in species composition, focusing on each vegetation type separately, we used ordination (DCA). The species optimum changed significantly for at least one of the tested environmental gradients for 26 of the 95 plant species tested; most of these species changed in terms of the moisture indicator value. We found that the strongest shifts in species composition were in mylonite grassland, snowbed and hygrophilous tall herb communities. Changes in precipitation and increase in temperature were found to most likely drive compositional shifts in vegetation resurveyed. It is likely that the combined effect of climate change and cessation of sheep grazing has driven a species composition shift in granite grasslands communities.     

Vegetation composition of Lolium perenne-dominated grasslands under organic and conventional farming

Agricultural intensification has caused a decline of semi-natural grasslands and loss of botanical diversity, making agricultural fields dominated by Lolium perenne the main grassland system in large areas of Europe. Increased insight into the factors determining their vegetation composition and plant species richness is needed to improve the effectiveness of agri-environment schemes and to substantiate the benefits of organic over conventional agriculture. Our aims were (1) to determine the difference in vegetation composition (including species richness) between Lolium perenne-dominated fields of conventional and organic farms in a case study region in The Netherlands, and (2) to identify the soil and management related drivers behind this difference.We collected vegetation, soil and management data in grasslands of dairy farms under conventional or organic management (45 fields in total), and used multivariate statistics to determine the effect of fertilisation rates, grazing and cutting regime, and soil properties on plant species composition. In a next step we determined to what extent these abiotic drivers differ between organic and conventional farms.On average the organic fields appeared to have a c. 30% higher plant species richness compared to the conventional ones. Vegetation composition was most strongly influenced by groundwater level and nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisation rates, and to a lesser extent by plant-available soil potassium, mowing date, total soil nitrogen, potassium fertilisation rate, age of each field, and livestock (cow or sheep). In general, a low fertilisation rate, high groundwater level, late mowing, low level of plant-available potassium, high level of total soil nitrogen, old fields and the presence of sheep promote a high species richness. However, of these variables only nitrogen fertilisation rate and groundwater level differ significantly between the organic and conventional farms and are therefore likely to be the abiotic drivers of the difference in species richness and vegetation composition between the farm types. Of these two, the difference in nitrogen fertilisation rate is a direct result of a difference in management philosophy, but the difference in groundwater level is not. We hypothesize that the latter difference is caused by economic drivers, whereby a less productive soil is an incentive for a changeover to organic farming. If this is the case indeed, the application of agri-environment schemes would be most effective in less productive (and naturally more species-rich) sites.     

Vegetation structure and pollination in the Venezuelan Central Plain

Classes of pollination agents and pollination system specificities were evaluated according to the vegetation structure in the Venezuelan Central Plain. Two main questions were examined: (i) Do the frequencies of pollination categories estimated at plant species level differ from those estimated considering plant abundance? and (ii) Does plant abundance differ according to categories of pollination in the context of each vegetation attribute? The frequencies of classes of pollination agents and systems of pollination specificity were estimated at plant species and plant abundance level for the community, habitats, life-forms, strata, horizontal disposition, and season. Besides, plant abundance of each category of pollination agent classes and systems of pollination specificity were statistically compared. Most of the comparisons between the frequency of plant species and plant abundance were non-significant (58.3%). The multivariate classifications of life-forms and habitats according to pollination agent classes using plant species and plant abundance separately are very similar. In both analyses, perennial herbs come out as a separate group, which is associated with a comparable frequency distribution of pollination agent classes. The frequency distributions of polyphilous, oligophilous, and monophilous species were statistically higher for plant abundance than for plant species in the disturbed area and in the lowest stratum (D), which is primarily associated with the relation between life-forms and vegetation strata. The average values of abundance for wind-pollinated plants were found to be larger than those for other categories of pollination systems specificity and pollination agent classes, respectively, in the forest–savanna transition and overall community. All anemephilous species have clumped distribution and plant abundance was higher in this case than what was found with the other categories of pollination specificity with clumped distribution. Estimates of pollination agent classes at plant species level proved to be a practical method to estimate pollination frequency, mainly for those studies related to the floristic composition of the community. The large values of abundance for wind-pollinated species are in concordance with the savanna–forest mosaic vegetation growing in the Venezuelan Central Plain, but are in contrast with the comparatively low percentage of wind-pollinated species recorded.     

Projected changes in plant species richness and extent of riparian vegetation belts as a result of climate‐driven hydrological change along the Vindel River in Sweden

1. Riparian plant communities are primarily structured by the hydrological regime of the stream. Models of climate change predict increased temperatures and changed patterns of precipitation that will alter the flow of rivers and streams with consequences for riparian communities. In boreal regions of Europe, stream flows will exhibit earlier spring‐flood peaks of lower magnitude, lower summer flows and higher flows in autumn and winter. We quantified the effects of predicted hydrological change on riparian plant species richness, using four different scenarios for the free‐flowing Vindel River in northern Sweden. 2. We calculated the hydrological niche of vegetation belts by relating the occurrence of species and vegetation belts to data on flood duration for 10 years preceding the vegetation survey. We then used the flood duration predicted for 2071–2100 to estimate expected changes in the extent of each vegetation belt. Using species accumulation curves, we then predicted changes in plant species richness as a result of changes in extent. 3. The two most species‐rich vegetation belts, riparian forest and willow shrub, were predicted to decrease most in elevational extent, up to 39 and 32%, respectively. The graminoid belt below the shrub belt will mainly shift upwards in elevation while the amphibious vegetation belt at the bottom of the riparian zone increases in size. 4. In the Vindel River, the riparian forest and willow shrub zone will lose most species, with reductions of 5–12% and 1–13% per site, respectively, depending on the scenario. The predicted loss from the entire riparian zone is lower, 1–9%, since many species occur in more than one vegetation belt. More extensive species losses are expected in the southern boreal zone for which much larger spring‐flood reductions are projected. 5. With an expected reduction in area of the most species‐rich belts, it becomes increasingly important to manage and protect riparian zones to alleviate other threats, thus minimising the risk of species losses. Restoring river and stream reaches degraded by other impacts to gain riparian habitat is another option to avoid species losses.     

The effects of urban or rural landscape context and distance from the edge on native woodland plant communities

The increasing rate of urban sprawl continues to fragment European landscapes threatening the persistence of native woodland plant communities. The dynamics of woodland edges depend on the characteristics of woodland patches and also on landscape context. Our aim was to assess the extent of edge influences on the understorey vegetation of small native woodlands in rural and urban landscapes. The study was carried out in two cities of north-western France. Ten comparable woodlands, each of about 1.5 ha, were surveyed; five were situated adjacent to crops and five adjacent to built-up land. Vascular plant species were recorded in 420 3 × 3 m plots placed at seven different distances from the edge (from 0 to about 45 m from the edge). Soil pH, light levels, level of disturbance and tree and shrub cover were also recorded. Plant species were first classified as non-indigenous or indigenous and then three groups of indigenous species were distinguished according to their affinity for forest habitat (forest specialists, forest generalists and non-forest species). We inferred certain ecological characteristics of understorey vegetation by using Ellenberg values. An inter-class correspondence analysis was carried out to detect patterns of variation in plant community composition. Linear mixed models were used to test the effects of adjacent land use, distance from the edge and their interactions on the species richness of the different groups and on the ecological characteristics of vegetation. Total species richness, richness of forest generalists and of non-forest species decreased from edge to interior in both urban and rural woodlands. The number of non-indigenous species depended mainly on urban–rural landscape context. Urban woodland edges were not as rich in forest specialists as rural edges. More surprisingly, the number of forest specialists was higher in rural edges than in rural interiors. Community composition was mainly affected by urban–rural context and to a lesser degree by the edge effect: the community composition of urban edges resembled that of urban interiors whereas in rural woodlands vegetation near edges (up to 10 m) strongly differed from interiors with a pool of species specific to edges. Urban woodland vegetation was more nitrophilous than rural vegetation in both edges and interiors. A major difference between urban and rural vegetation was the distribution of basiphilous species according to distance from the edge. Generally edge vegetation was more basiphilous than interior vegetation however the presence of basiphilous species fell off quickly with distance from the edge in rural woodlands (in the first 10–15 m) and more slowly (from 25 m onwards) in urban woodlands. This pattern was linked to variation in measured soil pH. As regards the conservation of flora in small native woodlands, it appeared that invasion of exotic and non-forest species was currently limited in both urban and rural landscape contexts but might pose problems in the future, especially in urban woodlands. Forest species were not negatively affected by the edge effect and indeed edges seemed to provide important habitats for this group. Hence conservationists should pay particular attention to the protection of edges in urban woodlands.     

植被监测及趋势分析——植被数量生态学中几个理论问题的探讨

 系统监测可以对危机发出预警, 是防治灾害的重要手段。生态监测的基础是植被监测。多物种 多样本 多年的植被定位监测数据隐含 着植被变化的信息。该文探索描述植被的数学工具, 提出植被监测数据的趋势分析方法。植被是资源竞争系统, 可以用多维空间的向量来表示 。在向量空间(射影空间), 不是“距离” , 而是“方向”决定区别; 在植被科学, 不是“产量”, 而是“组成”决定区别。新方法用多维空间 的位置向量来表示植被: 向量的方向表示植被的组成、两向量夹角余弦值表示相似、向量长度表示植被总体。在简缩数据时, 用“中心化”滤 去样本噪音、“标准化”滤去系统噪音, 得到状态向量。在趋势分析时, 定义后、前状态向量的比值为变化趋势; 用当年的状态和趋势的乘积 来预报次年的状态。到次年, 再用实测数据修正、更新来自去年的预报, 是为“卡尔曼滤波”。卡尔曼滤波能降低监测成本, 有效地使用历史 数据, 提高分析精度。     

What are we missing with only ground‐level mist nets? Using elevated nets at a migration stopover site

ABSTRACT Mist nets deployed in a standard ground‐level fashion capture birds approximately 0.5–2.6 m above the ground. In habitats where the vegetation extends above this height, standard mist net deployment may inadequately sample the targeted avian community and age‐ and sex‐classes within species. Such sampling biases may raise questions regarding studies based on data from mist‐net captures. To determine if birds were equally likely to be captured by mist nets at different heights, we constructed a series of paired ground‐level and elevated mist nets (hereafter “net rigs”) at a research station in western New York State. Net rigs were operated during 14 migration seasons from 2000 to 2006 (spring and fall each year), and 19,735 birds of 118 species were captured. Capture rates were significantly higher in ground‐level nets, but 12 species were only captured in elevated nets. Of 44 species with at least 50 captures, 25 species were more likely to be captured in the ground‐level nets and two species in the elevated nets. For four of 18 species, more birds were captured in the elevated nets during fall migration than during spring migration. We conclude that standard ground‐level net placement was more efficient in capturing birds in the secondary growth habitats that we sampled. However, ground‐level nets may not adequately sample the entire targeted community or all age‐ or sex‐classes within species.     

Changes in the phenology of the ground beetle Pterostichus madidus (Fabricius, 1775)

Abstract A growing body of evidence shows that climate change can alter the phenology of plants and animals. In this study long‐term data from the UK Environmental Change Network (ECN) were analyzed to investigate whether there has been a change in the phenology of the ground beetle Pterostichus madidus (Fabricius, 1775). Pitfall trap data were available from 12 ECN sites across the United Kingdom, most of which have been in operation for more than 15 years. Weather and vegetation datasets were also utilized. Pitfall trap lines were categorized to eight vegetation types. Trend analysis over time was carried out first using all the available dates of capture events, then the datasets grouped by vegetation type and site. Shifts in high‐activity periods were also analyzed. P. madidus appearance dates advanced significantly at seven sites and in five vegetation types. Peak activity advanced at two sites. At one site the timing of activity became significantly later. The last day of activity did not change significantly, supporting the theory that the cessation of the activity period is more likely to be controlled by photoperiod than temperature. The relationships between phenological variables and climatic factors were also investigated. However, no significant correlations were detected. These results demonstrate that between 1992 and 2008, phenology of P. madidus at seven sites from the eight analyzed has changed. Global warming may be driving these changes and future work will investigate underlying processes.     

Mapping of earthworm distribution for the British Isles and Eire highlights the under-recording of an ecologically important group

Earthworms are important soil organisms yet we have limited knowledge on the geographical distribution of species. Using data from a variety of sources representing a total of 3,941 locality records we have produced the first distribution maps of earthworm species in the British Isles The maps highlight the paucity of knowledge on this ecologically important group. A systematic approach needs to be taken to bring earthworm species data to a level comparable with other important invertebrate groups such as nematodes and isopods. Through the recent establishment of an earthworm recording scheme, the Earthworm Society of Britain, working with the Biological Records Centre and earthworm researchers across the British Isles, aim to build comprehensive distribution information for future monitoring and research purposes.